Boy it’s been a long time between videos. I’d say I’ve been busy (and I have) but there’s more to it than that. Anyway, here’s one. I’ve got 5 more in the can. Let’s see if I can’t get them done before their time expires.
By the way, I’m still messing with the site after installing Show In A Box. Not really sure what size image works in the post – the Flash and iPod versions are 320 X 240 and the QuickTime file is 640 X 480 – so I sorta split the difference.
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33 Comments
Thanks Micheal,my sentiments exactly. Let’s make some more.
That was great. I am guilty as well. Wanting the idea to be executed to perfection usually leads to planning which leads to more planning which leads to procrastination which leads to brain crack.
I picked up a MacBook Pro last weekend. The built-in iSight removes another layer of excuses. It’s so easy to go to facebook or blip or youtube or wherever that has the record-from-your-webcam option and post a quick thought. On facebook, it’s just a couple of clicks from record to post. Very easy, very cool.
Keep ‘em coming.
Awesome. I feel that – oh – so many times. Thanks for sharing Michael!
I had to watch this twice. I looked away for a second while you were talking about sitting down in the chair with the intention of being creative, and when my eyes returned I saw “ass ——> chair” exactly as you said “and this is what came out” and I went “huh? a chair came out of his ass?” I needed to just sit and be in order to see this video!
Thanks for making it. I love it.
Now go fucking make something else!
You might be working on the theme or something, but I can’t see the video or any image…
I don’t know what is up with Wordpress – all of a sudden my theme switched and now my plugin settings changed while I was asleep.
So funny… And heartening to know that even people who have been doing it for a while have these feelings. Everything’s valid and if people are not interested, they will just switch off, but whenever I feel like this I just think about how often I have not been interested in a post, which is pretty much never. It’s all interesting to me, and I try to make myself think that this is the way that other people feel too.
Kary – Brain Crack – that’s great. I hadn’t seen that one before.
Cheryl – yes ma’am!
Hopefully the video doesn’t disappear again.
Wonderful.
You nailed it.
I am soo guilty with you.
Thanks.
Do it!
Yay! Wonderful.
And I like the huge version. Make that one come up by default when we click on the picture. I didn’t have to wait for it to load… big is cool.
Excellent!
You pretty much summed up the creative process right there.
Well done.
Nice to know that I’m not the only one who starts the day by typing,
“I don’t know what to write. I really have nothing to say right now. I would like to write something, but my mind is empty. My fingers keep moving, but I’m not typing anything important here.”
It only takes about a page and a half of that stuff before the good stuff comes out.
Yeah Laura, it seems almost anything I write starts off with a few paragraphs of that. Doesn’t seem to work to just paste it in from a clipboard though.
That was a great dose of medicine to wake up to this morning. Thanks for reminding me to put things in perspective and realign my thinking to what I already know the truth is. (Plus, two more pieces of video to go until my first vlog is done!)
MMMmmruuuuuuuhhhhhh
I have the same issue all the time.
Loved the visuals and message, but still addicted to that voice of yours!
The JUST FUCKING MAKE SOMETHING was hilarious. True too. I could learn from those words of wisdom.
Evan (http://e-vlog.blogspot.com)
Yes, yes – it’s all about just doing it and letting what’s going to come out, come out. Keeping the creative juices flowing and gurgling and fermenting. And allowing the stuff that’s not so good to just be what it is, and realizing that it’s just a gateway to the really good stuff.
Dude.
You have SO got it.
Classic Video Michael – you closet Buddhist you
when I watched this video this morning, I couldn’t wait to comment. I watched it and thought “you? you feel this way too?” I was actually excited I coundn’t wait to tell you how it made me feel. And then…..I saw all these wonderful comments, expressing what I wanted to say and in most cased far better than I ever could. And I thought….”why comment now, it would just be redundent, what could I possible add, what could I possibly say that hasn’t already been said?”
why do we do that as human beings? why do we always feel the need to compare ourselves to others? To what others do or say? Your video moved me and I almost didn’t tell you because “others” had already told you it moved them.
I’m glad you are posting video’s again and I hope you never stop because you inspired me a long time ago, you and Ry. And when I need to be reminded why I vlog, I watch the Freevlog indroduction video and I remember….I vlog to share, to connect, to create to just be me…..I am a vlogger and this is my life….
Thank you Michael and hope to see you someday
Heath,
What a beautiful comment. Thank you. I can’t tell you how good that is to hear and what a great reminder it is too. Not 5 minutes before reading this I didn’t leave someone a comment because everyone had said what I wanted to say already. It’s not about saying the “right” thing or a “clever” thing. It’s just simple human contact. Thanks for inspiring me too this morning!
