Nov. 14

Here's the feature photo I turned in today of Louis Butcher of Carbondale putting up Christmas wreaths and trees down University Avenue. An hour or so later Anthony came in with shots from a motorcycle accident, so my feature got bumped to the inside of the paper somewhere near the back, printed black and white. Oh well, at least it ran.

Here's Paul, a homeless guy wrapping a cigarette, at the only homeless shelter in Carbondale, the Samaritan House. I went to the shelter with reporter Dave Lopez (he and I have been paired up a lot lately) for a story that will run Friday about national homeless rates dropping and how that doesnt reflect in Carbondale because it's sort of the oasis of southern illinois when it comes to humane services.

This is Larry Fink, a homeless man from Normal, Ill., stopping in for lunch. I was really intimidated by a lot of the folks having a meal at this shelter, but Larry seemed open enough to talk to about his life.

Sharon O'Daniell, a worker at the Samaritan House. She was working in the kitchen and handing out meals to people coming in. She complained a lot about how hot it can get in there during the day and how the place is always too cold or too hot, no inbetween. I realize in all these pictures, the subjects are on the right side of the frame, but not all the pictures from the trip are like that.

This is a picture I took today of the Dean of the College of Engineering William Osborne who's retiring in January. He's only been here at SIU for two anda half years, but he's had some heart problems and he's gonna retire early and take a year-long cruise called "the North American Loop." I called his office today and had to leave my number for his secretary to call me back, but an hour or two later I was running out of time so I went there myself and was able to get some shots of him writing a letter at his desk.
Heres another shot I took today once again on assignment with David Lopez at Trueblood Hall, a dining hall over by the Towers (dorms) where Carbondale and SIUC police officers were sitting out in the cafeteria so students could come up and ask them anything about what they do and why they do as they do. Only problem was, no one came up to ask them anything. They were there an hour anda half and nobody in the dining hall knew why. I guess they do it every month and they advertise it in the residence halls, but they don't always have much interest from the students, which seems to be the focus of Dave's story.

That was really it from today. Alex, Scott and I went to Lone Star and had lots of appetizers and beers. Also, Jason bitched like he always does.

He knocked on my door at about 11 p.m. and was like ' is this ur pizza box and ice cream thing out here?' (yes.) 'You want to clean it up?' (no.) 'Seriously?' (seriously.) 'Well we have this inspection tomorrow and you need to clean up your shit and we never see you do fucking anything and you need to step it up' so I go out there just to humor him, overlook alex's pizza box on the floor, overlook Scott's pizza box on the counter, and get mine off the table along with the little ice cream cup next to it and throw it in a trash bag, throw the spoon in the sink full of dirty dishes i've never used, and say ' doing nothing's better that bitching all the time' and he's like ' so you do both? ' and I ignored his idiotic comment and went back in my room.

At least two times a day, literally, he asks me to turn down my music and/or game I'm playing, because he's always sleeping during the day and for some reason he thinks that means everyone needs to be quiet. He shuts my door. Even though my music's never half as loud as his is, I turn it down for him because I actually give (gave) a shit about how he feels, like a good roommate should. But, when he's awake, he plays loud as hell music, comes out, bitches, goes back in, plays more loud as hell music. repeat. Right now, it's 2 am. on the nose. 2. I hear his music playing in his room and I hear him walking between the bathroom and his room constantly shutting doors.

He's constantly complaining, he has no consideration for his roommates, he plays loud disruptive music 12 hours a day, he doesn't pick up his mail because he expects us to bring it to him, he always asks for rides, and he pisses on the damn toilet seat. Seriously, Jason. Grow up or get the fuck out of our apartment. We've wanted to sign the form to get him moved all semester, and I think soon we're gonna do it. Soon, like tomorrow.

TB