It's done

I'm here at Matdor Hall wating for my last meeting in class to end my first semester as a grad student!! It will be done, but won't know what I received as far as grades until probably two weeks.

I have to admit with so much work it was fun to meet the people that I did. My fellow classmates are amazing and really fun to be around. During this time I took on three jobs too, believe me I have no idea how I did it.

Here at CSUN I had a great experience working along side the Athletic Media Relations Department that I have decided to stay and help out and gain more experience next semester. I am also happy that I am able to take photos at games, which you see a few here.

I have been really busy with work as you can see, since I have't been writing anything on here, but I am sure these five weeks off of school I will be bored and have things to write about. Especially with so much that is going on in sports right now gees.

Well I am tired and probably go sleep in my car a few hours lol... until next time, which I hope will be soon

Needs a new begining to end this one....

Those that know me, know I get bored easily. Not to say I'm not blessed with what I received this past summer, such as getting into grad school. Its just time for me to want change, meet new people. I'm always intrigued by people's stories, hence being a journalist. I know, I don't know everyone's story in my current surroundings, but I need fresh people to interest me.


What better way to get that then to exploring a new place, but where??


I've been applying to jobs trying to get out of the Valley area. At this point, I'm searching other Universities so I can hopefully transfer my credits to continue my masters somewhere else and most importantly for free. Really tough when money is hard to come by and trying finish school when you have bills to pay.


Taking care of my family is my goal, but right now I just feel my break isn't coming as soon as I thought. My emotions are going crazy right now with failure, negativity and loss. It sad to be thinking this way, I know, but how else can I stopped this reckless rollercoaster.


There is a time to feel obstacles in life and right now I have many. This isn't something I only go through. I don't know how the other express themselves so I can't speak for them.


In the long run though its moments like these though that make a person stronger as long as they are willing to fight and not let the discouragement win. I know that's what I want to do and I can be stronger than people think .


One thing I have learned though, is you can't be patiently thinking your dreams are just going to come. You need to step up your game and go grab it before someone else does.


My rant can go one but I might say things that I shouldn't so I'm going to end it here for you all.

Learning and keep on grinding

Hey guys, well I'm a month and a week done with grad school and the learning and reading keep on coming. My classes are very small with the same great people. I have been fortunate in getting to know these fellow students and where they came from.

My internship with the CSUN athletic department is going well. I am learning a lot and already had a story published on the site gomatadors.com Check out the story on CSUN women's soccer player Brielle Slepicoff. I am also currently working on three other stories, wow talk about being busy. But with the tiresome workload I am enjoying it.  I sometimes feel like I am in a CSUN sports library with all the information on teams the school has or had. Because of that I am learning about players, sports, division, conferences and much more on the Matadors I didn't know. And I love it. Yes some of the work is never ending, but when isn't work done when you are on top of your game?

To explain the picture on top, this past Sunday at the CSUN women's soccer game they didn't have a co-anchor for the radio. So I was asked to put on the headphones. I didn't say too much because soccer is still new to me. I just went by what I saw and what little I knew about the game. I definitely want to do it again, next time though more prepared =)

I also had a long day last week following Reader Digest around campus. What an experience that was. I know now how much PR professional don't get their office work done when they have to stay with a major media outlet. The day was noon to 6:30 p.m. just in time for me to get to class. I was drained, but I'm thankful for the experience.

Bringing it back to class, I have a ton of reading do every week. I never read so much in my life, but hey it comes with the territory now. I haven't had to do much writing, but I expect that to pick up within these last two and half months of school. Pretty crazy to think my first semester of grad school will be done in ten weeks.

Now what should my thesis be????

And so it begins

I have one week under my belt as a grad student and well it is going to be a lot of work. I started reading one book out eight just for one class. The other is not so bad with just one, but I will be writing three papers for it.

I also will be interning with the CSUN athletic department this week and I'm pretty excited for a new experience. I'll do some of the same things I did with the Los Angeles Sparks, but more writing.

As for the Sparks, they finish up their season next Saturday, they had some highlight this season, but with Candace Parker out to long with her knee injury LA couldn't get enough wins to make the playoffs.

With that being said, and as much work I'm sure my blogging will take a set back again while I go MIA again and try my best at grad school.

Sports Notes:

Dodgers are now on a five game winning streak and there is talk on whether Matt Kemp should win the MVP of the National league and Clayton Kershaw the Cy Young since their both on a team that isn't a contender for the playoffs. Still the debate will stand until the end of this month.

College football starts today, excited about that and of course the NFL will have its season start soon. Unfortunately for the NBA its still in a lockout and I honestly think there will not be a season this year, but we will see what happens.

Random

I am two weeks from starting my masters and all the emotions are running wild inside me. I can't wait, but I am also scared about what to expected. This week I ordered some of my books, can you believe one class requires eight books? wow. I want to get started on the right foot though and hopefully bring up my GPA as well as gain more experience in the journalism field. As summer ends I have been working a lot, but got to say it has been okay.

My internship with the Los Angeles Sparks is coming to an end and I have learned about the other side of being a reporter in working with public relations. I have been fortunate to write a few stories for them, but hope to write more in the last few weeks. With this internship though, I hope continue the same thing with the Cal State Northridge Athletic Media Relations department. It might be easier knowing that I know the teams there and some of the players. I am looking forward to it.

As far as things in the sports world, well football pre-season games start tomorrow after they were in a lock out, I don't know why I am excited about the season, why is this a a shock for me, well because I really don't care for football. Anyone that knows me knows how much hockey and baseball are my sports, but I think I will take on some football games this season too, it won't hurt right?

well blogging family that is all I got today, hopefully I will be back at the of the week.

ps. if you got twitter come follow me @moniquemuniz1

Writers Block

Me at work in Sundial..photo by Brian De Los Santos

As the summer is ending I can't help but feel I have lost contact with my writing. I haven't had much an opportunity to cover games and I was feeling a little worried about the outcome. I know it's just me because once I get in the writing mode and have my material I CAN WRITE.


Today I started a player feature that I'm actually feeling good about. Learning to talk to players and coaches and getting to know them a bit helps when you need to get your story done. It is when you don't know them or don't even get to interview them that you feel lost and not a complete reporter.

I was just thinking the other day I haven't been doing interviews and that's on my mind now, getting that great quote or antidote to grab readers into the story. That needs to be my next step, just so I don't lose that confidence of what I know.

I have had a lot on the mind about other things other than sports so it has been a little tricky for me to concentrate on my sports writing, but I am watching games when I can. I have also come up with some ideas for the Los Angeles Sparks website, since it lacks a few things that other sites have. Hopefully they take into consideration some of the ideas to draw more fans in.

Well that is all for today got to go into the office soon and get ready for tonight's game.

Dodger Stadium looking like old times

The ticket machines were clicking away as a swarm of blue was coming into the stadium. As I sat at the box seats I couldn’t believe my eyes. It felt like it was 2009 again when there were fans cheering on their team and thanking the owners for a season they wouldn’t miss.


This 4th of July Dodger Stadium felt like old times. I sat there looked around and was surprised to see the seats filled from pavilion to top deck, but then again what would you expect with tickets being cheap as four dollars for top deck and reserved and field level at 27 dollars.

People came to the stadium because it was a cheap place to see fireworks, but for three hours it didn’t feel like that. There was the wave, making nose, beach balls landing on the field and chanting “lets go Dodgers” it was my blue heaven I missed.

It gave my friends and I hope that it may one day be like this again. I do hope this happens soon, but with Frank McCourt continuous battle to keep the team, who knows when Dodger Stadium will see its glory days again.