Lockdown

So things have taken a turn.

The country has officially gone into a ‘lockdown’ of sorts. All our college work has been moved online as colleges and schools have closed. Bars and restaurants too. I admit the thought of weeks of quarantine got to me a bit. I sat in tears following the Taoiseach’s address to the nation. However, realising than I would still be finishing the semester until the end of April, therefore wouldn’t be having a ‘wild time’ regardless of quarantine or not, really helped. Despite this epiphany, the gym I go to closed due the fears of contamination, so I have had to do my running on the roads near my house (not ideal, it gets cold).

I only had two lectures this week, Public Admin. and Radio Journalism via the Big Blue Button. The audio was fine, thankfully. Due to the circumstances we find ourselves in so of us are no longer able to complete our radio package, are we aren’t able to finish doing our interviews because of the state of the country. Instead we’re going to edit audio that our lecturer will send us and create a package from that. I was a bit disappointed at not being able to complete my package, but at least a got to experience what being a journalist in the field is like.

I still have a book review and a history essay to keep me occupied, and I’ll have some tests in the upcoming weeks, so I can study for them. Exciting times, I know. With regards to the circumstances the country is in at the moment, it’s just a waiting game. Hopefully the precautions we’re taking will pay off, and we can go back to normal in a few months. In the mean time, I will continue with my new penchant for jam-making.

Stay safe,

Alison

Rozanna Purcell’s cookbook is a God-send in these uncertain times
https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/04d8115f-a0df-4885-9e7c-8aaa26ad6f40

No. 4

Hello again,

I hope everyone is well in these uncertain times.

The interview with the women in the market went well. Editing the audio with Adobe was a lot easier than I had anticipated, thank god. I plan to interview the owner of The Grove Veggie Kitchen (the longest running vegetarian restaurant in in Limerick) soon. I hadn’t heard of it before I had my research for my radio package done. At least I know that there’s another place in Limerick that I can have a meal in that isn’t a plate of leaves.

I had Monday ‘off’ this week because of History reading week and our Technical Writing lab was moved online. We had to create a website that we will develop over the next few weeks.

I started reading a book on the Spanish monarchy in the 17th century for my History book review. At least I’ll have more time to finish that and my essay due to the deadline extension in loght of recent college arrangements.

We started using the Big Blue Button system in Public Admin. in light of the coronavirus fears. It’s a livestream of the lectures so that we can view them off campus, which we will be using for other modules as well. We got an email saying college material will be moved online until the 29th amidst fears of physical contact spreading the virus. I’m not sure how it will go to be honest; the livestream mightn’t necessarily have good audio, and we have assessments that need to be done with specific software so I don’t know how that is going to work considering we’re not allowed on campus, so we don’t have access to the computers that have the software and most of us don’t have it at home.

It’s all a bit up in the air at the moment, but I’m hoping things fall into place in the next few days. It’s just a waiting game at this stage.

I’m finished my existential musings for now. Take care of yourselves.

Alison

Wired — Hopefully the livestreams go ok.
https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/0ad45ee5-c4ab-420c-b30a-8b25d9c52c90

The Not-So Rag Week

Hi, readers. I hope you’re all having a good week with the unexpected sun we’re receiving. My week was good. I’m not a big drinker, and don’t like being out past 11, so this week was like any other for me. The most exciting part was getting to use a treadmill in the gym at peak hours.

Despite remaining indoors for a lot of this week, I was busy. I had a lot of work to complete for LULITMI (all assignments were meant to be due today but Rag Week prompted the deadline for the group essay to be extended) and various blogs and an essay to finish.

The InDesign exam went well, after I had a mini meltdown because I didn’t realise we actually had another hour to finish it (I was struggling desperately with the simple task of fitting the text into columns at this stage and had a job interview to get to). However, after having a vague recollection that I had to do something with a small red icon on the screen, I eventually realised through somewhat of a Mind Palace moment (that’s a Sherlock reference) what it was that I was meant to do. Was is perfect? No. Was it a good effort? Indeed it was.

For Radio Journalism we have to create a radio package on a topic that we think is interesting. I chose to do mine on the provision of vegan food in Limerick (finding a chocolate I like was one of the biggest struggles I’ve had with being plant-based). I am interviewing a woman in the Milk Market who set up a plant-based company tomorrow. Will I end up buying what some may consider an excessive amount of desserts? Probably. I’m hopeful that my first steps into radio journalism goes well.

That’s all for this week.

Alison

Radio — Fingers crossed my interview goes swimmingly.
https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/9bf788e9-a74c-4a90-bbe9-d15ec34d1ca8