PART FOUR OF THE PLAN?

YOU WILL STRUGGLE TO GET THROUGH A THIRD OF THE WAY, WITH THIS ONE. MAYBE EVEN A PARAGRAPH OR TWO. IN REALITY, THIS TOME OF WORDERY IS FOR MY OWN, MUCH NEEDED, THOUGHT PROCESSING.

Ideas expanded again. Especially for an idea for a small interlude section that brings intentional calm. As said in the previous blog. Rather akin to an ASMR type scenario. But not so deep diving as its own healing philosophy. A short interlude break, in one of the YouTube intended full videos, could be considered a welcome shift of focus for a viewer watching. Performing a mindful activity piece of short visual or aural content is important to create a vibe that impacts across the whole video. My voice has a quiet tone in real life. ‘Gray, can you speak louder please!’ is often thrown my way. But whispering in ASMR fashion is a forced intentional. If I listen to forced, out of the norm, presentations in change of voice or insistent repetitive noises, it brings unease. So….no intentions from myself in going down that route whatsoever.

In 2007 an online discussion began the concept of ASMR. A health-related forum, Steady Health, had one user describing a ‘specific tingling sensation they had experienced since childhood when exposed to certain mundane triggers’. They gave an example of watching a puppet show or being read a story. The first intentional videos began on YouTube in 2009. A user by the name of Whispering Life. Whispering presentations and tapping different surfaces, for example, was the video’s content.

(Above: Taken, and shortened, from the search result of asking Google Chrome a question ‘When did ASMR begin?’. The answer came back in the form of an AI explanation).

However. Day to day experiences of white noise sound? Yes. Taken from surrounding nature. Little short sections of seeing and hearing the sea’s waves, wind in dune grass, crickets chirruping, river ripples, waterfall, etc.. Alongside the visual presentations of ‘nature’ in the spot I am in at that time. Or an activity. Like the sound of making a pot of tea, grinding coffee beans and the noises of making certain types of coffee, the sound of a fountain pen nib laying down words on hand made paper. The lyric ideas written down for a song. 

THOSE ODD NUMBERS AGAIN. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9.

ONE:

AN HONEST INTROSPECTIVE OF HOW, OR IF, I HAVE THE SELF BELIEF TO DO THIS….

Singular? Myself. Wish I could share the burden of this project with other human presence. Flying solo is a pain at times. Hopefully it can happen. How to develop self confidence. The constant familiar of using an opener introduction that retains a familiar settled format. An affirmation can give off a positive atmosphere for myself at least. A whimsical ‘Hello, hello. Welcome to Summers’ Cloud 9….and….here we go’ or a similar, less trite, small mantra to bring calm that the follow up experience will not challenge the viewer. It will become an affirmation of confirming that what is about to be witnessed could possibly bring inner peace and positivity. Comforting words, music and visuals that bring a smile as emotional response. Rather like when I watched The Goodlife, The Shillingbury Tales and Lovejoy on TV and the opening consistent visuals and music credits made the heart leap. Settling into and hunkering down with positive anticipation. Alongside an introduction in order to cement that ‘All is well and is as it should be’ and ‘Keep calm and Carry On’ type emotional responses. Currently trying to find/think of a certain visual ‘Summers’ vibe’. To be honest? Just be myself. A regular everyday, gently spoken and calm guy. Well…..most of the time!

So. What and who is the self presented Summers’ per se? Who is the visual personality in this video? Ambience has to be considered. No outlandish shenanigans that can be at odds with content. Not like when being on stage jumping around playing guitar. Especially in the punk days. Now? Just be myself I suppose. With the familiar and comfortable day to day Bohemian and vintage inclusions. Always the same type of clothes chosen every morning on waking with a cycle of the loved and adopted combinations. Basically. Hat, wrist bangles, grandad shirt, waistcoats, and always vintage battered clothes bought from charity/thrift shops. Is this important? Yes. Leads to viewers seeing a familiarity.

‘You look like an angel all dressed in rags. Miles from your relevant age…….’ as I wrote recently and sang oh so sweetly and naively. Is that how I perceive myself? If so….I can live with that easily.

Here comes the truth though. Do I want my moniker and presence on a laptop, iPad or iPhone screen? No! I even hate being photographed. But there is that well known phrase I used to spout out when standing in front of the small crowd that attended the ‘Activate your Life’ Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment course. A philosophy of taught sessions to the community when I was a Staff Nurse. ‘Feel the Fear….and Do it Anyway’. So I suppose I ought to self heed my own advocation of such words. ‘Practice what you preach’ and ‘Needs Must’ come to mind. As K. Bradford Brown writes in his Guide Lines to Feelings book.

