Canteen: Great British Food might be the most exciting looking book I own. An enigmatically simple brown paper cover, with its title and authors printed in large black capitals. And that’s it for the cover. No enticing, steaming plates of food or enthusiastic chefs captured in the middle of some dynamic kitchen sequence. No gimmicks….
Comfort and joy
Hello! Note about the title: I’ve been thinking recently that if I opened a shop, I would probably call it Comfort and Joy. Terribly twee, I know, but I like it and so would you, in time. I have very little (nothing) to report in the way of journalism today, but I felt I should…
Photos of photos from the 90s
Recently, I uploaded an album to my Facebook page of some photos I found of my brother and I in the 1990s. I don’t have a scanner, so here are a selection of those photos that best represent the decade of Spice Girl fever, Diggit, hair scrunchies and CITV’s heyday. I actually quite like the…
Statistics Anonymous: Why are stats so useful for bloggers?
Lots of you reading this might be bloggers yourselves. Maybe you do it professionally, or maybe it’s just a personal venting ground. Either way, I’d probably enjoy reading your blog. Blogs of all sorts are great. But what use is a top quality blog with hilarious/ informative/ groundbreaking content if nobody can find it? That…
Seasons Eatings!
Hello! The title today is in honour of the fact that my Ceviche review is now online for you to read! It’s nice to have something else published by a different website… what can I say? I’m ALL about the diversity. What I’d really love is for you to like it, share it, tweet it, comment…
My first taste of magazine journalism
Hello! I’ve spent the past couple of days doing some work experience at Men’s Health. I am LOVING it so far, I must say! OK, so I may not be a man, but I am very healthy (excluding the diabetes which isn’t even my fault) and I’ve very very interested in health, nutrition etc., so…
Feeling manly and healthy
Hello! The title is a massive lie. I feel neither manly nor healthy. I had an excellent bath earlier with all the Lush products in the world and now smell of vanilla, and I sound like Gollum at the moment. The title is, of course, a reference to the fact that my Men’s Health work…
Celebrate by Pippa Middleton: A book review
Being a massive fan of her perpetually elegant sister, I had to snap up a bit of the Middleton magic when I heard that Pippa Middleton had released a book. Celebrate is, unsurprisingly, a book dedicated to all things celebratory, and is, in a rather twee fashion, split into four sections by season. Pippa kicks…
A taste of things to come
Hello! This week has been great! It’s been extremely busy, but in a really good way. Firstly, I carried out my first ever restaurant review at Soho’s Ceviche, which will hopefully be appearing on the Flux Magazine website soon, so I’ll link to that once it’s online. It was great fun, and to be honest…
A quick blast of Teeline
Hello! Just a quick Friday treat today – a lot of people find this blog by Googling ‘how to write ___ in Teeline’, so I thought I’d post the responses to some of the most recent searches. Top row: light, baby, animal Middle row: hello, I love you, dog Bottom row: Teeline shorthand, question, this…
Back in busy-ness
Hello! I know, I know, more appalling blogger behaviour on my part… though in my defence, I have been blogging, just over at Bete It! In the way of journalism, I’m starting to get some more things set up. Tomorrow I am interviewing the founder of the new, and insanely cool, Peruvian restaurant Ceviche for Flux…
Unhappy birthday to me
Hello, All is quiet on the Western front journalism-wise at the moment, what with my return to uni (ish – more on this later) and the horrific time I’ve been having generally coming to terms with my big diagnosis. My next post will be inspired by this post from Brighton Journalist Works, from which I…
Portfolios and a major life change
Hello! Once again, I’m sorry for my absence, but I have the most legitimate reason of them all this time! About a week and a half ago, I was rushed into hospital, suffering from a severe form of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which led to a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. It’s the ‘unlucky’ type rather…
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Hello! Again, apologies for my appalling lack of blogging! Genuine reason though – our student house has no internet, so I’ve been going out of my tiny mind with boredom all week. I’m now back in Brighton to use the home internet, busting a gut trying to get my PA feature finished for my portfolio….
A wild laptop appeared!
Hello! So sorry for my absence, as per usual my laptop has been broken and has been ‘being repaired’ by the hopeless, incompetent fools at PC World’s KnowHow. The only thing they KnowHow to do is send back my laptop in exactly the same broken condition. We’re paying a FORTUNE for our laptops to be…
Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living
Hello! I’m extremely excited today, because tomorrow I am heading back to London for a few days, where I will be doing some freelance sub-editing for four days with a financial services company near Regent Street. This is GREAT for me, as I missed out on a subbing work experience placement, and although it’s only…
Staying out for the summer
Hello! Apologies for being a horrendously poor blogger recently, and I don’t even have a real excuse for it. So just… soz. Since I last updated, I have had another piece in The Argus – in fact, the very same piece that was published in Sussex Society! I had no idea it was going in,…
Autumn appears
Hello! I’m really enjoying the appearance of autumnal chills in the mornings! Autumn has always been my favourite season, so I should start perking up a bit now the heat is dwindling! I hate to gloat, but I’ve had a great week at work experience. I’ve found that I really enjoy copywriting, especially as I’ve…
Kayleigh tries her hand at copywriting
Hello! I’ve just finished day three of my second work experience placement, and I’m LOVING IT. I’m doing some copywriting at a local design and marketing firm, and it’s been great so far. I’m allowed to express my creativity in my writing, which is nice, as I’ve been given full responsibility over what I write….
