I Started A VLOG...
So, I did start a VLOG, it was short and sweet…
I shot a series of video of a set period of time, uploaded the videos to YouTube and primarily shared via my personal Facebook page as a way of raising donations and having a bit of fun while learning a new skill in the process.
What I did not really do at the time was manage data in relation to analytics or check to see how I was doing. I figured, counting the number of views every single time someone either viewed or subscribed would probably eventually get to be a bit of a complex. The video series was not designed to cause a new complex in itself.
About The VLOG
So, you may or may not have heard of MOVEMBER?
It’s a Men’s Charity designed to raise of awareness of:
- Mental Health
- Suicide Prevention
- Prostate Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
And once upon a time, I grew a moustache in aid of the cause, did not raise enough and ended up keeping it. Ironically, it’s somewhat grown on me and I’ve kept it for now.
See the JustGiving Page below:
(if you click the image, it will take you straight to the page, should you wish to donate, or the URL is below)
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-narayan-movember-2016
4 Years And Counting...
After around 4 years of having the campaign live, but generating little traffic due to me not having pro-actively publicised it nor sent the link and inundated friends/family with demands of donations, the campaign ran somewhat stagnant over time.
Of all the quotes and comments I’ve had to date in relation to the tache itself:
“Keep It”
“Omg, just get rid of it now”
“You look like a Disney villain”
“I would love to grow a moustache like that, but the Mrs wouldn’t let me”
Ironically, the last comment being the most common among men and passers by in the street, which I’ve found massively amusing to date.
I’ll let you decide on what you think of the look as it is. For now, the moustache is staying…
So, The VLOG...
I kept it short and sweet!
30 videos over 30 days focusing on content relating to Mental Health and general material that resonating with me which I thought relevant to shared.
I tried to keep it light-hearted and motivational where possible, as within the public domain, you have no idea if you can potentially touch someone’s life and have some sort of positive impact.
The 30 Videos...
Please find below a list of all of the videos over the month of November 2020 (MOVEMBER 2020).
I’ve tried to keep them all slightly different to one another in terms of styles, locations, content and had a bit of creative fun in the process.
If you do watch them, feel free to let me know your thoughts.
A short initial introductory video detailing the nature of the video series to follow and an introduction to the moustache residing upon my face.
My first attempt at imparting some remnants of knowledge and wisdom by stating the obvious.
Of all the times I’ve been asked how I get my moustache to look the way it does on a daily basis, I figured I’d do a short video on the morning wax routine. It really doesn’t’ take that long.
I love to cook. Some eat to live and others live to eat. I’m pretty much on the fence either way. Most of all, I do thoroughly love a good batch cooked meal.
As simple as it is, you’d be surprised at how often people don’t tend to get it right. Brown rice is also a little different to white rice, so I figure this video could potentially be useful.
Exercise is generally good for mental health and good for the body. Being stuck indoors and being unable to go to the gym doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t exercise. Even small amounts of exercise is better than doing none at all.
Shortly after Halloween, all the difference a little lighting makes. The perfect shot, the perfect angle and the perfect cameraman is nothing without the perfect lighting.
Found a few jokes online in relation to COVID19 and the pandemic, as a little humour tends to go a long way. They say that if you don’t laugh, you’ll only cry.
Being at a bit of a transitional phase in life, I received a food parcel from a local charity by the name of MLSS. This is a short video of me unboxing the weekly package to also raise awareness of food support provisions available through local organisations for those whom may be struggling.
More often than not, a lot of people tend to suffer in silence. They say loneliness kills more people than cancer. This video if for those people who feel alone and need someone to talk to and need information regarding support organisations available.
Another cooking video without any real cooking involved. A delicacy for some and a staple food for others. How to make the perfect Peanut Butter And Jelly (PBJ) Sandwich.
I’m not too sure what the original content was meant to consist of, however due to stepping in someone’s dog mess on the way to location, I felt it was somewhat relevant to have a short rant about cleaning up your dog’s litter.
