Thursday, May 26, 2011
Future plans
I've found this class has come at a pretty perfect time at my life because I'm in the middle of deciding what I want to do with my future. I don't really feel that much pressure, but I don't like the idea of spending too much time of my life without making what I would call forward momentum. I'm applying for an Americorps job, but there's still the possibility I won't get it. I'm kind of tempted to just drop everything and tried to find whatever job I can in journalism and use it as a vehicle to travel to a new city and try to reestablish myself as a writer. Not that Kalamazoo is exactly stagnant, but I have been here for a while and might need a change of scenery. I've always loved the Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson, and especially admire how Thompson left everything and moved to Puerto Rico before he even had a confirmed job with the paper. He eventually became a sport's editor for them and was able to become fully engrained with how running a small paper works. Not that it would be that easy for me, but I'm very tempted to take a big leap like that.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
He's a Fighter REVISED!
“He’s a Fighter”
by Jordan Rickard
Matt looks at driver’s licenses for a living. Matt Stringham is a bouncer. Most nights he stands in the doorway of Rugger’s Up and Unders Sports Bar, commonly referred to as Ups. He makes sure people are 21 before coming in and every now and then throws someone out.
Matt doesn’t identify himself as a bouncer. He plans to professionally deliver head kicks starting this November. He’s a fighter. He’s not a street brawler and he’s not a bully no matter what drunks may think as they’re being dragged outside. “I fight MMA, I have fifteen fights right now, and I go pro in the fall. My record is 10 and 5,” said Stringham. Mixed martial arts (MMA for short) is fought in an arena that features fighters of a myriad of backgrounds with almost no rules except for no strikes to the groin or the back of the head.
For now though, he’s just a bouncer, but that’s okay. “I love this job, it works well for me,” said Stringham. “It’s a power trip.”
Bouncing for bars may seem like the ideal job for a fighter. Stringham is 22, tall, cut, and keeps his hair shaved close. On the street his features aren’t very noticeable, but he’s an intimidating figure to see walking towards your table at Ups when someone is starting a fight or spilling too many drinks.
Stringham isn’t a bouncer because he wants to beat up on drunkards. Being a bouncer allows a surprising amount of freedom. “I like bouncing because I can leave here. There’s no future for me as a professional fighter in Kalamazoo. It’s a job that translates pretty well because I can go to any city and become a bouncer,” said Stringham. He was born and raised in Portage, Michigan, but he is ready to leave as soon as he goes pro.
Ups is supposed to be an Australian sports bar. There’s the occasional drink special on Fosters, but you wouldn’t expect to see any actual Aussies coming in. TVs crowd every wall, and there’s a distinct smell of spilt beer in certain areas. When a Redwings or Tigers game is on it’s packed, but most of the day it’s desolate.
If you saw Stringham sitting on a barstool by the door during off hours you might wonder what he was thinking about. In a way, he’s not thinking about anything at all. “I meditate a lot when it’s just me here. I focus on my breathing and it phases out all of the other distractions,” said Stringham.
Stringham didn’t used to be so calm and motivated. He used to be what you might think a bouncer would be; angry. “I was an angry angry person. I’m such a calm person nowadays now that I get to head kick people on a daily basis. I don’t know why, it’s just something in me,” said Stringham. He looks like he could be an angry person. He’s usually smiling, but when he is in a fight there’s a completely different side to him.
MMA provides a controlled environment that’s radically different from fighting someone outside of a party or on the street. Stringham used to think he was the best fighter around before his second MMA fight when he got knocked out by someone smaller but better trained than himself. There’s a difference between releasing anger when you fight and being an angry fighter. “I don’t like street fighting. In my sport I can shake a dude’s hand, be nice with him and then beat the living hell out of him and try to kill him because I know someone is going to pull me off of him. I unleash everything that is dark,” said Stringham.
Of course, he doesn’t win every fight, but losing is helpful in its own way. Stringham likened to video games he played when he was younger: “did you ever play Final Fantasy VII? Win or lose, you’re leveling up. You’re getting experience.”
This mindset has led him to survive the darker parts of his life, take the experience, and make himself into a stronger fighter and person. “I was a heroin addict for a long time,” said Stringham. “I’ll be four years clean in June. My best friend died in rehab, so I don’t do anything [drugs] anymore.” He will still have a couple of drinks, but he doesn’t drink much when his shift is over like the other bar employees.
