Finally … Part Two

It’s been over two months since I posted the blog about WICB’s trip to Scare-a-cuse. I said it would be a two part installment, and you know what? It finally is – better late than never.

We last left our fearless radioheads as they neared Syracuse, ready to face the trials and tribulations of the city. Alright, you’re back with us? Great. Here we go.

I’ve never seen such a sketchy parking lot in my life. That’s saying a lot seeing as I’ve seen most of the parking New York City has to offer. This lot is literally a slab of concrete with numbers painted on the ground. No attendants, no fence, no nothing. Much to our dismay, we parked out cars and figured out how to pay. Right … about that. At the entrance to the lot there is a metal box set atop a pole. On the front, small slits were cut into the metal so that money can be put inside. Obviously we’re supposed to match up the number of our parking spot to the number on the box, Oh, okay. We can handle this – we’re college students. Ironically, it looked like this operation was being run by a five-year-old.

As an aside, I realized how slow I type. I thought I was going to finish this story, but it’s time to head to class.

Stay tuned for part 3!

Humbled

As challenging as the journalism curriculum is here at the Park School, I really believe students would not receive the same caliber of education if it wasn’t for our world-renowned student media. Through experiences I’ve had in classes as well as extra curricular activities, I’ve been motivated, inspired and humbled.

Late last Monday afternoon, Andrew Weiser, The Ithacan’s Assistant Sports Editor, and I traveled to Cayuga Medical Center. Andrew wrote the sports front last week, a story about the 5K for Kidneys fundraising event. I went along as the photographer. We had been trying for days to figure out how to illustrate such a sensitive story and were finally handed an opportunity when the story’s main source and 5K event fundraiser got permission for us to take a photo inside CMC.

As we traveled north on Route 89, I thought about my role as a photojournalist and how it relates to this story. What was I going to do through my words and actions? What kind of photo was I looking to take? I always ask myself these questions before I go on a photo shoot, but today I knew the situation was sensitive and that I was going to be tested.

Our source took us inside CMC and upstairs to the intensive care unit, a place I have been fortunate to avoid throughout my life. From the moment I arrived and took in my surroundings, I realized I was experiencing the ICU from a rare perspective – that of a visitor. Our source, a medical aide at the hospital, showed us around the wing which would have fit right in on the set of House: M.D. The space is clean and the technology is superlative. Flanking every hallway are desks, computers and carts for various medical purposes, some of which our source explained to us. Both Andrew and I were fascinated by his knowledge and by the space in general.

Symbolizing the sensitivity of the situation, a public relations representative from CMC had to get the patient to sign a release form and Andrew and I had to wear protective, disposable gowns while inside the patient’s room. To see someone in such a situation, hooked up to various machines and monitors, makes you realize just how much you have. While taking the photos, it occurred to me that I was holding almost $2,000 worth of camera equipment; it occurred to me that I had a brand new car sitting back on campus; it occurred to me that I was healthy; it occurred to me that I have family and friends; it occurred to me that I had been humbled.

When we’re faced with so many fantastic opportunities, such as getting a great education, driving a new car and using fancy equipment, we often forget the more holistic aspects of our life, such as our family, our friends and our health. To see this patient laugh and smile while they were inside an ICU really gave me a motivation to not forget the little things in life. I’m not afraid to admit that I often forget these things from day to day – I’m sure we all do.

Think about it. It’s hard to totally drop what we have, but as people, we should not think twice about helping those who have dropped something. As I watched our source care for this patient, I saw the embodiment of one of mankind’s greatest gifts: compassion. I was truly humbled.

You’ve one life
You’ve one life
One life left to lead

– “Faust, Midas, And Myself” by Switchfoot

Cayuga Afternoon: An Observation

The late afternoon sun breaks through an overcast sky. Its rays bring life to a desolate winter scenic, casting shadows of barren trees on an icy ground. The ice moves, overtaking its liquid counterpart until the deep blue can be seen again. Deep blue fights to stay alive, carrying itself north until the high, black boundaries lead it away from a silent sanctuary.

The silence overwhelms everything. No wind. No leaves crunching; they’ve been gone for months. A car glides in, sorely out of place in a land where technology thrives. Not here. The silence eliminates all dependency. The car opens itself to the cold outside air and they emerge, bundled from head to toe. Her being reaches skyward. She surveys the area making sure safety trumps danger. A smile forms and she gestures to him. Barely reaching her hip, his presence commands compassion. He stretches high above his head, grasping for guidance. They connect and begin a slow walk to the edge. Today it’s safe. Today, the ground protects them from a plunge that he wouldn’t survive. Tomorrow, the ground could be gone.

