I don’t know what I’m doing

So much adventure arises from the gap – between where we’re headed and what we don’t know along the way. Writing about the challenge of being a motorcycle newbie on a 2500 mile tour is an obvious adventure tale.

And developing this blog is no different. There’s an idea on the horizon of where it’s headed, what it might look like. I haven’t already lived it, so I’m content to let it unfold. Something in that vision, though, involves making it into a video blog: clips from a camera while I’m riding, with my thoughts and some appropriate music over all. Sounds like fun to me!

The thing is, I don’t know anything about videography. No background in graphic design, fine arts, not even an art history class.

But why would I let Not-Knowing stop me??

Best way to learn is by doing, right? So I’ve gotten a helmet camera, hooked it up and gathered some footage of a beautiful part of the ride through Arizona. Lots of footage. Too much to upload. Waaaaay too much for anyone to want to watch.

So I needed to select some software and learn to edit video. I don’t know anything about that. Let’s face it, 99% of my graphic design is done in PowerPoint, not even PhotoShop! I could hem and haw, study and analyze, or I could download something and

Dive right in!

Rewatching a video (that’s waaaay too long) to find the exact right points to cut in and fade out takes a lot of time. I didn’t realize that. There are so many things I know nothing about.

And there’s no point in pretending I do know

In a world that believes “knowledge is power,” admitting I don’t know the answers is pretty edgy. And yet, I cannot find anything more power-filled than honesty. Until I’m honest with myself that I don’t know, how can I learn?

Some things are learnable. I may learn some of them. Some things I don’t care to learn. Some things are unknowable.

Like the precise moment at which the computer will crash and take 3 hours of work with it. Like answers for questions that start with “why?” Like how it is that a grand Love overcomes the minutia of the personal and sweeps attention into an arms-wide-open cherishment for life, just as it is. And then returns to make a peanut butter sandwich. And upload a video.

I really don’t know.

But here is my first ride video attempt. I was surprised by what came out of the camera. Enjoy!