Now, Stringham’s goals are set on going pro. He will start getting paid real cash for fights, and if he keeps winning he will be able to retire from bouncing forever. For now though, he still has to keep making money. As a bouncer, he can spend more time training than working. However, training stays in the gym. You might think he would get some practice fighting as a bouncer. Actually, he never does. He’s not allowed to strike anyone, but there’s still use for his skills. “In here grappling is the name of the game,” said Stringham. Grabbing, disarming, and generally getting someone out the door before they can cause more problems is a valued skill set for a bouncer.
“We’re the guys everyone hates,” he said. Some drunk people want to fight, and most drunk people want to watch a fight. Normally, Stringham would too, but not when he’s on the job. He has to stop fights before they happen, and that means keeping an eye out. “You can always spot the douche bags,” said Stringham. “If you’re a jackass when you’re sober than you’re probably going to be an even bigger jackass when you’re drunk.”
Knowing how to fight isn’t just about connecting punches. Fighting is about confidence, diligence, and working the angles. Winning a fight isn’t just the time in the ring either. Stringham has to lose 29 pounds in order to make weight and fight in the 185lb group. He also has to keep making money for now.
Stringham is going to keep bouncing as many hours a week as he needs. You might not want to see him in the ring, but you should feel safer when you see him in the bar because there’s not many people that can touch him there. “Yeah, I could get knocked out with a bare fist, but in reality it’s a video game. I’m a level 10 and they’re a level 1.”
by Jordan Rickard
Matt looks at driver’s licenses for a living. Matt Stringham is a bouncer. Most nights he stands in the doorway of Rugger’s Up and Unders Sports Bar, commonly referred to as Ups. He makes sure people are 21 before coming in and every now and then throws someone out.
Matt doesn’t identify himself as a bouncer. He plans to professionally deliver head kicks starting this November. He’s a fighter. He’s not a street brawler and he’s not a bully no matter what drunks may think as they’re being dragged outside. “I fight MMA, I have fifteen fights right now, and I go pro in the fall. My record is 10 and 5,” said Stringham. Mixed martial arts (MMA for short) is fought in an arena that features fighters of a myriad of backgrounds with almost no rules except for no strikes to the groin or the back of the head.
For now though, he’s just a bouncer, but that’s okay. “I love this job, it works well for me,” said Stringham. “It’s a power trip.”
Bouncing for bars may seem like the ideal job for a fighter. Stringham is 22, tall, cut, and keeps his hair shaved close. On the street his features aren’t very noticeable, but he’s an intimidating figure to see walking towards your table at Ups when someone is starting a fight or spilling too many drinks.
Stringham isn’t a bouncer because he wants to beat up on drunkards. Being a bouncer allows a surprising amount of freedom. “I like bouncing because I can leave here. There’s no future for me as a professional fighter in Kalamazoo. It’s a job that translates pretty well because I can go to any city and become a bouncer,” said Stringham. He was born and raised in Portage, Michigan, but he is ready to leave as soon as he goes pro.
Ups is supposed to be an Australian sports bar. There’s the occasional drink special on Fosters, but you wouldn’t expect to see any actual Aussies coming in. TVs crowd every wall, and there’s a distinct smell of spilt beer in certain areas. When a Redwings or Tigers game is on it’s packed, but most of the day it’s desolate.
If you saw Stringham sitting on a barstool by the door during off hours you might wonder what he was thinking about. In a way, he’s not thinking about anything at all. “I meditate a lot when it’s just me here. I focus on my breathing and it phases out all of the other distractions,” said Stringham.
Stringham didn’t used to be so calm and motivated. He used to be what you might think a bouncer would be; angry. “I was an angry angry person. I’m such a calm person nowadays now that I get to head kick people on a daily basis. I don’t know why, it’s just something in me,” said Stringham. He looks like he could be an angry person. He’s usually smiling, but when he is in a fight there’s a completely different side to him.
MMA provides a controlled environment that’s radically different from fighting someone outside of a party or on the street. Stringham used to think he was the best fighter around before his second MMA fight when he got knocked out by someone smaller but better trained than himself. There’s a difference between releasing anger when you fight and being an angry fighter. “I don’t like street fighting. In my sport I can shake a dude’s hand, be nice with him and then beat the living hell out of him and try to kill him because I know someone is going to pull me off of him. I unleash everything that is dark,” said Stringham.
