10 feature story ideas....

1)Changes small business are making in order to survive the current economic challenges.

 A business story

Identify local business that is making it in this economy, and the changes that they are making in order to stay in business. What their view is on the coming year

2) Equine Rescue, a labor of love

Profile

CANTER, And other equine rescue groups. Slaughter is now outlawed in the USA, and this has caused the numbers of unwanted horses to rise significantly. With hay prices at an all time high, Rescues are suffering greatly

3) Mr. T- and his new heart

Medical

Follow the story of a patient that has gotten a new heart- both the positives and negatives. UMMC has a great transplant program, and has performed huge numbers of transplants- there have to be organ donors and loss with all the gain. Complex to say the least! (would be difficult as the laws demand privacy-)

4) How Facebook is bringing people together- even those that are older

Not 100% sure

Talk to the people that gave rekindled friendships on Facebook esp from High school. How has this changed things for people?

5) Community Farm- Stay Local and loyal

Enterprise

Talk to community Farm people and see what their thoughts are and what they serve for the public

6) Living off the Grid- the story of a family that has made it happen

Profile and numbers

Find someone off the grid, see what they are doing and how it works for them

7) The life of a farm vet on the road

Profile and unfamiliar visitor

The Farm vet is alive and well! Its a life that is hard and harkens back to  a different kind of lifestyle 

8) Children of Iraq vets face the holidays

Profile, kind of...

Talk to the programs that provided for kids and talk to the families that have benefited from this

9) FoodGathers face their toughest year ever

Numbers as well as overview

Talk to FoodGathers and find out how their fundraising has gone over the past few years.

10) 2nd careers- why are so many people changing?

Numbers, overview as well as profile

find students that are older and what they are doing back in school!

well, I am here to say that I am obsessed. That's all there is to it. Not any other way to say it. And it's not fun. Probably never would be fun, and probably is a problem.

Probably a lot.

It is a strange state to be in, and the timing is not good. But can we ever really do anything about that? No, I think not. It's what it is, whether or not we want it or can control it. We can't control it. I am sure of this.

I guess it's what I am anyway, I follow my being totally and without thought at times. That may be a fault, but....

So, off to do my job-with lovely patients this evening, and the odd one, too. But I am obsessed!

How can it get worse?

I suppose that is dangerous to say, but it's so. Things appear to be getting worse for business in MI. Art is struggling, and I fear for him in many ways. Tough times for all right now. I am lucky- I have "been there, done that" as far as money goes, so, yes, scary, but not so bad. I can and will adapt. 

So, the changes that I see need to be made are: Yes, less horses. Priss getting sold will allow me to move 2 horses down south. Tahoe needs to find his forever home.  Wrainthur needs to go someplace, too.  Brings me to...none here for me. Not sure if that will work or not, honestly. Perhaps North can stay here?  Anyway, Reason can go down south for sure.  Donkeys can stay here, or maybe go down south, too. I am SURE Jasmin would love having them there!  Doc is at Cathys, and unless she buys him, he is mine, too. So, actually that might be the best- have him there and ride him there- 200 bucks a month and all's good!

So, that's that. I think I can save about 1000k month with those changes. Pretty big ones, don't you think??

Some day my book will come...some day my book will come!

So, this is a bit late, as Amazon slipped on their prime shipping promise, and my book has finally hit my door- it only took a week, instead of the promised 2 day turn around that I pay "prime bucks" for! :)

So, this may be TOO late, but I shall complete anyway!  

This is my article- entitled Equestrian Deaths Spread Unease in the Sport.

This was in the New York Times, and I chose it for many reasons, primary that these are people I know, in a sport I love, and it's a fairly clear, unbiased look at the issues that are causing problems for the associations that govern the sport.  There was a lot of press around this time, and even more followed shortly after, as we had 2 horses die at our largest Eventing competition in the US just 3 weeks after this article appeared. This has generated a lot of press, but towards a somewhat limited audience. God Forbid PETA ever gets involved! :-)

So, this is a feature piece, that is both a profile as well as an overview story. The Overview part is towards the end, and sums up the profile fairly clearly.   

