I enjoyed listening to your audio recording of this, feeling I was listening while sitting next to you. You have made me think I should try recording my posts as audio to give people a choice as to whether to listen or read. Do you use any special microphone or just a phone/computer?
Your thoughts about the future resonated, especially as I am now trying to unwind from full-time work. I ponder my coming year in the post I have drafted for 11 January (I’m aiming to post weekly).
Good luck health wise. I agree with your thoughts on winter hibernation - I sleep longer at this time of year.
Another possibility might be to record and export audio direct from your camera, at least as a test and before you look for an adapter. Substack’s compatible formats for uploads are: mp3, mp4, aac, aiff, x-aiff, amr, flac, ogg, wav, and x-wav - and I’d have thought your camera is already recording in at least one of them!
Thanks Felicity, and for the good wishes. All is stable for me at the moment. Interested to hear you’re “trying to unwind.” Mine took me a good three years before I could do that thinking for the Hibernate post, where I think I even sound different to before, and like I’ve finally stoped on the recorded version. I do use a special microphone, yes. It’s a Sennheiser MV88+, which comes with it’s own stand and audio app, plugs into my phone and produces recordings that easily upload straight into Substack. I think the mic definitely gives a better quality of sound than I’ve ever had from straight into a phone or computer. There’s a photograph of it in use at the end of my post “From a life being quietly lived.”
And by the way, another and unexpected benefit of doing each post as audio too has ben that doing the recording works for me like a final edit. When my mouth will simply refuse to say some of the things I was happy to have written down!
Yes, reading out one's writing is a great way to discover the awkward bits.
You've made me think that I may be able to attach the Rode microphone I have for shooting video on my DSLR to my phone if I get an adapter. It's a bit unwieldy but could be good for a trial.
A beautiful, contemplative piece. I am glad you have found Sue Gee, you have many great delights ahead. I especially loved Trio and Reading Bed, but all I have read are marvellous and I am collecting them all.
I really resonate with what you say about winter! As Ive got older,I ‘ve begun to embrace the goodness every season brings,and winter to me now means getting cosy,defo hibernating as much as I can,and getting my wintery books back out,some of which you have recommended in the past.
Have just bought Sue Gee book second hand on ebay,and look forward to adding it to the teetering pile on my table!
As always Ronnie you remind me to revel in stillness and peace .....when I was young , and living in one of the snowiest parts of the USA I really disliked winter. Perhaps understandable with the severity and impact those very harsh winters could often have. But now, after 20 years in the UK , two surprising and pleasant things have changed with regards to this season : Firstly the snow and cold remind me of upstate New York and make me not just nostalgic, but homesick. But in a good way.....Secondly I have learned to embrace the joy of walking in the cold , of the stillness of winter , of the joy of cloudless cold starry nights and so on.....I so enjoy your sharing of your winter contentment and stillness as it adds to my determination to find the same in this season , at this time. All very very best wishes for your ongoing wellbeing journey , both emotional and physical.) I too am facing some major surgery and also too greatly appreciate our wonderful NHS) . Best wishes with gratitude for your sharing ,
Thanks Pam, I’ve always liked the look of upstate New York. But never got any closer than San Francisco and Seattle. Probably about as far from there as Liverpool! Hope your surgery goes well.
Hi Ronnie. An interesting idea about hibernation. I suppose we all tend to slow down as winter approaches, the darker mornings and evenings giving us less opportunity to get out and do things. Good news about your heart I suppose, in the sense that no operation necessary as yet.
Thanks Ron and good to hear from you. You’re right that this slowing down of mine has been given its seasonal name as winter’s coming on. But I think I can trace its gradual arrival over several years now. From when a friend asked me what my plans were for after that PhD and I surprised myself by saying “Maybe I’ll just stop.”
Yes, Ronnie I am looking to becoming 'seasonal'. The transition out of full time work is a long one. It's difficult to step down from a 'daily' rhythm. The only thing I know is that it takes time to take time.
It does Mark, it has. Three years for me so far, and each time I’ve thought I’ve arrived at what I was calling “stopping” there’s been something else to stop. But I have hopes of this seasonal realisation, because it’s slow rather than stop. As slow as the plants on the allotment, and the compost I’ll go and turn over sometime soon.
I enjoyed listening to your audio recording of this, feeling I was listening while sitting next to you. You have made me think I should try recording my posts as audio to give people a choice as to whether to listen or read. Do you use any special microphone or just a phone/computer?
