Couple of weeks ago, I watched ITV X factor live show. Winner Joe Mcelderry, a stunning singer, provided audience a fascinating interpretation of his final show - the Climb:
I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
You'll never reach it
Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking
But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high
There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb
THe struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going
And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on
......
The Climb
Joe McElderry
Showing posts with label Journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Journalism. Show all posts
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Passion and Profession
Now, I could say that there are only two professions which I will never hesitate to throw myself on the spot - a musician or a journalist.
Piano - I have once dreamed too much
Aged 5, I got a piano as a birthday gift from my loving mum, an object seems too much bigger than me. I liked it and played it and as well most probably if I was not mistaken - I showed off in front of all my mates.
But this is not enough, of course, under the guidance of this 30-year-old, most generous and rigorous lady, my mum would provide me everything that could lead me to be a true musician.
There is no problem with my mum, my dad or my entire family. But I was stumbling, I was confused, and I got lost with my mind, my fingers, or more precisely, my talent.
I have got talent, I know that, but it has never enough. From the bottom of my heart I know my limit and always, so I tried very hard to show people different side of me.
When I was 16-year-old, I was fiercely determined to go for an English Speaking Contest in my high school - one of the eight best English teaching records boarding schools across mainland China.
I was excited to be on stage, I knew I was going to make my day...At the end I didn't won but I have landed an offer as a second.
I didn't complain as I have more than enough reasons to freak out because I would never forgot the hours and hours practice in front of mirror in the bathroom from my mum's flat.
What is this? What is this to back me to the hilt for practising hours and hours long? I didn't know, I was too young to pursue the answer, or maybe I just simply don't care.
Life continues until I obtained my Proficiency Level Ten in Piano Performance. Then there are two ways in front of me - being a music student at a music college or go to a normal University studying a normal subject - I knew I had been at a crossroad.
Finally, I chose to lead a normal life - on that moment and that place - Chongqing, China, 2001.
Malta, back to piano
2003, I left to Malta, aged 19. My mind started to regret. I once anxiously asked my young and talented Maltese piano teacher:"How do you think if I study music?""Oh, well, you have good technique, but you know..."
I have got very little sleep, and every single night I can only sleep for two hours worrying where my piano could end up, and then it lasts for more than half an year. Have I got a flicker of hope?
It was the first time in my life that I started worrying about my profession, but it was so vogurous even I did not understand.
In the meantime I started pursuing my Communication studies at Uni. Malta, I started to learn all the aspects of Media, Communication theories, and then political science as my second major.
I was tirelessly absorbing EU integration, UN founcationality, International co-operation these seems quite posh concepts, in that little island in the Mediterranean. I tried so hard to integrate with local students and get myself deeply involved into uni. life.
And then, my piano was back into right track and I know where I am going and what I can achieve. A warm smile back to my cheek.
I talked, talked, and talked all these things, and almost everything to my soul mate - a nice maltese chap, with a gentle personality and a kind heart. And of course, a good musician, much better than me.
Four and an half years living in Malta, I was nearly used to that island, that little island. But I know there is always the other half of me to keep my eyes open, my curiosity alarming, and my goals settling.
I joined AIESEC Malta, travelled and interned in India, Kolkata, though I was a marketing researcher in that Indian org, but it's more of a cultural exchange programme.
I was once considering about Marketing as my profession, but do I truly wish to be a sales person? I am not saying being a sales person is something wrong, it's just I was wondering do I really possess that passion, that eager motivation just as the apprentience of Sir Alan Suger?
EU integration summer school and "The image of Europe" meeting along with the trip to Brussels open another world to me, a world which is fundamentally clashed with my culture, mentality and the way I was brought up.
Is it good or bad? To date I am still searching the answer.
London, a new start
Pursuing journalism as a professional career in London is the toughest challenge I have ever met. It's not because I haven't got the motivation, the drive, the dedication or curiosity, it's simply just because of my English is holding me back.
Andy, the news writing teacher from News Associates, NCTJ course centre
Will continue...
Piano - I have once dreamed too much
Aged 5, I got a piano as a birthday gift from my loving mum, an object seems too much bigger than me. I liked it and played it and as well most probably if I was not mistaken - I showed off in front of all my mates.
But this is not enough, of course, under the guidance of this 30-year-old, most generous and rigorous lady, my mum would provide me everything that could lead me to be a true musician.
There is no problem with my mum, my dad or my entire family. But I was stumbling, I was confused, and I got lost with my mind, my fingers, or more precisely, my talent.
I have got talent, I know that, but it has never enough. From the bottom of my heart I know my limit and always, so I tried very hard to show people different side of me.
