My wife says she doesn’t recognize me sometimes.
She knows that at heart I’m an introvert…given to long weekends in a cave, eschewing public appearances, and preferring my own company to anyone else’s. (this largely results from my isolated upbringing on a farm, and being the only son of a German mother and Swiss father)
Yet, there’s something about VO that’s changed me. I’m all over social media. Most days, she finds me on a conference call, or contributing to a webinar, banging out a blog, or responding to email.
“Who are you and what have you done with my husband!” she says.
Believe me, I still DO find quiet time. And my other job as a news anchor will not let me recede into the woodwork. I’m often called, and willingly go to MC Galas, Moderate Debates, Host Town Hall Meetings, and so forth. Yes, my saving grace is that I’m an introvert in an extroverted job.
But…there’s still something about VO that has intrinsically changed my approach to RELATIONSHIPS & COMMUNITY.
The Voice Over community has made me appreciate that:
1) I can’t do it alone…or at least that I do it much better with help.
2) My life is richer in association with others.
3) When I give unselfishly, I get that and more in return.
4) Others have similar struggles as I.
5) Together, we’re smarter, stronger, faster.
6) Being an island is lonely.
I could go on. You get the drift.
Helping others, engaging associates, making new friends, giving freely where I can, and accepting help when I need…it’s all invigorating and enabling.
We voice actors joke about working in isolation…being locked in our booths…toiling in solitary confinement.
But community is there. It’s there big-time.
It’s at Faffcon. It’s at VOICE. It’s at the other end of my internet connection, the phone line, in comment to my blog, in FacBook Groups, Twitter lists, and in an EWABS session.
It’s almost like you couldn’t be a loner if you wanted to…the community DRAWS you in…and says…”Hey watcha doin’?”
For all that, I’m grateful. I could almost say that I’m more fully alive in my life now than I’ve ever been.
And I didn’t do that.
You did.
Thanks,
CourVO
