Day: March 3, 2011

Sara Friedman (www.socialmomentum.org) threw a bit of a bomb in my creative consciousness when she suggested I get onto You Tube and then helped me get there. I went through the usual techno-nightmare of getting the right equipment. I tried a Flip but the lens was too small for me, I just couldn’t get wide enough. Then it took me a couple of day to get the JVC Everior working, and another day to get Imovie up and running.

Messed with my head also, but that is good. Maybe I was getting a little too comfortable with my still photo groove. Then, on top of that, there was dealing with all of the movie critics pointing out that the photos were narrow, or vertical, or herky-jerky. In America, not only can you get something for free, but it’s okay to whine about it too.My favorite was a woman who wrote that Lenore was “decent enough,” but the videos were of disappointing quality. She was right of course, and she can get a refund.  Lenore, “Decent enough?” Hmmmph.

Still, when all was said and done, the week was a triumph. I’ve taken about 20 videos, gotten more than 20,000 views in a little over a week. And more importantly, learned a lot. Technically, visually and literally. It is good for my still photography too, as it has given me a new way of seeing a photo.

I think the glorious era of the still photograph is changing, perhaps winding down. People expect images to move, and my own idea is that one compliments the other, and neither need to overwhelm. Talking about training Frieda is one thing. Showing Frieda being trained is quite another. It was a neat idea, I think, to read my new children’s book to Lenore, who enjoyed it. So did many other people, and my publicist was shocked and pleased.

Today I had yet another idea. Maria is doing her neat visual poems with her Ipod and camcorder and this inspired me to think of images in yet another way. So when I took the still above of Bunker Hill Road at sunset, I thought how cool to also offer people sense of what it was like to stand there, to hear my breath, the wind, the cards and actually see the sun setting. This sort of thing would have been unimaginable to a writer even five or ten years ago, and now it is an elemental part of my work, and also, yes, the marketing of my work.

I think the video needs to be thoughtful and not impulsive. People often misuse technology, confusing what is important with what is cool and possible. I want to be thoughtful about it.

There are lots of photos and images of sunsets on YouTube and elsewhere. Nothing original there. But it compliments my work in a way that is quite jolting and exciting for me. I’m eager to learn more and see where it goes.

So here’s another small step in my video evolution. Come watch the Sunset with me on Bunker Hill Road:

I would not have thought this a lovely photo a year ago, but I nearly drove off the road when I saw these lines and curves. This is a country road, for sure. And I always love telephone lines.

Awhile back,  I encountered Herman, my scary voice in the night, hiding out in the bedroom.

He was listening to the news on his Ipad, channeling images of fierce storms, economic collapse, posturing politicians, revolution and repression. And some disease and catastrophes.

Herman, I said. Why don’t  you go somewhere else? I am sick of you, and frankly, you are not of much use to me anymore. I’m sick of fear and am thinking about money and fame instead.

I have lost faith in you. You are not my life, and I do not wish to listen to you anymore. You need to be in health care, or the insurance business, maybe working for a mortgage company. How bout taking a hike.

Herman was offended, hurt a bit, and I felt badly. But not too badly. Then I didn’t see him for a bit, and when I came out of the farmhouse this morning, I think I found his new place. Not quite in the house, not quite ready to leave.

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Frieda and Maria head off to the Studio Barn, toting yard

I believe the training of dogs is a spiritual experience, not an exercise in technique or obedience or submission. This is borne out again and again with Frieda. Frieda was abandoned in the Adirondacks and roamed wildly there for years, finding her own food, and her own shelter. In our long training experience together, I never quite grasped the idea that she had no idea how to walk comfortable with a human being.

When she is out, she is always hunting or guarding. When you ask her to walk she gets nervous, even confused. So I begin each morning with a kind of spiritual meditation. I just visualize walking her calmly with her, and I reinforce this with voice, food and reward. We go for short walks, and we always end up in a good place – seeing Maria, having a treat, or praise and affection. Day by day, Frieda is beginning to grasp the idea of the walk, although our progress is halting if steady. Dogs need a chance to succeed as well as fail.

Training is an intensely personal thing for me. I am not really looking for training gurus or the techniques of other people. I work on my conviction. I mean to succeed. I work on being positive. This must be good for Frieda. The important thing is that we end up walking together. Everything else is just filler.

The words I always use with Frieda are “Frieda, come walk with me.” Then, just “come,” “sit” or “stay” remembering to praise her frequently and let her know I am happy. Frieda is exquisitely tuned into the people she protects.

My state of mind is crucial to training Frieda. If I am relaxed and joyful, it goes well. If I am tired or irritated, it doesn’t.  I need to use few words, be positive and clear. Good for me, good for her. This reinforces my own need for a calmer, more peaceful self. We are doing it together. I don’t have an “up” voice and I don’t really like them. But Frieda is getting the idea, and I will take it a few  steps at a time. Come with us on our walk this morning, which was just down the road and ended up at Maria’s studio. We’ll do it again this afternoon.

Last fall, Maria brought some geraniums into the farmhouse and potted them, she thought we might need them in February or March. She was wise, as she often is.

Yesterday I got a friendly call from Michelle at my credit card company with the good news that I had been selected – because of my good credit rating – for a special program in which my credit rating can be monitored continously and I can be updated as often as I’d like (every minute if I wished) on how my credit rating was going and every time it changes. This service was only $25 a month, or if I preferred, “$125 a year. Gee, thanks, I asked Michelle.

Could I ask a couple of questions?

Of course, said Michelle.

Why on earth would anyone want to pay for this?

Well, this way you can be notified instantly if your credit rate goes up or down, and react right away. It’s important to keep a good credit rating in this economy.

But you said I already had a good credit rating, or I wouldn’t be eligible for the program.

Yes, but in this economy, you never know. Things change. You could be laid off or lose income. Or even a pension.

Gee, thanks, I said.

You know, Michelle, I’ve never had trouble getting companies to take my money. Toyota just did it happy. My bank refinanced my farm a couple of years ago. Amazon has never given me any trouble or B&H Photo. And once or twice a week I get 0 % per cent financing offers from you and other credit card companies because my credit is so good.

Michelle and I talked about it a bit, and we were very cordial with each other, and I told her the idea of monitoring my credit all day or more than that was truly horrifying. Worse than calling customer service at Verizon, and that is pretty horrible.

We parted friends, I think.

Later in the day, I went to get my classes adjusted and the optician came out to say hi and she said you know when you next have your eyes checked, we can also screen them and tell you if you have cancer.

I am rarely speechless, but was quiet for a bit. But what if I don’t want to know if I have cancer when I come by next time? What if I just want to have my glasses checked? Oh, she said. Most people say yes. I wondered if she wanted to Friend Michelle, maybe on Facebook.