I am very proud and honoured to present to you recorded messages from bloggers from around the world.
I introduced this project in my post Bloggers Recording Project, in November. Sixteen bloggers have answered the call, and I and my partner Frank have done recordings, too.I hope you like my highly decorated audio players… they work fine in my Firefox for Mac, but in my Safari for Mac, the audio plays okay, but they don’t show the aqua loading bar, and the dark blue slider doesn’t move. Please let me know if you have any problems playing the tracks.
So without further ado, here they are…
Track 1: Tom, Jenny, Stacey, Urban Panther, Kelly, Ross, Natural, Patricia, Dot
Track 2: Tammy, Jannie, Lance, Simon, Davina
Track 3: Chris, Marelisa, Frank, Robin
Many thanks to the following people for contributing their recordings, and for making my blogging life as enjoyable as it is:
Track 1:
Tom from Delightful Work
Jenny from Heal Pain Naturally
Stacey from Create a Balance
Urban Panther from Urban Panther’s Lair
Kelly from SHE-POWER
Ross from Will It Change You?
Natural from ThinkingOutLoudBlog.com
Patricia from Patricia’sWisdom
Dot from Deeper Issues
Track 2:
Tammy from A Day To Share With Tammy and A Cricket in a Garden
Jannie from Jannie Funster
Lance from The Jungle Of Life
Simon from The Secret Of Life
Davina from Loving Pulse and Shades Of Crimson
Track 3:
Chris from Wat da Wat?
Marelisa from Abundance Blog at Marelisa Online
Frank the Sound Sculptor. Thanks Frank for putting the recording together, by chopping it, EQing it, compressing it, limiting it, adding reverb, changing bit rates and sample rates, balancing levels, and goodness knows what else.
…and I’m last
Also, I can’t let a links post go by without thanking 5 more people who have helped me enormously in my blogging endeavours:
Barbara from Blogging Without A Blog
Cath
Evelyn from Attraction Mind Map
Ray from The Esoterical Journey
Vered from MomGrind
Lastly, thanks heaps to everyone else who has left comments here, emailed me, linked to me, stumbled me, or supported me in any other way. I simply would have given up if it wasn’t for your support.
The audio player comes from 1pixelout. Thanks Martin, it’s a great plugin! And here’s a pic of Frank putting everyone together, in Pro Tools:
Christmas in summer
I find the Christmas decorations here in Australia, where it is summer, amusing. I took the above photo in the street behind our house… Santa and his reindeer making their way across our bright blue summer sky, in the blazing sun!
The characters below might not be too comfortable in our summer. I hope the snowmen don’t melt!
And this fellow, all rugged up, is hiding underneath an Australian native grevillea bush, which is also in the blazing sun:
Here he is next to his mate popping out of an icy igloo.
I took the photo above while we were walking down the street last night (one of the few hot nights we’ve had so far this summer) for pizza, after we had spent all afternoon putting all the voices together. After tea we kept working till 3 a.m., because I, for the life of me, could not do my recording. In every take, I either couldn’t say it, or sounded cold and wooden. A severe case of stage fright after hearing all your warm and cheery messages, maybe?
People buy pine trees to decorate, usually from fruit shops. Here are some outside a fruit shop at our local shops (the path is usually bustling here):
Christmas food
In Australia, those who celebrate Christmas follow the European traditions, more or less, both in decorations and food. Many a hot roast Christmas dinner has been consumed in boiling hot weather.
Lots of Australians these days have a meal of cold meats or seafood, and salad, for Christmas dinner, but many (including my family) still bring out hot plum pudding with brandy sauce, for desert. As well as having some fruit-mince pies around. It’s actually not that easy to buy fruit-mince pies in winter, around these parts… they are Christmas food!
That’s it from me, for now. Have a lovely holiday everyone, see you soon!
Related post from the future:
Bloggers’ Chorus Post-Christmas Post
Robin, this was brilliant! It was so good to hear everyone’s voice. I want an Australian accent now. How long would I have to live there to pick it up? Would you tutor me?
@Tom – I didn’t know you could sing too. You’re right, you do have a velvety voice.
@ Tammy – your version of Frosty The Snowman is a winner.