Experiencing even more work
Hello! So, my week at The Argus is over. I’ve had a few more pieces in the paper, and a couple more pieces are also online, such as this about university places, and this about a bus replacement taxi service. My double page spread should be in the paper on Tuesday, and I have a…
A journalist on the job
Hello! Today was my third and penultimate day of work experience at The Argus, and I’m still not over the hysteria that comes with having my own phone. Today has been the best day by far, because I’ve been so busy! I’ve almost finished the story which will appear as a double-page spread at some…
Work experience, where I have my own phone
Hello! I’m now on work experience at The Argus! The first thing I need to get off my chest is that I HAVE MY OWN PHONE. MY OWN PHONE. People can phone ME directly at The Argus. To speak specifically to me. On my number. On my phone. Oh my god. This brings with it…
A fully functioning member of Society
Hello! The main news for this post is that my first Sussex Society feature has been published! (go to p.77, it’s the full page article called ‘Raising the barre’, about young ballet dancer Henry Dowden). Now you may notice it’s not my byline, but this was down to a subbing error. I’ll be receiving a copy with…
Oslo: A city review
Oslo is the somewhat overlooked capital city of Norway. Nestled at the top of the Oslofjord and surrounded by lush forest, it’s a wonder more people haven’t tapped into a spectacular natural beauty of the area, or more importantly, the fact that it appears to be the most chilled out capital in the world. I…
I’m a golden girl!
Hello! Before you condemn what could be perceived as raging arrogance in the title, there is a legitimate reason for it… and glory hallelujah, I’ve reached the gold standard in the NCTJ (apart from the portfolio which isn’t in until December, but that should be a breeze)! For those of you who don’t know, the…
A horrible dentist and job panic
Hello! An annoying event from today has inspired a future blog post. About a year ago, I was meant to be having a teeny tiny filling at the dentist. I have what is known as medical phobia, i.e. a generalised fear of anything medical, including dentists, hospitals, injections, blood…, so obviously this was NOT something…
Running (Olympic) rings around the competition
Hello! This week has been filled to the brim with OLYMPIC FUN, so this is what this post will be about. I feel like journalists should be able to turn their hand to writing about anything, so I’m going to attempt a very, very topical sports post. Please be gentle with me! Now, I’m no…
A journalist set free
Hello, Not much to report on the journalism front this week. I got the coveted C in my Reporting exam, so assuming nothing has gone disastrously in the Production exam, I should have my gold standard. Hooray! Sorry I’ve fallen off the radar a bit recently – I’m sad to have to report that my beloved rabbit,…
Lucy Setters: An interview with a psychic
Are you one of the 20% of the population classed as a ‘sensitive’, or in other words, someone with a developed level of psychic ability? Lucy Setters, a tarot card reader and psychic from Brighton, is one of the 20% who has honed her psychic powers to connect with the spirit world. Lucy believes that…
A reflection: The end of an NCTJ era
Hello! So, it’s my first day of ‘freedom’ so to speak. Last night we had our end of course meal and drinks which was LOVELY. I was a bit giddy with excitement beforehand, and it was a really fun night. John proposed a toast along the lines of “It’s been an absolute privilege” (Media Law…
They think it’s all over… because it is
Hello! IT IS THE END. We had our final subbing exam today, which went OK I suppose. I really can’t believe it’s over! I COULD be at the pub right now, but instead I’m trying to collate documents for my future landlord, which is JUST want I want to be doing. Tonight is our final…
The point where I’m in denial about the end of my course
Hello! It’s the penultimate day of my beloved, darling NCTJ course, and I’m revving up to go out… on a SCHOOL NIGHT. I have an exam tomorrow morning. Good god. Today we received our PA results and I managed to slip in with a cool 84%. Hooray! Clearly offloading all knowledge on a matter, relevant…
It’s the final humpday
Hello, I’m afraid you’ll have to bear with me a bit today as I’ve had a hideous few days, mainly due to the fact that I’ve been looking at jobs and it’s made me realise that the last thing I want to do is go back to uni to complete the degree I despise and…
PA-nic at the disco
Hello! I’m afraid anyone who assumed the title meant this post was about the band will be sorely disappointed. Soz about that. However, I really am PA-nicking now. Il y a beaucoup a faire. I’ve now revised everything in a huge revision blitz today, but I need to relearn lots of it, especially Europe, the…
Andrew Lansley, GREEDY, Andrew Lansley, TOSSER
http://youtu.be/Dl1jPqqTdNo Hello! I begin today with THE song of our course: Andrew Lansley Rap. It’s particularly topical right now, when we’re all feverishly revising PA for our exam next week. This week is a weird one. Tomorrow we have PA revision, followed by another session with feature writer John Jenkins on Thursday, and more PA…
The end is nigh
Hello! I’m feeling a bit odd at the moment, as the end of this course is hurtling ever-closer, and I feel quite sad about that. I’m really enjoying Production Journalism, and it’ll be really weird not spending every day with my coursemates. We’re currently planning an end of course meal, which seems to have come…
The momentous occasion where I passed 100wpm
Hello! In case you’re one of the 2% of the population I haven’t told, I passed my 100wpm shorthand exam (along with 100% in my 80wpm, but obviously that’s less interesting and relevant). I’m SO relieved and happy! Readers of this blog will know how many times I doubted that I’d be able to get…
Legal eagles, and other journalism exam matters
Hello! Today has been a very exciting day at Brighton Journalist Works. We’ve received our provisional Media Law and Court Reporting results, and I got an A in Media Law and a B in Court Reporting (a true Christmas miracle, given how hideous that paper was). In fact, I don’t want to say this myself, so…
A way with words: What is Linguistics?
