Spic and Span: A Journey to Clean

BNW--One topic not often discussed before you move in with a roommate is who will clean and what they will clean. Listen as 25-year-old Heather Clausen, of Howard County, recounts what it was like for her and her roommates to decide who would clean.

When you must go back to go forward

(Image courtesy of Facebook)

For Vince Barracchini, a twenty-something, life was great. He lived in an apartment with one roommate, partied hard, and ate taco-bell for his fourth meal. That time seems like a distant memory for him now as he decided to move back into his parent’s home.

For my slideshow presentation, I want to do a profile as he re-acclimates himself to his parent’s household and a new full time job. I know that it is hard once you have had all the freedom in the world to go back to the rules of the land at home. I want to explore how Vince is handling the changes in his life style.

Growing Up and Out

(Image Courtesy of The Washington Post)

BNW—I recently read an online article on the Washington Post web site and found a column by an author, which was fresh and witty. I found the posting of a Ms. Sarah Z. Wexler to evoke in me emotions I feel when I sit at home alone some nights when my own roommate is at work or out with her boyfriend. While the article did not use any source other than Wexler’s own happenings, it did stimulate within me thoughts of how I would feel alone in an apartment with no one around to hang out with me. My only problem with the article is that it ends much too quickly. Wexler goes into detail about her new neighborhood and her awesome bedroom but all too quickly summarizes how she turns into her completely independent self in one paragraph. I would have liked to read a bit more about the month long process she went through. I do realize though that the issue might not be in her writing the information, but how much space she was given to write. My favorite quote from Wexler’s article is, “Tonight I'm trying to remind myself that though change is scary, these on-my-own digs are a step to being the kind of grown-up I want to be: an independent, boss-of-myself superhero.” I love this sentence because I get the image of super woman with her hands on her hips and the wind blowing her cape. While I live in my own apartment with one roommate, I feel the image of my independence is of my underwear on the outside of my costume and the wind haphazardly whipping my cape in every direction so that I do not look cool or graceful at all.

Great White Odyssey

(Image courtesy of http://myanimalblog.wordpress.com/2008/02/)

Never before when I watched a television show or newscast did I think about the amount of work that goes into creating the package. Recently, I received my new Netflix in the mail. Settling down to watch the movie, I popped some pop corn and pulled my blue blanket down so I could properly enjoy the show.

After going online to find the show’s website, I found a video clip provided by National Geographic about one shark, “Nicole,” who has crossed the Indian Ocean in search of better resources and a place to give birth.

When I originally watched the documentary, I did not think about what angles were being used to create the wide array of emotions throughout the show. I found that many shots were wide to show the vastness of the ocean. The wide shots made me feel in awe of how sharks can navigate under water and maintain a specified course. Other shots were tight around “Nicole” as she moved through the water. Being so close to her, I could feel her power and presence.

The camera angles that National Geographic used in the documentary brought me closer to a shark that I will probably never get close to for any number of reasons, one of which being a paralyzing fear of what lies beneath the surface of the ocean.

Nickel and Diming

As a continuation of my reporter’s beat, “Brave New World,” I recently interviewed two current Towson University students and one alumnus. Their perspectives helped me to get a better understanding of what it is like for students to learn to budget more effectively when it comes to the grocery bill. I was interested in finding out what students are doing now to lower their out of pocket spending when they went grocery shopping. Of the three individuals I spoke with, each told me a different technique to save money and get the biggest bang for their buck at the register. Click here to listen to the full audio story about how you can save some of your nickels and dimes.

Of Mice, Men and an Apartment

BRAVE NEW WORLD—When its cold outside, I like to find the warmest and coziest place possible to relax. Normally, I would welcome this belief to all—unless you are a critter. One of the biggest problems I find in my own apartment is that sometimes I get critters in my apartment. Of these critters, I find the biggest and scariest pest of all—mice. In this feature story, I interview both Towson students and David Shumaker of Shumaker Animal Control in Baltimore, Maryland. Click here to find out how you can rid your home of mice.

Racking my brain!

It has been a truly choatic few weeks of my life! I'm trying to get back into the swing of things and catch up on on the assignments and midterms. Below are some of my ideas for the audio assignment:

• Budgeting money in a tight economy for the single off-campus student. (Natural sound could be of a calculator)
• Grocery shopping for a week on $20 or less. (Natural sound could be the sound of the checker at the grocery store)
• Dealing with the stress of living on your own. (Natural sound could be the television and radio on and people talking in the background).