With her steady stride, he struggles to keep up. She lets go and he breaks away, following his inherent curiosity. He reaches the edge, stops, and stares. His fresh tracks in the snow lead her to him. Hand back in hand, she joins in his gaze out to where deep blue has disappeared around the high, black boundaries. The silence speaks to them and they step over the edge. Their confidence gives way to caution.

Not even this stops them from continuing their adventure, taking them closer and closer to deep blue. His stare breaks from the horizon and moves to the bright, white ground. He bends down and runs his fingers slowly across the surface. In one swift motion, he brings  his hands together and throws the crystals into the cold, silent air. The rays shine and the crystals glisten.

The barren trees stand guard on the scene. Their shadow proves the sunshine.

Thank you, Ithaca. Thank you. (The First of a Two-Part Installment)

Ithaca, thank you for being you. No, I’m not infatuated; I’m just grateful that you’re not the sketchiest city in upstate New York. I mean, let’s face it, you have your sketchy parts, but what city doesn’t?

Last weekend I traveled to Syracuse with WICB, Ithaca College’s FCC-licensed radio station. It was our first big event of the spring semester and we had a few stops lined up on our journey. First: Dinosaur Barbecue. Next, Syracuse Crunch vs. Adirondack Phantoms. And to round out the trip, we were going to get some good food and music at Funk ‘n Waffles.

Keep in mind, this was our “original” line-up. It’s not like we were actually planning to follow this. Haha, ha, ha, ha … uhh … yeah. Great way to organize a trip, huh? Especially when the trip brings you through some of the worst parts of Scare-a-cuse, as one of my friends appropriately named the city.

The only part of the trip that stayed on schedule was the driving. I was one of the drivers in the ICB caravan that trekked up Route 81. My navigator for the trip was my friend Rob, WICB Promotions Director and air talent, portrayed by his alter ego, DJ McScruff. And riding solo in the backseat was Lil’ Cluett, who is seriously one of the coolest kids at the station. A second semester freshman and younger brother on a previous ICB talent coordinator, Lil’ Cluett is the quiet kid who breaks out with a big personality when he’s on the air. With both of them in the car, it made for a good trip.

Following traditional road trip guidelines, whoever is riding shotgun handles the tunes for the car ride. Thus, my iPhone was placed in the capable hands of DJ McScruff who first broke out some top 40 songs and then, while in conversation about “The Hangover,” put on “In the Air Tonight.” Classic. (Yes, we all played along with the drum break. I mean, come on, you HAVE to).

Forty-five minutes later the skyline of Scare-a-cuse rose above the horizon. The car was silent. I’m not sure if we were scared or were simply thinking about all the things our parents never told us to do. (Was one of them to NOT go to Syracuse?)

Stay tuned for part two which will cover long lines, carousels, horns, music and waffles – all coming to a blog near you.

Is There REALLY a Summer Here?

As one of the Assistant Photo Editors for The Ithacan, Ithaca College’s student-run newspaper, one of my unofficial responsibilities is to drive around the city and take photos that complement the stories. Sometimes this is easier said than done.

For our Jan. 28 issue, we were looking to run a story about how smoking is going to be banned from the Commons. (I know, cue the outraged locals.) The photo request we received for this story didn’t come as much of a surprise: get a photo of people smoking on the Commons. And that’s just what I attempted to do.

You know how the weather patterns have been changing on a whim since August? Well, apparently it’s not sitting well with the locals. Either that, or I just ran into some of Ithaca’s grumpiest townies last week.  I trekked down to the Commons on the first downright frigid day of the spring semester with a two goals. One, stay warm. Two, get the photo and leave. Usually, most shoots require you to stick around until something interesting happens, but let’s be honest here, there’s nothing interesting about smoking in Ithaca of all places.

The Commons was desolate, almost to the extent of the scenes in The Book of Eli. (Great movie, go see it!) So I stuck around waiting for somebody to either walk by or step out of one of the shops. Fast forward 90 minutes. I am freezing and disgruntled. I asked about a dozen people who were smoking if I could take their photo for The Ithacan. Nobody said yes. I fully understand that if one smokes, it’s not necessarily the best attribute to have publicized, but it doesn’t necessarily warrant the shrewd remarks I received.

I think the winter really eats away at people. As humans, we have the inherent nature to go out and explore, break boundaries and do something new – things that can easily be done during the warm summer months.  While walking around waiting for somebody with a cigarette, I thought about how an area’s personality changes through the seasons. Ithaca is, of course, cold. But there’s a vibrance that emerges every single summer: Ithaca Fest, Grassroots, boats on Cayuga Lake, etc. During these long winter months, Ithaca rests. To sit on the Commons during this time and envision to explosion of activity that will take place once summer hits is incredible.