Let the Popin Cookin Begin--My Journey through DIY Candy

It seems so many people are obsessed with this Popin Cookin stuff. Every time I turn around, there are more and more YouTube videos talking about it or showing viewers how to make it. It was driving me crazy to see so many people buying and making videos with this product that I knew I had to get some to try for myself.

I almost cringed at the price of buying these overly glamorized pour and stir Japanese candies. I could imagine spending 41 dollars to have some rushed shipped to me so that I could make a video to upload to YouTube. I thought it was a waste of money. Hey, it might still be, but here is hoping that I eat my words like DIY fancy cake.

I made the choice to go for it and I got my shipment in rather quickly. If you have been to my blog before, then you would know that my channel is all about candy and that yesterday I talked about my 9 week long series of Popin Cookin that started today. The first choice in the PC adventure series is The Bento Box. You can see the video below.

For those that don't know, a Bento box is usually a form of takeaway meal that can be made at a restaurant or from home. It consists of a meat, usually fish or pork and some different accompaniments like rice, noodles, or cooked vegetables. The difference with Popin Cookin is that all of these items are made from candy.

Now for those of you that have tried Popin Cookin, I want to know your thoughts. I don't find that this DIY candy making is too hard, aside from the fact that everything is in Japanese. The pictures on the carton are easy to understand and mixing and molding food is honestly really fun. I see people always freaking out about the packets or which mixing compartment to use, but I feel like that is all for the show. I had really no problem with the assembly, the only thing I didn't like was how the packaging would be made into the container that the candy sits in. It was too complicated for me, but I still managed. If you watch the video, you will be able to see what I mean.

In the end, the Bento box was so fun to create. There was a rice panda candy along with spaghetti, gummy broccoli and squid. There were plenty of other things and I was really pleased to see the variety. It was a taste of fun from Japan and I couldn't be happier with my purcharse. Make sure if you want to see more of my Popin Cookin adventure to check out my YouTube Channel and Subscribe. You can do that by clicking the subscribe button to your right.

Until the world revolves again...B

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Schedule More Time For Candy--Why I Review Candy on YouTube

Today I got a glimpse at organization, a glimpse at something that is going to last a while. Today I received several packages that are going to help me create some content on YouTube, grow my channel, and expand my audience. I am thrilled and today, stuffed with candy.

If you follow my YouTube channel, you know that I do candy reviews. If you don't follow my channel then, Hello. I'm Brian and I do candy reviews on YouTube. Feel free to check it out here.

Today, my package of nine Kracie Poppin Cookin kits came in and I am overly excited to get those videos out. If you don't know what those are, then allow me to explain. In simple terms, they are DIY candies from Japan. In complicated terms, they are almost impossible to read (Japanese) and can sometimes not taste very good (Yay for Powdered candy). It's a chore, but it is going to be a fun one. There are nine of them which means that I have nine weeks in total to create videos for my audience to watch. It was a challenge on my part to actually purchase these things. It cost me 41 dollars to have them shipped from Japan. I don't currently work and trust me, it felt like torture on my wallet. I can't be sure if it will do well, but here is hoping my money will be well spent.

If you have heard of Poppin Cooking, Let me know in the comments below and make sure to check out my videos on them starting tomorrow Sept 15 and continuing for 8 weeks every Tuesday.

Now on to the main event, the candy I received today. I never thought that candy would end up helping grab people's attention. I have reflected on it so many times and I am so glad that I decided to do candy videos. One video, in particular, is my German candy video that has been watched 8,000 + times. I know that to some that is not a lot, but to me it the best I have done and it gives me great pleasure to have done it. Through that video, I have answered nearly everyone's questions and even had a subscriber by the name of Michelle send me candy. I can honestly say that we are long-distance friends.

The video I made today was on candy from Colombia. I get a box from Universal Yums every month and each month it is filled with candy from a different country. I don't know much about Colombia, but I know people whose families are from there. I can relate the country with people's faces and I can recall their culture. To taste the candy and snacks they eat every day is something I never thought I would do.

I don't think I will ever get the chance to visit places like Colombia. I may never travel at all, but at least I can have the chance to get a small taste of a culture through a subscription box and maybe, if more people see my videos, a small taste from the people who know their own countries so well.

I love seeing what people have to say about the food they love and I love interacting with them and forming friendships and loyal viewers. While it hasn't changed my life, I feel that these videos have changed my perspective. I never thought that people all over the world were so passionate about the candy they ate, but they really are. It might be a challenge getting the candy and eating it can do a number on the waistline, but  it's a sweet way to travel without ever leaving my apartment.

