tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60090092024-03-12T20:35:29.881-04:00scottleffler.comWords is my do. News and voice-overs are my business. Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comBlogger2327125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-44161363473116040402020-06-30T08:19:00.000-04:002020-06-30T08:19:04.979-04:00Random thoughts on Google Home vs. Amazon Alexa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLU4XhZ374VtVVjU9WxikrMINYyN95ZrHNhtxo_F6Rso7nJ4SiNyeW_U-UcDqChmJNLF3lwX6DuPXnrcj8oT8nkNCxbn7IAzsUUq8KOdiRwYWMtdWA3g-kBJ0gRK9R_gj34gAf/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="1000" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLU4XhZ374VtVVjU9WxikrMINYyN95ZrHNhtxo_F6Rso7nJ4SiNyeW_U-UcDqChmJNLF3lwX6DuPXnrcj8oT8nkNCxbn7IAzsUUq8KOdiRwYWMtdWA3g-kBJ0gRK9R_gj34gAf/s640/Untitled.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Random: <i>Occasionally I'll start to post something on Twitter and I'll notice that I'm going to exceed my 280-word allowance. So I make it a thread. Then as I get to the end of that thread, I think, "I should have made this a blog post." That's how the following post came to be: </i><br />
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A few years into the "voice assistant wars," I'm still stuck between Google Assistant/Home/Nest and Amazon Alexa. Each does some things well. And each has pitfalls. As such, I have both and I use them for different things. But I find I use Google Home less and less.<br />
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Now, for the record, I'm big on home automation. I have several automated/voice-enabled plugs and lights. And a voice assistant in pretty much every room, including my bathroom.<br />
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I had started with an Amazon Echo (the big one) a few years ago. And honestly, loved it. It put out great sound and it was pretty helpful with some things. But not so helpful with others.<br />
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Then Google entered the fray with its Google Home. I figured I'd try it. I liked the Google integration, like being able to sync my to-do list with Google Keep, for example. And I found it generally more helpful with certain things like asking for a business phone number, hours, etc. So I loaded up on Google Homes.<br />
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Meanwhile, Amazon started sending a free Amazon Dot with every little thing you did. Buy an audio book? Get a free Dot. Delay your shipping? Get a free Dot. So I have enough of each devices for every room in the house. And then some. I actually have an unopened Dot in my desk at work. In case I build another room, maybe?<br />
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Where Google really prevails is its integration on my phone. I have a Pixel. So it's just *there.*<br />
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BUT Google doesn't seem to always understand me.<br />
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"Hey, Google. Turn on the desk fan, please." ... "I'm sorry, I can't find that device." I have come to realize that it's looking for a device named "Desk Fan Please." But I can't get out of the habit of being polite, apparently. It's a struggle.<br />
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Alexa understands me better. But lacks the full integration. BUT, I find it's easier to set certain things up on.<br />
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I have Google Play Music / YouTube Premium. But I don't care for YouTube Music and I'm mad that Google is getting rid of Google Play Music. Why must they eliminate things at what seems like random. (I could do a whole 'nother post on Hangouts).<br />
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I also have Amazon Music Unlimited, which I find to be a far superior service.<br />
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In the end, I feel like it's six of one and half-a-dozen of the other. But lately, I lean towards Alexa. <br />
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I wonder what others think?Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-14444839415586685792020-05-25T22:53:00.000-04:002020-05-26T03:26:46.274-04:00Coming out of my shell ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The past couple days of "relative normalcy" have been a lot to process.<br />
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For the past two+ months, I have -- for the most part -- been in isolation. In short, once I concluded that the COVID-19 forecasts weren't all hype, I decided that I needed to do my best to avoid people as much as humanly possible. For one thing, people are stupid. And I don't trust them not to get me sick. Second, while I am not in a high-risk category, I have had respiratory issues since I was a smol boy. And if I get sick, I cannot work. So -- isolation.<br />
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From my high castle, I have kept an eye on the world via social media, the ugliest filter imaginable from which to view the world. Through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram I have categorized people into three groups: The good, the evil and the ignorant.<br />
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The good: People who recognize the dangers inherent in the Coronavirus pandemic and do their best to mitigate said dangers. They isolate, follow social distancing guidelines and wear PPE when they absolutely have to go out in public.<br />
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The evil: People who declare COVID-19 to be a "hoax," refuse to follow social distancing and PPE suggestions under the guise of "freedom," and suggest that the elderly and infirm are expendable to the gods of Wall Street.<br />
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The ignorant: People who are halfheartedly following either (or both) of the first two groups in the account of not knowing and/or not caring.<br />
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The same categories exist in real life, as well, of course. But for the past couple months, social media has BEEN real life.<br />
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Well I went out for a bike ride a few days ago -- to Niagara Falls -- and realized two things: 1) I need a new bike. And 2) A lot of people seem to fall into the second and third categories. The lack of masks and social distancing was almost frightening.<br />
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There's not a lot I can do about the second point - except to protect myself. As for the first point, I bought a new bike (as shown above with turtle and below ... without turtle).<br />
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It's a nice bike. And since getting it, I've gotten out and about even more, while following social distancing guidelines, of course. I went for <a href="https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/4323717070" target="_blank">a nice ride Saturday</a>, <a href="https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/4327388755" target="_blank">went to Tops</a> to get some groceries on Sunday, and <a href="https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/4331327287" target="_blank">a nice ride today</a> - with a stop for hot dogs from Sullivan's, which I then ate a park (along with a tasty beer):<br />
