Putting It All Out There - Eeek!

Hello my bloggy friends.  Well, I've decided to finally do it - and it's a terrifying step.  I've been thinking about doing this for a few years - literally.  Back in 2018, I was at a Garden Writers conference and speaking with a sales rep about the drip irrigation in my raised beds.  During that conversation, she casually said I should make a video about it.  I shook my head - I hated being on camera.  Even home movies made me cringe and I always shooed the camera person away, be it at a wedding or a birthday dinner.  I much prefer being behind the camera than in front of it - and that goes for photos as well.

That 2018 conversation happened in Chicago
Pictured:  Chicago Botanic Garden

The thing is, ever since she mentioned it, I've had it in the back of my mind.  Last year, I started to consider it more seriously.  I thought back to when I started this blog and how terrified I was of putting myself out there for all the world to see.  It took a long time for me to hit that "publish" button, but oh my goodness, am I ever glad I did.  That one click literally changed my life.  Of course, this didn't happen overnight - it took many posts over many months before I felt as if I was a 'proper' blogger with at least a few people reading what I wrote.   And, as with most things, the more you do it, the more comfortable you feel.

At this point, you probably guessed what I did - I created a YouTube channel and posted a video.  Actually, I created the channel a year ago but it took me a full 384 days to get up the courage to post.

The channel was all set up...
and there it sat for one year

Around mid-March, I decided to bite the bullet and recorded a video.  Then I watched it...and it was terrible.  I hated every.single.minute.  The lighting was weird, the sound was weird, my hair was weird....it was just plain awful.  And for a minute there I considered calling it.

I had to sit down and think about this logically rather than emotionally.  I was taping a video with zero experience in, well, anything.  And while I have no issue speaking as part of a group in a discussion, put me front and centre as a "speaker" and I'm like a deer in the headlights.  Think Fred Flintstone in the "Frog Mouth" episode where the only thing coming out of his mouth when the cameras turn on are chirps.

The thing is, everyone says that your first few videos are usually pretty bad...that's just how it goes.  You learn and get better - but it takes time.  A lot of time.  The most important bit is to simply do it....so I did.

Everything was new to me.  Not only shooting the video but editing it which is a whole other animal - I had no idea what to expect.  I downloaded the editing software to my computer the day after I shot the main bit of the video and started at ground zero.

While I do my research (to 'overload' levels usually) I'm very much a "learning-by-doing" sort of person.  It took me an entire week to edit that first 11 minute video - and I'm talking a couple of those days I worked on it for 8+ hours.  Of course,  there was a ton I could have done better, starting with the sound - I used a separate mic but there was such a steep learning curve just doing the basic editing that I didn't even bother trying to figure out how to add separate audio.

My first video was on the #singleseedchallenge
where you grow a solitary seed of one plant and then document
how it does on YouTube throughout the season

After that first video was out there, I was wavering as to whether or not to mention it here.  It took a few days but I finally decided to bite the bullet - it almost felt like a blind date (not that I've ever been on one, lol).  You talk to the person on the phone, you read their letters or emails but it takes a bit of courage to finally decide to meet them in person 😬

Today is exactly 8 years after I published my first blog post on "Homegrown - Adventures in my Garden" (Remember that name?  Seems like ages ago!).  I actually didn't time it this way intentionally - I just happened to get up the courage to hit the "record" button in mid-March.  Once I decided to write this post, I realized that my blogiversary was only a few days away so felt it would be appropriate to put it up on that day.  Call me sentimental ;)

I'm not sure where this new journey will take me, if anywhere.  As I said in the beginning, this is all about trying something that I've been contemplating for a long time and seeing where it goes.  I may end up loving it & you'll see me here next year celebrating the 1 year anniversary of this new endeavour or I may end up hating it and retreating back to solely doing garden blogging, which is tried and true.  Time will tell.  The one thing that I'm sure will not happen is the regret of not even trying.

I know that some people that read my blog aren't necessarily YouTube watchers, but for those that are...as that old Kenny Logins song goes....This is it!

The Gardening Me on YouTube

P.S.  As most of you know, Feedburner has been winding down their services for a while.  Being the non-tech person that I am, it took me forever and a day to transition away from Feedburner for email notifications.  I've now switched to Mailchimp and am hopeful that I've set everything up correctly.  If for some reason you are no longer receiving email notifications or you notice anything weird or glitchy in the notifications, do let me know.  Thank you 😊 

Comments

  1. I watched BOTH videos, Margaret, and I think you did very well! You spoke clearly and looked directly at the camera and you covered your subjects thoroughly. I liked the addition of informational subtitles too. I no longer grow much of anything in the way of vegetables; however, I'm growing more annual flowers from seed and I expect I'll try your cinnamon/vermiculite treatment at some point.

    I'm impressed with your launch into videos. I've done nothing beyond thinking that someday maybe I'll try a very short, soundless (and faceless) video to post on Instagram ;)

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    1. Thank you so much, Kris - I truly appreciate your kind words & getting all the way through the videos, lol! I started to do a reel here and there on Instagram a couple of months ago (no face/voice either) and it may very well have given me the little push I needed. I really hope that you decide to hit that record button at some point...I would LOVE to see a tour of even a tiny bit of your incredible garden.

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  2. Congratulations. I haven't watched the yet but plan too. I am back into trying to blog once a week again. Way to gi!....Nancy

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  3. I know how you feel about being in front of the camera - I hate it too. Martyn and I have a YouTube channel where I am happy to speak but I didge the camera mostly. I'll pay a visit when I have more time.

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    1. Hi Sue - I didn't realize you had a channel - I'll be looking for it today!

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    2. Found it! Just subscribed :)

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    3. If the channel is in my name I no longer use it as we both use the one in Martyn’s name. You come over really well and I’ve subscribed too.

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    4. Oh, thank you Sue. And yes, it was Martyn's channel that I subscribed to...am doing a bit of catch up now :)

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