Your thoughts about the future resonated, especially as I am now trying to unwind from full-time work. I ponder my coming year in the post I have drafted for 11 January (I’m aiming to post weekly).
Good luck health wise. I agree with your thoughts on winter hibernation - I sleep longer at this time of year.
Another possibility might be to record and export audio direct from your camera, at least as a test and before you look for an adapter. Substack’s compatible formats for uploads are: mp3, mp4, aac, aiff, x-aiff, amr, flac, ogg, wav, and x-wav - and I’d have thought your camera is already recording in at least one of them!
Yes, thanks, that’s a good idea.
Thanks Felicity, and for the good wishes. All is stable for me at the moment. Interested to hear you’re “trying to unwind.” Mine took me a good three years before I could do that thinking for the Hibernate post, where I think I even sound different to before, and like I’ve finally stoped on the recorded version. I do use a special microphone, yes. It’s a Sennheiser MV88+, which comes with it’s own stand and audio app, plugs into my phone and produces recordings that easily upload straight into Substack. I think the mic definitely gives a better quality of sound than I’ve ever had from straight into a phone or computer. There’s a photograph of it in use at the end of my post “From a life being quietly lived.”
And by the way, another and unexpected benefit of doing each post as audio too has ben that doing the recording works for me like a final edit. When my mouth will simply refuse to say some of the things I was happy to have written down!
Yes, reading out one's writing is a great way to discover the awkward bits.
You've made me think that I may be able to attach the Rode microphone I have for shooting video on my DSLR to my phone if I get an adapter. It's a bit unwieldy but could be good for a trial.
Thank you Deborah, I’ll go and find them.
A beautiful, contemplative piece. I am glad you have found Sue Gee, you have many great delights ahead. I especially loved Trio and Reading Bed, but all I have read are marvellous and I am collecting them all.
I really resonate with what you say about winter! As Ive got older,I ‘ve begun to embrace the goodness every season brings,and winter to me now means getting cosy,defo hibernating as much as I can,and getting my wintery books back out,some of which you have recommended in the past.
Have just bought Sue Gee book second hand on ebay,and look forward to adding it to the teetering pile on my table!
Look after yourself and keep warmly wrapped up! X
Thanks Liz, the Sue Gee book begins with winter coming on. So I hope it will be just what you need x
@levparikian has written a book about "micro seasons" - Light Rains Sometimes Fall. I think you'd like it.
Thank you. I’m glad I didn’t just make the idea up!
And glad to see he’s a musician.
As always Ronnie you remind me to revel in stillness and peace .....when I was young , and living in one of the snowiest parts of the USA I really disliked winter. Perhaps understandable with the severity and impact those very harsh winters could often have. But now, after 20 years in the UK , two surprising and pleasant things have changed with regards to this season : Firstly the snow and cold remind me of upstate New York and make me not just nostalgic, but homesick. But in a good way.....Secondly I have learned to embrace the joy of walking in the cold , of the stillness of winter , of the joy of cloudless cold starry nights and so on.....I so enjoy your sharing of your winter contentment and stillness as it adds to my determination to find the same in this season , at this time. All very very best wishes for your ongoing wellbeing journey , both emotional and physical.) I too am facing some major surgery and also too greatly appreciate our wonderful NHS) . Best wishes with gratitude for your sharing ,
Thanks Pam, I’ve always liked the look of upstate New York. But never got any closer than San Francisco and Seattle. Probably about as far from there as Liverpool! Hope your surgery goes well.
Hi Ronnie. An interesting idea about hibernation. I suppose we all tend to slow down as winter approaches, the darker mornings and evenings giving us less opportunity to get out and do things. Good news about your heart I suppose, in the sense that no operation necessary as yet.
Stay well.
Thanks Ron and good to hear from you. You’re right that this slowing down of mine has been given its seasonal name as winter’s coming on. But I think I can trace its gradual arrival over several years now. From when a friend asked me what my plans were for after that PhD and I surprised myself by saying “Maybe I’ll just stop.”
Yes, Ronnie I am looking to becoming 'seasonal'. The transition out of full time work is a long one. It's difficult to step down from a 'daily' rhythm. The only thing I know is that it takes time to take time.
It does Mark, it has. Three years for me so far, and each time I’ve thought I’ve arrived at what I was calling “stopping” there’s been something else to stop. But I have hopes of this seasonal realisation, because it’s slow rather than stop. As slow as the plants on the allotment, and the compost I’ll go and turn over sometime soon.