When I was 16-year-old, I was fiercely determined to go for an English Speaking Contest in my high school - one of the eight best English teaching records boarding schools across mainland China.
I was excited to be on stage, I knew I was going to make my day...At the end I didn't won but I have landed an offer as a second.
I didn't complain as I have more than enough reasons to freak out because I would never forgot the hours and hours practice in front of mirror in the bathroom from my mum's flat.
What is this? What is this to back me to the hilt for practising hours and hours long? I didn't know, I was too young to pursue the answer, or maybe I just simply don't care.
Life continues until I obtained my Proficiency Level Ten in Piano Performance. Then there are two ways in front of me - being a music student at a music college or go to a normal University studying a normal subject - I knew I had been at a crossroad.
Finally, I chose to lead a normal life - on that moment and that place - Chongqing, China, 2001.
Malta, back to piano
2003, I left to Malta, aged 19. My mind started to regret. I once anxiously asked my young and talented Maltese piano teacher:"How do you think if I study music?""Oh, well, you have good technique, but you know..."
I have got very little sleep, and every single night I can only sleep for two hours worrying where my piano could end up, and then it lasts for more than half an year. Have I got a flicker of hope?
It was the first time in my life that I started worrying about my profession, but it was so vogurous even I did not understand.
In the meantime I started pursuing my Communication studies at Uni. Malta, I started to learn all the aspects of Media, Communication theories, and then political science as my second major.
I was tirelessly absorbing EU integration, UN founcationality, International co-operation these seems quite posh concepts, in that little island in the Mediterranean. I tried so hard to integrate with local students and get myself deeply involved into uni. life.
And then, my piano was back into right track and I know where I am going and what I can achieve. A warm smile back to my cheek.
I talked, talked, and talked all these things, and almost everything to my soul mate - a nice maltese chap, with a gentle personality and a kind heart. And of course, a good musician, much better than me.
Four and an half years living in Malta, I was nearly used to that island, that little island. But I know there is always the other half of me to keep my eyes open, my curiosity alarming, and my goals settling.
I joined AIESEC Malta, travelled and interned in India, Kolkata, though I was a marketing researcher in that Indian org, but it's more of a cultural exchange programme.
I was once considering about Marketing as my profession, but do I truly wish to be a sales person? I am not saying being a sales person is something wrong, it's just I was wondering do I really possess that passion, that eager motivation just as the apprentience of Sir Alan Suger?
EU integration summer school and "The image of Europe" meeting along with the trip to Brussels open another world to me, a world which is fundamentally clashed with my culture, mentality and the way I was brought up.
Is it good or bad? To date I am still searching the answer.
London, a new start
Pursuing journalism as a professional career in London is the toughest challenge I have ever met. It's not because I haven't got the motivation, the drive, the dedication or curiosity, it's simply just because of my English is holding me back.
Andy, the news writing teacher from News Associates, NCTJ course centre
Will continue...
Friday, 20 February 2009
What is art?!?
Looked at these vague and blurring pictures, what you get out of it at the end, I was wondering. I prefer something that makes sense, and something that makes me understand the meaning behind the object, and not simple meaning, but profound ones.
What does it mean?
A lady showed us her tarot cards today in the class, the three pictures are laden with very blurrin colour, and the objects created in the cards have very peculiar shapes, not human beings, not animals, I really don't know what she wants to express.
Not only her work like this, I have once joined illustration class, another lady used wather-colour (I think) to create eight pictures illustrates one human mood to the other (for example: laugh to cry).
I can't remember what the changing mood exactly, but what she has done is just like brushing colour on the paper, some of the colours are mixed ones, so it reflects a bit differently.
Hell!! What she's trying to say?
Alright, ladies and gentleman. This is art, this is creative stuff, and the more vague, the more abstract, the more dodging and nobody understands, then probably the more arty!!
By now, I do miss my journalism, journalism is so much precise, profound, so much makes sense, and you can just feel the power and strength.
Politics and religion are too dangerous
A lady said to me look, your works related with politics and religion things, they're too dangerous.
Indeed I'm so much wish that I'm an excellent debater, then I could express myself more promptly and properly.
It's ture, my works are about politics, are about these hot issues, and it's my interest.
These things are real and they're just sticking around you that happening in our brutal world.
Also I do believe art comes from life, the more experiences you have, the more you have great ideas.
What's the point you just paint your colour there, stick your collage there, but without profound ideas that strike people's attention?
Artists, of course should be good at painting, drawing, and colour composition. But you should also understand history and have great life experiences, which do make your work profound.
Art, the same as Music
Now I find that music and art do have similarities. Here I'm particularly talking about classical music.
