Today i discovered a new use for my tripod!
As i mentioned in a previous post, i have been doing some yoga training. Watching videos on our big computer is o.k. but there is usually a lot happening in our house and even if it is 'quiet', there is dog hair all over (and often a dog to go with it). So i like to practice in a dog-free zone, where i can close the door. I decided to move my training sessions to my phone. Now i am portable!

But, where to place the phone so i can see it? And how to hold the phone while i practice?!
I know the answer to that!!   ;)

Yes, the image you see on my phone is of one of my videos -
i figured that was a copyright safe image!
And, no, my room is not iridescent blue. Just me playing with photo edit to jazz up an otherwise drab photo. 

So thanks again to all those that have contributed! I am getting a lot of use out of my new equipment!
​:)

I had this list of things i wanted to report to you... and now that i am at the computer, i can't remember all of them! Oh well.
 
My arm/hand is still not interested in computer work. It is giving me the opportunity to sit with "surrender to what is" and "be open to new". 

• I edited one audio and i have started the process of editing another  
• i had a great brain-storming session with a friend re rearranging my "studio" to make the recording a little more efficient. I will give that a go next week
• i have signed up for some on-line training (yoga)

and my wrist says "no more!" so i guess it is good i forgot those other things i wanted to say.
Happy Thursday!
​Hugs

OH! OH! I JUST REMEMBERED!!! My second Courtenay Rec yoga video has been edited and uploaded! I will head over to my "expand" page right now, it get it on there!
​:)

Thank you everyone for sending me those kind words and good healing vibes! Whatever is going on with my right arm (tendinitis?) is getting better. I am still only mousing with my left hand and keeping typing to a minimum as my arm starts to ache after a couple minutes. So it'll be another short update today. 

The house is mine for a couple hours so i am heading to my "studio" to set up and attempt to record the video that flopped last week. 
If you are reading this on May 5th around mid day, send me some good recording vibes please. 
​
If my arm is feeling up to it, i will update later. Otherwise, see you tomorrow!

hugs!

***UPDATE***
well, it took 1.50 to record plus 1.25 hours to edit and upload a 13 minute video. HA HA HA! And that is not counting the first go at this that flopped (see Day 25). 
Savasana is now ready for your viewing (and practicing pleasure). 
May your body and mind be relieved of stress. Enjoy the practice. 

Tendinitis still alive and well in my right arm so this will be short...
May 2
Script in hand, i decided to record an audio practice (way less set up). So how to hold the script up at eye level (so i can read without having to tip my head down to read at a table - not good for my neck). Introducing..... The Script Holder 2000! Ha ha. I blue goo-ed a long ruler to my tripod and then blue goo-ed my script to the ruler. Success!!

NOTE: no, my walls and carpet are not hot pink, i just needed to add some fun colour to a drab image.

So this means, i have an audio practice to edit now. My intention is to upload it to Insight Timer. And this statement should help give me a nudge to complete my account set up and take this next plunge. 

:)

Hi All! I am not quite back to 100% re tendinitis. So i will keep my posts short.
April 30th
I had the house to myself, so i set to work with recording my new video. Long, long, story short it was a flop. Nothing was going right for me that day. So i spent 2 hours with nothing to (literally) show at the end. I was off my game and the universe was testing my patience. The universe won that round as i was cranky for a couple hours after. Now, i look back and think, "meh, whatever. It is what it is. I was doing the best i could with the tools and skills and time i had available at that time. I will just do it again." I am grateful that the pain of that day didn't turn me off this endeavour forever!

:)

A quick note to say, i am taking a couple or maybe a few days off. I have developed hmmm, maybe tendinitis? I guess, this sudden change in the type of work (typing, typing, mousing, mousing) i've been doing since mid March has taken it's toll. The self-care and counter-computer exercises i have been doing just wasn't enough. So my body has spoken, and i am going to listen. 
The good side of it is, i have a script written so i can record a new practice when i have a quiet house! And maybe i can record another yoga video too!
See you soon!
:)

Today is a writing day. I have some notes on a few meditations and guided practices i'd like to record so i now i need to sit down and write the scripts. 
What does that process look like? Well, it happens a couple ways:

Way #1: 

• I (usually) hand write notes to get a general idea of content and flow.
• Then i try it out and see what works and what doesn't.
• Then back to writing and flushing out. Sometimes, the try and edit goes back and forth a few more times, and sometimes it is quick.
• Then i record.

