By now, many are aware that it's currently the peak of flu season, and it's getting so bad that people all over the nation, young and old, are dying of certain strains of the flu, including the H1N1 strain, otherwise known as "swine flu."
Here in Gainesville, it's no different. Children and the elderly have passed, doctor's offices and pharmacies have been experiencing shortages of vaccines, and students here at UF have been holed up in their rooms coughing and loading up on medicine.
Students such as myself.
I was fortunate enough to receive my flu vaccine before the initial onset of the disease hit town during my annual physical. Being a UF student, I was able to receive it for free, a blessing to students here on campus. Faculty and staff members may have to pay upwards of $30 just to protect themselves from getting the bug.
However, this was in October, and although I didn't have a full-on flu and wasn't miserable for days, it was enough to hinder my work ability in the newsroom and to land me in bed for a good three days.
It. Was. Miserable.
I had to work my 10-hour TV2 shift with a sore throat and a slight headache, and by the time the day ended, all I wanted to do was lay in my bed covered in blankets and warm clothing. I had gone out to dinner with a couple of friends after the shift, still feeling feverish as I ate my California flatbread at Chili's (although I did savor the avocado on top. I was not going to let a fever stop me from enjoying one of my favorite foods).
By 10:00 that night I was done. I was in bed by 11:30, shivering and freezing cold. My thermometer said that I didn't have a temperature, but when I woke up on Saturday morning, it read 99.9 degrees and climbing.
Wonderful.
Unfortunately, I was unable to spend my entire day resting and relaxing. I had to work a four-hour shift at my job, only to come back later that evening and work another three-hour shift, feeling downright awful and risking infecting everyone around me. I was absolutely exhausted by the end of Saturday, that when my little sister in my sorority came by with two giant boxes of assorted Midnight Cookies and a TV Guide, I was delirious in my feverish stupor.
I was out like a light by 11:30, and apparently so was she. I awoke in the middle of the night to find that Law and Order: SVU was still on and we had both fallen asleep surrounded by cookies.
Good news: my fever had broken. Bad news: I was still exhausted and surrounded by cookies that were cold and probably inedible by that point since they'd been laying around in my bed for about two and a half hours.
So, as a note of precaution to anyone out there who's reading this: GET YOUR FLU SHOT. Fevers are the worst, even if they only last about 24 hours.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
That One Time Alex Was A Director
In becoming the journalist that I want to be, I want to try my hand at all of the different aspects of journalism, not just reporting.
Since last fall, I've had an internship with The Ilene Silverman Show, a local television program that airs on about three different channels here in Gainesville. I've been doing production work for the show, including (but not limited to) shooting video, working with setup and breakdown of the set, working with microphones and lighting, catering to the host and guests, and most recently, directing from the production booth.
I was so anxious and scared, mostly because the last time I was put in front of a bunch of buttons and knobs, I ended up messing up an anchor reading off of the teleprompter during the filming of her tease for the 5:00 news because I was going too fast for her pace and she yelled at me and all of the other producers lost faith in me. But, I knew that without me "being the boss" as my new boss likes to call it, there would be no show.
The first couple of rounds were rough. It was difficult to keep an eye on what was happening on screen while simultaneously keeping track of time cues and giving camera directions to the other producer out on set (they don't have automated cameras, so everything has to be moved around manually).
After about the third segment, I began to get the hang of telling the producer where to go while making sure that the takes were all correct and that we were also on time. The taping actually ended going by super-quickly, and I received a lot of praise from my boss as well as the host for my work and for not losing it. Most importantly, I was proud of myself for getting through a high-anxiety situation and for no one yelling at me!
Everyone's faith remained in me, and I gained some confidence and faith in myself. Maybe this production route wouldn't be so bad after all. Only the future well tell. Until next time...
Since last fall, I've had an internship with The Ilene Silverman Show, a local television program that airs on about three different channels here in Gainesville. I've been doing production work for the show, including (but not limited to) shooting video, working with setup and breakdown of the set, working with microphones and lighting, catering to the host and guests, and most recently, directing from the production booth.
 |
| Manning the stations. |
I was so anxious and scared, mostly because the last time I was put in front of a bunch of buttons and knobs, I ended up messing up an anchor reading off of the teleprompter during the filming of her tease for the 5:00 news because I was going too fast for her pace and she yelled at me and all of the other producers lost faith in me. But, I knew that without me "being the boss" as my new boss likes to call it, there would be no show.
The first couple of rounds were rough. It was difficult to keep an eye on what was happening on screen while simultaneously keeping track of time cues and giving camera directions to the other producer out on set (they don't have automated cameras, so everything has to be moved around manually).
