#featurearticles

Because of the pandemic, there was a lockdown to prevent more cases of the virus. But as Graham Chapman said. “Always look on the bright side of life”. Even in the darkest times, there would always be light! And because of the pandemic, we have to stay inside. But it doesn’t mean we have to be sad. We can explore new hobbies! And in this article, I will help you start your journey in feature writing!

So what is feature writing? Well, it’s a type of an article where you can express your feelings! You feature the most interesting stories, food, or even traditions. You are free to express your feelings here!

However, just like in a war -- a warrior can’t fight without his sword. Us writers -- of course we wouldn’t be using guns and armors. Instead, I prepared a list of ‘starter pack’ for all aspiring pen warriors like you!

A fresh mind. In order to write a feature article, you need a fresh mind. How can you be creative when your mind is blocked?

Paper and a pen. The most practical things you need are paper and a pencil! How would you write an article without paper and pencil? But just in case you don’t have a paper. You can use Google Docs or MS Word.

A huge vocabulary. To entertain readers you need a giant vocabulary or else your article would just be redundant since you're just using the same words.

Metaphors. If you want to write a unique article that would stand out from the others, you’ll need to use metaphors. And yes! This can also entertain readers because not only is it dramatic yet also exciting! But don’t use it too much! Or else readers can get bored… yada yada yada…. -- you just need the right amount of metaphors. Not too little and not too much.

Water. A VERY VERY IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT. You need to have water beside you all the time! Even if you’re not writing an article! Stay hydrated!

Always remember that Feature writing is not about fame. It’s about both entertaining and educating readers. Feature writing can help educate the world with excitement!

Bravery. Courage. Bold. These are some of the character traits of famous warriors I know. Well, we don’t really have to appear intimidating all the time, are we? Below are some we must have.

Integrity. You have to be honest in writing an article. What’s the point of writing if you are just gonna lie?

Creativity. VERY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY IN FEATURE WRITING! Why? Because you need to entertain readers! How could you entertain readers if your article is boring? You need to think outside the box. Find a different angle. An angle is like another view of something. Like taking a selfie!

Open-Mindedness. You should always consider and be open to other ideas.

Those traits are very important! Now I’d like to give you some rules that my brilliant mentor taught me.

Don’t use your opinion. When you use your opinion, that's not feature writing. It would appear as an Editorial. They’re like siblings and they’re very confusing! But always remember that you can only base your article on facts. But not just facts -- You can also make it fun and free.

Don’t be redundant. Instead of using the word “but” try using other terms like however or although! These are transitions, and it’s fun using them --- it’s like a bridge connecting thoughts and phrases.

After writing your article. Try reading it as a reader. Not the writer but as the reader. Because here you can see if readers are getting confused about your topic.

Always organize the article. You can’t just jump from a topic to another topic. It will confuse the readers!

Do you believe that Frontliners are the new heroes of this world? If you don’t know what frontliners are, they are the hardworking people who help our country from COVID-19. Frontliners could be anyone! Doctors, Nurses, Hospital Staff, Policemen, and even Delivery drivers. These are people risking their lives so we can stay safe and take care of people who were infected by the virus.

While I was laying on my bed scrolling through my Facebook, I saw a link saying that frontliners were protesting in front of the Department of Health (DOH). I wondered what did they protest and why? So I clicked the link with curiosity and read the explanation.

Health workers were protesting with rage outside the Department of Health (DOH) demanding to raise their wages and fire the Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III for not doing anything about it. Usually, we expect that the frontliners’ salary would be high because they are putting their lives on the line. Sad to say, here in the Philippines our health workers only get an average of Php 8,000. They do have a right to protest for higher wages! Eight Thousand Pesos only?! They risk their lives to save our country! I hope that Secretary Duque will do something about this.

Frontliners have their own families to feed too! They can’t take care of their families with just ₱8,000! What if they have 6-year-old kids and a sick relative to take care of? They’ll need thousands to pay for their electric bills, water bills, food, and medicine. Eight thousand pesos isn’t enough!! You can’t expect a frontliner to use the money for shopping. They are working this risky job to earn money so that they and their family could have dinner.

Our modern heroes need our help with their hazardous job. They’re not only working for the money but they are also working for us. They are doing this not just for themselves but for their country. So while the frontliners are doing their job to save our country we need to do ours.

In order to stop COVID-19, we need to help each other. Everyone has a part to play --- even you. Staying at home to prevent covid, following protocols, washing your hands every time you touch a public surface. There are so many ways to contribute during this pandemic.

