Women/Men...Men/Women

Elle in their November magazine did a whole feature of feminism and why it's nothing to be ashamed of, so why is it?

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Mother's feminism campaign

What do you think of when someone says the word Feminism?

I'm sure a large majority of male readers will turn away now. And do I blame them? Not really. I don't want to listen to conversations about football so why should they read about 'Feminism', that isn't misogyny it is an actual gender disinterest. If you're a girl and like football, so what? If you're male and want to read Sali Hughes talking about flicky eye liner than be my guest. If you expect women to work the same job as a man but get pain less than half of what he earns that is where the problem begins.

One fact for you. 99% of the worlds wealth is owned by men. ONE PERCENT is earnt and owned by women.

I spoke to a man on Wednesday and he says there is no taboo around 'Feminism', he then proceeded to make a joke about women knowing their place.  That same evening my brother showed me a video which ended with the quote 'Women know your limits'. This sort of comment doesn't actually bother me, maybe I am lazy, I just think if you are actually comfortable in yourself and comfortable being an actual human female then these comments shouldn't really bother you. There is not one type of person for each gender.

I am a woman but feel uncomfortable saying I am a feminist as I think there is a bubble around it. Feminism must mean that all women are scary, hairy, manly humans who enjoy nothing more then slagging off men to those who 'can't decided' or 'don't know', right guys? Right? WRONG and secretly you know it or do you? DO any of us actually know what it means?

Feminism shouldn't be but is an unattractive word, Zooey Deschanel is a beautifully brilliant woman, as is Beyonce and they both call themselves 'Modern Feminists' as does Keira Knightly and of course the wonderful CAITLIN MORAN. Feminism doesn't mean never going near men, never having sex, never wearing make-up and never buying nice underwear.

Of course minorities have taken it to the extremes, but we shouldn't be afraid to say it.

Feminism is equality. In a nut shell.

I miss London.

Living on the doorstep of London last year is something that I thoroughly miss now, I want it back.

I am living at home whilst I do my NCTJ course which isn't a terrible thing BUT between a 15 Minute journey to Waterloo and an hour and a half journey to Victoria (If i'm lucky) I will always rather the former of the two.

Brighton is ok don't get me wrong, but London, beautiful, hug-like London. I can't on a whim go and see Polly Stenham's new play at the Royal Court now, I can't wonder around Highgate just because I wanted to go to a bookshop that sold Enid Blyton books. Oh! Oxford Street Topshop, The Pleasance in Islington, MY OWN FLAT. Take me back.

Anyway I am going to work my bottom off so I can move back there. The main problem with this is money, I need a job but I also feel like this course is only 14 weeks, I should just embrace it and throw yourself into everything I can.

This week we had a man from Johnston Press come and speak to us and an ex-editor of the Telegraph, both were equally as bonkers as the other. Interesting but a little bit scary.

The first took 5 minutes talking about his experiences with Rolls Royce and told us that Blogs weren't worth anything to potential employers. Which didn't surprise me AT ALL, blogs are very indulgent, not really worth much to anyone except yourself. I'll keep writing on it occasionally because EVENTUALLY I would like to blog like Esther Walker, whom I adore ... http://reciperifle.blogspot.co.uk/ 

The second came to speak to us about feature writing, something I am interested in, one of the many things. We all 'pitched' the ideas we had for the features we have to write for our portfolios; he didn't hold back if he didn't like something. Although I genuinely couldn't tell what he thought of mine, with the others he either said yes or no, mine, he said "Ok" then moved on...WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

ANYWAY...In true stereotypical journalist style, we all went out last night, drinking (Of course). I cannot tell if I am proud or disgusted at myself for doing a vodka shot before drinking anything else but thats obviously what I do now...classy eh?

So today has been watching Breaking Bad whilst snoozing in a warm blanket.

Tomorrow is a shorthand day!

Do you know what journalism is?

"If you want to become a columnist at a prestigious newspaper, you must either be best friends with the editor or be able to give really good blow jobs to the right people"

Do you actually know what journalism is? I know it doesn't pay brilliantly, I know it is full of erratic hours, I even know that it's bloody hard work, but today opened everyones eyes that little bit more.

'Fleet Street Fox'...need I say more?

Her real name is Susie Boniface. This lady right here is a journalist; she is a proper fleet street drinking, cursing journalist and what was the first thing she said to us today? 