After about the third segment, I began to get the hang of telling the producer where to go while making sure that the takes were all correct and that we were also on time. The taping actually ended going by super-quickly, and I received a lot of praise from my boss as well as the host for my work and for not losing it. Most importantly, I was proud of myself for getting through a high-anxiety situation and for no one yelling at me!
Everyone's faith remained in me, and I gained some confidence and faith in myself. Maybe this production route wouldn't be so bad after all. Only the future well tell. Until next time...
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Alex Takes A Trip To... Tallahassee
There comes a point in every Gator's life when he or she randomly decides that it's somehow a good decision to take a trip up to "That School Up North."
This Gator girl had one of those moments this past weekend, right after the end of her first TV2 shift.
One of my best friends attends Florida State University, and occasionally, yes, we do like to visit each other.
So, on this weekend where there weren't any sporting events, plans with other friends or family, visits from my long-distance boyfriend, or basically anything in general, I made the two-hour journey to FSU to visit Camy.
And, no, I did not party up and down the Strip or go to any crazy clubs or parties. We had a nice, low-key girls' weekend, full of working out, manicures, shopping, lunches, coffee shop dates, and cupcakeries.
Friday night was low-key. Camy and I went out to grab sushi at a restaurant called Sakura. According to her, it was "the third-best sushi restaurant in Tallahassee," but I still thought it was pretty good, so I only wonder how great the other two places are.
We both ordered a spicy tuna roll with double tuna and avocado, while I ordered a small spicy salmon roll and she ordered a small Alaska roll and a miso soup on the side.
It. Was. Delicious.
Saturday, Camy and I started our day with a workout session at her apartment complex's gym. After about 40 minutes of cardio and a breakfast of an egg white, spinach, ham, and avocado scramble, the two of us along with her roommate Cecile headed out to a nail salon called Nailbar, otherwise known as "one of the 60 things you need to do in Tallahassee before you graduate." Camy opted for a shellac french manicure and Cecile for a light coral shellac manicure, while I went for a deep burgundy regular manicure (just 'cause this girl's on vacation doesn't mean she still isn't on a budget).
I didn't see what the big deal was except for the fact that there were two fully-stocked liquor bars inside the salon (hence the name, I suppose). To me, it was just another excuse for these Noles to get drunk all of the time. Also, it took forever and a half for us to be seated at a manicurist's area.
However, they did do a very good job, and even though I messed up about half of my manicure less than five minutes after leaving the salon while waiting in line for the best lunch ever (aka, Chipotle), my manicurist was more than happy to fix it up for me. Needless to say, I've been on a manicure kick since the weekend, and I'm already planning which color I want to wear next!
The more I think about it as I type, the more I'm craving one. It's too hard to resist.
This Gator girl had one of those moments this past weekend, right after the end of her first TV2 shift.
One of my best friends attends Florida State University, and occasionally, yes, we do like to visit each other.
 |
| My best friend Camilla and I, May 2013. |
And, no, I did not party up and down the Strip or go to any crazy clubs or parties. We had a nice, low-key girls' weekend, full of working out, manicures, shopping, lunches, coffee shop dates, and cupcakeries.
Friday night was low-key. Camy and I went out to grab sushi at a restaurant called Sakura. According to her, it was "the third-best sushi restaurant in Tallahassee," but I still thought it was pretty good, so I only wonder how great the other two places are.
We both ordered a spicy tuna roll with double tuna and avocado, while I ordered a small spicy salmon roll and she ordered a small Alaska roll and a miso soup on the side.
It. Was. Delicious.
 |
| NOM. |
I didn't see what the big deal was except for the fact that there were two fully-stocked liquor bars inside the salon (hence the name, I suppose). To me, it was just another excuse for these Noles to get drunk all of the time. Also, it took forever and a half for us to be seated at a manicurist's area.
However, they did do a very good job, and even though I messed up about half of my manicure less than five minutes after leaving the salon while waiting in line for the best lunch ever (aka, Chipotle), my manicurist was more than happy to fix it up for me. Needless to say, I've been on a manicure kick since the weekend, and I'm already planning which color I want to wear next!
 |
| Classy. |
After manicures and lunch, we stopped at this "cupcakery" that I've heard tons and tons of great reviews about, which peaked my interest because a) I am OBSESSED with cupcakes and b) I'm obsessed with cupcakes so much that in high school, I dedicated my entire year to going to different cupcake shops in and around South Florida and ranking them from personal best to personal worst.
It's called Lucy and Leo's, and it's located just outside of FSU in this quaint, adorable little coral-and-turquoise colored cottage-looking building, next to a boutique that sells cute clothes and gameday dresses (but to my dismay, said boutique had already closed for the day).
