I suppose I am a little behind on this blog. Thankfully, I gave myself some cushion with four stories last week so I am not as pressured now while I am working on my multimedia project.

This project initially terrified me. It was like J2100 all over again. But surprisingly, it has been kind of fun. My partner, Andrea, and I were lucky enough to work with a wonderful woman named Anita. She is a passionate pet-owner who was more than happy to welcome us into her home to shoot photos and audio.

When we first set up the interview, I hoped we would be able to get it done in one fell swoop. Due to some photography difficulties, we ended up making plans to visit her again. Although I was exhausted by the time I reached her a house the next night, I left with a deep sense of gratitude.

Not only did Anita tolerate our fumbling attempts at using the new technology and our avidness to avoid her very excited pets, but she treated us like guests, not nosy reporters or desperate students.

After talking with her at length about her pets, children and life in Columbia and elsewhere, I really think I have made a lasting contact here. When we met at PetSmart we were strangers, but when I left last night and hugged her goodbye, we were friends.

I am glad I gave the project a chance. Sure, we still have a week of editing ahead of us, but the hard part is over. I was scared to go out into the city and just pluck a subject out of thin air, but we did it. Not only did I get the perfect person for the story, but I made a connection with her.

Experiences like this make me remember what journalism is about; not just reporting news or relaying information, but learning about people and letting them be a part of the conversation, letting them tell a story.