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At Tops, I was surprised to see that a lot of the customers didn't have masks on -- or wore them on their chins. And at Sullivan's today, NOT A SINGLE CUSTOMER had a mask on. Not. One.<br />
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So I have a dilemma. Isolation is draining. I have been CONSTANTLY tired, primarily from lack of activity. BUT I CANNOT get sick. I refuse to allow the evil and ignorant to ruin my life.<br />
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So now what? Retreat to isolation? Roll the dice and hope? Or add 30-feet to my social distancing repertoire? That means no more grocery stores, no more stopping at a hot dog stand for dinner, and no stopping anywhere there's other people. In short, "public isolation."<br />
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I'm leaning towards "public isolation." But I'm not 100% sure. I think I'll sleep on it. Today's 13-mile bike ride burned 600+ calories. So at least I should sleep well.<br />
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Of course, before I get to sleep, I need to get some work done. On that note, I recently celebrated three years of <a href="https://www.scottleffler.com/p/voiceovers.html" target="_blank">doing narration full time</a>. What began as an effort to "make a few extra dollars," has turned into a whole new life, really. I'm glad to be able to do it.<br />
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Which is why I can't get sick.Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-88732882753432256522019-12-25T13:12:00.001-05:002019-12-25T13:12:27.432-05:00Merry Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-28712609420392706432019-02-22T19:19:00.000-05:002019-02-22T19:19:08.786-05:00Stuck in traffic ...Actually, I seldom get stuck in traffic. It's just not really much of a thing here in Buffalo. But a lot of people around the world do. This is their story:<br />
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If you like the video, please give it a like and subscribe to the channel. If you want me to voice videos for YOU, click <a href="http://www.scottleffler.com/p/voiceovers.html" target="_blank">here</a>.Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-1353118605027435742018-12-10T16:48:00.001-05:002019-04-25T13:07:26.767-04:00Merry Christmas to all ...<center>
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Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-57267130690351672412018-03-13T23:14:00.000-04:002018-03-14T07:14:39.514-04:00Who do you trust? I mentioned yesterday that I planned on daily updates for my YouTube channel, "Here's the Thing." The latest installment is below, taking a look at what professions Americans consider trustworthy.<br />
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Do me a favor? Like the video, subscribe to the channel and share it with your friends.<br />
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- Scott<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nsLFn6-56Errftzz2Z714lb-KDuvQpyHjDA1dD64-pzUzJj9E7GXmeS2irBuxDbI5ycra7DGfWGRBRl7wa6fkdZGhSWEINvADjPkIi_DEVWXo47vScfPPLw0XNRrP6BrXKMz/s1600/Scott+Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="105" data-original-width="322" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nsLFn6-56Errftzz2Z714lb-KDuvQpyHjDA1dD64-pzUzJj9E7GXmeS2irBuxDbI5ycra7DGfWGRBRl7wa6fkdZGhSWEINvADjPkIi_DEVWXo47vScfPPLw0XNRrP6BrXKMz/s200/Scott+Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-42406362445971507642018-03-12T21:48:00.001-04:002018-03-12T21:48:24.165-04:00Just checking inThought I'd throw out a quick update.<br />
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Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-17456355344463333032018-02-22T19:32:00.001-05:002018-02-22T19:32:20.746-05:00Working double dutyNormally when I do voiceover work, I work from scripts given to me by my clients. But in a bit of a test of my abilities, I both wrote and voiced the following one.<br />
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Enjoy.</div>
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Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-74473720730466892572018-02-21T16:16:00.000-05:002018-02-21T16:16:33.005-05:00Putting a face with the voiceFor about the past 15 years or so, it's been the case that more people know my voice than my face. But never has it been more true than it is right now.<div>
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I did some math the other day. The top 8 YouTube channels I voice have a combined 1.2 million subscribers. And for most of those channels, I do multiple videos per day. Occasionally, people seek me out from the tag at the end of the video. Sometimes, they find me on YouTube. But if you came here wondering if I'm "that guy." Yeah. That's me. And the following video is for you.</div>
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Thank you for your time. Now get back to YouTube! </div>
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Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-53864234729293895962018-02-01T13:39:00.001-05:002018-02-01T13:39:40.964-05:00The First Purge looks like a fun way to make movies great againThis looks great. I loved the first three Purge movies ... and the studio's decision to make this prequel "topical" is quite clever. Of course, if you read the comments, a lot of people are butthurt about it. "Leave politics out of movies" seems to sum it up. I'm always amused at all of the "leave politics out of 'x'" comments. And frankly, I don't get it. Put your SOUL into your work. And if your soul is political, then put that shit into your art. Or whatever. But for some, only business owners can be political (think Papa John's or Hobby Lobby). Now, personally, I won't spend money at Papa John's or Hobby Lobby. Because I don't want to fund something I disagree with. And if you disagree with the "politics" of this, then, by all means, don't go to see it. But if you truly think this is "political" (as opposed to being cleverly topical), then I've got a bridge to sell you.<br /><br />
<br /><center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X4mA_fB92GU" width="480"></iframe></center>Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-34339173583341658372018-01-31T10:05:00.001-05:002018-01-31T10:05:24.909-05:00Three months? It's been nearly three months since I've updated this blog.<br />
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Sorry about that. But, man, has it been a busy three months, something you can likely tell if you <a href="http://www.twitter.com/scottleffler" target="_blank">follow me on Twitter</a>, where I often post links to YouTube videos I've voiced, as well as reviews from <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/scottleffler" target="_blank">Fiverr</a> clients.<br />