Way #2:

• I will suddenly get inspired and writing will be too slow so i will press record on my phone and just start talking. When i do this, it is part dictation and part process.
• For some moments i am in the flow or what i call "verbally meditating" - i am not thinking, i am reciting.
• And then there are moments when i will realize i missed something earlier on or i have another hit of inspiration to change it around, so i record that too. 
• Then comes transcribing - listening to my words and typing them out to make a script. This can be slow as i never really learned how to type plus i experience dyslexia when typing. So listen and type and listen and type and listen and type..... etc and then edit, try it out, edit, etc
• and then record

Today is "Way #2". A few days ago I recorded a Savasana idea i had after a Yoga in Bed practice. Today i will transcribe. And we will see where i get to. Wish me luck!
and Happy Tuesday!
​:)

Well, i got a lot of "content" for my Donations page put on paper yesterday, but it took today to organize it all. So if you look to your right you will see an image that says "I'd like to contribute". If you click on that image, you will be lead to a new page on my website that offers ideas and suggestions on different ways to contribute and how to donate in a monetary way. And here is a link to that page, just because i can. 

And, one of the things i have added into my weekly "Life Activities", to bring balance to all this
(lovely) work, is...
Crocheting!
​I learned this skill in my early years (maybe grade 2 or 3). I never had the desire to do much with it.
I never wanted to make a sweater or a hat or socks. i just wanted the skill. I wanted to know i could do it if i had to. And i kept that skill, through all these years, via muscle memory. I can probably count the total number of times i have "made something" on one hand. I made a "Doctor Who" scarf once. Tom Baker wore this ridiculously long scarf (image 1 below) as part of his recognizable attribute as The Doctor on the famous British sci-fi serial. This was the late 70's/early 80's and Tom Baker's version of the Doctor (the 4th Doctor), in my eyes, was super cool - i idolized him. Mine was (possibly) red & white as i didn't like his colour scheme or maybe that was all i had. I also went through a stage where i made "book worm" book marks (image 2 below - not mine). I imagine every member of my family received one as a Christmas gift - ha ha!
Anyhow, a few years ago i decided to make my own dish cloths as i found the standard ones being made were too big for my liking. Those now have out lived their use - they have unraveled or "holed" themselves. So i got some fun new yarn and.... ta da! (image 3 - below). And i send out a "thank you" to The Village Yarn Shoppe in Comox for so clearly answering my novice yarn questions.  :)

Happy Saturday everyone!
​:)

Happy Friday!
I went to the Lewis Centre today and recorded another class - Gentle Hatha. Thanks to everyone that sent requests! I was not as "centred" as i have been in previous videos - i had a couple false starts and foibles. I was in a different space than i am used to so i was adjusting to my surroundings as i was recording plus the air conditioning turned on a couple times and threw me off. I had to suppress a few laughs when the foibles occurred. But all in all, i think it'll be o.k.

And thank you for asking questions about making donations, and where to find the info for that. I have not been sure about what to do to set that up on my site, so i haven't done much. BUT, that is my afternoon project today! I will update this post when i am done or when i give up. 
:)
​

I had a couple days of surrender… See “back from the abbyss” on the expand page.
 
Another video posted (Chair Yoga -posted April 20th) ! Woo Hoo! I am definitely getting faster at editing and uploading now. That feels good.
 
“Life planning” (April 17th) complete. It was surprisingly easy. Once I decided what needed to be done and what I wanted to do, I did it. It feels good to have balance in my life’s activities again!
 
I am heading into the Lewis Centre tomorrow to film another yoga session. This class will be geared towards those that have been attending my “55+ Yoga - Ongoing” classes.
So for those of you that are hoping for something specific, send me your requests!
I have done a little planning already and will complete that tomorrow morning.
 
That’s all for now. See you tomorrow!
 
Hugs!

Day 20 lands on April 20th, 2020! How auspicious!