‘Upset feelings come and go, like the wind, the tides and the raging seas. Wise birds settle on the surface and await the calm’.

Yup! ‘Face the Fear and Do it Anyway’ in a nutshell.

Having fear of presenting ‘in the flesh’ so to speak, I also seriously considered just using a format of total narration over appropriate imagery and sound. No ‘me’ in the video. Like ‘That Umbrella Guy’. His voice is all that is presented in his videos. And what a voice he has too! But the physical playing of my songs is involved. There is no fun in just listening to the music without seeing someone playing it.

THREE:

The Sacred Trinity of Constant Inclusion.

First……….The VeeDub.

The essential visual vibe of happiness. People see it around and about here locally and smile. So many people stop and chat too. Very nice statements are the norm.

‘What a beautiful camper van’. ‘Wish I had one of these’. ‘I had one of these. Wish I still had her/him’. ‘How long are you here on holiday’.

That last but one statement shows that we name our VeeDub Buses. We all wave to each other when we see each other out and about on the road. Some people on the streets smile and wave when you drive past too. That last statement? People don’t see you living full time in the Bus. They see it as a pleasure vehicle. The VeeDub gives opportunity to brew up a cuppa, cook a simple meal, relax by reading a book, playing music, lighting a log fire or barbecue or simply sitting quietly, taking in the surrounding views. Their is total comfort in its presence. That can emanate itself powerfully on screen.

Second….. Music.

Cannot include general music due to copyright. But can obviously include my own. Other musician’s songs who play alongside me? Not sure how it works with expectations of the musicians involved. I have no interest in monetising the Cloud 9 site. And certainly no adverts. Reminder to self….check out how to avoid. I know a guy who told me that he took his YT site down completely because he was getting others invade his site space with unwanted adverts. Strangely, his site was all about his drone flying experiences. He was spooked at the intensity of it all.

Third………One of the Seven Wild Cards.

Keep them short. And keep them real in the sense of inclusion. Remember, sight and sound of activities is the aim for ASMR. You want people to feel relaxed watching the vibe. A short interlude idea of an activity that brings a natural break and satisfying ‘gentle time beat’ to what is going on in the video. For example: vegetarian cookery. Making a full blown meal is out of the question. Cooking up an omelette, making a cup of Yerba mate tea, making a coffee in various ways (Gaggia espresso or cappuccino, French press, pour over in cone filters, the stove top Moka too. And the never tried, but do have the cezve/ibrik copper pot…Turkish coffee. Using the Spong manual grinder for the coffee beans is perfect. A ‘going about the business of a little daily constant’ is great because it shows normality. And you can sit with the resulting cuppa or cuppas and carry on the video content. Lighting a log fire in the newly bought stainless steel brazier is similar. I can light our log fire in our home’s living room in about two minutes from scratch. And have lit the garden chimenea equally as fast. So a fire is a fire I suppose.

Of course, a video of little ongoing quirky visual inclusion is less boring too. A nighttime atmosphere with a fire burning under a starry sky is heartwarming. But not for watching Gray Summers for 10 minutes of inactivity, sitting looking at fire flame dance and star filled sky. Hence thinking an interesting faster ‘storyboard’. A total length full video presentation lasting 20 to 30 minutes maximum is ideal.

Fountain pens and dip nib pens: Writing down lyrics is knowing where to place that activity within a video. When I watch others writing script with the camera above the paper being written on, it is quite calming. Especially if they don’t talk about how the pen performs, etc.. Just watching individual letters move to words and then onto sentence meaning is a calming moment in time. The ‘scratch’ sound of a vintage dip nib is quite pleasant too. But only for short bursts.

FIVE: Five regular places to visit.

Which places to visit?

They should be a regular list to avoid too much thinking regards where to go. All of them should be rural and Mother Nature based. But not different every time. Can revisit in succession at times. Some may be better for certain activity. You can’t light a brazier fire within trees for example. And if dusk and nightfall are inclusive, then the place should be chosen wisely. No isolation in far out places where Werewolves howl in the fullness of moonlight.

1. A riverside. The Rheidol? The Dyfi?

2. A lake. Nant y Moch? Tal y Llyn lake?

3. A wooded/forest area. Over at The Hafod Arch and surrounding forestry. Or up at the back of our village? Even Artists Valley. But I found it difficult to find a parking spot on first visit.

4. A beach/dunes. Ynyslas. Trouble is with sea air is that it can corrode the VeeDub bodywork badly. But there are positives to be had there. A protection fire proof mat under the brazier would be ideal on sand. I could spook at forestry park ups, lighting a log fire and watching sparks dance towards the upper canopy of trees. But, there are dedicated wild fire camps around here. Winter shut down exists though.

