semester 2 blog 1

I can explain a successful interesting interview in three words: Creative, accurate, and organized. An interview should not just seem like a fan asking a whole bunch of questions. A good interview should seem almost like a short story that comes to life through very good questions with informative answers.

Creative. To me, no interview should be boring or seem useless. All questions should be questions that the reader would actually want to know, and that the interviewee could actually put effort towards answering. When the interview gets to the final product after the editing process, it should seem like the reader is actually sitting with the interviewee while they are reading the interview. In the end, through the writing, and the set-up of the interview, the reader should get a really good sense of who the interviewee is, where they come from, and what type of person they are, and maybe even the process they went through to get to where they are now.

Accurate. All questions and answers in the interview should all be true, and should represent you as an interviewer and them as an interviewee. It will never be good to do an interview with writing that does not match up to the kind of person the interviewee is, and the type of things that they would say. So if i circulate my interview and my writing around accurate information, then everything else will start to fall into place.

Organized. If an interview is all over the place, all the writing is jumbled, and it seems like the reader would get confused reading the interview, then its clearly obvious that the interview and the writing is not organized. I know that in order for my interview to be a success, I'm going to have to make sure that all the writing flows, and the questions are put in an order that makes sense, and flows in a way that helps the reader to understand me as a writer and my interviewee as a person.

Remembering all the information above will definitely lead to a fabulous interview!

Below are a link to two interviews that I thought were very good examples of successful, well written interviews. One is an interview done by Access Hollywood on Michael Jackson, while the other is done by ivillage on Beyonce:


http://www.ivillage.co.uk/newspol/celeb/cint/articles/0,,156471_690355,00.html

http://blogs.accesshollywood.com/archives/2009/06/my-final-interview-with-michae.html

S2 blog 7

Honestly, I believe that my company would've probably shrunk during the great depression. And the reason why is because it is a law firm, a very small law firm, and back then, the only companies that really stayed open and functioning were basic necessity locations like grocery stores. Law is important, but I don't think that anyone would've really been concerned about a law firm during the great depression. Besides, you need money to be reresented by a law firm, and there was very little of that during that time.

Final Photo Essay

What you see above, is a future criminal defense attorney and super model. I know that with God, the right mind, attitude, guidance, and self-motivation, I can do and become anything. I am fully aware that criminal law and modeling are two different worlds with two different objectives, however, I believe that with the correct amount of hard work and dedication, I can balance myself in a way that helps me to contribute my skills and creativity equally to both fields.



Why Criminal law? It’s difficult. You’re going to be working with criminals! What about your conscience? These are all questions that I’ve been asked regarding my interest in criminal law. Yes. Criminal law can be difficult to specialize in, and requires a lot of focus, and the ability to block out any emotions or thoughts that can distract me from my job and what I’m supposed to do. But like I was told at my internship, the Wolfenzon Schulman & Ryan law firm, that specializes in construction defect and law suits, everyone is entitled to a defense. After hearing that everything just began to fall into place and my interest in criminal law became even greater. No matter who the person may be and what they are accused of, it would always be my job to try my hardest to defend that person and detour them from either having to serve no time in jail, or less time. I’ve always been one to not only talk my way out of different situations, but also filter certain things in my mind to help me function better as a whole. With these two abilities, I cannot only strategically talk my way into successfully defending a client and winning a case, but also interacting with the client and being able to keep my distance mentally and emotionally, and not letting outside distractions interfere with my job, and goals as a criminal defense attorney. However, if I were to become a model, sometimes I will not be able to prevent certain emotions and mental thoughts from coming upon me, and possibly showing through my expressions and body language, because that’s just apart of the learning process of being a successful model.




Now modeling just comes naturally. Ever since I was little, I’ve always enjoyed being in front of a camera, posing, and letting my personality shine through my expressions and my poses. However, the industry does have a lot of ups and downs, and requires you to know a lot of things that can either make or break you. It can be very fast pace, rude, complicated, hurtful, and slow to support you. Due to the fact that there are thousand of young girl’s trying to get their big break in modeling, chances of finding an agency, getting work, or booked for a photo shoot becomes very slim, which makes it really hard on you if you’re expecting to support yourself, be on your own, and pay bills. Fortunately for me, modeling is not something that I’m looking to for 100% life support. I do have other plans and goals for law, and modeling is something that I would want to do on the side, or as the fashion industry would call it, “hobby modeling”. Meaning, modeling is not your #1 focus, but is something that you would want to do on the side for a little extra money.



To me personally, modeling is not just times to look pretty and take a whole bunch of pictures in different locations, but a business. Almost every main product, piece of clothing, or magazine that you buy in stores has either a face (model) or some type of body part on it, the tag, or the sign or billboard that’s advertising those clothes or the product. This is called advertising and demand. And in order for advertising and demand to be successful, specific models with specific looks have to come in to help grab the consumers’ attention for a designers clothing line, or a companies product. When advertisements are released, and consumers see a pretty face or some famous icon on an item, they tend to get the “idea” that they too can either look like that or get extremely close. When this happens, the “idea” spreads across the globe, the items began to sell, and demand increases, making designers and companies earn more money.



