Monday, May 21, 2012
Website Update
The summary for our April 14 chase is now up here. It was definitely one of the better chases of my career, possibly a top-5 (time will tell as it gets further away and the "new" wears off). Other updates include the 2011 stats page (summaries still to come). Lots more on the way...
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Passion Twist Update
Well it seems, like with everything in this life, Blogger.com has changed itself. Can't say I like it so far. I hate when I get used to a system, a template, and then someone gets the bright idea to completely redesign it. Why? Because change is perceived as improvement? Oh, the way words and contexts are misused in today's fast-paced, internet society. But that isn't the point.
The reason I'm on here again after another famous, extended break, is to tell you that after several months (okay, over a year) I've now begun actually updating the website again. Maybe the bigger news is, I've actually got a reason to update the site again. There are new images and summaries to be done, which will be coming in the next few months. There are some new images from this year up now, which you can check out here.
So be looking for more updates in the coming weeks, as there are new tornadoes and adventures to speak of in the Passion Twist realm. As for moving forward, things look nothing short of dismal. A very ill pattern continues to hold the 2012 season hostage, bordering on historic for me personally. The only upside to this reality is, it will produce more frequent updates to the website (as there is shit to do otherwise). So, here's hoping for a miracle turnaround to this horrid pattern, and we'll be seeing you very soon through new site updates. I am both pleased and excited to be getting Passion Twist up to date :-)
The reason I'm on here again after another famous, extended break, is to tell you that after several months (okay, over a year) I've now begun actually updating the website again. Maybe the bigger news is, I've actually got a reason to update the site again. There are new images and summaries to be done, which will be coming in the next few months. There are some new images from this year up now, which you can check out here.
So be looking for more updates in the coming weeks, as there are new tornadoes and adventures to speak of in the Passion Twist realm. As for moving forward, things look nothing short of dismal. A very ill pattern continues to hold the 2012 season hostage, bordering on historic for me personally. The only upside to this reality is, it will produce more frequent updates to the website (as there is shit to do otherwise). So, here's hoping for a miracle turnaround to this horrid pattern, and we'll be seeing you very soon through new site updates. I am both pleased and excited to be getting Passion Twist up to date :-)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Facebook: Fracturing Friendships
I'm gradually becoming disenchanted with social media, as I discover its limitations, which IMO are glaring. I'm not talking about the entrepreneurs who use it to dominate commercially and public relations-wise; obviously to these individuals, social media still hasn't reached its ceiling. I'm taking about the overall power source of social media: people.
What exactly, you might be asking yourself right now, am I talking about? I'm talking about the spotlight social media puts on the typical human being, which casts their faults in lights far more brighter and far more often than any redeeming qualities, in many cases. Of course there are always exceptions, as I know a fair amount of people who are, more or less, "themselves" online. But the list gets much longer and less distinguished when discussing those people who seem to feel that not having to actually face a person or audience somehow gives them free license to bitch, moan, spill, vent, or otherwise air dirty laundry in a way nobody does in the real world to casual acquaintances. Even worse are the people who volunteer personal information about themselves (usually a political, religious, or social stance) which no one ever wanted to know. Sometimes this can be a deal-breaker, even in a serious friendship/relationship.
Now, I've always been a proponent of the "sticks and stones" philosophy, believing that things like "cyber bullying" and "online harassment" are just silly 21st century buzz terms, created by people who are looking for an easy lawsuit or simply need a shield against an obviously shitty parenting job (if some kid is so mentally broken by reading words, there's a deeper psychological issue there, beyond what a chat room session can do, that mommy and daddy should've already been keen to). This is a situation in which the reader his or herself is being personally challenged, engaged. Have a little pride and "fight back" or simply log off your chat or forum, and walk away from the computer. "Cyber Bullying" is not an issue. However, you cannot walk away from a kid twice your size, who's sitting on top of you while pulling your hair, rubbing your face into the ground, or otherwise torturing you in some shape or form. So let's get over the whole "so-and-so was mean to me online today" mamby pamby bullshit.
In the case of Facebook status updates, that's an individual speaking to a large audience with a bullhorn, not really directing their words at any one person. A large audience that isn't necessarily gathering to hear this person speak on a particular topic, but rather, just to mingle about and take in everything they find interesting. The quick and easy "walk away from the computer" fix doesn't really apply here, because in doing so, the person not only rids his or herself of the offending offering, but all others as well. Blocking or deleting an individual (or both) isn't an acceptable cure either IMO, because that's extra work I have to do (although I will eventually, if the individual proves to be more than 50% dirty laundry). And therein lies the limitation of social media: the people who use it.
You have three choices: you can just deal with it, you can spend a lot of personal time calibrating your profile to filter out certain type posts from certain people (which are only good until the next inevitable, unsolicited site overall), or you can simply delete them. The last of these sounds like the best course of action on paper, but with as often as the need arises, eventually you'll find yourself on FB all alone, having nixed everyone...and then what's the point in the first place? No, option one is actually the best of the three IMO. It takes a lot of patience, tolerance, and understanding, but usually provides the happiest endings at the conclusion of a Facebook day.
How Facebook fractures friendships is by providing an (immediate) consequence-free environment for a person to say whatever comes to mind. There's a lot less hesitation before hitting "send" than there is before opening your mouth in a room where other people are actually engaging you in conversation. There's a lot more bravado staring at a computer screen while typing than there is staring into a person's eyes while speaking. Where this bravado fails is the reaction it causes the reader. While it might be easier to type "I hate christians" to a host of anonymous, virtual faces and ears, the impact of that statement isn't any less for the person on the other side. And this is where the mistake is made by so many, or the point where, because it's so easy, people just stop caring about consequences.
