Category Archives: Productivity

10 Step Guide on How To Make A YouTube Video

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(my most recent YouTube)

I’ve recently started to get back into videography and have been searching for an effective methodology on how to take a project from idea to completion (in film making this is called a workflow). Taking inspiration from Tim Ferriss and Adam Patchs’ “Behind the Scenes” post on how to make a book trailer, I’ve decided to share my own workflow.

Here are the ten steps I go through to make YouTube video:

1. Shoot footage Working on projects where the subject matter is of interest to you is highly recommended. The more you enjoy whatever activity you are videoing, the more likely it is that you will produce something that represents your authentic artistic vision. I love yoga and the outdoors, thus I most recently worked on a project for Street Yoga and Yoga Slackers. I had a blast getting close up shots and spending time doing post production.

2. Backup & organize your data Backing up data is essential. Harddrives fail and memory cards accidentally get formatted. Having one backup is good, having two is great.

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Global Work Party on 10.10.10! (Everyone’s Invited)

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On Sunday October 10th 2010 (10.10.10) 350.org is hosting a Global Work Party. People will be getting together in cities all across the world to collaborate on work-party projects to develop innovate ways to positively impact climate change. Other than a fantastic way to spend a Sunday, Global Work Party will surely serve as a great way to connect with community members and help inspire new ideas towards becoming sustainable.

A 10.10.10 event that I am involved with is Portland, Oregon’s “Great Garden Giveaway” (I designed the poster above :) ). Continue reading →

Today’s Top Five-Tips for Reading

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I do not consider myself a superb reader by any measure.
The average reader’s word per minute (wpm) speed is somewhere in the range of 125 to 250 (my current rate is about 200 wpm). Think of people, “Speed Readers”, who read at rates of 1000, 2000, or 12,000 words per minute (watch the video for a demonstration of advanced speed reading-note movement of eyes). Currently, I am trying to complete a “Proven Self-Study Plan” to bring my reading speed up to 600 wpm. This is my fourth attempt at the plan. Learning to speed read is difficult.

  • About Speed Reading

Speed reading is intended to improve a readers’ wpm. Dispelling a common myth, the improved rate of reading does not come with a loss of comprehension or retention of the read material. Improved comprehension is often a claim of many speed reading programs.

  • Difficulties Learning To Speed Read & Goals

The difficulity of learning to speed read lies in practice of the mind numbing drills intended to expand peripheral vision and train your eyes to remain focused on the center of a page. The allure of speed reading is multi-faceted. Some of my desired benefits include: ability to read all the books I have on my shelf (that I thought I was going to read when I bought them), spend less time reading and more time doing other cool stuff, impress others with my super abilities (just kidding…kind of :) ), and learn a foreign language (not directly related to speed reading, but free time would help accomplish this goal)

  • Five Tips for Reading

As I continue to work on my current speed reading plan, I have come up with five tips to improve anyone’s reading:

  1. Read books that you enjoy. Reading something boring, dry, and uninteresting will make reading an activity you do not want to do. If you start reading a book that sucks, stop reading the book and get rid of it. Donate, re-gift, re-cycle…whatever. Someone else may enjoy the content more than you and may end up raving about the information that you missed or may have enjoyed. Use your precious reading time wisely.

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