J.P.

Demonstrative.

I really enjoy making videos. I enjoy figuring out how to grab an interesting shot, making compelling content, and most of all, editing all of the footage I’ve grabbed and trying to make it into a visually appealing, cohesive storyline. When I mention at the end of my videos, “I hope you’ve felt the inspiration I was trying to share with you”, I sincerely mean it. Putting out inspiring content is a goal of mine and, at the very least, I just want to put a smile on the viewer’s face or give them a positive moment in the whirlwind of life.

I suppose my video “art”, if one can really call it that, is an extension of my goals from back when I was on radio. I just wanted to make the listener smile, play some good music, and make a positive contribution, no matter how long or how brief, to their existence.

I was never one to try to establish a “name” for myself and I don’t feel the need to do that with my videos. And I’m OK with being a goofball in front of the camera. I mean, how many 56 year old men flap their arms like Uncle Arthur and use 1970s style special effects to disappear in the middle of a YouTube video made in 2025?

I know there’s a drive for YouTubers to monetize their channel and build an influencer following and the like, and I guess that’s all well and good for those folks, but I just don’t feel that need. Yeah, I enjoy the feedback via likes and subscriptions, but I’m never going to make a living as a YouTuber. If I can share an experience out on The Great Plains while chasing severe weather, or show folks the beauty of hiking in parts of the country they’ve never visited, then I’m content. I like the feedback but I don’t live for the feedback.

Unfortunately, we live in an existence that is over controlled by algorithms, and apparently, if I don’t get enough subscriptions and likes on my videos, they’re never suggested to others that may be perusing or scrolling through YouTube content.

I’m not a fan of an algorithmic existence.

That being said, if I want my content to get out there for others to see, I must play the algorithmic game a little bit. So, if you enjoy my videos, please feel free to hit the “like” button and better yet, subscribe to my YouTube channel.

I do have plans on expanding where I share my videos. When I started making videos in early 2024 I was hosting them on Vimeo, but apparently folks don’t really use Vimeo that much. I know there’s TikTok, but I don’t feel my content is really appropriate for there. Then of course, there’s the Fediverse driven PeerTube, which I need to figure out because I feel like there’s a bunch of people there that might enjoy my video “art”.

In the meanwhile, here’s the link to my YouTube channel.

https://youtube.com/@thatjpwing?si=4fqLPklkBfbRoYmQ

Sunset.

The sunsets in the desert always make me happy. Even when it’s hotter than usual and it seems summer has kicked in mid April.

Ravin’.

While I was out on my morning walk, this guy (that’s an assumption) decided to perch atop a pole. He (again, an assumption) was rather vocal and surveyed the area as I walked by.

I believe it’s a raven up there. They seem content.

CDs.

When Madonna released “The Immaculate Conception”, her first collection of greatest hits, it was wonderful. The CD sounded beautifully, the addition of QSound added sonic depth to the music, and the remixes were brilliantly crafted. When played on CD it sounds wonderful.

When “Celebration”, another greatest hits album, was released in 2009, I first heard it via download. The music sounded red-lined to me, as if remixed to flatten the levels throughout the entire track, all cranked up to nearly a 10.

I knew this flattening of levels to basically a wall of a sound was a growing trend. Pop music lost its nuances in many ways years ago. The streaming services have just reinforced these poor decisions.

Something else I’m noticing with the streaming services: they’re starting to replace classic tracks with re-recordings but not indicating it’s re-recorded on the listing. A popular dance song from 1989, “Ride On Time” by Black Box, has been replaced in all the streaming services with different vocals. Another track, “Love Takes Time” by Orleans, has a different lead vocal.

I stumbled upon this video a couple of days ago. A bit of a nostalgic trip, it talks about why CDs are back in 2025. If anything, they’re a testament to the original tracks.

Mustaches!

OK, after posting the previous entry, I decided we have to give the two fan dancers their own entry. How I enjoyed the mustaches of the 1980s (and I still do to this day). Small wonder I was always going over to Grandpa and Grandma Country’s house to watch music videos from the U.K. off the satellite dish the size of a barn.

Here’s the two hot men with hot mustaches. And bonus points for the one with the sideburns.

Top Of The Pops?

One of my favorite songs from the 1980s is “Automatic” by The Pointer Sisters. While I suck at singing this at karaoke (my husband told me so in New Orleans), Ruth, Anita, and June grabbed this song from a pile of rejects at the studio and made it one of the most memorable tracks of the decade.

Apparently this video is from when the song was featured on “Top Of The Pops” in the U.K. I’m assuming this video is authentic. The fan twirling by the two mustached men (yum yum yum) and the Breakdancing from the muscle boy and the robot make for an ’80s Extravaganza.

The bits actually showing The Pointer Sisters is from their official video. I’ve never understood why the production was so cheaped out back in the day, but it’s fun to watch.

30 Day Countdown.

My next storm chasing trip is 30 days from today. The weather in the central part of the United States has been rather feisty for the past week and I’m wondering if Mother Nature is doing all her showing off in the earlier parts of spring this year. I’m sure there will be some opportunity to chase storms when I’m out there in the mid part of May, but I do have a plan B if things don’t come together. There’s always hiking and exploring places I’ve never visited on the agenda.

I’m starting to watch the 30 day weather models. While they just show trends with a whole bunch of uncertainty. The little green blob in Colorado, Kansas, and the Texas panhandle gives me just a touch of hope. There are plenty of other factors to consider when it comes to storm formation, but this is a promising start.

Endless Scrolling.

I’m a big fan of Jared Henderson’s YouTube channel. His thought provoking content often strikes a chord when I need to hear a tune, and today’s release is no different. In this video, Jared talks about why we “scroll” so much and some of the science around the habit.

I sometimes wonder if Steve Jobs knew in the back of his head as to what he was unleashing on the masses when Apple released the original iPhone. While a reliance on scrolling was possible with the devices that preceded the iPhone, it didn’t really hit the mainstream until the very early 2010s.

Please enjoy Jared’s video. Then put your phone away.