Let’s be frank here: I’m a little upset Mr. Leadingham beat me to the punch on this blogging business. How did he manage to write up a blog entry amid all his Leads-writing and Convention-plugging and Inbox-filling, and I, sitting here researching and filing and editing and bumbling around the Internet for story ideas, haven’t had a chance to write even a, “Hi, I’m Amy and I’m new here; be ready to read rambles” – especially when I love rambling so much?

I guess he’s just quicker than I am. This might explain why there’s always a 30-second delay between his “bless you” and my “thank you” when I sneeze. I guess keep that in mind when I meet you at Convention – I apparently like to contemplate my “thank you” before delivering it.

So now, at long last, after 3.5 weeks, I’m here to say: “Hi, I’m Amy and I’m new here; be ready to read rambles.”

As the new Quill managing editor (hi, that’s me), I’ll do all I can to make sure Quill is a riveting read (and alliterative, apparently). And, fortunately, my “thank you” delay doesn’t apply to my editing style. I’m much more comfortable editing than sneezing.

In other news, there is coffee downstairs for the first time in the 3.5 weeks I’ve been here. Even though he’s charging $26.95 per cup, I have to offer my kudos to Andrew, our graphic designer. Way to step up, Mr. Farkas.

P.S. Anyone else think this is where Convention should be held in 2010?

Oh, and happy Friday! I’ll see everyone next week, right?

It’s been two weeks since my introduction to SPJ. I’m still alive, so that’s a promising sign.

To say it’s been a whirlwind tour is an understatement.

The adjustment is going well, all things considered (although noticeably absent are Robert Siegel, Michele Norris and Melissa Block).

However, I feel after two weeks that I’ve finally got my mind wrapped around what to do here at the prestigious Eugene S. Pulliam National Journalism Center.  Write and or coordinate SPJ Leads. Gather material for Quill’s SPJ Report. Send out thousands upon thousands of e-mail messages about our upcoming convention. (You can still register…act now!) That’s easy enough to master, thanks mostly to the outgoing communications guru, Alyson, who made my first week very manageable.

I’ve got the skill set down. Getting organized is another story. It takes more than going to Office Depot and Staples. (BTW – that easy button stuff is a load of hogwash!) On my desk, which is tidy relative to previous workstations, there are a number of Post-It notes. They may seem strewn about to the untrained observer, but each plays its part in helping me keep track of various important tasks. “Check the ethics hotline every morning!” warns one. “Get Clint and Dave’s (respectively our president and president-elect) schedule to Chris when finalized” warns another. I should have made a note to remind me what I’m scheduling for Clint and Dave. Haircuts? Yoga lessons? Eh, it will come.

Chris (the same person to whom I’m supposed to deliver the all-important “schedule”) recently remarked about the cleanliness (or lack thereof) of my car. “It’s rather dusty,” she said (and she was speaking about the inside).

“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that,” I said rather coyly. “I’ve been in the mountains for 6 weeks. Haven’t gotten around to cleaning it out.”

[Side note: Apparently the mountains of eastern Washington, aside from splendid beauty, are chock full of Pepsi bottles and Arby’s curly fries. I have no other explanation for how those items got in my car.]

But that’s why I’m a little disorganized. I’ve yet to snap out of the world of camping and the Northwest and into the world of journalism and communications. My job here started about 72 hours after my other job (in the mountains of Washington, mind you) ended. There’s nothing like a straight shot across the country in a dusty, albeit dependable, Corolla to pump you up for a desk job. I rolled into Indianapolis late on a Wednesday night after a marathon race across the country and over a month sleeping in a tent. I started work at 8 a.m. Thursday morning.

So please forgive the aura of disorganization should you encounter it in person. Don’t worry, the essential work will proceed. The press releases will get out on time, SPJ Leads will get to your e-mail inbox and to the Web, and Quill will be delivered to your mailbox on time with great content (thanks to the awesome new managing editor, Amy, who started the day before me).

One of these days I’ll get around to dusting out the car. But that will have to wait until after the upcoming convention. (Act now! You can still sign up!)

When they said I would be the Pulliam/Kilgore Freedom of Information intern, they really meant FREEDOM OF INFORMATION intern because I am now bursting with information about FOI issues. I did not start the summer with a grand FOI background. Throughout my internship I learned what FOI issues include, how important it is that journalists and the general public pay attention to these issues, and what great stories journalists can do using FOIA.

