I've Been Busy!

Sorry I've been away for so long! I've had a lot to do! Holiday, work experience, back to school - it just never stops! I promise I'll try to update this at least weekly! But for now (because I need to go out to work soon and I haven't had any breakfast yet) I'll post the article I wrote for my local paper when I was there on work experience. I did one last year too - which is here:
http://www.cwherald.com/archive/archive/a-teen%26%238217%3bs-view-of-the-town-%26%238230%3b-20100723353332.htm

But this is the one I wrote this year. It didn't make the actual paper, but went up on the website for a while but has now randomly been taken out of the archives... Hmmmm. Anyway, here it is!

COURTS, COUPLES AND CROSBY
THIS week I've been gaining work experience in the editorial office at the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald, writes Zoe Badder.
It's the second time I've been here, the first being last summer, and it's been slightly different this year. The main new thing I've experienced was my trip to the magistrates' court to have an insight into court reporting.
Last year, me and another reporter simply walked to the courts on two separate days, and we could arrive there in time for the cases we were interested in.
However, after the sad closure of Penrith courts, a reporter has to drive up to Carlisle every day to report. On Tuesday I, shall we say, "tagged along", and had a different court experience to that of last year.
The courts were bigger and we had to sit through many cases that were of no relevance to the Herald, but it was all really interesting!
I've been in the office as well, typing up small pieces and making some phone calls, but I particularly liked writing reports for weddings. It was lovely to read and then write about all the little details that made each day unique, especially a comedy car. I can't wait to see the pictures when they're printed to see who I was writing about.
It was great writing about a wedding in Paphos, too, as my mum and dad got married there.
I'm sitting at a different desk to last year, which has enabled me to get to know different reporters, and I think I've been able to get involved with the office banter on a couple of occasions.
I was really nervous on my first day; I couldn't remember everyone that well and was unsure if they'd remember me at all, so I didn't really say much and I was all awkward smiles and "I don't want to pester you, but …" However, it's Wednesday now and I'm really enjoying it. Tomorrow I'm off to Crosby Ravensworth show. I'm told I might need my wellies — I'll have to rummage about in my garage for them.
I've not been to many shows in the nine years I've lived in Cumbria — in fact, the only one I've been to was in Yorkshire. Therefore I don't think it counts — so it's probably about time. You'll have to find out how the show went from the "official" report in Saturday's paper.
Anyway, so even though I'm only halfway through my week, I think working in the Herald office is brilliant, and all the people who are lucky enough to work here are brilliant too! I really hope I'll be able to come back some day.

Zoe

Yes, so that was my week. It was a while ago now, but it was fun! Now I'm back at Sixth Form for my last year in education - it's a scary thought. It's practically all I've known for all my life - the school year and routine - and it's about to change. I'm going to have to make the most of it now.

That's all for now, write again soon!