You Can’t Just Be Creative
A while ago I wrote a blog post about buying a new camera for my YouTube videos. I was struggling just filming with my phone, and felt that a camera would be a decent investment. I narrowed down my choices and ended up getting the Sony ZV-1.
It has been a pretty good choice for me. The main complaint I have about it is that it eats battery life like it is starving. To combat that, I purchased three additional batteries along with a charger, and that has worked for me thus far. I may need more batteries down the line, we shall see.
I knew a while back that you can't just 'make' YouTube videos. You have to edit them as well. I started out on simple software that allowed me to do basic things. As I gained more knowledge, I needed the ability to do more. A lot of people use Final Cut Pro (Apple Produce) or Adobe Premiere Pro.
I did not and do not like the idea of paying a subscription service for a product that I rely on to do things if that makes sense. It is the same reason I haven't upgraded from Microsoft Office 2007. There is nothing in the Office 365 version that I need bad enough to subscribe and have to pay a monthly fee for. No thank you. With a little help from my husband, I started using Blender.
Blender is known as a 3D rendering software. It allows you to make art and stretch your creativity. It also has a video editing portion and that is what I use. It allows me to do a lot of the things I see other youtubers do. If you can do it in Final Cut Pro, chances are I can do it in Blender as well. There are also a ton of tutorials on Youtube for Blender. Everything I have learned how to do, I've learned from Youtube. It's gotten to a point where I can look for a tutorial on how to do something, watch it, and it may be set up for FCP, but I know the tools of Blender well enough to apply the tutorial to Blender itself. It may take a few extra steps, but I get it done.
I never thought I would use the other portions of blender. I am not a graphics artist. I am not an artist period. I suck at art. I literally got a D in 6th grade art. But I am learning I can create visual effects for my videos in the other modes of Blender, which means more tutorials.
What I am learning in my ripe old age, is that doing something doesn't just mean doing it and being done with it. I wanted to make podcasts. You don't just record and that's it. You have to learn your software, you have to learn to edit, you have to learn how to upload. You can't just make youtube videos. You have to know how to edit. If there is something special, you have to learn how to do that as well. Sure, you can pay someone to do it, but you have to at least know a little bit so you can express what it is that you want from them. Every time I pick something up, my brain gets stretched a little more. In the beginning of the pandemic, I started writing again. I wrote a whole fan fiction book. You can see the improvement from where I began to where I started, as fiction and dialog writing is much more difficult that writing a blog. I have been out of school for many years, I have forgotten the rules, so I had to do my research. My bookshelves are filled with K-pop and writing books.
The same is true with all of my other hobbies. I am learning and growing. It's never a simple matter of just doing the thing, no matter how much someone tells you that you just need to get out there and and do it. For you to be great, you have to be willing to learn. I like to succeed in everything I do. I'm trying. I'm learning, and I am working. Thank you for sticking with me.
Tech Talk: This camera ain’t doing it
Recently, along with the podcast, I have also been doing videos here and there on YouTube. Here is an example of one:
All my life, I have had the worst luck with cameras. Currently I am using my phone and a Nikon CoolPix L830. I was super pumped when I got the camera a few years ago. It gave me the DSLR body I wanted, without having the bulky lenses, and the screen adjusted to help me take pictures.
It takes great pictures, but video, there are some issues. I am typically filming myself, and though the screen adjusts, it doesn't adjust so I can see it if I am facing the camera. So I can't really see myself, and I can't see if any adjustments need to be made. This was a lesson I learned with the most recent video that is coming out. The entire thing is blurry. It is insane. I am still going to post it because it took me forever to make and edit and practice makes perfect.
I do not have the ability with this camera to add an external mic. Not a big deal when I was just doing pictures, but now that I am making videos, I need an external mic. The microphone on this camera is not doing me any favors. For now, I am connecting a mic to my phone, and making a loud noise so that I am able to sync up the sound in editing. I am a big proponent of working smarter, not harder, and it seems to me that a smarter option would be a camera that has the ability to have an external mic.
So What am I Thinking About Purchasing?
I am the absolute queen of impulse purchases. I see something that is close to what I need, and I grab it, and a few months later down the line, I find out it does not have all the features that I want or need. I am trying not to make that same mistake with a camera, because let's face it, cameras are pricey as hell. I am not made of money and I cannot purchase a new camera every two years because I realize that a bell and whistle that I need, I didn't get because I picked the first thing that caught my fancy.
So far, this is what I know I want/need
- Movable screen so I am able to see myself when I am vlogging
- Ability to add an external mic
- I would like a small form factor, something I can shove in my purse and go and won't hurt my wrist to hold up for an extended period of time.