"The story comes first, the reader comes second and the journalist is nothing" 

There were about 40 people in this session and with this introduction the room was divided. You were either in the group that liked the no bullshit side to her and subsequently loved the rest of what she had to say OR you hated her from the moment she opened her mouth and then proceeded to ask everyone if they felt the same...

I thought she was brilliant, although apparently my blog is 'sweet' so I should probably say how much I hated her. She didn't sugar coat, she didn't need to as there is nothing to coat in sugar. Wanting to be a journalist is a form of mental illness, only an idiot would put themselves through the barrage of physical and verbal abuse that goes on in this business, BUT that is what makes it all the more exciting!

We were told that no-one would understand why we wanted to be journalists; why we had to keep our phones on 24 hours a day and why we have to run from the Christmas dinner table to take an important phone call, but It is the same as me not understand why someone would become a dentist or a forensic scientist. I wouldn't judge someone for wanting to do these things but doesn't make them wrong for wanting to do it.

"Find the balance between Human and Bastard and DON'T BE A TWAT"

The best way to deal with the barrage of abuse you will face is to know that you haven't done anything wrong. Basically if you have gone about a contentious story in a moral way, no matter how hard it is at the time, then you have nothing to worry about when it comes to criticism (Hopefully)

So, this is what happened at lunchtime today, I sat and took copious amounts of notes because 'Fleet Street Fox' made me think that most things are possible and that you just need to shut up, stop being so arrogant and do what you have to do. No one cares if you have an ego the size of a whale, if you show that to a reader they won't read you again. GET ON WITH IT AND STOP TELLING PEOPLE HOW BRILLIANT YOU THINK YOU ARE BECAUSE NOBODY CARES.

-IF YOU WANT SOMETHING ENOUGH AND YOU ARE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR IT YOU WILL GET IT-

I then went home and bought her book, because I love a good scandal.

Two Weeks in and I am a terrible blogger!

Friends and foes I must apologise for my lack of human-ness over the past two weeks. As it turns out becoming a journalist is very very time consuming.

I am enjoying this course so much but I haven't really had the time to explain it. It may be a dangerous thing to say but (whisper it...) I am actually enjoying shorthand, it is exhausting and frustrating and it makes you laugh because it sometimes seems too ridiculous, but when I can see how much I have already achieved it makes it a little bit more exciting!

PA and Law are very heavy subjects but really interesting at the same time and all the tutors are brilliant. All very funny and full of experience and enthusiasm, which is always a good thing.

I am in Group Two or Frost after the late and great Sir David Frost which is the name we gave ourselves. We are apparently the "Rowdy" class but I prefer the word "Curious" as we are only questioning the things we don't understand.

My Day.
I wake up at six o'clock, yes I said six. I'm not great at sleeping as it goes but six o'clock has been a bit of a struggle.
I get the train at about 730, read the metro
Catch a bus
9-1 Will be one of our subjects
2-5 will be another
I get home at 630 (If I am lucky)
I have dinner and then spend the rest of the evening practicing shorthand, reading law, public affairs and ethics or hunting out stories from my 'Patch' which is central Brighton.

I have a few ideas, which I am going to attend to in the next two weeks

so thats that.




In other news...The new iPhone software has majorly slowed my already slow phone down, I had to restore my phone in the process of updating it and it took me two hours to do so...

I'm 5 years old again...

This is it. This is the final weekend before I start my Journalism course which is scary in itself but now it's here. I basically feel like I am starting school again, new people, new stationary, new clothes. I know all the people are lovely, I've said that before but people are scary, I need to get a grip I know but it is all unknown territory at the moment...Who am I kidding this dang shorthand has me losing sleep, I can deal with people as we all do on a daily basis but this shorthand. Shorthand. SHORTHAND. What if I don't learn it in the time and I am the only one who fails? What happens if I get tonsillitis and lose valuable time and get behind? Actually I've already decided that contaminating my fellow students with tonsillitis is something I may have to do just so I don't get behind on the shorthand (Sorry)...I'm sure it will all be fine BUT there is always that little tiny voice that is actually like a tannoy in your head saying "You do know that this is going to be tough" "You do know that the Shorthand exam is out to make you fail?" Am I just hearing voices? If so Shorthand is the least of my worries...It will all be fine!

So...I have a secret but don't want you all to think i'm not serious about the course itself...You ready?

