A bit of a shorter issue this week. I’m juggling so many different creative projects right now, that I may have to scale back soon in order to avoid burnout.
In case you somehow missed it, the pilot episode of my new podcast went up last week. I’ve already gotten some lovely feedback from listeners!
It was a joy to create this short introductory episode. It brought back happy memories of being a kid running around with a cassette tape recorder making my own little audio dramas. Or borrowing my dad’s camcorder and filming home movies.
When I was in young, I loved being a storyteller. I wrote stories and I drew my own comics, but one of my greatest passions was for audiovisual storytelling. I distinctly remember going through a phase (probably influenced by Jurassic Park) when I wanted to be a filmmaker when I grew up. Steven Spielberg was my hero! I thought he had the coolest job in the world and I wanted to be just like him.
Obviously that didn’t end up happening. I have vague memories of a teacher who discouraged me. I’m not sure. What exactly happened doesn’t really matter. I never pursued my interests in filmmaking and audio, which is one of the greatest regrets of my life.
Over the last year, I’ve been privileged to contribute regularly for the StarQuest network. Recording and hosting podcasts have rekindled my childhood passion for this kind of creative work. I feel the most “myself” and “at home” when I’m talking into a microphone. Surprisingly, I’ve even discovered that audio editing can be a fun and engaging experience. When I was editing the Perilous Realms podcast, I felt like I was in my element.
What the future holds for me in this field, I can’t say. I love my passion projects, especially this blog and the new podcast, but I can’t see a path toward turning them into a sustainable career. Money has gotten tight and I’ll probably have to dive back into the job hunt sometime soon. Of course, I’ll continue to write on Substack and record shows whatever happens. But, as I said at the top of this post, I may need to scale back some of the other projects I’ve been accumulating. Please pray for me as I discern the best way forward.
Until we meet again, “The Road goes ever on . . .”