The first two weeks of my practicum have gone incredibly well. Everyone at the Lethbridge Herald has been wonderful and incredible helpful. Some poked fun at me, saying I should have gone to SAIT, while those who have gone to Lethbridge College commended me on my choice of college. It was all in good fun. They could no doubt tell from the get-go that I am serious about being a journalist. After the intros to my coworkers and the computer systems, I hit the ground running. One of the editors, Dawn, commended me on that.

They’ve even let me use a 24” iMac, and customize it (so long as it it helps me be more productive). Either way, they’ll probably reformat the thing once I leave at the end of April anyway. Though, I’m really hoping they keep me on, but the fact that they just had 11 layoffs doesn’t make my prospects very likely right now.

One of my coworkers is the wife of one of my instructors, so it’s a small world, which I’m finding is more and more the case in Lethbridge, and that’s one thing I’ve always loved about Lethbridge, it has all the benefits of a big city, but in a small city (80,000 – though it doesn’t feel like it).

My first day I was only given one assignment, on Conficker worm, which was supposed to activate that day (April 1), but it never did, at least not on that day. It was all media hype. I wish the media wouldn’t jump on things they don’t fully undertand, it just puts people in panic, including my parents. Anyway, every day since I’ve been given two to three assignments, some tech-related, some not. I suspect this is because it’s more of a niche topic, so it’s not often on '”the wire”. So, I guess it’s my job to suggest tech story ideas, which they’ve welcomed, and I have several for tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I hope I wake up and am rid of this cold I’ve had all long weekend. If not, I certainly won’t be happy, but it’s 8pm on Sunday, and it’s not looking good. It’s still got a hold of me. In any case, I’m hoping to prove myself this week, since a few people are on vacation.

Two weeks left of my practicum, and then I don’t know what. I likely won’t have work right away, so that’s something I’m certainly working on I’m emailing all of the tech-news sites, and even non-tech news sites. I should be able to get freelance. If I can get work online, it shouldn’t matter where I live, isn’t that the whole point? Anyway, we’ll see. I’ll go where the work is, and hopefully not spend the summer doing some labour job, but I will if I have to. I have hope, though.