Of course, he doesn’t win every fight, but losing is helpful in its own way. Stringham likened to video games he played when he was younger: “did you ever play Final Fantasy VII? Win or lose, you’re leveling up. You’re getting experience.”
This mindset has led him to survive the darker parts of his life, take the experience, and make himself into a stronger fighter and person. “I was a heroin addict for a long time,” said Stringham. “I’ll be four years clean in June. My best friend died in rehab, so I don’t do anything [drugs] anymore.” He will still have a couple of drinks, but he doesn’t drink much when his shift is over like the other bar employees.
Now, Stringham’s goals are set on going pro. He will start getting paid real cash for fights, and if he keeps winning he will be able to retire from bouncing forever. For now though, he still has to keep making money. As a bouncer, he can spend more time training than working. However, training stays in the gym. You might think he would get some practice fighting as a bouncer. Actually, he never does. He’s not allowed to strike anyone, but there’s still use for his skills. “In here grappling is the name of the game,” said Stringham. Grabbing, disarming, and generally getting someone out the door before they can cause more problems is a valued skill set for a bouncer.
“We’re the guys everyone hates,” he said. Some drunk people want to fight, and most drunk people want to watch a fight. Normally, Stringham would too, but not when he’s on the job. He has to stop fights before they happen, and that means keeping an eye out. “You can always spot the douche bags,” said Stringham. “If you’re a jackass when you’re sober than you’re probably going to be an even bigger jackass when you’re drunk.”
Knowing how to fight isn’t just about connecting punches. Fighting is about confidence, diligence, and working the angles. Winning a fight isn’t just the time in the ring either. Stringham has to lose 29 pounds in order to make weight and fight in the 185lb group. He also has to keep making money for now.
Stringham is going to keep bouncing as many hours a week as he needs. You might not want to see him in the ring, but you should feel safer when you see him in the bar because there’s not many people that can touch him there. “Yeah, I could get knocked out with a bare fist, but in reality it’s a video game. I’m a level 10 and they’re a level 1.”
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Character Development in Non-Fiction
I still have 50 pages to go on Gail's book, but so far I've been amazed about how engaged I feel on such a dark topic. From page 1 we're aware that the ultimate outcome is going to be a murder-suicide for the two "protagonists", but through how it's written I still myself rooting for characters and trying to envision a different outcome.
There is not character construction in the traditional sense because they are all real people and we're just reading real quotes and information. However, the selection of quotes and placement in the piece are guiding my view of the characters for the optimum dramatic effect. Especially how the story of Neenef and Maggie are told separately at first and we're able to empathize or sympathize with both of them as individuals. I don't think I'm alone in saying that I appreciated Neenef and how he worked to try to get out from under the thumb of his father and establish himself at a progressive liberal college. That is what makes it so tragic when he slowly transitions into the antagonist. This also helps move the novel from a story about 2 people into one about a campus and its reactions. At a certain point we're getting information primarily from friends and faculty. While we care about how their relationship is going, we ultimately are left with the friends and faculty and because they received sufficient attention before the event occurred it remains an engaging read.
There is not character construction in the traditional sense because they are all real people and we're just reading real quotes and information. However, the selection of quotes and placement in the piece are guiding my view of the characters for the optimum dramatic effect. Especially how the story of Neenef and Maggie are told separately at first and we're able to empathize or sympathize with both of them as individuals. I don't think I'm alone in saying that I appreciated Neenef and how he worked to try to get out from under the thumb of his father and establish himself at a progressive liberal college. That is what makes it so tragic when he slowly transitions into the antagonist. This also helps move the novel from a story about 2 people into one about a campus and its reactions. At a certain point we're getting information primarily from friends and faculty. While we care about how their relationship is going, we ultimately are left with the friends and faculty and because they received sufficient attention before the event occurred it remains an engaging read.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The Spanish Revolution
This is a really cool piece from Men's Health about Spanish cuisine. It's written in a narrative style from the author's experience at a restaurant and then moves on to profile specific restaurants and chefs. Don't read this when you're hungry.
http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/spanish-food
http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/spanish-food
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Profile Piece
“He’s a Fighter”
by Jordan Rickard
Matt looks at driver’s licenses for a living. Though he hopes to professionally deliver head kicks starting this November. Matt Stringham is a bouncer. Most nights he stands in the doorway of Rugger’s Up and Unders Sports Bar. He makes sure people are 21 before coming in and every now and then throws someone out.
