Tag Archives: Every Point on the Map

Every Point on the Map

EPTOM: Varuca Salt We’re Not, But Maybe We Are…

veruca-salt-2The cyclothymic process of rolling out our “Every Point on the Map” project is wearing me down.

To begin, we followed the Kickstarter suggestions to the letter.  They suggested we run our campaign for no longer than 30 days so as not to wear down those who might support the project.

Okay, well…we probably DID wear our friends down, but we got it done.

But then, there was the matter of the fine print.  The fine print which eluded me.  The fine print which was evidently on one of the several pages…of the several agreements…wherein I clicked the “Yes, I agree!” box.

Oh, the limits of what a person will click know NO bounds when they want something good to happen.

So, somewhere embedded in that fine print was this message:  You don’t get your money until 16 business days after you’ve completed your Kickstarter campaign.

Meh.  I have begun to identify with Varuca Salt in the 1970s Willy Wonka movie:  “I want it NOW!” 

I want to order our equipment.  I want to roll out our pilot run.  I want to see what it’s going to be like for the next ten years.  I want to see how hard it is to approach a stranger and ask them to open up to someone they’ve never met.  I want to see Rachel’s photographs.  I want to hear the stories. And…

I want it NOW!

But, we’ll have to wait three more business days.  And THEN, we’ll begin making progress.

Love, kisses, and cyclothymic tendencies…

[kelly] & Rachel J. Apple

P.S.  We thought our pilot run would be this upcoming Saturday, March 1.  Evidently, it won’t.  It will most likely take place 1-2 weeks after that date that we wanted NOW.  However, we DO know that Carney, OK is our first stop.  We know that won’t change…right?

Every Point on the Map

EPTOM: What is a Sonic ID? Why do we care?

rachel selfie sonic id storyFive minutes into our meeting with Rachel Hubbard of KOSU, I had almost finished my oatmeal.  I glanced at Rachel Apple sitting next to me, and she had barely started her flaxseed banana bar.  She was listening.

(see photo at left: Rachel Apple)

Rachel Apple, my daughter and partner in the “Every Point on the Map” (EPOTM) project, excels at listening.  Her large brown eyes fixate on the source of information, and there is no breaking that “listening-beam.”  At this moment, her listening beam was directed toward Hubbard talking about the art of sound gathering.  And, about “Sonic IDs.“

Sonic IDs are a format developed by Atlantic Public Media.  They are a derivative of the wildly popular Moth Radio Hour, only very very brief.  Generally, 60 seconds or less.

Public radio stations have begun to use them for small fillers between regular spots.  They’re stories told at “sonic” speed.  And, they were the initial thought Hubbard had when she considered how we might partner with KOSU once we begin our journeys.

We learned about particular microphones we might order and attach to our iPhones.  We learned that video files can be used for audio files if necessary.  We learned that the new KOSU studio on Historic Film Row in Oklahoma City has a cool vibe.  And, we learned that there might be something of value we could share on the radio from our project.

That’s what Sonic IDs are.  That’s why we care.  And here’s how you can help us raise our last $450 dollars in the next 62 hours to fund our project…so we can begin sound gathering.  And listening.

[kelly] and Rachel “Listening Beam” Apple

Every Point on the Map

EPOTM: Good News, Bad News, Medium News, and Newsy-News

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Happy news: we’re 78% of our goal. Scary news: we have 4.5 days left in our campaign! (CLICK HERE TO PLEDGE yo dollahs!)

Medium news: our meeting with KOSU was cancelled by the weather.  Good news: it was rescheduled for this week!

Cool news: we were sent a suggestion to use a new software available to the public called “MapJam.”  No-so-good-news: it didn’t quite have the capacity we needed to manage our whole project.

REALLY GOOD NEWS?  The CEO of the company is calling me tomorrow, wants to partner with our project, and thinks we can work our the kinks in order to add all the sub pins (little posts for each spot we visit) we need, as well as attach all the media we are using.

And THAT, our dear readers, is the end of this update.

Have a good one…and please share our info with your friends who might be interested!

Love, Kisses, and Happy Travels – [kelly] & Rachel

P.S.  The “Oklahoma” photo above is a small section of the new TravelOK 2014 guide.  Beautiful, eh?

Every Point on the Map

EPTOM: Not-So-Slow and Steady Gets the Job Done

 Screen Shot 2014-02-06 at 11.01.13 AM

I just checked our Kickstarter crowd funding site for “Every Point on the Map” (EPOM).  When I look at the Dashboard information I feel mixtures of fear, hope, anticipation, motivation…and then a wave of calm washes over me.  I let those feelings go and my tense spine relaxes.

“It’s fine,” I tell myself.  “We were going do this whether we get the money or not.”  I lean the top half of my body from an upright position toward the back of my chair.  “Now, what else can I do to drum up support?”  And then I begin thinking.

We have conducted a small TV appearance.  We have set up a meeting with an associate producer at KOSU who is interested in some audio pieces from our work.  We’re working with Oklahoma Horizon TV who has offered training and technical assistant to help capture good quality video for future feature work.  And, long-term I’m going to investigate turning EPOTM into a non-profit entity so I can apply for grants.

So, what about right now?  Well, I know from studying the topics I have that most of the projects supported, or events attended, or products purchased are due to “word of mouth.”

So, since you have a mouth, please share the good “word” about Every Point on the Map.  Seven-hundred dollars worth of good words, and we’ll be on our way!

[kelly] & Rachel J. Apple

Every Point on the Map

“Every Point on the Map” – Fair Questions and the Nitty Gritty Details

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It’s only been a few days since we announced Every Point on the Map, but we’ve been asked quite a few very good questions.

These range from the, “Where are you going to start first?” types (geographical) to the “How are you going to decide who to interview?” (logistical) kind.  Here are a few others we’ve encountered:

  1. How are you going to fund this project?
  2. Who have you contacted to publicize your work?
  3. What kind of documentation are you going to do (I like video best; or, I like photos best; or, you’re going to write, right??)?
  4. Could I ride with you during one of your trips?
  5. Are you going to write a book?  Make an installment at a museum?
  6. What about passing along a gift from one stop to the next, kind of like geocaching, only different?

Holy Road Trip, Batman –  we have some decisions to make, eh?

I will say that we’ve begun to sort many of these decisions out.  For example, we’ll be rolling out a Kickstarter fundraising opportunity to bankroll our first year on Monday of next week.  We’ve been working with Tree & Leaf designer Dusty Gilpin on our project logo.  And, we’ll be introducing the project on Oklahoma Horizon TV and through other media or publication outlets as we are ready.  I’ve even outlined various legs of the trip so we can be efficient, cover a good amount of ground, and locate places to spend the night from time to time if needed.

In other words, the answers to these questions are coming together, slowly but surely.  And, we’ll cover each of them in individual posts as they are ready to share.  But there is one we’re still mulling and we could quite frankly use your help.  Here’s the deal… Continue reading “Every Point on the Map” – Fair Questions and the Nitty Gritty Details →