Life as a summer reporter or: How I learned to stop worrying and love graduations

(Photo from my college graduation - May 2009)

Last night I covered my 18th graduation in three years. That's what happens when you're an intern, or the youngest reporter, or the education reporter - and I've been all three.

Everyone I know who has to cover a graduation complains about it in some way - they're boring, too long, too hot and all the same. They're right, but I found myself actually volunteering to cover extra graduations for other reporters who didn't want to this year. And now that I'm done covering graduations probably forever since I'm going to law school next year, I don't really know how I feel about it. Relief, maybe. Joy, kind of. A strange sort of emptiness, definitely.

Reporters can leave graduations before diplomas are conferred and after all the speeches, so if you factor that in, the time put into each graduation is about an hour. But also consider the hour it takes to write the story. And sometimes graduations run longer. This year, it seemed like every principal in the state was retiring, so that means longer speeches from some of those principals and from everyone else congratulating and thanking them. Also, in some cases, like with community colleges or tech schools, there aren't many student speakers, so you have to stick around afterward to get quotes. Then there are the graduations where you have speakers and diplomas then a sit-down dinner before more speakers. So let's add all that up and figure I've spent about an entire work week in three years covering nothing but graduations. That's a huge chunk of my life. Of course it feels weird never having to cover one again.

And here's what I learned to love about graduations: They're so happy and full of hope. You've got graduates going off to college or the workforce or more vocational training, and the opportunities just seem endless - and they talk about it. And you've got proud families who may not have thought this day would come. You've got student speakers telling their fellow graduates that they can change the world - and they really believe it. I was definitely a little more cynical by the time my college graduation came around, but I still remember my high school graduation and my senior year of high school when my yearbook quote was Margaret Mead's "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." I could say my high school graduation was ruined since it started outside and had to be moved inside because of the rain (and the front seats my parents got because I was in the top 10 were basically useless because there was a mad rush inside where reserved seats didn't matter), but in general, I remember it as a great day. It's your last day with your entire class, with all the people you've spent your last 4 to 13 years with. It's a day where everyone makes you feel like you've accomplished the greatest thing in the world, and you feel like you can do anything, hence my senior yearbook quote. That's pretty cool for a 17-year-old.

I've seen my share of bad graduations where local politicians and adults talk too long and graduates get restless. I've also seen graduations better organized than others. I've listened to the same songs over and over again (i.e. "For Good" and "I Hope You Dance"). But in the end, it's important to remember that the day is about the graduates, who are starting a whole new chapter in their lives. Even though I left graduations completely exhausted (I often had to park way far away from the ceremony), I couldn't help but feel proud of all the graduates I covered. And they remind me of how I felt at my high school graduation. Their sense of hope and outlook on life is really contagious.

The Bohemian Quartet - a pretty cool work assignment

I attended a performance of the Bohemian Quartet at the Sloper-Wesoly Immigrant Heritage and Cultural Center, the home of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc. in New Britain, Sunday afternoon, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good - and actually fun - this group was. I wasn't expecting much, honestly. I cover a lot of local events for my job, especially on Sundays when I run back and forth between Bristol and New Britain, but this was actually a great group of professional musicians. They're a string quartet made up of a violin, viola, cello and bass, and all the musicians live and work around Rhode Island. The director and violinist is Stan Renard, a Ph.D. music student at the University of Connecticut who arranges all the music the quartet plays.

According to their program, "The mission of the Quartet is to create an awareness of, and love for, 'Romany' music."

I think they do. You definitely get the gypsy, Eastern European flair with their music, and even though the set-up at the Sloper-Wesoly house was more of a seating than a dance, they played a lot of celebration music that you would want to dance to. I think I also liked them because they were like what Gogol Bordello does - except with just strings and less shouting. (There was still shouting - a few "Hey!"s here and there, but not as much as you'd get with Gogol Bordello's gypsy punk.) I really appreciate groups like the Bohemian Quartet that help spread an appreciation for more worldly music. One of the members of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut said that he and other immigrants in the area often miss their traditional music, so it's nice to hear it here. I agree. I grew up listening to Laotian music with my parents, and they still play it in our house every once in a while, and I think it's important for people to keep ties to their heritage.

