Shooting Videos with the Drunk Polkaroo

I've often said I have a face made for radio. The older I get, there are fewer people that get the joke. "What's radio?" they say, slowly back away from my ancient technology. But as I continue my Year of Beer, I want to try new ideas and expressions, so it with that in mind I am starting to make short beer review videos on the YouTubes. I know there is no "the" at the beginning or an "s" at the end, but that's how we tell us old timers apart from the rest of you.

When posting a photo and write up on Instagram or the blog, I have the ability to rewrite and polish my work. Sometimes I do edits later on if I notice something is just not working or spelled wrong. With video, that is a little harder. You can only open a beer one time and in the case of many of my brews, I only have one of them to drink anyway. But I like the rawness that video provides. It pushes me to focus on every aspect of what I do with the beer, from the opening of the bottle to the last drop in the glass. Yes. A glass. Every time. Come on guys, it's not hard, but please stop drinking out of the bottle. You are missing so much. I wrote about it twice, here and here.  Check them out. They both will explain why I always pour my beer into a glass. That subject is becoming like the 1993 Leafs for me, I just can't give it up.

Back to videos. I started with a few simple pour videos, using an old digital camera until I realised my phone has better resolution. I don't have a stand for it yet, so I made my own out of some scrap wood I had lying around in the basement.

A little crude, but it gets the job done.

I think it is time to step it up in the camera department and will venture forth to find an affordable but good webcam. That will make editing a little easier and probably improve the quality.

I use my Wall of Beer as the backdrop, but will eventually be filming all of my reviews and video blogs at my bar, which after 10 years I am actually going to build. For my "research". Man, beer is pretty awesome when it motivates you to get projects done. Just make sure you drink after you build or it might be a little lopsided.

That's a whole lot of fun on one wall.

I really want to capture all the sights and sounds of opening, pouring and tasting a beer, so playing with some different formats and techniques will be something we can do together. Subscribe to my YouTube channel, here, and follow along as I talk about beer and no doubt so much more. I can only promise that I will keep searching for the Perfect Beer and with that a better life. I am not going to lie, watching a video of myself is a little odd, but I do love all my Fat Guy shirts and am glad they are finally getting the exposure they deserve.

Happy Monday to you all and I'll see you later on the Internets.

(Again, I know there is no "s". Just testing.)





If you enjoy the blog, follow along on the Facebooks. 

(Now I'm just messing with you)

(But follow along, lots going on there too)

Thanks again for the support and Cheers!



Save a Life (in theory) with The Drunk Pokaroo

Working at Big Grocery means being prepared for all kinds of situations. Our customers come in all age ranges, shapes, ethnicities and sometimes states of sobriety. It was with this in mind that I was selected to be in the group to receive training in First Aid. This may seem surprising to you that a man of 42 years old has never had any sort of formal first aid training, but I though I had all the basics learned through years of taking care of myself, so why bother. Boy was I wrong.

I was apprehensive about taking the course, my anxiety rocketed up the charts at the thought of having to participate in any sort of group training and of course, acquiring new skills is always a little intimidating. But I understand the need for our store to have as many properly trained individuals, at least theoretically, prepared to help colleagues or shoppers should they need assistance. So in I went with a little fear in my heart.

It is a two day course with the first day being focused on CPR and the second on more basic first aid. I was pleased to learn that while I had a basic understanding of how chest compressions were done, but with a little instruction, felt more comfortable at my ability to perform this possible life saving measure. The simple methods used to keep blood flowing to the brain for people of all ages is an easy to learn skill that I honestly think should be taught in high schools. Make this very important process part of our young peoples education and I think it could help to save lives.

I noticed a couple of things about the training that I hadn't considered before and they are presented in a way to help the first aid provider feel like they can and should help someone in distress. First is the need for consent before helping someone. It is stressed that if someone is conscious and aware, you must never try to help them unless they give their permission. Sometimes you just stay with them and call 911. Respecting an individuals personal space takes precedence over your own feelings. However, if an individual is unconscious or unable to communicate, you must assume consent and provide whatever care you can until the professionals arrive.

The second thing that struck me as odd at first was the repeated urgings that when providing CPR to a person in distress, that person is already dead and nothing you do makes their situation worse, except doing nothing. This is a simple idea, that when someone goes into cardiac arrest and their heart has stopped, they are clinically dead, By providing CPR, you are trying to help keep oxygen in the blood flowing through the body by pumping it manually until the EMS arrives. I think the reason they stress this idea is that when we try to help someone and fail, we can feel a loss of self as well. The fear that we could do something wrong or would not be able to really save anyone might hold a person back from helping. One of the ways they try to make you to see that any assistance is better than none is to try and absolve your conscience of the fear that what you do did harm to someone. I like this in theory, but I wonder how I would feel if I tried to help and it wasn't enough. It is something I will carry with me to keep me focused on the person I am helping should I ever encounter a situation where these skills are needed.

 I am happy I did the course. It has strengthened my already present life skills with the proper knowledge of basic first aid. I am shocked we don't push this as a skill more young people should have and really think it should be part of the core curriculum in a secondary school setting. I understand the costs associated with providing this could be prohibitive, but surely the very easily absorbed skills of even the simplest method of CPR are worth it.
If you have already done some basic training, good stuff. If not, perhaps consider getting at least a course in CPR. It is worth it and the life you help save may be someone you love.
My new approach to doing things that are outside my comfort zone this year is a definite plus for helping me overcome my anxiety. I know I can continue to push the boundaries of who I am and by acquiring new skills or improving old ones, I make myself a better person. I appreciate what I have been able to accomplish with the help of my friends, family and co-workers and look forward to where 2016 takes me. This week is a good start, stay tuned. I promise some new beer related travels and reviews are coming too.
Cheers!

Who wouldn't want this well dressed
man saving their life.