This is entry #5 in my vlog series. Hard to believe it’s been over a YEAR since posting my previous video! It honestly doesn’t feel like that long.

There’s been a lot going on in my life, which is why I haven’t been able to keep new content rolling out on a regular basis. I was however, able to take a little time and make this short video. I hope you’ll share a minute or two of your day with me to watch and comment. Video running time: 1 minute, 21 seconds

About the video
The video was shot on May 29, 2011 with my iPad 2, and later edited on it (mostly). The main reason for making it, besides the fact that it’s been so long since my last, was to put something out there and let people know I’m alive and well and… well, still me. Over a period of time, several people wrote to me and asked if/when I might publish another video.

For the record, if this ends up being the last video I publish, ever, please understand that I’ll ALWAYS be me (as in Gabrielle). Do not mistake my lack of time to write/share, as being anything other than a lack of time to share. Time permitting, I’d like to make more videos (and content in general) to explore and discuss various things in the future.

A picture in a picture in a picture in a picture…
The video was intentionally framed to show my back side in the mirror behind me. Not to show off my literal “back side”, but rather to offer another view of me actually holding up the iPad while talking into it. If you look carefully, you can see the iPad screen in the reflection, and in that screen, another reflection with another screen, etc. – kind of like holding two mirrors up to each other.

Gabrielle the musician(ish)
The background music is a custom arrangement by yours truly! I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with sound and music, though I’m far from being a real musician. The music track was made in a music composing application by dropping individual instrument “loops” (short audio clips) onto a timeline to form the final composition. The final result is a unique creation and I’m happy with how it turned out. If you’re a musician or just like to experiment like I do, tell me about it!

My first published iPad 2-taken photo!
The iPad 2 is an amazingly cool and versatile device. If you have one, you’re probably aware of the less-than-amazing quality of the cameras it sports. In good lighting, the image quality is pretty decent, but the lighting fairly dim where I took the photo shown here (also featured in the opening and closing of the video – click it to enlarge). I don’t think the photo turned out too bad… aside from it being grainy with blotchy color. I tweaked it a little (also on the iPad). Sorry about the blah pose – it wasn’t easy trying to take a decent self-photo in a mirror, in a small, confined space, while awkwardly holding and aiming the iPad 2 to capture the image.

If you’ve done any iPad 2 photography, chime in and let me know about your experiences.

Talk to me!
Please take a minute or two to answer the questions I posed in the video. Although I directly asked about “YouTube subscribers”, the broader intention was simply: What do you like about my video offerings? What, in particular, would you like to see in future videos? Tell me what’s on your mind – leave a comment or shoot me a private message if you prefer (using the contact link up top).

Thanks for watching (and reading), and have a beautiful weekend!

Related content:

• My YouTube Channel
• My Flickr photos
• Vlog entries

This is entry #4 in my vlog series. It’s been a few months (about five) since my last vlog was published. My, how time flies!

Clocking in at a whopping 30 seconds in length, this is my shortest vlog to date. Sometimes less is more, and I think this is a good example. It’s short and sweet. My apologies if you were hoping for something a little longer. You can always play it again a few more times. Don’t worry, it won’t wear out.

Why so short?
The video footage was actually recorded a few months ago, and meant to be longer. Trouble with my editing tools had me spinning my wheels and I gave up on it after a while. I talked about it in this post.

After playing around with some of the footage on and off, mainly as a creative exercise, I settled on an interesting, stylized visual presentation. A few short snippets of the original version were chosen to appear in the final 30 second video. It seemed more effective and meaningful to keep the “message” short and sweet. In the end I liked how it turned out, and there you go.

The day after
Like the video, this write-up also had to be chopped down to a more manageable size. I have a tendency to ramble on about my creative interests – in this case, video production and visual style. It was enjoyable to indulge, but most people don’t come here for that kind of thing. It seemed to clutter up the post, rather than add to it. Another good example of less being more effective. Exactly one day after publishing, I removed six paragraphs of “clutter” for a shorter, tidier post.

Where do you go when you’re “all dressed up”?
Like I asked in the video, is there a welcoming and safe environment you can be yourself and fem-out? Perhaps like myself, you find yourself all dressed up with no place to go? Please take a few minutes to share – either way.

Disclaimer and reminder
I have little control over the suggested videos offered after mine finishes.

Related content:

• My YouTube Channel
• Vlog entries

This is entry number 2 in my vlog (video blog) series. It’s been just over a month since my last vlog, so I thought it was about time.

In this installment, I talk about a personal struggle that’s been causing trouble in my life. A recent session with my therapist shed some light on a destructive obsessive cycle that’s been spiraling out of control for a few months now.

In vlog episode 2, I discuss:

• My recent troubles with overeating
• Obsessive over exercising to compensate for overeating
• Stress
• Lack of personal time
• Mario Kart Wii
• My number one video admirer (?)