You can find my full story on the New Britain Herald here: Bohemian Quartet brings Eastern Europe to city.

You can also find out more about The Bohemian Quartet and listen to stuff on their website here: http://www.bohemianquartet.com/

(Photo credit: Rob Heyl, New Britain Herald Staff (That's my foot in the left corner!))

A new hobby?

I covered the Ham Fest at Southington High School this past Sunday, and I think I may be on to a new hobby. I might not be able to afford a ham radio right now - but somewhere down the line, I think I do want to set one up. The "hams" - ham radio users - are very into their hobby. There's a whole lot to it, but when it comes down to it, ham radio is the basis of a lot of communication we use today. One point that kept coming up was, when all other forms of communication fail in disasters (internet, phone, etc.), ham radios still work. Really cool.

Here's the article I wrote: Ham Fest brings 'hams' together, off the airwaves.

Note: I was also told the article's going to mentioned in a ham radio magazine.

Severed Inn Premiere Weekend

My story on the Sunday screening of "The Severed Inn" was in the paper yesterday. Here's the link (which will work for 90 days until it goes to the archives): "Severed' movie connected to local hot spots"

I wrote about the filming of this movie last summer, so I had to go to the premiere. It was everything I had hoped for and more. Producer and President of Legion Films Aaron Vnuk assured the audience that it was OK to laugh because this movie was as much a dark comedy as it was a horror film, and there were parts that were pretty funny. For more on Legion Films visit their website: http://www.legionfilms.com/

Mark your calendars - We're going to The Severed Inn premiere!

The Severed Inn, from the independent filmmakers at Legion Films, is premiering next month in Hartford at Real Art Ways.

I wrote about some of the filming this past summer in New Britain and Plainville for the New Britain Herald and Bristol Press, and even though I haven't seen the movie, the filmmakers are really cool guys. They're all friends, and they have full-time jobs at a school in Simsbury, but they wanted to make movies. I'm definitely going on Sunday of Premiere Weekend and covering it. Above is a trailer for the film from Legion Films. (The first one was much more epic and we watched it a lot at work, but it got taken down.)

The Severed Inn, a horror movie about some shady happenings at a bed and breakfast, features some YouTube stars and actors from other Legion Films projects.

According to a newsletter from Legion Films, "The Severed Inn is Legion's most anticipated feature film release. The movie follows the tale of Uncle Bob (Paul Braccioforte) and his two sons Louie and Archie (Shawn C. Phillips & MJ Kelley) as they struggle to find the balance between their gracious hospitality toward the guests staying at their Inn and the gruesome deeds hidden in the basement.

The Severed Inn is a high-impact, entertaining blend of horror that is full of lovely ladies and the superb comedy of rising stars Shawn C. Phllips and MJ Kelley."

The movie is 90 minutes, has a rating of MA for some nudity, violence and language. Premiere weekend is March 6 and 7 with both showings at 11:30 a.m. at Real Art Ways on 56 Arbor St. in Hartford. The showings include an introduction from Legion President, Aaron Vnuk, meeting with Legion producers who are actively casting for their third feature, an autograph session with many stars of The Severed Inn and a merchandise table. Tickets are $8.50 and can be bought at www.legionfilms.com.

You can purchase tickets at the door, but the crew recommends ordering in advance because they expect the shows to sell out.

New Crime Blog affiliated with the New Britain and Bristol papers

New Britain Herald police reporter Lisa Backus has started a crime blog with crime news spanning the New Britain Herald and Bristol Press' coverage areas.

Check it out here: http://crimectcentral.blogspot.com/.

Cookie Swap at the Bristol Library tonight!

The Children’s Department at the Bristol Public Library is holding its first annual Family Cookie Exchange tonight at 6. I'm covering it for the Bristol Press, but check back here tomorrow because I'm also blogging about my experience participating in it.

Participants are asked to bake two dozen of their favorite cookies, bring the baked cookies to the library with the recipes, and remember to bring an empty container for cookie exchanging, according to a press release. For the occasion, I baked my extra chewy chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal and caramel. A few years ago, I took a chocolate chip cookie recipe and substituted some flour for oatmeal and some chocolate chips for Hershey's caramel kisses. I just typed out the recipe in mass quantity for the swap, and I've included it below. I hope to find some delicious cookies at this swap, and I'm going to blog about my favorite ones.