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If you landed here because you're looking for a voice for an upcoming project, I'd point you to the <a href="http://www.scottleffler.com/p/voiceovers.html" target="_blank">voice-over page</a>, where you can hear a few select samples. Then <a href="http://www.scottleffler.com/p/contact.html" target="_blank">contact</a> me via email or one of the many social media options. I'd love to discuss your project with you.<br />
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I leave you with one of my favorite voice-overs from the past week from my client the FACTory:<br />
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Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-65082299556847668832017-11-05T03:14:00.001-05:002017-11-05T03:14:31.706-05:00Remember, remember ...In case you forgot what you were supposed to remember today, I made a handy little video to remind you. Check it out below.<br />
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Also, if you aren't sure why you turned the clocks back last night (or this morning), there's a guide for that, too.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ3z5Yab0CDfOx4vd5AAiFg" target="_blank">Here's The Thing</a> is just one of several YouTube channels I am proud to voice. One of these days, I'll list them all. Until then, enjoy the links I post on Twitter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nsLFn6-56Errftzz2Z714lb-KDuvQpyHjDA1dD64-pzUzJj9E7GXmeS2irBuxDbI5ycra7DGfWGRBRl7wa6fkdZGhSWEINvADjPkIi_DEVWXo47vScfPPLw0XNRrP6BrXKMz/s200/Scott+Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="65" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nsLFn6-56Errftzz2Z714lb-KDuvQpyHjDA1dD64-pzUzJj9E7GXmeS2irBuxDbI5ycra7DGfWGRBRl7wa6fkdZGhSWEINvADjPkIi_DEVWXo47vScfPPLw0XNRrP6BrXKMz/s200/Scott+Signature.png" /></a></div>
<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-88570456245945210102017-11-03T20:27:00.000-04:002017-11-03T20:27:21.471-04:00Send this kid a Christmas cardI've been so busy recording voice-overs for videos that I haven't posted any updates about the voice-overs I've done -- unless you <a href="http://www.twitter.com/scottleffler" target="_blank">follow me on Twitter</a>, in which case, I've posted links to just about all of 'em.<br />
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BUT I wanted to take a minute to post this video because I really think the message is important. See, this poor 9-year-old kid doesn't expect to make it to Christmas. He would like an early Christmas present in the form of a home-made Christmas card ... from YOU. Watch the video for details:<br />
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The address, again is:<br />
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Jacob Thompson<br />
C/O Maine Medical Center<br />
22 Bramhall St<br />
Portland, ME 04102<br />
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Now share this ... and send that kid a card.<br />
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<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-57178914171050402052017-08-16T12:06:00.001-04:002017-08-16T12:06:34.176-04:00About those North Korean missilesClearly, the world is topsy turvy right now.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVOyyyt7_lGnS2_7qfsAgUZ51fezaS6NnqK7XS9WUnn1pmsuO1aHOra9_UJCtgsVAaAnx58YrlmfJGJvykmAwxOKvNDS-ri1gdZXLHPd7_R4BsntpHatBoPflG38v2HfJk2Fj/s1600/Scott+Headphones+Black+20170709.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="564" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVOyyyt7_lGnS2_7qfsAgUZ51fezaS6NnqK7XS9WUnn1pmsuO1aHOra9_UJCtgsVAaAnx58YrlmfJGJvykmAwxOKvNDS-ri1gdZXLHPd7_R4BsntpHatBoPflG38v2HfJk2Fj/s200/Scott+Headphones+Black+20170709.png" width="200" /></a>We're used to North Korea having a lunatic for a president, but we haven't worried about it too much because, for years, we've had a competent leader in the White House. Obviously, I can't speak for anyone but myself -- even though, I'm pretty sure my opinion is held by more and more people every day -- but, with Donald Trump in charge of the U.S. military, I'm more concerned about a potential for World War 3 than I have been since grade school.<br />
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I guess that's fitting since Kim Jung Un and Donald Trump pretty much act like grade school students with their taunts and their attempts at bullying and general whining about life.<br />
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Some good news, though: According to this piece I voiced for Defense Updates, North Korean missiles will probably never make it to the United States anyway -- not even to Guam. Now that doesn't help alleviate the fact that we have a delusional infant in the White House, but at least we won't get blown up by the delusional infant in Pyongyang.<br />
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Watch the video to find out why.<br />
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Defense Updates is just one of my regular clients that I do voice-overs for. If you're a YouTube creator looking for a voice, <a href="http://www.scottleffler.com/p/voiceovers.html" target="_blank">check out a bit of what I do</a> and <a href="mailto:scott@scottleffler.com" target="_blank">get ahold of me</a>.<br />
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<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-38970355869748821902017-08-13T05:32:00.000-04:002017-08-13T05:32:23.123-04:00Oh, hey, look at the time!It's 5 a.m. and I should really be asleep. But it's been six days since I've offered anything resembling an update and I thought I should really check in.<br />
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I spent way too much time tonight focused on the incident in Charlottesville, Va. If you want my take, check out my Twitter, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/scottleffler" target="_blank">@scottleffler</a>.<br />
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Of course, before sharing my thoughts on Twitter, I voiced a few things for my friends at Did You Know? Funny thing about tonight's session: I did a piece on the Baltic Sea Anomaly. This is the second piece I've voiced on the odd Millenium Falcon looking rock sculpture(?) at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Here's <a href="http://www.scottleffler.com/2017/07/a-few-more-things-ive-voiced.html" target="_blank">a link to the first piece on did on it</a>.<br />
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It's been a pretty busy week for me, including lunch with my youngest (who I don't see nearly as often as I'd like), drinks with friends (who I also don't see enough), <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/Jgw8kfKNTPqDV6ry8" target="_blank">a concert</a> and an art show. Needless to say, it was a good week.<br />
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Did You Know? and Defense Updates are the clients I seem to voice pieces for most frequently, although, I have clients I do more work for (larger scripts less often). That said, I picked up a new YouTube client this week. I'm waiting for the first of three scripts I voiced for them to drop. And after that, I'm hoping those updates will be fast and furious.<br />
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YouTube creators! I am <a href="http://www.scottleffler.com/p/voiceovers.html" target="_blank">available for contract work</a>. My reasonably priced voiceovers will be much more appreciated by your subscribers than any text-to-speech you can buy.<br />
