A multi-season shot of Algonquin College over 2011.

Ottawa Update 43

Well folks, aside from my continually deteriorating physical health, it has been a very good week for this old hombre.

I finished up at the Citizen on Thursday, after a very satisfying, but somewhat longish internship. My time there saw me get about 15 pieces published in the paper and I wrapped things up with a nice article that made the front cover. It would’ve been an ideal clipping for any budding journalist’s portfolio except that I spelt the subject’s name spelt wrong.

Sadly for slackers like me, thoroughness and accuracy are still an important component of journalism, so bonehead mistakes are likely not a good thing to be showing to any prospective employers.

During my time there there was a grand total of ten interns ‘working’ at the paper and so any leg up I thought I interning was going to give me over the competition might not be as good as I thought it might. It may also answer a few questions you may have about the quality of writing in City sections around the world.

But I digress, my terrible writing aside, the time spent there was a very positive experience for me. While I’ve always been more magazine focused, both for the slower pace and the glossy pictures. There is something about the fast pace and pressure of a daily. Besides the people there were great, very patient and fun.

So while I’m mentally sharp, physically I’m a train wreck. I did manage to bike the 13 km ride from my house to the Citizen every day including a couple of -28˚ deep freeze days. But for some reason I also had some of the worst back pain of my life. To the point where on New Year’s Eve I couldn’t straighten up, I guess I looked like an old Japanese lady, and for those of you who know what I’m talking about that’s not a good thing at all.

So with me I finishing at the paper on Thursday, Friday was spent sitting in doctor’s offices in a desperate attempt to see if I had any hope left. At this point I’ve arranged a battalion of tests and meeting with specialists and technicians. More to come on this in the upcoming weeks. Wish me luck.

As for the pic. This is something that I’ve really been focusing on lately the same scene in different conditions. It is kind of a spin off of time lapse stuff. I like the results here.

Other than that not much going on school starts again mañana so I’ll bid you good bye and take care till next time.

Dan.