Monday 8 November 2010

Oh, what a day

It was like in one of those movies you see many traders working on Wall Street. You enjoy the adrenalin that comes from the screen and you never ask yourself what do these people feel. Today I was part of such movie, but instead of selling and buying I was dealing with deadlines for a profile piece.

1000: Class starts. We discuss interview and profile piece techniques.From all the points I remember the human chemistry tip.

1100: More details how structure is important in any piece. Let's not forget that beauty can be defined by a math formula as well. Information and decorative pictures.

1300: Lunch break. The professors announce that after lunch we'll have an assignment that will be graded. I will need a camera, forgot it. Stress level increases. Fortunately my partner has a camera.

No need for an energy drink

1400: Assignment brief. Interview someone for 20 minutes and write a profile piece. 400 words.Not bad. I can handle that.

1500: Doing the interview with Anjali. Ten minutes left for the interview, still don't have the quote, the hook I need. Asking details, changing the focus of the interview. Keeping in mind all the time the five W questions: who, what , when, where, why.

1510: Start writing the piece. From a twenty minute interview focus only on the last six. Don't have a lead, not sure if I have right pictures. One hour to finish the whole thing, 15 minutes for reading it aloud, five minutes for printing.

Leave me alone with my thoughts

1550: More stress. Turns out I have to change the lead and the whole focus on the profile. Need more quotes, don't have the time for that. I have to work with what I have. The constant warning how much time is left annoys me. Listen to some old R'N'B music (writing about India). Time flies.

1615: We were suppose to do a checklist if we have all the requirements for a good story. Forgot all about that. Hope that my subconsciousness is dealing with that while scamming the whole profile. My only thought is to finish on time. The deadline is 1630.

1625: Cant't crop my picture. Missing the deadline.So stressed out that don't pay attention to the professor who explains how to add the picture. On the point to give up.

1630: Additional 10 minutes for those who had problems with the pictures.

Finally

1635: The profile: submitted.

1635: Someone is calling my name. In the next 30 minutes helping other to finish. That actually was the best part. Anjali influenced my behavior. I'm helping others without expecting anything in return. That feels good!

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