The wind has changed directions over here. The “excitement of new” that I mentioned on Friday opened up a portal!! I have been “downloading” like crazy from my muse(s). I have a list of classes & meditations I want to record, and new projects to share!! Hoooo! When these big downloads happen, they really stir up excitement and energy and enthusiasm. I have to be careful to not get too caught up in it. I could easily derail my current projects for new (and exciting). I am grateful that creativity has been a big part of my life as I am now experienced in this phenomenon. In the past, when I didn’t understand this flow of energy, I would place to the side paintings, writings, and any other creative pursuit to chase the new. The “old” would rarely get picked up again and when it did the flow of inspiration was usually gone and I was stuck. So now, this wiser gal knows, make detailed lists of the new ideas that come forward when creativity is on a high. Then place those ideas in a safe location. And the tricky part? Do not look at them until your current task is complete!!

I am enjoying learning and recording and would like to continue. So my ideas are in the safe for
future reference.

Today:

• Edit the yoga class I recorded last week (Day 18)
• Post said yoga class on web site and YouTube
• Send it to the group for whom I made it 

Update on my "life planning" (April 17th post):
It was so very clear that the time was now, that the “way” showed up in a flash. Saturday night I added a 1 hour block of time to each day in my day timer with 4 topics; “book study”, “study group work”, “yoga study” and “your choice”. I love when things are so certain and clear! So I began my new practice right then and there. Lovely! Even my yoga practice has shifted! :)

Happy Friday everyone! i have 3 things to chat about today...

1. My field trip was fairly painless - only minor confusion at both pick up locations (with them, trying to find the item i ordered/reserved). 
Here they are...... A lovely, light, very adjustable tripod and the phone holder attachment! Thanks again to everyone that contributed!

2. I uploaded a video guided meditation/relaxation/breathing practice last night. Head over to the "expand" page to check it out or click here. And, i learned how to edit things out of the middle of a video too! There was a goof while i was recording so i decided to start that part over and then see if i could snip it out later. And i did! Hooray! This new skill/tool, i think, will create a little more ease in me while i am recording now. 

3. I am excited to start using my new tools BUT the tripod is super stinky- strong chemical &/or plastic smell. I will wipe it down later but for now it is outside airing out. AND.... It is an admin day. I need to put my excitement of new toys to the side and finish some other important tasks.

• Write my April newsletter for my email list. 
• Make a weekly plan! Now that the BIG learning curve has peaked (ha ha ha - let me live in denial for a little while please), I need to take a look at the rest of my "life". What i mean by that is, i have been nose to the grindstone for a whole month! Wow. Many other projects were put to the side - I needed to sharply focus my attention in the direction of this on-line learning. Now though, i need to remember, i am not just an on-line business person!   
  1.. I am also a yoga teacher & student - i have not read a yoga book, looked at a yoga magazine, watched any yoga videos in this whole month!! I haven't really "studied" yoga - I did minor prep/planning for my videos. I have kept up my almost-daily practice but it has been pretty much the same practice every time. So i am going to create some windows of Yoga Learning into my weekly flow.   
  2.. I am also a student of self-growth - one of my study groups has fallen to the side and i have not kept up with reading/learning on my own. So i will add this practice into my day timer as well.  

So have a fabulous day! I send all you good vibes and big virtual hugs!
And, May all good things come your way! 
​:)

Well, i was able to find a tripod and a phone holder thingy to attach to the tripod, LOCALLY! I have to go to 2 locations, but they are in the same area of town. AND i should be able to do that all today!
With that said, my book keeper also lives in that area so my new goal for today is to do the last teeny bit of work to prepare my stuff to hand over for income tax prep. So that means that i might not get to video editing today. But who knows, the day is still young! (Yes, i was out of bed early again!)

And a further update from yesterday...
as you will see by today's accompanying image, i was FINALLY able to make a "cup tripod". I'd read about this idea a while back but didn't have a cup on hand. I know i could have made a similar holder with cardboard but a "mini" tripod is not really what i need so i never bothered. One of our favourite coffee shops (Milanos) re-opened and we decided to treat ourselves. I made this lovely cup tripod more as a joke than anything else - it was fun. And, i didn't feel quite so guilty about receiving a disposable cup, as i knew it would be put to use. 
hugs!
​:)

I awoke full of beans again today and started work around 9:00am What?! Yup. This not a morning person was up early again! I knew that i would have at least an hour with an empty house in the late morning so i knew i had to take advantage (and be prepared). My goal was to shoot one video and record one meditation. I also knew that set up would take just as long as the recording itself (see yesterday’s post) so i had to "get on it".