- This isn't a requirement, but if I could get a small form camera that has interchangeable lenses, that would be cool.
- Bluetooth capability.
- Under $1000 closer to under $700 would be ideal
- Really good stabilization. I waddle. It's a fact of life. I have waddled my whole life and so video tends to be shaky.
- I would like something possibly over a year old so that it has a lot of tutorials out for it that I can read and learn from.
- Common form factor storage card - Please no cameras with their own proprietary storage card. That gives me a headache. There is no need for it. SD is here, other forms of SD are here. PICK ONE AND USE IT!
- I need to be able to do 4k vlogging.
I don't have a pixel requirement because in this day and age, most cameras will give you what you need in the pixel department.
With these 9 things in mind I have started looking at cameras.
The first one is the Sony ZV-1
As you can see straight off the bat, it has the screen that I require. It has the ability to hook up an external mic, and from the videos that I have watched on it, it takes great pictures and video.
This one is the newest of the ones I have been looking at and has the highest price at roughly $800.00. I cringe at that cost. However, if you look on YouTube it has some of the best reviews. People even revisit it in videos and still enjoy it months later.
The next one is the Canon G7X Mark III.
This has everything that the Sony has. It is older, so it doesn't have all of the new shiny bells and whistles, but I don't know if I even want the bells and whistles. Its viewing screen does pull out so I could see it, but all I have seen thus far is that it pulls out above I believe. I like the ones that swing out to the side, but that isn't a deal breaker, you know? It has the small form factor and it clocks in price wise at around $650. which is a touch better, but what am I giving up for that extra money? Will I regret it when I discover I need something else?
The final one is killing me. It's the Canon M50.
This one is a little larger, but still has a small form factor that won't hurt my wrist. It has interchangeable lenses. You can buy it with one or two (obviously the price goes up if you buy it with two. It has the swing out screen, and also runs about $650.00 (with the single lens). It's killing me because this is the one I would immediately impulse buy, but I am trying to be the adult I know I can be and do my due diligence so I am not staring at other cameras when they come out. It also does not do 4K, which is a thing I will need.
I have watched this guy's videos and will continue to do my research.
Do you work with cameras? Do you have opinions? I'd like to hear it!
Oh we on YouTube?
Both Quinzel and I post to Youtube on occasion. This is my latest video, unboxing the Monsta X Japanese single for Love Killa. Enjoy!
80’s Song Wednesday
Since the are really doing a sequel and everyone seems to be on board, I feel that it is only appropriate to make Goonies 'R' Good Enough by Cyndi Lauper. I consider it the second best 80's music video only preceded by Thriller. It was so awesome they made it in two parts. Enjoy both parts below!
Bun-ba-bunnn-bunnn…..
Hi guys! Long time no talk!
I miss you so much, but I am working hard. When I get done with school (which is either in May or August, hopefully; cross your fingers) I will have more time, but until then, it is what it is.
How are you guys doing on your natural hair journey? I am doing great. After I discovered a routine for myself, things seem to be good. You haven't seen pics for a while have you? Let me show you...
Me at my new job.. Got to have the obligatory bathroom shot.
Before I got my current job, I worked a temp job for a couple of weeks at my university. I had to park a considerable distance away and take a shuttle to my building. This is me waiting on my shuttle.
Not one of my favorite shots. But, you know...
I know, it's a lot of makeup. But I still felt cute. I was irritated because I was so concerned with getting that shot, that I forgot to put on earrings!
A really bad pic of me and the hubs. Awww.
So as you can see, my hair has been growing nicely. The next thing that I want to try is a bun. However, I have no clue where to start. So my questions to you are:
Do you ever put a bun in your hair? How did you learn? Do you recommend anyone's technique from YouTube?
I have yet to see anyone on YouTube with my hair length or kinkiness/curliness. Any thoughts and ideas you guys have are appreciated!
Henna- My experience
Editors Note: I really tried to finish this yesterday. I was doing the editing of this blog while I was in class. But there was some interesting topics being presented, so I abandoned finishing this up until today. Enjoy!
So I finally got around to doing a henna treatment. I apologize in advance for the spotty filming 
Yeah
What I Would Do Differently:
1. We have two bathrooms in our house. The main/guest bathroom is tiled. Our master bathroom is set up weird. The sink is outside the bathroom, and doesn’t have a door or anything. The toilet and the shower are within the bedroom, but are separate from the sink. The area where the toilet and shower is has a door, and is tiled. The area where the sink is does not have a door and is carpeted. I laid down an old sheet, and did my henna treatment in there. I think next time I will just use the main/guest bathroom.
2. While I did do some searching on ingredients and products and stuff, I think I will be more thorough in my reading up on products
3. I will actually go out and purchase plain old green tea. I don’t know if it made a difference that I used honey lemon and pomegranate green tea.
