A writer. A camera. A vlog. Oh no, say I didn’t. . .

1 Kate McLaughlin // May 4, 2008 at 12:42 pm

LOVE IT JANE!
Don’t need the vlog often; some of us flourish via the vitality of the wondrous written word.
However, in a virtual world it’s validating to connect a face with the amazing essence and mind behind it. Annonymity is removed, intimacy created, connections made, and fears conquered.
Blessings!
Kate

2 linda woods // May 4, 2008 at 1:46 pm

That was fantastic! Fear conquered!
A six foot magenta bonsai cat with a glittery bow….that could be a huge money maker! I’m on it.

OMG did you see the sotheby’s video of VP talking about how erotic the heart is. UHHH, ok.
Whatever.

3 Barbara // May 4, 2008 at 4:09 pm

Atta girl! Now I guess I can’t say I’m the only one here who has “met” you. Although I have to say this v-log doesn’t really do you justice. You’re funnier in person, and watching those wheels of yours click and click is part of your charm. It’s like you should be able to talk 190 words a minute, or at least as fast as your brain works, but force yourself to slow down.

Aspergers, attention deficit whatever, you’re fun serious, intense, and you always make me think. If only I could catch up to you!

Brave you are, not just to face your fears but to put yourself out here in space!

4 Donna L. Faber // May 4, 2008 at 6:35 pm

OH COOL! Great to see you! Man, you are really tackling this self-improvement thing, Jane! You go girl!

D~

5 Ann Parker // May 4, 2008 at 7:21 pm

Love, love, love the VLOG. But please print the VLOG too so we can go back and read every word. It is nice to meet you.

6 allison // May 4, 2008 at 7:46 pm

Jane How wonderful!
I would have never known you had any sort of fear, you are a natural!

Terrific job, great vlog

7 Sandi // May 4, 2008 at 8:00 pm

Good for you, Jane! Loved getting to put a face and voice to the name.

Facing fears can be fun once you take the leap. Keep leaping!

Great job!

8 Jan.M.M. // May 4, 2008 at 11:57 pm

Thanks Jane.
I think I saw you on a video on YouTube many months ago. The subject was weight. Odd how I found that & your blog on different paths.
I am a recluse- living in MN too, (not a native tho).
I was going to leave the blog- but after seeing you- my dread of rejection went away.

9 Jane Devin // May 5, 2008 at 12:14 am

Jan, I dread rejection, too so you won’t find it here. Not from me, ever, and everyone who posts here now is really delightful, including you! I may have only a handful of readers, but they’re the best group of people. . .I love that we can bat ideas back and forth, and even disagree, and there’s none of that internet meanness here. (p.s. — this is my only video, but glad you found me in any case!)
——-
Ann, I didn’t write it down! Good idea, though, and next time (year!) I’ll do that.
——-
Thank you all for being so great, kind, and supportive!

10 Neil // May 5, 2008 at 2:42 am

That was so cool. Why did you have any fears? I think every blogger should make at least one vlog to give the readers a sense of who they are behind the words…

Now, everyone is going to want to meet you in person. You came off as smart and charming.

11 dee // May 5, 2008 at 3:52 am

Bravo! Encore!

Thank you for sharing Jane…. very brave of you… and you did GREAT… a natural

Now I will know who to look for when you visit someday!

12 Alison // May 5, 2008 at 6:17 pm

Hey Jane- You were terrific! Very at-home, literally and figuratively, and nobody would have ever guessed it was your first vlog. You truly are as down-to-earth and natural in person as you are in print.

13 kris_D // May 5, 2008 at 10:11 pm

ohwatta lovely face you have, my friend! for someone that claims to be camera shy, you seemed rather at home….love how webcams turn everyone into kilroy tho.

oh, and you speak with your eyes. three words for ya: gaze contingency paradigm

14 Jan.M.M. // May 5, 2008 at 11:11 pm

Jane,
I went back to YouTube & found the video I thought might be you- sorry. It was madamoisele1- talking about obesity. Proof that the memory is faulty w/ unfamiliar faces.
Thank you for the welcome.

15 Doris Rose MacBean // May 6, 2008 at 11:35 am

What a nice surprise and you have a lovely voice to go with it. I’m not afraid of cameras, but doubt I could have a one sided conversation and stay on point. Congrats. u rock.

16 Jane Devin // May 6, 2008 at 1:10 pm

Doris, that was the hardest part! Not that I don’t talk to myself all the time, because I do, but usually not in front of a camera. It’s weird to record a one-sided conversation.
—–
Jan, thank you for being here!
—–
Kris, true about the Kilroy effect! I’ll have to work on the eye thing. It’s strange to talk to a black hole. I mean, I’ve spoken to a few of those, but some part of them is usually animated.
—–
Dee, is it weird to say I feel brave? Because I do. Kind of the same way I feel when giving up chocolate for an apple.
—–
Neilochka! I feel honored!
—–
Alison, thank you! One day I’ll make it back East, and we’ll have to have lunch together, hermit-style, which means in our sweats in an uncrowded restaurant.

17 Kate // May 6, 2008 at 7:58 pm

oh that was awesome…i want to be the fearless blogger that you are.

