As part of my “Professional Development” portion of my 30 Before 30 list, I wanted to get educated on the art of video editing. Right now work is so hectic I’m not sure if I have the extra time to take a formal class. But I certainly DO have the time to fit in a webinar, video podcast, youtube instruction here and there.

Between playing around with iMovie and a few of these online tutorials, I think I’m decent enough at making videos that are “YouTube worthy” to post to my company’s blog. Sure there is always more to learn (like how to hold a damn FlipCam steady for instance) and I will continue taking part in educational webinars and reading tutorials to get better, but here is a sampling of a few videos I created on my laptop and posted to YouTube:

You can see all of my work (so far) on the AdvantageBOSTON YouTube Channel. (Wow. I really need to customize the background on that page. Yuck.)

I think these videos are good enough to cross that one off my list.

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I made a list of 30 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 30. Feel free to keep up with my progress (as I check things off my list): here.

Now that I have an HD camera essentially attached at my hip for work now, I’ve been interested in all things HD. While scouring the internerd for some inventive ideas of what to do with the thing, I came across this video – it’s amazing.

Nerds? Space? HD? Love it. Full story here.

Balloon flight, shot with an HD HERO camera from GoPro. from Francois Brahic on Vimeo.

Her name is Mariah and she is out of her mind.

This is an amazing idea: 25 cover songs, 25 bands. Every time a band chooses and performs a cover song, it gets removed from the list making it harder as the project goes on.

This started yesterday with Ted Leo & The Pharmacists cover of Tears for Fears:

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists cover Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ted Leo. Have ever since Dink put one of his songs on a mix for me. Met him a few weeks ago at one of my boyfriend’s shows. He showed up with his wife to see his friend’s band play. Chatted E & I up after the show. He is a rad dude. Yeah I said rad.

Anyway, back to the music. Check back every week for more covers here.

Tonight I got my pre-vacation mani/pedi with my friends Matt & Pia.

When we got to the nail salon I asked what color I should get. Matt said “Something Caribbean, in honor of our trip. Maybe coral?”

So I picked my color.

Matt got his nails buffed to a lovely natural. Pia got a color called “Bubblebath” (the shearest of all pinks).

I got this:

And then. Knowing how clumsy I am, I knew I’d chip my nails in five seconds or less, I bought the color from the salon.

I refuse to have the brightest nails. So I recruited a friend to share in the Cajun Shrimp JOY.

Now you can enJOY. GET IT? GET IT?

MICHAEL.

PS ……

Not quite for the same audience as yesterday’s clip …. but OH MY GOD.

The prancing. The kicking. The spinning. THE RAMP.

The solo. WAIT FOR THE SOLO.

YOU’RE WELCOME.

Video 1: Adam, Jon and me (and Julie’s voice) Sometimes we make pterodactyl noises. Adam is apparently the dad, and me and Jon are the kids. I don’t remember WHY we started this, but we can’t stop. And without fail it makes us dissolve in to giggles every time.

Video 2: A bit more of an investment. Almost 4 minutes worth. Danielle, Dan, David, me and an owl. This is what I did on Saturday. We are very easily entertained. *And one of the comments we made was the direct result of a conversation we had a few minutes before we turned the camera on about …. piercings (NOT OURS) that went very very so very wrong.

My good friend Pia lives around the corner from me and has an adorable, off the wall Lhasa Apso named Pixel. We came to an arrangement a couple of months ago where I could “borrow” him whenever I wanted. Like Zip Car …. but for dogs. I just shoot her a text and go to her place and steal him for the day. Like I did today.

This is pretty much life with Pixel and now you’ll know why I love this little bugger so much.

Ignore my hair. I haven’t run a brush through it yet.

Eating, drinking, swimming, playing games with friends …. and documenting a Father/Son cookoff.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you two of my favorite South Africans: Adam and his dad. No spoilers … you have to watch for yourself to see who wins.

Thanks again Shane family (Ren too!). As always, you were the best hosts ever.