Participatory journalism, and yet another blog

I'm currently at the University of Missouri studying journalism, and this week I went to cover a National Anthem audition hosted by Mizzou's athletic department. When everyone left, I sang my own warbling, off-key, voice-cracking version of the toughest song in America. When I came back to the newsroom, my editor, rather than being impressed with the story I had written about two young fans who came to watch their mom audition, asked why I didn't write about my own audition. 

I told him I could only write it as if I were writing to post it here: with the silly, tongue-in-cheek humor I use with my family and friends. He told me to write it that way. 

So I did.

And although it wasn't the most newsworthy column, it sure was interest-grabbing. (Picture me trying to be Beyonce. I'm lucky I didn't have any photos or audio for the newspaper to post online.)

So whatever you may believe about journalism's place in entertainment and how much a journalist should appear in his or her stories, this time, journalism served as a place for human connection and humor. Kind of like I try to do on this blog. These days I'm waxing theoretical on my reporting blog, but sometimes, I might just publish what I would've written here.