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A recent example from Defense Updates:<br />
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I try to post links to other things I find on my <a href="http://www.twitter.com/scottleffler" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.<br />
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Have a good night. Morning? I don't know. Whatever you consider 5:30 a.m. to be.<br />
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<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-34868607062338139732017-08-07T04:18:00.001-04:002017-08-07T04:18:29.050-04:00My four-day career as a bouncerFirst of all, if you've come to enjoy frequent updates here, my apologies for the two-week hiatus. It's taken me a while to catch up from a wild four-day ride that started July 27.<br />
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Some background:<br />
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<li>Greg Burt is a friend of mine. He's also probably the hardest-working person I know. He simply has more going on that just about anyone else I deal with on a regular basis. Aside from writing a weekly column for <a href="http://www.allwnyradio.com/" target="_blank">All WNY Radio</a>, he provides significant material help with the <a href="http://www.allwnyawards.com/" target="_blank">All WNY Music Awards</a>, and he books and promotes dozens of shows in the Buffalo area each month. Oh, and he has a "real job" on top of that. So when Greg asks for help, I'm going to say "yes."</li>
<li>A few weeks ago, Greg had asked me if I knew of anyone that would be interested in working as a door-man/bouncer at Stamps, a bar in Tonawanda where he books many of his shows. I suggested a mutual friend who I thought may be interested (but wasn't) and told him if he was in a pinch, I could lend a hand. </li>
<li>Wednesday, July 26, as I was enjoying hot dogs at Ted's, I got a message from Greg asking what I was doing the following four days. My response, "I'm going to guess, working at Stamps." I was right. </li>
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So Thursday, I get to Stamps at approximately 5:45 p.m. I'm there to take tickets, check IDs and make sure no shenanigans occur at a hip-hop show/birthday party. On I scale of 1 to 10, I'd rank my performance as "Titanic." And not in a good way. </div>
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As the night went on and the patrons/performers had more to drink, some of them got a little testy. Eventually, one unlucky chap found himself surrounded by a bunch of other guys who were upset with him. I still have no idea what the original source of the animosity was, but as they surrounded him, I jumped up from the table I was sitting at (where I was taking tickets) and got in between the angry mob and their would-be victim. I exclaimed to said mob that the dude was literally backing away and asked that they give him some space. I'm pretty sure I said it in English. But they didn't seem to comprehend it. </div>
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Eventually, the dude was backed up all the way to the stage ... which he then climbed on. The band, meanwhile, continued to play ... with this random dude standing on stage with them. The angry crowd relented momentarily and the dude jumped off the stage and began to head towards the door. This is actually where things went sideways. </div>
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As the dude (sorry, I have no idea what his name was) was walking past the sound booth, the sound guy, Chuck, noticed a bottle of liquor sticking out of his pants. Chuck attempted to grab the bottle. The dude took offense and hit Chuck in the back of the head with the bottle. </div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmzuRXLzqKk" target="_blank">Human Sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria.</a></div>
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Punches were now being thrown by multiple people. It spilled out into the street. The bar was literally cleared out. Those that remained were thrown out. It was the only way to maintain any sort of order. </div>
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Once outside, things eventually calmed down and people went about their normal lives. But the show was done. To add insult to (literal) injury, Chuck didn't get paid by the birthday boy, whose party it was. </div>
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When I went back into the bar, I found that my phone, which I had left plugged in at the ticket-taking table, had been stolen. </div>
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Like I said, Titanic. </div>
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Despite all this, I was asked to return on Friday for a graduation party. </div>
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Friday went much more smoothly. There were a couple hiccups here and there -- the guest of honor though her phone was stolen (but we found it) -- but overall, it went pretty well. The only real problem was that this party went until 4 a.m. At the end of the party, there was a dude asleep at the bar. My job was to get him out. I did. Then I asked him how he was getting home. I had planned on calling him a cab (with someone else's phone since mine was still stolen) but he said he lived around the corner and had walked. So I offered to walk him home to ensure he got home safe. "Around the corner" can be a relative term. I got back to the bar around 5:30 a.m. and proceeded to go home for some sleep before ...</div>
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Saturday was another hip-hop show. It was, however, much more tame than the first one. In fact, everyone was pretty cool. My only complaint on the night was that the artists, for reasons I cannot understand, mostly lip-synced from their own recordings or sang along with their recordings -- voice track and all. *shrugs*</div>
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Sunday was metal night with "Arsonists Get All The Girls" headlining the bill. Metal isn't really my thing but I met some great people. </div>
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The bar asked me if I would be interested in working there more in the future. I told them that I'd be happy to help if they're in a bind ... but bouncing clearly isn't my calling. I'm much better at doing voiceovers. In fact, here's some I've done in the past couple weeks: </div>
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For those of you worried about North Korea's recent missile launches, fear not. Defense Updates says a single B2 bomber can pretty much take out their entire military: </div>
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From Did You Know:<br />
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That's not a dog!<br />
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I always wanted a dungeon in my apartment.<br />
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And Holley High School. This one is particularly cool because the guys who put these videos together are in Algeria -- half a world away. Holley High School, meanwhile, is "just around the corner," by which I mean it's about an hour from where I live.<br />