Matt doesn’t identify himself as a bouncer. He’s a fighter. He’s not a street brawler and he’s not a bully no matter what drunks may think as they’re being dragged outside. “I fight MMA, I have fifteen fights right now, and I go pro in the fall. My record is 10 and 5 right now,” said Stringham. Mixed martial arts (MMA for short) is fought in an arena that features fighters of a myriad of backgrounds with almost no rules except for no strikes to the groin or the back of the head.
For now though, he’s just a bouncer, but that’s okay. “I love this job, it works well for me,” said Stringham. “It’s a power trip.”
Bouncing for bars may seem like the ideal job for a fighter. Stringham is tall, cut, and keeps his hair shaved close. He’s an intimidating figure to see walking towards your table when someone is starting a fight or spilling too many drinks.
Stringham isn’t a bouncer because he wants to beat up on drunkards. Being a bouncer allows a surprising amount of freedom. “I like bouncing because I can leave here. There’s no future for me as a professional fighter in Kalamazoo. It’s a job that translates pretty well because I can go to any city and become a bouncer,” said Stringham. He is ready to leave as soon as he goes pro.
If you saw Stringham sitting on a barstool by the door during off hours you might wonder what he was thinking about. In a way, he’s not thinking about anything at all. “I meditate a lot when it’s just me here. I focus on my breathing and it phases out all of the other distractions,” said Stringham.
Stringham didn’t used to be so calm and motivated. He used to be what you might think a bouncer would be; angry. “I was an angry angry person. I’m such a calm person nowadays now that I get to head kick people on a daily basis. I don’t know why, it’s just something in me,” said Stringham. He looks like he could be an angry person. He’s usually smiling, but when he is in a fight there’s a completely different side to him.
MMA provides a controlled environment that’s radically different from fighting someone outside of a party or on the street. Stringham used to think he was the best fighter around before his second MMA fight when he got knocked out by someone smaller but better trained than himself. There’s a difference between releasing anger when you fight and being an angry fighter. “I don’t like street fighting. In my sport I can shake a dude’s hand, be nice with him and then beat the living hell out of him and try to kill him because I know someone is going to pull me off of him. I unleash everything that is dark,” said Stringham.
Of course, he doesn’t win every fight, but losing is helpful in its own way. Stringham likened to video games he played when he was younger: “did you ever play Final Fantasy VII? Win or lose, you’re leveling up. You’re getting experience.”
This mindset has led him to survive the darker parts of his life, take the experience, and make himself into a stronger fighter and person. “I was a heroin addict for a long time,” said Stringham. “I’ll be four years clean in June. My best friend died in rehab, so I don’t do anything [drugs and alcohol] anymore.” This is why he doesn’t drink much after work like other bar employees.
Now, Stringham’s goals are set on going pro, but he still has to keep making money until he gets there. He doesn’t fight as much as one might think he would as a bouncer. In fact, he never does. He’s not allowed to strike anyone, but there’s still use for his skills. “In here grappling is the name of the game,” said Stringham. Grabbing, disarming, and generally getting someone out the door before they can cause more problems is a valued skill set for a bouncer.
“We’re the guys everyone hates,” he said. Some drunk people want to fight, and most drunk people want to watch a fight. Normally, Stringham would too, but not when he’s on the job. He has to stop fights before they happen, and that means keeping an eye out. “You can always spot the douche bags,” said Stringham. “If you’re a jackass when you’re sober than you’re probably going to be an even bigger jackass when you’re drunk.”
Knowing how to fight isn’t just about connecting punches. Fighting is about confidence, diligence, and working the angles. Winning a fight isn’t just the time in the ring either. Stringham has to lose 29 pounds in order to make weight and fight in the 185lb group. He also has to keep making money for now.
Stringham is going to keep bouncing as many hours a week as he needs. You might not want to see him in the ring, but you should feel safer when you see him in the bar because there’s not many people that can touch him there. “Yeah, I could get knocked out with a bare fist, but in reality it’s a video game. I’m a level 10 and they’re a level 1.”
by Jordan Rickard
Matt looks at driver’s licenses for a living. Though he hopes to professionally deliver head kicks starting this November. Matt Stringham is a bouncer. Most nights he stands in the doorway of Rugger’s Up and Unders Sports Bar. He makes sure people are 21 before coming in and every now and then throws someone out.
