I have wanted to start vlogging for years, but I’ve always been so camera shy. It seems like when it comes to typing what I have to say, I have a lot to say, but when I’m sitting in front of a camera, suddenly my brain turns to mush. I stutter and stammer and I might get a full sentence out, but then I realize how dumb I sound, so I stop talking and figure I’ll just edit that out, so then I start over, but some how the words never come out and I hit the stop button and delete the entire video.
You know how when you are watching YouTube, then suddenly you come across a video and you have to turn the volume up all the way, and you can still just barely hear the person? That’s my phone’s issue. I go to record and when I listen to the recording, I can barely hear myself. I tried recording my voice while playing a game on my PS4 using my PS4 camera’s mic, but when I listened to it, I couldn’t even hear myself. It was barely a whisper.
My phone’s mic volume sucks, except for when I’m on the phone with someone. No one has ever complained about not being able to hear me, but as soon as I try to record myself, I can’t hear myself.
I tried a sound check with my Hitachi DVD-Camcorder, and the volume is ok, but I have nothing but problems uploading the videos to the computer when I record with the DVD-Ram. I did put an old mini DVD-r into the DVD drive on my computer and I had no problems picking out clips, but in order for me to work with the Hitachi DVD-Cam, I’ll have to use a DVD-r to record, then finalize the disc, then I can upload the files to my computer. The DVD-r’s are 30 minutes, so I will have to record a few vlogs per disc. I’m not going to do 1 vlog, then waste the rest of the 20 minutes or so I have left on the disc. I don’t want to have to go through that because those mini DVD’s are about a buck a piece.
I bought a mic on Amazon recently for my phone, and it arrived, but it didn’t work at all on my phone, and it didn’t work at all on my DVD-Camcorder. I still have my old Samsung Galaxy SIII, and the mic worked on that phone, no problem. I did a test video with audio and video on that phone, but when I tried to load the video to my computer, I got an error message.
So far I have a mic that doesn’t work on anything but a phone I don’t even use anymore. I can’t upload vlogs from my Hitachi DVD-Camcorder using a DVD-ram disc because I won’t be able to upload them to the computer. My new phone’s volume sucks… I can’t afford a new camcorder, and I really wanted to Vlog, so screw it, I started vlogging with my Hitachi DVD Camcorder.
The first vlog was bad, in the beginning, but I kept going until it was over. It was like ripping a bandaid, but I did it. I think I recorded 9 minutes, but with all the edits I ended up with 6 1/2 minutes. That’s ok. My 2nd vlog was a lot easier, but I had a moment in the beginning where I said I can’t do this, but then just kept going. I had 1 or 2 edits in the beginning of the 2nd one, but then I didn’t have to edit anything else until the very end. The 3rd vlog on that first DVD-r had a lot more edits, but I think I did good, and I was much more relaxed by the time I was on the 3rd vlog.
So far I have 3 vlogs posted on my new YouTube page which is at www.YouTube.com/DiaryofaGayNerd. If you are reading this, PLEASE visit my vlog and watch my videos, and if you like them please hit like and subscribe. I edit them during the day, then I publish them at or just before midnight Pacific time, and I will be doing this every night.
The mini DVD-r discs hold 30 minutes, so I can record 3 10 minute vlogs or 2 15 minute vlogs. Today we went to Martin’s Meats and Deli in Bakersfield and I sat at a table with Audrey Chavez about her suspended sandwiches and Bakersfield AIDS Project. I told her it would only be a few minutes, 5 at most, and it ended up being around 15 minutes lol. Ooops. I felt like a reporter lol. But my main goal was to show America what a wonderful person Audrey Chavez is. I’m also going to send the link to that video to the Ellen DeGeneres show. I think Ellen should know about Audrey.
I only had 4 blank DVD-r’s, and I’ve already used 3, so I have 1 left which I will most likely record on when my partner goes to church on Sunday. I was told the best time to vlog is when there are either no people in the house, or wait for everyone to fall asleep. My partner sleeps like a cat, so all I can do is wait for him to leave the house, then I can vlog. I have 4 more videos waiting to be edited, and I have a list of 4 more ideas for vlogs. I’ll probably check 3 of those off on Sunday. I also bought 20 more DVD-r’s for future videos.
The only thing that I hate about my vlog is that I have to do it on my bed because that’s the only spot I feel comfortable vlogging from. I would love if I had a sound proof room with a desk and a professional mic where I can feel free to vlog without feeling like someone can hear me, and they have their ear on the door lol. I would also love to have a desk to sit at, like my desk for example lol. It needs to be straightened before I can do that, so maybe I will focus on that this weekend. I also don’t like the image on the screen. It feels like the video is washed out or something. Perhaps one of these days I will have a better set up so I look more professional, like these pro’s I watch every day. GOALS!
So until that happens, I will just have to make lemonade with the lemons life has dealt me.
Diary of a Gay Nerd 