I read things on FB everyday about people that I not only don't want to know, but could care less about once I do know. The problem is, it leaves a rift in my psyche about said person, and makes me start to question how much I really know them (because in most cases, this involves people I only know through FB, or casually know and seldom see in the real world). It puts out a red flag, and I tend to keep the person at arm's length. While it happens much more frequently with online-only people, it's also more understandable and tolerable. But when people I know in the real world begin to post content that shines bright light on who they really are, how they really feel, and how they really think, it's much more disheartening.
I know there are things about every person I know in my life and consider a friend, that I don't know about, and wouldn't like were I to find out. There are things about me that nobody I know is privy to, and were they ever to be, wouldn't like. I don't consider these to be necessarily "skeletons in the closet" so much as simply the things that all people must have, to help maintain a simple fundamental of human existence: an identity. The things we all keep to ourselves, sometimes even from ourselves, are what make us who we are. Thoughts, emotions, feelings, understandings, philosophies, desires, addictions, appreciations. There are certain aspects of all of these which we never share, because it's for ourselves. It keeps us, us. Things that don't necessarily cause harm to others as unknowns, but perhaps might not sit well with others if ever brought to light. Simply, what we don't know about one another can't really hurt us (with of course, the exception of serial killers and molesters). But you get my point. Maybe our "souls" is what would best describe it.
There have probably been hundreds of conversations in my lifetime, with a person I consider a friend, who at the time harbored deep feelings about some random issue or situation that I disagree vehemently with. But because that particular topic was never broached, it wasn't an issue. It didn't need to be discussed, and wasn't, and this allowed two individual who disagree sharply on some things to peacefully co-exist and move on through life. The problem with Facebook is, there's never the need for a reason to bring up any topic. All a person has to do is just sit down at a computer and spill their guts; no conversation or segue necessary. And the result of this is, many times individuals will pull from their "inner monologue" or "soul" and put something out there that nobody would have ever asked for in a real conversation, or even provoked through a debate. Unwarranted, unsolicited soul-bearing. The kind that can end a friendship.
Social media, Facebook in particular, might be considered a marvel because it connects us all so easily. But the overall result is only a glaring beam of light on how flawed we all really are (and always were). The signal-to-noise ratio will always be annoyingly unbalanced in favor of Darwinism, and that's simply a reflection of where we are as a society...and that is discouraging. Thankfully, the wonderful minority who keep finding ways to slip between the cracks of the moronic social sidewalk are strong enough in their collective to keep fools like me coming back for more. As for the rare instance of a permanently-damaged friendship, that's the world we live in. And a person who's willing to be declarative and boisterous about sensitive topics without regard for my reaction, isn't anyone I'd make time for anyway.
What exactly, you might be asking yourself right now, am I talking about? I'm talking about the spotlight social media puts on the typical human being, which casts their faults in lights far more brighter and far more often than any redeeming qualities, in many cases. Of course there are always exceptions, as I know a fair amount of people who are, more or less, "themselves" online. But the list gets much longer and less distinguished when discussing those people who seem to feel that not having to actually face a person or audience somehow gives them free license to bitch, moan, spill, vent, or otherwise air dirty laundry in a way nobody does in the real world to casual acquaintances. Even worse are the people who volunteer personal information about themselves (usually a political, religious, or social stance) which no one ever wanted to know. Sometimes this can be a deal-breaker, even in a serious friendship/relationship.
Now, I've always been a proponent of the "sticks and stones" philosophy, believing that things like "cyber bullying" and "online harassment" are just silly 21st century buzz terms, created by people who are looking for an easy lawsuit or simply need a shield against an obviously shitty parenting job (if some kid is so mentally broken by reading words, there's a deeper psychological issue there, beyond what a chat room session can do, that mommy and daddy should've already been keen to). This is a situation in which the reader his or herself is being personally challenged, engaged. Have a little pride and "fight back" or simply log off your chat or forum, and walk away from the computer. "Cyber Bullying" is not an issue. However, you cannot walk away from a kid twice your size, who's sitting on top of you while pulling your hair, rubbing your face into the ground, or otherwise torturing you in some shape or form. So let's get over the whole "so-and-so was mean to me online today" mamby pamby bullshit.
In the case of Facebook status updates, that's an individual speaking to a large audience with a bullhorn, not really directing their words at any one person. A large audience that isn't necessarily gathering to hear this person speak on a particular topic, but rather, just to mingle about and take in everything they find interesting. The quick and easy "walk away from the computer" fix doesn't really apply here, because in doing so, the person not only rids his or herself of the offending offering, but all others as well. Blocking or deleting an individual (or both) isn't an acceptable cure either IMO, because that's extra work I have to do (although I will eventually, if the individual proves to be more than 50% dirty laundry). And therein lies the limitation of social media: the people who use it.
You have three choices: you can just deal with it, you can spend a lot of personal time calibrating your profile to filter out certain type posts from certain people (which are only good until the next inevitable, unsolicited site overall), or you can simply delete them. The last of these sounds like the best course of action on paper, but with as often as the need arises, eventually you'll find yourself on FB all alone, having nixed everyone...and then what's the point in the first place? No, option one is actually the best of the three IMO. It takes a lot of patience, tolerance, and understanding, but usually provides the happiest endings at the conclusion of a Facebook day.
