Time.

Four years ago today, I lost one of the best friends I will ever have as long as I live.

As my sister Vashti Forrest Seacat lay sleeping in the early morning, her husband Brett Seacat shot her and then lit her and their house on fire. I'll never forget the call, the panic, the not knowing, but most importantly, the overwhelming loss.

My sister went to live in heaven at the end of my freshman year in the midst of finals, and now finishing my freshman year in college I can't but help think that this is a total different lifetime, and that I am opening a new chapter. I am not leaving her behind in the previous chapter, but continuously carrying her memory with me.

I found this photo today while going through a journal that was dedicated to writing little memories and letters to my sister after she passed. Four years have gone by, and I still stand by what I wrote as an adolescent 15 year old girl.

Take the time to hug someone you love today, and if you have something pop in your head worth remembering four years from now...write it down.

sleepy sleep sleep

Just a little bit of information for the final takers out there that think they can skip sleeping for several nights and still perform to their best potential. Listen to your body and get some sleep.

This interesting article proves that and gives tips on how to avoid sleep deprivation.

http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/archive/newsrel/general/12-08Sleep.asp

Procrastination, Panic, Please let it be summer.

As the semester is coming to a close, I am learning the new meaning of a word.

PROCRASTINATION. 

Don't do it. Ever. In no circumstances.

I am also learning another word.

PANIC. 

When you do the first P word, the second P word comes following right behind it ready to smack you right up the head when you are least expecting the semester to end. 

I am definitely looking forward to having a little summer break, but I will miss the pressure of having to get stuff done. I just like to operate with tasks to complete and someone breathing fire down my neck(just a tad). So that is why instead of doing my yearbook spreads, I am PROCRASTINATING and coming up with a summer reading list, so that I have purpose and task this summer. 

My summer readings list includes: 

1. Crime and Punishment

2. A Death in Belmont 

3. Killing Kennedy... Again 

4. Finish the Beautiful and Damned(Which I am 3/4 done with, but due to homework stowed away)
5. Looking for Alaska
6. Wuthering Heights
7. Animal Farm because it's so good and deserves to be read once a year.
8. And Last but not least.. Henry VIII: The King and his Court

So my procrastination is now complete, and I shall begin working again towards my goal of finishing the semester in one piece. 

Bruised Ego

The definition of journalism according to the Webster Dictionary:

noun jour·nal·ism \ˈjər-nə-ˌli-zəm\

journalism: the activity or job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio. 

The definition of failure according to the Webster Dictionary:

noun fail·ure \ˈfāl-yər\

 failure: omission of occurrence or performance; specifically :  a failing to perform a duty or expected action. 

When you put these two words together it results in something catastrophic and ultimately disloyal to the entire public. This past week Rolling Stone is retracting a 9,000 word story about a gang rape that allegedly occurred on the campus of the University of Virginia. 

The story describes a fraternity house, Phi Kappa Psi, sexually assaulting the victim, Jackie. The reporter used Jackie as her sole source and didn't bother to fact check what Jackie had told her. 

This one sided sourcing and refusal to check your facts makes me as a journalist cringe. It is heavy stuff to report on sexual assault, for the reporter, the victims, and the assailants as well. While I'm not discrediting the fact that something horrible might have happened to Jackie, I think it is proper that the Rolling Stone is retracting this story. Unfortunately their reputation as a source of journalistic truth might be bruised a little after this blunder. 

To read the full story and grasp a few more details click on the link below. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32193377

Upcoming meeting

I will be attending the next Winfield City Commission meeting taking place March 6th. Look for a full story reporting on that meeting.

Winfield's Own

Winfield journalism has lost a piece of itself this week. Lloyd Craig, winfield daily courier publisher, has passed away at the age of 82. Craig had worked in the Winfield Publishing Company for 56 years, but had became publisher for the Courier in 2009. He leaves behind a wife and three daughters. To read more about Craig's life go to the link below.

http://www.winfieldcourier.com/news/article_71159aec-c92e-11e4-a811-bff858905b03.html

Docking Lecture

Nigerians poking their fingers in your chest and handing out death threats. Bullets whizzing by deviating inches from your head.

These were a few of the gut-wrenching stories that Sebastian Junger, award-winning author and American journalist, shared at the Docking Lecture on March 5 in the Richardson Performing Arts Center.

But before the Docking Lecture, I, along with Dalton Carver, communication senior, were able to interview Junger and talk to him about things that we wished to talk about. 

I had previously written the profile on Sebastian Junger and a book review on his book, "The Perfect Storm," so it was an honor for me to get firsthand interview experience with someone that is so established, educated, and well-spoken. 

I will be writing an upcoming story about the interview I had with Junger so stay updated on my blog.