broken camera

because text is all I got

reflecting

reflecting's text link



It's my last videoblogging class video. This vlog though, it's really been a wonderful experience -- so I think I'll keep it going. My video camera officially stinks, so I think I'll have to invest in a new one sometime soon. Either that or find someone who fixes cameras.... but really, is there such a thing as a consumer level camera repair shop?
I'm rambling. Michael Hyde, another one of my vlogging classmates, found me making bongo beats in garageband as I tried to make the last class-induced post and said "hey, I have a camera let's talk". Thus this video's rambling. but, I hope you enjoy and i'll see you in vloggersville.

Cartwheels!

cartwheel video


There has been a recent spike of crime in my neighborhood, a teenager was murdered while riding bike two blocks away from my house- the police suspect it was an attempted robbery. Two nights ago two girls were jumped and raped by a guy riding by on his bike - that was 5 blocks from my house. my friend was mugged on my block on his walk home from work earlier this semester. and those are only the ones that I've heard about.
Needless to say I need to get my mind off my fears, so I decided to address an old childhood fear - cartwheels. Once I can face that fear, it almost feals like I have control over my other fears. I don't want to trivialize what's happening, but it's helped to know that I can fight back on some level...

The music is by my favorite band, Minuit. They are from New Zealand and friends of some of my friends. The song I'm using is called "We're All Scared Professor" from their latest album, The Guards Themselves.

tagged: cartwheel, philadelphia, fight back, minuit

The Bio

this video is for sarah and ainsley.


So, my camera is working again. I'm not sure what went wrong... I'm thinking it just didn't like the tape I was using...

So, as I mention in the intro, I've had a request to say a little something about myself -- describe who i am if you will. At first i figured it would be easy, but then I realized that what makes me, me is a lot more than I'm sure anyone is willing to sit through. I have here a few highlights of things that interest me and whatnot, but I'm still feeling as if it's lacking in content. Isn't it strange how to be a person is more than just likes and dislikes, yet when you talk about it, that's all that seems to come out? that and "once, when I was like (fill in the blank age)...."

maybe that gave you a little snippet into my life. I'd like to encourage all of you to try it at least once... you know, vlog about who you are. Not only would i (and hopefully others!) be interested to see what you come up with, but it'll be a great trip down memory lane to make a 3rd grade style project!

Vloggers of Videoblogging week 2006!

click if you want to see the videobloggers in action....


I have just spent more time looking at everyone's vlogs than I ever have before -- and they are sooooo worth the eye strain and sore back!
I decided it would be worthwhile to do a summary of what I've seen thus far in the videoblogging week. I have to admit, I'm still new at a lot of this, so it is a bit rough (any suggestions on how I get vlog media to show up regular size when I re-post it?). I also saw heaps more vlogs that I could have used, but because I'm kinda time limited, and they were not easily downloadable (you tube, flash, etc) I couldn't include them in this one. If there are any additions anyone wishes to point me to, I'd be glad to do a re-vamp!

Thank you all so very much for sharing your work, especially thanks to:

90 Seconds of Dave, a doll's house, Aaron Valdez, Adam & Vik, Alena, Anders Pollas, Andy Carvins Waste of Bandwidth, Anthony, backinblakk, Beach Walks With Rox, Bekah, Bev Sykes, BK's Video, Blips, Bottom Union, Bre, Carl Weaver's Video Log, Casey McKinnon, Chris Daniel, Chris Weagal, Clark Saturn, Dan and Jen's Animal Friends, Daughter Show, David, David Howell Studios, David Meade, Devlon Duthie duncan, Duncan Rawlinson, Ebb & Flow, Eddie Codel, Erin Nealy, FreeTime, Funny the Vlog, Harold J. Johnson, Harricot Vert (bobthevlog), Heath Parks (Batmangeek), i am dooser, IMR:VOG, Irene Uncensored, jay dedman, Jen Proctor/Nanoramas, Joel Stuart, Josh Leo, Karina Hill, Kelly Skoty, Killer B, Leslye Penelope, LifesLens, LittleBlueRiver7, Markus Sandy, Matchbook Films, MB Free For All, Mexico Movies, Michael Verdi, missbhavens, More Than This, Mr. Brown, pouringdown, Randy Wicker, rob parrish, Roger’s Adventures, Ryanne, Schlomo , Shane Andrusiak, Shooting Full Force, Something That Happened, Starfire, Stephanie Bryant (Mortaine), Steve Garfield's Video Blog, Stone Face Vloggers studiocurtis, Susan, Ted Tagami, Tim, tinkernet, XiCast (Aidan), Zadi Diaz (Karmagrrrl)