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Of course, I voice three videos per day for Did You Know, in addition to other random things, so there have been many more videos for them than just the three posted here. I try to share them via Twitter as they are published. Follow me on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/scottleffler" target="_blank">@scottleffler</a> if you're interested.<br />
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<b>Sales pitch:</b> If you need me to voice something for you, shoot me an email to <a href="mailto:scott@scottleffler.com">scott@scottleffler.com</a> and we can discuss your needs.<br />
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Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-71817626979112595582017-07-23T23:56:00.002-04:002017-07-23T23:56:44.518-04:00Cute and funny are my favorite<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKol9L15pGOxkGYuyMxjV_7B7FlQe4ilGHzEUEXzX8x06087DWW5sXs6bgsXhJ_gxEy-Pl4GMaWpJBZk4cr0PEvL7cTPgPjXchHqGSaHpa22pXhS8M-92q8eyUM0EiHeYFI8x4/s1600/Scott+Headphones+Black+20170709.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="564" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKol9L15pGOxkGYuyMxjV_7B7FlQe4ilGHzEUEXzX8x06087DWW5sXs6bgsXhJ_gxEy-Pl4GMaWpJBZk4cr0PEvL7cTPgPjXchHqGSaHpa22pXhS8M-92q8eyUM0EiHeYFI8x4/s200/Scott+Headphones+Black+20170709.png" width="100" /></a>I'm a sucker for click bait just like the rest of you. Much as I try to avoid or ignore it, I'm constantly sucked in by stupid stuff on Facebook with "30 things not to say to your girlfriend" ... or whatever. And after the first page of four items, each moderately funny, you're treated to one item per page for another 26 pages. I usually bow out after that first page of four. But I do like me some funny.<br />
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Today I've got some videos to share with you -- things I've voiced in the past few days. One of them is a mix of clever and funny (my favorite) and another has the most adorable baby squirrel. Plus there's a whole whack of other things because not everything can be cute or funny.<br />
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Let's start with the most recent offering from Econ Cow, "More Ways to Break Tied Elections (Voting #6)." I've mentioned this series before, which I enjoy for a couple reasons: 1) Politics, yay! 2) It's put together in a very amusing manner.<br />
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Next up is the cute baby squirrel video from Did You Know. Just look at all the cute:<br />
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I'm not sure that the last picture really hit me like a bag of bricks ... but that's how marketing is done these days. I just read words out loud. Did You Know features three new videos each and every day -- all voiced by yours truly.<br />
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Defense Updates also has a couple new videos up, including this one about the tense peace between Russia and China:<br />
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Of course, much of what I do never lands in a place when I see it. But it's out there. Somewhere. If you run across something that I voiced in a weird place, do me a favor and tell me about it.<br />
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Eight minutes until Monday and I'm about to settle in for a long night of reading words out loud. But thought I'd share a few recent ones with you -- it seems like it's been a while since I've done that.<br />
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<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-47164754860257368802017-07-20T03:58:00.000-04:002017-07-23T23:57:15.048-04:00Sometimes saving money isn't worth itI love <a href="https://www.fivebelow.com/" target="_blank">Five Below</a>. It's a discount store in the Walmart plaza on Military Road in Niagara Falls. It has everything from t-shirts to toys to books to electronics. It's where I get my cheap headphones and occasionally grab something else that looks like it might be worth more than $5.<br />
<br />
That was the case the other day when I ran across the Shaper Image Visual Charge Wall Plate Charger and Power Outlet. I've concluded recently that I have more things* that charge (or are powered) via USB cords than via actual electric plugs. And I've been looking at outlets with USB plugs built in on Amazon. But when I ran into this option for just $5, I had to try it! And it's from Sharper Image so it should be decent quality, right?<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/review/RMJPHDW617AXL/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01MU788IX" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="620" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfyTjkZEkUQfINNLIVJZc72clnjFQF6j8vbX74-dsF-mdahm-HCAj0Xun75gbj1CyRqR1nIJoQCoiPhB8i0FtodbMNbun_5E3R7s6RnzseJwxnCGBCewt3mw3wTJU2aIjUyvO/s400/Visual+Charge+Review+20170720.png" width="500" /></a></div>
My <a href="https://www.amazon.com/review/RMJPHDW617AXL/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01MU788IX" target="_blank">review of the unit</a>, which I posted to Amazon, indicates that I was mistaken. It's not worth $5. In fact, I'm not sure I'd use it if it were free.<br />
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Oh well. This is the risk of buying $5 products. Try, try again.<br />
<br />
Maybe you'd rather spend your money differently ... like on this <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/miserylc/321702805?ref=preview&token=587f4b8b" target="_blank">KickStarter for Misery Loves Company</a> that I did a voiceover for. Or not. Whatever. It's your money.<br />
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A few other things I've voiced recently:<br />
<br />
Defense Updates: Why North Korea Won't Last Even a Few Days in War with U.S.?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aHGbG_I3v28" width="560"></iframe></center>
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The guys from Did You Know seem to be really keen on three topics: death, abandoned places, and dogs. Today covers all three:<br />
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1) This Guy Went Into A Town That Was Abandoned In 1982. What He Found Is As Stunning As It Is Eerie.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L7kMlZm3qWs" width="560"></iframe></div>
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2) What This Village Does With Their Dead Is So Bizarre… But Somehow Kind Of Sweet !<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gXtTn6RAv5U" width="560"></iframe></div>
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3) 16-Year-Old Dog Dies Saving His Owner’s Life From A Wolf Attack<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3TUJ_lvz_AI" width="560"></iframe></div>
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And there were, of course, other items -- including a series of phrases for a children's video game in which I play the role of a surfer dog. Yay, surfer dog.<br />
