My intent for this week’s message was to write about the improvement made to my website. But I didn’t make any.

The website is, after all, an adjunct to my Substack initiative. Linking this new venture to my aged website reminded me of just how out of date the site has become in light of my retirement from consulting.

Substack, however, is a different story. Literally.

My foray into this fortuitous platform was guided by my desire to “publish” a manuscript I have been working on for the better part of fourteen years. Though incomplete, publishing in installments using Substack has fulfilled another part of my well-intended strategy.

The drive to post something new each week has prompted me to review the existing material and draft the missing components of what promises to be a four-part, book-length series.

This is my one good thing promised in the title for this week’s message.

While my website has been neglected due to watching too much football, Wisconsin volleyball, the women’s national soccer team, eating and a scheduled visit to the eye surgeon, I have continued writing with such confidence that I am posting new material twice weekly for the benefit of my four faithful readers of my Substack venture.

The Thanksgiving holiday is over. Christmas and its inherent responsibility to travel to be with family is still a few weeks away.

This leaves the interim distraction free, except for taking time off to shovel the latest snowfall.

My website, which has seen an uptick in visits, will continue to get its makeover. And in time I will turn my attention back to creating content for my YouTube channel.

It’s the holidays! Time to dream and dream big!

My goal this past week has remained focused on updating my website to supplement the type of content planned for my Substack account and YouTube channel.

There is an unintended by-product of this effort. It’s cool to write about these digital platforms as if I know what I am talking about. The time will come, hopefully, when the substance of each platform reflects my virtual aspirations.

I spent the week taking inventory of my resources from more than 40 years in non-profit management. This involved sorting through boxes, computer directories and flash drives for the relics of my past.

The discovery of the artifacts my search disclosed was no less delightful than if my digging took place at an archeological site with some antiquarian value. Still, ancient wisdom (my own) reclaimed the light of day.

To be honest it did feel good to find anew the volume of things achieved, but it came with the troubling realization that a lot of time has passed since the making of those achievements.

Piecing together this odd assortment of ephemera was like weaving a tapestry with age as an integral part of the color scheme. I think that’s why we politely refer to discarded things as having character.

The home page has been amended to compliment the presentation in my Substack account. My next achievement, and likely the topic of next week’s post, is to add more content to my subsidiary pages.

And though it is not an attractive presentation as yet, cosmetic changes will have to wait until my pragmatic sensibilities are satisfied.  Not over.

The website, Substack and YouTube channels – though lacking in commercial value – are my latent efforts to still produce a body of work for the benefit of others. This means I am still teaching and these platforms are my classroom.

So be forewarned: I do not grade on a curve.

I am using the title of a 1951 Rogers and Hammerstein show tune to illustrate my limited progress this past week in learning/implementing any 21^st Century technology.

Despite the fact that AI is often reported on as a potentially malignant tool, which will one day enslave or annihilate the human race, my current peaceful use of it has allowed me to plan some needed changes to my website.

The need, as described last week, is to bring my site into conformity with my newly created Substack account. The revised content will showcase my past achievements as opposed to my original intent to create a consulting presence. My lack of profit motive and a disdain for self-promotion have made the business incentive moot. So on to “better” things.

AI is helping I. Although grammatically incorrect this is a clever way, in my opinion, to use the action oriented subjective pronoun(I)  in place of the recipient oriented pronoun (me) to characterize my role in this process. While AI is the instructor it takes my inquisitive initiative to instigate the instructing.

So far this has proved useful. In the short time I’ve consulted the guidance of my virtual guru, I have learned more than when I watched the outdated tutorial videos available on the internet. AI stays up to date while the videos become obsolete with each new fix to whatever software program I wish to learn.

The hitch is in my ability to both grasp and implement the information. Age is an inhibitor. My age, that is. When I served as my mom’s caregiver I observed her struggles to process information with each passing year. Now I am the one to be observed. This means a certain kind of race is on.

I have a lot of accumulated content I wish to share and once I understand the technique for staging such imaginative wealth, my website, Substack account and eventually my YouTube channel will be alight with my personally acclaimed wisdom.

AI and I are linking arms to get me there before my own internal wiring fails to meet code.

Last week I confessed my inability to deliver on posting videos to my YouTube account due to. technology and me maintaining an awkward relationship. We simply don’t speak the same language. But me being me, the weaker party in this romance, I will learn to adapt – as usual.

My mental deficiency did inspire my pivot to Substack since it does incorporate my one skill, writing. And although I bungled my initial effort to create a reputable presentation, that was more cosmetic than substantive. My site may not look pretty, but it is active. My second post went live this past Saturday.

There’s obviously a lot more for me to learn and implement in order to make a more appealing look to my literary efforts. A little time, a little trial and error will remedy that problem. In the meantime I also need to cope with a ripple down effect and its impact on other aspects of my creative endeavors.

