COMPLETE [Weekly] Christmas Conversion by Jean Blewett - dl

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aradlaw
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Post by aradlaw »

Christmas Conversion by Jean McKishnie Blewett (1862 - 1934).

All audio files can be found on our catalog page: http://librivox.org/christmas-conversion-by-jean-mckishnie-blewett/
Jean McKishnie Blewett was a Canadian journalist, author and poet.

Blewett was a regular contributor to The Globe, a Toronto newspaper and in 1898 became editor of its Homemakers Department. In 1919, assisted by the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, she published a booklet titled Heart Stories to benefit war charities. During this time she regularly lectured on topics such as temperance and suffragism. She used the pseudonym Katherine Kent for some of her writing. ( Wikipedia)
Each week a poem is chosen to be recorded by as many LibriVox volunteers as possible!
This week's poem can be found here.
[*] Project Code: namKdPdj

Set your recording software to:
Channels: 1 (Mono)
Bit Rate: 128 kbps
Sample Rate: 44100 kHz

Have questions on "how"?
Check LV's Recording Notes thread before recording. If this is your first recording, you'll also find this Newbie Guide to Recording useful.
Begin your reading with the abbreviated LibriVox disclaimer:
No more than 0.5 to 1 second of silence at the beginning of the recording!
Christmas Conversion by Jean McKishnie Blewett, read for LibriVox.org by [your name].
[Add, if you wish, date, your location, and/or your personal url.]
Then read the poem:

I can see her in the kitchen,
Apron on and sleeves rolled up,
Measurin' spices in a teaspoon,
Figs and raisins in a cup.

Now she's throwin' apple quarters
In that wooden bowl of hers,
'Long with lemon peel and orange,
An' she stirs, an' stirs, an' stirs.

Then she takes her knife an' chops it,
Chops so fast her hand jest flies.
Now I know what ma is up to—
Makin' mincemeat for the pies.

I smell Christmas in our kitchen,
An' my heart gets big an' glad,
An' I, somehow, fall to wishin',
That I wasn't quite so bad.

An' I tell myself I'll never
Cheat at marbles any more,
Nor make faces at my teacher,
Nor hang round the corner store

'Stead of goin' on my errands;
Never touch the cookie pail,
Nor play hooky an' go skatin',
Nor tie cans on Rover's tail;

Never let ma think it's spellings
When it's only Robin Hood.
With the gladness comes the wishin'
To be, oh, just awful good!

'Bout this time of year it takes me—
Pa, he doesn't understand,
Always says: "You sly young codger,
You know Christmas is at hand."

But it isn't that, it's something—
Can't explain it very well—
Takes me when ma fills the kitchen
With this juicy Christmas smell.

When she chops the spice an' raisins,
With the peels an' Northern Spies,
Sleeves rolled up above her elbows,
Makin' mincemeat for the pies.


At the end of your reading, leave a space and then say:
End of poem. This recording is in the public domain.

Please leave 5 seconds of silence at the end of your recording.
Save your recording as an mp3 file using the following filename and ID3 tag format:
File name - all in lowercase: conversion_blewett_your initialsin lowercase_128kb.mp3
(e.g. conversion_blewett_klh_128kb.mp3 )

ID3 tags (Version 2.30) ID Tags are completed during Cataloging


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David Lawrence

* Weekly & Fortnightly Poetry - Check out the Short Works forum for the latest projects!
pschempf
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Post by pschempf »

David -

That brings back memories - from a long time ago. Maybe why my voice sounds more like Pa's than the boy's. :roll:

https://librivox.org/uploads/aradlaw/conversion_blewett_ps_128kb.mp3
Track length: 1:46
Fritz

"A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labors of a spasmodic Hercules."

Trollope
Claire
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Post by Claire »

aradlaw
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Post by aradlaw »

Thank you Phil and Lee Ann. :thumbs:
David Lawrence

* Weekly & Fortnightly Poetry - Check out the Short Works forum for the latest projects!
Elizabby
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Post by Elizabby »

Such a cute poem! I'll see if I can convince my daughter to read it too...
philchenevert
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Post by philchenevert »

Peruvian owls always hunt in pairs because they are inca hoots.
89 Decibels? Easy Peasy ! https://youtu.be/aSKR55RDVpk
aradlaw
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Post by aradlaw »

Thank Phil, good to hear you here. :P
Elizabby wrote:Such a cute poem! I'll see if I can convince my daughter to read it too...
Please do. :D
David Lawrence

* Weekly & Fortnightly Poetry - Check out the Short Works forum for the latest projects!
brucek
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Post by brucek »

aradlaw
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Post by aradlaw »

Thank you Bruce. :thumbs:
David Lawrence

* Weekly & Fortnightly Poetry - Check out the Short Works forum for the latest projects!
tovarisch
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Post by tovarisch »

tovarisch
  • reality prompts me to scale down my reading, sorry to say
    to PLers: do correct my pronunciation please
mdatcher
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Post by mdatcher »

dahliadolorosa
Posts: 3
Joined: December 18th, 2016, 10:39 pm

Post by dahliadolorosa »

My first poem! Yay!
Will you credit me as Dahlia Dolorosa? Thanks!

https://librivox.org/uploads/aradlaw/conversion_blewett_dd_128kb.mp3
02:40
aradlaw
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Post by aradlaw »

Thank you Tovarisch and Matthew. :thumbs:
David Lawrence

* Weekly & Fortnightly Poetry - Check out the Short Works forum for the latest projects!
aradlaw
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Post by aradlaw »

dahliadolorosa wrote:My first poem! Yay!
Will you credit me as Dahlia Dolorosa? Thanks!

https://librivox.org/uploads/aradlaw/conversion_blewett_dd_128kb.mp3
02:40
Welcome to LibriVox Dahlia, there are a few issues with your file (which was well read btw :D ).

Did you happen to see the feedback to your test recording posted by Tony earlier today?
Your volume is lower at 73 dB, you should aim for your wave forms to peak near the 0.5 mark, like this:
Image

- Be sure to plug in your USB mic before opening your recording software
- You don't say what recording software you are using, if Audacity be sure to slide the mic volume most of the way over. (be sure the USB Audio CODEC is selected in Edit | Preferences | Recording device)
- You can also check to see if your System Record Volume is at a suitable level.
Go to the Control Panel / Sound / Recording / select your mic / Properties / Levels (adjust if necessary).
- Be sure to plug the USB cable into the computer/laptop itself rather than an external USB hub. (that may help with the extra noise I hear in the background)
- You are a bit too near the mic, there are breath noises heard through out the recording, when you get the volume sorted out you can back off the mic and eliminate these.

A lot to process I know, but worth the effort to produce a quality recording on your own.

Let me know if you need any help. :wink:
David Lawrence

* Weekly & Fortnightly Poetry - Check out the Short Works forum for the latest projects!
dahliadolorosa
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Joined: December 18th, 2016, 10:39 pm

Post by dahliadolorosa »

Thanks so much! I couldn't figure out how to fix that until Tony replied. I'll go ahead and fix it.
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