How Facebook fractures friendships is by providing an (immediate) consequence-free environment for a person to say whatever comes to mind. There's a lot less hesitation before hitting "send" than there is before opening your mouth in a room where other people are actually engaging you in conversation. There's a lot more bravado staring at a computer screen while typing than there is staring into a person's eyes while speaking. Where this bravado fails is the reaction it causes the reader. While it might be easier to type "I hate christians" to a host of anonymous, virtual faces and ears, the impact of that statement isn't any less for the person on the other side. And this is where the mistake is made by so many, or the point where, because it's so easy, people just stop caring about consequences.
I read things on FB everyday about people that I not only don't want to know, but could care less about once I do know. The problem is, it leaves a rift in my psyche about said person, and makes me start to question how much I really know them (because in most cases, this involves people I only know through FB, or casually know and seldom see in the real world). It puts out a red flag, and I tend to keep the person at arm's length. While it happens much more frequently with online-only people, it's also more understandable and tolerable. But when people I know in the real world begin to post content that shines bright light on who they really are, how they really feel, and how they really think, it's much more disheartening.
I know there are things about every person I know in my life and consider a friend, that I don't know about, and wouldn't like were I to find out. There are things about me that nobody I know is privy to, and were they ever to be, wouldn't like. I don't consider these to be necessarily "skeletons in the closet" so much as simply the things that all people must have, to help maintain a simple fundamental of human existence: an identity. The things we all keep to ourselves, sometimes even from ourselves, are what make us who we are. Thoughts, emotions, feelings, understandings, philosophies, desires, addictions, appreciations. There are certain aspects of all of these which we never share, because it's for ourselves. It keeps us, us. Things that don't necessarily cause harm to others as unknowns, but perhaps might not sit well with others if ever brought to light. Simply, what we don't know about one another can't really hurt us (with of course, the exception of serial killers and molesters). But you get my point. Maybe our "souls" is what would best describe it.
There have probably been hundreds of conversations in my lifetime, with a person I consider a friend, who at the time harbored deep feelings about some random issue or situation that I disagree vehemently with. But because that particular topic was never broached, it wasn't an issue. It didn't need to be discussed, and wasn't, and this allowed two individual who disagree sharply on some things to peacefully co-exist and move on through life. The problem with Facebook is, there's never the need for a reason to bring up any topic. All a person has to do is just sit down at a computer and spill their guts; no conversation or segue necessary. And the result of this is, many times individuals will pull from their "inner monologue" or "soul" and put something out there that nobody would have ever asked for in a real conversation, or even provoked through a debate. Unwarranted, unsolicited soul-bearing. The kind that can end a friendship.
Social media, Facebook in particular, might be considered a marvel because it connects us all so easily. But the overall result is only a glaring beam of light on how flawed we all really are (and always were). The signal-to-noise ratio will always be annoyingly unbalanced in favor of Darwinism, and that's simply a reflection of where we are as a society...and that is discouraging. Thankfully, the wonderful minority who keep finding ways to slip between the cracks of the moronic social sidewalk are strong enough in their collective to keep fools like me coming back for more. As for the rare instance of a permanently-damaged friendship, that's the world we live in. And a person who's willing to be declarative and boisterous about sensitive topics without regard for my reaction, isn't anyone I'd make time for anyway.
Friday, January 13, 2012
I Thought Monogamy Was A Good Thing?
I've been seeing a recent resurgence of the opinion that to dedicate one's life to chasing storms is pathetic. To put the pursuit and observation of severe weather at the top of one's priority list is folly. To spend time away from tornado hunting pining for your next one is ridiculous. You're supposed to have other hobbies during the off season. You're supposed to not care about chasing when it's not chase season. You're supposed to live a fulfilling life during those storm-lacking Winter months. And last but not least, during all of that, you're not supposed to show a smidgen of desire for warm Gulf air carried effortlessly by southern breezes, billowing thunderheads that melt in the sky like cotton candy in your mouth, or twisting tubes of restless energy, writhing like a startled snake in the grass. Really?
I've dealt with this opinion since the inception of my chasing career. I was always too overboard, too dedicated, too serious. This was coming from veterans of several years, even decades, while I was still in my very early, formative years. I guess my younger-at-the-time mind simply couldn't grasp the concept that perhaps as I grew older, my priorities would change. Oh I could easily understand that theirs had, just not my own. I found it difficult to understand how their dedication and interest in chasing severe weather could wane, but I never questioned its validity. It simply wasn't the same case with me. Not then, not now.
What puzzles me now is, a lot of this opinion seems to be coming from newer, younger chasers. People who have maybe a third of my experience. Suddenly it seems in vogue to not only dismiss chasing away from chase season, but to scoff at it. SDS, a long-enduring term in the chasing world, has now become a laughing stock, a literal weapon that's used by casual chasers against more dedicated ones, to mock their "pathetic whining about needing a storm chase." These "losers" are being told that they need to "get a life" which has long been one of my most-hated phrases. I hate it because, like so many other words and phrases people use today, it doesn't say what it really means. To say "get a life" really means "my life is better than yours because what you do isn't interesting or exciting to me." Another translation for the term "get a life" is simply "get my life."
My message to these people is simple: live and let live. I don't go around mocking people who chase casually, or simply choose to "disappear" from the chasing world after the season ends. I don't make fun of folks who seem to need some type of hobby or engagement or stimulation constantly, year-round. I don't understand them, but I respect them.
Looking at this from the mirror image point-of-view, I have some questions. What is the seemingly necessary correlation between people who chase storms and having to be a professional photographer? Why do people who chase storms also have to bird watch? Why do individuals who stare at the sky each Spring also stare through telescopes at night? Why are all the die-hard chasers of the 00s becoming nature photographers? I already know the answers to these questions: because they're evolving. They're discovering. They're seeing and experiencing new things and getting new ideas, and with each one, they discover a desire to keep going. And that's cool.
