Super Secret Project Revealed and Last Fundraiser Post

There are a lot of reasons to take a project on. Sometimes it’s because you are the most qualified person to take it on. Sometimes it’s because you have the equipment to do it right. Sometimes it’s just because you can see how important the project is, no one else will take the project on, and you just have to trust that the project will evolve into what you envision it can be. This project falls under the latter category.

So my new project is Egregore News. It is my plan for it to turn into a daily news show focused on what happening in communities, both online and off. An overview of the top stories, interesting blog posts and a smattering of astrological info. It will likely expand to shorter videos focusing on specific areas of our communities: art, music, festivals, parenting, religion, “hard news” and world news of interest to our communities. It’s a new platform on which to feature the work Pagan media is already doing. It’s a way to get your news fix while fixing your coffee, and then following up on the stories that interest you. I think it has vast potential.

So who is involved? Just me. Egregore News isn’t associated with any organization, company or faith tradition. I had considered partnering with other media folks and sought out partnering with a local interfaith station in order to have access to a professional studio. None of that worked out, and I didn’t have the money to “rent” a professional studio. So I was faced with a decision: do I wait, possibly years,  for everything to be perfect, or do I, in the vein of Teddy Roosevelt, do what I can, where I am, with what I have?

I think the project is important. In a few years it could have a studio and cast like The Young Turks. It could become an important resource to our community. So I made the decision to move forward with it. I am uncomfortable on camera, but I will grow comfortable. I’m not happy with the flow of the show, but the show will begin to develop it’s own rhythm and pace. I’ve never done this before, but experience is a great teacher. My equipment is not what it should be, but as I prove the worth of this show and format I trust the equipment will come. I am intimidated by this project, but the only way it will happen is if I just do it!

So this project will get better every day. It will grow. It will become more polished and slick. One day this awkward first show will be a distant memory. So forgive the growing pains, give me constructive advice, and let me know what you think. Because our community can’t wait on perfect, and if I listened to everyone who thinks we should always wait on perfect, then nothing in our communities would ever get done.

Just like The Wild Hunt, just like the PNC, Egregore News is another project that believes what happens in our communities is newsworthy. Our issues are important. The trends, discussions, art, music, and milestones of our community are worth reporting. Just like the rest of Pagan media, Egregore News will grow and offer us a new way to stay informed and connected.

So watch the video. Share it. Tweet it. Facebook it. Google+ it. Subscribe to the Youtube channel. Follow the show on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Let me know what you think.

Also, I’m putting out one last call for my laptop fundraiser. My Toshiba is getting old and not as reliable as it once was. To keep blogging and to keep this project going I’m going to need a new laptop. I’m taking a big paycut to be able to have the time to work on Pagan projects, such as expanding the Pagan portal here at Patheos, launch and maintain Egregore News and some other projects. If you feel inclined, you can send a donation to starling.foster@gmail.com via PayPal or Dwolla. I’ve also started an Amazon Wish List of needed equipment for folks who would like to support Egregore News. Any and all support, feedback or donations are appreciated.