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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

So many friends I met here...!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

NEWS PAPER MUSINGS

click on image to see the bench!

Here I sit under a canopy
of branches
with thousand rustling leaves
looking on
musing about the wonder
of the day
contemplating
composing
birds chattering away
about the latest news.
Beyond shadows
dappled sunlight
giggling children
playing
ripples in the water
revealing
the events of tomorrow's
Paper.

by J. St.Germain


Reading the News paper, with a cup of coffee or tea. Discussing and solving worlds problems with some friends. Hearing the latest on the economic recession over a dessert with your family....

Could this be a picture of the past? I have a hard time believing this. Maybe not all progress is actually progress. If all our communication about the latest events is funneled through means of the computer, I am concerned about an increasing separation and hiding into one's own world. Even though it appears to be the opposite.

Last week I received an email from a Twitter development and a Wikipedia branch, asking me if they could grab my posts to "gradually fill in the gap for local news since newspapers are disappearing by getting everyone in a community to contribute."
If they want to, they have to do it on their own, but not with my posts. What are they thinking??


A quick scribble of two people I saw in the park discussing the paper...

I have never taken a class in JOURNALISM, my ENGLISH grammar leaves to be desired, and I have a EUROPEAN worldview. Last, but not least, I write about my EXPERIENCES, not about facts, so what I write is HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE. Also my RESEARCH is very incomplete, because I am just writing for me, not anyone else. That should be six strikes against distributing what I write and take it as NEWS in the USA on the level of journalists, and experts who should write the news.
(By the way, is everyone getting that email?)

I'm just reminded on something that happened many years ago. Saturday Post fired Norman Rockwell, because his illustrations were found not to be relevant anymore with modern times. A few years later the paper ceased to exist (E.M. Montgomery. Norman Rockwell, p. 31). What at the time appears to be progress may not be progress at all.

31 comments:

Unknown said...

Ah, but your writing (with paintings of course, makes for such interesting reading! You have news (Earthquake shocks) and sympathy from readers (except for the one with a bit of strange whit about him). And the pictures with the WORLD'S view make you a catch for any publication, but of course, you have one already, don't you?

Jeannette StG said...

Joey,
Your comments make me smile - thank you for all the compliments! - but I think you're getting what I'm trying to say? If they are targeting such subjective writings that are merely people's opinions, I can't have much faith in the facts of such news.
Well...this blog and Myspace is my only publication.

Unknown said...

And you believe what they right in Newspapers?

Jeannette StG said...

I guess you don't? They "should" have more skill in it. I hope their news are not as distorted or skewed as my subjective experiences!! (I believe education and skill are good things to have under your belt, before taking such an endeavor)

lovelyprism said...

Newspapers reporters are so biased now, I look for the majority of the news online.
And NO we're not all receiving those letters! At least I am not. It's impressive that you are.

Jeannette StG said...

Yeah, it's hard to know who to believe, because the TV news is distorted/skewed as well.
I was thinking that with news on-line it's even harder to check if they're painting an accurate pic, because I don't know the resources to go to (yet!).
Sure hope you'll find a good hair stylist (I think I would travel for it:) )

Reader Wil said...

Isn't all writing subjective? It's always coloured by the views and feelings of the author. If you should write objective nobody would be interested. The story would be inane and lifeless.
Write what you feel and experience, then your stories will be lively and full of colour.
Thanks for sharing and for your visit to my story about the tragedy of Koninginnedag. The man who did it, was angry, because he had lost his job and house. And the royal family is rich and live in enormous palaces.

Jeannette StG said...

I agree Wil, all writings are subjective, but I had a hard time seeing my experience of the earthquake on Twitter daily news, because I didn't check other sources than the TV.
The point I was trying to make is that I expect journalists to give somewhat of an objective view, because they have dug into a many "primary" sources as possible instead of "secondary" source like the TV news.
Also, what I also realized after a discussion with hubby about the email I received, is that Twitter wants to take the place of the news paper written by journalists. They have already 50 thousand readers. I am not so thrilled with that trend.

I heard the reason that it was because he lost his job and was evicted from his house. But the way you wrote it, made me understand why. Sad that a Dutchmen couldn't keep his feelings in check.
Thanks for your comments - always thought provoking and kind!

Maria said...

As to your comment on my post: the Danube IS wider, my pics are mainly from the Entlastungsgerinne, which is a flooded area parallel to the bed of the Danube.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Hello Jeannette. I tried to leave you a comment yesterday but for some reason the link on my blog roll kept on taking me to your previous post. Today it is okay though.

"If all our communication about the latest events is funneled through means of the computer" - this is probably the reason I have become so reclusive. There is no need to go out and communicate any more, I can do it all via the computer. Lets face it, technology is wonderful but there are drawbacks. Here I sit in my home in SA and I can tour and chat to people all over the world.

News papers are really on their way out as so many of them have had to go on line but I wonder if they will disappear altogether? I mean what else will we use to clean our windows with or wrap our things in when we move? LOL!!

Jeannette StG said...

Maria,
Thanks for getting back to me about this!I am glad the Danube is wider and I can keep my romantic view of it, LOL By the way, you're doing great in losing weight! Do you have to do a lot for it?

Jeannette StG said...

Joan,
Sorry Joan, tt's probably because I was editing it for a while after I posted it (text comes out different in the preview, and I always see typos afterwards- even though I do spelling check!)

Yes it's nice to have instant relationships with people across the world. My reason for posting it, was actually the email I received from Twitter (I am not even on Facebook or Twitter!), so I kind of wanted to see if other people received that email, and what they thought about the whole idea of newspapers disappearing.