The video:
I have been teaching a monthly chair yoga class to a lovely group of people for almost 10 years and i really missed seeing them in March. And i don't know when we will see each other next! It is a short, gentle routine that we do, and it is all sitting on a chair. (I thought) set up would be easy and I know the routine in and out, so I hoped it would be a quick process. HA HA HA! My chair-pod (see Day 6 - a bull clip, blue goo & an office chair) is too tall for recording a chair yoga session so time to MacGyver a new phone holder. The recording went smoothly, I think. For what ever reason, during playback, my phone no longer plays the audio (only the video). So I will have to disassemble my phone and check the recording on my computer, but I will leave that for tomorrow.

The Audio:
My experiment today was to record a relaxation/meditation audio, but in video format. I am curious if it will be an easier way to upload meditations to my YouTube channel. I figured I would not be moving and “you” would not need to see me so I set up my new desk decor (the photo included in today's post) as the visual. Again, I had to MacGyver a way to hold the phone in front of the flowers and I would hold the mic. I did several takes - I jumbled up my words a few times and had to start over. I have no idea if it worked. This item will also go on to tomorrow’s list.

Lesson learned?
Just do it already! I have my plan (see yesterday) so i am going to get on it! It is research time!
 
But first I need to go put my room back together now that recording is complete ​for the day.

I send you all big hugs!
And I hope you are well! 

I had another brain storming session with myself today. I needed to look back at what i have done so far and assess. I asked myself the following questions:

• what is working-ish? 
• what is working well? 
• what is NOT working?
• what can be easily improved? 
• what is going to take some "elbow grease" (a.k.a. capitol &/or learning) to improve?
• what is the smallest/easiest change that i can make to improve turn around time of shooting videos and recording audios? 
• what is the most important next step?

my biggest challenges/priorities:
1. I have been frustrated with the time it takes to set up my phone for recording videos. I don't seem to have the right type of "things" to create an easy to use, fast set up, flexible camera holder at home. Set up is agonizingly slow and often takes just as long (or longer) than the actual recording does!!
 
2. I have an ancient mic that plugs into my phone. It works pretty well considering its age (I’ve had it for at least 4 years and it is 2nd hand). It is a tiny mic and I need to hold it while I speak into it - I usually get a hand cramp part way in and have to switch hands, and it usually picks up the noise from this simple switch. I have tried to make a mic stand and I have one set up that works when I sit at my desk, but it is not transferable. 

So what is my plan?
I am going to use the gifts from you, my dear ones, to buy a phone tripod and possibly a new mic (that comes with a tripod). I have done a bit of research on a couple mics that will work. Next I will research a phone tripod. Hopefully someone has them in stock and can ship/deliver or maybe locally and I can pick up soon! I am ready ready!

So keep on sending those good vibes!

Hugs
:)

I am always a little surprised at how long these seemingly simple tasks take. So it is end of day, 3:00pm, and here is what i accomplished:

• i created a PayPal.me link. Here is their description "PayPal.Me is a unique link you can create so that other people can send money to your PayPal account without having others know your email address or phone number." Cool!
  https://www.paypal.me/yogaSheron

The rest of my time was consumed with continuing down the Insight Timer rabbit hole:

• further developing my profile 
• researching the many requirements
  for content
• editing some images to use as place markers for each meditation

PHEW!
Time to relax and enjoy the sun and blooms
​on my patio!

Hugs!!!
​:)

I woke up feeling ready to go and inspired! 
It is only 10:00am (and so you know, i am NOT a morning person) and already i have:

• written a bio for Insight Timer
• set up a publisher account on Insight Timer

Wow!
So next is to add a meditation that i recorded! But, first, i need to have breakfast!
​Yes, i was so excited to contribute today that i didn't even eat breakfast! 
Happy Saturday everyone!
hugs
:)

In an earlier post i mentioned that i had a couple people offer equipment loans and i had to test to see if they'd be compatible. My tests are complete and...
A quick update:

• first item - laptop: Runs on Windows 7. It came without a charger, and i hoped that a charger i had from a previous laptop would do the trick but no luck. The charge remaining in the battery was not quite enough to find the info i needed (plus several of the keys were stuck). So i will put that to the side for now.
• second item - web cam: sadly, it is too old. It is newer than the one i had, but not new enough. It is not compatible with Windows 10 - there are no compatible "compatibility mode" options.

