The DEN rocks ICPA

Staff members of The Daily Eastern News brought home 19 honors, including five first place awards, from the Illinois College Press Association's annual conference and awards banquet last weekend in Chicago.
The DEN also received honorable mention for the John David Reed Award for general excellence, an award named for an Eastern journalism professor emeritus.
Winning entries, judged by professional journalists, were published during the spring 2005 and fall 2006 semesters, and most were judged from the dailies category.

First place:
Editorial cartoon, Mike Abernathy
Non-sports column, Kevin Sampier
Sports column, Dan Woike
Feature page design, Matt Meinheit (also, honorable mention, Matt Meinheit)
General news photo, Stephen Haas

Second place:
Entertainment supplement, (open category) fall 2005 staff of On the Verge
Headline writing, Matt Meinheit
Feature photo, Nora Maberry

Third place:
Feature photo, Daniel Williams
Sports news story, Dan Woike
Sports page design, Hillary Settle and Dan Renick
Spot news photo, Daniel Williams
Honorable mention:
Spot news photo, Stephen Haas
Feature story, Cindy Tanney
In-depth reporting, Hillary Settle
Photo essay, Daniel Williams and Carrie Hollis
General news photo, Daniel Williams

ICPA conference this weekend

http://www.xanga.com/OohLala1983

Check my other blog for a list of awards we won. Photo (Stephen Haas and Danny Williams) did well, as usual, and Brian and I got second for our Thanksgiving issue of On the Verge.

Be proud! Our designer also won an award for one of our issue covers, the Evolution of the Bar Crawl. I like to think we (Brian, me and Danny) had a little something to do with it as well.

Here was my weekend:

Wed- went to bed at 3:30 a.m. Woke up at 4:30 a.m., met everyone in newsroom at 5 a.m.
Drive to Chicago. Have NSYNC dance party.
Stop in Peotone for McDonald's, courtesy of JR (DEN publisher) and student pub.
Arrive in downtown Chicago, park and hike it to the Tribune Tower.
Attend a Tribune Editorial Board meeting.
Get a tour of the newsroom.
Drive to Crystal Lake. Eat deep dish pizza, play Clue, sleep.

Thurs.- Get up at 5:30 a.m. Take train into Chicago.
Check into hotel.
Get job/internship interviews with Sun News in Waukeegan, Naperville Sun and Beacon News in Aurora.
Miss first session on in-depth reporting- which I actually needed.
Eat lunch at Chipotle, and have my first Dos Equis.
Attend session with Dann Gire, movie critic from the Daily Herald and old "chum buddy" of JR. Laugh my ass off.
Try to figure out how old JR is exactly. Estimates have hit 52. (I don't know why you guys care unless you read my last post. P.s. I'm not a psycho.)
Skip keynote (oooh they're- Joe, our adviser, and JR- gonna be mad) to hang out in hotel bar.
Get booze.
Get caught by JR- yep, mad.
Booze in Jenni's room.
Go to hotel bar to meet for dinner. Help Holly finish her booze.
Hike in frigid weather to Rock Bottom, where they brew their own beers.
Experience a wheat beer-filled bong, and gourmet mac n' cheeze.
Hike back.
Get drunker.
Pass out in room. I missed Meinheit's visit (Awww alum..... sigh)!!!!

Sat.- Get up 9:30 a.m. (way nicer...)
Shower, skip sessions. (yawn)
Eat free food and get awards at banquet.
Pack in Meinheit's car - CAR- with Greg, Holly, Matt (who is 6'5" ish or more), Thill, Amy and Erin...
Take train back to Crystal Lake.
Get Erin's car.
Turn around and get Jenni in Chicago.

And here I am. Somehow still awake and alive. They all went out- I'm barely able to keep eyes open.

Why hellooooo to you sir

Tomorrow I leave for the ever-exciting ICPA (Illinois College Press Association) conference in Chicago.

Technically, tomorrow, we are leaving a day early at 5 a.m. to attend a Chicago Tribune editorial board meeting around 10 a.m. Road trips with JR- always a fun deal.

In case you didn't know, and you probably didn't, JR is one of our professors. He's the publisher for the paper actually. And he's goofy. I guess you could say I have a little NONSEXUAL crush on him... (I'm not narsty, the man is old enough to be my dad pretty much, plus he has small children and is married and the idea of.... eewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Old guys.) So anyway. It's a big inside joke in the newsroom.

We're coming back Saturday but the weekend is going to be fabulous and everyone including Joe and JR are going to be drunk and I'm sure I'll have tons to tell you about. Love you, miss you (sorry I didn't see you this past weekend, I was in a bad mood...)

Bye ladies and gents.

I've been a bad girl

too busy to post, just wanted to say I haven't forgotten about you.

Love you all.

Bonerback Mountain

The other night I read that Emily is theonly person to post on here...