Frontliners are the bravest people I know. Because my father is also a frontliner. He inspires me to be courageous even during a dangerous time. My father is a lionhearted man for traveling countries to deliver cargo and food. He risks his life so he could play his part during this pandemic. Not everyone can travel to countries especially at this time of the year.

My father is one of the bravest frontliners I know. He risks his life so he could send money to us to pay the bills, to eat, to take a warm bath. I’m so lucky that I have a father like him who will even risk his life just for me to have a roof on top of my head.

Poland. The South of France. London. What do all these places have in common?

They’ve all been graced with the presence of Iweta Baran.

Baran was born in Gorzów Wielkopolski, a town in North West Poland. While many anxiously worry about choosing between the picturesque hometown life with childhood best friends staying close,dear, and near forever and the exciting and cosmopolitan life in the big city filled with lots of adventure, Baran has expertly achieved the perfect balance between the two. Her best friend today is the same best friend she had in primary school- even though Baran is currently living in London and her bosom buddy is living in Taiwan. Continuing with the local connection theme, Baran met her now husband at prom night. However, don’t mistake Baran for a fish out of water in the hustle and bustle of London. Baran has called many place home, including Montpellier in the South of France. Baran spent a year living there when she was a study abroad student at the at Université Paul-Valéry, where she studied French language and literature for a year. Baran’s love and fondness for the city is apparent: she describes it as a thriving centre for arts and culture. Baran  “could never get bored of the town and was devastated to leave” at the end of her term.

Baran has a deep love for the art of words: she has a degree in Polish Language and Literature from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. She also has another BA from the University of Westminster, where she now works with student interns. Baran ended up working in her current job “totally by accident.” She was “working as an administrator at an estate agency” when she “somehow landed an internship as an Employability Assistant at a Greenwich School of Management.” During her internship, it was suggested to Baran to apply for a job in the careers department at the University of Westminster. After that, as many say, the rest was history.

Baran says she feels like she hit the jackpot with her current job. She enjoys working in the careers department “mainly because of the diversity of tasks and responsibilities,” and the amazing students she gets to work with. Her favorite aspect of her job is working with “a particular student body over an extended period of time” and the fact that she has “the freedom to redesign the programme the way I think it works best” for her students. Baran also says she finds the growth and development she sees in her students incredibly rewarding, which makes the often high pressure tasks she balances worth her time and effort.

Anyone who meets Iweta Baran is instantly charmed by her bright smile and kind heart. In fact, her energy is something of a soft, yet warm glow: it lights up the whole room and warms you within. Baran’s character is demonstrated by her positive outlook towards life. She cycles everyday in order to truly enjoy her time in London, and “as long as [she progresses] in a certain aspect every year, life is good.” Humble as they come, when asked about her favorite childhood memory, Baran describes a family trip that involved getting her whole family together, which is something so many people forget to value and prioritize today.

Iweta Baran is well travelled, highly educated, and yet incredibly down to earth. The shape of her character has already touched so many of her students, and will continue to shape those who meet her.

Guys in the modified car community are a friendly bunch. If we ever decide to create a meet, it’s generally for the purpose to walk around, talk shit, make friends and admire cars, usually with strict rules in place. In my first-hand experience over the past 2 years or so of attending car shows/meets I’d argue that car guys are some of the nicest people you’d ever meet. Eccentric? Maybe. Dangerous? Hardly (for the most part). There is however a select group of individuals in this community with far less innocent intentions. These are the drifters, the street racers, or as mainstream programs so elegantly coin, Hoons. Members of the car community, completely separate from individuals such as these have suffered vilification at the hands of media defamation. the label of the Hoon now stretches to anyone owning a modified car. Lowered? Hoon. Body kit? Hoon. Wider wheels? You can bet your ass you’re a hoon. Now sticks and stones, what little harm can a label have right? Wrong. Programs such as A Current Affair (as a serial offender) have added fuel to the fire and resulted in the criminal profiling of automotive enthusiasts, especially young, male drivers in the age range of 16 and 25 years (Armstrong & Steinhardt, 2004).

Being the sarcastic individual that I am Defect Notice, as the name of this blog, was explicitly chosen. The major fear of every car guy is to be issued with one of these little yellow ‘defect notice’ tickets leaving a car show for ‘dangerous modifications’ or for far more arbitrary reasons. As Armstrong et al discusses, many car guys will wear the defect notice and accept it, an illegal mod is a risky move and if that involves a fine, so be it. However, if you are pulled by an officer for example and defected for say, not having the H pattern printed on your shift knob, you are bound to be upset and more than a little pissed off. Sound ridiculous? It’s legitimately happened more than once. http://www.boostcruising.com/talk/764301-Defect-Notice.html.