I managed to link my Substack account to my website. This poses a new problem however. As noted last week, my commitment to posting a weekly blog on my website was in arrears. This and what I submitted last week addresses that issue. But I must also contend with the fact that my entire website is out of date.

A pro bono mindset was my downfall in that instance. I have consulted with great success – for my clients. My lack of a profit oriented mindset meant zero income offset by a growing appreciation for retirement.

My need to teach, however, simply won’t rest. This makes me vulnerable to the appeal of social media. My age and lack of experience makes me vulnerable to diminished returns when confronted by a steep learning curve. While my YouTube channel languishes, my Substack account allows me to participate in the brave new world of virtual communication. Hence….

I put a little thought into formulating my Substack profile. Three roles in my managerial career emerged preeminent in what I desire to share about my work and instruct others who might enter into my on-line classroom.

I was an Administrator with a wide range of responsibilities by virtue of having a small staff. I was a Historian, doing original research, coupled with artifact preservation on a large scale. And I was a Producer of events, promotional materials and outreach programs. All of this focused primarily on the railroad heritage represented by the museums where I was employed.

It seems reasonable then, even logical, that my website makeover should emphasize these same three aspects of my career, while continuing my blogging efforts. The necessary cleanup requires me to delete some things and replace them with the stuff which supports my administrator, historian and producer claims. And then I can turn my attention to adding some curb appeal to both my Substack  and my website; hopefully without needing a consult from a six year old digital wizard.

YouTube must wait.

Sad to look back on my climb to YouTube immortality and realize it’s been more than a year since I last accomplished anything worth writing about.

Technical problems, as in not understanding the information given by means of on-line tutorials, started my decline into apathy. I hate to admit how long it took me to realize that the open source software I downloaded last year for video editing was a newer version than the one being used in the tutorials.

When you live in Wisconsin the words “Upon further review” have an honored storied place in your memory as they harken back to a day when a referee’s call on the field was overturned and the Packers went on to defeat the Bears.

In my case the phrase means that after a significant lapse of time I finally went back and “further reviewed” those tutorials. That’s when it hit me! Their screens looked similar to but not the same as mine. The means by which you create effects in your video clips had undergone a trans procedure tantamount to a surreal software affirming healthcare procedure.  

I have decided to try my hand at something a little more familiar to me, writing vs video editing, and have opened a Substack account. Capitalizing on my wordsmithing skills, I am committed to learning a new set of technological guidelines in order to indulge my need to teach long after my kids are raised and my management career is over. I just can’t help myself.

To do this I am sacrificing another dream. For several years the bulk of my writing time has been dedicated to the topic of a Christian work ethic. This project started as a series of e-mail messages to my adult children with the intent of staying in touch while they pursued their own careers. Over time the sum total of these messages exceeded 150,000 words, which gave me the idea of seeking out a publisher who would immortalize my creativity by way of transforming my prose into a book. I was met with a polite indifference at best.

The first thing I was told was that no publisher would accept a manuscript of that length, which has grown in substance since I first made my plans known. I accepted this gracefully and divided my composition into four parts or four books. You would think that the existence of a series would be appealing to any publisher with this innate promise of sequels.

The second thing I learned was that my idea was not marketable. And the third was that I lacked name recognition. It was such a blow to my sense of self-worth.

So I am turning to Substack as my alt-publisher since I am too poor, and or too cheap, to indulge my ego in any pay to publish scheme. You can find me among the unknown gifted who seek recognition for our originality of thought. My first Substack “publication” is entitled The Heavens and the Earth in keeping with book one of my four-part series. The plan is to post a segment from each chapter in order to avoid overwhelming anyone with my theological insights. And there are plenty of those. Believe me.

As much as I really don’t want to make a certain person any richer than he already is, I ordered two tripods through Amazon. JB can thank me later. I need two because they will allow me to test which camera I will use in making videos for my YouTube channel; my cell phone or my Nikon D3500.

Fortunately each one came with illustrated instructions for assembly. Being old school I find this method of learning more efficient than watching internet videos since those online experts tend to skip over steps needed to fully understand what the heck you are doing. It’s that “intuitively obvious” syndrome YouTubers suffer from, which causes their disdain for any references to the shallows of progress.

The first tripod to arrive on my doorstep was the cheap one to hold my cell phone. It is advertised as a selfie stick attached to a three-legged base and lives up to its modest hype; another reason to be grateful. Assembly takes two steps: How to release the tripod; and How to position the phone holder. As an added benefit there is also instruction on how to properly pack it all up again.

Finally! A medium I can understand.

The one inconvenience is that the phone, for which I bought a protective cover, doesn’t completely fit in the holder. The thickness of this rubber cocoon exceeds the holder’s tolerance. Still it is snug enough for my purpose, but I may decide to risk my phone’s fragile fate in order to form a more perfect union between it and the tripod – if it will help the quality of the video.

