What makes you happy

I listened carefully to the panel of speakers today to see what I was getting into. I figured that if I stay in this industry, I might end up like them. The thing that stuck out most was the statement by Chris Weston, managing editor of The Greenville (S.C.) News. "You've got to find out what it is that makes you happy," said Weston, referring to job comfort in the journalism industry. Before journalism, I worked in the engineering tech world. I cannot imagine a panel of senior engineers ever making such a statement. Listening to such a simple yet inspiring statement put me at ease. I am glad to embark on my journey toward this field. In addition, I asked a lot of questions about the dangers of reporting today, while most of my colleagues were interested in the fears of being a bad intern, which I also share. The media is widely reporting this morning that ABC news co-anchor Bob Woodruff and his cameraman were seriously injured in Iraq. This might be a path I take in the future because of my linguistic and cultural capabilities. These are things I must consider, especially because I have a lovely wife and children who share my heart. On a lighter note, I felt anxious when everyone started talking about first-day intern fears. But my sweaty palms dried up when Mauro Diaz, sports editor of Al Dia (1997 alum), said: "That's the beauty of newspapers. Every day is a new day to redeem yourself," referring to the many mistakes we will go through.

Well, Chips Quinn, thanks for the opportunity. Until the next blog entry – salute!

-- Aman Mehrzai, Ohlone College, The Oakland (Calif.) Tribune