You know the saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks?"  What am I saying - of course you do. 

Big news, folks.  Old dog.  New tricks!

I've been learning the art of podcasting.  I've also been learning how to do sound editing.  It's out of necessity.  Why?  Because my voice on podcast always winds up quieter than anyone else's.  No one has ever accused me of being a quiet person, so I find this rather curious.  I'm guessing it must have something to do with my microphone sensitivity.  That being said, I have learned to amplify my voice in the finished product.

Here's another thing I learned.  I now know what the word "um" looks like in the squiggly lines that appear onscreen when you edit sound.  I know how to surgically excise it, and I use this power for good - not evil.

Am I an expert sound editor?  Heck no - I'm no more of an expert at editing sound than I am at playing mandolin - something else that I am currently learning.    But I am learning.  Each podcast that I edit, I'll add a bit to my knowledge until I'm an old pro.  Or an old dog - with a new trick.

There are those who talk of the loneliness of the writer.  They speak of hours spent sitting alone with a computer or typewriter and the solitary frustration of battles with the blank page.

That hasn't been my experience.

I get to have really cool experiences as a writer that I wouldn't otherwise have.  Here's a for instance.  Today, I had a past life regression hypnotherapy session.  This is the second session I've had. Both were for the purpose of writing articles.  In a few weeks, I am going to undergo a past life regression session live for a podcast. 

Here's another one. Last weekend, I got to tag along and ask annoying questions while a paranormal group investigated a haunted mansion.  And not the Disney kind.  Later this month I get to go with the same paranormal group and investigate a reportedly haunted hotel. How cool is that?

I love to write, and I really love all of the stuff that comes with writing under the guise of research.  I've talked with interesting and entertaining people.  I've talked with famous people.  I've had the chance to have unusual experiences.  And perhaps best of all, I have the chance to ask as many questions as I can come up with whenever I meet and talk with someone.

For a curious cat like me, I just can't imagine any better line of work.