Also i have uncover some of the reasons why i had become "anti-technology" and quit teaching and learning half a decade ago.

• i got frustrated with the so-called new and improved versions of programs/equipment and how the older versions were left to rot. The newer versions were not always better (Windows 10 and the iPhone are two perfect examples).
• And then there's compatibility. Program "x" worked perfectly fine until update 10.3.75.blah.blah.blah and then it no longer worked.
  
• So you buy yet another program or piece of equipment or hardware - and suddenly there is more electronic junk that needs to be re-homed or recycled.
• fix what isn't broken - sadly, this seems to be the way of our world.
• stop caring deeply about the product you have made - bugs not getting fixed, issues being ignored.

I have faced all of these things and then some over the last few weeks of learning and have moments when i want to throw in the towel. BUT i am gonna keep on keeping on! As we are all facing at this challenging time - one foot in front of the other, one step at a time.

:)

Some days are easier than others.
Some days i am able to just go with the flow.
Some days i can comfortably sit with discomfort.
Today is one of those days.

All messages pointed towards "no work" so i listened. After that, a whole pile of "lovely" flowed into my life.
I had a great phone walk with a friend only to come home and have an offer of a coffee phone date, followed by another lovely phone date.
So blessed am I to have these experiences!!! So grateful for the gift of still being able to connect with friends even though i can't see them face-to-face. 
So today i share the pretty scene at my work desk, that will hopefully stay fresh for one more day, until i return. 
hugs to all!!
​:)

Testing time:
A couple people have offered to loan out some equipment to me during this "at home" time.

• are they compatible with my current equipment?
• will they work with the programs i'd like to use?

Also, i jumped in, downloaded and tried out Zoom the other day. It was a last minute and hurried adventure because Pema Chodron was offering a meditation and Q&A through Tricyle - The Buddhist Review. I had signed up for it the week before but as i am not on a schedule for much these days, it slipped my mind. Thankfully a friend sent me a reminder text a few minutes before it started. I do not yet have a web cam, so i joined in "silently". Practicing "live" with Pema has been on my "Ooo that'd be special" list for many years. It was eerie and good at the same time. Although i am not Buddhist, her wise words have helped to guide me through many times, joyful and uncomfortable, in my adult life.  I feel recharged and inspired. She reminds me of why i do what i do. Woo hoo!

Here is my favourite snippet from many years ago that i watch when i need a laugh and a nudge:

HA HA HA HA!
Yesterday was not the "forward" motion day i was hoping it to be:

• had a few moments of mass confusion re YouTube that lead down a rabbit hole of
  learning... a couple hours of "blergh!" and then walking away
• the realization that the editing program on my computer that i thought would work fine.... will not

Today:

• with my learning from yesterday, i finally created a yoga with Sheron YouTube channel!!! You can subscribe to this channel and get updates when new videos are posted.
• i have let go of adding an opening screen to my videos. Because the editing program on my computer will not work for my to trim my videos (it is not sensitive/detailed enough) i have to upload my videos to YouTube to trim them. But, YouTube Studio doesn't have any fancy features like adding an opening or closing screen. It would be many steps of uploading and downloading.So i am letting go.   *I know there are other free programs out there but i do not want to use my time to learn yet another program which will delay posting videos even more.*
• once trimming or otherwise editing a video on YouTube, it takes at least an hour to upload it to the channel.
• and the final product... well, head over to my "expand" page and see for yourself!! The image quality was poor to start and after uploading, it seems to be worse. Oh well, more learning to be had. But the audio is good and i am going to accept it for what it is. 

Happy Monday everyone!
It was not my intention, but i ended up stepping away from the "on-line" production for a few days. I realized that i had fallen behind on my admin and accounting work. I am all caught up and ready to return to the on-line world. The time away was a good thing. I had time to process where i've been and where i am going.