In my case, I discovered storm chasing fifteen years ago. That's where my journey ended, because chasing was everything I'd ever wanted. Everything I'd been looking for. And that hasn't changed in all these years. I started my chasing journey with a lot of other people, many of whom were friends at one point or another. Some still are. But most of them have continued their journey, onward to new and perhaps bigger discoveries. I found mine at chasing, and simply lived my dream as they rode off into the sunsets of their own lives, looking, searching for something more. And it was a friendly parting. Sometimes I still see them when they come back through my neck of the woods, during the point in a year when their journey takes them back into the world of chasing. But during those times of the year when their journeys take them away from me once again, I still remain in my woods, yearning for that next chase, that next storm, that next tornado on video. Even that next DVD. And I love it.
So fellow chasers who journey away from chasing during the year, don't pity me. I'm probably happier than all of you just waiting, dreaming about my next hunt. And for those of you who seem to look down your nose at people like me, who found their destination early and have clung to it with a passion that's higher than the gods, don't ridicule me. There's an old phrase that says "if you love two, you don't really love either." I'm not questioning your dedication to your multiple hobbies or interests with those words. I'm saying that, as much as you love all the things you do...imagine how much I must love chasing, to have granted it exclusive province to my heart, mind, body, and soul.
I've dealt with this opinion since the inception of my chasing career. I was always too overboard, too dedicated, too serious. This was coming from veterans of several years, even decades, while I was still in my very early, formative years. I guess my younger-at-the-time mind simply couldn't grasp the concept that perhaps as I grew older, my priorities would change. Oh I could easily understand that theirs had, just not my own. I found it difficult to understand how their dedication and interest in chasing severe weather could wane, but I never questioned its validity. It simply wasn't the same case with me. Not then, not now.
What puzzles me now is, a lot of this opinion seems to be coming from newer, younger chasers. People who have maybe a third of my experience. Suddenly it seems in vogue to not only dismiss chasing away from chase season, but to scoff at it. SDS, a long-enduring term in the chasing world, has now become a laughing stock, a literal weapon that's used by casual chasers against more dedicated ones, to mock their "pathetic whining about needing a storm chase." These "losers" are being told that they need to "get a life" which has long been one of my most-hated phrases. I hate it because, like so many other words and phrases people use today, it doesn't say what it really means. To say "get a life" really means "my life is better than yours because what you do isn't interesting or exciting to me." Another translation for the term "get a life" is simply "get my life."
My message to these people is simple: live and let live. I don't go around mocking people who chase casually, or simply choose to "disappear" from the chasing world after the season ends. I don't make fun of folks who seem to need some type of hobby or engagement or stimulation constantly, year-round. I don't understand them, but I respect them.
Looking at this from the mirror image point-of-view, I have some questions. What is the seemingly necessary correlation between people who chase storms and having to be a professional photographer? Why do people who chase storms also have to bird watch? Why do individuals who stare at the sky each Spring also stare through telescopes at night? Why are all the die-hard chasers of the 00s becoming nature photographers? I already know the answers to these questions: because they're evolving. They're discovering. They're seeing and experiencing new things and getting new ideas, and with each one, they discover a desire to keep going. And that's cool.
In my case, I discovered storm chasing fifteen years ago. That's where my journey ended, because chasing was everything I'd ever wanted. Everything I'd been looking for. And that hasn't changed in all these years. I started my chasing journey with a lot of other people, many of whom were friends at one point or another. Some still are. But most of them have continued their journey, onward to new and perhaps bigger discoveries. I found mine at chasing, and simply lived my dream as they rode off into the sunsets of their own lives, looking, searching for something more. And it was a friendly parting. Sometimes I still see them when they come back through my neck of the woods, during the point in a year when their journey takes them back into the world of chasing. But during those times of the year when their journeys take them away from me once again, I still remain in my woods, yearning for that next chase, that next storm, that next tornado on video. Even that next DVD. And I love it.
So fellow chasers who journey away from chasing during the year, don't pity me. I'm probably happier than all of you just waiting, dreaming about my next hunt. And for those of you who seem to look down your nose at people like me, who found their destination early and have clung to it with a passion that's higher than the gods, don't ridicule me. There's an old phrase that says "if you love two, you don't really love either." I'm not questioning your dedication to your multiple hobbies or interests with those words. I'm saying that, as much as you love all the things you do...imagine how much I must love chasing, to have granted it exclusive province to my heart, mind, body, and soul.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
SA Collection: A Closer Look
I love the week in between Christmas and New Year's Day. It's a time for people like me, who are fortunate enough to get the 'extended' Holiday break off work, to just sit back and relax. In my case, this means having the extra time to sit in front of the computer for hours, uninterrupted. During one of these marathon sessions today, I decided to go through all my old video sales emails, to see what the exact numbers were. Below is the result of that search, with DVD, year, and copies sold:
LOVE (2004) 159
A Perfect Spinning Circus (2000-2002) 57
Lemonade (2005-2006) 44
The Fine Art of Tenacity (1996-1999) 39
Out of the Blue (2009-2010) 30
Weather You Like It Or Not (2007-2008) 26
As the numbers indicate, LOVE is the top seller by a large margin. This is due to a couple of factors. First and most obvious, it's the oldest, so it's been available longer than the others. Secondly, back in the mid-00s people were much more open to the idea of paying for chaser highlight videos. Lastly, I was able to catch lightning in a bottle by using ebay. I listed LOVE weekly for over a year, with great success. Even with competitors listing at lower prices, I was able to consistently move units all through 2005, highlighted by a particularly-successful April during which 23 of my 27 listed DVDs sold. It also didn't hurt that by the time LOVE came out, I'd built a reputation and had made several friends in the chasing world. No doubt their support was a critical ingredient to my debut's success. The actual sales number is unknown, because early on most of the orders were snail mail, and I've since either deleted or simply lost any correspondence regarding those transactions. I used to keep a journal documenting each sale and customer, but that's been lost to the ages. The last time I looked, LOVE was well into the 160s.