Hm, yes you see a problem where I even didn't think about- could use towels and cloth? -when hubby was growing up he used newspaper as an insulation under his sweater, when he would skate on the frozen canals.

Rosie said...

I really wouldn't like a world without books, magazines and newspapers - computers and the world wide web are a very useful tool if the information and knowledge gleaned from it is accurate - I love blogging, e-mails and the fact that I can do family history research from my office chair but there is still nothing to compare with sitting on that bench in the sunshine, reading a newspaper or book, drinking coffee and being out in the world with other people.

Jeannette StG said...

Rosie, I couldn't agree with you more whole-heartedly. I am just wondering if it's my age that I like to hold on to the past and nostalgia. Like the E-gadget Kindle is such an unromantic idea to me. Thanks for the feedback!

Irene said...

I'm not a journalist. I'm a gossiper about my own life and that's as far as it goes, except for the occasional political rant. I can't replace a good journalist, It would be useless fodder and not at all informational enough. I hope we can save the newspapers. The are the true treasures.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

There you see, another good reason why they cannot stop printing newspapers - insulation. :)

I thought you were on Twitter and that was how they got hold of you. A bizzare story for sure.

I have had a totally lazy day and did not even do one constructive thing. LOL!!

DUTA said...

What a lovely bench you have to sit upon, relax, feel at one with Nature, do some reading,etc..

Though your writing is subjective it nevertheless touches universal topics and thus appeals to everyone, everywhere.

Carol Murdock said...

Oh Rosie has already expressed my opinion! Have a great weekend Jeanette!
Carol

Unknown said...

Jeanette, i have 2 offerings to yo.
You seem to have such a good attitude about a newspaper being fact worthy, information contained being checked by several sources and this is what it should be.
My 2 offerings:
1) An out of work(?), freelance, stay at home Dad with journalistic experience is doing an op - ed piece in our local newspaper every other week. He is refreshing.
2) The local newspaper finally reported a rumor as fact that has been going around town for several weeks that Bon Jovi is opening up a club in our town. Sadly, because the permits pass through the department I work in, I know this to be a ruse, the owners are the same owns who closed a failing bar and a reopening it having purchased the name and maybe some assistance from Bon Jovi's brother.
But is being reported as fact.
I see your take on the world as being refreshing and of course you include your artwork which helps even more!
Do not take the offer lightly, you might have something wonderful to offer,

Jeannette StG said...

Irene,
Maybe you don't know it, but you can write, my dear lady!
At first I went to your blog, because I was concerned about you And because you had lived in the same area as I do now.
Now I'll look up your blog, because every day you seem to say something interesting!! That is baffling to me. I could see you have a weekly column at a local newspaper (subject of human interest stories).
Yes, I hope so too and newspapers will still be around for a long time!

Jeannette StG said...

Joan,
It's puzzling, and begin to wonder what vibes I'm sending out! (remmeber the bogus offer to make money with my blog with art?)

Don't be too hard on yourself Joan. Yesterday I spent 4 hours to go to 3 stores nearby, take a shower and eat a 5 min. microwave warmed up dinner. I was glad hubby did not ask me how my day went, LOL.

DeniseinVA said...

Newspapers are going the way of the dinosaur, and there will one in a glass case on exhibit at the Smithsonean, and children will ask their parents, "What is that?" Progress is not always progress, but I would not be without my computer for the world, for here I travel to places I have never seen and speak to people all over the world. As for the objectivity of the newspaper, ratings and sales seem to be more important these days.

Jeannette StG said...

Duta,
Hope you don't think this is my bench and my yard. This photo I took in the gardens of the Huntington library. It's a great and peacful view isn't it?

Duta, both items (subjectiveness and universal topics) are in everyone's blog - my wonderings are, why my blog?

Jeannette StG said...

Carol,
You are the writer among my readers! Hoped you would say something more specific, like you did with my sketches?

You have a great weekend too, Carol:)

Jeannette StG said...

Joey,
I'm trying to understand what you're saying, and now I wish we could talk over a cup of coffee or tea.
You are saying: 2 offerings. Do you mean two offerings of the truth? This is what happens in reality?
the first one, I can see that he does it because he likes writing/publishing.
the second one: very clever, but deceptive of the failing bar owners!
Your suggestion to think again about their offer - I will do that,
but maybe I'm not such a warm-hearted, charitable community person as you think I am (in that erea).

Dina said...

Jeannette, thanks for your visit and comment about the lion emblems. Re your question: Right now is the first time I see your newspapers post, so it wasn't my comment that got half lost. There are other bloggers (in UK and Malta) named Dina. Maybe it was them?
Actually, I will come back tomorrow after a good night's sleep and catch up on your blog. G'night.

Jeannette StG said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jeannette StG said...

Dina from Israel, thanks for alerting me! talk to you later - have a good night!

ChickenUnderwear said...

I love the sound of "giggling children
playing'. I am planing to record it and make it the background to my blog.

I would not let anyone use my blot to make money. I agree with you, they could quot me, but I would not be part of their organization.

Jeannette StG said...

Reading your blog, I just knew you would have something different to say, LOL.
To record my poem, you have my permission!

PS I showed hubby the pic where the guy is on his knees on the street to look for something -we both thought it was an inventive way of surviving skills.

Jeannette StG said...

Denise,
You already know my views on this, and of course you are entitled to yours. I don't understand how your comment showed up later anyway, or did you write it for a second time? Have a great weekend! Jeannette