Reflections on Discovery News – Space

When I started working at Discovery News – Space in October, I was honestly a little intimidated. It was the Discovery Channel… obviously a pretty big deal. And on top of that, my assigned division was space, something my 9-year-old brother knows more about than me. Now that my shift in this newsroom is coming to a close, I can’t say I’m not still a bit intimidated, but I don’t regret my experience in the least. I have learned so much, about both space and reporting. Just because you’re working on a topic you are uncomfortable with, doesn’t mean you can’t write a good story about it. Yes, it might take more time and a few extra repeated questions to realize the words you’re hearing actually are in English, but in the end you’re able to break down a complicated subject so readers who, like you were, are less-informed on the subject can understand. I doubt I’ll become the next great science reporter, but taking this giant leap outside my comfort zone has been an incredibly valuable experience. I feel like if I can write a story about the effects of solar wind on various celestial bodies in our solar system, I can do anything.

Special thanks to my amazing editor, Ian O’Neill, at Discovery Space. Without your incredible guidance this experience would not have been as valuable or enjoyable.

Turkey, family, pie and iPads

When I went home to the Chicago suburbs for Thanksgiving last week, I expected the usual treats: time with family, tasty turkey and, my personal favorite, my Aunt Laurie’s apple pie. But when I got to my grandma’s house that Thanksgiving day, there was another treat. My Uncle Mike was sitting on the couch, holding an iPad. Despite the fact that iPads have been out for a bit now and I go to a school that practically worships Apple products, I had yet to use an iPad. So instead of the usual family chatter and gossip I engage in on holidays, I joined my uncle on the couch and we proceeded to spend our afternoon playing with an iPad. While I didn’t feel I could really do all that much with it that I couldn’t already do with my laptop, the experience of the iPad was much different, and at the time much more enjoyable, than the laptop experience. The touch screen interface was simply fun to use. I found my self pushing buttons and sliding between screens just for the fun of it. The tablet was small enough to easily and comfortably hold, but big enough to read clearly. If I had the means, it was something I would definitely like to own, just for the fun of it.