Today's blog is a little late, because it's a video that takes time to upload and process. It's fairly informal. For videos intended to be more commercial, I'd go for a more energetic stage presence. I'd want those to be extremely scripted to eliminate the ums and pauses and such. This one is me talking to you about the studio and Book 2 in a more conversational way.
I taped it when I'd normally be eating lunch. So, if you think you hear my stomach growling, it could just be your imagination. ;)
Here's the link: https://youtu.be/d1ahdytAfJI When I checked it, it was in 240p. YouTube may need more time to process higher resolutions. It's filmed in 720p. If it doesn't show up in 720 later, I'll need to figure out why. It would have to be the conversion process from .mov to .mp4.
Edit: I had to reconvert the video. The new link is: https://youtu.be/uWQmrKDvtEI It's still not HD, but it's a lot better. I need to upgrade my video editor.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Friday, September 23, 2016
Taxes and the Failed Video
I got some more done on Book 2 but little or nothing on Book 3. Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.
I almost had a surprise video. It was really close. I tinkered a few minutes with my studio setup this week and was ready to make a quick video last night. It turned out not to be quick at all. Between the retakes and an interruption, I think it ended up taking over an hour. I was sitting in the chair, as pictured previously, talking about the studio and explaining my general plans for future videos. The highlight was when my cat got in my lap. Unfortunately, I had a battery problem. I have this lavalier mic that takes one LR44 battery. I have two packs of them I ordered off Amazon for dirt cheap. It turns out they're all just about dead. I got sound, but it was very low and had a lot of white noise in it. The mic was $23 and change when I bought it. There's no battery indicator light on it. I either need to buy batteries at the store for much higher than Amazon, or I need to consider a new mic. I have a simple, wired one, but it's not as good as the battery one. I also need a camera tripod. I knocked the camera over at least twice.
Anyway, part of what I talked about on the video was related to my dad's death. Two or three weeks ago the company that makes his insulin pump tried to contact him to upgrade it. His was out of warranty. I eventually talked to them and let them know people in heaven don't need medical devices. Not in those words, of course. :) This week I had to go with my mom to the tag office. [For non-U.S. readers, this is a local government tax office for motor vehicles. They make us buy a license plate and then tax us every year for a small decal to place on it, or we can't legally drive the vehicle.] When we got there, they wouldn't let her buy the decals she needed because the titles were in my dad's name. They couldn't transfer ownership to her without the title[A legal document proving ownership, mileage, sales history, etc.]. We had to go to the bank and get the titles. This was all at the end of the day. By then, the tag office was closed. We had to go back a different day at the end of that day for her to sign a bunch of papers and pay taxes. The next morning she got a call that they had missed one paper she needed to sign.
I should mention we went to that office in 2013 to switch the ownership, but somehow it's not in their computer. Just somehow. So, that's three days to do one thing that should have already been processed[This is why Americans have so many guns. ;) Just kidding. It only adds to the other reasons. ;)]. It was like that after he passed away. It took months. Three years later little things like the medical company and the car tags still occasionally coming up. When someone passes away, there's a lot the family needs to do. Therefore, I've decided that we're not going to die. Dying isn't fair to our families. It's not fair to us. We need to live indefinitely. From now on, let's do that. So far so good for me. If you're reading this, then so far so good for you.
I might try another video later this weekend. One thing I could tell about the video was that even after all the practice I've done the past few months, I need to work on it more in front of the camera. I wasn't as compelling as I feel I am in practice. I didn't stutter and say um or things like that. A certain polish was there. I just didn't have the stage presence needed for a good video. The best part was with the cat. It loosened me up and relaxed me some. At the very least, I learned a lot.
I've made YouTube videos before, but I was never on camera. That's how I have a camera and lavalier mics by the way. In those it was me filming something while narrating. It's not the same.
Have a good weekend.
I almost had a surprise video. It was really close. I tinkered a few minutes with my studio setup this week and was ready to make a quick video last night. It turned out not to be quick at all. Between the retakes and an interruption, I think it ended up taking over an hour. I was sitting in the chair, as pictured previously, talking about the studio and explaining my general plans for future videos. The highlight was when my cat got in my lap. Unfortunately, I had a battery problem. I have this lavalier mic that takes one LR44 battery. I have two packs of them I ordered off Amazon for dirt cheap. It turns out they're all just about dead. I got sound, but it was very low and had a lot of white noise in it. The mic was $23 and change when I bought it. There's no battery indicator light on it. I either need to buy batteries at the store for much higher than Amazon, or I need to consider a new mic. I have a simple, wired one, but it's not as good as the battery one. I also need a camera tripod. I knocked the camera over at least twice.
