I got a new computer! Again!
This is Part 3 of the epic saga: “Tom vs. Technology and why Technology Always Wins”. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
This past Saturday I’m online chatting with some friends when my computer goes black. It did this the week before and I thought I fixed it but clearly did not. My guess is that my five-year old laptop just doesn’t have enough RAM to handle 2020’s needs (8GB in case you’re wondering).
I have a test recording session the next day with a major client for a major project and I can’t afford to let my laptop crap out in the middle of the session. So, I grab my coat and head out to Micro Center in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdown and the rain (just to make it sound more dramatic).
Due to the store’s Social Distancing guidelines, there is an 1.5-2 hour wait to get in to the store. Fortunately it only takes one hour and I have my favorite podcast to occupy me while I sit in the car in the rain (again, dramatic). Oh, and the podcast is Invisbilia. It will change your life!
I brought my old-old-old desktop computer with me in hopes it could be refurbished but alas, it’s wayyyy too old. Since I can’t walk out of there without a working computer, I tell them my needs (16GB of RAM, Windows 10, an HDMI port, and a USB 3 port) and they help me find the right pre-built computer. It’s a Hewlett-Packard Pavilion Desktop PC with everything I need for $599 plus I get the 2-year warranty. Not too bad!
TIP OF THE WEEK
If you want to be an effective voice actor in the 21st Century, especially now that COVID-19 is forcing more and more of us to record from home, you need a good computer. I don’t care if you’re a Luddite, you need to have some basic knowledge of how and why your computer works and perform regular upkeep. If you’re stuck at home like most of the country, now is the perfect time to brush up your Shakespeare. By Shakespeare I mean take some time to gather the specs of your computer and perform some maintenance.
Write down/print out the make, model, year of purchase, warranty and if the warranty is still valid
Write down/print out the amount of memory, RAM, and processing power
Write down/print out # of ports and which kind are they (USB 2, VGA, HDMI, etc.)
Grab some canned air and clean all of the ports, fans, vents, etc. so it’s dust-free
Run an internet speed test (your cable provider should have a page on their website to help you do just that)
To quote myself from last week’s blog entry, back up your hard drive daily using programs like Carbonite. Use Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmentor (or whatever the Mac equivalent is) to keep your hard drive lean & clean. Norton and Malwarebytes are good programs to protect your computer from viruses and malware.
NEWS AND NOTES
Thursday, April 2nd @8PM EST: My next VO Strategist webinar will be “Tracking Your Stuff: A Conversation About CRM’s and Cash Flow”. In this 90-minute webinar, we will discuss how to manage your client database, effectively track your Cash Flow, and keep your invoices in order. Click here to sign up!
Thursday, April 16th @8PM EST: My next Edge Studio Business and Money 201 webinar will be ‘Cost/Benefit Analysis’. In this one-hour webinar, we’ll talk about how to determine how & why you generated your voiceover revenue and how to repeat what worked. This webinar is capped at 25 attendees and sells out fast. Click here to sign up.
Tuesday, April 30th @8PM EST: My next Edge Studio Marketing 201 webinar will be ‘What Your Website Says About You’. In this one-hour webinar, we’ll talk about how your website can help you gain or lose clients without you ever knowing it. This webinar is capped at 25 attendees and sells out fast. Click here to sign up!
Wednesday, May 27th @2:00 PM EST: even though the Audio Publishers Association Conference (APAC) has been cancelled, my meeting table has gone from live to virtual! From 2:00-3:45, you are welcome to book a FREE 15-minute consult with me. We can talk about audiobook marketing, business, or just chat. This is capped at 7 slots and will fill up fast so sign up ASAP. Click here to book your free 15-minute consult!
Thursday May 28th @2:30 PM EST: my “Learning to do eLearning” workshop has also gone from live to virtual! In this two-hour workshop you will learn what eLearning narration is, it’s sub-genres, narration tips, how much to charge, demo specs, and there will be live coaching! It’s $100 to attend, but if you use the promo code EARLYBIRD528 you get in for only $75! This webinar is capped at 50 attendees and is filling up fast so sign up ASAP. Click here to register!
HAPPY HAPPYS
Happy Doctor’s Day and Something on a Stick Day!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Tom Dheere is a 20+year veteran of the voice over industry who has narrated thousands of projects for hundreds of clients in over a dozen countries. He is also a voiceover business & marketing consultant known as the VOStrategist and produces the comic book “Agent 1.22”.