Here is our video from last night of the clock tower slightly beyond our yard:
Confession: This is embarrassing for a purported technology nerd such as me…the above is one of only two videos I have ever taken and posted on this site.
Put me in front of any digital or electronic gadget, including computers, and I can figure it out in minutes, often avoiding the necessity of reading instructions. Many people do the same thing!
In my “old life,” I despised taking photos and never had any interest in taking the time to learn to take a decent photo due in part to a missing piece in my brain (my only assessment, which perhaps was a rationalization for “lack of interest”). It’s similar to the missing piece regarding “sense of direction,” of which I have none.
Of course, taking videos fell into that same category as taking photos: I never took them, never wanted to take them, never learned to edit them, and never learned to upload them to any website subsequently, Facebook included.
Another apparent reason, my discomfort while attempting to take this video, is evidenced by my inability to hold the camera steady. I can learn this, and we do have a small tripod.
Our first Saturday here in Boveglio, at precisely 5:16 pm and again at 6:00 pm, we ran to the veranda to hear and see these bells ring for five minutes each time. Not anticipating we had enough time to get them and record this occurrence, we missed the opportunity.
Yesterday, to record the bell clanging, we set the alarm for 5:10 pm on my phone to alert us that soon the bells would be ringing and being prepared this time, camera in hand, set to video with the sound enabled. I’d posted yesterday’s blog only moments earlier when the Internet had finally returned an hour earlier.
With the alarm yet to ring, the bells started at precisely 5:00 pm. What??? What about 5:16? Nope, the bells began to ring this particular Saturday at 5:00 pm.
The moment we heard the untimely loud clanging, I dashed for the camera, turned it on, set it to video, and checked the sound while Tom unlocked the old wooden veranda door, and we were off of the second bedroom that leads to the veranda.
Keep in mind getting from the living room to the veranda is quite a hike, with multiple uneven steps on the stone floor of the hallway. Plus, there are low ceilings in spots. If not careful, one can bang their head on the way, which both of us have done on several occasions.
By the time we were standing on the veranda, me with camera in hand, yes, my hand was shaking, not so much from nervousness, but rather from little time to prepare myself to take my second video ever mentally. After all, when one has little skill, it seems to help to take a deep breath, concentrate and fire away. With time for neither of those two, this was the result.
Then, the worse part began. I tried to upload the video here on our blog for several minutes. When it wouldn’t download on Blogger or Facebook, in the back of my mind, I knew the file was too large to upload. Looking at my Windows 8 computer, I found no program that would reduce the size, nor would I want to pay for an external program.
For the heck of it, I also tried to upload it to YouTube to no avail, with it showing as “stuck” and unable to load due to its large size. Now, after 6:00 pm, I’d yet to begin making dinner, hoping to be able to dine by 7:00 pm. Frustrated, I decided to leave it for Sunday morning (today). I made dinner; we ate; we watched another episode of The Bible and the second half of a 48-hour video rental, with only 24 hours left to go, The Silver Linings Playbook (quite entertaining!).
This morning I was at it again, bound and determined to upload the video after figuring out how to re-size it.
My favorite spot to visit for free software uploads is C/Net, which I’ve used for years. Here is the link to the free video converter software I downloaded this morning.
Please remember that when downloading software from this reliable site: many of their downloads are free and noted as such. However, many allow a limited use to get users to buy it.
We tend to choose the downloads that millions of other users have used, including good reviews that don’t show a price at installation or a button that says “BUY NOW.” In most cases, millions of users didn’t pay. Read the reviews for any “tricks” the developers may have instituted to get the user to pay.
The video converter software, Any Video Converter, which I downloaded this morning, does not require payment now or in the future, from what I can tell. Still, it does ask if you want to upgrade to the more professional version. Don’t give a credit card or PayPal authorization unless you’re prepared to pay. Click the “x” at the top right of the screen to make that disappear.
After only a few clicks (reading no instructions), I could easily convert the video to a smaller size, enabling me to post it on my Facebook page and here.
Now I feel more at ease posting a video occasionally, provided a solid wireless signal allows me to edit it for posting. Of course, I won’t start making videos of everything we see.
I’ve got a long way to go before I become a reasonably good videographer, and I still have miles to go (literally and figuratively) before I even get the photo-taking pinned down!
Such a beautiful sound….thank you so much for sharing your adventures! I am enjoying them so much!
Thelma, it means so much to us to share our stories and photos with our readers. We never anticipated that we'd have 1000's of readers from all over the world. Originally, we wrote this blog for family and friends, never expecting it to grow as it has.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments and please comment anytime.
Warmest regards,
Jess & Tom
thanks for approve my account 🙂
deSara
Sara, thank you for signing up. We’re happy to have you onboard!
WWarmest regards,
Jess & Tom