Here's my recipe:

Extra Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Oatmeal and Caramel Kisses

Makes about 3 dozen, takes about an hour.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp water
2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 of a 12 oz. package of chocolate chips
1/3 bag of Hershey's caramel kisses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Unwrap the Hershey's kisses, mash them up with a potato masher or big spoon. Set aside for later.
2. Beat butter and sugars together. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and water, blend well.
3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add in oatmeal. Gradually stir flour/oatmeal mixture into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and then mashed up Hershey's kisses.
3. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Tip: These cookies are really sticky because of the caramel, so I recommend using parchment paper on the sheets first.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Cool.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies. Enjoy!

I'm mentioned in the New England Newspaper & Press Association legal briefs!

The brief refers to my Freedom of Information Act request to the state Department of Environmental Protection. We wanted to know what was in the barrels that were illegally dumped around Bristol, Plymouth and Harwinton between Aug. 14 and 15. It took about four months, an FOI request and lots of phone calls to find out.

Check it: "Conn. reporter seen pivotal in release of pollutant records"

Pretty cool.

Election Day is OVERR!

After a really hectic day and filing three stories on Plymouth plus a police story for Bristol, I'm done! Here are the Plymouth results, in case you're wondering:

Mayor: Vincent Festa Jr. (D) (He was unopposed.)
Councilman-at-large: Tom Zagurski (R)
Town Council - District 1: Martin Sandshaw (R), John Wunsch (R)
District 2: DiAnna Schenkel (D), David Sekorski (D)
Town Clerk: Barbara Rockwell (R)
Treasurer: David Barbieri (D)
Tax Collector: Linda Hood (R)
Board of Finance: Peter Cook (cross-endorsed), Victoria Carey (D)
Board of Finance to fill a vacancy: Michael Drozdick (D)
Board of Education: Anthony Orsini (D), Daniel Santorso (D), Gerard Bourbonniere (cross-endorsed), Martin Wetzel (cross-endorsed), Mark Berube (R)
Assessor: Carl Kulesa (D)
Board of Assessment Appeals: Ronald Wollenberg (R)
Constables: Lawrence Deschaine (R), Christine Ciarmella (R), Eric Pelz (R), Patric Perugino II (D)
Library Trustees: Diana Oberg (R), Cathleen Paskus (R), Arlene Wood (D)
Library Trustees to fill a vacancy: Eleanor Petke (cross-endorsed), Mary Jane Wollenberg (R)
Referendum: No to questions 1, 3, 4, Yes to question 2

(Note: the office did get pizza today, and it was kind of fun rushing to get the results in.)

Updates and thoughts on health care

I haven't blogged in nearly two months! Perhaps it's because I'm getting the hang of my new (well, kinda new) job at the Bristol Press, and when I get home after writing all day, I don't want to write any more. Maybe it's because it's the summer, and I have the relaxing mentality. It could also be because the internet at my house is really bad.

Anyway, here's what I've done this summer: worked, hung out, tried to catch movies and shows. I went to All Points West for one day this year - this was a much better decision than going all three days last year. We're getting old. But Friday was the best lineup. Jay-Z was a great last-minute replacement to the Beastie Boys, and I got to see two of my current favorite bands - Vampire Weekend and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs! It was fantastic. Before APW, I also saw Diana Krall, and later, I saw Sugar Ray for $5 - they played only their hits and covers. It was hilarious.

On a different note, I started getting these minor chest pains when I breathe in deeply today, and checking WebMD just makes me a hypochondriac. Also, it tells me to call a doctor, which I can't do until Sept. 1 because my insurance doesn't kick in until then. Central CT Communications, the company that owns the Bristol Press and New Britain Herald, makes employees wait 90 days until they're covered. I've got about three and a half weeks left.

