zine - n. An inexpensive, self-produced, underground publication

For the past couple of years, I haven't really truly subscribed to any specific magazine. I think the last, and only, one I had a subscription to was Teen People. I never really had an interest in magazines, but then I was introduced to the wonderful world of zines.

In my high school years, I would go to Tower Records and sit in the mega-magazine section reading through all the zines on all different subjects. The raw intensity of most of them really struck me and grabbed my attention. I was hooked.

I've had many failed attempts since then to start one of my own, due to lack of commitment from friends, but I dream of starting my own someday.

I think that the self-publication process is the greatest and worst part about a zine as well. Without the constant need for consent from the public and funding from advertisements, zines can be free to do as they please. But, I believe, that this is also the greatest downfall.

A zine cannot be written by one sole person, and the ones that are, for the most part, are very boring. Therefore, it must depend on the word of others, whom don't take it as seriously as some should- i.e. they don't do the work. But when they do, it is so free-flowing and real that there is nothing in mainstream magazines that can beat it.

All in all, I try to read as many zines as possible, but I still look from cover to cover while waiting in line at the grocery store. But who doesn't do that?

Pride and Prejudice or Monster?

It really hardens my heart to see band's myspace profiles with girls that send nude pictures of them with the bands name written across their breasts. It pissed me off to see that women cry out for these lovely, Jane Austen romances, for the most chivalrous guy on the earth, yet treat themselves like crap.

It's even more bothersome when they think they are empowering themselves because they are making guys gawk at them. WHAT KIND OF TWISTED IDEA IS THAT? Guys will degrade a girl and gropple and man-handle a young lady and she ACCEPTS IT?! Seriously, will someone please tell me what is wrong with the world today?

Women like that need to be changed. And, for the record, I hate people. I hate the human race. I am the most pessamistic person you will ever meet, BUT the Lord isn't, and I was created in His likeness, and so I have compassion for these girls and all human kind because He has compassion for all.

At any rate, boys are dicks - because women let guys treat them like it. I, on the other hand, won't stand for that or anything less than a real man.

And guys, F.Y.I. - girls really do want to be treated with respect, NO MATTER WHAT they say to you otherwise. So to all you men out there, don't give up. A true love is waiting for everyone.

what a sick world.

recruitment for rowing

Recruiting is heavily done in the sport of rowing. And with the passage of Title IX eight years ago, women's rowing has blown up. In 1997, there were only 55 schools registered for Women's rowing and by 2005, the sport grew to 86 registered schools. Highschool clubs all over the nation have not only seen an increase in recruitment intrests from colleges, but an increase in rowers for their team. Many have different reasons for joining, but the most promising perspective would be the chance to row with colleges like Yale, Stanford, Cal, and UCLA, on a full ride scholarship.

Traditionally, the sport is more cherised as a sport reserved for the elite, like Polo players and Ivy leaguers, and has been celebrated since the very begining of the Olympics. But more recently, colleges spanning the U.S. have picked up on the sport, in particular the West Coast.The Bay Area recently has become a hot-spot for college recruiting. "Last year, between September and October, I'd say 30 to 40 coaches came through here looking at our kids," said the head coach from Oakland Strokes, David Brynes.

But rowers from clubs aren't the only ones being recruited. There are several categories of girls whom, although being athletes their whole lifes, have never picked up an oar that are also being recruited. Rowing teams are getting creative and starting to recruit from more popular sports that, although may not resemble anything close to rowing, produce the same muscle strength and endurance as rowing. Swimmers and dancers in particular are perfect for the job. Swimmers have very strong leg and shoulder muscles, which are needed, as well as dancers. But dancers also have good rhythm, which is needed, and extremely good flexibility, which is also very key in the sport.




POSSIBLE LEAD: What do dancers, swimmers and cross country runners have in common? They are, suprisingly being recruited for a very unlikely sport - rowing. Who would have thought that these athletes would get full-blown scholarship offers to elite, Pac-10 schools for doing a sport most have never heard of?

I might use a quote too, but I'm still juggling with this.

Also, maybe soemthing along the lines of these ideas:
-gaining popularity among kids, new cure for ADD? "who needs ridilin when you've got rowing?
-a parent's dream - their kids off the couch, getting good grades, and going to bed early. All the while being hawked down by the nations top schools. What parent wouldn't want this for their kids?

So far so good?

The hunt begins

In summoning up three story ideas, I figured I'd run with the one that I, and the world, would understand and know the best. The other two, being to volatile and opinionated, seemed to carry a weight that the world would not be able to carry on their minds. So in choosing to write about the professional world of elite underground sports, I figured I was giving myself a break.

This story was the first story that popped into my head when asked for an idea. Since I know of some of it so well, it would be a breeze. In coming back to asses where I stand on this, I soon came to realization that, even though I've got a bit of a head start, I've still got quite a bit to eat and digest on my plate.

I've decided to focus on three main sports, Lacrosse, Rugby, and Crew (or Rowing). I'm going to focus mainly on the hype surrounding it, or lack there of, as an intercolligate sports.

So far, I have been doing nothing but building up my list of people to call and speak to about it. I have been in contact with a Rugby player from the University of Colorado. Also, I have the obvious resources of my own coaches. I also plan on speaking with my novice (first year) coach, Sarah Whipple, whom just happens to have a twin sister that Coxswained the Women's Olympic Team as well as Coaches the University of Washington's Crew.

Lacrosse is my only struggle. I have been spending some time sifting through some college websites trying to find Lacrosse listed as a sport, but have had no luck. I plan on contacting the NCAA to speak with them about Lacrosse, as well as the other sports, and see if I can obtain a list from them of Universities that have the sports.

All in all, this story will be a difficult hunt, so I'm getting out my best rifle and running full blast into the wilderness.

till then,
Hunter Anne

As a journalism major, most of the criteria that is drilled into us throughout two years of life-training is about newspapers: how to graph, how to edit, how to "hook", how to just plain write. With all this newspaper talk, it seems as if anyone with an inspiration towards a different road, toward magazines, seems to be stuck on a one lane highway with the only exit being graduation and eventually a newspaper.
That's personally how I feel, like we've got one choice and one destination. My goal is to launch myself not into newspaper, but magazines. I want to write elaborate stories that catch people's eyes and make them say "Wow..."
I hope to accomplish this through hard work and dedication throughout this course. It makes me fuzzy inside to know that I could have my foot in the door by the end of this semester. Like Prof. Fitzgerald said, once you get one editor to approve your work, the rest agree (or something along those lines).
Which made me think, "Hey, what a great way to get the ball rolling."
Speaking of rolling, I'm hoping to "roll" myself all the way up to Rolling Stones. I dream of the day that I can write a magnificent article, and have my photography on the cover and write by my paper voice. So who knows...