So over the last month and a half I've been working on a piece for my JRN 521 class, taught by Ryan Wood. The goal of the class was, among other things, to create a longer-term story based off an issue that we drew out of a hat at the beginning of the semester. I got consumption/consumerism, but it ended up turning more into focusing on budget issues and family dynamics. I found my story thanks to Nathan Morgan. He was pretty pumped about the prospect, and told me to run with it, so I did. Below is the final project I turned in for class.
I think I'm going to pick up the story after I get back from Alaska in August. John Tully, who originally shot the Parsons for an MDN assignment a year and a half back, suggested extending the project to the surrounding areas of Midland County, and it's definitely something I'm interesting and will be considering when I get back.
Anyway. Enjoy, and thanks for looking. And a huge thanks goes to Nathan Morgan, who helped me edit several times through the project, and also gave me the idea for how to shoot the interview and what other situations to look for. Also, to Ryan Wood for pushing me this semester.
Here's my final project for 423. I wanted to try something different with my video, and unfortunately it fell through as a whole. I had several sources drop me on short notice, or just refuse outright. As it is, I used what I had, what was originally going to only be a small portion of the video, and made it my final. Here it is. I have a couple mistakes to fix, so I'll probably update this post in a week or so.
Copy: (written very quickly) On May 1, 2010, Michigan joined 25 other states, including much of New England, by enacting a statewide smoking ban in all enclosed places. The bill, signed into law by Governor Jennifer Granholm on Decemeber 18, 2009, bans smoking in all indoor, enclosed workplaces, as well as outdoor patios of bars and restaurants. The only places exempt from the ban are cigar bars, retail tobacco stores, private homes, company vehicles, and Detroit's three casinos' gambling floors. The law is aimed toward cutting down on the health hazards of secondhand smoking in areas where it would otherwise be difficult to avoid it. The risks of secondhand smoke are well documented, ranging from the possibility of cancer, to lung problems such as asthma, or infections. It is estimated that 53,000 nonsmokers per year are killed by secondhand smoke, making it the 3rd leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. "Personally, as a bartender and a nonsmoker, I think it's great not having the smoke around," said D.J. Blizzard, bartender at The Bird Bar & Grill in downtown Mount Pleasant for the past eight years. "I'm all for people having the right to do whatever they want, and as a private business you should be able to choose, but meanwhile, I don't think it will effect us that much." "I just found out about the smoking ban," Mount Pleasant resident Archie MacGillivray said, "but I don't know, I have mixed feelings. It's nice that there will be a cleaner environment for everyone to hang out in--I'm a father, so obviously I think about my kids--but then there's the other side of it. Basically, I don't have to be in the smoke, I can always change my behavior by leaving a smoking environment. I see the good, but I see how it limits personal freedoms on a lot of different levels." Livonia freshman Nick Armes has been smoking for one year, and he is against the ban. "All these places have the property rights, they can make their own rules. And here comes the government saying 'we're talking over your company and making the laws for you.'" "I think it's unfortunate overall, because ultimately, when you get to the point, I think it's a property rights issue. It's not so much for or against smoking, but for and against personal choice, especially entrepreneurial choice." Andrew Petrevics, a Redford senior, said. "We've tried prohibition before with alcohol and it doesn't work, I think it's rather unfortunate and quite dangerous."
Gabriel Reimer is a 19-year-old living in Mount Pleasant, Mich., however, unlike most other kids his age, he does attend school full-time, he works full time at Motorless Motion on S. Main St. Reimer has grown up around bikes, mostly because his parents owned the Mountain Town Ski and Bike Shop in downtown Mount Pleasant during the mid 80’s until the early 90’s. Although Reimer was two when they sold the store, their passion passed on down to him. “The first bike I ever fixed was my second mountain bike. I used to jump it off curbs and the wheels would get all messed up, so I had my dad show me how to fix it.” Reiner said. Reiner has been working at Motorless Motion for three years. “I’ve never been good at selling people things, but here I get to be around bikes and talk bikes with customers.” He said. Reimer prefers to ride his BMX bike, but also enjoys trail riding on his mountain bike. “This winter I learned to do a 720 off a jump. That’s two complete spins with 30 pounds of bike beneath you. It’s crazy.”
"No, I'm not well," were the words of 81-year-old Mount Pleasant resident Maxine Tanner when she was being interviewed by Central Michigan Life reporter Randi Schaffer. Tanner relies on her son Andy to take her to the grocery store and doctor appointments. She goes through dialysis on Mondays and Fridays, followed by her Bridge game on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which she finds her own ride to.
“Life is very interesting, I will have to admit that. Every day was exciting. I just lived a very exciting life.” She was in the Air Force for 2 months, has been married twice, raised three kids--mostly by herself--and started her own business when she was 51, only retiring after falling ill and having a heart bypass surgery.
To me, Maxine represents something that we all try to achieve. She has found a small measure of peace in her life. She's experienced the highs and the lows, yet she can only smile and be thankful for what she has experienced.
In my project I want to show that even though her health is deteriorating and her mind and memory not as sharp as they used to be, she is still an incredibly strong person, one that we could all learn from. I want to follow Maxine, from taking a trip to the store with her son, Andy, to her Bridge games, and hopefully (after some time and clearance), to her doctor appointments.