This is the first time in two months I've begun to worry about not having insurance. And it made me think: Even with insurance, you have a ton of problems. The Bristol Press/New Britain Herald just switched insurance providers, and I know some people here are worried about their lack of a card from the new provider. Also, it's not really clear what's covered because we mysteriously lost the coverage book from our new insurance meeting. When I was under my parents' insurance, I always had trouble calling about things. I've been in support of universal health care since I heard about it, but really, recent events - that is, my being a 22-year-old without health insurance and joining the ranks of the many uninsured - I've come to believe that there is an urgent need for health care reform. Even waiting 90 days feels like forever when you're not sure if you're going to have to see a doctor. I can't imagine what it's like to wait indefinitely.

I'm not going into my thoughts on insurance yet. I'll save that for a time when I don't have a meeting in an hour.

Seriously, Cox Media?

I saw the Cox Media smarter advertising commercial for the first time today, and the entire time, all I could think was, Really?

The commercial, if you haven't seen it, is a direct attack at newspapers. It tells advertisers that cable advertising is "better" than newspaper advertising by taking statements like "People read newspapers" or "Newspaper advertising is affordable" and attempting to prove them wrong with statistics and claims that cable advertising is more effective, even if it is more expensive.

Really, Cox? Seriously?

First of all, the only reason why I watched that commercial and didn't change the channel was because I wanted to hear what they had to say about newspapers, and I wanted to see if they would argue against any other forms of advertising. They didn't. It was just about newspapers. Disclaimer: I am a full-time newspaper reporter. This is my first job after several internships at newspapers and working at my college newspaper. I've wanted to be a reporter since I was 5-years-old because I've always had a lot of newspapers in my house. My dad just really likes reading the news - we've always subscribed to our local paper, the Record-Journal, but he regularly picks up the Hartford Courant, USA Today and the New York Daily News for fun. We also subscribe to Newsweek, Time and Spin and pick up tabloids when they're interesting. Print media has been a staple in our household because it's readily available, and it's enjoyable to just sit back and read about what's going on.

Here's the thing. Any medium that uses advertising as a form of income is hurting because the advertising industry is hurting in this economy. When a business needs to cut costs, advertising is one of the first things to go. That being said, it doesn't make sense that Cox Media would target newspapers exclusively like they're a major competitor taking all their advertising. What is this, Pepsi vs. Coke? Also, the commercial even says that advertisers will use newspapers because advertising in them is affordable - that's true because newspapers need advertisements and want to keep prices attractive to buyers. Why doesn't Cox just make their advertising more affordable? And on that point, I don't understand why Cox needs to go after newspapers for more advertisements because they're a cable company. They pretty much have all of Meriden under their services, even if they're pretty bad. I have a ton of Internet connection problems at home, and when I ask around, other people in the area have the same problems at the same time.

On the Cox Media "Smarter Advertising" Web page, the list of related stories is about declining ratings for local news. What does that mean? Do they not want people to advertise through local newscasts? Are they just making an attack on news in general? It just doesn't make any sense.

So here are my reasons why newspaper advertising is better than cable:

1. You can't change the channel. Yes, you can turn the page, but there's usually a story or something on that page that keeps your attention for some time. The advertisement is right there, and a reader can't help but see it.

2. Your advertisements reach people anywhere. In the car, on the porch, on the beach, people can bring along a newspaper to read. Also, they read them in the bathroom. Commercial breaks are the perfect time to leave and go to the bathroom. While people do spend a lot of time in front of a television, they do have to leave at points, and they're not going to leave during their favorite show.

3. It's more affordable. Especially when businesses are struggling and cutting costs, it makes more sense to advertise in a way that's cost effective.

4. It works. It's cost effective because it's affordable and works. People see advertisements. If they're inserts in the paper, they can't help but look at them.

5. It reaches more people than you think. Take my college newspaper, for instance. We had a circulation of 9,000, but a lot more people read it because it would get left on a dining hall or library table. I always pick up a newspaper and read it when I'm in a waiting room. I don't usually watch TV when waiting for something. Families share newspapers. Also, some classifieds in newspapers transfer to their Web sites. That means there are even more readers.

6. People need their news. People read newspapers because they want to know what's going on. Especially with local papers, it's usually the only place they can go to find out what's going on in their town. If there's a local election coming up, how else will they know about the candidates? And it's their elected local leaders who determine a lot of stuff that actually matters to them. They really don't need to watch another reality TV show.