A Perfect Spinning Circus is number two, mostly for the same reasons LOVE is number one. However, Circus is a collection of retro material that was produced well after the fact, and its release came smack dab in the middle of LOVE's initial run, so I never pushed it the same way. I knew it would suffer because it fell on the heels of a highly-successful debut, but I'd wanted that material released for years, and when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. It's one of my favorites, and is probably the best "all around" video of my collection, featuring hail, structure, and high winds along with the tornadoes. It also features an extended-length Easter egg that impatient viewers have likely still not discovered.
Lemonade comes in third, as what I feel is my strongest effort to date. This video was the true follow-up to LOVE, as Circus and Tenacity (both of which were released in 2005) were retro collections. My creative inspiration and the raw chase footage itself were simultaneously more powerful than perhaps any other video cycle I've gone through. Things were starting to fall into place for what seemed like a smash hit in the making. Most chasers had released a current video in 2005, I hadn't. The 2006 season was one of the worst in history for chasers, yet I had been fortunate enough to observe a few events nobody else witnessed, along with one high profile event. This, when coupled with my 2005 video, was everything I needed to put together a blockbuster DVD. So by the end of Summer 2006, I was poised to release a very strong DVD with little to no competition. To further enhance my seemingly, already huge advantage, I decided to take a chance, and broke the Cardinal Rule of waiting until year's end to release the DVD (risking a Fall event that wouldn't be included if I released early), pouring Lemonade into the world August 31. It was the first Summer release of a chaser DVD that contained footage from that same Spring, perhaps the only one. There were few newsworthy chase events that year to date, which had enthusiasts chomping at the bit for new material. There were no other DVDs released for months after Lemonade. Yet it flopped. The first week of a chaser DVD release is the most critical, because interest wanes dramatically thereafter. That first week, Lemonade sold three copies, and only garnered rare, random sales over its first year as an individual item. Over half the sales of Lemonade are attributed to SA Collection sales, well after it was released. It remains one of the strongest DVDs on the market, and virtually unknown.
The Fine Art of Tenacity probably could've been called "Whew!!!", because I was just as relieved to get my oldest analog footage onto digital mediums as I was excited about the DVD itself. After carrying my old VHS and VHSc masters around in crates, boxes, and briefcases for years, I was finally able to put them away for good, without having to worry about losing them to the ages. Tenacity was a project very similar to Circus, just a collection of retro material I'd never been able to release prior. In fact, the very first chase video project I conceived in 2001, was going to be a 2-VHS set of everything I'd seen to that point, entitled "Passion For the Twist" (and no, this wasn't a play on the Gibson film, just an unfortunate coincidence). However, so much time had passed while the project was delayed, by the time I was able to move forward with it I had too much material for the original concept. So, I divided it into two projects: 1996-1999, and 2000-2002. And since I was already working on two projects that were years past due and following a DVD from 2004, I did them in reverse chronological order, with the 2000-2002 project (Circus) coming out in March and the 1996-1999 project (Tenacity) arriving in September. 2005 was basically the year I got 'caught up' on my video library. Tenacity itself never did much as a stand-alone DVD, selling only 12 copies as an individual item in six years. Even so, it's near and dear to me personally, a relic of my early chasing years.
Coming in fifth is Out of the Blue, my most recent offering. Despite its position on the list, it's done fairly well by my standards. It started off fast, and had a pretty decent first month. Sales have since declined, as they always do after the "new" wears off, but it will likely pass a few of the DVDs ahead of it. This release benefited greatly through the utilization of social media, namely Facebook. In fact, I didn't even bother promoting it on Stormtrack, knowing it wouldn't make a difference (I went back to Stormtrack this Holiday season for a one-month promotional push, netting zero sales, so my theory proved correct). This was also the first DVD I was able to pimp through the use of a promo clip on youtube. The difference wasn't dramatic, but noticeable enough that with further understanding of how to market through social media, I should be able to have even more success the next time. Strangely, despite the fact I've been chasing for 15 years and have released several DVDs prior, many newer followers of my chasing exploits associate Bridget and myself most closely with Out of the Blue, probably because of the Rice, TX tornado, and the fact we haven't done much since.
And at the bottom we find "Weather You Like It Or Not", which is the DVD I was talking about when I once said "I can't make two of these." What I meant by that statement was, though overall I feel the video stands up just fine, it's got enough roughness that I don't want to repeat it. It works as a single unit, a cog in the overall machine of my chasing story, a continuation of the entire adventure, but it's nothing I strive to do again. From a production standpoint, it was quite the process. It was done in two parts, the first one in October just getting the raw video into the storyboard and doing the menu. Phase two came in November, when I worked by myself for the first time (without Mickey there to answer my thousand questions). I found I actually learned pretty well when I had to troubleshoot my own issues, especially when trying to beat a deadline. Mick had already done all the detailed stuff, so once I completed the storyboard, it was finished. I started the rendering process, and we left to go see a friend. When we returned, Weather You Like It Or Not was sitting in the tray, ready to be unleashed on the world.