I've spent a lot of money this summer all on things 'For my Journalism Course'. Obviously I think people will totally believe that this is why a lot of the money I've earned this summer has been spent on a new coat, it is definitely going to be cold in the morning and evening, and I'll be travelling so I definitely don't want to be cold, Right? I bought a 'serious' bag, it is smart but casual, a pair of 'Professional' shoes with an ultra sensible heel for those rushed moments in life, and last but certainly not least I bought 'The' dress, the dress that means I am ready to take on the world, I'm ready to do that interview, ready to work into the evening on a new Breaking story all to be ready to go to print. It all sounds very exciting doesn't it? But you see these "things" are all very important to the rest of my life, it sounds very dramatic but it's not. You see all these insignificant yet terribly significant details will add to the experience, they will round things off, make you feel more comfortable and therefore less likely to shuffle and squirm in uncomfortable silences.

Anyway the real fun will be getting on all the right forms of public transport Monday morning, never mind about the actual course yet, this comes first.

NCTJ Excitement and Fears.

We need a new word; One that explains an excessive amount of excitement running along side a vein of nerves. I suppose there could be a word already to explain this, I just haven't read my dictionary thoroughly enough!

So...Today I received the lovely surprise of my 'Journalist Works Journalist Instructions'. I thought because of this it would be wholly appropriate to voice some fears and some reasons why I am so excited.

Understandable Nerves...Enthusiastic Excitement...
-New People. This scares and excites me. I've spoken to a lot to the people on my course and we all seem to be on the same wave length, which is encouraging and will make the course a really good experience for us all because we all want roughly the same outcome.

-100wpm ... Shorthand. This is something that everyone will talk about in their blogs over the next few weeks. I will probably want to cry/throw things/laugh in the face of shorthand, but reading about other peoples experiences it is all about practice, like everything else in life, so this makes me a little optimistic (Yes Emily just used the word optimistic)

-14 Weeks of 9am-5:30pm days. This is one of the things that I am genuinely looking forward too, Yes I can hear you all saying "Oh how sweet, she really has not got a clue" I know I don't but let me go into it guns blazing and then you can say I told you so when I kick a bin for no reason.  I was reading the main 'advice' on the Brighton Journalist Works Blog and it basically says..."Forget about any life you might have had before the course, forget about the television, forget you have friends" Well that's how I read it anyway. But I am ready to immerse myself into the "Adult World" I am bored at the moment, I want to be working and proving myself.

-Exams. No-one likes them, I have never been very good at them, this is going to be interesting!

Madness. I Am Going To Talk About It.

So here is the thing, I LOVE books there is no getting away from that, I always have one on the go BUT, I only really buy them so that one day when I am all grown up I can buy and proper adult bookcase and show them all off. I've bought all sorts. I think I (MOSTLY) enjoy buying them and looking at them more than I do reading them. Sometimes I judge the book very much by it's cover, but I don't then want to ruin the magic and read it, What if it isn't what I was expecting at all and I get sad? 

Mr McEwan is a favourite of mine, I thought that I wanted to be his friend until he said Creative Writing degrees (Which I did a year of) were a waste of time, I got very angry and decided that he would be a bad friend anyway! But I suppose now I have realised that the course I did was in fact a waste of my time maybe I can re-evaluate our fictional friendship. Maybe we can have tea in London some time. In the bookcase Mr McEwan sits next to Matilda, Giles Coren and Caitlin Moran so there you go, I am surrounded by lots of lovely people whether they are real or not.

 Ms. Sylvia Plath. THE BELL JAR. Let us talk about THE BELL JAR. I adore it, it is just one of those books filled with genuine madness. It is one of those taboos though, everyone, the moment depression or any of the other mental issues comes up in conversation tries to look away from, make sure that you are not looking at anyone else, you might accidentally, in that glance give an opinion that does not conform with the rest of the group. I really enjoy a story about mental health, blah blah blah I am sympathetic and empathise with the people around them, but it doesn't mean I can't enjoy reading about it.

When I was 14 i tried to convince my family I was Bipolar, I'm not but I felt like I needed to be more interesting. No one believed me (Funnily enough) because I don't actually give off any signs of mania or depressions so my plan was ruined. Then I decided that my father had placed me in a state of forever childhood with his previous behaviour (It's not as interesting or dramatic as it sounds), that didn't work either because he didn't really have anything to say about it, so I just read lots and lots of books on the Father/Daughter relationship and that was fine but it doesn't actually fix anything, if anything it makes it worse, it means that you can see exactly what has happened in detail and you can see the ways to fix it but you can't actually fix it. In the end though I just decided to read about other people instead, it is a lot easier because I'm not mad I just like to create draamaaaa. I did say before I was an emotional rollercoaster of a friend...