7. People are attentive when they're reading newspapers. You actually have to read the paper to get the news. That means that they're focused on the page at hand. Can you really say that about someone whose TV is just on while they're making dinner or doing work?

8. People look for things in newspapers. They go through the classifieds to find things or look for jobs. They're looking for coupons. They're actively seeking out these advertisements. With television, it's the opposite. It's just forced on them, and, once again, they can change the channel or get up.

Here's the link to Cox Media's terrible rationale: http://www.coxmedia.com/GainesvilleOcala/advertisingmore.aspx?ID=DA_814852.

And here's the related article that showed up on the side bar when I went on the page: http://www.coxmedia.com/GainesvilleOcala/advertisingmore.aspx?ID=DA_1151368

Bottling Up A Ton of Posts/NKOTB

It's been a pretty busy summer. What's funny is that while I feel like it's been busy, it really hasn't been. I've been interning part-time at the Hartford Courant in the Middletown Bureau. This is technically my last week, but I'm still working on a column answer and will be working a few shifts next week.

I've basically been hanging out and going to concerts in my free time. That's what I've wanted to blog about: these concerts. I'll give them one big post with separated bits about each concert.

And just so this post doesn't lack substance, I will comment on the New Kids on the Block recent radio single, "Summertime." When I first heard it, I thought it was Jesse McCartney or some new boy band. It was catchy, a happy summer jam, even if it was a bit unoriginal. I thought it kind of sampled "Bittersweet Symphony," which, itself, samples the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time" for its background. The name "Summertime," and the basic chorus of "I think about you in the summertime, and all the good times we had, baby," just seemed so gimmicky and put together for a sale. I couldn't understand how NKOTB, who are much older than teenagers thinking about girls in the summertime, could relate to this kind of bubblegum song. I also couldn't understand why they're back on tour - it's been a long time, and Jordan Knight and Joey McIntyre had a few singles after the band broke up. Donnie Wahlberg has a great career as an actor and producer. Maybe they just missed each other and the fame. They're back with an all-out tour and whole new album, and the radio's spinning their catchy tracks again. Good for them, hangin' tough. It seems that NKOTB want to sell themselves to us again, and actually, I'm kind of buying it.

Archives and Ethical Issues

I wrote the police blotter for the Daily Campus for an entire year, and this, itself, brought up a few ethical issues with archives.

(Disclaimer: The last blotter of the year was done Monday, and I will not be writing the blotter next year. Also, I cannot tell anyone who the new blotter reporter is because we do not want anyone to harass him/her.)

My boyfriend, who knew that I wrote the blotter, brought up an interesting point last week. One of his friends complained about the Daily Campus Web site at lunch because she was in the police blotter a few months ago, and now, whenever she searches her name on Google or any other search engine, her arrest is the first item that shows up. The Daily Campus archives are online for years afterward, so that means that her arrest will also be posted for years. All arrests are online for everyone to see for years, even if charges were dropped.

This brings up many questions. Is this ethical? Should we remove past police blotters from our Web site? If a mistake happens online, does it make libel worse because it will be up for anyone to see for any amount of time? One the one hand, all arrests are public record - that's why local newspapers report them in a police blotter. Anyone can find these records if they ask for them at a police station, even years later after charges had been dropped. This doesn't make it different from a Web site. Also, if someone had something embarrassing published about them, they're just stuck with it online. On the other hand, if something is false, it may be libel, and if the web master and the libeled person are unaware of this, it can be up for a long time.

Slate documents this effect well in its article, "Don't blame the New York Times for your bad reputation." While I understand that libel is unethical and a strong case for a lawsuit, if something is true, it is not libel. If a person was arrested, it is on public record, and it's not the newspaper that ruined her reputation - it was the arrest. If something is simply embarrassing information, it has already been reported, so the damage has already been done, whether it was online or not. Anyone can also look up newspaper clippings at their local library. When they look up a newspaper clipping, they may not even look at the next day's, when there was a retraction or an apology.

