One of the great things about doing similar things again and again is that there is some probability of getting better at what we do. Gary Junken from Taunton Press is here for filming my Rustic Furniture Basics DVD. Almost 2 years ago, Gary did the video work and editing of my Basic Box Making DVD, and it was the first 2 hour long production for Taunton. He did a masterful job, and a number of viewers have told me that it is the best woodworking DVD they've seen. These things are a team effort and I am pleased to be part of a talented team.

In that DVD, I narrated the process as I worked in the shop. It was difficult, both to say things precisely as I worked, and also for Gary to edit the best lines into the best video footage. So, we do get smarter in time. Now, at Gary's suggestion, we are working from a written script, and the recording of voice takes place separately from the visuals. We get lots more done in less time, and it will make the video editor's task more efficient. It will also lead to an even better DVD. This one will also be in high definition... a scary thought.

Gary had asked, "Do you have a tripod of some kind to hang the script on so you don't have to hold it?" He has observed that if the hands are engaged in gesture, the words come more easily to mind and flow more freely and with clearer emphasis through the human voice.

Now, tell me again, why we would have children sit at desks with their hands stilled? Only a nation aimed toward the idiocy of its youth would dream up what we have for schools in America. We could do so much better!