Centennial

Welcome…. To Taji’s Voice Emporium Centennial Post. Honestly I didn’t think you guys would stick with me that long.  From the onset of Taji’s Voice Emporium Blog … the plan was that if people didn’t seem to get into my posts… that I would scrap it after the 100th post. Things have taken a happy yet unexpected turn. I won’t go all mushy on you but I greatly appreciate how the Voice Over Community has embraced my eclectic tastes and my somewhat point blank way of writing.

So instead of this being the Finale… I feel that this is just the beginning (Inshallah… God Willing). So here we are at my 100th post… I went all out and made a nice little graphic to celebrate it and what I wanted to do for the sake of any of my new readers is showcase some of my previous articles that you might have not been aware of before.

This won’t just be a best of post… I’ll try to keep things interesting and pepper in a few interesting experiences that happened to me on the way to reaching this milestone… this point in time.

Voice Over Marketing

• From your Wallet to my Pocket – Various ways to get paid online
• If You Build It They Will Come – Marketing suggestions for vo talent on building a website
• Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Life – Social Networking and its benefit

Voice Over Ethics & Responsibility

• What Won’t You Work On – What industries do you not cater to… if any
• Words of Power – On the ethics and responsibility of the VO professional

Featured Articles by Other VO Professionals

• Voice Over Mistakes By David Goldberg – What not to do if you are a VO professional (marketing)
• Don’t Swallow the Mic By Carlos Bagnell – What not to do in the Studio
• Getting Paid for the Gig By Peter Drew –  Tips on how to get paid by clients

Taji Interviews

• The Invisible Mythbuster Part 1 – Taji conducts an interview with VO Giant Robert Lee
• The Invisible Mythbuster Part 2 – Taji continues his interview with Mr. Lee
• The Accent Chameleon – Taji Interviews Accent Virtuoso Amy Walker

Taji’s Podcasts

• For Want of a Nail the Kingdom was Lost – First Taji podcast
• A Voice For Those With Voices – Second Taji podcast

I think that’s about it for the best of section. Now lets get to some writing.

Sorry Julia (Lombardo) no Emporium Extravaganza happening today… just a quiet celebration with those annoying magic candles (that you can’t blow out) and a virtual Cake (portal anyone?).

I’ve met allot of amazing talent and generous people in the past few months writing up this Blog and putting together the directory. The support you guys give me is greatly appreciated and not at all taken for granted.

For those people who I have had spats with. Don’t take it personally (or do its up to you). As a Muslim I am encouraged to forgive those who have wronged me.

There is a hadeeth (incidents regarding the prophet Mohammed peace be upon him) where he told his companions of a man who he knows is of the people of Paradise (Heaven) … for three days in a row the Prophet PBUH pointed out the same man… curiosity took the best of one of the more knowledgable companions and he decided to investigate … he followed the man to his house and then knocked on the door and introduced himself and asked for the right of hospitality (The right of hospitality is that in the arab / islamic culture  if a visitor asks to stay … you are encouraged to house and feed him for three days  unless you are not able to do so for pressing reasons)

So the companion spent 3 days with this man in his house quietly observing him… looking for a reason why the Prophet (pbuh) would say he was from the people of paradise… he didn’t see him fast more, perform any extra worship than anyone else, or give that much money away as alms. When the time came for the companion to leave… he felt frustrated and decided to ask the man outright what it was in him that would make him of the people of the paradise… the man was perplexed… he told the companion he didnt know… and as the companion was about to leave… he said… But! I do make a conscious effort to forgive all those that have wronged me in the day and sleep with a clean heart empty of hatred.

Easier said than done … I gotta tell you folks. Its hard to not hold grudges against those that piss you off or speak badly about you behind your back … and as much as I would like to be like that man who was from the people of paradise … there was an incident that got me so worked up I had to write it out… Setting the Record Straight.

I guess the last thing I need to showcase in this Centennial post is the Directory… I want to thank each and every one of you folks who took the time to write up and send me any of the casting links that you might have in your marketing plan books. The list has reached 200 + links and has been visited by hundreds of people (I know! I have monitoring software… I’m in your computer… watching you do naughty things… for shame!) ok no I am not in your computer… don’t freak out.

Also I recently got a request from Mr. John Florian the owner and operator of the voice over industry online hub www.voiceoverxtra.com to republish my article Words of Power John made a few changes here and there but overall the article escaped without being overly scathed.

This last weekend I had to work on a huge VO  job and then right after it I got another one so I was pretty held up (my weekend is over … weekends in egypt are friday and saturday) couple that with the series of outages that Voiceover-casting.com suffered because of their wonky hosting service and you will understand why I didn’t publish this post earlier. So Julia’s speculation that this was to build apprehension… nope… I wish I was that smart / conniving.  Actually ok sometimes I am that smart / conniving… but not this time 🙂

This is the part that I thank God first and foremost for giving me a way to communicate with so many wonderful people. And second to my wife who has so much patience with me… especially when I am writing up a post and end up making us late for dinnar or an outing.

And Last but definitly not least I would like to thank you folks, my readers, my supporters, my encouragers for sticking with me until we have reached this milestone together…

You guys rock!

nuff said.