Wow, this was a great video.
I am constantly not doing various creative things because either I don’t think it will compare to the things which inspired me to want to do something creative in the first place … or fear that it wont measure up to some other useless self-imposed rule of ‘worth’.
The “uhg I just don’t have time to do it ‘right’” mantra is paralyzing.
Having seen this video and having spent some time figuring out if the video or the voice over came first … I’m off to solve the chicken or the egg thing now.
- Dave
You are so ON it! This is a constant roadblock. Always getting bogged down in comparing my stuff to others and then, even worse, to myself. Worrying so much about if I can’t churn out the goods. I wish I know when this shift took place…I must have not cared at some point, or else I’d NEVER have posted a thing! My “There’s no way I can post this” folder gets bigger and bigger and my fears of whether my ideas are somehow decreasing in “quality” increase right along with it. I’m not even sure when i started thinking “I have to have an idea” before i make a video! I didn’t used to!
Adding to my self-imposed nonsensical suffering is the nagging feeling that I totally know better; I’ve seen the artistic process in action, I see what stymies my artist friends. The stumbling, the wavering, the procrastinating, the perfection issues…trouble is, I’ve never embraced my videoblogging as art. I’ve never considered myself an artist of any kind. Of course, I TOTALLY think all other videobloggers as artists. So when I find myself beating myself silly about matters of worth I dismiss myself as “lazy”, “boring”, “I got nothing” or simply “I stink” it has an extra layer of “who am I kidding? I’m no artist.” which slows me down further–makes me not even want to try even if I DO have an idea in my head.
It’s gut wrenching.
I only got into this medium to communicate. I wish I knew when I started thinking of it as something else.
I will, however, sit my ass in the nearest chair and just MAKE something instead of worrying myself half to death about it next time.
Thank you so much for this reminder/kick in the pants.
it’s that burden of being creative.
for me i feel, like you, like this thing in my head just can’t be made, i have it so perfect in my head. how will i ever get that out in the way i imagine it?
then i get stuck.
but then i remember that doing it is better than not.
and also….
you hippie!
So I watched this a day ago.
I came here via your twitter on Heath’s comment.
Then I watched the video.
It was a beautiful piece — tangibly the animated background texture was awesome (you really put this together in 15 minutes ?!?!)
But much more than that is that old Michael Verdi punditry, which speaks of the essence of a particular feeling that I’ve had, but have never heard articulated before.
In this case, Ze Frank’s famous “Brain Crack” video comes to mind as something that’s sort of similar. That is the idea that ideas can stagnate like poisoned water if we let them sit in our minds for too long. Much better to sit your ass down and get rid of some brain crack.
So that’s what I’m doing now after the Web Video Summit.
Getting rid of brain crack.
Why?
Because I read Heath’s comment. Watched the video. Saw that there were already 20+ other comments or so. And didn’t feel like I had anything extra to add — except for the fact that Jen and I did a video talking about the difference between “Doing” and “Being” on the last day of videoblogging week 2006.
But then I thought, “No, I shouldn’t share just that because that would look too promotional — trying to steal the thunder and beauty of your post.”
But I’m back after a day of letting it simmer and deciding that I’m going to process some of this brain crack I’ve got stored up.
Hey Kent,
Thanks for the comment and the reminder about your post from videoblogging week 2006. In my world that’s not promotional because we’re people not brands. I really loved all the videos you guys did that week. They’re so honest and intimate. Those are what got me excited about meeting you guys.
Also,
Kent & David: The words and the idea came out after about 15 minutes of noise. Recording the voiceover took about 3 minutes. Actually making the video took a long time.
Ryanne: Oh yeah. So are you.
Richard: Oh yeah, I’m that too.
Miss B: You are such an artist.
I’m just seeing this b/c I’m way behind on the watching part of the vlogger compact. But, anyway, as others have said you expressed very well a part of the creative process we all go through. Thanks.
How come I never saw this?
It’s fucking brilliant.
I feel the need to do what YouTube commenters do, just write out the best line and add LOL!!!!
JUST FUCKING MAKE SOMETHING! LOL!!!!
also, your graymattergravy fullscreen video experience is awesome
WOW! i like the lalalalala. nice! Nicholson. yes! the rest was a reason to come home and slap you!!!! i appreciate that you are out there but for f* sake, are you teaching at SAC already!!! Michael, you are inundated with what you do. you are great. i know it. stop f*ing around. get out there. i remember when you were not safe.