Vlog #2, take two…
Once again, this was recorded using my phone’s low-end built-in video capabilities, so my apologies for the picture quality. I spent some time in front of a real video camera talking about things, but rambled on way too long and didn’t feel up to the time consuming task of chopping it all down to size. Somehow, talking to my phone cam in the bathroom keeps me more focused than when talking in front of a tripod-mounted camera in my makeshift studio.

A brief segment from the original recording session remains intact in the video – a little Mario Kart sight gag. It should bring a smile :)

Discussing personal struggles
We all have our problems in life to deal with. Even though I was caught in a worsening destructive obsessive cycle for months, it wasn’t until discussing things with my therapist that I full realized how bad things were. This may sound odd, but I was embarrassed to discuss this issue, and the many others I spewed out during my last session. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. The embarrassment often helps me break free of the negative patterns I sometimes get trapped in.

There is also embarrassment in sharing my shortcomings in life publicly like this. So why do it? Sometimes humility is good. It can be a powerful motivator to change bad habits and replace them with new, healthy habits.

What works for you?
As pointed out, I’ll shame myself (sometimes publicly) into making positive changes in my life. It works for me. How do you motivate yourself to make changes when they become necessary? If you have any tips or tricks in that department, please share what works for you.

Just a reminder
I have no control over the suggested videos offered after mine finishes. I do NOT endorse any of them.

Related content: My YouTube Channel

My first official “vlog” (video web log). This was originally recorded on September 12, 2009, but it took a while to find the time to polish it up with some titles and music, and post it online.

Ever wonder what my femme-voice sounds like? Well, it ain’t very convincing. Not yet, anyway. But I’m working on improving it and practicing voice feminization techniques. I’ve got a long way to go in the voice department, but I don’t think you’ll find it too distracting.

In vlog episode 1, I discuss:

• My feminine voice (a work-in-progress).
• A failed outing (all dressed up with no place to go).
• Why I often record phone-videos in my bathroom.
• How people reacted to seeing me en femme at my high school class reunion.
• The fact that I don’t pass (in person) and why that can cause complications when venturing out in public en femme.
• My striped mini dress and outfit, head to heels.

My apologies for the poor video quality. After returning home from a failed outing, I wanted to capture a quick video of my thoughts. My phone was the most convenient video capture device handy – nothing to set up, no lighting to play with, etc. As with other phone-videos, this one was captured in (of all places) my bathroom. Want to know why I often record phone-videos in the bathroom? Well, it’s certainly not because of the scenery! lol I explain in the video.

Please take a minute to offer your feedback.
What’s your take on vlogging? Do you regularly watch other vlogs? Would you like to see more video content like this from me? It won’t replace my written content, but rather be offered in addition to. Let me know if the relatively blurry phone-video quality is good enough, or does it detract from the video as a whole?

It’s YouTube, not me.
Btw – I have no control over the suggested videos offered after mine finishes. I do NOT endorse any of them.

Related content: My YouTube Channel

I don’t exactly have many videos to share right now but I decided to create a YouTube account. You can view the official myCDlife YouTube Channel by clicking the link. Before you go running off to check it out, please note that there is currently but a single short video there, and I’ve embedded it further down in this post.

I’m guessing “YouTube” was originally named in reference to the term “boob tube”, which was parent-slang for a TV… back when TV’s actually used a cathode ray tube (or CRT, look it up) to display video. I paid homage to the tube-based TV in the image for this post. That’s actually one of my older tube-TV’s. That bulky TV of nearly 20 years is almost TWO feet deep! :o Still works rather well though.

The idea to start a YouTube account came to me recently after posting a few short phone-videos on a crossdressing message forum. Some of the members had trouble viewing them in their native 3g2 format. The current version of QuickTime plays 3g2 video just fine, but not everyone has it installed or wants to install it. Flash-based video is all the rage these days. Pretty much, if you’re on the internet, you’ve got the Flash browser plug-in and have no trouble watching videos on any of the popular video sites.

Here’s the first (and currently only) video posted on my YouTube account. It’s just me trying to look cute and girly while offering a little message of video love. :) Sorry about the low quality. Shooting video on my phone is rather convenient, but my current phone doesn’t exactly capture high resolution, crystal clear video.

How often I’ll make new videos and post them to YouTube is uncertain. Finding the time to do so is one factor. Coming up with material people might actually be interested in viewing is another. Did you like the phone-cam video? Are cute little short videos like this are worthy of your time if I make more? Would you prefer something with more polish to it? Should I make short Gabi videos a reoccurring segment here and start a “video” category? Speak your mind, baby!

Do you have a YouTube account and want to be my close, personal YouTube BFF? Shoot me a friend request. My other social networking accounts kind of suffer from neglect (lack of time) but I love making new friends and would be honored to be your YouTube BFF. :)