I’m subscribed to most of these blogs. But I will be by the others now to see what their blogs are about. Thanks Robin and Frank for this project. Happy holidays to everyone.
Davinas last blog post..A Positively Dysfunctional Christmas
this is so cool robin. i’m going to listen to it tomorrow while at work or maybe in the morning while i’m doing some computer work. i’ll send out a tweet as well.
Naturals last blog post..You’re So Vain You Probably Think This Post Is About You
Robin, this is fantastic – I love it, love it, love it!! It’s so great to put a voice to the words I’ve read of all these great people! You and Frank did a marvelous job creating this, and really creating the idea and taking all the way to this amazing finished works.
To everyone who participated – it’s so great to “meet” each and every one of you here today! And may your holiday season be everything you desire this year!
Lances last blog post..Sunday Thought For The Day
Hi Robin: What a great project! I very much enjoyed putting a “voice” to the people whose blogs I’ve been reading over the past few months. Thank you for putting this together. And your photos look like Panama (polar bears in the sweltering heat).
Marelisas last blog post..Five Ways to Keep Your Spirits Up During the Holidays
Robin – Thanks so much this was a kick to listen to everyone, what we all chose to share was just as telling as our voices. 🙂 Delightful! I’m honored to be on the same track as you all.
Frank – You made me sound better than I thought possible. Nice work man, do you hire out as a sound engineer? Send me an email if you do. That damn Audacity software gives me the fits.
Davina – Thanks I love to sing. I almost shared a ribald rugby song but the spirit of the season got to me. You don’t need an Australian accent, your Canadian voice is lovely and clear.
Kelly & Robin – I do love your accents so warm and inviting. Of course my Mom’s a war bride from Melbourne so hearing you both makes me feel right at home.
Tammy – I had four failed takes on O Holy Night before I switched songs. I sure loved your recording very light and real. Thanks for the giggles.
Marelisa – What a lovely professional sounding voice you have. I didn’t hear an accent at all. Is yours the norm for Panama?
Tom Volkar / Delightful Works last blog post..Five Tools to Sharpen Your Authentic Edge
Hey, Robin, what a great job you two did! It all sounds seamless. I agree with all of Davina’s comments, and would add that Tammy had me cracking up. She sounds like a lot of fun!
I do feel like I know my blogging friends who sent in recordings better now, and am interested in visiting the ones I’ve never visited. Just as it’s great to have a photograph, it’s great to hear the voices, too. It occurs to me now that I should have made an awful joke recording of a voice that was allegedly Vered’s, so that she’d have to send in a correction, but I thought of that too late. Probably just as well.
Dots last blog post..How to Get Published, Part 2
If you could only see the smile on my face right now. These warm holiday wishes are brilliant! Thank you Robin for putting this project together and thank you everyone for filling my heart with love on this first night of Hanukkah. It was a perfect start to my holiday celebration.
Happy Holidays!
Love, Stacey
Stacey / Create a Balances last blog post..Gifts From My Dad
@Davina – ha ha when are you coming?
@Natural – you mean listen to this when you should be WORKING?! Oh the shock. And thanks.
@Lance – well why THANKyou! And hear hear.
@Marelisa – you sounded like you enjoyed it! I thought that might be the case about Panama.
@Tom – ah the Singing Blogger! Have you seen Frank’s website?
@Dot – Thanks! As for Vered – that would have been very naughty!
@Stacey – great Stacey – you were the first recording in, so kept up my hopes that it would work. Happy Hanukkah!
Hi Robin – I’m sorry I didn’t participate – I’m quite concientious about my voice, as people say it’s really soft. But I will try to do a recording sometime. And thank you for linking to me.
You all sounded awesome. And it was brilliant to hear the voices of all the people I know. I got quite a shock when I switched the first recording on and heard Tom singing. I never imagined that he’d be able to sing that well. I thought Tammie’s song was pretty good too.
You Australian’s didn’t sound as Australian as I expected. Mind you, in the days when I used to watch too much TV – I didn’t miss a single episode of an Australian soap – even Cell Block H, so maybe I just got used to hearing the accents. I did think Frank sounded a bit like Kevin Bloody Wilson though.
Many of you sounded a lot like I imagined. When I’m reading your stuff, I read it as if I can hear you speaking to me, if you know what I mean. But these people sounded a little different to what I expected: Chris – I didn’t know which part of America he lived in. The Chicago accent reminds me a lot of the old gangster movies – it’s really cool.
