On Rye
Ryan Kellett’s Official Blog
September 27, 2008 at 4:17 pm · Filed under Unfiled
And magically nearly four weeks have zoomed by in my triumphant return to Middlebury College. After nine months away in Chinaland, coming “home” has been both eye-opening and invigorating. Here’s what I have been up to:
- Classes: I’m taking three classes this semester. First, “Global Challenges for the 21st Century” with Prof. Isham of the Environmental Studies department. This ended up being a last minute addition to my schedule after two of my courses were cancelled over the summer. We are focusing on how design solutions to problems such as malaria, malnutrition, agricultural subsidies, clean water, universal education, etc. My specific research project is about the role of techology education in sub-Saharan Africa. Second, “Eastern European Politics” has been a little bit of a blast from the past. I loved studying Eastern Europe my freshman year of college in Comparative Politics. This time I get to do it but in much more detail. Third, “International Economics” with Prof. Lewin is a fantastic way to ease back in Econ classes after many months without graphs and models. We’re focusing on the theoretical econ which is much suitable to my tastes than the hard-math that I had to put up with sophomore year.
- Suite: For the first time since I arrived at Midd, I am living in a suite of friends. Suites consist of a bunch of rooms grouped together with a bathroom and common room. Many students love the suite setup because it allows for both privacy and social interaction within close proximity. I am still getting used to have social life right outside my door. If you remember back to last year, I spent a year and a half living in the intercultural academic interest house, PALANA. That social experiment was very much so my favorite living situation. But I’m learnign to adapt.
- Music: I am currently on leave from the Mt. Ayres but the time freed up from that has gone toward my new role as music director for Stuck in the Middle. And so far, directing has been satisfying even if it has been a bit tiring. I certainly didn’t remember how good a group of guys are in the group and the young singers are really enthusiastic about making fantastic music as well as having fun.
- Web: My latest projects have surrounded implementing a campus-wide calendaring system for students with my friend Matt Sunderland. We actually had been working on it since he arrived to Midd last year but now it’s for real. We support several thousand students on a calendaring system that is entirely not plugged in to the Middlebury College calendaring system. Why try to end-around the College? Because the College is not providing the new-tech resources that students need to organize and plan their schedules on their time, on their own computers. I am continuing my job of designing and updating the Middlebury College Activities Board website as well.
- Finance: I am now a senior member of the SGA Finance Committee and it’s fun to be back with some really sharp minds that have very nuanced readings of how the College should operate.
August 29, 2008 at 6:10 pm · Filed under Unfiled
At the invitation of my history teacher, Jesse, I spoke about the Olympics, KTSF, and Beijing at my high school (UHS) today. To be honest, it was a little odd. I asked if there were any classes I could sit in on and was reminded that there aren’t many teachers I know left. It’s only been three or almost four years since I graduated from high school. But alas, some teachers stopped in: Doc, Ariel, Kate to name a few old timers. I also saw Vicky, Rae Ann, and Diane.
Yes, we called our teachers by their first names.
Rae Ann pulled me into her classroom for a moment to chat about a blog post I did way back in 2003 about the start of that school year. I wrote a post of small anecdotes about classes, that was supposed to come off as facetious. For Rae Ann, I wrote about how she handed us a book and said it was a “tearjerker.” As I remember, the first day of AP Environmental Science was crazy, and I said so. But these many years later, Rae Ann and several other teachers’ names still appear on my old old blog (it was called an online diary back then)
But in the age Googling, people really do care about what is out there on the internet. From that first day I called Rae Ann’s class “crazy”, I soon really began to enjoy that class and ended up loving it. I still take a huge interest in environmental studies and am likely a environmental studies minor at Middlebury. But you wouldn’t know that should Google find you the one page that mentions my first-day reactions to Environmental Science.
So, I’ve locked and saved my old old blog site. I want to preserve and be able to look back upon my state of mind in high school, so I didn’t delete anything. But it shouldn’t show up in Google anymore.
That said, I really hope everyone takes an active role in promoting themselves online. If you Google Ryan Kellett, what comes up? My own website. I control or know who publishes 18 of the top 20 results for my own name. If you don’t like what’s out there about you, then start publishing stuff about yourself (blog, twitter, top stories) so that small-time mentions (like a 2003 blog) will be buried hundreds of results away.
I can’t say that I will always write positive things about others, but I am certainly more aware about writing about others online than I was in 2003. Yes, it truly is the age of ratemyprofessors.com.
August 17, 2008 at 4:17 am · Filed under Unfiled
August 17, 2008 at 4:14 am · Filed under Unfiled
The Beijing Olympics are in full swing! Check out some of my photos from my visits to weightlifting, soccer, and track from the Bird’s Nest, Worker’s Stadium, and the BUAA Gym.
August 9, 2008 at 11:56 pm · Filed under Unfiled
Fun fact: when I was young, I hated cake.
I’m 22 years old, today!