Being a brilliant classical musician not only requires techniques, which probably the most foundation of performing a music piece.
I once heard Maria Blanco, an amazing pianist from Malta, said to me after listening a recital from an old Russian pianist.
"he is not only playing the notes, he's basically playing his life."
Great music comes from life. All sorts of art come from life!
What does it mean?
A lady showed us her tarot cards today in the class, the three pictures are laden with very blurrin colour, and the objects created in the cards have very peculiar shapes, not human beings, not animals, I really don't know what she wants to express.
Not only her work like this, I have once joined illustration class, another lady used wather-colour (I think) to create eight pictures illustrates one human mood to the other (for example: laugh to cry).
I can't remember what the changing mood exactly, but what she has done is just like brushing colour on the paper, some of the colours are mixed ones, so it reflects a bit differently.
Hell!! What she's trying to say?
Alright, ladies and gentleman. This is art, this is creative stuff, and the more vague, the more abstract, the more dodging and nobody understands, then probably the more arty!!
By now, I do miss my journalism, journalism is so much precise, profound, so much makes sense, and you can just feel the power and strength.
Politics and religion are too dangerous
A lady said to me look, your works related with politics and religion things, they're too dangerous.
Indeed I'm so much wish that I'm an excellent debater, then I could express myself more promptly and properly.
It's ture, my works are about politics, are about these hot issues, and it's my interest.
These things are real and they're just sticking around you that happening in our brutal world.
Also I do believe art comes from life, the more experiences you have, the more you have great ideas.
What's the point you just paint your colour there, stick your collage there, but without profound ideas that strike people's attention?
Artists, of course should be good at painting, drawing, and colour composition. But you should also understand history and have great life experiences, which do make your work profound.
Art, the same as Music
Now I find that music and art do have similarities. Here I'm particularly talking about classical music.
Being a brilliant classical musician not only requires techniques, which probably the most foundation of performing a music piece.
I once heard Maria Blanco, an amazing pianist from Malta, said to me after listening a recital from an old Russian pianist.
"he is not only playing the notes, he's basically playing his life."
Great music comes from life. All sorts of art come from life!
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Sakulsri Srisaracam -- My Talented Master Classmate (1)
Online module journalism offers us the opportunity to create a multimedia website. www.londonalternative.co.uk & www.londonoutloud.co.uk. At end of the term, all of us create about me page according to personal wishes.
yixiang is bringing you to have a look of some of the talents' about me page!!
Here featuring Londonoutloud's web designer in chief -- Sakulri Srisaracam.
Sakulsri Srisaracam
An easy-going girl from Far East,Thai,her "about me page" is so attractive and organised.
Featuring many fascinating pictures, which memorising her education and journalism career.
I really enjoy her slide show, all of the images're the strong tool of stories telling.
A lucky girl who's always opening up with new opportunities
Momerising the one year Master course, which gives me many chances to be familiar with Sakulsri.
She's enthusiastic, helpful, easy-going, and of course talented!
Such a sweet character and a charming personality should bring her many opportunities, seems exactly reflects the saying: personality decides fate!
I'm glad to have such a talented classmate and wish her all the best!
Saturday, 15 March 2008
Visiting the Press Assciation
Uni. Westminster MA Journalism (International) Online module students visited the Press Association (PA) Headquarters based in Victoria,London on 12th March 2008.
The PA is one of the oldest press agencies in the UK and at the forefront of web and video online.
Visiting the News Room
A huge opening news rooms filled with the average age of "talent" around mid-20s, plenty number of Mac Computers, a big TV screen with another couple of smaller TVs hanging on the wall, and celebrities & political figures pics.
The PA stuff who is giving a talk to the Journalism students is the ex-BBC figure, with plenty of experiences in Video and multimedia journalism.
he said currently there're around 30 video journalists (VJ) working in the multimedia sector.
They're looking for young talented graduate who're confident working in multimedia field, who're technically comfortable, who're happy to be in front of camera, who has no problem of shooting, editing, scripting etc.
he also explained the new system they're using at the moment is more researchable.
Journalists from different press agencies're helping each other finding stories, normally 5 or 6 stories in a day, write the script, view the raw materials, choose the correct clips, and get the right video access.
Journalism is all about making contacts and networking.
Meeting with Editors
The latter part is held in a meeting room on the upper floor, joining with a young video journalist Catherine Wilson, who is in a pretty pink top; a genius coder Duncan Whiteman, who is working behind the system and few people knows his existence.
He talked about what VJ should do, thinking about how to put the stories into different context, how the story telling the news, multimedia is change the nature of journalists.
Good lighting, good general view, good video cam operation, good teamwork operations.
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