"How I Met Your Mother" Finale Thoughts

So, people are really, really, really upset about this ending. Since Ted ended up with Robin, the show was a hoax, they say. The writers essentially wasted nine years of storytelling-the could have just told the story with the pilot. What people are forgetting is perhaps the central element of the show - it's realness. Real life is messy. People get into fights, they breakup, they get divorced. People die. Christin Miliotti's role as "the Mother" served as far more than a prop for Robin. Ted's story is a real story. After going through tremendous heartbreak, he finally meets the "one," and they fall in love, have kids, etc. And that's all great. The show probably could have ended with the Ted and Tracy smirking to each other under the yellow umbrella, and people would have been happy. It was revealed in the 200th episode that Tracy's longtime boyfriend passed away, leaving her incredibly heartbroken, wrought beyond despair. And then Ted came into her life. So why isn't it fair that Ted falls in love again after McConell's death?

Audio Final Assignment

https://soundcloud.com/josh-needelman/interview-mixdown Things I did well: I asked her all of the necessary questions, and I think I painted an accurate depiction of her job. I was able to capture her laughing, cleaning dishes and talking to a customer. The clip offers a nice slice into her life. Things I need to work on: Its kind of hard to here her, probably because the freezer is really loud. I worry that you won't be able to hear what she's saying, but its the best I could do. Note: only listen to the first 30 seconds, rest is not supposed to be there

Audio Assignment #2

For this assignment I interviewed George Solomon, the coordinator of the Shirley Povich Sports Journalism Center.

Things I did well: I have a relationship with Mr. Solomon, so the setting was comfortable and relaxed. we know each other and the interview flowed smoothly. I covered all my bases and had him introduce himself and spell his name.

Things I need to work on: I thought there were only two sports journalism classes offered, but he corrected me. There are five. I should have been more prepared going into the interview.

Audio Assignment #1A

For this assignment I recapped the Terps' ACC first round loss to Florida State.

Thing I did well: I covered everything that needed to be covered, and told an accurate recap of the entire game in under fifty seconds.

Things I need to work on: My radio voice. I tried to implement it, especially towards the end, but I think I could work on putting more expression and character into my presentation skills.

Exploring with the Recorder

For this assignment, I recorded myself talking in the diner and while alone in my dorm room.

While in the diner, I was able to hear myself from 3 inches away, but it was much more difficult to hear from 6 inches away. I still my heard my voice, but it was a lot less clear. When I moved it to two feet away, it was nearly impossible. I did this around 6 o-'clock at the North Campus Diner -- prime time. It was packed. My words were barely audible.

Expectedly, I got different results while performing this activity in my dorm room. Keeping the recorder 2 feet away from me yielded very listenable audio - a stark contrast from when I performed this activity in my diner. At 6 inches the quality was still pretty good. At three inches though, the resulting audio wasn't good. I was too close and my voice was way too loud, making for unclear results.

Photo Final

One thing I did well: Capturing the signs and posters scattered throughout the room. I made it a point to frame the wrestlers near the signs, and I think it turned out well. It gave context to my story — ACC's are right around the corner, and these guys are working really hard to prepare for them.

One thing I can work on: I think the presentation would've been better if I was able to kneel down near the wrestler's and capture their emotions. This would've been another way to show how intensely they are training for the postseason. I also could've gotten some cool framing shots. Admittedly, I was a bit shy to just approach wrestlers and adapt them as characters in my story; they are people, after all.

Photo Assignment #3

 A student drifting off during class, his hand on his backpack and ready to dive into bed.

A student enjoying the scenic views of beatiful, yet snow College Park.

One thing I did well:

In the first photo, I think my angle was a plus. I was able to get low on the floor, so I captured the details on the person's face, which gave away his lethargic state. Getting lower also allowed the image of the backpack to come into play, giving more context to the scene and the student's desire to head to bed.

One thing I need to work on: 

The second photo is the antithesis of the first photo. It's kind of boring, and just kind of there. It's a kid next to a bush, so what? I could have done a better job at framing. I possibly could've zoomed in a bit more on the bush, with the student serving in the background. I also could have cropped out the left side of the image and cut it at the side of the boy.

Photo Project

                                    Shards of ice stuck in a frozen over McKeldin Mall.. College Park, Md.

                                                A scenic view of a frozen over McKeldin Mall in College Park Md.

                                  A close up shot of Omicron Delta Kappa at McKeldin Mall in College Park, Md.


I think I did a good job at capturing the mall at a unique time. UMD loves to show off the mall's beauty during the spring and summer, with the sun beating down and hordes of students basking in the sun. I think this photo-op was cool because I was able to produce a different perspective of the mall.

I could have taken more time and taken more pictures, giving me a larger sample size. Due to the freezing cold weather, I was honestly trying to take my pictures quickly, with the hope of finding shelter.

Photo Assignment #1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/essay-philip-seymour-hoffman-an-actor-of-moments-big-and-small/2014/02/02/f43b2aba-8c51-11e3-95dd-36ff657a4dae_story.html?hpid=z2

The story has several accompanying photos; in fact it has an entire photo gallery consisting of notable appearances Hoffman made during his lifetime.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/actor-philip-seymour-hoffman-found-dead/2014/02/02/c0766620-8c3a-11e3-98ab-fe5228217bd1_gallery.html#photo=7

This first photo is special for several reasons. Not only does it feature Hoffman mid-bowling stance, the woman in the background is wearing a Knicks shirt, proving that the event was sponsored by the Knicks. The shot also uses selective focus, focusing on Hoffman — the subject of the photo. The people in the background are slightly blurred out.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/actor-philip-seymour-hoffman-found-dead/2014/02/02/c0766620-8c3a-11e3-98ab-fe5228217bd1_gallery.html#photo=10

This photo is interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly, it features leading lines, as one's vision at first goes to Seymour, and then to the people in the background. It also uses the rule of thirds, showing what Hoffman and his date are wearing (to indicate scene). In the second graph Hoffman and his date are laughing, indicating their mood, and the final graph features the crowd in the background, further illustrating the scene.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/actor-philip-seymour-hoffman-found-dead/2014/02/02/c0766620-8c3a-11e3-98ab-fe5228217bd1_gallery.html#photo=12

I think this is the coolest picture in the set. Hoffman is framed in front of the erection, giving the picture a special reference point and a sense of place. The grass is also extremely green, proving the image with vibrance(color). And, of course, there is the rule of thirds.

The pictures work well within the context of the news story because they show Hoffman at various different events, almost serving as a microcosm of things Hoffman invested his time in. He's shown at a charity bowling game, on the red carpet and on the set of a movie. The article is written in response to his recent death, and attempts to shed light on Hoffman's life. The pictures serve as outstanding complements, painting a picture of the things Hoffman did.