There is no limit to what a human can learn in a lifetime. With the advancement of technology, learning a skill has never been this easy. I learned a lot of things just by watching YouTube tutorials. It made me a multi-skilled person, that is why I call myself an amateur JOAT -- Jack Of All Trades. Not a master of anything yet, but learning a little about a lot of things can't hurt.
Why I Wear Too Many Hats
Growing up, I saw how my father would fix things whenever something is broken in our house. From carpentry to plumbing to simple car/motorcycle maintenance, I learned a lot from him. I am lucky enough to have acquired that trait, and I deem it very valuable in these modern times. As an introvert, doing home related tasks like plumbing and basic carpentry saves me a lot of time and energy than outsourcing it to other people. Also, I love doing things on my own and I like the high, or dopamine rush as they call it, after finishing every task.
Through The Years
Video Editor
In my college days, my friends and I were into making short films and music video parodies. I volunteered to edit the videos, and I had a lot of fun learning and doing it. I taught myself how to add effects like blood splatter from a gunshot and turning a regular arnis into a lightsaber. Editing videos using a less powerful HP mini netbook, rendering a scene would take several hours. Sleepless nights were worth it upon seeing the final product.
Excerpts from our short film entitled 'El Vigilante'
Handyman
By the time my wife and I got our own place, I replaced the doorknobs and installed a deadbolt. I was able to do those thanks to Google and Youtube. I also put up shelvings and a TV wall bracket. Applying what I learned from assisting my father when I was little, I successfully made a table from scratch.
L-shaped table I made
Barber
Barber shops and salons closed down upon the government-imposed community quarantine. Thanks to online shopping gods, I was able to buy a hair clipper. Taught myself how to cut my own hair and my wife's, and I've been doing it for over a year now.
Adulting made me realize that having the right tool for the job is a very wise investment.
The Creation Of My Alter Ego
Animator
I've always been a fan of cartoons and animations. When I was in grade school, I would draw on the rightmost part of the page of my textbooks and create a flipbook of some sorts. Made a lot of fun making those mini animations. Forgot about it for a while but the invention of smartphones reignited my love for animation. I'm still far from being a good animator, but I know I'll get there one day.
First digital animation I made last 2019
Producer
I have this habit of checking what's trending on YouTube, especially in the Music genre. Around 3 years ago I stumbled upon a genre called study music, also known as chillhop, also known as LoFi hiphop, and I've been a fan since then. I just find it relaxing and nostalgic at the same time. It's a mix of atmospheric music, with jazzy chords, boom bap drum beat and some vocal chops from old movies or animes. I thought to myself, this would be a cool genre to learn as a beginner. Good thing I have an iPhone and started learning Garageband with the aid of YouTube tutorials. It's been 2 years since I started making beats on my own and I am quite content with my output. Though I know I still have a lot to improve on, I know I can only go better from here.
Screenshot of one of my Garageband projects
Combining my love for animation and my newfound love for beatmaking, I created a YouTube channel (alter ego) to upload some of my works. Due to my day job and me being a perfectionist and a procrastinator, I seldom make new projects and it has become a frustration for me. Hopefully, it will be different when I get my hands on an iPad, as it will streamline my processes and it will make producing content a little bit faster.
One of my proudest works
Master Of Fun
I know that being a jack of all trades has some negative connotations. Master of none, is one of that. I never see it as a defining trait that stops me from being one. Of course being a JOAT and a know-it-all is very different. I just don't mind what other people say as long as I'm not hurting anyone and most of all, I am having fun.
Well, this has been the longest post I made since joining Hive. I hope you had fun reading this. See you on my next post!
Fin