The type of magazines I read on a regular basis range all the way from trashy gossip magazines to my dad’s subscription of Field and Stream. Whatever I can get my hands on or find laying in front of me, I pick up and start perusing through. My favorite magazines, however, are US, People, GQ, Maxim, InStyle, Vogue, and Cosmopolitan.

Typical for a girl in her 20s right? Well, maybe not the men’s magazines, which happen to be the best, in my opinion. Working in the men’s department at Nordstrom, we’re constantly told to stay up on our reading in fashion and have subscriptions to these “bibles” in each department. I love the sassy (for lack of a better word) attitudes that the writer’s have and if you actually check out more than Eva Mendes' "girls", you’ll notice that they have very well-written articles on world issues.

A more recent addition to my collection of magazine subscriptions is Sactown, which might sound lame at first but is a very eclectic read and makes you feel proud to be from here. It spotlight’s local “celebrities”, covers events around town and has fun features that are enjoyable to read. Along the same lines, I really like reading the Granite Bay and Roseville magazines that are always stuffed in my mailbox.

While it’s not actually considered a magazine, I am also admittedly addicted to “TMZ.com.” Most people might criticize this mindless and gossipy website but I find myself checking it at least two times a day to get up to the minute news about celebrities. It sort of serves as an escape from my busy life of work and school, like a dumb movie does for others.

While I have my favorites that I make a point of reading, I’m just happy reading any magazines at all. I am always pleasantly surprised after reading National Geographic or Home Inspector while sitting around the house or waiting in the doctor’s office. Plus, it’s always refreshing to read a political candidate’s take on social security instead of why Britney Spears shaved her head and a beat a photographer!

Developing story

You probably wince at the idea of even dipping a single toe into the brown, murky waters of your local lake. The thought of submerging your entire body into the “swamp” that many locals most likely cherish is probably even more unfathomable. However, it may be surprising to learn that sacrificing visibility to scuba dive in a freshwater lake is often an appealing choice to divers.

You might be scratching your head, wondering why any person in their right mind would want to dive into the depths of dark, cold lake water. There’s more to the answer than all scuba divers are out of their minds anyway… even if that is indeed true (myself included). Let’s begin with visibility, which can often make or break an ocean dive.

Going into a lake, you already pretty much know what to expect: on a good day, maybe 10 feet of visibility at the best. This might scare some divers away, but the thrill of being 30 feet underwater and barely being able to make out your dive buddy’s outline is an adrenaline rush you will never forget. Add a diver propelled vehicle (assuming you’re specialty certified, of course) to the mix and you’re guaranteed a ride of a lifetime.

So what about the beautiful fish and colorful color reefs that divers fly halfway around the world to see? The water absorbs the colors of the fish and they all start to look the same after a certain depth anyway. Ok, ok so diving in Belize or Tahiti is probably just as picturesque as they advertise, but there’s just as much diversity and underwater life in lakes.

Just a start!
To be continued...

Scuba story status (say that three times fast)

Here it is in all it’s glory… blog number two (which should probably be blog number 5 or ten if I was caught up with my classmates). I vowed to myself to jump head first into the world of blogging this upcoming week, but until then, here is an brief update on the formation of my first story.

To fill everyone in, the story I am working on is going to focus on scuba diving in local lakes versus oceans. It will not be a comparison but more of an exploration at why lake diving can be a fun alternative to the ocean. I also plan on briefly discussing some of the local lakes that divers can visit if they are interested (which they should be after reading my story!)

I’ve only skimmed the surface of everything I plan on including (and better get going since the deadline is a short 8 days away), but I have found out some interesting information I am going to include. Most people don’t realize how amazing of an experience diving in lakes can be. Lake Tahoe (if cold) has a breathtaking visibility, which is hard to find at dive spots on our coastline. The gear required and dangers of diving are very different from those of the ocean. The high altitude of Tahoe requires a whole separate training course because of the many hazards.

Also, when people think of Folsom Lake they usually cringe and picture the brown “soup” that starts to have a funny smell after the temperature hits 90. However, there is a whole world underwater that’s waiting to be discovered. There are many different types of fish and a lot to be explored. A lot of scuba diving certifications take place at lakes because it is convenient and inexpensive.

As far as reading materials are concerned, I have a stack of scuba diving magazines along with my training guide from when I received my certification and a book, cleverly titled, “Scuba Diving.” I have already stuck my nose into a few and plan on lugging them around with me for the next few days while I continue my research process.

Also aiding in my research are a couple diving instructors from Dolphin Scuba who regularly take students to dive sites at local lakes. I am in the process of interviewing them via email and am waiting for replies from other avid divers from different dive centers/shops in the area.

Rereading this blog has made me realize two things. The first is that I have a lot more work to do if I plan on making the deadline. The second is that my story sounds really dull from what I wrote but I’m hoping that my story will make people realize that there’s a whole adventure waiting for them right under their Ski Nautiques! Here goes...

Magazine Writing

As the dust begins to slowly blow off of my writing skills, there are a couple of things I hope to achieve this semester in my Journalism 132 class, also known as “Magazine Writing.”
First and most important, I hope to search deep within myself and rediscover the passion that I once had for writing. This “passion” started way back in elementary school, in the form of (very) short stories and journal entries that went on and on….and on. Eventually it led to a creepy sense of fulfillment that I got out of English assignments.

However, once I began college at Sierra , this motivation quickly died. Sierra only has one Journalism class to offer, which is essentially a weak introduction into the enormous world of journalism. Three years of general education courses and a full-time job quickly put out my fire since I had no time to write anything but school papers. Throughout this class I hope that I can get this hunger for words back and I am optimistic about it’s revival.

The reason I enrolled in a magazine writing course goes far beyond fulfilling journalism requirements. Everywhere I go, everyone intriguing person I meet, and every crazy experience I have had inspires me. I am constantly thinking, “that would be a great story” or “someone should really write about that” and regularly fill my laptop up with articles written for no one in particular. I’m ready for that “someone to be”. The only thing holding my back is that I have no idea where to start and know that I have plenty of room for improvement (maybe you‘ve noticed?). Hence, the decision to enroll in Journalism 132.

Also, I enjoy the freedom that comes along with writing for magazines opposed to news writing and reporting. While I’m taking news classes because I have to, I often find myself counting the holes in the ceiling tiles and thinking about what the cute guy in my next class is wearing. OK, only kidding about the last part. But on a more serious note, I love the fact that I can write about anything my heart desires and know that there is some audience for it or some angle I can take from it. I can write about my sometimes out of control spending habits or vent about moving back in with my “adult roommates” and no one will tell me it’s not “news” and to go re-think my ideas.

When I envision myself in the future, I go back and forth between two professions: a magazine writer or a magazine editor. I have a strange obsession with analyzing every caption or picture in magazine layouts and love tearing apart my friend’s essays, but I also love to write. I think that I would be satisfied taking on either profession and so I am torn between the two. However, when asked if I can see myself as a professional writer, the most appropriate (if uneducated) answer that I can come up with is “duh.” So the journey begins….