Video Options

Whenever I've seen a music video on YouTube...with one picture that never changes...
from beginning to the end...in the past...I've felt...surely...you who produced this...could have done more with the visual aspect of your video. I am beginning to understand now...that there may be occasions...such as having a very strong audio track...allowing the video producer...to use only a single picture throughout. Last night...I completed a video...that had a built in challenge visually...of using in it...just a single painting of mine. With the use of different effects...I changed the look of the painting...as the video unfolded. Last night...I completed this video. I need now...to let it settle...before I can tell...whether it really all came together. I feel...today...that it worked well...but...we'll have to see...as time goes by...if leaving just the single unchanged picture...throughout...would have been an option. We'll see..........................Quester.

See The Eagle Fly

Words from my song "See The Eagle Fly"-Copyright-SOCAN. Video on YouTube.
"See the river flowing
its water shining...
What do you think that
that's telling you...
You can fish or spend
all the summer swimming...
But keep it clear
whatever you do...
Never let die
the green grass or the trees...
Never let die
the river or the seas...
Keep them alive
for those who follow you...
That's what you must do"...
...................Quester.

A Satisfying Day

I surprised myself earlier today...and somehow...completed my income tax return...then
sent it off. As a reward...I gave myself a trip down to the West End for early supper...and a nourishing walk along English Bay...on a beautiful late afternoon. Got
some lovely pictures of tulips in the foreground,,,and the Bay in the background.
All in all...a satisfying day!.................Quester.

Making A Taxing Time Easier

Earlier...I told myself..."That's it...no more postponement...and geared myself mentally...then gathered my bits and pieces together to do my income tax return.
I was finally ready to rock and roll...and giving myself a final girding...[perhaps
that's too much information]...was poised to tackle my return electronically...when
a voice told me...that there was a technical reason...why I couldn't do...what I was
ready and hoping to do. In past times...at this juncture...I might have dusted off
my grand conspiracy theory...about bureaucracy and me...but my years of working to get
past my paranoia kicked in...and I just said to myself..."try again tomorrow"...and
went on to something else. I feel...although I didn't win through today...that I've
cracked the shell of inertia...when it comes to filling out my return...and in
another session or two...before May 1st comes along...it should be done. Right now
I'm going to go for a nice long walk...on another fine day...to remove whatever
slight dissonaces that might remain from today's tax smack down. Back to the
drawing board tomorrow....................Quester.

Being In A Place Of Ease

The sun is shining outside my window...there are a lot of clouds in the sky...but it is warm out there...when you're not in the shade. I am still feeling the glow from my
yesterday's Earth Day experience. My interaction with some good people there...in addition to delivering my concert performance...as well as I could...along with the
lovely weather...have all contributed to my good feelings. I am also enjoying my break
from uploading videos. Today...at lunch out in the world...in my after lunch writing
in my daily journal session...in an effortless way...many ideas for new videos came
to me...and I wrote them down. It's nice to be in this place of ease inside myself...
with many videos already online...taking a break from eploads...and with new creative
concepts coming to me...with great ease. This is a place I enjoy being in...hope it
lasts..................Quester.

With A Little Help.......

With the help of my nephew and another friend...my Earth Day concert today...went
extremely well. For so many gigs in the past...I've gotten into my "soldier mode"...
and on my own two feet...gone...and delivered my singing performance for the night.
With the help received today...I found myself...enjoying the experience...more than
ever. It also turned into a beautiful sunny day...so...that certainly helped too,
May future gigs...if they should happen...be as enjoyable as today's,,,,,,,,Quester.

A Timely And Thoughtful Loan

My performance at the Earth Day concert is tomorrow. I still haven't done any heavy
rehearsals...but i've inched towards being ready to "do my thing"...in the last week.
Last night...my kindly nephew...came around and brought his guitar...which can be
plugged into the on site sound system. I think this is going to help a lot...because
in the last while I've been playing a classical guitar with nylon strings...and using
that for tomorrow's concert...would have meant...pushing it up as close as I could
get it to a microphone...in attempt to get it heard. Tomorrow's concert is outdoors...
and playing outdoors...the sound you send out...has a way of getting swallowed up...quite easily. I have...in the past...played an amplified guitar
in an outdoor concert setting...and I know how bolstering it is...to feel your big
guitar sound...going out into the world. My nephew's loan of his guitar...was very
thoughtful...and timely. I am feeling better already...about having my guitar too...
really heard tomorrow. Wish me well....................Quester.

