Last January I decided fairly on the spot that I was going to start making weekly vlogs. I didn’t make a “do it for a year” mandate for myself, but once I got halfway through I kinda made that self-decision that I’d keep going until January 2017. We’re there. It’s been a wild and fun trip!

First, some stats (as of vlog No. 44 in New Orleans):

Total minutes of vlog: 239.42 = 3.99 hours
Most popular vlog: No. 40 Taylor Swift Edition…434 views
Second place popular: No. 41 MCC Comes to Town…220 views
Longest vlog – Also T-Swift No. 40, thanks to concert footage I couldn’t bear to cut: 12:48

So basically, I made a 4 hour long movie about myself this year.  (Great?!) You never know what you’re going to document in a year’s time when you set out on something new in the very stereotypical “start something new” month of January, but fortunately for me this year has had some incredible twists and turns. Of course as I am hardwired to do, I thought I’d share some of the stuff I’ve learned in my year as a vlogger

Just Do It.

The vlogger who inspired me to “just start” was none other than Casey Neistat, the biggest Youtuber and all around swell guy. I still watch his vlogs and learn from him every time. I got to meet Casey 3 months into the year when he spoke at a Samsung event during SXSW, which looking back is kind of an incredible stroke of luck to meet “The Muse” when you’re 3 months into a new thing. That was some brain fuel, for sure. (Here’s that vlog, if you want it).

Make A Mini-Series

I got to GO TO EUROPE (!!) with Kiya Heartwood, and I managed to keep up a pretty good vlog schedule.  We were gone for about 13 days, and I managed to make 6 vlogs throughout the trip (Nos. 30-35), much more than my usual once a week average up until then.  When in Rome, or London…or, I am mixing my metaphors here. The glory of a vlog is if something REMARKABLY interesting is happening (like one’s first time in the UK), you wanna document it. One thing I regret: I have gotten fairly brave at using my camera but I was in Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant Maze in London which was such a highlight but I was too nervous to really film much. They were so attentive I felt like filming would be a no no. That’s ok.  I can still taste the braised short ribs when I think real hard.

Share With Your Subjects

I had two Mary Chapin Carpenter focused vlogs this year – one for her new album release and my history with her music (No. 18) and one about driving around 2 states to see her play in November (No. 41). Both a joy to make.  Because Twitter is sometimes a great equalizer, I tweeted links to both and MCC graciously shared them. That makes a vlogger feel good (and it really ups your views, but who’s counting).

Keep the Gear Handy

This is not really about a vlog, though I never would have had this fun little social media success without the weekly vlogging. I’m a Karlie Kloss fan…computer science nerd, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and oh yeah, supermodel. I got a Like a Kloss shirt to support her Kode with Karlie charity, and it came in a cool box, and I decided to make video about the shirt unpacking itself. (SOMETIMES I HAVE TOO MUCH COFFEE OK). I tweeted it to Karlie, and she retweeted it to her followers (she has a few more than me, like 2.44 million more).  That tweet got 500+ likes and over 100 retweets.  This is by far the most attention anything I’ve made has gotten. What did it get me? Satisfaction and not much else…so far.  But as I’ve learned, in the game of making stuff, it’s a marathon and not a sprint. And always have your camera out when the inspiration strikes.

So after a full year and 44 vlogs…I’m not done. I have a pretty big exciting trip to make this weekend that is actually happening BECAUSE of a vlog (insert deflective vagueries here…don’t worry, I’ll vlog about it…rhymes with Sailor Rift). I have slowed down, though. I find that while Casey managed to make his day to day life fairly interesting because he lives in NYC and flies drones all over, I don’t have that kind of wherewithal (yet).

The good thing is there’s often a thought of “what can I vlog this week?” and it actually makes me get out and do more, or at least reframe my thoughts on what I’m doing.  Everything is a potential subject, if you frame it well.

If you have watched a few or a lot, I thank you profusely for hanging in with me. Here’s to 2017 and the Vlog.