What strikes me the most about the industry and makes me want to be apart of it, is the lack of “normal” models on high-end advertisements, representing very prestigious designers, and on the cover of popular magazines. Over the years celebrities have gradually pushed themselves to the top, while bringing down the others. The industry has become so used to the circulation and fan-base of current and incoming stars, that they’re slowly but surely blocking out the potential of girl’s who aren’t celebrities. To me, that’s unfair, and it is definitely time for a change. That’s when I come in. My personality and charm is one of a kind, and even though there are a few physical traits that I need to work on to improve my look as a whole, I still am positive that my knowledge and special way of thinking, just might be the key that opens the doors for other young girls like me, that are in need of more attention from the industry, and less time being pushed out of the picture by celebrities. In fact, if both social groups (famous and non-famous) were to somehow come together as one, and contribute all helpful ideas, resources, knowledge, and money, the modeling industry and even the world as a whole would be a better place.





When a celebrity stops to pose with a fan, what does that mean? Do they care? How does the celebrity feel? Do fans really impact the thoughts and emotions of a star? Do they feel like they’re better? These are all questions that run through my mind when I see picture or videos of stars posing with fans. Sometimes, when I look at picture I get the impression that celebrities pose with fans just to give the illusion that they care when really they don’t. But that needs to change. Everyone knows that most celebrities do have a lot of money, however, that should not matter. Mentally, everyone should be made considered equal. If the media would decrease the amount of exposure put on celebrities, and increase the amount of exposure put on more important issues such as economy prices, the homeless, and education, maybe everyone else besides the 3% of celebrities that make up this world, would begin to feel more important, heard, and hopeful. Liked I learned a lot more of at internship, there are millions of people around the world that are in desperate need of help, and that are less fortunate than me. And that child, who feels like they are all alone and invisible, depends on people like me to bring forth that awareness that will help them. Even celebrities who use their status for getting floor seats to a basketball game, or the choice to close down and store and shop alone, can instead put their pride aside and do more useful things that will positively impact others that needs their help. But in order for this to work, every mind and action must be organized, and everyone has to put on their game face.







Like I always say, organization is the key to success. If my life, and things around me that help me to have a good life, such as schoolwork and my room is organized, then everything is a lot easier to access, and more things are able to get dome in a timely matter. I now that having an organized life can and will do nothing but help me to become a better person, improve, and accomplish my goal of becoming a criminal defense attorney. I believe that slowly preparing for when I do have to be independent and live on my own now, will permanently set my mind into thinking that way, and making it easier for me to glide through college safely and successfully. Thanks to my internship, I was able to really practice working independently through organizing case files and documents for long-term storage, in my own office, giving me a fabulous opportunity to experience firsthand how it would really feel to work in the environment of a law firm as an attorney.







Above, is the office where I worked to complete all assignments given to me by my mentor, and other co-workers, that I worked with in the filing department. As you can see, the picture is very sort of glared, blurry, and looks sort of like it was painted with watercolor paint. The reason for this is because I wanted to give the effect that it was almost like a dream, because that’s what the experience felt like.



Even though I talk a lot about working in a law office and having clients, I never knew that I would actually get the chance to work in a law office, and with actual attorneys. My internship has really guided me onto the right path of success, and has opened my mind up to new aspects of law that I’d never thought of before. Law can be looked at in a ton of different ways, but the number one goal of any law office, specializing in anything, is to try their best to help others, and help to make society a better place through laws and teamwork, which is what I can see myself doing for a very long time.

s2 blog 4

My hopes for the publication of ampersand, is to create a book for readers of all ages and styles all over the world, that is an accurate representation of our hard work, creativity, and knowledge, through a highly polished edited book.

S2 Blog 3

Fabulously Chatting With Ms. Dion
One of laws finest, sharpest, paralegals, talks about her journey from the new girl in school, to the “it” girl in the office!

Janae Noland


I sat in my office, anxiously awaiting Ms. Dion, my key to new knowledge. She stands about five foot seven. Her long, brown, curly hair gracefully lays down her back. Her smile can light up a room, while her style can light up a runway. Her dress nicely drapes her body, while her jewelry fabulously complements her attire and her personality. She may be mistaken for a girly girl on the outside, but on the inside, nothing less than a pistol. Her skills and work ethic heavily contribute to and enhance the atmosphere of the firm, while her unique sense of humor touches the minds and hearts of those around her.

Ms. Dion is originally from Kansas City, Missouri, where she attended National University in Kansas City, Kansas. Her original decision was to major in accounting, which she eventually changed to computer science, and then later changed again to business management. However, due to an opportunity presented to her by a photographer, Ms. Dion did not graduate college with her major, but instead ended up doing modeling for a couple of years.

As a child, according to her, her life was interesting. She moved around a lot and lived a little bit of everywhere. She attended several schools in different states, but graduated from Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri. Fortunately, with her eagerness to learn and absorb new knowledge, her eyes were opened to different concepts and cultures, which pushed her towards her decision to move to California.