Video Making Goes On

My break from uploading videos to YouTube...is only a few days old...but it feels good
to be free even for a little while...from feeling I have to upload another...and
another. There are a lot of videos of mine already on YouTube...so it's a good time
for those who may be interested in my work...to delve into what's already there. In the meantime...I continue to make videos...or make preparations for videos to come.
Yesterday...for instance...I went down to English Bay with my cameras. It was a sunny
dau...as today is...and the wind was blowing hard. On a day like that...you're likely
to get good video clips of the waves...churned up in the bay...and I did...along with
views of the bay...from different vantage points along the shore. I had to hold on to
the tripod my camcorder was perched on...or it would surely have been blown over.
Came home with a nice haul of video clips. So the uploading videos online...may be
taking a little break...but creating new videos is still on its way...perhaps...for
now...in a slightly more leisurely way...than before there were 200 videos online.....
.......................Quester.

With Grace Through The Flowering & The Fading

It is just about...or close to...prime time...for many flowering species...to bloom at
the same time...after long delays in their flowering. I keep reminding myself...that this is the time...to be out in the world...with my cmeras...where the flowers are...
but the days keep slipping by. Perhaps we were given...this extreme spring bounty of
flowers...to first of all...bring the beauty in Creation...right into our faces...so
we no longer have any excuses for not appreciating the beauty. Following swiftly in
the wake of the flowering...is the falling of the petals...and the big fading. I
suppose that is to remind us...of learning to relinquish...those things in our lives
and our world...that can easily develop a hold on us...that we find it hard to shake.
With the fadings also so strongly in our faces...we have...also...ample opportunity...
to practise...letting go. So...looks like the lesson here for me...is to get what
pictures of the great blooming that I can...with ease...and glide with grace...through
the fading when it comes...................Quester.

Earth Day Concert Coming Up

On Saturday coming...I'm scheduled to sing at a Vancouver Earth Day Celebration. I've
been telling myself for weeks that I should prepare my material for it...but only last
night...began to run through a song or two...of the ones I'm likely to sing there.
For one thing...it's a matter of knowing the words of the songs I'm likely to sing
Writing hundreds of songs is one thing...but knowing the words of songs you are going at a concert...so you can deliver them without tentativeness...is another. I'm
hoping that between now and Friday night...I can get some good rehearsals in. Wish me
well.......................Quester.

My 200th Video On YouTube

Yesterday I uploaded my 200th video..."West Coast"...to YouTube. Prior to that...I had
been uploading videos to YouTube...at a very fast clip. At such a tempo...that I think
my videos may have ended up competing with each other for views...given I was offering
so much choice. Now that the 200th is up...I've been getting a nudge...to possibly...
take a break from uploading videos...for a while. I don't like to make prisons for
myself...so we'll have to see...how my "nudge" unfolds. With 200 videos online...there are a lot of videos for viewers to look at...without my having to upload new ones.
Having said that...I have many videos already made...on hand. So...we'll have
to see how all this shakes down...but something tells me...that a break fron uploading videos...may well be on the horizon................Quester.

West Coast

Words from my 200th video "West Coast"...Copyright SOCAN... to uploaded to YouTube
earlier today"
"Where earth and ocean
lie down side by side...
striving on and on
to become as one...
By this crack where legends
once were born...
this is where I will stay...
'Til my time goes away...
As my eyes look to
the ocean deepness calling...
I will walk light on
the border of this sacred ground...
A rambler's final earthly destination
I have found...I do believe I've found

A Thought

Years ago wrote this in my journal:
"And the eleventh commandment is...
thou shall not be boring"......
....................

Don't Rescue Me

Words from my song..."Don't Rescue Me"...Copyright-SOCAN.
"Dont rescue me
with words I've heard before...
I can't take anymore...
Conversion I don't need...
I need a friend
To listen close to me...
Not show me how to be
What I'll be in the end...
The world is full of words
Falling like rain on me...
I look to find the healing
That they promise me"......
...................Quester.