Friday the 13th historically has symbolised bad luck, so wishing people good luck on a day potentially perceived as being unlucky.
Wishing all those celebrating a Happy Diwali. It’s always nice to share food and good times. Diwali is a time of joy in a number of cultures, so thought I’d take the opportunity to share well-wishes.
Not quite 2021 just yet. The day after Diwali is in the Indian calendar the end of a cycle and the beginning of a New Year. I thought it be nice to share well wishes. I also thought it would have been amusing for anyone wondering why I was wishing a Happy New Year in the middle of November.
Singing, dancing and other creative activities is good for depression and mental health. I thought I’d share some of this wisdom and randomly sing freestyle.
Second food parcel received from MLSS. Another short video showing the contents, along with a brief introduction from myself.
With being unable to go out and about, shooting videos become a little complicated, so the Green Screen I invested in came in handy for a little test-shoot.
They say solitude is where growth happens, however there is often a significant difference between both solitude and loneliness in terms of choice. Personal growth tends to take place in moments of selected solitude, whereas decay can take place in times of loneliness.
I remembered the words, “Si Vis Pacem Parabellum”. Which translated means, “If you want peace, prepare for war”. More often than not, in order to build, grow and change, we must change who we are, causing some level of inner conflict.
I’ve long been a daydreamer, from early age in childhood to present day in adult life. I think it’s good to have dreams and the fortitude and capacity to pursue them. Dreams without plans and action remain dreams.
Following on from the last video, “if you’re going to dream, dream big” otherwise there’s no point at all. Use the full power of your imagination and apply all that you are to all that you can be. Dream as if you’ll live forever and live as if you’ll die tomorrow.
I thought I would document my first bus journey in about 5 or so years. I thought I would document the experience as it was a very alien feeling since getting on for a half when I was significantly younger.
I figure smoking kills! Smoking is an unhealthy habit. But habits are very hard to break unless given a great deal of effort. Smoking is one of those habits they say people say are very easy to quit, they often quit numerous times.
A short video focusing on the Movember campaign. Including a little call to action to the Just-Giving page to increase donations before the end of the month. Since which, the campaign is now complete and the sums of £300 has been exceeded as was the original target.
The most difficult things in life often relate to change. Change takes efforts and results in discomfort, if you do not become accustomed to discomfort, you will not change. It is human nature to be pain averse and avoid discomfort.
Good news spreads slowly, bad news spreads like wildfire. The logic is strange, but your fans will support you and your haters will rave about you to no end. Good customer service experience results in telling 2-3 people, bad customer service results in telling 10 people.
Settings goals is of paramount importance. Linking in with dreams. Dreams should be followed with plans and plans should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-scaled. The plans should be followed with action.
Not something I thought the title of any of my videos would be. In aid of raising awareness of men’s prostate/testicular cancer. You should check your prostate regularly.
A final thanks to all who tuned in for the short video series over the 30 days.
And Another Thankyou...
Massive thanks to all the positive comments received in relation to the video series in terms of being either amusing, interesting or motivational. It was designed as a bit of fun and an activity designed to get me personally out of my comfort zone.
It did get me a little out of my comfort zone, and it was great to know I had some small positive impact in the lives of a few friends and family.
So, What Now...?
Well, we have this BLOG and statistics suggest that more people are accustomed to viewing short snippets of information rather than reading. Reading unfortunately is becoming a bit of a lost art and with concentration spans dwindling, this blog potentially has to evolve into a form of VLOG in itself.
Here’s the channel link for the proposed future VLOG for 99 Things To Do Before I Die:
I suppose… WATCH THIS SPACE!
More video content will probably be coming your way in the not-so-distant future…
And Finally, Thanks For Reading...
As always, thank you for reading, wish you all the best, stay safe and take care of your loved ones and yourself. Until next time…