Yellow Frogs

The boy and his cousin check out the Panamanian golden frogs in the Valley Children's Zoo section of the Oakland Zoo.

From the exhibit's information sheet (seen briefly):

The female is larger than the male. The male climbs on her back to "claim" her for his own.

Thumbnail photo by Bradford deCaussin, whose stunning images of reptiles and amphibians are a lot more detailed (and in focus) than what I was able to capture here.

Length: 1:04

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Chris' Home Movies at College: Rod

The phases of my life become accentuated as I look back at this snapshot of my freshman year roommate, Rod Gingrich. I wasn't really playing music then, and we didn't have a whole lot else in common. After the first quarter we retreated to our separate spheres (as much as you can living in the same room) and didn't interact much, not until we met up as seniors to collaborate on a video rock opera.

Now, of course, I'd be wanting to make music with him. (Although I can't claim to be as proficient on any of my instruments as he was on guitar at the age of nineteen.)

I believe the pieces performed here are © Rod, so no Creative Commons license on this one.

Visual note: this was shot mostly at nighttime in ambient light on an aging tube camera, so much of it may appear dark and visually indistinct. Especially with a standard Windows monitor. It's more about the audio anyhow.

Length: 5:06

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Run V

Running. Shirtless. And with a balloon.

And still in command of mommy and daddy.

Length: 1:16

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Chris' Home Movies at College: Equipment

I forgot that I'd first started videoblogging in the fall of 1986, during my first quarter away at school.

Only then I was using an over-the-shoulder VTR with the camera attached by a cable. Editing was linear deck-to-deck with insert capability. And distribution meant dubbing to VHS and putting a tape in the mail (I abandoned that quickly and just brought the tape home at Christmas to show my friends and family.)

I'll be putting up several of these two decade-old videoblog posts in the coming weeks. I've added titles, and cleaned them up a bit in iMovie, because I can.

This first bit is from my only surviving copy on VHS, and it comes at the head of the tape, so the dropouts are pretty rough. I'd considered leaving it out, but I believe it's important to start off with a full disclosure of what. a dork. I was.

Length: 0:47

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Bowling

In which the boy learns a new activity.

Length: 0:39

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Run IV

It's only funny until someone gets hurt.

Length: 0:38

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Wedding

Congrats to Matt & Elise.

Even if the boy isn't paying much mind.

And thanks to the guests for the world class ad hoc string bandaging. (Seen/heard here: Stephanie Prausnitz, Barbara Hansen, Evie Ladin, Dan Kluger, Ed Rudolph, and Martha Hawthorne, with calling by Amy Hofer.)

Length: 1:10

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