Gonzo Journalism

I interviewed Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon again yesterday. Went really well. Questions came from readers of the website. Still haven't merged it with print, but think I will with this one. In the beginning I was able to present a gift from a reader in Oklahoma. It was a B&W photo of Chief Anderson. Gentleman who sent it called and thanked me. Felt good.

B-Roll:

If you haven't stumbled across it, hugh macleod's How To Be Creative (circa August 2004) is worth a bookmark. I haven't read it all (yet), but there's a lot of good thoughts here. And cartoons too. Don't agree with them all 100%, but I got something out of it.

Numero Uno:

1. Ignore everybody.

I'm going to drop some video footage here, but I urge you to look at the original posts on Anderson Free Press here and here to see the comments from the local citizens. (Anderson has gained some national attention lately...)

Whew. What a roller-coaster ride. And not just recently. The whole thing. Approaching year three at light speed. I'm happy with what I've been able to accomplish so far (with little to no money.)

On this Thanksgiving (thanking everyone who gave a little this past week ... and a thanks to Mike Tuesday (liquidtuesday) for the great Risk photos. I've been wanting to use them for a while now and thought they were appropriate for this piece...) Anyway, reflecting recently, I'm sensing that I'm near a turning point.

Hello, world. Just popping in again real quick to share some thoughts. Mostly concerning the Myers-Brigg INFP personality type as it relates to grassroots journalism.

two years
all but
done &
these
moments
i have w/me,
these tiny moments
of grassroots journalism
with a capital J, with a way
of seeming right, like something
you can get behind...

and i spend more time in Elwood now,
but it's a good thing. i'm helping another
start something here and can also use it as a

I've only ever reached the H-list while blogging for J-log, far, far below the so called A-List bloggers. Maybe part of it is my occasional bad attitude when it comes to all things corporate. I think maybe I should clarify a few things. I understand the need for profit, although I hate greed. I realize that for every dimwitted move by big media, there are thousands of journalists practice journalism each and every day, often for low pay. I know that even if the media revolution is successful, we're going to have to take a lot of what's already been learned about journalism - the basics.

I'm not totally going to go soft on this blog (I see a dash of gonzo journalism with a heavy dose of literary journalism and two cups of citizen journalism), but I think there's hope if we can concentrate on Journalism and solving the problems before us. I still believe that the new media independents are perhaps more important in this stage of the online medium's development because of their ability to change quickly, to adapt rapidly. Again, though, there are many thousands of journalists doing things to make all journalists proud even while toiling for big media. We're all important. ;)