tagged:videobloggingweek2006

edit 4/11/06: I have recently realized that I credit people who are not actually in the video. I hope to soon rectify it and add them and re-post the improved version. Apparently the editing system I worked on only wanted to see about half of the videos I tried importing- thus making it entirely too difficult to realize I didn't add them.

Dancing with the STARS!

click here to dance alone!


My sister is visiting this weekend--- I thought I'd let you in on a little fun game we do sometimes.
has anyone noticed that doing this whole week long vlogging is getting harder, and easier at the same time? I adore it, I really do. Its great having a whole heap of new vlogs to watch every day.
and its great having you all watch them. Thank you!

videobloggingweek2006

and thanks to Juliana for helping me out on this one. lets dance again.

Wawawa wa wawa wa wa wawawa

wa wa wa wawawa wawa wa wa


I'm sorry to everyone who has been keeping up on my videoblogging week 2006. I tried to do something every day this week, but yesterday was just far too busy. I did get my video camera back though!

Today I figured I would experiment with language. Dangerous, eh? Not much to it, but it was a lot of fun to make. I love spring.


technorati tag: videobloggingweek2006

thanks to andrei for helping me out on this one. the conversation would have been very one sided without ya.

the hike

CLICK ME CLICK ME CLICK ME



just barely making it in for a wednesday post. I'm sorry everyone. I had so little time today to get anything together, but I figured I'd introduce you to one of my american friends who lived with me in New Zealand last year, laura.

This trip to rangitoto island was for the foreign exchange students at the university of auckland in february 2005. It was awesome. I'd show you the beautiful scenic images that I captured there, but it seems my camera holding skills were still in need of development (basically, it made me sea sick watching it again). Maybe later. When I'm a little bit more pulled together.

But for a little bit of history on where I'm at here, Rangitoto island is an island just off the coast of Auckland (the largest city in NZ). As laura mentions in the video it is a recently active volcanic mountain, meaning the large chunks of rock are the same rocks that we spend 5 bucks a pop on at rite-aid to smooth our feet down.

tags: videobloggingweek2006

discovering american

if you'd like to see it and can't figure out the picture link, use this.


These two lovely darlings are my favorite children in the entire world. This was taken a year ago whilst I was visiting them during my stay in New Zealand.

This is nothing anywhere near "dangerous" vlogging, nor does it have anything to with what I'm doing on here -- but it's a nice little break. And besides, who couldn't take a little bit of cute once in a while?

Technorati Tag videobloggingweek2006, New Zealand

the creative process

so without procrastinating any further...


It's a little bit different today. I decided to expore the world of videotaped writing sessions and discovered that I would much rather talk to the camera than write (go figure). No one can ever say that I'm a camera shy person, thats for sure.

Although its interesting how the brain works when we are trying to come up with something. Reflecting back on this as I was editing it I realized that I never make anything without getting distracted first. When I want something created, I can't just sit down and do it - I have to work on it, and take a break, grab a drink, make faces to amuse myself, and get back to writing. And I think this is the way a lot of people think and get things done. Nothing amazing ever comes to a person when they are (theortically) chained to a project -- its better to just give it time to develop.... a lot like a good wine. This is especially true when it comes to projects of the mundane and the agonizingly boring.

on a side note-- I think I'm going to do vlog week! I do not have a camera for the first half of the week (I loaned it to a good friend for her dance project) so I will be posting things that have nothing to do with the vlog theme (bet you didn't know I had a theme, eh?) but are more so that I have a permanent record of them -- hopefully you'll find them interesting too!

videobloggingweek2006

cops in the hood

so you want to watch my video?



So this past week, on my walk home from school I ran across a cop chase, ending a block from where I was. I pulled out my video camera and held it low, trying to avoid attention with it. A guy with his two kids saw it and said "yo! You got a camera? go over there and start taping!"

