Watch Your Language! Episode 3 – T, D

A TREASURE TROVE OF DYNAMITE DICTION!

Click the button above to listen or download. (15.4MB, 11 minutes)

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Welcome to Episode 3 of Watch Your Language!

This episode’s pre-lesson chat covers the importance & benefits of Good Diction. The article I reference is below. Be sure to give it a read because it contains excellent articulation exercises! We have fun with the letters T as in talk, and D as in delicate.  This episode is chock-full of fun facts, including a brief jaunt into the world of physics.  Miss Marple’s methods also make an appearance, so be sure to listen in and learn!

Each episode features TWO diction lessons with a list of words to practice (see below). The final practice word is the vocabulary word. I’ll give you the meaning, the origin and offer an example.  Continue reading →

Watch Your Language! Episode 2 – V, F

FROM NOW ON, ALL EPISODES WILL FEATURE TWO LESSONS!

Click the button above to listen or download. (14.1MB)

If you need download assistance, this is a detailed list of instructions.

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Welcome to the second episode of Watch Your Language! where we focus on our diction and broaden our vocabulary.

This week, the show opens with a question I asked myself, and how quickly it was answered in the form of a carry-out order. You’ll also hear an example of a vocabulary word expressed in song by Zap Mama, and learn a little about plants!

As always, each episode will feature a diction lesson with a list of words to practice (see below). The final practice word will be your vocabulary word. I’ll give you the meaning, the origin and use it in a sentence. The podcast is way more exciting to listen to than read about, soooooo…. You know what to do! Enjoy! Continue reading →

Watch Your Language! Episode 01 – TH

PREMIERE DOUBLE EPISODE!!!!


Click the button above to listen or  download. (11.3MB, 8minutes)

If you need download assistance, this is a detailed list of instructions.

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Watch Your Language focuses on our diction, as well as broadening our vocabulary. As time goes by, certain little phrases, words and letter combinations fall by the wayside in everyday conversation.  Next thing you know, we’re misunderstood, accused of mumbling and/or misheard. We all strive to be understood, as well as to understand.

Each episode will feature a diction lesson with a list of words to practice (see below). The final practice word will be your vocabulary word. I’ll give you the meaning, the origin and use it in a sentence. The podcast is way more exciting to listen to than read about, soooooo…. You know what to do! Enjoy! Continue reading →

Dollars and Sense: The Sale of Three Properties

Dear Realtors & Realty Brokerage Firms:  If I may share with you a recent – albeit unfortunate – event with a potential client.  Potential Client remarked that my rates were too expensive.  That made me a little sad.  Not for the missed opportunity. I was sad because Potential Client may become my client down the road.

As the familiar saying goes, “If you think the cost of a Professional is expensive, wait until you hire an Amateur.” Bottom line… you get what you pay for.   Don’t make the same mistake.  The size of the investment of adding professional narration to your video slide shows, photo galleries, 360′s and video walk-throughs is minimal when weighed against the return.

THE SALE OF THREE PROPERTIES

Property 1:  A 6% commission on a  $257,000 home = $15,420

Property 2:  A 6% commission on a $100,000 home = $6,000

Property 3:  A 6% commission on a $650,000 home = $39,000

Your firm stands to bring in $60,420 from these 3 properties.

It’s cost-effective to invest at-least a half-percent to get those three properties sold with the aide of professional narration.

YES, YES, I know… I am more than aware other expenses come into play. I’m also aware that the longer a property sits on the market, the less value it will hold in your buyers’ minds.

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Curb Appeal is Key .  So is Online Appeal.

You’ve heard of HGTV, right? Just kidding!  Seriously, though, buyers want to sit at home and really get inside a property, without having to get inside the property. They live in the same economy as the rest of us and feel the pinch at the pump.  They’re not prone to drive to a property they’ve only read about or viewing still photos.  However, a narrated video from your firm brings them closer to that at-home HGTV treatment. They’ll be inspired to experience the walk-through themselves and get in touch with you.

Consider it, think on it, do some number crunching of your own. Then get in touch with me for details on my Three Property Package, or for more information. You’ll be glad you did.

Ripping Off the Band-Aids

Upgrading my audio environment has been a daunting – albeit rewarding – task.  When I worked in The Cave, audio mastering involved a series of carefully applied bandaids in order to make the most of what I had. Those patches worked for the most part, I got work.  However, going from a dynamic to a condenser mic as well as adding an Optimal Sound Environment was a whole other ball of wax… Ear wax, to be exact.