Camy treated me to a warm, fresh-from-the-oven cookies and cream cupcake topped with a mini Oreo cookie and herself to a red velvet cupcake with a cream cheese swirl and multicolored sprinkles. I also received a pink candle on my cupcake to celebrate my first visit to the bakery.
These cupcakes were amazing, y'all.
They were nice and crisp on top and so deliciously moist the more you ate into it. The icing was sweet, but not overwhelmingly sweet to the point where you felt sick afterward. And they were just so warm.
 |
| Happiness in a little paper cup. |
Saturday night was rounded out with some shopping at a boutique called Henri Girl (they have one here in Gainesville in the new building next to How Do You Roll?, another sushi favorite of mine), where I managed to snatch a $35 white, chiffon, high-low blouse with a cutout back on super-sale for $9, and a caffeine fix at Atomic Coffee, a local coffee favorite whose new location opened on the lobby of Camy's apartment building. I ordered a S'mores latte for myself, since it was 30 degrees and freezing, but was slightly disappointed at the fact that I couldn't taste the chocolate and marshmallow syrup until I reached the bottom of the cup.
In all, I really did have a nice, relaxing weekend with my best friend. I made new friends, went to some new places, and most importantly had some new adventures and new experiences. Maybe Tallahassee isn't so bad after all...
Just kidding. GO GATORS!
Back to School (And By School, I Mean Reporting)
This past Friday, I began what is going to be the slew of day-long reporting shifts known as TV2. Reporting shifts are an essential part of the TV2 course here at UF, making sure that each and every student enrolled gains knowledge, experience, and most importantly notoriety in the newsroom. It's a way to ensure that everyone gets antiquated with a newsroom setting, its stories, its deadlines, its staff, and its newscasts.
I was EXTREMELY nervous for my first shift, almost as nervous as I was the first time I stepped into TV20's newsroom back in May. I knew who my critics would be (news directors, TV3's, and more experienced TV2's alike), and my biggest downfall was that I was having the WORST lapse in creativity and was lacking a decent enough story idea for the 9:30 a.m. morning meeting.
My solution? Advancing events in the community for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day the upcoming Monday.
What?
I knew I could do better than that, but surprisingly, it worked and was my initial assignment...
Until a train crashed in Dunnellon and the 6 p.m. editor had my photog and I rushing out the door with our equipment and a very, very vague press release from Marion County Fire Rescue.
Ashley and I were rushing down 13th Street, taking some random, local route brought to us exclusively by the lackluster piece of application technology known as Google Maps (although still way better than if Apple Maps and MapQuest had a lovechild), with our equipment and searching for the track in which this literal train wreck had occurred earlier that morning.
En route to our destination, we passed by a large SUV that had overturned and had a shattered windshield as well as a roof that was crushed in alongside some FHP officers, a fire rescue truck, and a tow truck. We called back into the newsroom and asked our producer if she wanted any footage of the wreck, and surely enough, we found ourselves making a U-turn to head towards the accident.
Upon arriving at the scene, one FHP officer told us to keep on moving along. Therefore, no footage. Back to square one of finding the derailed train.
We drove a few more miles and sure enough, there it was all along the left-hand side of the road-- nine cars overturned, coal spilling out of every nook and cranny.
Ashley and I quickly set up our equipment, seeing as more and more reporters were either already reporting from the scene or starting to come around for their stories.
I recorded a quick stand-up, just in case our project ended up turning into something more than what was asked of us (it didn't, but look at how great this picture is!).
After the stand-up, I conducted my interview with a man who showed up to the accident. He was a self-proclaimed "railroad enthusiast," and had worked around and researched the history of railroading for 35 years. He was also a former employee of the railroad company that owned the derailed train for 10 years, and he was able to provide a lot of great insight for the newscast since the railroad crew members wouldn't talk to us.
I knew right then and there, driving back to the station, that if I could handle something as impromptu as this, that I could handle any assignment that came and is going to come my way, and needless to say, this girl's nerves were calmed beyond belief.
But then again, this is just the beginning. Until next time...
I was EXTREMELY nervous for my first shift, almost as nervous as I was the first time I stepped into TV20's newsroom back in May. I knew who my critics would be (news directors, TV3's, and more experienced TV2's alike), and my biggest downfall was that I was having the WORST lapse in creativity and was lacking a decent enough story idea for the 9:30 a.m. morning meeting.
My solution? Advancing events in the community for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day the upcoming Monday.
What?
I knew I could do better than that, but surprisingly, it worked and was my initial assignment...
Until a train crashed in Dunnellon and the 6 p.m. editor had my photog and I rushing out the door with our equipment and a very, very vague press release from Marion County Fire Rescue.
Ashley and I were rushing down 13th Street, taking some random, local route brought to us exclusively by the lackluster piece of application technology known as Google Maps (although still way better than if Apple Maps and MapQuest had a lovechild), with our equipment and searching for the track in which this literal train wreck had occurred earlier that morning.