"You Really Did Your Thing"

Last night...I finally finished weeks of work...on a labour of love video. It required
more work than any other video I've ever made...because I spent a lot of time...going
through...my files of video clips...to find ones...taken over the last year or two...that fitted the concept. I was also using certain vido effects...for the first
time ever...and that caused me to have to redo some...that didn't turn out the way I
envisioned they would. It was with relief last night...I completed the last piece of
editing on this video...and turned it to a file...ready to be put online...any time...
I'm ready to do so. I am very aware...that once it's online...it'll be running the
gauntlet like all of the other videos I've uploaded...with a likelihood that few may
stop to consider the work that went into it. What is most important...is that when I
play it back...after all my exposure to it...I am touched...and having the feeling
..."man...this time...looks like you really did your thing"...........Quester.

Time In The Gardens

Yesterday...I went on a video and still picture taking trip...to Van Dusen Gardens...
in Vancouver. It was a wonderful sunny day...but cool. My strong interest in looking
for pictures to take...and taking them...after a while...made me forget about the
coolness of the air. Van Dusen too...was registering the lateness of the blooming of
some species this year...no doubt because of the succession of cool days we've had...
this late winter and spring. However...among the large sized bushes or trees...
rhodedendrons of many colours looked to be in full bloom. I had a chat with one of the
gardeners...who told me...that in about two weeks...finally...there should be a "riot"
of bloomings...as he put it...with species that have been late to flower this year...
meeting up with ones...that are due to bloom...at this particular time. I took many
long...video clips...with my camcorder on a tripod...hoping to use some of them later
...to make some videos with rolling text. As I waited for the long clips to be taken
...I stood quietly by my camera...and was very much aware...at times...of how city
sounds were penetrating into the pristine looking scenes I was taking. Having said
that...the dew was still on the grass...and I knew I was privileged to be spending
the early part of the day in such a place...taking in the beauty of the morning...but
in between...taking pictures of some of the sights...in my time spent there. I
finally returned home...with some beautiful souvenirs of the day...and more grist
for my creative mill. I was very thankful for the whole experience......Quester.

A Dance For Me To Do

Words from my song "A Dance for me to do"...Copyright-SOCAN. Video on YouTube.
It's true I don't know the reason
why the lily blooms...
It's true this sweet life's
a mystery to me...
It's true I don't know what makes
the sun to rise again...
It's true there's so little
that I see...
But there's a dance for me to do...
Though I'm so tiny in this plan...
A fragment of a light so great...
How could I understand?...
..................Quester.

Any Minute Now

I once wrote a song called..."Any Minute Now"...about how at any moment...there'll be
a knock on my door...and when I open it...I'll find someone in a uniform and a cap...
saying to me...as he handed me an envelope..."Congratulations sir...you've won the
Nobel Prize!". Each verse of the song...is about...a large...and great...piece of news. This song was written to pin point...that in most of our lives...that is not the
kind of thing that happens...and we are lucky in the course of our days...if we come
up with...some little victories...to help us to keep keepin' on. Living through the
routine...and the mundane...can be one of the big challenges. Yet...to the captain...
who was being held prisoner by four pirates until yesterday...when he was freed...
something like mowing his lawn...or taking out the dog...must have appeared very
precious to him. I wish him and his family the very best...as they celebrate...an
actually...great and dramatic...piece of news...then he can return to the little
victories...that make up...the main fabric of our lives...and we appreciate best...
when...for whatever reason...they are taken away from us............Quester.

A Symbiotic Relationship

Having some of my work...on video...on YouTube...the last while...has helped me to
understand better...or at least form some opinions...about the different ways it's being utilised...by those who use it. One realization that came to me a while ago...
was that...it exists because of the millions of people who want to express themselves
in some way. There are also specialists...or creators...who make use of it...
but it's the large numbers of those who want to express something...if not create pieces of art...that cause such a system to be in existence. It's a humbling thought...for a creative artist on YouTube...but a good reminder...not to get too carried away...with the part you play...on such an online system. Something else that has become clearer..is the symbiotic relationship between creative artist...and those who view...and respond to his or her work. Now...an attitude that's helped me to keep on being a creative artist...is...not letting my work be defined...by others. One of the lines of one of my songs says..."And you know the customer's not always right". I continue to believe that an artist should take his cues for doing his work...from a source inside of himself rather than out in the world. Having said that...we are all human...and at times...it helps to get encouragement...from outside of yourself...for the work that you do. That's where the symbiotic relationship between creative artist and viewer of his work...takes its place. The other good aspect of artist and viewer getting to know each other...is that...over time...natural friendships...can bloom. May they continur to bloom.....................Quester.

Go Canucks Go!

