I must admit that I’ve never been a fan of these, but it has to be done for practical purposes.
My name is Katherine Fulton. I’m a writer based in Northeast Ohio, and this is my “professional” blog. I have plenty of clips from my full time job and my freelance career, but it’s also nice to have an online source of news stories, editorials, essays, and other pieces that I may not necessarily get published in traditional print media. I suppose you could think of this as a living portfolio – one that is fresh, current and more environmentally friendly. All in all, I think everyone wins.
Why Sound and Vision?
I may as well get it out of the way now – my ultimate career dream is to work for Rolling Stone. I don’t expect it to come true overnight, but I also don’t see any point in quitting before I’ve even begun. It won’t be an easy road, and it might not even lead to that beautiful building in New York City. In the end, the destination isn’t important. Getting on the road is.
Fortunately, I do have two advantages in my favor in the form of my interests. The first is my love of music, especially rock and roll. Don’t confuse that with the rampant obsession with celebrity that seems to plague more and more programs, magazines, and even newspapers these days. Personas and misadventures are interesting, but ultimately unfulfilling. I’d rather learn about the artists behind the glitz and glam – who they are as people, where they draw their inspiration, and where their passions lie outside their music. This is, obviously, where the “sound” comes in. And fortunately enough, it’s also what leads into the “vision.”
My other advantage is my belief in journalism as a tool for social betterment. Though it’s been said many times before by people far more famous (and qualified) than myself, the key to a thriving democracy is, and always will be, a well-informed populace. I look forward to covering stories about politics and social issues here, and I hope to do them in a way that lets people consider different perspectives and views. The news media are often criticized for reporting only on “gloom and doom,” while people are often accused of being apathetic. While this may be true in some cases, I don’t think it’s true in all. Instead, I think everyone needs to think a bit differently – perhaps news stories could contain more relevant information on how to help, for example. And maybe people should start with small changes, instead of feeling overwhelmed by what seems to be an impossible task. Meeting in the middle could solve a lot of problems, in my opinion. One of my goals with this blog is to help facilitate that meeting in any way I can.
That is my vision for my blog. I hope that I can incorporate it more fully into my day-to-day living as well. The best way to teach, after all, is by example.
What Can You Expect, Then?
You can expect a little bit of everything here – music, politics, environmentalism, news, musings, perhaps the occasional diatribe. Most of all, you can expect quality writing and reporting. I’m going to treat this blog as I would my day job or my freelance work. There’s no doubt that I’ll have fun with it, but fun doesn’t have to mean sloppy or poor. In fact, I think writing is a bit more fun when you’re dedicated to it! I guess you could liken it to runners who aim for that endorphin high. Writing isn’t always easy, but the challenge can be exhilarating.
I suppose that brings us to the end of this, Day One of Sound and Vision. I’ll be back soon.
-K
Today’s tune: Tom Petty – An American Girl
