How Kaleb Turned 30...

How Kaleb Turned 30...

Watch the video

WARNING - Do not watch this if road rash and stitched and stories about stiches gross you out!

This is my best friend and roomate Kaleb. You might remember Kaleb from other vlog posts I have made.

ANyway. Kaleb had a very exciting Toronto Pride 2006 - he sure knows how to go out with a bang...

To top it all off, it was his 30th birthday.

Toshi Reagon in Toronto

Toshi Reagon in Toronto

Watch the video

Toronto Pride 2006 - Toshi Reagon - for more info on Toshi go to www.toshireagon.com.

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

Watch the video

Kaleb's performance at Toronto Pride 2006 at the "Insert Pronoun Here" show rocked the house! If you remember that fabulous 80's movie, you'll get a thrill from this genderqueered interpretation.

Stumbling Onto the Preparations...

Stumbling Onto the Preparations...

Watch the video

Just happened on this while on the way to breakfast. What I find amazing is how quickly all the churchy buzz words, like chalice and holy spirit - come back to me when I start talking with old ladies. I'm such a good kid at heart, even though I try to be a cynic about religion.

A Hound Dog Interlude

A Hound Dog Interlude

Watch the video

It's been a while since the last dog-centric post. Here's what Hopey's end of day is like.

Back when I was a cook....

Back when I was a cook....

Watch the video

This t.v. special aired almost 3 years ago - and every so often someone will tell me that they saw me on t.v. I had never seen this segment, and then the other day when someone said they'd seen it, I though "Enough is enough, I need to see that segment". I called up Rogers Television and they sent me a copy. It was that easy. But watching the clip brought back a lot of memories of a job that really pushed me into a dark place I hope I never visit again - a place of total and complete burn-out. To this day I have difficulty walking by this restaurant (it's 6 blocks from my house) without a little cringing when I remember how stressed out I was the whole time I worked for them. Anyway. That's what this is about.

5 New Toronto Vloggers!

5 New Toronto Vloggers!

Watch the video

Tonight I taught the "Videoblogging for Beginners" workshop for the 3rd time and it was a great success. The folks in the class really picked up quickly and were all very excited to go home and work with their new knowledge. This clip has terrible lighting, but please overlook that and meet Deejay - a taxi driver and video artist who's new vlog You See What I See? will hopefully help his friends and family in Nigeria see his videos.



Also in the class were:

Vanessa - a technician at the LIFT co-op who sat in on the class and who's new vlog is Enter Tech Woman

Chad - who works across the hall in the building at Vision TV and is interested in doing a personal site at ruby red rimon

Gina - a teacher who wants to post primarily for friends and family at YYZ

Chris - a recent Trebas institue graduate who's excited to post parody and animations at his new vlog Cow Tipping 101

I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of this third workshop. Since having just been at Vloggercon 06, I felt like this workshop was more holistic and I was able to really get into vlog theory with this group whereas before I was more confident in sharing technical tips and tricks. If you get a chance, say hi to the new kids on the vlock.

I've finally been remixed!

I've finally been remixed!

Watch the video

Thanks to Rob Parrish at Hopper Video I am finally part of a remix with Chuck Olsen from Minnesota Stories.

Awesome! I love it!

 

 

not little gay girls

not little gay girls (work in progress)

Watch the video

This is my 2 minute video for a show this Friday night - see here: Twenty Two Minute Performances RM asked me and Kaleb to do something, and I've been mulling over my feelings about gay marriage/gay weddings for quite a while now. I have several gay married friends who I car about deeply, but I also have a really strong distaste for marriage and trying to balance the two has been difficult. So here's where I'm starting - I'll try to work this into a larger piece at some point in the near future. WARNING - This file is 30 MB so it will take a little while to download! sources: (audio) The L Word and (video) Superman cartoon from the Internet Archive.