I had to break down and ask for help in chasing down the source of a HUM.  This hum was the bane of my existence for 4 days straight.  I checked the power cord, the mixer, the connections, different rooms, different power strips & outlets.  Turned off fans, a/c, fridge, pencil sharpeners, ANYTHING that could have possibly been the source. It was THERE.

Rip it Off Quick, Like a Bunny…

I don’t like asking for help, but I will when the situation calls for it.  So I asked.  That didn’t go so well.  I won’t go into details, but I would like to offer this: When a person thinks highly enough of you to ask for assistance, exercise decency – even in the face of a blatant error.  Avoid a chastising/belittling tone. I’m fully aware that tone can be misinterpreted via the written word, mind you.  If those same words were said to my face, they still would’ve felt like being smacked on the nose with a newspaper. They were unduly harsh.

What was said was true, though. 90% of it was caused by ear fatigue and not paying attention to previously applied bandaids.  10% was me turning up the gain so the hum could be heard.  After licking my wounds & soothing my ego I set about doing what I normally do – figuring it out for my damned self.

Go for the Gold

I asked myself, “What didn’t I do?”  The upgrade involved everything except a new microphone cable. I researched audio issues caused by bad/cheap/old mic cables.  Well, whaddya know? HUMS. My mic cable wasn’t old, but it did cost $10.  It served well for my purposes before the upgrade, but since I upgraded everything else, why not?

My first stop for product reviews/opinions are the pro-audio forums. It didn’t take me long to discover that Mogami Gold was the way to go. I then scootched over to Guitar Center’s website. Yowch. $47 total for the 6-foot cable. Ah, well, I’m in it to win it, and I refuse to let a piece of equipment slow my roll.  Just to cover all bases, I Google’d reviews for the Mogami Gold… and they found it good.

“Made very well, absolutely no noise in the signal chain. Its complete quiet and accurate!…Sounds awesome! If you suffer alot of noise and a buzz in your signal chain, get the Mogami! Its worth every single penny. If someone tells you that a Mic chord is a Mic chord no matter what brand, dont believe them!” Review from zZounds

“This XLR cable is one of the best out there, and considering how delicate vocals can be, it is obvious that any advantage you can get in recording or reproducing it needs to be taken. The cable that you connect to your mic can add quite a bit of noise, so you will want something quality. This cable is the answer.” Review from Guitar Center

No Snow in the Forecast

Noon. The following afternoon. Mogami Gold in hand. Home -> Booth -> Connect -> Power Up.  First thing I noticed was absolutely no white noise – a soft version of antenna TV snow. Gone.  Nice.  The previous band-aid for that was to lower the gain,  and noise gate & raise the master in post. No more.

So, I turn up the gain annnnnd….. hum. Note: I didn’t say HUM, though.  Could I work around this hum? Well, no. It’s un-Noise Gate-able.  I had to have a quick chat with myself.  Yes, seriously.

Deep breaths.  Stave off panic attack.  Focus, T.  Stay calm. You didn’t come this far to play the workaround game and settle. Keep going, you’re almost there.

Pick & Roll-Off

The chat continued… Pick a switch or button to push. Do it gently.

I look at my mic. The roll-off switch was engaged, so I disengaged it.  Hum…. gone.

Yeah, I know. An anti-climactic end to my audio-drama. Pun intended.

Well, that was it. Yes, I had disengage the roll-off switch previously, but the cheaper cable had the white noise & kept the hum there. The engaged roll-off took the edge off.

2 Points to Ponder

  • You get what you pay for.
  • That’s how you learn.

Inside the Optimal Sound Environment sans white noise & hum, I could now turn the gain up to “just right”. Right on.

Stay tuned for Part II…

Hey, Howzit? Thanks for Stopping By!


“Third time’s a charm,” they say, so here we are. You’ll read/hear topics of interest in the world around me.  My interests are varied, but they’ll mainly focus on:

  • Narration
  • Storytelling
  • Speech & Diction
  • Running a Business

Feel free to look around, learn a little about me & my services, “like” and/or follow me.  Feel free to leave comments, but know that respect & courtesy is strongly enforced. Discussions and differences of opinion are welcome, for that’s how we learn. Be aware that I will absolutely not tolerate foul language and indecent behavior.