Talking To Your Phone

I loathe 90% of podcasters and "influencers." The big face on the screen talking to your phone sounds performative and needy. There are some exceptions. Roger Steel strikes me as hella authentic on Instagram. John Bernthal is my kind of guy when it comes to principles and conversation style on Real Ones. And N.O.R.E is my guilty pleasure with Drink Champs. It takes me back to hanging with the fellas, drinking too much, and talking shit.

A friend has been experimenting with micro video blogging on YouTube and briefly used me as a litmus test. Could you make these in a way that annoyed me less than most? It turns out that what resonates with me most is that he's not trying but is so hard. The format is so casual and unpolished that I'm just listening to a friend share his thoughts. I can't be annoyed by his output because I'm not annoyed by him.

That effort inspired me to try something similar. Yesterday, I hit the golf course to test out some new winter gear, as I'm fully planning to play golf year-round. While doing so, I hung my phone from my bag and captured the short practice round on video.

Afterward, I received news from friends that saddened me, and I turned to these videos as a source of joy. I was grateful to have gotten out there and played. Who knows how long I'll be afforded that luxury? I mashed up the videos, narrated, and added effects, which was a surprising creative outlet.

I was unsure about posting because I'm not entirely sure there's a clear "why" to do so or not. I was apprehensive about publishing a 10-year-old song I recorded, and my aforementioned friend said:

I'm a hypocrite here, but I think you'll be fine.

Worst case scenario it goes viral for all the wrong reasons, and people dislike it generally, and you're judged socially for making it, and your artistic vision takes a serious hit.

But the sun will still rise, you'll still be you, and time still moves on. That moment of absolute blackness will get smaller and smaller in your rear view mirror, but you'll still be

And that's the worst that could happen

- A Random Old Guy On The Internet

So this morning, I hit upload on four [1, 2, 3, 4] of the nine golf reels. I'm still undecided on the song.

In hindsight, what I like most about this exercise is that watching it feels like I've relived that morning. There's something cathartic about it, so much so that I'm considering doing it again with a different focus. Maybe it'll be less about narrating and being cheeky and more about showing gratitude and reflection.

I don't know if that's what others get from the practice of talking to their phones, but maybe I should consider their why before I judge their how.