Video Work Makes Me Happy

If you're an experienced videographer you'll see I made about 25 major no-no's in this 2 1/2-minute video.  But it's the first one I've scripted, shot, and edited all by myself.  OK--I had a few technical difficulties and I'm grateful for two people at work: Chery Day and Tom Stanoch. They deserve some of the credit and none of the blame. 

I was also lucky to have my colleague Bob Hursh narrate, and of course for the University of Minnesota Extension water quality people. The communications and technology people, and the researchers and educators I work with, make going to work every day meaningful and a pleasure.

My Lucky Flat Tire

Sometimes even bad luck has a cherry on top. This morning, as every morning, I was hauling my kids to their distant school on St. Paul's Eastside, then off to work. On 35E, I suddenly felt like I was on a ride at Nickelodeon Universe as my car started waving side to side. My dashboard showed a light I'd seen before when I'd needed some air in my tires. Yep, flat tire.

I was about to pull over to the side of the road when I realized where I was: about 50 feet from the exit to a big box retailer that also happens to have a good tire center. My husband had been happy with the service there before. I took a deep breath and told the kids "You'll be late for school" and gently drove up the ramp and into the service garage.

Instead of our school/work routine, my two kids and I spent the morning sharing a cherry Icee while waiting our turn and learning about tire rotations, alignments, and replacements through the picture window from the big store. I've had worse days.

My First Video (with training wheels)

I shot this all myself, but had a real pro--Justin Ware--reminding me what to do with angles and lighting, and then there was the time I forgot to press "record." Scripting and editing were more "learning opportunities," and I was blessed that Justin agreed to narrate. And aren't the kids just the cutest?