The Profane, The Sarcastic, The Humorous

              Journalism comes in many forms, a fact that is proven more each and every day. One form that I have recently begun to explore is Gonzo journalism, which can be accredited to Hunter S. Thompson circa 1970 (see previous post). It’s a combination of journalism and fiction that is partly based on the personal experience of the writer. Thompson was inspired by William Faulkner’s idea that, "The best kind of fiction is truer than any kind of journalism."

            I find this rather interesting because the subjectivity of this style appeals to me immensely. Traditional journalism takes a detached and objective approach and is focused on getting the hard facts. Gonzo journalism strives to capture the personality of the topic in addition to the topic itself. It utilizes emotion and experience as writing tools. Sarcasm, humor, exaggeration and profanity are also frequently employed in this style, which tends to “tell it like it is”.

            The more I research Gonzo journalism, the more passionate my opinion becomes concerning the rules (or lack thereof) of writing. I think people should express themselves more freely in their writing and not try to fit into a mold. I’m not saying that they should go to the lengths that Hunter S. Thompson did in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but I do believe that we-as writers- should not be afraid to tell a story as we see fit. 

Non-Creative-Fiction

            Last semester I took ENGL 501 Intro to Creative Nonfiction. I had no idea what the class would be like. The name in itself confused me. Creative. Nonfiction. Aren’t those supposed to be separate things?

            After finishing the class, I had a better grasp of what creative nonfiction is. I realized that nonfiction doesn’t have to be written in a dull or stagnant manner. The lines between creative writing and nonfiction writing don’t have to be so black and white. They can meld and blend and merge and bend. In writing, there is only one rule. There are no rules.

            In Chapter 6 of our textbook, it talks about how reporter Tom Wolfe popularized his feature-writing style, in which journalists borrowed techniques from novelists. Another central figure in this “New Journalism” movement was Hunter S. Thompson, who wrote Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which I read in my ENGL 501 class.

            This was a very unique book. The story’s plot is crazy enough but what struck me most was Thompson’s writing style. It had never occurred to me that you could write news in such an interesting way. To be honest, I had always thought of reporting as cut-and-dry. But after reading Fear and Loathing, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that was not the case. 

A Softer Lead

Even to this day former Rhode Island governor Don Caricieri remembers the tense moments that families endured at a hotel while waiting for word that their relatives' remains had been identified and how people came together to support each other.

"At a time of our state's worst tragedy, in some sense, it was our people's finest hour," he recounted.

Now, as the 10-year anniversary of the nightclub fire that killed 100 people approaches, survivors as well as the families of the victims will gather on Sunday for a memorial.

Summary Lead

The world suffered the loss of its most famous talking bird- Alex, an African gray parrot, who died last week at age 31 of natural causes.

I Pray to Thee, O Writer of Mine Sustenance

            I want to be Michael Pollan.

            Maybe not the middle-aged man part, but definitely the food journalist part. He is a foodie, a writer and an intellectual, which is a combination I have been striving for my entire life. The Botany of Desire, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and In Defense of Food are just a few of the books he has authored, all of which I have read and all of which I regard as religious texts (food is pretty much a religion, as is his writing style).

            What I enjoy about Michael Pollan’s writing is that it isn’t boring. I’m used to the fast-paced, intelligible world of fiction, so it takes a certain kind of non-fiction to hold my attention. He writes in a completely atypical sort of manner, one that is surprising and balanced. Surprising in the sense that his language seems unbounded by the harshly constructed peripheries that plague most prose (he uses sarcasm and irony) and balanced because he writes in a way that is both thought-provoking and uncomplicated.

            I’ve grown up idolizing Michael Pollan; he is partly responsible for my choice of career. When I thought about what to study in college, I was stumped. I liked food, but I didn’t want to be a chef. And I liked writing, but I didn’t want to be a novelist. Then I realized: why don’t I just do what Michael Pollan does and combine them? He writes about food for prestigious magazines, is interviewed for movies like Food Inc., and actually seems to make a difference in the world.

            The future of food writing- as most sectors of literature tend to be- is uncertain. But because there are iconic figures such as Michael Pollan, I have something to shoot for. He is paving the way for food writers like me and when I grow up, I will follow in his footsteps- fighting for a more sustainable gastronomic future. 

A Passion for Passion Pit

            “That you never leave


            Ohhoo ohooo ooo, never


            That you never would believe


            That you never, no....”

            And so begins the song “Constant Conversations” by the indie rock band Passion Pit. Hailing from Cambridge, MA, the band has released an EP and two studio albums since they formed in 2007. They are currently on tour to promote their 2012 album Gossamer-which features the hit singles “Constant Conversations” and “Take a Walk”.

            After playing shows at Boston’s Agganis Arena and New York City’s Madison Square Gardens, the band will make stops in Canada and South America before returning to the United States for Coachella in April and the Bonnaroo Music Festival in June.

            I had the distinct pleasure of attending a Passion Pit concert on February 13^th at the State Theatre in Portland, ME. Located on Congress Street, the historic theatre features Art Deco aesthetics and intricate furnishings such as wrought iron stairs, lofty ceilings, bronze doors and tapestries. An exquisite blend of the new and the old, it was the ideal venue for the irresistibly catchy tunes.            

            Dancing. Jumping. Swaying. Singing. From Icona Pop through Matt & Kim and into Passion Pit, the energy of the crowd was utterly palpable. It rose from a rumbling simmer to a frenzied pulsation as the fans and the musicians collided in a perfect harmony of synchronicity.

            Maybe for Passion Pit it was just another night in another city, but for those moments when everyone at the concert fused into one collective being, it was like we were all there for some greater purpose.

            

Where Do You Want To Live?

             It is on Wednesday, February 20^th that Housing Reapplications and the $500 Housing Deposit must be submitted. The University of New Hampshire requires students to meet this deadline or else they will not be able to partake in the apartment selection process for next year. Their only other option is to add their name to the Housing Waitlist.

            February 20^th. Wait. That’s in five days.

            Due to its imminent nature, this is big news for UNH students that live in the Gables or the Woodsides. And so campus is buzzing as people discuss where-and with who-they want to live for fall semester 2013.

            I, personally, have thought little about the matter. I only moved in to my Gables apartment three weeks ago and am still getting used to the location and my suitemates. Next school year seems awfully far away, but for the Department of Housing, things need to be decided sooner than later. Because it takes so long to place everyone into the appropriate housing, applications must be submitted months ahead of time. That leaves us UNH students scrambling to get our lives together.

            Whether you’re squatting your apartment, moving to a new complex or heading off campus, you better decide quick. The deadline is approaching swiftly.