Here are my updates:

• that yoga video i recorded is satisfactory - there are clumsy bits but i will let that go - if i don't i will be stuck at this very point for eternity! 
• I uploaded some more videos to my test YouTube station and my comfort & understanding is growing. I have enjoyed the uploading and as i have mentioned it to friends, they have asked me to keep it up and keep adding to it. (it is all about our dog Chooie and his dog adventures) If you have been following this blog, you likely saw his debut video on my Day 10 post. He already does a fabulous job of guarding our home and entertaining us; I figured, maybe he can start to earn some cash income too! And share some laughs with the rest of the world. I will share his station in a separate post. 
• I received my first gift via PayPal and it was a success! Woo Hoo! So thank you "M" for being my guinea pig and helping me learn AND thanks, for the generous gift! 
• i am loving this new Secure Auto Deposit E-Transfer account that i have set up!!! It is so much fun to log in to my account and see that the money fairies have delivered a surprise for me while i was doing other things!  A big thanks to M, P, and C for your gifts! 

So what is on my list for today:

• all the editing jobs i didn't get to on Friday
• i am rearranging my site. I want to have all my yoga and meditation offerings in one place, without too may other things, so that they are all easy to find. So i am going to make one page dedicated to those. 

Both of these are going to be time consuming jobs - and i hope i have not bitten off more than i can chew... But you will know soon enough if it was! 

Thanks again for joining me on this ride! and yes, Please do keep posting comments here, and sending me emails. It is nice to know that someone out there is reading some of the words i am sharing!

HUGS!
:)

Update: That Yoga Video I Recorded:
In Day 9, i mentioned that i recorded a short yoga video.
I did scan through it quickly today. 

• the volume is good
• the image is not super crisp as i used the selfie setting (see Day 9 for my opinion on that)

Next steps: 

• trim the non essential bits out
• write a "before you begin..." note
• add the "before you begin..." note to the video
• upload it to YouTube and add all the tags and such
• and then....... POST IT ON MY SITE!!!!​
  

​
​How exciting to be moving in a forward direction with this project!


​:)

1. Editing on YouTube:
The editing on YouTube is basic but good. I can trim videos here, which is the most important feature for me. You can also add music (they have a library of free music to use) and you can blur faces or parts of videos. I won't work with these right now as they will likely not be required.
Just for fun, i did add captions to one of the videos that had speaking in it (below). 

2. Editing on my Computer:
As i mentioned in a previous post, there is a video editor on my computer.... I think it is just the one that comes with windows. Anyhow, today i played with it and i am able to add a "title" screen to the beginning of my videos. 

​I am getting closer......

First, a YouTube update:
I read a lot more and then made a test account with an old email address. I used a funny video of our dog as the test video to upload. THAT was very helpful process - it cleared up some questions i had about a couple features. I got stuck on "how to make it private but still share it" so i left it at that as my brain was full. There are some editing features available on YouTube, so i will play with those to see if they are any better than the one i have on my computer.

Today i decided to take advantage of an empty house to dive in and record a yoga video. I learn best by "doing" and "trial and error" so i remained open to the experience and the successes and disasters that would take place. I would be delighted if i actually got a final usable product but i'd also be o.k. with learning by going through the process.

And boy, did i learn...

• the actual frame or area of recording coverage is not the same as what you see on the screen before you press "record" (you see less once you start recording). This was funny because i had to do a lot of record, mark the floor, check the video, delete, move objects and phone, and then repeat. 
• using the "selfie" setting is a more accurate screen or recording area AND i can see myself on the phone while i am on my mat so i can wiggle left or right as required
• the (image) quality is not as good on "selfie" - but the "see myself while recording" benefits out way this negative (i think)

Problems to fix/lessons learned:

• pre-heat the room - the floor was cold! There was an icy draft coming from the bottom of my
  closet door 
• find a better way to support the phone - it fell off my "ChairPod" and slid/tipped during some of the first tries
• can i use a backdrop? I had to remove visually distracting objects: art from my wall, props from prop shelves and things hanging on the back of my doors. Our place is tiny with not a lot of storage so backs of doors are handy. Now i have to put all those things back in place. Meaning, i will have to take them all down when it is time to film again. Too much time wasted - need a more efficient set up.

I have not yet looked at this video - i am done for the day. All this new kind of learning is making my brain wobbly. I am glad for this brain workout, but i need to rest now. 
hugs!
:)