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Okay. Now I'm off to record another piece for the city of <a href="http://www.merglamare.ro/" target="_blank">Constanta, Romania</a>. Then maybe sleep. Maybe.<br />
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*May be a slight exaggerationScott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-40071571991605559992017-07-17T05:08:00.003-04:002017-07-17T05:08:40.173-04:00Quitting while I'm behind Today (or yesterday, depending on how your calendar works) started out mildly frustrating.<br />
<br />
I had worked for several hours on a relatively small (3,500-word) voice-over for a client. I had done about half a dozen takes on his scripts, which he wanted to be "authentic" but "energetic." After several discussions back and forth of what he wanted and numerous re-cuts on his script, I decided I had to cut him loose. It was better to forfeit the previous work than to risk wasting further time on a client who didn't seem to *really* know what he wanted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllDafHDuqMOg3nFoVkVBqRurEKBDNpcU98OR9Mly90HoRlsbAEcWnZC3ilTxfLp1iDRiKjIGgnQuXEcWZemGZNw1smyCeTBa-8heoq5hkL22grwExRlzV9exyyikqCBFSxZYj/s1600/I+Quit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="346" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllDafHDuqMOg3nFoVkVBqRurEKBDNpcU98OR9Mly90HoRlsbAEcWnZC3ilTxfLp1iDRiKjIGgnQuXEcWZemGZNw1smyCeTBa-8heoq5hkL22grwExRlzV9exyyikqCBFSxZYj/s320/I+Quit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I should have known earlier that it wasn't going to work when he gave me a 700-word script and wanted it squeezed into 2:30. I told him what he wanted just wasn't possible but I was able to get it into 3:30. That's 200 words per minute. (The average American speaks 110-150 words per minute.) He wanted to know why I was talking so fast. *blinks*<br />
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Anyway, I cut ties with him and refunded the money he had paid. But again, I'd rather be out cash than continue to waste my time.<br />
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I decided to take a break and catch up on Twin Peaks, as well as watch the Game of Thrones season premiere. Both were excellent uses of my time and I returned to work refreshed -- and maybe a little twisted. (Watch the shows, you'll understand.)<br />
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Three scripts from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOaD4JxNYk29LHbHTOx3SQA" target="_blank">Did You Know</a> put me back on the right path. Then I did a script that's part of a series I'm doing for the city of <a href="http://www.merglamare.ro/" target="_blank">Constanta, Romania</a>. I really enjoy these scripts ... but they're a lot more work than some of the other things I voice. For one thing, they're about half in Latin. But it's history and culture, so I get to learn while I work. One funny take away from that script: I had to say the phrase "by the barbarians" and, for the life of me, couldn't get it right. "Tabula Peutingeriana?" No problem. "By the barbarians?" Nope. So when this happens, I just say the phrase over and over until it clicks. I found it funny so I posted it to Soundcloud:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/333529729&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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After that, I had a couple other small bits to record and then, this blog post.<br />
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After this, I return to a long-term project for the students of You Lin You Ke -- an English-learning class in Beijing.<br />
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Oh! And Doctor Who is a woman now. 'bout damn time.<br />
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- ScottScott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-18635457974926777452017-07-14T23:23:00.001-04:002017-07-14T23:23:49.719-04:00Allen Burger Venture ... yes, pleaseOut on the town Thursday, following my <a href="http://www.scottleffler.com/2017/07/abandoned-reclaimed.html" target="_blank">first visit to Hotel Henry</a>, sustenance was required.<br />
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I've heard so many good things about <a href="http://allenburgerventure.com/" target="_blank">Allen Burger Venture</a> but hadn't had the opportunity to venture there yet. (See what I did there?) Let me just start by saying that Thursday may have been my first trip there but it will NOT be my last.<br />
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Walking up, the place is packed -- inside and out -- and there's a bit of a line at the door. Nothing overwhelming, mind you. And it moved quickly. I think we waited maybe all of 10 minutes to get a table. It was, after all, 7 o'clock on a Thursday. Busy was to be expected.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPK8Erjk9j7eT-hd_X8U00Cjh6FT1H8NnVMtJO6L31xlQdRYgdVCv9KfzIMhRDQyjbmhlowvf2bbyk4F2KjJGr-896F2uLY7uqteSeay5iAIV4KLuS6dJF222_uwk6iGTnr_v/s1600/IMG_20170713_200904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPK8Erjk9j7eT-hd_X8U00Cjh6FT1H8NnVMtJO6L31xlQdRYgdVCv9KfzIMhRDQyjbmhlowvf2bbyk4F2KjJGr-896F2uLY7uqteSeay5iAIV4KLuS6dJF222_uwk6iGTnr_v/s400/IMG_20170713_200904.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's tater tots in there. And they were awesome.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since we had drinks at 100 Acres at Hotel Henry, we switched to good old-fashioned pop at ABV. RC Cola. She had root beer. And we ordered: Loaded tater tots to start, followed by a #2 for her (Beef on Weck Burger) and a Chimichurri Burger for me.<br />
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The tots came first and we kind of regretted ordering burgers. Seriously, these were both awesome and awesomely filling. They had what appeared to be homemade tater tots with pulled pork, jalapeno peppers and other tasty bits, with melty Monterey Jack cheese on top. There's also a version that has two sunnyside-up eggs on top.<br />
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Just as we finished the loaded tater tots and decided that neither of us could ever eat another bite of food again, the burgers came. And ... we didn't want to disappoint the staff by not eating them. I mean, the staff had been so nice and helpful. So ...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmjjvQGwmQVezC0f1LmZUcxjOVVyq1CBLnTjHXNpjo0X1kurv_3Asex3kD2iu3PVi7h-UFclhE3P-GgbqW8-mtDaBYUjnM9RFNR56hIuLcNcBbh78Vdtp1_yN-vstXXIOy-cz/s1600/IMG_20170713_202651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmjjvQGwmQVezC0f1LmZUcxjOVVyq1CBLnTjHXNpjo0X1kurv_3Asex3kD2iu3PVi7h-UFclhE3P-GgbqW8-mtDaBYUjnM9RFNR56hIuLcNcBbh78Vdtp1_yN-vstXXIOy-cz/s400/IMG_20170713_202651.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chimichurri Burger from ABV. On their special menu. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I had ordered the Chimichurri Burger, in part, because <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/118321046259263998096" target="_blank">+Juda Nevadomski</a> had posted a <a href="http://www.allwnynews.com/2016/07/highlife-for-lowlifes-guide-to-cooking.html" target="_blank">Grilled Dinner And Chimichurri</a> recipe to All WNY News about a year ago and we had a discussion about me needing more chimichurri in my life. It having been nearly 12 months since and me not having added said chimichurri, I felt it was almost an obligation, really.<br />