The more expensive tripod arrived fashionably late. Due to its cost it probably traveled first class. And to my joy it came with another set of printed instructions. The added glory this makes for both tripods is that there were no missed steps in the assembly. It is a rare delight these days to get from A to Z without needing to do another internet search for a potentially fragmented explanation.

The glamour tripod is a Victiv. Its manual contains the promise that I will “Enjoy Life More” as a consequence of using this product.

Such promises enhance the chances that I will chose to use my Nikon camera to record my videos since it is mounted on this fabulous, life-giving device. To know for sure I need to put the Nikon and my cell phone to an unbiased test to determine audio/visual supremacy.

This requires a twin set up, using both cameras to record me in tandem. My bedroom is my set, my recliner my only prop, but I decline to recline as I express my management wisdom. The rest is just me and my cameras recording what I hope does not prove to be a doom loop.

I say my piece and watch the playback on each device. Unfortunately this does not allow for a valid comparison. I need to download both videos to my editing software and see how they compare on an independent screen. The problem this raises is that I now have to learn how to use the software; another week’s message and more on-line tutorials no doubt. The road to influencer fame and fortune is paved with technologically challenged good intentions.

My path to becoming an internet influencer is fraught with danger; the inherent pitfalls of having to learn something new. My progress to-date has brought me to the threshold of creating content for a YouTube channel, which I can load with influential messages to enlighten others, even though they have no clue that they need to be enlightened by me.

My ambition requires more than a haphazard approach to content creation. I do want some quality to my work sufficient to make my mother proud. Therefore I’ve decided to do more than simply record a video selfie to post directly to my channel.

I aspire to having a few bells and whistles in my productions such as intro and outro  music, title cards, end credits and supers. To achieve all of this I’ve downloaded the open source Olive editing software as described in my last message.

My original thought was to buy a video camera to assure a high quality for my productions. My second thought was grounded in my sense of thriftiness. I have a cell phone and a Nikon camera, both of which have the prerequisite audio/visual capabilities. The prudent course of action, then, is to make use of what I already own. This is in keeping with my choice of open source editing software. Free is best.

This brings me to another “fraught with danger” moment, however; the need to test drive my camera options to determine which one provides the better quality of imagery and sound. My producer’s sensibilities mean I plan to be on camera for my presentations and since I don’t have the arm strength to hold either camera at arm’s length, I must acquire a tripod to hold a camera steady. Two tripods, actually, since I have yet to decide which camera to use. So much for thrift.

Through this entire process I have navigated the web to fulfill my aspirations. It serves me well once again as I submit my query to discover the best tripods for my consideration. Of course the internet thinks that by “best” I mean quality. My alt definition, which I live by, is cheap.

I won’t defame the manufacturer by naming the tripod chosen for my cell phone. The box it arrived in self-describes the product as being no more than a selfie stick with a three-legged, attachable base. As such it is sufficient for my needs and comes at an acceptable price.

For my Nikon camera, however, I am smitten with the thought that I have other applications for which a good quality tripod would come in handy. I buy a Victive NT72, which is more substantial than a selfie stick. It also tilts my decision making prowess towards using the Nikon to record my videos since it uses the more expensive tripod. Being human, I am susceptible to our species’ inclination towards thinking that a higher cost equates with higher quality. I ignore the fact that I am evaluating the tripod and not the camera. The cell phone on a selfie stick still has a slim chance of being chosen. What’s needed next is a comparative test drive.

Next week’s message: Lights, Camera(s), Action!

This series of web log messages is testament to an old man’s commitment to becoming an influencer in the 21^st Century. Proof of age is how slow my progress is going. The pace is also my proof of ignorance as every step requires multiple reviews of on-line videos and articles to prop me up for making any decision.

Take for instance my desire to make use of video editing software so that I am able to do more than record a simple, clumsy video taken with my outdated cell phone without the ability to edit in titles and other features. My new YouTube channel has class – or at least it will have once I post something – so I am committed to being able to produce a reputable looking product.

I consult the internet.

I am looking for an open source video editing software program. All I need is something basic. I do not anticipate needing CGI capabilities since this will not be a super hero movie; just an old man talking into the camera, imparting sage advice on being a non-profit administrator in a low-budget operation.

Open source is the major selection criteria since I live on a fixed income. I must conserve my financial resources. Basic features ranks number two on my list since I am a reluctant acolyte in the video making multiverse and require simplicity. This effort being a no-brainer has an unintended meaning.

I did not anticipate the number of software options available to me when I do my search. It takes time to read the reviews, compare the pros and cons and test drive each one via the online tutorials. Surprisingly there are no young females this time, blonde or otherwise, confidently telling me what software is the best for me to use. Apparently this is a guy thing since only males dominate the tutorials.

