The first title that I find compelling is of the recent movie Edge of Tomorrow. It does a good job, in my opinion, of divulging a little information while still remaining mysterious enough to draw viewers in. It promises the idea of being on the cusp of the next day, without quite reaching it. It’s meaning, interpreted quite literally, ends up being the premise of the film, in which a soldier gains the ability to reset the day he is living every time he dies. The title is successful because it promises a movie that is both entertaining for action fans, but is also a “smart” movie in that the premise isn’t simply “shoot a bunch of stuff and save the day.”

The second title that I find to be particularly powerful is the band This Will Destroy You’s newest album, titled Another Language. Without knowing anything about the band, you can already tell that the album is going to contain music that might be foreign to the listeners ears, or literally in another language entirely. It works in context with the name of the band as well, as it implies that there is something about this “other language” that will, either literally (not likely) or metaphorically destroy you. They are an instrumental band and it turns out that the other language that they use is the ability to convey emotion and story with only the instruments in their hands, instead of laying out lyrics that tell the story for you. Musically, it is another language as opposed to much of the music that we hear today that speaks directly to the listener. Here, it is up to the listener to find the meaning in the music’s language.

The last title that I find to be interesting is that of a book by the sports writer Rick Reilly, entitled Hate Mail from Cheerleaders. It instantly raises questions in the potential readers minds. “Cheerleaders can be that angry? What did he do to deserve hate mail? I’d like to hear that story.” It is an excellent attention grabbing title, while also setting up the format of the book, where there are a plethora of little short stories that are either good for a laugh or will have you fighting back tears. The title sets up both the style of the book and the tone, as it doesn’t exactly have the ring of a long-form piece of fiction. It is also in keeping with the personality of the writer, in that this type of thing isn’t out of the ordinary for him.

The story done on the dwindling survivors of the Holocaust was powerful in that it brought you up close and personal with the survivors that they interviewed. Instead of treating the Holocaust as an event where faceless Nazi’s did their worst to faceless Jews, the individual close-up photographs, coupled with interview audio and a short blurb, gives you a sense of who the survivors are. While there was a lot going on in that audio, visual, and written word were used, it never felt overwhelming, as each piece served to compliment the others. The design of the interface was uncluttered, and the minimalist layout made the stories easy to navigate.  The introduction was also well done, giving a brief view as to why this project is important, what it does that most other holocaust stories do not. Also, the small attention to detail in the overall design of the piece was impressive. For example, the title used a fading text on the word “survivors” to reinforce the idea that they are dwindling.

I think that the extreme close-ups used in the piece are effective and help to bring the reader into the story. They add a human element that I feel like most written pieces miss out on providing. If there was one thing that I would take from this piece it would be to make sure that my  subject’s personality comes across loud and clear.

From the very beginning of the piece, Susan Orlean creates a surreal, light vibe that is apparent throughout the entire story. Her very first words “If I were a bitch,” and soon after, in reference to Biff, “He almost never drools,” show that she clearly isn’t taking herself or her subject too seriously.  There is also a comparison made between Biff and President Clinton’s appearance. There is a general treatment of Biff as a subject as if he were a human being that serves to, in my opinion, highlight just how ridiculous the whole show dog scene is. Here is this dog that doesn’t have the capacity to understand why any of this is happening that is then paraded around for show as if he were a king or a supermodel (which, I guess, he is).  She also repeatedly uses the term “bitch” for a female dog, and although it is entirely correct, it serves to jar the reader every time it is used, seemingly to remind them that there is something slightly off about the whole situation.

Her decision to name off some of the other dogs that are appearing in the show served to even further highlight the ridiculousness of the dog show lifestyle. Instead of just mentioning that she flipped through the show’s catalog, she specifically named Spanktown Little Lu Lu (honestly, who started the tradition of ludicrous names like this?) and Energizer O’Motown. This served to keep the piece fun and entertaining without ever crossing the boundary into a mocking tone. Orlean did a fantastic job creating a fun and engaging piece out of a subject that few people truly care about.

In “Squirrel Vigilante” there are two things that really stick out to me about the profile that make it successful. First, the writer does a great job of painting a picture of Bernie Goetz’s personality and aptitude as a raiser of squirrels. She references how Goetz makes his own formula instead of ” the advised formula used by many rehabbers,” and quotes another rehabber as saying he “has fantasies of how it should look.” She also uses her description of him to show that he may not be the most calm and focused interview, and this is coupled with at least a minor, if not major, disdain for the law and rules. The writer also does a great job in seeking out information about her topic and turning to other rehabbers to get information. She was diligent enough to interview other rehabbers and to seek out information about acceptable practices. In other words, she was very thorough.  As far as my own profile article goes, it’s clear that it simply isn’t enough to just follow one person around and call it a day. There has to be work down outside of the profile setting to properly fill out the article and provide useful and salient information to the reader.