Lance sounded different to what I expected – he has the type of voice they use in ads, because they’re good at persuading folk to buy. So Lance, if you start selling things online – do a voice recording, or video.
Mare sounded only a little different to what I expected. I wasn’t sure what accent people would have in Panama. And I love the way she says her name.
Thanks for doing this Robin and sharing the pics. It helps to imagine what Christmas in Australia is like, in all that sunshine.
I hope you all have a great Christmas. Projects like this are way more fun than the commercialism of it all.
Hi Robin!
It’s amazing huh, celebrating christmas in summer. I’m from Malaysia and recently settled down in Sydney, Australia. I just told my sister when we were talking over coffee last night….we just realized that people in Australia will be celebrating christmas in summer….:-)
This is new to me and my family since this gonna be my first day celebrating the day here…
have a lovely christmas…
Hans Haneefs last blog post..5 Amazing Natural Ways For A Face Lifting
Hi again Robin. I forgot to say, that I enjoyed the pics you shared. Who says you need snow to have igloos.
Davinas last blog post..A Positively Dysfunctional Christmas
That was brilliant, Robin. Thanks so much, and thanks to Frank as well. It was fascinating to hear people’s voices. It was like “OH! That’s what she/he sounds like!”
@Everyone – have a joyous holiday season.
Urban Panthers last blog post..Maid, Mother, Crone Collection
Hi Robin,
Thank you so much for the project and for the link! It is wonderful to put voices to all the wonderful blogs I read! It has been wonderful getting to know you! I wish you and your loved ones all the best for the holiday and for an abundantly happy and healthy 2009!
Lots of love,
Jenny
Jenny Mannions last blog post..“What If?” — The Life Changing Movie — Clip 4
Hi Tom: Thank you. I lived in Stamford, Connecticut from the time I was 7 to the time was 9 years old, so I learned English early enough not to have much of an accent. Most people in Panama who speak English have a very discernible Spanish accent.
Hi Cath: Thank you 🙂
Marelisas last blog post..Lateral Thinking: Think Out-of-the-Box
Hi Robin – Many thanks to you and Frank for putting this together. I enjoyed listening to everyone, though Tom’s and Tammy’s musical contributions deserve special mention – for sheer guts as well as musical ability! Thanks so much for inviting me to contribute.
I’ve always been curious about how it must be to celebrate Christmas in the middle of summer and your photos give a good impression of how it must be: kind of surreal really, all those sweltering penguins. I’ve come across plum pudding ice cream – has that caught on down there?
I hope that you both enjoy your well-earned holiday. Have a warm and peaceful Christmas!
Simons last blog post..If It Be Thy Will
@Cath – that’s OK Cath – it’s not necessarily that easy. I like your take on the voices and accents!
@Hans – Hi there and welcome! I’m wondering what the weather is like in Malaysia at Christmas?
@Davina – thanks! heheh – not where there are inflatable plastic ones.
@Urban Panther – thanks Panther – and thanks for sending yours in – Joyeux Noelle to you, too (Noelle is my middle name)
@Jenny – My pleasure! and thanks! – love to you, too.
@Marelisa – Frank and I detected a very nice Spanish accent – isn’t it funny what people hear?
@Simon – We DO have plum pudding ice cream – our family had some 2 years ago – along with the regular hot plum pudding. You have a good holiday too, Simon – and keep working on that secret!
a bit late to the party of comments here, but glad to have finally arrived. We have had 18 inches of snow over the last 4 days and freezing temperatures and I lost my Internet connection for 2 days all together – I was lost! We have penguins in our decorations because my oldest child collects them…they are somewhere under all this snow. I am going to post our snow folks on my site this week…because we are at sea level and enjoy balmy winds and breezes we almost never get snow…but we are making up for lost time this year.
It was so lovely to hear everyone’s wishes, comments, giggles and thoughts and what a great deal of work this post must have taken, thank you for all your expertise and hard efforts. I just keep coming back to listen to the music and kindness and well wishes.