5. Open hillside spots. I’d rather like to go inland to the back of the village. The hillside climbs and climbs. Amongst those hillsides is Bedd Taliesin (The 6th Century Bard Taliesin’s Grave Site). A much revered spot. You cannot drive there. But as you get higher? The views over towards the Aberdovey and the Dyfi estuary are really impressive. Not sure of parking spaces along the stretch of small one track roads up there though.

A wild card location inclusion? Maybe a good idea. Hafod offerings, Bont Goch, Trawscoed, Devils Bridge, Pontrhydfendigaid, the Elan Valley, and other places in the little books of localities. So many to choose, but watch distance! At the VeeDub really low mileage per gallon of petrol cost…..it gets very, very expensive. I simply cannot afford the excessive costs now I am retired. The thousands upon thousands of £££’s on £££’s the VeeDub has swallowed up trying to ‘keep alive’. Even still having blips and cutting out. Hopefully it will settle. Maintenance on keeping the VeeDub alive over the past years has been crazy. Adding to that past cost with future huge petrol outlay is just as silly! So prudence is important.

SEVEN: Hobbies, Interests, The Wild Cards.

Use each suggestion of the seven interests I have below and record the activity with a short visual and auditory Cloud 9 equivalent to an ASMR type activity involved. But more gentle. The need for little quieter scenarios and small activities in the video provide an ambience of life in a VeeDub. Not in totality, but they do offer insights into Van Life. Gives the video content a balancing storyboard. A small ‘said to self or exchanged with another present’ verbal Mantra. ‘I believe it is about time I had/we have a coffee, a bite to eat, a bit of fire warmth, a reminder/change of lyric content, a look at this view we are experiencing, etc.’. Music overlay isn’t the premise here. The sounds of what is going on in the activity are.

Seven other ideas, to include alongside music, the conversation, the view. Things to include, to act out that produces a result linked to short time length relaxing breaks. Think of my interests and which are strongest. They add little sparks of change. Maybe an oddity inclusion at a place or places in a section or more in the video.

1. Fountain pens, journals and writing script. Noise of nib on paper/sight of written script developing.

2. Photography. The snap of a shutter/the sound of the surroundings.

3. Vegetarian cookery. The sound of food chopped, sizzling, etc.

4. Various teas/coffee. The clunk of utensils, the bubbling of the Gaggia machine, etc.

5. Aromatherapy/Aroma. The grinding down in pestle and mortar of the fragrant resins, the swirling smoke of joss sticks, etc.

6. Complementary Therapeutic interventions. Healing power of sound especially. The tuning forks and their frequencies, singing bowls and chimes.

7. Others wild card interests. But linked to the video theme.

NINE: Cloud 9 and its use in a differently tempered type of relaxed presentation similar to ASMR philosophy.

Fountain pens, writing script, journalling thought and visualising and hearing the sound of nib on paper as the words appear one by one. ASMR with a written down affirmation to self, a few lyrics, short poem, Buddhist thought, etc. Identifying an individual pen used by simply writing down what make it is before beginning the lyrics, poem, etc.

Photography. Surrounding sounds of nature as video images captured. The click of the shutter button. The resulting photograph placed in the video after the snap taken.

Vegetarian cookery. Noises….utensils, gas lit, logs chopped, sizzle, boiling, etc. But, it would be a long time to cook anything other than a simple quick snack type meal. An omelette, You can then go on to eat whilst taking in the view with a bit of ambient music attached. I need to write more short instrumentals! Could even include the tuning forks’ Solfeggio frequencies or singing bowls and Tibetan monastery claw bells. Need ideas.

Various teas, coffee. The preparations of each different type. Espresso machine hiss, Yerba mate with Swan Neck spout pouring, Spong manual coffee grinder, etc. The Shure MV88 microphone is super sensitive and will pick up some amazing white noise sounds.

Other noise? A typewriter clattering, rain patter on the VeeDub roof or outside canopy, ink pad stamps onto paper for building an art visual. The morning coffee routine. Love the sound of the Gaggia expressing espresso. And I can easily take it in to the VeeDub from time to time.

So what next? Well….so far I believe some, but not all, of these ideas may work. Discarded, with logic and reality of weaknesses, as they prove useless. Replaced by more simple ideas. Simplicity, in my own past experiences, is the obvious road to travel. But, simplicity arrives with and after try out’s. In reality, all bases have to be considered in my world. The saying ‘Wish I had thought of that!’ is more relevant to my way of approach by listing out all ideas. Having no visual or aural imagination as to what may present in reality means until I witness it all I have to second guess. Currently I am in no Man’s land. Finding out through the reality of ‘doing’…..I have a chance to succeed.