In “Sean Casey, Pet Rescuer,” the overall tone of the profile is concerned much more with the process of saving animals, with Sean Casey being simply a vehicle for that narrative. While Bernie Goetz was the story, Sean Casey serves as a window into the story. This shows that the person doing the profile has to be cognizant of what the best angle is to create the most interesting story. In other words, should the focus be on the person or on the situation that they have been thrust into?

Looking at Lee Child’s website, a personal favorite writer of mine, it is interesting to see that it isn’t actually his name that is most prominent. Instead, the name of his famous fictional character, Jack Reacher, is placed in bold and large lettering directly at the top. This goes to show how strongly linked Lee’s career is with the character that he has created. At the top of his page he has sections of his website dedicated to his books, news, upcoming events, gear, and a FAQ section to stave off a hoard of emails and common questions. The flat, dark color scheme and the serious photo of Child fit in with the personality of his famous character Jack Reacher, and the style of his books, which aren’t afraid to go to dark places. The best part of the website is its simplicity and ease of use. There aren’t any questions as to where specific links are and it is simply laid out with few bells and whistles. The minimalist design is something that I would definitely incorporate into my own website.

http://www.leechild.com/

The superintendent’s job at a golf course is to keep the land in pristine condition, and there are few as accomplished as Plymouth Country Club’s Ben Whiting.

Tucked away on a parcel of land just off of Route 3 in Plymouth and only a few hundred yards from the Atlantic Ocean, PCC, as it is affectionately known,  is one of the premiere private courses in the state of Massachusetts.

It’s commonplace to find Ben out on the course with his crew. His assistant superintendents are never far off. Ben started as a regular employee 21 years ago and worked up to the top the old-fashioned way.

“Oh come on, none of that shit. No close ups.”

Ben’s dad works at the course as well, and they have no qualms about busting each other’s chops. “Putting me on the cover of Golf Digest, right? Make me famous!”

Even in an age where technology reigns, there’s still a little room for some old-fashioned tool…but course maintenance is dominated by machinery, which requires constant maintenance and upkeep, with a spray can for every conceivable need.

For the most part, the crew working for Ben is attentive and hard-working, as they understand that he only expects of them what he would do himself…

…but not every team is perfect, and being the boss means correcting mistakes too.

Ben is a constant present at the course, and can always be seen flying around in the distance, going to make sure some part of the course is alive and well (in this case, the 4^th tee box).

Working 80-hour weeks is no simple undertaking, and at the end of the day, the remnants of early mornings and late nights end up in Ben’s trunk. It is a never ending battle to keep the course alive, and he’ll be back tomorrow morning with more coffee.

“FORE RIGHT! Heads up Dave!”

Just the kind of thought you want in your head before you have to hit a tee shot. Nothing like a little positive reinforcement.

Most signs like this on the golf course are there for a reason.

Mr. Kramer’s Bedtime

I found the photograph of Mr. Kramer at his group home to be particularly intriguing. As far as the composition of the photo, it looks as if the photographer was mindful of the rule of thirds, but implemented it in his own way. If you split the photograph, the outer thirds are dark while the middle third is brightly lit. Meanwhile, Mr. Kramer’s body runs parallel and just below the line that denotes the bottom third of the photograph.  The photo is also nicely framed, with the shelving on the left, the mirror on the right, and Mr. Kramer running across the bottom. The outline of Mr. Kramer’s body also provides a line for the eye to follow across the picture.

As for working within the framework of the photo essay, it provides closure to Mr. Kramer’s story. In the short blurb next to the photo, the photographer mentions Mr. Kramer’s looming retirement, which is mirrored by his impending sleep session.  The photo, when looked at in series with the two preceding photos, is also the darkest of the three. The shift from the bright light of Mr. Kramer’s dancing  to the middle ground of his reading in bed, and eventually to the darkness of his going to sleep also helps to signal the end of the photo essay. They serve as a literal “fade to black” for the story.

Emotionally, the photo is one of the stronger shots in the essay. To me, it depicts a man alone, and in the twilight of his life. While the store serves as his main focus in life, this picture leads me to question what there will be for him after he makes the decision to retire. With such a seeming reliance on the structure of his life that is built around going to work, will he be able to cope with no longer having that steady presence in his life?

Origin: Plymouth, MA

Habitat: Golf Course, Umass, In front of my guitar amp

Characteristics: Probably smiling, fantastic facial hair, tall-ish-somewhat, love reading

Catchphrases: “Go out for a couple-a cheeky bevs?” “Solid.” “Nailed it.”

Interests: Golf, football, music, Chipotle burritos, books, meeting new people