Check out the new Colombian Candy video Here
or watch it above.

Until the world revolves again...B.

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My Nutella Videos Are Not So Sweet with Subscribers

So today was a good day, took care of the bonsai, brainstormed for video ideas, and got ready to create two videos today, which were both uploaded. Question is should I have uploaded both videos or maybe waited for another day? I always have trouble trying to figure out YouTube. I know I have said it once before but now that my subscribership is moving forward, I don't know what I am doing wrong. Where are the views and why do I suck?

Okay, I know I don't suck, but I guess I am going to answer my own question. "Where are the views?"

I think the main problem with my low viewership is that I don't have a constant appeal. Videos and channels on YouTube do well if the content is always similar. Subscribers come to appreciate that and watch content creators that have consistent videos. If your videos are like mine and they are scattered all over the spectrum, it's probably best to give your viewers and explanation of what you are doing. Like myself, I constantly tell my viewers that I am trying something new or that the channel is about my life hoping they understand that life is not a one track speeding bullet train.

Another reason and maybe my doubts for today are that I have too many videos for such a short time on YouTube. I feel like maybe my subscribers or potential subscribers have no place to go or they feel like they can't settle into my space. In the coming days, I plan to address this problem with a Channel Trailer. Currently, the trailer space houses one of my many videos, this one on eating things made with Nutella. I have had some success in the past days with more subscribers, but I need something that will solidify my work as a content creator, something that will tether me with the greats of YouTube.

My other qualm with my current situation is that I feel I am not engaging the viewers enough. My audience is very much scattered all across the board. Most are German which is really cool, but I think some people will have trouble relating to me or understanding what I want. If you are German and reading this, please don't take offense. You guys are my one true stronghold in this YouTube world. To remedy the problem, I am going to start focusing on cultural and social topics while still maintaining the same content that I already create. My brand is adapting as more viewers subscribe and I want to make sure that I do this right, for them, and for me. If you struggle with this problem, it's time to start making a niche for yourself and learn what people like. This is the process I am starting.

So I have answered my question but did I answer yours? I don't claim to know the in's and out's of YouTube and I can assure you there are better people out there who have studied this stuff extensively. So continue your search but feel free to take some advice from me.

I will always prevail and I have sworn not to give up on YouTube. So smash that Subscribe button on the side of this page or go to my YouTube Channel for more.

In the end, someone will watch. It might be one or three, but someone will watch. With that I should be satisfied...but I am not.

Until the World revolves Again...B

btw
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My Life Has Been "Bonsai-ed"

So this Labor Day, I was fortunate to get to spend some time at the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City, Louisiana. This festival is really one of my favorites and maybe that has to do with it being in my hometown.

If you want to watch what went on this weekend, you can see it here, on my Youtube page.

While shopping around the crafts, I stumbled upon a booth selling bonsai trees. I have seen this setup before, over the many years that I walked the festival crafts. I think the love of plants comes from my grandmother, my mother's mother. She was an avid gardener and a bit of a chemist and botanist. Plants were her thing and if she was alive today, I am sure she would be procuring any and every plant that sprouted from the Earth. That was just the way she was.

So in seeing these bonsai trees, I decided I had to finally have one. I got a Juniper bonsai and it looks like this.
So the Juniper bonsai is from the pine family and unlike what everyone believes, they are not in fact tiny trees. They are normal sized plants that are made to look tiny.

The Juniper is a hardy tree that is good in almost any climate as long as it doesn't freeze. They also require little watering, only when the soil is noticeably dry. They are pretty much the perfect plant for people who like to be their own designer. My bonsai has already been through the process of wiring so it is up to me to keep it looking its best. What that means is, is that I have to water it (like it is raining) fertilize it, pinch off undesired shoots, and re-pot when it gets bigger. It is a pretty simple process and it happens to be a very fun adventure. For those that don't have the luxury of pre-wired bonsais, you will have to guide your tiny tree in the direction you want it to grow. Getting that desired look is done through thick wires that wrap around the trunk and branches. You have to do that before winter because after that, the tree goes dormant.

And just in case you are wondering, bonsais are not an indoor plant. Okay, the tropical versions of a bonsai are but the ones you normally see aren't. Right now, my little Juniperus is sitting on my window sill in the sun but it will soon be transferred outside to live its days like a true tree. If you ever get the chance to purchase a bonsai, I say do it. They are wonderful to look at and are really cool to decorate. Mine has a tiny bridge on it with fake water underneath.