I had to research, research and research, but eventually I felt comfortable that I knew what had gone on this year with FOI. I am so grateful for the help of two FOI masters, SPJ’s FOI committee chair Dave Cullier and National Freedom of Information Coalition executive director Charles Davis, who both helped me understand different FOI issues and answer questions (as most journalists, I had a lot of them!). I also want to thank the rest of the SPJ FOI committee and everyone who took the time for me to interview them and help me understand the different issues going on nationally and locally.

I really hope when this issue comes out the stories will not only be entertaining to read but will also be informative for everyone. I tried to make them as “how-to” as possible, so each person picking up this FOI issue of Quill could leave with at least one new journalism tip.

This internship was a different experience for me since I was not only focusing on FOI issues, but I was also writing for a magazine. Joe Skeel, my editor for the summer (who was always there to listen and give constructive comments), helped me understand that this would be a lot different from my newspaper internships. The pace was slower than that of a newspaper, but Joe and Chris Vachon always had some other assignments I could work on when I was waiting for interviews or had finished writing my stories.

I should probably add that this internship gave me some new life experiences as well. I am from Washington State and have never lived in a “big city” like Indianapolis. To top it off, I decided to not destroy my car by driving it here and took the bus everywhere in Indianapolis. I think everyone should have to take the bus at some point. It’s a great option for those wanting to save gas money or be more environmentally friendly. However, I will say that it can be a humbling and at times intimidating experience. But I’m pretty sure if I could make it the whole summer riding the bus, anyone can do it. I will be returning to the Evergreen State I love so much but have enjoyed this experience in Indianapolis (especially thanks to Alyson who, among many things, allowed me to have my first experience with a deep-fried Snickers bar).

I want to end by noting how lucky we SPJ members are to have such a competent staff who really do care about SPJ (it’s true…I’ve heard them say it!). They work full-time to make sure SPJ offers its members the resources they deserve and that our organization has a good reputation nationally and locally. They deserve a lot of credit for any notable things we accomplish as an organization, so if you ever have a question about something SPJ related do not be scared to contact them because they do want to help.

Stay classy Indianapolis,

Breanne Coats

Before working at SPJ, I knew what I would call an average amount about the First Amendment and Freedom of Information Act. I had done the readings and wrote the research papers for my Communications Law class at college, and, as an aspiring journalist, I believed in the importance of shield laws and journalists being allowed to inform the public no matter the circumstance. But was I passionate enough about those beliefs to even bat an eyelash when I read or heard that a journalist’s First Amendment rights were violated? Definitely not.

Most of the responsibilities I held as the Archibald Communications Intern were ones I was expecting – my anal retentive, perfectionist gene forced me to read SPJ’s Web site description of the position at least 10 times before my first day. I was well aware I would be writing press releases, working daily with local and national media, updating the Web site and editing copy for various SPJ publications. And I felt extremely prepared to do it all. What I was not prepared for was my transformation into the educated and passionate journalism advocate that I am today.

After roughly two and a half months of writing press releases about the federal shield law bill and researching freedom of information issues like it was my job – I was in charge of communications, after all – it finally hit me how important and essential having protection from revealing confidential sources and information really is to being the best public servant a journalist should be. Journalism is not just about reporting the daily happenings that anyone can see or hear about. It’s also about dedicating significant time and energy to informing the public about social injustices that the average person cannot, which sadly doesn’t happen too often these days with journalists doing more jobs with less people and less time to do them in. It’s vital to the industry that, when journalists do have the resources to do investigative research, one thing they don’t have to worry about is having to turn down sources with vital information for fear that they or their sources will be jailed, fired or worse for sharing their knowledge with the public.

Now I can’t say that my time at SPJ has made me want to shift my focus in the journalism industry to reporting hard hitting news that will change the world as we know it – that’s just not my style. I’m still an entertainment news girl, no matter how many eye rolls or disgusted faces Joe (aka Quill editor and my supervisor this summer) gives me for that passion. However, in my future career as an entertainment journalist, I will now be able and willing to confidently assist myself or my fellow journalists if I or they ever stumble upon a First Amendment violation from the education SPJ has granted me this summer. And although many may think that type of violation will never mix with my world of reporting on the latest Hollywood gossip, I would have to argue that the Watergate scandal would have been breaking entertainment news, so you can never say never.

On a side note, I want to take time to thank everyone on the staff and all those SPJ members across the country who were so willing to help me get the best and most educational experience I could out of my internship this summer. I have learned a great deal and am now determined to be the biggest journalism advocate in the entertainment news business – I have a feeling Joe will sleep better knowing this is so. If you ever have an opportunity to work with the amazing staff at SPJ headquarters or any of SPJ’s chapter leaders across the country, please don’t pass it up. I’m very glad I didn’t.

Thanks for stopping by SPJ,

Alyson Ahrns