When I got the news that I’d be sent a plane ticket to spend a week in Texas at the GeekBrief.TV studio I was so excited. And really hoped to also make time to meet with another video podcasting family Dave & Kat Curlee from CookingWithKat.
Soon we decided that I’d be “Switched from Cali & Neal’s home to the Curlee home for a Saturday night and Sunday morning for church.
Again I was so entirely blessed to stay with folks I knew from their podcast and our relationship on twitter and facebook yet had never met in person. The Curlee’s are parents to two precious little girls Jayna and Jillian.
I felt like I’d known these sweet folks all my life. Little Jayna even gave up her bedroom for “Granny Martha” to have a place to sleep.
We spent some time driving around the area, and Dave showed me the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium and Ballpark at Arlington.
To top off our visit besides touring more of the DFW area and taking my first trip to an IKEA store we actually shot a Cooking With Kat show. This was too much fun to be involved in yet another fun video podcast.
Here is the episode we made together.. hope you enjoy
After spending the last week in Texas with Cali Lewis and Neal Campbell from GeekBrief.TV I am rather high regarding the awesome opportunities that have come from relationships that are inside the box (box meaning of course my macbook or my imac.) Yet friends inside the box would not be visible w/o the box being open and connected. Once the lid shuts or the power is pulled there are no viable relationships it may seem.
OHHH but the people I have had the privilege of getting to know while living my life mostly inside the box have over and over again become very real to me and a huge part of my life.
My impressions of Neal Campbell and Cali Lewis:
These dear people are genuinely kind, and thoughtful. Cali is as shiny and happy in person as she is on GeekBrief.TV
Their enthusiasm for all things tech just spills over continually as they talk together and share ideas. They are lovers of people who feel a strong sense of connection with their viewers. Yet because the majority of production is done from their home, the time they have to spend with folks is limited. I was surprised by just how much of each day goes into preparing for a four minute episode. Neal and Cali spend a lot of time discussing the latest tech/ gadget news that sparks their interest. And then make their decisions regarding what segments they’ll feature. After the decisions are made its time to study in detail the gadgets or tech news they’ve chosen to review. Then they write a script for the show from which Cali will ultimately read via the TelePrompTer.
Then its off to freshen up for Cali.. a bit of lipstick and hair combing and she’s ready for the cameras.
Neal and Cali work together like a well synchronized musical composition! They just know where to respect the other to get the job done with the most ease and professionalism. Once Cali is in front of the blue screen looking at the TelePrompTer, Neal stands aside with his nifty hillcrest loop pointer and keeps the TelePrompTer syncing with Cali’s reading. Seems that they normally need to re-shoot a couple of times for tongue twisting sentences.
And then after the shoot Neal will take the digital files and import/ export/ edit/ upload…. all very very time consuming and precise. He showed me how he edits differently from others by using Cali’s voice to make the cuts between segments. This is just one secret as to how they are able to compact so much information in to such a short amount of time. Often it is well past midnight when Neal and Cali finally have a show posted online. Lots of hard and tedious work, but they excel at this and seem to thoroughly enjoy themselves along the way.
Smooth like butter is how I described their interaction on a previous tweet. But it goes beyond that because they are so obviously in love with one another, thrilled with what they are doing, and connected to the friends who they consider family who regularly view the show.
They are professionals who don’t take for- granted how far they have come in a very short time.
I couldn’t help but fall in love with them. Warm and inviting they not only brought me to visit with them but also took extra measures to make me feel like a very special guest.
I’m posting the brief I was in. Often GeekBrief.TV goes on location to interview someone who has made an impact or has utilized technology to an extent that it might encourage others. Since I had been a viewer of GBTV since before they left their day jobs, I suppose that Cali & Neal consider me someone who has been a part of the show since nearly the beginning.
I am delighted and always will be grateful to Neal Campbell and Cali Lewis for getting this Granny Out of the Box for a week of geek at GBTV studio’s! Besides flying me to Texas they overwhelmed me with generous hospitality!
These two are the “Real Deal” and exemplify why this new media is just awesome!
Enjoy GeekBrief Episode #602: Granny’s 7 minutes of fame!
All looks good for Granny’s Big Trip to Texas tomorrow. To spend some time with folks that I so admire. A complete treat. Wanted to mention that although there have been some serious fervishly fatigued days as of recent. My health has been good enough to get things together for this really unique and precious opportunity.
I know the Lord’s hand is on the trip. And my health is indeed in His hands. Some one commented on my last post that I should spend more time focusing on the positive rather than the negative of life. And normally that is my outlook. God knows that weakness drags one emotionally low as well as physically.
And then He decided (through the kindness of others) to allow me this exciting visit. So I am trusting that He’ll also allow for the good health needed to enjoy every minute of it. Thank You Lord Jesus.. Thank you Neal & Cali and Thank You Tommy for allowing me to leave you for a week just because you love me. Thank you friends for taking time to pray!
Oh let us magnify the Lord together. Let us exalt His Name for He is Worthy of our praise!
