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Rosina and Peter catching a nap together at the hospital.
PART III SHARING YOUR WORK
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BLOGGING:
time: Setting up a blog takes about half an hour. Contributions range from a few minutes on up.
Rosina had more friends and closer friends than anyone I know. When she was diagnosed with leukemia and de- cided to undergo the most aggressive of treatments, her community erupted with concerns, questions, and a need to be involved. Her husband, Peter, realized he would have to keep full focus on his wife and their three wonderful kids. So he built a blog. From June 2007 to January 2008 when Rosina succumbed to her cancer, Rosina’s Road Trip gathered an ever wider circle of readership. Peter’s writing and
Several times I’ve questioned the idea of publishing this per- sonal information, but what I hear from everyone who reads it absolutely outweighs those concerns. Friends constantly tell me how grateful they are to know what’s going on without having to bug me, and if I see someone who just found out, I can point them to the blog. But it’s a lot more than the medi- cal information. It has promoted a wonderful circle of support around Rosina, and also around me, not just because I know others are keeping up, but also because they can leave com- ments and send e-mail—it’s like we get fifteen get-well cards a day. It is an information booth, a tribute, an outlet, a poem, a community; a place of sharing, commiserating, rejoicing, and most of all, supporting dear Rosina. —PH
This is the head that Peter created.
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CHAPTER 7: PROJECT IDEAS
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A WAY TO TRACK AND SHARE LIFE’S JOURNEYS
REQUIREMENTS
photos combined clear information, narratives of strength and family, and a keen personal perspective he serves up with a light touch. Peter Hastings will keep the blog on-line for the foreseeable future. He and Rosina share their most intimate of blogs with the hope it will help and encourage others.
gear: Computer, digital camera, use of Blogger (but there are many free Internet sites—see Chapter 6).
CASE STUDY: peter and rosina
Step 1: Write entries. Form follows function here, and the main function is re- porting. The process is absolutely directed by what is happening that day or week. When things are busy, there’s an entry every day; sometimes a week or two goes by. So there is reporting, then there is reflecting, and then there is thanking. The toughest creative decisions are the title of the entry, and what photos to include. The name of the entry is kind of like a song title— a few words to sum it up, either what’s happening or how I’m/we’re feeling. And the photos often follow as an il- lustration, either direct or abstract, of the title. Many times I’ve written a title and then dug through pictures I wouldn’t normally use only to find one that takes on new meaning in this context. Also there are many photos that are simply of Rosina shining on.
Peter Hastings is a director, producer, writer, and musi- cian whose credits include Pinky & The Brain, Animaniacs, and One Saturday Morning. He is currently working on
an animated feature, How to Train Your Dragon. Rosina Hastings was Brazilian and a jazz vocalist before moving to L.A., where she and Peter were raising three kids when she became ill.
budget: None. WORKFLOW
Here are Peter’s notes on Workflow. Some frame grabs have been added that sample Rosina’s Road Trip (http://rosinasroadtrip . blogspot.com/).