And you know what? That was the kick in the butt I needed. Just someone demanding I tape something, get it recorded, make it physical. It was exhilerating. Not everyone hates being taped, and some things are better when the camera is turned on from the get go.

I was walking through a park when a helicopter hoovered directly overhead. It was the second time in that park I should have pulled out my video camera -- and both times I figured it was most likely for the best that I didn't... and I was wrong. looking back, I would love to have that footage. I would love to have had my camera on while I deliberated if I was safe checking out the scene.

lesson learned.

but now you ask how this fits into my theme of things being more than they are? I'm not exactly sure how it works out. I figure that whenever a white girl records a group of black, male, teenagers talking about the criminal justice system -- there's always more than meets the eye.

the art museum

this is the text link so that those of you who don't know to click on the picture can still watch my video.


I thought I'd try taking my camera out of the house today and face my fears because, as Neal (my first commenter!) said, if I don't use my camera it may as well be stolen.

So what better place to try it out at then the art museum? It's been a long while since I've been there, but this was by far the best time I've ever had mulling over old art. It was a bit uncomfortable for me to be talking to a camera in such a public place, and sometimes you will notice I completely lose my train of thought and talk in circles -- I think time and exposure is the cure for it.

This was a great exercise for me though, to take the camera and make a trip to a museum have multi-dimensions in the visit, the art, the experience. I've discovered that even though my trip's goal was to look at art, I experienced the trip to and from, the interactions there, and the thoughts provoked by the pieces. I hope you all can get out of it what I was trying to convey about my awe.
until next week,
bethany

ps. anyone know where I can get a cheap copy of final cut pro? this whole, iMovie editing is driving me bonkers.

Frustrated

either click on the picture, or click here.


I think I have a knack for making things more complicated than they should be. I set up this idea about exploring the world and giving a closer look into everything, and it seems that the world has reservations about being explored. Maybe its because i live in a city where being cautious is necessary. I don't know. Do you suppose that everyone goes through a period where they're just afraid of picking up that camera?

Maybe with the nice weather coming about I'll be able to do more non-human involved explorations. I hate going outside when it's cold.

Blast.... I'm somber today.... maybe tomorrow will be brighter.

The visit

Just before christmas my mom broke her foot when she slipped on ice. Last weekend she was finally liberated from her banment to the ground floor, and she was dying to get her bed out! My (twin) sister and I decided to take an overnight trip to visit her and help her out with this bed problem by getting it upstairs -- but upon looking at the footage of my weekend I found myself nodding off when it got to the actual bed-move (the subject matter I had initially intended for this post). Instead, the interactions between my sister, mom and me, were much more entertaining.

--so, the "more than what it is meant to be" theme of this weeks post is about a trip to help out my mom that ended up being more beneficial than just getting a bed to the second floor. So without further ado, The visit.

Rodents

This week has been interesting, and to say the least, eventful. This video, the first of hopefully many is the product of many-a-interesting converstions. As I have recently discovered, the humans in my life are reluctant to be caught on video... so I have turned to the rodent that has knawed and hacked into my home.
It could be considered a little off topic to be discussing rats (as my chosen blogging topic is how things are more than they are meant to be). However, I believe that we often don't take the time to look at what is surrounding the cultural identity of rats. So this blog is dedicated to the idea that often what makes something of any importance is how people believe it to be.

so without further ado I bring you - the rat video

An Introduction to a Spade

I'm writing my very first entry from the 'internet zone' at my university's completely brand new computer building. I'm writing my very first entry as an introduction to the blog I will use for my videoblogging course. I'm writing my very first entry to blog about my life like it is.

There's an old English saying I learned about a year ago, "A spade's a spade". It refers to things being just as they are-- nothing more and nothing less. The problem with this saying is that everything - life, thoughts, emotions - consist of so much more than being simply as they are. A "spade" is used in a pack of cards. A spade is also a shovel, or a digger. the word spade is used as an offensive slur. It's a device to dig yourself a hole. It's used in "accidental" head collisions in comedies, it's used to say goodbye to loved ones who have passed away. A spade is more than just a spade.

This blog is going to explore how the meanial things in my life are more than menial. How the thoughts in my mind are more than just thoughts. How the emotions I contain and interact with are more than just emotions -- it's the complexity of life.

three cheers
two candles
and
one heluvah great show.