After years of traveling around the U.S., she finally uprooted from Kansas City, and made the move to San Diego, California, where she currently works as a paralegal at the Wolfenzon Schulman & Ryan law firm, specializing in intellectual property, trademark, and civil litigation.

Back in my office, I hear her Aldo stilettos getting closer and closer, while my smile gets bigger and bigger. She appears, sits down, and here we are. Her presence indicated that she is awaiting my questions, as my interest awaits her story.

Why did you prefer to represent businesses in civil law as oppose to possible felons and criminals in criminal law?
My conscious. I just happened to enjoy, well, very fortunate that I have jobs in different areas of the law. I've worked to get some of my experience in surrogacy law, family law, and litigation. I currently work in the area of personal injury, business litigation, civil litigation, and my preference is civil litigation. You know...and when I say conscious, I believe every person deserves a defense. I'm very passionate about the law. However, I think certain things in me would prevent me to do the best job possible for someone I knew that was guilty of something they were accused of in spite of the fact that we are retained to provide them with a defense.

In what ways do you think law has evolved and improved over the past years?
One thing about the law that keeps my interest is the fact that it changes constantly. Such as, you know, discovery has changed over the years. Now, its not so much paper in tented, but it’s electronic driven.

What is your main objective when a new law case arrives?
Making sure that the client and carrier are comfortable in knowing that we are preparing to work our hardest for them.

What drives you to want to come to work everyday?
One, to feed my children! (Laughs) No. I love the law. I mean, even in my spare time I watch things related to the law, I read books related to the law. I'm pretty fortunate that I work in a small firm that allows me to utilize a lot of my skills, as far as being able to work on every aspect of a case.

How do you believe lawsuits and cases could be improved?
I think as long as the attorneys, paralegals, file clerks, and any and everyone in the law firm are mindful or don’t get stuck in the fact that “this is the way we do it and this is the way we’ve always done it”, but always open for change, trying to learn the new ways of doing things, staying on top of the different changes of the law, knowing that different courts have different procedures, and making sure you remember that even though the information is always readily available, but that you seek it.

In the law firm, what makes you stand out from everybody else?
I would definitely say that I’m a unique individual, but I think everybody is (Laughs). But I think it’s really how I feel about myself and how I carry myself. You know, like I said, my work ethic, the fact that I don’t come to work just because I have a job, but that I enjoy what I do and come in to give 110 percent. I make sure that all day every day I’m doing the best that I can to encourage others to do their job, try not to be a burden on others, and just have a positive attitude.

What advice would you give juniors in high school all across America that are preparing for college and their career choice?
To be mindful of the thing that motivates you and that you are the most passionate about, because that will be something that you’ll stick with. There are a lot of statistics that says that you will change your career five times in your lifetime. But if you go after something you’re passionate about, you’ll tend to be satisfied in what you do, where you work. Don’t just accept what is given to you, but have drive and go get whatever it is that you want.



Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Definitely still in the area of law. The firm I’m with is a place that I would like to stay and grow. We are a small firm, and we do have more than one office in more than one location. If we should ever become a bigger firm, I could see myself in a leadership role, but definitely still in the area of law.

S2 Blog two

In my office is where I awaited My key to new knowledge,Ms. Dion. Her Aldo stilettos got closer and closer, while my smile got bigger and bigger. She appeared, sat down, and here we are. Her presence is the beginning to part two of my journey. Her answers await my questions, and my interest awaits her story.

She stands about five foot seven. Her long curly hair gracefully lays down her back. Her smile can light up a room, while her style can light up a runway. Her dress nicely drapes her body, while her jewelry fabulously complemented her attire and her personality. She may be mistaken for a girly girl on the outside, but nothing less than a cannon ball on the inside. Her skill and work heavily contributes and enhances the work of the firm, along with her unique sense of humor contributes to the minds and hearts of those around her.

Mrs. Dion is originally from Kansas City Missouri, where she attended National University in Kansas City Kansas. Her original decision was to major in accounting, before she eventually changed it to computer science, and then later changed it again to business management.

Surprisingly, Ms.Dion did not graduate college with her major, but instead ended up doing modeling for a couple of years.

As a child, according to her, her life was interesting. She moved around a lot and shes lived a little bit of everywhere. She attended several schools in different states, but graduated from Central High School in Kansas City Missouri. Fortunately, with her eager to learn and absorb in new knowledge, her eyes were opened up to a lot of different things and cultures, about a lot of different people.

Although Ms. Dion was one of lucky few to be able to travel and experience the different lifestyles in different states, she soon made the important decision to leave Kansas City Missouri, and move tho San Diego California, where she currently works as a paralegal at the Wolfenzon Schulman & Ryan law firm, specializing in intellectual property, trademark, and civil litigation.


1. What should I change?
2. Should I add anything?
3. Doe sit seeem organized for the reader?
4. Too descriptive maybe?