I would say that the online medium of journalism helps protect from reporters from libel. They can issue a retraction and apology and just go back and change the story. Those in fear of ruining their reputations from online news should consider this and take responsibility for their actions.

Flash Media

I am working on a slide show for my bio page on my home page. The flash effects we had to try are
1. Fade in effect (your future slide shows begin here)
2. Zoom in effect (yeah, enter the nascar)
3. Blur effect (easier than you thought)
4. Photo sideshow (now to the real thing, complete with a remote)
I didn't have much trouble doing it. Kodi posted some resources to help us, so I just followed the directions. First I had to open Flash 8.0 and start the slideshow template. The photos I used aren't that great, but they were the only ones I had. I think this addition shows a good representation of myself.

Multimedia

Web sites use multimedia to better tell a story. In many cases, it works well. In some, it deters from the main objective of the story. Here are some reviews, using Mindy McAdams Chapter 2 advice.

Tornadoes Injure Hundreds in Virginia
This article, featured on AOL news includes the written article and also uses two slide shows of photos from a tornado and the ruins. It also has a video of the tornado. This is everything one could ask for when it comes to reporting a story. The slides change easily, and the multimedia is easy for a user to navigate. One criticism, however, is the way the page is laid out. I understand the ads on the side are necessary to pay for the site, but they take up a lot of space. The story begins with the article, then a slide show interrupts it. Then there's more article text, then another slide show. Then after more text, there's video. The user has to scroll down pretty far to get to the video, and because it's an interesting piece of multimedia, it should be easier to access. Also, the placement of the multimedia detracts from the article.

Madonnarama
I love Madonna, so I appreciated this article and the multimedia that went along with it. It was interesting because she hasn't been around in the media for a while, and she's making yet another comeback. Vanity Fair does a great job with multimedia as the magazine makes use of its photos. The article reads thoroughly with one photo in the middle. It doesn't detract from the article. It also gives a small photo that serves as an info box to bring the user to a slide show of Madonna photos from the 1980s to the present. The slide show itself is a great work of multimedia. The photos fade in and out well - there are many photos, and it shows a history of Madonna. Also, when the user brings the arrow to the side of the photo, the screen simulates a turning page. That is a really neat use of interactivity.

Time.com Multimedia Page
Time.com has a specific multimedia tab from its home page. From it, one can access great and interesting multimedia that, by themselves, serve as journalism.
One in particular, an interactive graphic on dictators, especially shows that point. This graphic shows where dictators go when they are in exile. When the user clicks on an X on the map, the rollover image shows a picture of the dictator, some information on him and an arrow that shows where he started as a dictator and points to where he moved to later. This type of multimedia takes research, and I like that it can stand alone as a piece of journalism.

Extra Web Behaviors

For this assignment, we have to show that we can do the following:
i) swap image ii) pop-up window iv) Play sound iv) Jump menus.

Web Is Not Print

Kodi and our guest speaker, Marie Shanahan of ctnow.com, are always saying that web is not print, and it's not.

One of the main differences is that it's interactive. Web users are interested not only in the story but what can prove the story. This means that they want audio feed, video clips and links. A simple print story cannot give you that. When writing for the Web, a reporter has to remember that users are constantly delineating from the story to read something else and keep stories short and to the point. They should also have interesting pictures and multi-media that relates to the story. They also have to write headlines that are search engine-friendly, meaning that it can be found through a search engine when a user types in key words. All of this is important, and it reflects a new type of on-the-go reader. This is what all readers are becoming, and news media has to cater to it to stay in business.

RSS Feeds

In class last Thursday, we learned about about RSS feeds. It was interesting because I knew what an RSS feed was, but I didn't know what it was called. Being an acronym for "really simple syndication" is the perfect description - because it is really simple. Although we were given instructions on how to make RSS feeds from scratch, we were also shown ways to do it through online servers. That made it really simple. However, we still have to know how to make them from scratch, so here it is:

First, RSS feeds have to be done through XML, which is different from HTML, which is what we're used to doing code on. However, XML is more interactive. Then you have to give it a channel and give it information on what you want to blog. Then you add the RSS links, close the channel and validate it. That should work. I look forward to putting this all on my site.