En route to our destination, we passed by a large SUV that had overturned and had a shattered windshield as well as a roof that was crushed in alongside some FHP officers, a fire rescue truck, and a tow truck. We called back into the newsroom and asked our producer if she wanted any footage of the wreck, and surely enough, we found ourselves making a U-turn to head towards the accident.
Upon arriving at the scene, one FHP officer told us to keep on moving along. Therefore, no footage. Back to square one of finding the derailed train.
We drove a few more miles and sure enough, there it was all along the left-hand side of the road-- nine cars overturned, coal spilling out of every nook and cranny.
I recorded a quick stand-up, just in case our project ended up turning into something more than what was asked of us (it didn't, but look at how great this picture is!).
After the stand-up, I conducted my interview with a man who showed up to the accident. He was a self-proclaimed "railroad enthusiast," and had worked around and researched the history of railroading for 35 years. He was also a former employee of the railroad company that owned the derailed train for 10 years, and he was able to provide a lot of great insight for the newscast since the railroad crew members wouldn't talk to us.
I knew right then and there, driving back to the station, that if I could handle something as impromptu as this, that I could handle any assignment that came and is going to come my way, and needless to say, this girl's nerves were calmed beyond belief.
But then again, this is just the beginning. Until next time...
Welcome!
Hi! My name is Alexandra Rivera, but you can call me Alex for short. I'm a senior in the Telecommunications News track here at UF with a minor in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences. I absolutely love everything about journalism. For me, journalism is more than a job. It's more than working long hours in a newsroom for little compensation, more than crazy deadlines, computer crashes, and a declining market. To me, journalism is telling stories, making people's voices heard, and putting a face to the many problems that we hear about in today's world.
My journalistic career started in the sixth grade. I worked on my middle school's newspaper as a writer, and when I entered high school I became the first and only freshman to join my high school's newspaper staff (it was solely an upperclassman course at the time), breaking the barriers for younger writers who wanted to come into the class but were unable to.
Since then, everything has kind of snowballed into where I am today. I worked as a freelance writer outside of school, working for numerous outlets covering entertainment media such as movie reviews and local bands. I was a writer for the South Florida SunSentinel's youth newspaper, TeenLink. I also attended summer programs both at UF and the University of Miami. My senior year of high school, I was a recipient of the Palm Beach Post's Pathfinder Award in Journalism, one of, if not the most, coveted awards in high school academics for Palm Beach County.
Here at UF, I've written and worked for The Independent Florida Alligator, The Florida Odyssey, WUFT-FM, and WCJB-TV20 News. Currently, I'm interning for The Ilene Silverman Show as a production intern. If you want to learn more about me or see some of my work, you can head over to my website, alexandramrivera.wordpress.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at @a_michelle914. There are also links to the aforementioned located on the sidebars of this blog.
On a more personal note, I'm from Deerfield Beach, Florida, a town about 15 minutes south of Boca Raton and an hour north of Miami. I'm a full-blooded Hispanic girl (and proud!), I have two wonderful parents and a younger brother who's a pretty cool kid, and I'm the first in my family to go to college. Coming to school in Gainesville was a bit of an adjustment to me, since I moved from such a big place to a tiny little one, but I've come to love my surroundings and to learn that it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
I love family, friends, food, fashion, football, and faith. I'm a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, my favorite color is pink, and I appreciate a good book, a good manicure, a good outfit, and a good time when appropriate. However, that isn't to say that there aren't times where I like to lay back and ride around in my car on backroads singing songs on the radio. This city girl still loves her sweet tea, a nice time on a lake or in the woods, country music, and her worn-in cowboy boots!
I'm super excited to share some things with you guys, and I really hope that you enjoy my blog!
On a more personal note, I'm from Deerfield Beach, Florida, a town about 15 minutes south of Boca Raton and an hour north of Miami. I'm a full-blooded Hispanic girl (and proud!), I have two wonderful parents and a younger brother who's a pretty cool kid, and I'm the first in my family to go to college. Coming to school in Gainesville was a bit of an adjustment to me, since I moved from such a big place to a tiny little one, but I've come to love my surroundings and to learn that it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
I love family, friends, food, fashion, football, and faith. I'm a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, my favorite color is pink, and I appreciate a good book, a good manicure, a good outfit, and a good time when appropriate. However, that isn't to say that there aren't times where I like to lay back and ride around in my car on backroads singing songs on the radio. This city girl still loves her sweet tea, a nice time on a lake or in the woods, country music, and her worn-in cowboy boots!
I'm super excited to share some things with you guys, and I really hope that you enjoy my blog!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)