My search ultimately culminates with a program called Olive. Part of the appeal is that it hints at the possibility of an emotional peace offering for an overwhelmed soul lost in the confusion of too many options. I gratefully click on the free download button and start the process. That’s when I find out that Olive is passive-aggressive. There’s another choice to make, which I did not see featured in its tutorial. Maybe I was dozing when it was discussed. Retired administrators like aging presidents do need naps.

I got the part in the download process where you click on the button appropriate for your computer operating system; Windows, Mac or Linux. Windows for me! What I didn’t know was coming was the choice about downloading the software as permanent or temporary.

After a few hesitant moments of internal debate I chose permanent as a way to underscore my commitment to being an influencer. The downside; the choice leaves me emotionally drained. I need a nap.

Next week: I have no idea. I’m too tired to make another decision.

I am acquiring a new persona, that of being a Geek, although I am hardly a black belt in the craft. Slowly, ever so slowly I am learning more about the internet by way of seeking to become an influencer by virtue of launching a YouTube channel.

My progress to-date includes establishing a Google account and a YouTube account. Next up is the actual attainment of a YouTube channel.

My niche in the YouTube universe is to advise administrators of small non-profits about the lessons I learned during my own years of impoverished commitment to charitable causes. Since I was aided and abetted in my career by others suffering the same fate, I see YouTube as my chance to do the same for those still locked in the employment bondage of blighted aspirations. I hope to offer them sound advice absent the constraints of time and space.

During my final years in active management I was a blogger. It proved to be very helpful in promoting the organization that employed me at that time, an operating railroad museum. When I was encouraged to seek early retirement, I continued blogging under the moniker of Management in Exile. And that is the name I wish to establish as my YouTube channel to honor my current status as a fellow manager.

Here is my proposed opening statement for my planned first episode entitled A Voice in the Wilderness:

“Hello and welcome to the first episode of Management in Exile. My name is Don and my use of the word exile in this channel’s title means that I am retired and live in the wilderness of the unemployed.”

This could be taken as a downer statement, I suppose. But my hope is that my affable good nature will be amply communicated in my videos in order to inform people of my self-deprecating good humor as the means to learning about otherwise dull administrative details. We’ll see. First, however, is establishing the channel as my soon to be platform of influence in the nether world.

I access YouTube and log in as before. But when I click on the create channel button the message I get is a disappointment. It tells me to come back later. I am obedient so I do.

What I find upon my return is that my channel is my account name. This does not look like the process I witnessed many times when watching those how-to videos featuring those self-confident brats, who make it all seem intuitively obvious. It’s not, but I soldier on.

There is a Branding link which takes me to a page, where I am given the option to add images for a channel banner and a watermark. I’ve come prepared for neither, so I try another link.

The Basic Info link is more encouraging. Here I can change my channel name and handle, which I do, provide a description of the channel, which I draft, and add links to my website and email address.

The option I avoid is entering my preferred pronouns. My mind wanders back to my assigned reading in my high school days. Didn’t Yossarian, the antihero of Catch 22, censor all pronouns when reading through GI mail in his efforts to undermine military morale? This option certainly undermines mine. I leave the field blank as a statement about my resentment for having to state the obvious; at least to me and my mother, if she were here.

My protest is sufficient to wear me out emotionally. I’m done for today. My internet interaction is making me numb. I have a channel. It has the desired name and handle. It’s up to me now to give it substance.

Next week: Offering myself an Olive branch.

I am on a path to becoming an influencer. My chosen platform, a word that has now entered my vocabulary thanks to my late in life crisis of purpose, is to create a YouTube channel.

Step one I wrote about last week. To access YouTube I had to submit to the internet authorities and create a Google account. Fait accompli, a French phrase I learned via (a Latin word) the internet. The times they are a-changin’ (Dylan).

Step two is today’s message. Now that I have a Google account I can create the desired YouTube account. I can think of no fancy foreign language phrase to accompany that attainment or an appropriate pop culture quote either. Perhaps a mild form of profanity would suffice. Mom would know.

Once again I turn to the internet as my mentor. My search for how to open a YouTube account lands me on a video featuring a confident young woman, who shepherds me step by step through the process. I dutifully watch the video several times, not because I’m slow to learn but because I enjoy confidence, especially of the blonde hair blue eyed variety. I used to have both.

The trouble with absorbing someone else’s confidence is that it comes with the unstated assertion that the process is intuitively obvious. I am willing to confess on behalf of those of us who lack the composure of blonde confidence that it’s not. So back to watching the video, or maybe another just to be assured that I am not being lured into an on-line scam because I am by nature susceptible to such things.

With fear and trepidation I access the YouTube website and dutifully follow the steps described for me for becoming a YouTube acolyte. I wait to be busted for breaking and entering, but I’m in. I have an account. With it I now have a public presence, the holy grail of influence mania.

Next week: Creating a channel