Now, I’m not here to argue that drifting should be legal on public roads and that Australia’s current Anti-Hoon laws are wrong. I completely agree, public safety is of huge importance. Currently you can receive a roadside sanction from street racing, aggravated burnouts, engaging in a police pursuit or by speeding by more than 45km/h (Roads and Maritime Services, 2014), which is fair enough. If you are stupid enough to actually commit one of these acts in a public street, you deserve what’s coming to you. What’s not okay however is the profiling of all young car enthusiasts as hoons, resulting in harassment from police and a general bad time. Take this example from Armstrong et al (2004)

P1: “so they drove up in the (imported Japanese model), it’s got fairly dark tinted windows, the police pull them over and he puts down the window, police sees that it’s a 50 year old, and he goes, ‘oh sorry! Have a nice day, drive on’. I mean where’s the justice in that?”

P2: “Yet if it was the son driving, it would have been ‘get out of the vehicle, pop the hood’, and you know.”

What doesn’t help is the falsification and repetition of information. A Current Affair specifically have been accused of fixing opinion polls, setting up stories and constantly replay the same ‘Hoon footage’ from the month before hand. Don’t believe me? Here:

·         https://www.facebook.com/streetfx/posts/10155803744585112

·         http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/02/04/aca-and-nsw-police-digging-a-hole-over-fake-hoon-story/

Now I love cars and if you are reading this you probably do too, and unfortunately for me I fit in the 16-25 hoon demographic. However, I have never been arrested, defected or had an accident in any car, modified or not, and I know for a fact I’m not alone.

 References:

Armstrong, K & Steinhardt, D 2004, Understanding street racing and ‘hoon’ culture: An exploratory investigation of perceptions and experiences, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, accessed 10th October 2015, http://acrs.org.au/files/arsrpe/RS050004.pdf

Roads and Maritime Services, 2014, Street racing and other 'hoon' offences, RMS.com.au, accessed 12th October 2015, http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/offences-penalties/street-racing-hoon-offences.html

Almost like losing a limb or a close friend, few individuals know the true pain of selling your project car. As of one week ago today I had sold my prized possession, my satin black VW Notchback, the Milk Crate, and many a tear was shed  *cue violin playing in the background*. Although to the outsider this might seem like just any other part of life, car builders know that when you put your heart and soul into building a personalised and customised cruiser, it can be quite hard to let go.

The decision to sell the Notchback wasn’t an easy one; honestly it had been one of those cars I’d tossed up keeping forever, but life has a particular way of throwing curve balls at you. Budget cars without garage’s can become a particular issue for builders, it’s not that you don’t want to put the money into fixing the body work, or the paint or whatever it may be, it’s the fact that you are going to have to do it again in another couple of years. Car building in this way can turn into constantly chasing your tail, and if you are a broke-ass uni student, it doesn’t sound like a great option.

After two years of running like a top and with no accidents or body damage, the first bubbles of rusted were starting to show despite the hundreds of hours I’d spent sanding, rust proofing and cavity waxing the entire body. The truth however, does exist that you can only fix what you can get to, and fixing these areas would mean having to repaint entire panels. Big dollars, especially for a daily driver.

After about three weeks of back and forth “I should sell it, no why would I do that, nah it’s probably time” I finally bit the bullet and took out a car sales ad, comforted by the idea that ‘selling such a personalised car would probably take months’. Within three hours I had inquiries, within three days I had a scam artist named “Solomona Ulu” attempt to get the drop on me and within one week I had someone looking at the car. That one person was all it took.

In the space of an hour I had a phone call, a family come look at the car, fall in love with it and drive it home (2 hours from where I currently live). The Milk crate was gone, and I couldn’t believe it. Immediately after was thrust into annoyance in realising, life without a car absolutely sucks and from my mates harassment that “you shouldn’t have sold it”.

So now as an honorary train jockey and thief of my mum’s stock-as-a-rock corolla, I’m desperately searching for a new car to replace the Milk Crate.

Guess I’ll just have to make the next one even better.

I've been thinking recently about ways to talk about love that don't sound like the same old same old that everyone has said a million and three times before. Ways that actually properly express and do justice to that feeling that trumps all other feelings. Ways that don't sound really lame and ewwwww and please don't suck that person's face and then gush about it in front of me. I think this article by Danielle Campoamor finds some of these ways.