Matt doesn’t identify himself as a bouncer. He’s a fighter. He’s not a street brawler and he’s not a bully no matter what drunks may think as they’re being dragged outside. “I fight MMA, I have fifteen fights right now, and I go pro in the fall. My record is 10 and 5 right now,” said Stringham. Mixed martial arts (MMA for short) is fought in an arena that features fighters of a myriad of backgrounds with almost no rules except for no strikes to the groin or the back of the head.
For now though, he’s just a bouncer, but that’s okay. “I love this job, it works well for me,” said Stringham. “It’s a power trip.”
Bouncing for bars may seem like the ideal job for a fighter. Stringham is tall, cut, and keeps his hair shaved close. He’s an intimidating figure to see walking towards your table when someone is starting a fight or spilling too many drinks.
Stringham isn’t a bouncer because he wants to beat up on drunkards. Being a bouncer allows a surprising amount of freedom. “I like bouncing because I can leave here. There’s no future for me as a professional fighter in Kalamazoo. It’s a job that translates pretty well because I can go to any city and become a bouncer,” said Stringham. He is ready to leave as soon as he goes pro.
If you saw Stringham sitting on a barstool by the door during off hours you might wonder what he was thinking about. In a way, he’s not thinking about anything at all. “I meditate a lot when it’s just me here. I focus on my breathing and it phases out all of the other distractions,” said Stringham.
Stringham didn’t used to be so calm and motivated. He used to be what you might think a bouncer would be; angry. “I was an angry angry person. I’m such a calm person nowadays now that I get to head kick people on a daily basis. I don’t know why, it’s just something in me,” said Stringham. He looks like he could be an angry person. He’s usually smiling, but when he is in a fight there’s a completely different side to him.
MMA provides a controlled environment that’s radically different from fighting someone outside of a party or on the street. Stringham used to think he was the best fighter around before his second MMA fight when he got knocked out by someone smaller but better trained than himself. There’s a difference between releasing anger when you fight and being an angry fighter. “I don’t like street fighting. In my sport I can shake a dude’s hand, be nice with him and then beat the living hell out of him and try to kill him because I know someone is going to pull me off of him. I unleash everything that is dark,” said Stringham.
Of course, he doesn’t win every fight, but losing is helpful in its own way. Stringham likened to video games he played when he was younger: “did you ever play Final Fantasy VII? Win or lose, you’re leveling up. You’re getting experience.”
This mindset has led him to survive the darker parts of his life, take the experience, and make himself into a stronger fighter and person. “I was a heroin addict for a long time,” said Stringham. “I’ll be four years clean in June. My best friend died in rehab, so I don’t do anything [drugs and alcohol] anymore.” This is why he doesn’t drink much after work like other bar employees.
Now, Stringham’s goals are set on going pro, but he still has to keep making money until he gets there. He doesn’t fight as much as one might think he would as a bouncer. In fact, he never does. He’s not allowed to strike anyone, but there’s still use for his skills. “In here grappling is the name of the game,” said Stringham. Grabbing, disarming, and generally getting someone out the door before they can cause more problems is a valued skill set for a bouncer.
“We’re the guys everyone hates,” he said. Some drunk people want to fight, and most drunk people want to watch a fight. Normally, Stringham would too, but not when he’s on the job. He has to stop fights before they happen, and that means keeping an eye out. “You can always spot the douche bags,” said Stringham. “If you’re a jackass when you’re sober than you’re probably going to be an even bigger jackass when you’re drunk.”
Knowing how to fight isn’t just about connecting punches. Fighting is about confidence, diligence, and working the angles. Winning a fight isn’t just the time in the ring either. Stringham has to lose 29 pounds in order to make weight and fight in the 185lb group. He also has to keep making money for now.
Stringham is going to keep bouncing as many hours a week as he needs. You might not want to see him in the ring, but you should feel safer when you see him in the bar because there’s not many people that can touch him there. “Yeah, I could get knocked out with a bare fist, but in reality it’s a video game. I’m a level 10 and they’re a level 1.”
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