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Well I finally got a chance to, and the damn server shut me out, said Blogger was down for maitenance or some shit.
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And now I only have a few minutes.

And I'm using them to tell you that Brokeback Mountain was sweet enough for me to see it once with the 'rents, and see it again, an hour away in Terre Haute. IT IS EVEN MORE FAB THE SECOND TIME.

and Jake Gyllenhaal would give me a boner if I had the necessary equiptment.

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One of my professors keeps talking about the movie as well- he thinks it's funny bc he likes the attention when we laugh at him.... grown ups. He's a fricken riot-- he keeps saying he saw my roommate David "Theel" (supposed to be pronounced Thill) and one of the other guy editors Matt "Polly" (supposed to be pronounced Pole-y) at "brock-back (brokeback) mountain" wearing assless chaps, jean jackets and cowboy hats. He said they gave it two thumbs waaaaaaaay up (if we know what he means)

This may not seem as funny to you as it does to me bc this man is crazy... all hopped up on cold medication and he's using his dry humor to purposely pronounce every word in the statement wrong, just to make it more ridiculous.


That's all I have. Except search for Larry David's (creator of seinfeld, curb your enthusiasm) column on the movie that ran in the NY Times, and go see the movie!!!

What's the dillo?

So I'm the only one who posts in this thing? Shame on you!

School blows like your mom

So I'm just now realizing how much I really hate school! From homework, quizes, pop-quizes, tests, and 20 page papers, this semester really blows! As much as I love the college life, I will def not miss this part of it!

2006

Hey kids! Long time no post, eh? So right now I'm in the longest class of my life! IS blows, but whatcha gonna do? Laura when is your graduation?? I'd be interested in comin out for that, and if possible some weekend to check out what EIU is all about. Let me know of your availability for this semester. Anywho, I think I figured out how to graduate in the Fall, which makes me very excited!
In other news, NYC rox my sox and I could def live there, if I could afford it that is. The majority of my time there was spent in bars and Marc's apartment. I only spent less than $200, and I was there from thurs till mon, not bad if you ask me, Marc and his roommates know how to put on a good time! I'll have to give details another time, like while I'm not sitting in class, hehe, I heart wireless internet!
Relationship news, Justin and I are doin good. I'm sick as hell right now and he has been takin care of me.. awww so swt I know. He's actually buyin a new truck right now, I checked it out last night and it's really freakin swt! Its raised high as hell (I almost need a boost to get in, hehe) and its an 04 chevy. He's pry the most sincere boyfriend I've had. Just the little things, like cuddeling while we watch a movie, the way he kisses my forehead in the morning to tell me bye. I don't know I can't explain it. Its nice to have a boyfriend that doesn't rush things tho. First bf since steve to not tell me he loves me b4 the 1 month mark! I love that, nice and slow! anyways I better get back to my class. bye

Happy New Year's

For those of you who weren't there---

Pirates of Walnut Street was, for real, the best one yet.

P.S. Happy 2006

Photo-a-Post

I have brought it to my own attention with my last post that these are significantly more interesting when they include a photo. I'm implementing- with myself- that each of my posts have a photo. If the photo doesn't go with the post, it will be a random with a sweet description on it. Cuz boy, do I love photos.

That being said, this one seems to get me a lot of comments.



I don't remember this much, but it's from Black Tie Affair. Wow, DEN people can be slutty. It's all in fun anyway...

Hey did you people know you can have the blog sent to you everytime someone publishes a new post? I tried it and love it- it would probably help the traffic on this site a bit amongst the group.
TRY IT!

M'kay, bye

Visited Mrs. Brave today

Josh, Nik and I visited Mrs. Brave this afternoon. It was supposed to be a surprise, but Nik didn't want to get up unless he knew she was going to be there, so he called in and she recognized his voice. She and Mr. Brave took us to lunch at Pie Town in uptown Alton.

We talked about what people are doing nowadays and what we're doing, and who's still teaching at the high school. Mr. Kline retired, and Speidel is no longer Mrs. Brave's 4th floor neighbor. Tyler Frakes is a pastry chef at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago apparently, and well, we all have our own stories. Mine wasn't talked about much- compared to how some people have changed, I'm doing pretty much what I thought I'd be. Not very exciting, but at least I'm on a track of some sort, right?

Josh is studying to be a police officer. Nik is going into hotel management. I told Mrs. Brave about Diane's year in Texas (as much as I could anyway) and massage therapy school and whatnot. She thinks I should go to SIUE for grad school, apparently they have a one year teacher cert. program, haha, she said I should take over her job.

Another note, another posty post...

The Boy Situation(s)

Ok, well, this shit is interesting. Senior year, as I had planned, was supposed to be the even year---- every even year yet I've had a boyfriend, and every odd I haven't (Except Woike last year, which I hardly think you can count as a real boyfriend, so let's say he doesn't matter in this situation.)