So there you have it, the detailed history on how the video collection most people don't want to buy came about. Allow me this moment to thank each and every valued (and appreciated) customer since day one. I am honored to have done business with each of you, and you all help to continue the adventure.
LOVE (2004) 159
A Perfect Spinning Circus (2000-2002) 57
Lemonade (2005-2006) 44
The Fine Art of Tenacity (1996-1999) 39
Out of the Blue (2009-2010) 30
Weather You Like It Or Not (2007-2008) 26
As the numbers indicate, LOVE is the top seller by a large margin. This is due to a couple of factors. First and most obvious, it's the oldest, so it's been available longer than the others. Secondly, back in the mid-00s people were much more open to the idea of paying for chaser highlight videos. Lastly, I was able to catch lightning in a bottle by using ebay. I listed LOVE weekly for over a year, with great success. Even with competitors listing at lower prices, I was able to consistently move units all through 2005, highlighted by a particularly-successful April during which 23 of my 27 listed DVDs sold. It also didn't hurt that by the time LOVE came out, I'd built a reputation and had made several friends in the chasing world. No doubt their support was a critical ingredient to my debut's success. The actual sales number is unknown, because early on most of the orders were snail mail, and I've since either deleted or simply lost any correspondence regarding those transactions. I used to keep a journal documenting each sale and customer, but that's been lost to the ages. The last time I looked, LOVE was well into the 160s.
A Perfect Spinning Circus is number two, mostly for the same reasons LOVE is number one. However, Circus is a collection of retro material that was produced well after the fact, and its release came smack dab in the middle of LOVE's initial run, so I never pushed it the same way. I knew it would suffer because it fell on the heels of a highly-successful debut, but I'd wanted that material released for years, and when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. It's one of my favorites, and is probably the best "all around" video of my collection, featuring hail, structure, and high winds along with the tornadoes. It also features an extended-length Easter egg that impatient viewers have likely still not discovered.
Lemonade comes in third, as what I feel is my strongest effort to date. This video was the true follow-up to LOVE, as Circus and Tenacity (both of which were released in 2005) were retro collections. My creative inspiration and the raw chase footage itself were simultaneously more powerful than perhaps any other video cycle I've gone through. Things were starting to fall into place for what seemed like a smash hit in the making. Most chasers had released a current video in 2005, I hadn't. The 2006 season was one of the worst in history for chasers, yet I had been fortunate enough to observe a few events nobody else witnessed, along with one high profile event. This, when coupled with my 2005 video, was everything I needed to put together a blockbuster DVD. So by the end of Summer 2006, I was poised to release a very strong DVD with little to no competition. To further enhance my seemingly, already huge advantage, I decided to take a chance, and broke the Cardinal Rule of waiting until year's end to release the DVD (risking a Fall event that wouldn't be included if I released early), pouring Lemonade into the world August 31. It was the first Summer release of a chaser DVD that contained footage from that same Spring, perhaps the only one. There were few newsworthy chase events that year to date, which had enthusiasts chomping at the bit for new material. There were no other DVDs released for months after Lemonade. Yet it flopped. The first week of a chaser DVD release is the most critical, because interest wanes dramatically thereafter. That first week, Lemonade sold three copies, and only garnered rare, random sales over its first year as an individual item. Over half the sales of Lemonade are attributed to SA Collection sales, well after it was released. It remains one of the strongest DVDs on the market, and virtually unknown.
The Fine Art of Tenacity probably could've been called "Whew!!!", because I was just as relieved to get my oldest analog footage onto digital mediums as I was excited about the DVD itself. After carrying my old VHS and VHSc masters around in crates, boxes, and briefcases for years, I was finally able to put them away for good, without having to worry about losing them to the ages. Tenacity was a project very similar to Circus, just a collection of retro material I'd never been able to release prior. In fact, the very first chase video project I conceived in 2001, was going to be a 2-VHS set of everything I'd seen to that point, entitled "Passion For the Twist" (and no, this wasn't a play on the Gibson film, just an unfortunate coincidence). However, so much time had passed while the project was delayed, by the time I was able to move forward with it I had too much material for the original concept. So, I divided it into two projects: 1996-1999, and 2000-2002. And since I was already working on two projects that were years past due and following a DVD from 2004, I did them in reverse chronological order, with the 2000-2002 project (Circus) coming out in March and the 1996-1999 project (Tenacity) arriving in September. 2005 was basically the year I got 'caught up' on my video library. Tenacity itself never did much as a stand-alone DVD, selling only 12 copies as an individual item in six years. Even so, it's near and dear to me personally, a relic of my early chasing years.
Coming in fifth is Out of the Blue, my most recent offering. Despite its position on the list, it's done fairly well by my standards. It started off fast, and had a pretty decent first month. Sales have since declined, as they always do after the "new" wears off, but it will likely pass a few of the DVDs ahead of it. This release benefited greatly through the utilization of social media, namely Facebook. In fact, I didn't even bother promoting it on Stormtrack, knowing it wouldn't make a difference (I went back to Stormtrack this Holiday season for a one-month promotional push, netting zero sales, so my theory proved correct). This was also the first DVD I was able to pimp through the use of a promo clip on youtube. The difference wasn't dramatic, but noticeable enough that with further understanding of how to market through social media, I should be able to have even more success the next time. Strangely, despite the fact I've been chasing for 15 years and have released several DVDs prior, many newer followers of my chasing exploits associate Bridget and myself most closely with Out of the Blue, probably because of the Rice, TX tornado, and the fact we haven't done much since.