Earlier today...my hockey team...the Vancouver Canucks...clinched the title for their
division...in the last game of the regular season. They now head into the playoffs for
the Stanley Cup. Last year they missed the playoffs...this year...there are a lot of
people back on their band wagon. Even through their darkest times...I've keep at least
one toe hooked to the wagon...although in some games when they start out...as if determined to lose...I've turned the game on tv off...and left them to struggle on
without my enthusiastic support. Going completely off their bandwagon...is a weapon
I keep up my sleeve...in the event they play badly over a period of years...my not
tending to be an eternal masochist...and I turn my sports attention...on to squash...or
badminton. This year...they are playiing well...a lot of the time...so...I look forward to the playoffs. Go Canucks Go!...................Quester.

Rolling Text Videos

Just finished another video late last night...with rolling texr...i.e. the text scrolls upward...across whatever background you have in place...giving the viewer good time to read what it's saying. Some time ago...I did several videos...of poems of mine...with me...on camera reading them. I didn't like they way they turned out...maybe it was looking at myself...ducking my head down...to read from the book in front of me...that I didn't like. I've done a few poem videos...looking straight into the camera...and delivering my lines...without ever ducking...and they are the ones I feel best about...among my videos with poems. Some of these I've posted online. But one of the ongoing challenges for a creative artist...is to find new ways of delivering his messages. Lately...I've been refreshed...as I make my "rolling text videos"...and from now...many more of my poems...are likely to be turned into videos. Hallelujah!...................Quester.

The Right Way

When I wrote yesterday's entry...about taking one of my videos off YouTube...I was
feeling disappointed...and not knowing when I'd be ready to redo the video in question. Instead of lingering in my disappointment...yesterday...I went right back...to doing a new version of this video. The reason I removed this video...was that it was a video with rolling text for the viewer to read...and when I played it back on the YouTube screen...I had trouble reading it. Yesterday...I made several changes in the text...larger and bolder letters...in a colour that could be seen against the grey background...and a few more changes from how the first version was done. Not too long after this...the new and easily read version of..."I make these songs"...was back on YouTube. I know how sometimes I am quite capable of turning away from a mess made. This time...I went right back at it...and ended up with a good feeling about having done so. My old confirmation Godfather in Guyana once asked me...how many ways there were to do a job. Brightly...I answered that there were two ways...the wrong and the right way. He shook his head...and said..."No...there's only one way...the right way...because if you do it the wrong way...you'll just have to do it over 'til you get it right!". Yesterday...it took me a while to get to the "right way"...but I finally got there...........................Quester.

If You Have Trouble Reading It.................?

I just finished removing my video..."I Make These Songs"...uploaded only day before
yesterday...from YouTube. This is something I do not like to do...but there are times
when you have to bite the bullet and do such things. I usually do a check of a video
just uploaded...to see how it's working out on the YouTube screen. When I checked "I
make these songs" right after it had been uploaded...I found I had difficulty reading
the text of the poem rolling on the screen. I continued to have this feeling of unease
about this upload...until this morning...I did something about it...removing it. My
thinking is...although there may be some people out there with eagle eye sight...if I
had trouble reading it off the screen...others are likely to have the same problem.
I think that what happened...was that the text looked legible enough...when I was working on this video...on my home screen...but the reduction of the size of the
online screen...reduced the size of the text enough...to cause this difficulty.
Anyway...it's now back to the drawing board with a redo of this video. The rule here
is if you put text on an online screen...the number one priority...is that it be
readable...a lesson underlined for me...as I did this removal...of a video of mine
from its place online. I know the next version of it...will be legible.....Quester.

Head And Heart Revisited

"Back to the knowings of the heart...
the mysteries of the wheel...
the healing powers of the Earth...
let us welcome and feel...
Our heads can't stop
the knock at the door...
The time has come...
to be whole once more"...
The foregoing...are words from my song "Head And Heart"...now a video on YouTube.
One of the beautiful things that can happen when you have a video on YouTube...is
that a nucleus of people...around the same time...can become enthused about it...and let you know. This has happened with "Head And Heart"...
with several warm and enthusiastic messages received. I am thankful for this...and
it just shows...that even a song that seems to be lying dormant for a while...can
at a given point...meet up with people who connect with it. Hallelujah!.
..........................Quester.

Thoughts On Editing.