What a nice community – sunshine or snow. Hip hurrah for the nice idea and fruition. Happy and healthy celebrations to all
Patricias last blog post..Oh Baby! You Light Up My Life
Hello Robin, Merry Christmas to you and everyone here. Success for your project.
tikno
tiknos last blog post..In Memory, my beloved brother
Hey Robin,
This was so much fun to join in this project with you. I had a blast. I sure wish that I could have completed the song. Making this recording took my mind off the car wreck that I had just been through. I am sure if my neck was not screaming “pain” then I might have been able to remember that “Frosty” did not have three eyes.
I loved hearing the voices of each and every person. Most sounded just as though I had imagined.
I am looking forward to a great new year getting to know you and each of the above mentioned.
Merry Christmas!
Dear Robin,
thank you for linking me in this wonderful post and writing such fine things about me….
I enjoyed myself very well seeing these christmas decorations in summer – the australians are very consistent in that….
Have a nice christmas Robin – Blessings Rainer
rainers last blog post..Jena, here is my answer!
hello from a suburb outside of Buffalo New York..Tammy sent me and I’m glad I came this is a great blog.. Hope you’ll visit mine…
Dorothy from grammology
http://grammology.com
We’re just in the process of figuring out how to do track backs etc so we can share links as well.. Great photos
Dorothy Stahlneckers last blog post..Different Careers Different Life
@Patricia – thanks Patricia – it was great that you participated. Don’t worry about being “late” at this time of year – I’m many days behind at the moment!
@Tikno – thanks Tikno – hope you are having a good holiday, too.
@Tammy – I couldn’t believe you still did this after your accident and spending all afternoon in hospital. It was great!
@rainer – hope you had a good one, Ray.
@Dorothy – hi there and welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay – I will be over to visit soon!
Hi Robin – This is fabulous. It was wonderful hearing the voices of so many of the bloggers I visit. I feel like I now know them even better.
I racked my brain trying to find a way to record my voice for this project, but no luck. I’m hoping by the time you do this again (and I hope you and Frank will), I’ll have a way of participating. Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, a voice is the same.
Thank you for the link love. Have a Happy New Year. I’ll be seeing you again real soon.
Barbara Swafford – Blogging Without A Blogs last blog post..It’s A Time For Celebration
Robin
This was so so awesome, hearing everyone’s voice, checking it against the one in my imagination. Funnily enough Tom sounds exactly as I imagined, Chris too. But Marelisa and Urban Panther sound nothing like I thought. I had a much more Spanish accented English voice for Marelisa, and I mentally I had UP sounding very husky and sexy.
Have listened to the recording twice now and this post has really put a smile on my face. Love hearing you and Frank at the end of all the recordings – your accents are so familiar and feel like you could be living next door and that just seems somehow right.
Hope you’ve had a great Christmas. I feel like I’ve eaten enough for 10 men, so I’m already planning my New Year diet.
All the best.
Kelly x
Hi all, I think this project could be an all time first, but by no means the last.
It was so nice hearing all you voices and different accents, it was fun putting it all together, I must say some of you challenged my skills as an Engineer, I love a challenge.
Thank you for all your nice comments, it was a real pleasure being part of this project.
Enjoy the rest of the silly season.
Take care
Frank
@Barbara – well Frank seems keen to do it again sometime – but you might have quite a while to figure it out! You have a good new year too.
@Kelly – thanks Kel. It’s funny, but I had no preconceptions of how the voices would sound, so it was all a surprise to me. Maybe we’ll be able to catch up in person soon?
@Frank – you mean you are keen for another go at it? c u in the kitchen x
Great project Robin. I enjoyed listening to this. Like Kelly, I can’t help smiling because everyone sounds like my friends or my next door neighbors.
The only problem I had was that I wish Tom was last so that the post could have ended with a bang…LOL
Ok, I wasn’t surprised about Kelly’s sexy voice but Marelisa caught me of guard with her Midwestern American accent…LOL
Chriss last blog post..All I Want For Christmas…
Thanks for the link love. I would have loved to participate in the project but I could not solve my PC problems before I left for my vacation. You’ve just reminded me that I should go check if I can get a recording done in my new laptop.
It’s great to hear each blogger’s voice. It’s wonderful that you took the time to put the recordings together!! Cool!!
Evelyn Lims last blog post..Past Life Memories In Hokkaido