Anyway, part of what I talked about on the video was related to my dad's death. Two or three weeks ago the company that makes his insulin pump tried to contact him to upgrade it. His was out of warranty. I eventually talked to them and let them know people in heaven don't need medical devices. Not in those words, of course. :) This week I had to go with my mom to the tag office. [For non-U.S. readers, this is a local government tax office for motor vehicles. They make us buy a license plate and then tax us every year for a small decal to place on it, or we can't legally drive the vehicle.] When we got there, they wouldn't let her buy the decals she needed because the titles were in my dad's name. They couldn't transfer ownership to her without the title[A legal document proving ownership, mileage, sales history, etc.]. We had to go to the bank and get the titles. This was all at the end of the day. By then, the tag office was closed. We had to go back a different day at the end of that day for her to sign a bunch of papers and pay taxes. The next morning she got a call that they had missed one paper she needed to sign.
I should mention we went to that office in 2013 to switch the ownership, but somehow it's not in their computer. Just somehow. So, that's three days to do one thing that should have already been processed[This is why Americans have so many guns. ;) Just kidding. It only adds to the other reasons. ;)]. It was like that after he passed away. It took months. Three years later little things like the medical company and the car tags still occasionally coming up. When someone passes away, there's a lot the family needs to do. Therefore, I've decided that we're not going to die. Dying isn't fair to our families. It's not fair to us. We need to live indefinitely. From now on, let's do that. So far so good for me. If you're reading this, then so far so good for you.
I might try another video later this weekend. One thing I could tell about the video was that even after all the practice I've done the past few months, I need to work on it more in front of the camera. I wasn't as compelling as I feel I am in practice. I didn't stutter and say um or things like that. A certain polish was there. I just didn't have the stage presence needed for a good video. The best part was with the cat. It loosened me up and relaxed me some. At the very least, I learned a lot.
I've made YouTube videos before, but I was never on camera. That's how I have a camera and lavalier mics by the way. In those it was me filming something while narrating. It's not the same.
Have a good weekend.
Friday, September 16, 2016
The Mold Strikes Back
After I posted about what I thought was the fix for the mold, the smell exploded. I've spent hours and hours through the week trying to get it under control. I had to take the air conditioner out and bleach the window sill. When I did that, I think I found the real problem. The window is equipped with storm windows, which go over regular windows. They're supposed to keep houses warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer and lower energy costs. Once I started cleaning the sill, I noticed a line of sealant at the bottom of the storm window. I also noticed a groove that allows rainwater to drain off the sill. Ah, someone blocked the groove, causing water to pool and create mildew and apparently drain into the cinder blocks below.
Even with the sill leak fixed, I couldn't get rid of the smell. I had to take part of the window frame apart, which led to the discovery that I could see daylight through the wall under the window where it wasn't properly installed. I bought some Great Stuff and sealed up the cinder blocks and the gap under the window. It doesn't cost that much in the store. I think it was $3.75 for the big gap filler.
So, that was a lot of how the week went, experimenting with this and that trying to fix the mildew and mold smell in that room. I discovered yesterday that I'm going to have to paint the sill while being careful not to block the drain groove. I know this isn't exciting, but it's how life's going. At least I didn't explain about the way the AC was throwing water around or how I cracked part of the window sill on the inside or how I had to saw part of it off to open up the wall or call the people who built the house monkeys again.
Nevertheless, I got a little done on Book 2 and Book 3. The Book 3 rough draft is now 25% done. It's crazy how fast it's going compared to Book 2, even with the obstacles. While working on Book 2, I noticed a character raising someone from the dead who in Book 3 can't be a Great Healer for story reasons. I also noticed a character in the beginning of Book 2 who wasn't around at the end. Oops. General Trifon, if you must know. Somewhere I lost him.
The mold smell exploded just as I was about to start the YouTube channels. In a way I find the setback giving me more inspiration to get them going. I've had this non-fiction book on the back burner for a while. It finally occurred to me I could use the Messengers YouTube channel to sell it. The That Don't Work channel would lend itself to selling the YA book. Casually sell. I could put a link in the description box or something not badger people. That would help me out a lot by doing the marketing I find so distasteful. It wouldn't take a lot for me to be able to focus on writing full time. I've been doing a little research on the side. I have a roadmap and some numbers. We'll see what happens.
Have a great weekend.
Even with the sill leak fixed, I couldn't get rid of the smell. I had to take part of the window frame apart, which led to the discovery that I could see daylight through the wall under the window where it wasn't properly installed. I bought some Great Stuff and sealed up the cinder blocks and the gap under the window. It doesn't cost that much in the store. I think it was $3.75 for the big gap filler.
So, that was a lot of how the week went, experimenting with this and that trying to fix the mildew and mold smell in that room. I discovered yesterday that I'm going to have to paint the sill while being careful not to block the drain groove. I know this isn't exciting, but it's how life's going. At least I didn't explain about the way the AC was throwing water around or how I cracked part of the window sill on the inside or how I had to saw part of it off to open up the wall or call the people who built the house monkeys again.
Nevertheless, I got a little done on Book 2 and Book 3. The Book 3 rough draft is now 25% done. It's crazy how fast it's going compared to Book 2, even with the obstacles. While working on Book 2, I noticed a character raising someone from the dead who in Book 3 can't be a Great Healer for story reasons. I also noticed a character in the beginning of Book 2 who wasn't around at the end. Oops. General Trifon, if you must know. Somewhere I lost him.