And at the bottom we find "Weather You Like It Or Not", which is the DVD I was talking about when I once said "I can't make two of these." What I meant by that statement was, though overall I feel the video stands up just fine, it's got enough roughness that I don't want to repeat it. It works as a single unit, a cog in the overall machine of my chasing story, a continuation of the entire adventure, but it's nothing I strive to do again. From a production standpoint, it was quite the process. It was done in two parts, the first one in October just getting the raw video into the storyboard and doing the menu. Phase two came in November, when I worked by myself for the first time (without Mickey there to answer my thousand questions). I found I actually learned pretty well when I had to troubleshoot my own issues, especially when trying to beat a deadline. Mick had already done all the detailed stuff, so once I completed the storyboard, it was finished. I started the rendering process, and we left to go see a friend. When we returned, Weather You Like It Or Not was sitting in the tray, ready to be unleashed on the world.
So there you have it, the detailed history on how the video collection most people don't want to buy came about. Allow me this moment to thank each and every valued (and appreciated) customer since day one. I am honored to have done business with each of you, and you all help to continue the adventure.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Faith vs Truth: No Contest
The reaction from yesterday's entry was surprisingly positive, although I assume that's due to the fact not many narrow-minded people chose to comment. However, in the discussion that developed on facebook, I saw a few examples of why some people make me wanna slam my head into a brick wall over and over.
It was suggested by an individual that feelings such as anger and depression are "un-christian." What does this mean? That a perfectly good Christian, who's spent maybe 5-10 years not only professing their faith, but actually living by it (unlike so many others) can suddenly have a bad day and then be ousted from the holy kingdom? As if waking up and having feelings that are anything less than ecstatic suddenly change a person's character to the point they're deemed no longer worthy of eternal salvation? What ever happened to "body of work" when deciding a person's worth? When did judging a person's overall character become microcosmic?
I'm sure the types I'm talking about are now saying to themselves "you're taking this out of context", or "you're putting words in our mouths", or, my favorite, "you're misinterpreting the bible." Misinterpreting? Let's look at that a bit closer. What bible thumping christians call "misinterpretation" is actually a "gray area" which is perfectly designed to counter any argument of reason against their "faith" or belief system. It's obvious the bible isn't meant to be read, page by page, and taken literally. If it is, then everyone who ever existed is going to hell, so why bother? Go out and bang hookers, do coke off their asses, and mainline paint thinner. Your fate is sealed. No, the fact is, much of what's in the "good book" can be interpreted any number of ways, which immediately, to anyone who has a shred of objectivity and reason, ends any argument about "what is and what isn't" inside those holy pages.
No person has any type of authority, be it earthly or holy, to say, with absolution, what a particular bible passage really means. Hence the term "interpretation." There are only opinions, to which every human being has a right. Therefore, it is easy to conclude that there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to discussing what's inside the bible. However some christians will vehemently deny any and all other ideas or philosophies, taken from the same source (bible), that defy their own. They cannot accept that anyone would choose to believe any differently than what they themselves do, because letting in the idea that there could be another after-life possibility casts doubt in their minds about their own beliefs. After all, why would they spend their entire lives devoted to a book if everyone else didn't also think it was the right thing to do? Absolution.
This brings me to the thing that bothers me most about the type christian I'm writing about today: their misuse and misunderstanding of the word "faith." Referring to the previous paragraph, the belief that what you believe is, beyond all doubt, absolute truth, is just that: a belief. An understanding and acceptance of what one perceives to be fact, actual, reality. It just is. Like walking outside on a clear day, looking up at the sky, and saying "I believe the sky is blue." This would be accurate, because the sky is blue, and because you understand and accept that fact, you believe it. Nobody needs to have faith in the fact the sky is blue. Because it is.
However, some christians will beat you over the head with their beliefs, about how they are "truth", and then in the same breath proclaim their undying faith for god. Do they not know how ridiculous this is, or do they just not care? It is not possible to have faith in something you already believe is fact. It is quite possible to have faith in something you believe. Faith operates in flux, not absolution. It is based on not knowing factually, but believing spiritually or from within. A risk of sorts, but something you feel strongly enough about to invest in. Truth operates solely in absolution. It is based on evidence that is acknowledged, understood, and accepted. It requires no spiritual or inner support, because regardless of how you might feel about it, it simply is.
From my point-of-view, there are two types of christian: those who believe, and those who have faith. The ones who believe will say that what they think is the truth. They will say that if others don't live their lives the same way, they will be damned for all eternity and suffer forever in the fires of Hell. Then they will listen to the other person speak. When the conversation is over, they will walk away thinking "that person is going to burn in Hell." The ones who have faith will listen to the other person speak, respectfully disagree in their mind, and then offer their own thoughts to the discussion. When the conversation is over, they will walk away thinking "I believe what I just told that person is true, but I have no way of knowing it. That's why it's called faith."
It was suggested by an individual that feelings such as anger and depression are "un-christian." What does this mean? That a perfectly good Christian, who's spent maybe 5-10 years not only professing their faith, but actually living by it (unlike so many others) can suddenly have a bad day and then be ousted from the holy kingdom? As if waking up and having feelings that are anything less than ecstatic suddenly change a person's character to the point they're deemed no longer worthy of eternal salvation? What ever happened to "body of work" when deciding a person's worth? When did judging a person's overall character become microcosmic?