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Imagine the ingredients from the aforementioned tater tots (minus the tots themselves) on a burger ... with chimichurri sauce. Yeah. That was my burger. And it was delish.<br />
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Her burger included New York state cheddar, caraway seeds and horseradish aioli. It came with au jus for dipping. It looked brilliant. I can't say how it tasted.<br />
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All burgers come with fries. They were salted -- but I added more, of course.<br />
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In all, the bill came to $54 -- which is a bit more than I'm used to paying for a couple burgers. But totally worth it.<br />
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And in the end, the YouTubers below actually paid for them. Here's a roundup of some videos that popped in the past 24 hours or so ... voiced by yours truly:<br />
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First up, we've got a pair of videos by Did You Know. I was voicing videos for them here and there. I had mentioned previously that <a href="http://www.scottleffler.com/2017/07/1-million-is-not-very-lonely-number.html" target="_blank">one of the videos I'd voiced had 1,000,000 views</a>. The rest of their videos used a computer generated voice. Going forward, I'll be voicing all their videos -- three per day. Their channel is growing really rapidly and I expect to see them get their first 10,000,000-view video soon.<br />
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1) This Elephant Survived A Poaching Attempt. Then Vets Noticed Something Weird:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m1k6scQL7Vs" width="560"></iframe></div>
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2) North Brother is an Abandoned New York Island Nobody Knows about<br />
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<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zJuOtW4G9tA" width="560"></iframe><br /></center>
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We also have a new entry from Defense Updates:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QQxNOWwBJkM" width="560"></iframe><br /></center>
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And finally, the latest from Econ Cow:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cvf-ZedKCmk" width="560"></iframe><br /></center>
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Okay. That's my life in a nutshell. Now get out there and live yours!<br />
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- Scott<br />
<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-76495775192956639272017-07-14T05:17:00.001-04:002017-07-14T05:17:07.803-04:00Abandoned / Reclaimed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9QzT40CcwyBzHLyPgyBIZExmf_s3U15yxH3gXEjSWcK-eKiZKNdji-pzvL-mu-8e7G8PmL6euY1Nzf9m47Nkubp2J08-Sg7GNizJVwaKNdKlXMX6Q0S0AYQW0VRczVQYxdzZ/s1600/IMG_20170713_165712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9QzT40CcwyBzHLyPgyBIZExmf_s3U15yxH3gXEjSWcK-eKiZKNdji-pzvL-mu-8e7G8PmL6euY1Nzf9m47Nkubp2J08-Sg7GNizJVwaKNdKlXMX6Q0S0AYQW0VRczVQYxdzZ/s640/IMG_20170713_165712.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I may be one of the few residents of Western New York who hadn't broken into Buffalo's former Richardson Complex near Buff State. I've seen photos and heard stories about the former psychiatric center -- or "insane asylum," if you prefer. But I'd never been inside and didn't really care to -- until Thursday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhOvsTu_vH84e-0aUFvSyxKzETK6Ed7MBIlBlL_1dumvMMvcCnfOqv0NpcvtN2U9JzjZ9MEAfYDCszocuugK7KBKRqvVoLTWnX86zuoOm5c954cGZnC3L8EQykzfcLOz2MP_Z/s1600/IMG_20170713_170446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhOvsTu_vH84e-0aUFvSyxKzETK6Ed7MBIlBlL_1dumvMMvcCnfOqv0NpcvtN2U9JzjZ9MEAfYDCszocuugK7KBKRqvVoLTWnX86zuoOm5c954cGZnC3L8EQykzfcLOz2MP_Z/s320/IMG_20170713_170446.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Recently refurbished and now open as "Hotel Henry," the former Richardson Complex -- or at least a large part of it -- is now far from abandoned. An Art Walk held there on Thursday showcased the fact that while the building hasn't been remade plank by plank, there is once again hope residing there.<br />
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As the top photo shows, the designers took great pains to retain some of the "urban decay" that intrigued so many about the building. That carpeting, while having the appearance of falling apart, is brand new -- and likely quite expensive. The photo at right, meanwhile, shows some of the more modern amenities.<br />
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There's a whole bunch <a href="http://photos.allwnynews.com/20170713-hotel-henry-buffalo" target="_blank">more photos available here</a>.<br />
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Kudos to the architects, contractors, and all involved in re-opening the portions of the Richardson Complex that have opened thus far. It's gorgeous.<br />
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Now, let's contrast this with a "Did You Know" video (below) that popped today showing 52 abandoned places. I voiced the intro on this, but honestly, the part I love is the part after I stop talking. (I have a feeling there may be others out there who also love when I stop talking.)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UwrwweD8dj8" width="560"></iframe></div>
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Obviously, some of these abandoned places are beyond repair. Fortunately, they still hold their own intrinsic beauty.<br />
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Thursday also included a trip to Allen Burger Venture. More on that later. For right now, I gotta voice some things.Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-84991859911469622212017-07-09T19:03:00.000-04:002017-07-09T19:03:06.287-04:00Smoked ancestors ... it's what's for dinnerOkay, so maybe the headline here is a bit misleading. But ... dude. The guys from Did You Know sure have a way of finding (and asking me to voice) some unique things. Take for example today's latest update from Papua New Guinea:<br />
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I'm not sure what I want to happen to my body after I die, but I'm pretty sure that making me into what looks like "Scott-jerky" and setting me on a mound in the middle of the village ranks pretty low on my list of options.<br />
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<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-58179493207552078742017-07-09T13:36:00.000-04:002017-07-09T13:36:41.119-04:00There's no one like PoeI've long been a fan or Edgar Allen Poe. I mean ... how can you not?<br />
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So when a potential client asked for a voice sample for a horror/thriller story they're looking to have voiced, I did a quick take on one of Poe's shorter pieces, "Eldorado," which is now in the public domain, as it was originally published in 1949.<br />
