Lab Results

It occurred to me the other day, just how much my daily routine has changed over the years. A change I am embracing with renewed enthusiasm.

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." ~ Alan Cohen

In the past, my day would begin with a trip to the city. I'd park the car (okay I know "pahk the cah") in the Back Bay and then enjoy a short (shot) walk to the Boston studio. Up the elevator to the fourth floor. I'm greeted by familiar friendly faces and the busy activities of one of the worlds most sensational recording studios. I check in at the desk, pick up the script(s), head to the lounge/cafeteria where an abundance of food and drink is made available to all. Oh my head....the food! Bagels, beautiful pastries.....on and on. Anyway, I find a comfy chair and engage in some brief discussion with other actors and studio personnel. The wall mounted TV has sports or news tuned in with the sound muted. While reviewing the script for the project for a few minutes, a call comes into the lounge phone. "We're ready for you, James. Studio 3". Once in the studio I am greeted by five or so..clients, the recording engineer, the advertising director, producer etc. Howdy! I say..(a typical New England greeting) ....then go directly in to the voicing booth...headphones....water.....level test......instructions from the Director...and the session begins. Done. I receive kudos from the good group and add my thanks say my goodbyes....grab my coffee to go and head to the car ("cah") for the long journey home.

In just few short (shot) years my routine has dramatically changed.

Today...I'm up generally before dawn (...that is "dawn" as in "Sun coming up" not to be confused with "Fratangelo").....so with fresh ground coffee perking....I check in with the local TV to learn just how much more snow we'll be getting. Uggh! Then (still in my P.J.'s) I make the long walk through the kitchen and down the 12 stairs to Studio A, my home studio. I check my email, log on to Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Plaxo, Voices.com ..etc etc. Before long I realize I've spent about an hour engaged with the computer! Yikes, time for a break. Up the stairs, more Java, kisses to the wife off to work, let the dog out, put a few more logs in the wood stove. Now...finally.... it's time to record. The morning's 8 a.m. project is a narrative for a University. The client calls and using my Telos phone system I'm now patched into four or five clients and the director. We briefly exchange pleasantries. After some instructions, I record the project. A few quick edits will be necessary but overall the client is delighted. I say my thank you to all, hang up the phone and send the edited .wav files via an ftp. Now..... comes that long walk up stairs to let the dog in. I'm still in my P.J.'s. This is crazy!

I sincerely adore going into the city(s) for recording sessions and of course will always do so for those projects requiring splendid facilities and food! I imagine I love it as much for the interaction of live living and breathing souls as the experience to work with such a pool of talent. And there's nothing like popping into "Mike's" for a cannoli and a pit stop in Topsfield to have lunch with my wonderful friends from the Fire Department.

And yet, I have to admit the home studio offers a unique and wonderful performing lifestyle. My projects have significantly increased in number and type via the new technology even amid this challenging economy. Oh.... and I suppose Facebook and Twitter may have replaced the idle discussion found in the"lounge" to some degree. Next to Hugh Hefner, I may be the only guy working all day in P.J.'s too.

The gift of change I really love comes at the completion of each project, when I'm greeted with an unconditional wag of praise from our wonderful Black Lab!

Inside Studio A...... I'm James Herron