Last night and today...I kept chipping away at a poem...otherwise known as...editing it. I had actually written it years ago...and it had stayed in the state it was first
written in. Editing...is very important for anything you write...even your e-mails...
or should I say...especially your e-mails. Without wanting to...you can end up saying
something harsh...if you "send" before editing. In writing lyrics for songs...your
edits...are obviously important. In a song...one heavy handed word...can spoil an
otherwise lyrical set of words. With poems...like the one I edited today...you can
be going along in your writing...with fine images...writing lean...and communicating
in that "other dimension"...that poems communicate in...at their best...then suddenly
hit...an obscure passage...or to use one of my favourite words...a "turgid" one.
When you return...even years later...to edit such a poem...one of the first things
you have to do is identify such a passage...and then remove it...or replace it with
something...that takes what you're saying forward...in a way...that helps the whole
poem. To be a good editor of your own work...you have to consciously put aside...a
school boyish notion that sometimes gets in the way of writing well...i.e..."I
wrote it...so it must be kept". A good editor...has to be tough enough to remove
anything dubious or obscure...or...streamline...what has been written...in a clumsy
way. With today's poem...one passage...was totally removed...and the ending sequence
was revised into becoming a smooth ending...instead of being one that was..."over
the top". Trying to get this in...before this day ends...may have endangered my
wearing my editor's hat...regardless...I'm now going to press..."Publish Post".
.........................Quester.

By Calm Water Places

Just returned from an oasis place...within walking distance of where I live. Today...I
let my camera on tripod...take some still scenes...of trees...water...gliding ducks...
and running water. I returned home...with a fine assortment of scenes...and some lines
I might refine and use in videos with text...such as: "The ducks have seen enough of
human kind...from time to time...they send out a chorus of derisive squawks...but the
world is still not listening!". Another: "Here...lonely vanishes...and useless
sorrow...flies away". I think as I look at my video clips from today...hopefully...
full blown poems...might just bloom. In the meantime...I am feeling somewhat cleansed
from my time today...in as natural a place...as I can find in my city......Quester.

Camera Safari

Went on a safari this morning to Stanley Park...camcorder in bag with shoulder strap...digital camera in vest pocket...and only for the second time since I've been making videos...clutching a long bag with camera tripod in it. I'm a great fan of using a hand held camera...given...you can easily swing your camera...that way...to where a new piece of action is happening...or follow a moving object with more ease. This time...however...I wanted to get some long...steady...shots...and did...of mountains...water fowl...more than one heron...and English Bay...and its shore line. At one point...I left the camcorder on tripod...recording the waves coming into the shore. I was reminded that a good idea...with your camera on a tripod...is to hover close by. I was a few feetaway...when I heard a thud...and turned to see it sitting in the sand. Perhaps a gust of wind...had nudged it over. Did come back home with some good video clips. I hear tomorrow is going to ba another fine day...so I am likely to go on another video taking adventure. Wish me well.............Quester.

Spring Has Finally Sprung

[Today's picture: Detail from mural at Nanaimo and Hastings...Vancouver].
It's been a beautiful sunny day...and...of course...I went for a walk. I was delighted
to see some of the larger trees blossoming...easpecially a species of magnolia...with
it's generous pink flowers. The forsythia was finally out...albeit about two months
late...it would seem. Apparently it will be sunny and warm this weekend. I am
beginning to feel...spring has finally sprung.................

Poem: The Rain Frees Me

[Detail from mural at Nanaimo and Hastings...Vancouver].
"The rain frees me today...
from the epic maker's delusions...
The dropletted window...
and the low cloud cover...
focus me in on tiny things...
yellow hibiscus leaf...
on floor vacuumed yesterday...
half loaf of cellophaned brown bread...
on granny laced dining table...
two pens...one blue...one yellow...
waiting on the chesterfield's arm...
and a thousand other little things...
that lie scattered around my silent shelter...
Today...the rain...has wanded them all...
with deep meaning...
that the white sun of yesterday...
kept hidden from me"..............
........................Quester.

Lucy Whiteloon

[Words from my song Lucy Whiteloon-Copyright-SOCAN. Video now on YouTube].
"Lucy I must write a song
for it's been so long
since I saw your kind...
Moving on the misty road
with your heavy load
the smile you give to me
grandmother says you're free...
Lucy Whiteloon...
your way is old and strong...
in this land you belong...
like the blue skies...
Lucy Whiteloon...
you take me to the days...
Anishnabe went their ways...
straight as the eagle flies"...
....................Quester,