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The image, meanwhile, is courtesy of <a href="http://eapoe.org/">EAPoe.org</a>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/332383503&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-34114984625530844172017-07-09T03:36:00.002-04:002017-07-09T03:36:36.753-04:00A much-needed day off ... (with tacos)I mentioned in my earlier post that this blog is NOT just about voice-overs. For those who have followed for a while, you may know I post all sorts of things: columns, thoughts, commentary, insane drivel, whatever. But lately, I've had a lot of v-o related stuff to share.<br />
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On Friday, though, I took the day off from voice-overs to do some much-desired shopping, eat some much-craved Mexican food, and engage in some much-needed sleeping.<br />
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First of all, it should be noted that while the majority of the day was spent at the <a href="https://www.waldengalleria.com/" target="_blank">Walden Galleria</a>, that was the shopping destination of choice largely due to its proximity to El Agave, which came highly recommended from those who eat tacos.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0vk7e82d3-SlUa0WfGD7cIAY65z1Y_f8cMINIVPQMR-4gFIR2ESJpkjF1c4jbnmoMbQ-If4OukZO1Ry88bzLsPk9ZXUxRHSKNKiDMVpCL6y-DkX1ssGK9Dllumcnrgy4Iony/s1600/IMG_20170707_131852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0vk7e82d3-SlUa0WfGD7cIAY65z1Y_f8cMINIVPQMR-4gFIR2ESJpkjF1c4jbnmoMbQ-If4OukZO1Ry88bzLsPk9ZXUxRHSKNKiDMVpCL6y-DkX1ssGK9Dllumcnrgy4Iony/s320/IMG_20170707_131852.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Arriving at the mall, the first (obvious) stop is <a href="https://worldofbeer.com/Locations/WaldenGalleria" target="_blank">World of Beer</a> for a pint and some fried macaroni and cheese bites. The pint (Brooklyn Blast) was tasty. As were the mac and cheese bites. But at $7.50 for six of them, I'm not sure about the value. That said, I've never left WoB disappointed. (There's a reason it won an <a href="http://www.allwnynews.com/2016/08/announcement-world-of-beer-voted-best.html" target="_blank">All WNY Award</a>) And that didn't change on Friday, either.<br />
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From WoB, it was on to the shopping part of the adventure. My hope was to snag a deal on a pair of pants, maybe a shirt, and maaaaybe a Windows 10 tablet. Strike one. Strike two. Strike three. So ... I found some pants I liked. But I forgot that I'm two inches smaller than I was. So the pants I liked weren't in the size I wear. The shirts I liked were not in prices I liked (I just can't spend $40 on a shirt.) And as much as I WANT to like the Win10 tablets, they just leave me feeling ... wanting. So ... Oh well. I did, however, pick up a couple decent pairs of cheap sunglasses, some new shoes, and <a href="https://www.waldengalleria.com/tenants/edible-dough-boyz/" target="_blank">cookie dough</a>. I also ogled bikes at Dicks. But I JUST bought a new bike a couple months ago so... no on the new bike.<br />
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I don't think I've ever spent eight hours at the Galleria ... until Friday. Needless to say, after so much shopping (even if there wasn't that much buying), I wanted to eat ALL the tacos. Thank God for El Agave.<br />
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Pretty much, as a rule, if I have Mexican, I want the staff to barely speak any English. This was clearly the case at <a href="http://www.elagavebuffalo.com/" target="_blank">El Agave</a>. Not only did most of the staff not speak English, neither did the vast majority of the patrons. I took this as a good sign in my first visit to the eatery. I wasn't wrong.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tR8DaQ1weXdDqHSMOyFTycwZh6R8pB1_YS8BRPGx3aOerYG5IRekuEU3r8762PV5mBu9JtT2Tc0hPVYlpAy03jle5frSBiJBzlcSOdNSb7WVkB64Nk-O0gZiGbYOIbydvwM5/s1600/IMG_20170707_212741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tR8DaQ1weXdDqHSMOyFTycwZh6R8pB1_YS8BRPGx3aOerYG5IRekuEU3r8762PV5mBu9JtT2Tc0hPVYlpAy03jle5frSBiJBzlcSOdNSb7WVkB64Nk-O0gZiGbYOIbydvwM5/s400/IMG_20170707_212741.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I ordered two tacos -- beef, and a chimichanga -- shredded beef, as well as a guacamole salad ... and an order of fries. Cuz I'm "that guy." The ground beef tacos could have been better, to be honest, and not just because they were hard-shell (I didn't specify, so that's on me). But it seemed like the meat was overcooked? Or something. Something was off. They weren't BAD, mind you. They just could have been better. The chimichanga was fantastic, though, as was the guac salad, which I basically dumped on top of the fries and ate the pair as a combo. (Don't mock it until you've tried it).<br />
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Finally, with a full tummy, I went home to sleep for nearly seven hours, which is almost a day and a half's worth. I also took a nap "today" (Saturday), which is why I'm posting this at 3:30 in the morning. That, and I've been working on voiceovers for my favorite Ukranian client almost all day. But ... more on that later.<br />
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Oh, I also spent some time catching up on Twin Peaks and preparing for Prime Day on Amazon, which is Tuesday, in case you didn't know. Maybe I'll write more on that later, too. For now, I need some sleep.Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6009009.post-40405319642653312392017-07-08T10:59:00.001-04:002017-07-08T10:59:34.256-04:00Two more YouTube entriesI promise this blog is not going to JUST be about voice-overs. In fact, later I think I might post a little something about my trip yesterday to the Walden Galleria and El Agave Mexican Restaurant. But for now, it's more YouTube videos.<br />
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First up is "Does Your Vote Matter in Real-World Elections? (Voting #4)" from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOKe35U-otcovOawQCjRVQw" target="_blank">Econ Cow</a>. I've said before that these are literally my favorite things to voice, largely because I genuinely enjoy the topic. I also really appreciate the style of the finished product.<br />
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For those of you who say voting is pointless, I give you some ammo:<br />
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Second is a current events video from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKNCbBWiMiXBVXUmUuu_dsQ" target="_blank">Defense Updates</a>: "How Powerful is North Korean Latest ICBM & Is It A Threat to U.S.?"<br />
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I like the fact that I genuinely learn from Defense Updates' videos. Foreign policy was never my strong point. Military matters is probably my weakest point, politically speaking. I also like the fact that these videos are pretty consistent and the check always clears. :)<br />
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Okay. Later, I promise I'll post something a bit more personal.Scott Lefflerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10200798628150982148noreply@blogger.com