Vloggercon 2006 - Second Post - About Walking and Talking

Vloggercon 2006 - Second Post - About Walking and Talking

Watch the video

This is a response to a comment I read on Michael Verdi's post on innovative vlogging.
Someone posted:

 

1. Jimmy CraicHead @ Demand Condom said on 4 Jun 2006 at 8:46 pm:

   My choice for the only exciting video podcast, vlog, whatever would be http://www.secretpants.net/
   I found it on Firefox searching for something that wasn’t so self absorbed as the usual citizen jester holding a camera at arms length from his face, or watching someones feet walk along a path. It may be a bit for some but never boring. Vlogging should not be an iCam on someome who is basically reading a text blog. Give it an edge!

I'm interested in the discussion of what's innovative in vlogging without the need to categorize or put down various forms of expression.  I would like to see our community steer clear of loaded language like "talent" and "quality".

 

Thanks to the folks who helped me get to San Francisco for VLoggercon 2006 - it was a mind-expanding trip.

 

 

Vloggercon 2006 - First Post

Vloggercon 2006 - First Post

Watch the video

This is the first of many posts to come on my Vloggercon '06 trip. 

 

I had an incredible time - and as soon as the Pride Week crunch is over, I hope to have more time to start working on all my new vlog ideas.

 

Thanks to all the folks who helped me get to SF for the conference!

 

 

 

 

Response to the Rebel Sell (and missintensity)

Response to the Rebel Sell (and missintensity)

Watch the video

This is my response to missintensity's post about the Rebel Sell by Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter.

 

Vloggercon 2006 posts to come soon.

At Vloggercon 2006

Well, the funny thing is - i haven't had the time to actually VLOG! However, I'm having an excellent time at Vloggercon 2006. Right now there's a bit of slow moment for me as I'm in between panels that are of most interest to me.

This morning I really enjoyed catching up with folks in a more intimate setting at Schlomo's house for breakfast. Then on the drive to the hall, finally got to chat with Verdi a little about Node 101 and what's going to happen next. Following this I went to the Node 101 and the Digital Divide panel. This was my favourite panel to date largely because it was so participatory. People were really engaged in the topic and I appreciated all the thoughts that a variety of folks shared. Also, it was probably the most diverse content to this point.

I'm excited for the Undiscovered Country this afternoon, when I go home I have to try the iMovie trick I gleaned from Josh about using soft focus to lighten dark video footage, and I'll be posting a bunch of videos about this trip and a couple of the trip.

Key ideas that I don't want to forget -

1. To talk about the vlog content, keeping things "safe", and what if we were able to blog about ANYTHING.

2. Promoting your vlog vs. marketing - not being a slick, self involved, media provider, but still maximizing the amplification of your voice.

3. What I will do personally to assist in teaching technology to people.

and much much more.

Vloggercon2006, Node 101, Vlog content

Did you know?

As a child I explained my lack of a dad by telling people that he had been eaten by piranhas in Africa.

liesdadspiranhas

Pirate Bonnie resurrection...

Pirate Bonnie resurrection...

Watch the video

A long time ago...six years now...i was lucky enough to fool around in a garage with a couple of folks - and we came up with a few tunes - no vocals, we didn't have anyone for that - just two drummers who took turns on bass and me with guitar.

I loved this band (Pirate Bonnie) because it was the first time I was seriously challenged by playing with folks who were better than me.  Unfortunately I moved to Toronto and our brief musical romance ended.  All I have is the poster for our one show - as is the custom in B.C., to play shows as you invent yourself - and a cassette recording of our seven songs which was done on a walkman with recording abilities...beware - this is NOT HIGH QUALITY!  

Here is my favourite song from the recording.

Talking about having a Lesbian Mom

Talking about having a Lesbian Mom

Watch the video

This post is in honor of Blogging for LGBT Families Day - for details go to:

http://www.mombian.com/2006/05/03/lgbtfamilies/
 

Blogging for LGBT Families

Waiting for Tragedy

Waiting for Tragedy

Watch the video

My friend Deirdre and I talk about the psychological effects of quitting smoking at Tracy's bon voyage barbeque at Dufferin Grove park.

 

 

Poil

Poil

Watch the video

At the queer film festival I just finished working, we got a lot of free pizza - for ten days I ate way too many slices of oily PizzaPizza...my pal Mark and I came up with a new word for the topping that we saw most often...