Hello! As a Linguistics student, I get asked two questions: “What IS Linguistics?” “How many languages do you speak?” To answer the latter: I only speak English, and GCSE-level French, which I would like to develop if I had the time. I would also like to learn Icelandic and Norwegian, but let’s face it: when…
Examination station
Hello! Today, we sat our Reporting NCTJ exam. I think it went alright, but there is quite literally NO way of telling how we did. It’s almost entirely down to luck as to whether we’ll pass or not. It didn’t feel disastrous, so we’ll see how that went in a month, I guess. We got our…
English Summer Rain
Hello! Any Placebo fans might recognise today’s title. It is, of course, a reference to the glorious weather we’ve had of late. (any non-English readers: it’s been torrential downpours and galeforce winds and flooding all the way, hahaha) You’re reading the blog of a very chilled journalist today. Yesterday, we had our shorthand exam. I…
Prints Charming
Hello! The news today is that my first print story (hence the title) has made it into my local paper! (page 19 of The Argus in Brighton, in case you were wondering). I have a byline and everything! Also, inexplicably, my story is now on both the community page AND the normal news page of…
Exams ahoy
Hello! Here’s some exciting (shocking) news for you – I passed my 60wpm shorthand exam! Hooray! This means that as long as I pass everything else (at whatever level), I’ll have passed my NCTJ. Again, hooray! Alas, I have to sit an 80wpm on Friday. I don’t feel ready at all! I keep getting most…
Tips for writing Teeline shorthand left-handed
Hello! Today’s post, unfortunately, will only benefit around 10% of the Teeline-writing community, but it might provide some interesting insight into the affliction that is left-handedness for all you lucky right-handers. At risk of sounding like I’m making excuses, I do think it’s trickier to write shorthand when you’re left-handed. I spoke to my shorthand…
When I get that feeling, I want… Friday feeling
Hello! Apologies for rhyming ‘feeling’ with ‘feeling’ in the title; it’s just one of those frivolous days (a Friday, in fact). So, at this time in a week, I will have taken an 80wpm shorthand exam, assuming I’ve passed the 60wpm (less assuming, more PRAYING). The thought makes me feel physically sick to be honest,…
Happy Humpday!
Hello! Now before you ask what the title is about, it was inspired by this hilarious blog post. I’d only ever heard the term on Mean Girls before, but never understood what ‘Humpday’ meant… but I now know that it refers to Wednesday, i.e. the ‘hump’ in the middle of the week! Seeing as it’s a…
Flashes of inspiration aplenty
Hello! I’m sure you’ll all be thrilled to hear that after a couple of weeks utterly devoid of inspiration, I have, at long last, broken through the wall that is writer’s block, and I now have ideas! I’ve set about chasing up people for a grilling, and I have some ideas for more features to…
Testing times in Teeline
Hello hello! Happy news – my laptop has returned, and I now have a working left-click button (it’s only taken two years to get it fixed) and the ‘1’ key has been reattached (well, they replaced the entire keyboard actually), so I’m now fully connected to the internet again! Obviously I had the desktop computer…
Hexus: The man under the hat
“I’d been interested in electronic music since the beginning of secondary school, but my first hearings of drum and bass inspired a sense of rhythm and energy that I’d never really felt before.” Chris Andrew, aka. Hexus, is an electronic and drum and bass music artist from Brighton. Chris has arrived at a sound he…
Beautiful enough for BeautifulPeople.com?
‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’, apparently. And no website better defines this statement than the controversial beautifulpeople.com, the dating website that hit the headlines several years ago for its divisive screening process based on appearance. Current members are able to view the photographs of new applicants, and over a 48 hour period,…
Hello Hygge 