Good morning, Tracy,

I'll send you my recording later today. Read a section from O Pioneers!

Thanks,
Joe

On Mon, Apr 12, 2021 at 2:46 PM Tracy Wuster <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> Yesterday,  we started collecting for a GoFundMe account
> <https://gofund.me/47c00086> that has been initiated to help defray
> medical
> and other expenses for our Mark Twain colleague Hal Bush, who has been in a
> coma since January, 2021.  To all you who have contributed, thank you –
> your generosity is deeply, deeply appreciated.
>
> I am now writing with another Hal Bush-related call: for readers. We would
> like to have friends and well wishers record themselves reading from some
> of Hal's favorite works. Twain, Eliot, Cather, and O'Connor are
> suggestions, but you could also look to his writings
> <https://www.slu.edu/arts-and-sciences/english/faculty/harold-bush.php> to
> see other options.  Or suggest something that you think would be a
> meaningful contribution.
>
> We hope to be able to get these ready soon, so that Hal can begin listening
> to these stories.
>
> If you wish to contribute a reading, here are the steps:
>
> First, please first contact me at [log in to unmask] with what you want to
> read and an approximate date for when you plan to submit it. I will keep a
> list of those doing the readings, making sure there is no overlap.
>
> Please let me know if what you would like to read is in the public domain
> (generally published pre-1922).  Public Domain is easier but not a
> dealbreaker, as we can have those works publically available in a podcast
> feed.
>
> Second, record your selection.  Matt Seybold has provided some suggestions
> for recording that I have pasted below.  Please introduce briefly yourself
> at the beginning of the file, as well as what you are reading.
>
> Third, share with me ([log in to unmask]).  If the file is small enough,
> you
> can email me directly.  If it is larger, you may need to upload it to a
> cloud location (GoogleDrive, Box, etc.) and share a link.  When sending
> through a gmail account, for instance, larger files are automatically sent
> through Drive.  If you have questions on that, let me know.
>
> Fourth, that's it.  We will work with Matt to get the files shared.  Our
> plan is to have public domain works shared on the Center for Mark Twain
> Studies podcast and other works shared directly with Hal's wife.
>
> Let me know if you have any questions.  I hope to hear from you soon.
>
>
> Tracy
>
> along with Joe (Csicsila), Joe (Lemak), Matt, Susan Harris, and James
> Leonard
>
>
>
>
> As many of you have been working and/or teaching remotely, potentially
> including creating audio/video lectures, you are likely more sensitive to
> recorded sound quality than you were a year or so ago. If you have a set-up
> that you're comfortable with and which you think yields good audio for your
> classes and other presentations, I suggest you use that and send us files
> created through it. MP3, WAV, and M4A are the easiest to work with, but we
> can convert from other formats if necessary.
>
> For those who are uncertain how to make a high-quality audio recording,
> here are some recommendations:
>
> 1.) Use your phone. For iPhones, there is a free and easy-to-use
> application called simply "Voice Recorder." You can also use GarageBand,
> which likely came loaded on your phone. Find a quiet space, the smaller the
> better, and keep the phone as close to you as is comfortable OR, even
> better, procure a pair of headphones which have an in-line microphone. You
> can likely find a pair of earbuds with a mic for under $10 at your grocery
> or pharmacy.
>
> 2.) Use Quicktime on your computer. Go to the File Menu, click on New Audio
> Recording. When you're ready to start reading, hit the record button. When
> finished, hit stop and save the file to your desktop.
>
> 3.) Use Zoom. Create a Zoom meeting for yourself. When you enter the
> virtual room, go to "More" and hit "Record To This Computer." You will see
> the recording icon appear in the top left corner. When you are finished
> reading, stop the recording. It will prompt you to save the file upon
> leaving the meeting. Hit "End Meeting For All" and follow the prompts. This
> will yield a MP4 file, which includes video, but we will strip out the
> video and only use the audio track.
>