Thursday 10 January 2019

The road to podcasting

The last few days have seen me panicking about this podcasting project which I have embarked upon. Why do I do this. Why do I get all in a tizz and fill my head with thoughts about not being able to achieve what I originally set out to achieve in terms of my personal self.  So many times when a project had appeared in my life, and was started, and brought to almost completion, and then stopped because of either me running away from it or life getting in the way.

Lack of self confidence, that is what it is. Comes from my early background. From parents who could never say 'well done', but instead chose to critisize my every endeavour. Not to worry, it was as it was, and I have learnt the reasons why they were as they were.They did their best, as all of us who are parents try to do for our children, but none of us are perfect, and we must remember that when we find ourselves passing judgement on others.

So back to podcasting.........and my tizziness.......where do I start...... I don't know.......what subjects do I use for the content of the podcast, I have a lot of subject material but which do I use, ........and then there is the learning of the camera, which is an expensive one I bought several years ago when the one I was using ended up in the mud of the sheep's paddock. The new camera has lots of knobs and things, none of which have ever been learnt by me because, well, I ncver did because the camera took good photos left on its factory settings. But now I need to take videos, because podcasting requires that I sit in front of the camera talking into it.

And then there is social media. For all of my seventy plus years I have avoided this modern technology, and do not even own a mobile phone. Since I am a trainee podcaster. I need to break through my dislike of social media. Thank goodness for YouTube. Others have paved my way with info associated with all that I need to know. All I have to do is stop panicking.

And so why am I feeling the urge to podcast. In truth, I don't know, it is just what my next project needs to be. Something to do with the Universe and me. Meanwhile the 'Jardin de Salade' project remains on hold as Lester continues working on his computer with the UK, USA, and Canada, all via a virtual environment. There is hardly any spare time in which to tend to the needs of the farm at the moment, although the animals remain well cared for. Not to worry, it is as it is, and all will turn out alright in the end.

The plants in the raised beds which were decapitated when the sheep raided the courtyard a couple of weeks of ago are not going to recover now we have had a series of sharp frosts. I did buy some onions to give me a feeling that we were keeping on going with growing our own food but I am sorry to say that we have hardly any of our produce at the moment. One thing, though, is that although there has been a 'stop' in regards to feeding ourselves, it is only temporary. This is a relief because we could have decided not to pick up the 'growing your own' pathway because of the amount of work it takes. So the vegetable plots remain untended, apart from Lester continuing his daily deliverance upon them of manure donated to us by the cows, and the sheep who are occasionally allowed to roam over them so they can eat the rampant weeds.

I shall sign off now, as other things need doing, like casting on another pair of socks on my knitting needles, emptying two large pots of sheep which have been cooking on the Rayburn, and other sundry tasks relevant to my life as a homesteader wife and erstwhile podcaster.......

Bye for now,
Vx


11 comments:

Rhodesia said...

You are always so busy. Things not going very well here. FIL a trip to the hospital back for a day and now waiting for him to return again...... not very good. Have a good day and keep warm Diane

DUTA said...

Parents were like that in those days - critical. I'm not sure if and to what extent it affected our self-confidence.
Anyway, I wish you the very Best with your project. I hope to learn from your experience, as I know almost nothing of podcasts. As for the camera, you're right. You've got to master its functions to be able to make progress with the project.

Mama Pea said...

Finding the time for a new project (your podcasts) always turns out to be much, much more time-consuming and just plain harder than we imagine in our creative little heads. When I attempt such there's the feeling I'm neglecting all those hundred and one little homesteading duties I do each day when I don't have a new project simmering and/or actually getting started. I know, Vera, if you continue to want to do it, you will. Sometimes we just expect things like the podcasts to come to fruition faster than they can in reality. Keep at it, my friend, because I know you'll be successful!

Vera said...

DIANE, I am sorry to hear about FIL, and hope all goes well for you all.

DUTA, me and the camera had a day off from each today, and instead I knitted! But I did think up a name for the podcast, so things are moving on.

MAMA PEA, thanks for your encouraging words, and yes, things are getting neglected on the homestead but I don't get in a fuss about it, just catch up with what needs doing when I feel like it! I shall keep at this project though. There are too many in the past I have walked away from, and regret doing so.

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

Vera - maybe just start with what brought you to France, what you were trying to do, and what you ended up doing?

Vera said...

TOIRDHEALBHEACH BEUCAIL, .... thank you for making this suggestion, and will definitely weave what you have suggested into the general plan for the podcast. Thanks again.

northsider said...

Why don't you get Woofers in to prepare the veg beds for the growing season? I always enjoy reading your posts.

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

You are quite welcome Vera. I am always interested to know why people make significant decisions to uproot and change their lifestyles.

Paul said...

You could always just start off with audio podcast, Vera and get what you want 'out there', out there. I must say my friends have found them easier when podcasts involve more than one person as presenters need something or someone to bounce off. I suppose, structure-wise it depends on what your aim is, what you are trying to create. If it is a mission- a body of work you are aiming to lay out, then episodes would not be unlike the chapter of a book. If its just a weekly or fortnightly occurrence with no links, then you could still decide on a uniform structure that each episode follows, for example.Intro, Farm Updates, thoughts of the week, a funny thing happened... quote of the day, the universe told me..., book review, what grinds my gears, meditation tips, life tips etc etc. Just step back and think about who you are, and what part of yourself you want to give out there to the world.

Horst in Edmonton said...

Good on you Vera, hope the Podcast goes well. Let us know when you have the first podcast under your belt. Can't wait to see it.

Horst

Vera said...

NORTHSIDER DAVE, Woofers are an excellent idea, but only have one bedroom here which we are not willing to share!

PAUL, thank you so much for your excellent advice, which I have copied into my podcasting work folder to use for guidance when I get stuck as to what I need to be doing. Once again, thankyou for taking the time to make your comment, and I am sorry I have taken so long to reply to you.

HORST, lovely to hear from you again, and hope you are well. I shall post links to the podcast on this blog so you have a look at the podcast when it is posted up on YouTube.