See you when the world revolves again...B



      JUNIPER BONSAI CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

• Re-pot: Every two or three years in early April. Sign to watch for include roots growing in circles in the bottom of the container or the soil level rising up out of the container.
• Soil: A bonsai soil that drains well with a pH of 5.0 to 6.5
• Fertilize: Miracid or Peters every tow to three weeks in spring and autumn. Switch brands to pick up trace elements your plants may be lacking.
• Prune: Continually pinch overgrown buds to encourage secondary branching. heavy branches can be removed in the spring and if necessary in the fall.
• Train: Anytime when warm. Remove all wire before winter.
• Insects: Maples are relatively pest resistant, although one occasionally encounters a chewing insect which should be removed by hand
• Insects/Diseases:  Spider mites and bagworms require immediate attention so hose off with water and then spray with Safer Soap. To prevent root-rot, drench the soil two or three-times-a-year with fungicide.
• Culture: Cuttings can be taken in early spring and kept moist in perlite. Most species grow very slowly.
• Watering: Do not over-water especially during the winter months as root-rot will kill the tree. Early morning watering is preferred and again if the tree dries out during the heat of the day.
• Light: Prefers full sun.
• Wintering: Junipers are very hardy, however, protect pots and roots in extreme temperatures.

Good Work,Short Lived

So if you have seen my Youtube channel by now, you would know that I have gotten a job. It is my first big boy job outside of college, actually the first real job I have ever had. If you watch my Youtube channel, you would also know that I no longer work at that job.

I worked for three weeks in a field that I thought was going to take me to my future. It sounded like everything I needed to jumpstart my dreams. Work in social media, film and edit short videos, interview the public, etc. It honestly was all of those things, for the first week on the job and then everything changed.

So let's start at the beginning, a former boss of my brother was looking for an assistant for her representative campaign and she thought of me specifically. I was thrilled to hear this. I had been stuck without a job since my graduation in December of 2014 and with it being August 2015 it was finally time that I get to work. I met with my soon-to-be boss and immediately said yes, the job was everything I needed, and why would I pass it up. The first week, I was constantly working, meeting with people at events, taking photo and video, updating social media, it was great. I had big plans for my boss as her assistant, and I was going to make sure that she had everything she needed. The only thing I didn't know was that she really didn't need me.

The second week of work was sparse and I could barely get in touch with my boss. she would call be later in the day and set up meetings with me or other people. She started to just send me posts to put up on social media, or simply do it herself. The plans and ideas I had talked about for her run for representative had fizzled and failed. She even started to make jabs at my work. I was crushed that what she wanted me to do was not good enough, especially since it was the first time I had ever held a job like that. After a meeting with someone from a different campaign, my thoughts about the job changed and I realized that I was no longer needed. I wanted to quit, but I had no idea what to do.

I stuck it out for the third week and after a Monday of me lounging around my apartment, my boss called me and needed me to film some video for the next day. That day came and went and all I could think about was how shitty everything had turned out. I had to use my own equipment which is semi-professional at best to create professional looking work. Let's just say, it came out subpar. I was devastated and my boss quickly pointed it out, going so far as to insult my intellect and my schooling. I had had enough of work and decided to end it all at the end of the week.

Check out my Vlog on YouTube @ https://youtu.be/l9BHdgp-7UQ

The meeting went well, I no longer work for that person as you already know. I am supposed to do some more work for her, like videos and everything, but she hasn't really said anything and I haven't been paid, so I think I will skip doing that for her. I am truly done with this work and unfortunately I don't know where my next job is going to come along. I have YouTube for now, but even that is starting to frustrate me. I have very few views and only about 43 subscribers. I honestly love all of them so much, but I am so unsure of my future.

Untile the world revolves again....

B.

Creating My YouTube Channel--Where I Am

Starting My Vlogging Journey-

Youtube Channel

Over the past couple of months of being hopelessly unemployed, I decided to pursue a career in the most promising enterprise of my young life--Youtube.

Everyday, I would log on to the infinitely popular video site and see random people who simply uploaded video after video and amassed millions of subscribers talking about everything from the latest tech gadget to what gummy candy topping would make a dessert pizza look more realistic. (yeah, those exist)

I saw these videos and I just knew that I could do that. I knew that I had what it took so I grabbed my closest camera and came up with an idea for a show. I figured I would talk about random topics every day and upload some daily vlog videos. After creating, editing, and uploading my first video I sat back and I waited. I waited for something that I realised would probably never come--views. 