There has been:
High School-
Sophomore year, Dickhead. Honorable mention Jon Bob.
Senior year, Andy.
College-
Sophomore year, Ryan

and here we are at his informal, having a good time, no matter how bad the whole situation was in the first place



(Junior year, haha)



Senior year....

*1-At the beginning of the year I dated Matt, but it faded out because he wasn't over his ex, and my friend, Hillary. Matt is exactly what I was/ and am looking for in a guy. I've had a crush on him forever... he's sweet, he's funny, he's dorky (in a good way) he's fun, he's smart, and he's damn good looking. Actually I'll take it so far as to say the best damn looking guy I've ever been with, hehe. See for yourself.



Problem? He's depressed with life. I can't make him happy because he still wants her, and he's roughing it out in a new job in a place where he knows no one. He's gotten a new job since and started over, and things are starting to look up for him. I've been conflicted because he's my friend, yet I don't really know if want to settle for that. Thing is, it might be better to have him in my life than not at all. BUT- he still seems totally perfect when we talk, and I don't want, and can't, give it up completely. How could anyone when he sends you a text that says "Can I buy you a fish sandwich?" and you can imagine the adorable look on his face as he's typing it?? Plus a part of me keeps hoping one day might be a better time to try, and I'm hoping we'll both want to, no matter how slim the chances...

*2- Right before break I had a night of champagne with the girls, and afterward decided to invite this guy, Rich, over to my house. I believe my original intention was to make out... I thought I remembered him being like that- but maybe that's because the first time I met him, I caught him commenting on my bras- you see, he was friends with Kirby, and they were hanging in the room to dry. Anyway, I ditched him the one time we were supposed to hang out... for one of the above (Woike, glasses) and we've joked about hanging out since. I never thought we actually would, but I'm glad we did, right before break. And it was tons of fun. He's really cute, although unfortunately I do not have a pic to show it. We've been talking a bit, and I'll be interested to see what happens when we get back. He seems to care a lot about stuff that most guys I've dated thus far don't. Actually getting to know me, go figure. Also, he's not shy about telling me I'm pretty or that he actually had lots of fun. It can get cheesy, but at least he's up front about it huh?

*3- And then we have the friend who confesses his feelings for me (at the Black Tie Christmas), and it changes the relationship overall. I've tried to like this guy, but I just can't.



The "Friends Zone" thing isn't what guys think it is- something some girl made up as an excuse as to why she won't date someone she just plain doesn't like. I love Brian to death, but I don't think a relationship between us would ever work, and I feel like a bitch for saying it. I've tried to consider it, I have. But it doesn't make sense to force myself into something so hard (for me), especially being that I have definite feelings for two others. Unfortunately our friendship is "On the Verge" of change (funny play on words- "On the Verge" was the publication we edited together, and the reason we're so close now...) anyway. Whether we like it or not. I've made him feel awkward, and I'm sorry, and I've flirted too much as I always do with friends... pretty much it's my fault. I hope too much doesn't change, because this guy is my best friend at school now that April is gone...

So there you have it. I have been talking to the first two, and trying to make things ok with the third, so after vacation we'll see where each go.

Thanks for listening.

I love black tie Christmases

That party was f***ing fantabulous.

Aside from having to clean a buttload today, from having a good friend tell me he has feelings for me, from having to lecture Aaron about making out with everybody and in turn havng ppl get pissed because they thought I was in on that...the party turned out great.

Everyone was dressed up super nice. Everyone was drunk off hard liqueur or wine and champagne...we all wore stupid nametags with names like "Laura the Griffith that keeps on giving" and "Erin run of the Miller" and "Stephen rebel without a Haas." Even Danny showed up after work.

Hillary and Woike gave lap dances around 2:30 ish in the a.m.... and BO'Malley lost $5 bucks in the process. Haha.

I'll have pictures of this madness up after I hit up one-hour photo later today. I'M HOME FOR BREAK BIOTCHES! Let the games begin.

Also- Laura might have a bit of a love interest, even though she can't get over the last one! Oh the Williams...

Winter Break Has Begun!

What is going on all? Laura that sounds like a blast gettin all dressy and getting drunk w/ friends good times, good times. I'm so glad that finals are over! I'm going to have so much free time its freakin sick, but I love it! So expect some more posts out of me. Pirate party is just 2 weeks away people, that rox my sox. I think I'm getting my costume from Baxters, hopefully I wont get too drunk and ruin it... hehe.. anywho, I've got the mini trikes and they are small as hell, guaranteed a good ole drunkin time! Oh and the pool arrived as well, so let the ghetti wrestling begin! Does anyone want to see Kong?? Let me know.. Well I'm extremely worn out from the past week. I took my first final ever today with an extreme hang over, I do not recommend, but the blues won last night and I was at the game, so it was time to celebrate, and celebrate we did! Later kids

Black Tie Christmas

Tonight, we're having people over at the house in dressy clothes for a drunken night of Christmas fun. We tons o' wine. I'm super excited. People are set to arrive in about an hour. Yayyyy. Update later...