18 linda woods // May 7, 2008 at 12:26 am

I just came back to cheer you on some more!! YAY JANE!!!
I also wanted to add a little suggestion: if you feel weird talking to a camera, put a mirror behind the camera. Talking to yourself is very easy!

19 Jane Devin // May 7, 2008 at 12:33 am

Kate, give us an invitation! I’d love to see all of you, too.

Great idea, Linda. I would have never thought of it. I’ll have to do the next vlog in the bathroom!

20 Danny // May 7, 2008 at 2:57 pm

Heaven! I want MORE! MORE! But oy, I couldn’t believe that story about the ridiculous heart so I looked it up and you’re right, it’s the most hideous $23 million heart every created! Good lord, if I had that thing in my house I’d need one of the Pope’s exorcism squads…

21 Dana // May 7, 2008 at 6:22 pm

Good work…..love loved the vlog!! Brings a whole other side to this blog.

22 Karen Dinino // May 7, 2008 at 6:44 pm

Fantastic!!! Excellent no-fear video-journaling. And no fair that you are the best writer ever and also really pretty. (Don’t mean to snoop, but….what’s in the treasure chests on the floor behind you?)

23 Jane Devin // May 9, 2008 at 12:18 am

Ha! You noticed the treasure chests, one in which I keep my dirty little secret of pen thievery. Yep, the small one contains about three hundred various pens, pencils and markers. . .most of them accidentally stolen from work, clients, offices, stores, schools, hotels. . .wherever pens can be found. Somehow they just wind up in my hand, and then in the chest. I even have a pen in there that has the gigantic plastic flower that Caribou Coffee puts on their pens specifically so people won’t steal them.

I am an incorrigible pen thief. That’s my no-fear admission, because Caribou would gladly suffer a pen loss to keep me coming back. I boost their annual profits.

The bigger chest belongs to Hanna, and it holds her toys. She’s only allowed to have two toys out at a time, because she’s sloppy and likes to leave them scattered all over the house.

The wicker chest of drawers holds incense, candles, stationary, fancy pens I actually bought, a few old love letters, and my journal.
Now you’ll know where to look if you ever come visit!

24 freida // May 9, 2008 at 2:39 am

Jane,
You, too!!!
My I’ve been saving ‘writing utensils’ for about thirty years, I use shoe boxes and have them all neatly sorted, LOL.
But, what about that picture in the frame leaning against the wall next to the television?
I would just love to see what’s behind the camera?
One things for sure, you are as neat as a pin.
Love Always,
Freida

25 Jane Devin // May 10, 2008 at 1:06 am

Freida, the charcoal sketch is of my daughter when she was 18, , done by a woman named Nan C. (http://www.visi.com/~portrait/) at the Renaissance Festival.

26 freida // May 10, 2008 at 7:53 pm

Dear Jane,
She’s a true artist…wonder if she’s bi-polar?
You know it seems like the most gifted people have some sort of disorder.
No pain, no gain?
Your daughter is a beauty, bet your son is, too.
I know someday you’ll share his story with us, I know it must be painful, and heartbreaking.
By the way, you’ve got guts. I think I’m a wee, bit jealous, LOL.
All My Best To You and Yours!!!
Happy Mother’s Day, Jane.
Love Always,
Freida

27 Jan.M.M. // May 11, 2008 at 11:30 pm

I watched your video again tonight on this Mother’s Day.
I spent the day w/ 2 of my grown children & their kids- for which I am grateful.
But you know- there is a big hole because my other, (lost ), son is not here & my granddaughter, (lost), is not to be found. And I wanted to talk about it- but no one wants to talk about the missing. So, when you said you had no one to talk to about the stuff bothering you- I thought, how pathetic am I- in a room full of people- forbidden to speak of the loss of the rest of us.
I don’t think I like Mother’s day.

You can talk about it here, Jan. There’s a new Mother’s Day thread, and I appreciate it when people share their lives and feelings, and I know other readers do, too. - Jane

28 Maria // May 11, 2008 at 11:56 pm

You must do more vlogging. It is wonderful. Like listening to a friend speak.

29 Patty G. // May 14, 2008 at 8:02 am

You did a wonderful job with the Vlog. Thank you so much for getting in front of the web cam. When you wrote above how weird it is to have a one-way conversation, it reminded me of what Rachael Ray would say when she does her 30 minute meals and has to talk to her vegetables.

So looking forward to another Vlog.

Oh, before I go, I must tell you that you are a very beautiful woman!

You are very sweet, Pattie! - Jane

30 freida // May 14, 2008 at 9:02 pm

It’s actually a little scary seeing the face behind the ‘mask’ of words and seeing a real, live person. I wonder what would happen if everyone (all the commentors, I mean), had to respond with a ‘live’ moving picture to submit their verbal response?
I think the world would be a better place.
And, I think I’d respond a lot less, LOL!!!
You know, don’t you Jane?

31 patti // May 17, 2008 at 8:59 am

Jane - Loved the Vlog! Love the Mother’s Day piece. As a 42 yr old mom (lower case) of a 9 and 8 year old, I am still getting my home-made gifts and I love every one. Your Vlog was hysterical and it was great seeing and hearing you in person. You are great!
Peace!!

Thanks, Patti! - Jane

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