After posting that first video, I had no views. A big fat 0 sat in front of my face on that screen and I just didn't know what to do. So, I kept making videos hoping that more would come my way. I made videos for two weeks and for every video I made, I would get 0 views. I finally realized that the reason I wasn't achieving what I wanted was because I had nothing to give an audience. I had no niche that I could fill. I don't play games, I know nothing about fashion or make-up, and I wasn't about to make a fool of myself on camera for viewers.

So, while keeping the vlog videos going, I took down my earlier videos and started soul-searching. I would look up some of the people that made me want to get on to Youtube and watch them. I studied them and finally decided that I would start my channel with Candy eating videos. Not just any candy, International Candy. Naturally this venture did get me the views that I wanted--well for the first couple of weeks. Soon I found myself wasting money to buy candy and seeing very little response from viewers. I felt like I could literally scream at the camera for people to watch me. So many other Youtubers do absolutely nothing and millions of people subscribe and watch them daily. What was I doing wrong?

After researching the tagging, title, and SEO madness that is Youtube, I finally figured something out. I wanted to be the people I saw on my computer screen every day. I wanted to have the fans and the money to make a difference in others lives. I forgot the reason I wanted to make videos--Because I can! I had to see other successful YouTubers channels to realize that they started from humble beginnings and gradually people flocked to them. So I decided to revamp myself and start making videos that talked about me. I started showing people who I was and not caring about the views or the subscribers. I starting reading books and opening up my vocabulary. I am doing reviews and making funny videos about what I remember about certain things. I am taking my camera into public places and capturing what is out there in travel vlogs. I even still eat candy on the reg. I am learning to just make something out of nothing and hope for the best.

My channel is only 8 months old and I am happy if I get new subscribers and even if I get a few views because it's not about the people who see me, it's about me feeling that I have purpose. I was unemployed, but now I have employed myself in making content on Youtube. I had an empty existence sitting at home so I filled it with something. So myself and my 34 subscribers and counting hope you can join us for the journey. 

It's a start, but it is all about putting yourself out there and seeing who wants to subscribe!

You can visit my channel at BrianRichard

Movie Magic...Well Sort Of.

Well, I think I am back in the blogging mood.....for now

My time off from the site has been due to the overwhelming stress of school. Writing papers, making presentations and preparing for my inevitable graduation this December.

Over the course of this semester I have done some amazing things but one that I am very proud of is the short film that I created. You all might remember the post I wrote about the storytelling process (if not scroll down...you'll see it) well in that post I talked about what I do to write my own material and luckily for me, I got to create some new scripts and film and edit one into a short film. 

Myself and Kimberly Bradford, filming  photo by Ryan Richard

The process was entirely exhilarating and honestly I learned so much about myself in the process. I broke down a few times but most of the time I soared through the work day. We had a great cast and crew and I think the film came out better than what I expected. 

So here is a little bit about how I made my first film.

The Challenge

When faced with a huge project of this scale, it is best to plan ahead. I started out with a simple idea that soon blossomed into a fantastic story. I wrote a script, got actors set for the parts, but then, it all fell apart.

To explain what i mean, filming anywhere is a very hard thing to do, especially if you are going to need to use locations that don't belong to you. We had a problem like that and because i didn't have insurance to cover any damages, I couldn't use any city property. I had to rethink everything.

The Story

Instead of reworking everything, I decided to use the name of the main character from my first screenplay. From there, I deciphered the name and came up with a story all its own. In my attempts to get a story out and to start filming, I wrote tirelessly for a week and came up with a twelve page script that honestly made me cry tears of joy.

For anyone looking to write a script, I say just write what you feel, It will make all the difference when you actually begin filming.

Once finished I created a story board. This element is not necessary but it does help with visualization and I highly recommend it. If you aren't an artist, you can get someone else to draw up your concepts or just go crazy with the stick-figures. Its your choice. Writing a shot list is also a good idea that way you know exactly what you want to see.

The Filming

Here is where that storyboard and shot list come in handy. Have all your equipment ready and start filming

•   Camera
• Tripod
• Light Kit
• Reflectors
• Boom mic

These are what I used but I didnt have a budget and I rented them from my university for free. If you cant do that then just see where you can rent equipment. Remember that the equipment you use will reflect the quality of the film.

The Editing

I am doing a whole lot of editing at the moment. I would say for a ten minute film, it has taken about 2 weeks worth of my time. the most i can say here is to understand what you have and the story you are going to tell. Work with everything you can and make a statement. Add your music and don't forget to credit everyone who helped. 

This is what i did while i was gone and how to film according to B