Tentative Schedule for Em

Em, you should come visit! That would be awesome. Commencement is Saturday, May 6. Don't know time or anything yet.

Here's my schedule till then (obviously subject to change):
I don't have classes on Thursdays by the way... so these weekends include them.

Free weekends (spaces mean busy weekend):
This weekend- Jan. 19-22
Next weekend- Jan. 26-29
busy
Feb. 10-12
Feb. 16-19
Feb. 23-26
busy
March 9-12
(Spring break March 13-16, coming home most likely)
March 17-19
busy
busy
Apr. 6-8, possibly thru the 9th
busy
Apr. 27-30
Finals Week (for both EIU and SIUE)

Commencement- May 6

I'll probably have a big ass party before I come home that weekend, whoever is invited to come.

Keep it Together

I have comes across a Guster song that totally embodies what this blog is supposed to be about (and that I am totally obsessed with). Read the lyrics.

Guster- "keep It Together"

When we all had finally washed ashore
It was clear there was no one else around
We declared a national holiday
A chance to build it from the ground
So far away from everyone and everything starts today

Let's keep it together
Can we keep it together
We're singing a new song now and everything starts today

Can we rise
Can we get along all right
Can we miss the storm that sucked the whole world in
And the boats went out at night
And the choppers in the sky
They searched, but they could find no trace of us
So far away from everyone and everything starts today

Let's keep it together
Can we keep it together
We're singing a new song now and everything starts today

The thunder struck the clouds appear
Our fearless crew was not prepared
And pretty soon the boats came for us half a million strong
We gathered arms and fired shells
We built a wall around ourselves
And pretty soon the spirit was a lot like it what it used to be back home

So far away from everyone and everything starts today
Let's keep it together
Can we keep it together
We're singing a new song now and everything starts today
Let's keep it together
Can we keep it together
We're singing a new song now and everything starts today

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It reminds me of how close we all were in high school. Now everyone's too busy or has gone away to college or just has other shit going on in their lives. And this blog is an attempt to "keep it together," so to speak. SO I'm going to step it up and seriously try and make time to post.

AND call all of you over Christmas break.
Love you's.

One more week you's guys

HEY YOU GUYS!!

ONe more week of shit till finals. Finals week means Laura is home free. I'll be home sometime that weekend. Depending.

One of my loves (hehe, jk) is graduating, and I want to spend as much time with him as possible before he joins the ranks of those who have left me forever.

Hope everyone's doing well.

AND THOMAS- Clear a place in your damn schedule for me. No reason we can't hang out once in almost a month.

MMkay. GTG post briefly on my other blog before sleep time.

Boys like you are a dime a dozen

Sorry I haven't written in a while. We still have dial up b/c my mom lives in the stoneage, but hopefully we'll get high speed in a little bit. I haven't really been up to anything, but going out and drinking way too much with JohnKardis. (Em, your bro gets me in trouble!) I signed up for classes at LC. (Yep, I'm lame!) Still working at NY&Co, trying to save my mom to get back down to TEXAS in May. I can't wait until New Years...I already know that this is going to be a blast!!! Thats it. Peace. xoxo

Laura's staying late tonight

Hey. So I'm ending my first week as the associate news editor. Slowly getting used to having to be here every night again. At home, Erin and Megan and Amy are sitting around drinking... waiting for Thill to come back with a string of lights. Then, we're going to decorate. I sure hope I get out of here in time to help put on ornaments and crap. Yay for Christmastime. Later this evening, we are going to the Icy Mug for 50 cent drafts.

I can't wait till Christmas vacation. Next week is the last week of final projects. I have an English final, an in-depth sports story, a movie review and two play reviews due. Compared to this week- a walk in the park. The next week is finals week... a DEN journalist's heaven. I have one final, and other than that all I have to do is turn in a final play script I've been working on forever.

I love finals week. Depending on when everyone else is coming home, I will probably come home Friday night.

During break, I'm driving to Peotone (Dec. 29) for my friend Matt's bday/Christmas/graduation/New Year's party. He's the only one graduating at semester, and I'll miss the hell out of him. Tear ;...( He's even having his party Thursday so I can make it. haha.

When I get back to Alton, it will be about Pirate time. And I'm super excited. Which reminds me, I need to borrow Megan's pirate accessories.

Ugggggh, I should go. I hope when I leave here I'll be able to drive my car home. I left the door unlocked because the lock keeps freezing. I also hope no one steals my damn car.