I'm sure the types I'm talking about are now saying to themselves "you're taking this out of context", or "you're putting words in our mouths", or, my favorite, "you're misinterpreting the bible." Misinterpreting? Let's look at that a bit closer. What bible thumping christians call "misinterpretation" is actually a "gray area" which is perfectly designed to counter any argument of reason against their "faith" or belief system. It's obvious the bible isn't meant to be read, page by page, and taken literally. If it is, then everyone who ever existed is going to hell, so why bother? Go out and bang hookers, do coke off their asses, and mainline paint thinner. Your fate is sealed. No, the fact is, much of what's in the "good book" can be interpreted any number of ways, which immediately, to anyone who has a shred of objectivity and reason, ends any argument about "what is and what isn't" inside those holy pages.
No person has any type of authority, be it earthly or holy, to say, with absolution, what a particular bible passage really means. Hence the term "interpretation." There are only opinions, to which every human being has a right. Therefore, it is easy to conclude that there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to discussing what's inside the bible. However some christians will vehemently deny any and all other ideas or philosophies, taken from the same source (bible), that defy their own. They cannot accept that anyone would choose to believe any differently than what they themselves do, because letting in the idea that there could be another after-life possibility casts doubt in their minds about their own beliefs. After all, why would they spend their entire lives devoted to a book if everyone else didn't also think it was the right thing to do? Absolution.
This brings me to the thing that bothers me most about the type christian I'm writing about today: their misuse and misunderstanding of the word "faith." Referring to the previous paragraph, the belief that what you believe is, beyond all doubt, absolute truth, is just that: a belief. An understanding and acceptance of what one perceives to be fact, actual, reality. It just is. Like walking outside on a clear day, looking up at the sky, and saying "I believe the sky is blue." This would be accurate, because the sky is blue, and because you understand and accept that fact, you believe it. Nobody needs to have faith in the fact the sky is blue. Because it is.
However, some christians will beat you over the head with their beliefs, about how they are "truth", and then in the same breath proclaim their undying faith for god. Do they not know how ridiculous this is, or do they just not care? It is not possible to have faith in something you already believe is fact. It is quite possible to have faith in something you believe. Faith operates in flux, not absolution. It is based on not knowing factually, but believing spiritually or from within. A risk of sorts, but something you feel strongly enough about to invest in. Truth operates solely in absolution. It is based on evidence that is acknowledged, understood, and accepted. It requires no spiritual or inner support, because regardless of how you might feel about it, it simply is.
From my point-of-view, there are two types of christian: those who believe, and those who have faith. The ones who believe will say that what they think is the truth. They will say that if others don't live their lives the same way, they will be damned for all eternity and suffer forever in the fires of Hell. Then they will listen to the other person speak. When the conversation is over, they will walk away thinking "that person is going to burn in Hell." The ones who have faith will listen to the other person speak, respectfully disagree in their mind, and then offer their own thoughts to the discussion. When the conversation is over, they will walk away thinking "I believe what I just told that person is true, but I have no way of knowing it. That's why it's called faith."
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Stop Taking The "Christ" out of Christian
The term "Xmas" has been in use for as long as I've been alive, and who knows how much longer. Its use is fairly obvious: a simpler, faster way to write "Christmas". However, a few years ago, I started seeing angry people screaming about "Xmas" users "taking Christ out of Christmas," which, in my opinion, is ridiculous. Now, if there were legions of folks running around saying "Fuck Christmas, XMAS!!!" I could understand these reactions. That would indicate that the point of it was to criticize the traditional Christian celebration, a kind of blasphemy. But that's not why people use it. Not at all.
It's an abbreviation of Christmas. That's it. It's not the Devil rearing his ugly, horned head. It's not an evil cult plotting to rip everyone's faith away from them. It's not some Holiday Jack-the-Ripper looking to slice Santa's fat, bearded, mythical throat. It is a simple word which serves no other utility than to shorten the time it takes to write. But if you bible-thumpers need a reason to embrace the reality that this is nothing disrespectful or evil, try this: roll that 'X' over 45 degrees and walla = a cross. Now if that ain't godly I don't know what is.
Lastly, why are Christians so easily-offended in the first place? It's like these types are just looking for reasons to be upset. I've already explained my usage of "Xmas" to people before, and they kept coming back with the whole "it's unholy" angle. Like my words are just bouncing off them, like they're water and my words are oil. Now that I think about it, that's a reaction I would expect when trying to mix some christians and reality. A volatile cocktail indeed.
So be angry if you choose. Be narrow-minded. Refuse to understand a different viewpoint than your own. Refuse to turn the other cheek. Continue to judge those unlike yourself. And when you're done doing all of that, take a good long look in the mirror. Because what you're seeing is nothing resembling a christian.
It's an abbreviation of Christmas. That's it. It's not the Devil rearing his ugly, horned head. It's not an evil cult plotting to rip everyone's faith away from them. It's not some Holiday Jack-the-Ripper looking to slice Santa's fat, bearded, mythical throat. It is a simple word which serves no other utility than to shorten the time it takes to write. But if you bible-thumpers need a reason to embrace the reality that this is nothing disrespectful or evil, try this: roll that 'X' over 45 degrees and walla = a cross. Now if that ain't godly I don't know what is.
Lastly, why are Christians so easily-offended in the first place? It's like these types are just looking for reasons to be upset. I've already explained my usage of "Xmas" to people before, and they kept coming back with the whole "it's unholy" angle. Like my words are just bouncing off them, like they're water and my words are oil. Now that I think about it, that's a reaction I would expect when trying to mix some christians and reality. A volatile cocktail indeed.
So be angry if you choose. Be narrow-minded. Refuse to understand a different viewpoint than your own. Refuse to turn the other cheek. Continue to judge those unlike yourself. And when you're done doing all of that, take a good long look in the mirror. Because what you're seeing is nothing resembling a christian.
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