August 8, 2008 at 2:15 am · Filed under Media, Work Life
For those readers outside the Bay Area, I should take a moment to explain who I’m working for during the Olympics.
KTSF 26 is a Bay Area news station that broadcasts in Chinese, both Mandarin and Cantonese. They are the largest Chinese-language television station in the United States. I am joining them to help with their Olympics coverage. There are six KTSF people here in Beijing and one other Bay Area intern like myself. It’s a tight team that is quite efficient about what we do.
Many readers ask if I get to go to athletic events or go cover invite-only parties. The answer is a resounding no.
Media at the Olympics works so that those media companies who pay for access, get everything, and everyone else gets very little. So NBC, BBC, and CCTV have paid for rights to broadcast athletic competition (and the ceremonies) and small stations like KTSF can’t infringe on their rights. So you will never see footage of the opening ceremonies from inside the stadium on KTSF. But Beijing is an open city and KTSF has plenty of stories about the Olympics that don’t require athletics coverage.
KTSF counts as “non-accredited media” so we only have access to the Beijing International Media Center (BiMC). That sounds like a lot, but the BiMC is different from the broadcasting center where NBC and CCTV push out their coverage.
We mostly operate out of our hotel in makeshift newsroom with a bunch of networked computers and various large suitcases laying around. It’s long days but lots of fun out on the streets of Beijing.
August 8, 2008 at 1:47 am · Filed under China, Media
Call me brainwashed, but I disagree with Daniel Oshinsky who says, “One more thought: sitting in McDonalds this morning, watching the Chinese watch the torch relay on CCTV while waving their “Go China Go!” flags, I just felt terrible for them. These Games are really their moment. Instead, tonight could be a train wreck.”
I think it won’t make a difference if there are clouds tonight. I don’t think it’ll make a difference if athletes do indeed pull-out tonight. I don’t think athletes will pull out of the ceremonies tonight at all.
Beijing is awash in enthusiasm. The parties are planned. Excepting a major change in events (act of terror, an earthquake, or whatever), I think Beijing and all of China will be dancing in the street tonight.
I feel great for the Chinese and Beijing. They poured their heart into these games and for that, it will be their moment. Journalists from around the world can report all they want, but I bet that China pride will shine through rain or clouds or whatever tonight.
August 7, 2008 at 6:39 am · Filed under China, Music
And finally, my now-somewhat-dated article about music events during the Olympics is finally up on China Music Radar. I researched this article while working for Splitworks. Here’s a sample:
In keeping with their stellar track record of providing zany Olympics fun for the entire family (Cool Runnings, anyone?), the Jamaican government is bringing us what is perhaps the only satisfyingly meaty show announced for the Olympics. Julian “Juju” Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley will be performing on August 16th at Star Live Club, a stone’s throw from the major tourist attraction of Lama Temple. Opening for Marley is “The Beijing Live Experience”, featuring the sounds of MC Webber and MC Essention. After the show is the “Julian Marley/Team Jamaica celebrity after-party” at high-end club CJW.
August 7, 2008 at 3:27 am · Filed under China, Media
Silence? What silence?
I am posting my Olympics coverage over at the KTSF’s China Games Blog.
One day until the big day! Olympics 2008!
Take a look!
August 2, 2008 at 1:53 am · Filed under China, Media
A few days ago, I met Daniel Oshinsky (a friend of a friend), a blogger for the Rocky Mountain News’ 2008 Summer Olympics Blog. He is a friendly guy who I got to talk to for a little bit. He’s been studying at Remin Daxue (People’s University) here in Beijing for the past month and now is getting in on the journalistic action for the Olympics.
I’m glad that folks like Daniel have an opportunity to be here in Beijing for the Olympics. Bloggers like him will open up the eyes of many around the world.
But I’m also really worried about Daniel. He knows little to no Mandarin. He’s been here about a month. And it is precisely folks that don’t know a lot about China (and all its cultural, political, and historical habits) that will be covering China to the max for three weeks. And chances are they will be covering the pollution, babies without diapers peeing in the streets, and people not queuing properly. I have a hunch that more negative stories than positive stories will be inked when things get tallied up come the closing ceremonies on August 24.
I don’t mean to pick on Daniel because he’s already a cut above for being here a month (and I’m not saying I’m any better), but I am really wary of reporters that don’t speak Chinese. How do you get the nuance of the culture? How do you balance your opinion? Translators aren’t enough. Show me you know what you’re doing.
So, should you be listening to the so-called “China Hands” which have lived and breathed China for the last ten plus years? Maybe. But they too are tinted. In my eight months in China, I don’t have fresh eyes anymore. I have “xiguan”-ed, adapted to this place. I don’t pause for Chinglish signs, and I crowd on to the subway without thinking anymore.
I worry about my ability to “see” the news in China.
With the ramp-up in Olympics coverage, just remember to check who is behind the stories. It’s more important than ever to read diverse coverage at a time when everybody is covering the same thing.
·
Next entries »
