Bob Souer

At VoiceOverXtra John Florian talks about the panel discussion he’s part of at VOICE 2010 that will focus on voice actors and the Internet. During that panel discussion, John will unveil the results of a survey on the subject of how voice actors use the Internet. The survey drew over a thousand responses.

Dan Hurst has written a wonderful blog he called A Voice Talent’s Prayer. I say a hearty AMEN!, Dan. I couldn’t put have it any better.

(edited to fix typo)

Since 1997, the second year it was held, I have attended every International Radio Creative and Production Summit. It has not only been a great experience every year, it’s been a time of learning and growing. This has been especially true since I stopped working at radio stations in 2001. There are always parts of the Summit that are most valuable for writers, parts that are most valuable for producers and parts that are most valuable for voice talent; but it’s the mix of all of these elements and the way they play off one another that really takes the learning through the roof.

This year Dan O’Day has assembled a terrific group of guest speakers. John Frost, radio imaging and production genius. Voice actor and coach Richard Horvitz and voiceover and branding coach Nancy Wolfson. Oh, and Dan will be presenting a couple of things too.

Registration is limited to 100. I just finished signing up (roughly 2 and a half minutes after seeing Dan’s email that registration is open this morning) and I hope you will decide to go too. Dan has negotiated an excellent rate for the hotel, the LAX Hilton. I’ve paid my own way the last several years. Every time it has been more than worth it.

By the way, there is a comment box at the bottom of the registration page on Dan’s site. If you mention in that comment box that you decided to attend for the first time because you read about it here, I will get a commission from Dan. Your registration price is the same whether you mention my name or not, so if you don’t want me to get the commission, don’t say anything; but I would be grateful if you did identify me as the reason you’ve decided to attend.

From the rabbit hole in today’s Monday Morning Memo comes this quote. Thank you, Roy.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

        – Teddy Roosevelt

(Updated to add that if you would like to read the entire speech from which this quote comes, click here.)

The title of this post is a trite phrase tossed around by people, sometimes without a lot of thought. Other times, it’s used with great care and intention. Whatever the case, any blessing in disguise is always tough to live through at the moment of the actual living. Right then it seems like a curse, or at best a burden that must be carried. It’s only later that we can look back and say that such and such a thing was a blessing in disguise.

A week ago I wrote about the dual anniversaries of five years since I started this blog and one year since I left my corporate job and have been concentrating only on voiceover work. It was a bit over a year ago that one of those blessings in disguise took place. It happened this way. A couple of weeks before my final day, I took an elevator ride with a couple of the executives of the corporation for which I used to work and during that ride one of those executives mentioned he had heard that I given notice. I said “yes” that I had done so. He said, “we have to try to do something to see if we can keep you on.”

It was a nice thing to hear. Who doesn’t want to feel wanted, someone of value to the organization. But, as it happened, no such effort was made. I have no idea what conversations may have taken place behind closed doors, but no offer was made to me. At the time I felt rather disappointed about that; but looking back on it from a year’s perspective I see it for what it was … a blessing in disguise.

It’s not likely, but it’s possible that I might have accepted whatever offer was made. I can say with utter certainly that had I done so I would not be as contented and at peace as I am today. I am doing exactly what I was born to do, not just in my work but in my entire life. I’m enjoying much more time in one fashion or another with my family. I’m able to meet the needs of my clients with alacrity and excellence. I’m able to provide encouragement to others, not just here through this blog, but also through other personal communication. So those moments of disappointment I felt that I wasn’t approached about staying were truly a blessing in disguise.

Now, I don’t know what it is you’re dealing with right now. It might well be something much more significant than my bruised feelings were. But, regardless, is it possible that a year from now you’ll be able to look back on this season and say, “Yep, that too was a blessing in disguise”?

From my manager and friend Stacey Stahl today:

 

—Audrey Hepburn