Yes! For my first today, I completed Challenge 3, the making of the video, and thus also completed the contest. I finished Challenge 4 a few days ago, and struggled with the making of the video.
Today, however, the creating of the video flowed more smoothly. Oh, I still had plenty of outtakes and flubs. But I ended up with eight acceptable videos. It was amazing, sitting in the beauty of my backyard garden, to realize how noisy it actually is in my neighborhood. I battled the sunshine and a stiff breeze today. And I had to stop several recordings due to motorcycles and an ambulance going by, a train blaring its horn, a noisy car and finally, the neighbor’s weedeater. However, with time running short, I persevered, and I feel a huge sense of accomplishment to have completed the video and submitted it.
Although I would absolutely love to be declared a winner in this contest, winning a trip to beautiful New Zealand, this contest became about moving past this particular challenge. At first I thought I was having trouble with it because I was recording myself. I discovered that the real issue was being timed. The video had to come in at two minutes or less. I was reacting to the time element. Once I realized what was creating a problem for me, I was able to move past it. My finished video came in at 1 minute, 56 seconds.
I am happy with myself for finishing the contest. I actually loved that I was challenged on several levels while completing the contest and that I spent time reflecting on how the Hobbit movies have impacted me. And, today was a great day to complete the contest for another reason. Today marks the anniversary of The Hobbit’s release, in book form. On September 21, 1937, this amazing story hit the bookshelves for the first time. Today also launches Tolkien Week, and tomorrow, September 22, is both Hobbit Day and Bilbo and Frodo Baggins birthdays. It seems an auspicious time to post my video!