It is somewhat newsy, but since they are talking about a phenomenon that is happening and has been happening over the past several months, with an organization looking at the possible causes, I feel it falls more into the Overview category. 

The profile of Darren is important, but interesting, as when this was written, Darren was still in the hospital and unable to fully communicate. (He has since made a complete and amazing recovery.) So, while a profile, Darren himself could not speak for himself. There are some nice follow-up stories where Darren does indeed speak for himself, and since Darren is very colorful, it's always interesting to hear what he has to say! 

I think this article could have had more numbers added to it- if the focus was indeed to be about the sport. If it was to be about Darren, then the numbers are unnecessary. If this had focused just on Darren, then talking about all that he has accomplished and the horses and riders he has helped would have added a bit to his creditability.  The irony of Darren being head of the safety committee is not addressed as it might be, too.

What I do like is that she presents things as clearly as possible to an audience that is unfamiliar with the sport.  She has a nice picture of Darren as a lead in, and does not (thankfully) use the picture of the fall in the article. The online version had links to other articles that were more aggressive in their style.

Overall, I think this is a good article, fairly presented, clearly written and deals with a tough subject well.

This was the morning we all dread- Late, Late and snow and ice.   Why that always seems to happen? But I am in class, on time and on this blog!

My goals for this class are to hone whatever writing ability I may have. While I am past the point of thinking I could ever have a career in journalism, I still admire the ability to be able to impart information in such a way.  Jo Mathias...I always look for her stories.  I think I might tend towards the sappy, but forgiving such things and moving past them is my goal right now. 

I read the article on Sanjaya Gupta with great interest- I worked with him for several years at the U. He was amazing then, and I know he will be terrific in what ever path he chooses. His ability to communicate is truly impressive- even then, as an intern, wet behind the ears, he was who patients wanted to talk to- because he was able to impart information in an accessible way. I feel great hope for a lot of the new administration with the choices BO is making (Oh dear- what horrid initials!) to support him in his very difficult job of turning the country around!

This is the beginning of my blog for Feature Writing!! 

So, here we go!

I would swear that somewhere I said NO MORE HORSES didn't I? I mean I sold one, and that's good for many reasons. (the mi economy- undeserving of correct punctuation)  

But then I started kind of looking. Bad. Bad.  And I hit pay dirt. 2...2 for almost nothing- well, one was a stallion (yikes) and the other has a fractured sesamoid bone (double yikes). The stars came together, and they came back to Foxview. I adore them. Especially the stallion now gelding, North. He is exceptional. He must have a hole- they all do, don't they? I sure have not seen his yet. He and I strolled in the frigid weather around the property on the trail. He has been on stall rest for 4 days (rather longer, as he has had no turnout except for small times in the arena) Remember- this was a stallion 4 days ago...no chain, lose lead, and just like strolling with a friend. I admit, I was probably talking to him as if he would answer.  He is so calm and quiet- so rare in horses, esp OTTB's. I hesitate to say this, but he may be the one I keep thru school. Because he is so damn easy.  Well, he must have a hole, they all do, don't they?

Tahoe is really a comedian. He has been on a lot of stall rest- has 3 more weeks- and is VERY good about it. When I let him walk in the aisle, he is sound (because he does trot! :-) )  and when I am in the barn just doing something- he is watching all the time. HE wants the attention. Now he acts as if he is A)Headshy and B) spooky.  But, here is the thing- I have powerpacked him and given him gastrogard for 4 days now without a halter. So he is a faker in the best of ways. He is going to be a fancy horse, probably more then I need or want for the next several years, so hopefully I can find someone for him. Or then again, maybe not.  I mean, who knows? I just am not sure I can find the time to ride...we will see.

All the news here- class starts soon- not at ALL ready.  But oh well. I am going to see if I have 1/2 a chance to get into PA school next fall. This is a rather long shot (really long shot) but...never know unless you try!  The economy is just shit. No other way to say it. Art struggles, but it's good, because it means he is still at it. I am glad that 2008 is over with.  I have now been at the U for almost 6 months. Amazing how quickly that has gone! (If I was in PA school, I'd be 1/4 done! lol)