The mold smell exploded just as I was about to start the YouTube channels. In a way I find the setback giving me more inspiration to get them going. I've had this non-fiction book on the back burner for a while. It finally occurred to me I could use the Messengers YouTube channel to sell it. The That Don't Work channel would lend itself to selling the YA book. Casually sell. I could put a link in the description box or something not badger people. That would help me out a lot by doing the marketing I find so distasteful. It wouldn't take a lot for me to be able to focus on writing full time. I've been doing a little research on the side. I have a roadmap and some numbers. We'll see what happens.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, September 9, 2016
Mold and Dead Authors
It was a mixed week on the book front. I'm over 20% of the way through Book 3 but didn't get a lick done on Book 2. I've been battling mold this week because of the humidity, which is actually lower than it was in August. I couldn't figure out where it was. It finally turned out that a window air conditioner was leaking onto the window sill a little bit and was only doing it because I was running the air conditioner one degree lower than before. There was a strip of plastic beneath it that was catching and holding water. The A/C itself smells fine. That made it very hard to tell what was happening.
The plastic's gone. I've cleaned the sill with bleach and water. When it's completely dry, I'll paint it and make sure it's sealed. It's been a mess all week. I was trying everything, including shampooing carpets. I may have to get a new filter for my air purifier. The pre-filter for sure smells terrible.
Do you know how authors die and their books keep coming out? I've always been very suspicious of that. I understand how that happens now. I have the mystery/romance on the back burner until I can motivate myself to fix it. I have the YA book on the back burner until Book 2 is further along. I have the rough draft for Book 2 itself. I have half a rough draft for the space novel, which contains spoilers for the B'vellah War series. Book 3 is underway. Thus, I have three manuscripts in various stages of completion and two partials. I may have the Book 3 rough draft done before Book 2 comes out. That would make four books.
Publishers take forever to get a book out the door. That's how dead authors keep coming out with new books for a while. They have things in the pipeline. What I need to do is take a week off from everything and work on the books.
And where was the air conditioner? In the room with my YouTube "studio".
Have a great weekend.
The plastic's gone. I've cleaned the sill with bleach and water. When it's completely dry, I'll paint it and make sure it's sealed. It's been a mess all week. I was trying everything, including shampooing carpets. I may have to get a new filter for my air purifier. The pre-filter for sure smells terrible.
Do you know how authors die and their books keep coming out? I've always been very suspicious of that. I understand how that happens now. I have the mystery/romance on the back burner until I can motivate myself to fix it. I have the YA book on the back burner until Book 2 is further along. I have the rough draft for Book 2 itself. I have half a rough draft for the space novel, which contains spoilers for the B'vellah War series. Book 3 is underway. Thus, I have three manuscripts in various stages of completion and two partials. I may have the Book 3 rough draft done before Book 2 comes out. That would make four books.
Publishers take forever to get a book out the door. That's how dead authors keep coming out with new books for a while. They have things in the pipeline. What I need to do is take a week off from everything and work on the books.
And where was the air conditioner? In the room with my YouTube "studio".
Have a great weekend.
Friday, September 2, 2016
Cannae Drive to Space
The Impossible Propulsion Drive is Heading to Space. This is exciting. The EMDrive has been in the news off and on for years. It's been controversial, because the physics of it isn't understood or is ignored. The big question has been, Since it doesn't weigh much, why doesn't somebody send one into space and see if it works and end the arguing? Finally, it looks like someone will be sending up a Cannae Drive. I haven't followed it like I have the EMDrive, but it's supposed to be similar in principle. If it works, then automatically someone would have to send up an EMDrive. Right? I would think so.
I've wondered if some big space propulsion breakthrough would happen, because of verses like Odadiah 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
How literal or how figurative is that? It's literal on the face of it, but does that mean going to the stars in a realistic time frame is likely? I hope it is. The Cannae Drive wouldn't go up until next year probably.
The EMDrive also made news this week. Peer reviewed paper. Yay!
I still don't like this deal between Solar City and Tesla.
I've been fighting an infection lately and have been tired. Things have been going slowly on the book front.
I downloaded some video capture software packages for the YouTube show but haven't experimented with them yet. I see the books as having higher priority. I already have video editing software. The new package would be to capture things on the screen to be edited later.
Have a great weekend.
I've wondered if some big space propulsion breakthrough would happen, because of verses like Odadiah 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
How literal or how figurative is that? It's literal on the face of it, but does that mean going to the stars in a realistic time frame is likely? I hope it is. The Cannae Drive wouldn't go up until next year probably.
The EMDrive also made news this week. Peer reviewed paper. Yay!
I still don't like this deal between Solar City and Tesla.
I've been fighting an infection lately and have been tired. Things have been going slowly on the book front.
I downloaded some video capture software packages for the YouTube show but haven't experimented with them yet. I see the books as having higher priority. I already have video editing software. The new package would be to capture things on the screen to be edited later.
Have a great weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)