Howdy Friends! I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately … at least when I haven’t been slacking and mainlining YouTube videos for hours on end. I’m feeling like something is missing and I have a hole to fill. And I have a notion I know how to fill it.
I have been toying with the idea of creating a second YouTube channel for a long time now. (Spoiler Alert: I’m Not!). I love what I’m doing on the main channel, but I also wanted something where I could be a little more … raw. To do some creative therapy for those days when happy-happy seems a little elusive. Or just a place where I can empty some opinions out into the world.
Patreon helps (and I thank you for that!), but it still leaves a lot of time in which I’m currently wasting. But the answer kinda hit me this morning between coffees 2 and 3. What I’m missing isn’t a voice but rather creativity. Watching others isn’t all that creative, I want to make things.
Creating videos takes a long time, as in hours times many per video. It requires a lot of mobility, Filming isn’t something you can do in an easy chair in your underwear.. Unless you’re one of THOSE channels.
And so … (yes, I’m finally getting to the point) … I don’t believe that reading is dead.
I used to write articles for medium.com and I think I’d like to go back to it. Use that platform for all of those thoughts that won’t stop rolling around inside my head. Give me a reason to do some research and create articles that might inspire others.
THAT I can certainly do in my underwear!
I won’t pretend that what I will create over there is going to be universally accepted, and I also think that’s the point. I don’t allow politics or sensationalism onto the YouTube channel on purpose. The same reason I don’t cuss very often on camera. I want a happy and enjoyable place, not one for endless debate and comment wars. It’s how I’m trying to live my actual life and the channel is a reflection of that.
But despite my need to put aside the negative for my own personal mental health, I’ve come to realize that there is a difference between tossing out memes on social media and into an echo chamber … and sharing well thought out ideas. And who knows, maybe in doing the harder version I’ll learn some new things as well. My goal isn’t to vomit my current thoughts onto paper, but rather to examine and learn.
So yea, https://rickhiggins.medium.com is where I’ll be when I’m not making videos and writing to you here. A creative mind has to create, and I think I’m going to enjoy this a lot.
Anyhoo … thanks for supporting this crazy mind of mine. See ya soon!
~ Rick
PS: The first article is up, if you’re curious. https://rickhiggins.medium.com/my-vote-doesnt-count-142f99b7596c