My Final Thoughts:
Henna did not make a huge difference for me. Yeah, my hair was softer afterwards, but not any other softer as if I would have done a deep condition. My curl pattern is the same, and there is no change really to anything. The persistent drying that I was dealing with has seemed to clear up a little, but that might have been the same if I would have just done a deep conditioning. I have no color change. Though last night, I had a dream that my curls looked like MsDena610 from YouTube with blondish tips. Ask me about my dreams sometime, I dream crazy!
Anyway, I will probably try this again, taking into consideration the things that I want to do different. If I don’t notice anything spectacular the second time around (Because I do have half a bag of henna left), I probably won’t do it again.
Do you have any treatments that you have been wanting to try? What has been stopping you?
The next thing I want to try is Rassul Clay.
Flat twists and coconut oil.
Since my gel problem has been solved, I needed to find a hair style that I wanted to try. I keep flashing back to my relaxed hair days and my unruly attempts as styling my own hair. I can't wield a curling iron if my life depending on it. I always got this really weird dent in the end of my hair. I never really had any creativity as far as styling my relaxed hair.
Because of this, I am leery of trying anything over the top or over dramatic with my hair to start out with. I think my first order of business is going to be doing flat twists in the front of my head. I will take pics and show you how everything goes. If I end up doing it well, I will make a youtube video of it.That is kind of where I learned the technique, but all the videos I went to were really low quality. I have decent camera equipment here, so maybe I can do a better one.
In other hair related news, I have decided to join the Coconut Oil Challenge over at Hairlista's Inc. I am incredibly late to the party (it started in November of last year) But it can't hurt. The rules are simple(taken from the site):
-Deep condition or prepoo with EVCO at least 2x a wk. You can do this however it works for you, you can condition w/ heat or w/out before you wash, you can do a hot oil treatment and keep it in overnight, you can also use the plastic cap and steam effect overnight with this if you'd like.
-Moisturize with your moisturizer of choice and seal with EVCO nightly or however often your hair desires it.
-After washing hair use EVCO as a leave in** Caution- use just enough to lightly cover hair, becareful not to use too much, maybe a dime size amount**
I can do that, easy peasy.I already use coconut oil as a prepoo. I think I am going to go ahead and start tonight. If you end up joining the challenge, please let me know! We can be friends on Hairlista. I don't know much about the site, I am slowly exploring it.
You guys have a great evening!
They are getting better.
My two strand twists are getting better. They are getting to the point where I would wear them outside without a hat. They looked better last night when I was doing them while watching Battlestar Galactica ( We are on season 2.5.. don't tell me ANYTHING). I have slept on them since then, and for some reason, I always get a couple of wonky twists after sleeping.
Awwww...
You see the one to the left? The one that is doing the little Schemer half curl (if you have never watched Thomas the Tank Engine with George Carlin, you may not get that)? Those drive me crazy!
This is just me pulling down on them to show you how long they are.
My hair is getting longer people! Not as fast as I might like, but it is getting longer. The back of my hair is shoulder length. The entire time I was relaxed, my hair was NEVER shoulder length. I couldn't take care of relaxed hair. I wouldn't go get relaxers when it was time. My hair would ALWAYS break off. My hair, on a good month/year would hit earlobe length.
I really really want enough hair to do a bun. Who knows, maybe if I stretch out my hair, I might have enough hair to do a bun. I don't know. I will have to check out some youtube vids on it. Do you guys have any bun tutorial reccommendations?
Stay tuned this week, I will be having a giveaway for a beautiful hair time from Sarenzo's Beads, and a couple of other goodies!
Don’t give advice to someone who doesn’t want it.
I write a blog. I write a blog about natural hair. I follow the natural hair hashtag on twitter (@mrsckugs if you want to read my randomness about life). I ask people for their thoughts and advice. I give my thoughts and my advice on my blog. You may choose to read it. You may choose not to. I am not going to tell you how to live your natural hair life. That isn't me. I am fairly newly natural (a year next month). What right do I have to chase down a relaxed hair woman and tell her she is living her life wrong!?
I am not militant with the natural hair. I love my hair now. I like being able to style it and do things to it that I was not able to do when I was relaxed.
I ran across this video on twitter today in the natural hair hashtag. The woman has a point. I will give her that. I live in Indianapolis, there is not a big natural hair movement here. I've never had women run me down and tell me what I should do with my hair. I once had a hair dresser tell me my hair was a hot mess before he chopped a shit ton of it off (*sniffle*). Just watch the video, you will see what I mean. Due to cursing, this video is NSFW.
Espionage Cosmetics
