If I pass my journeyman test this first time, I promise I will start writing again. If I fail, I will retake the test right away until I pass it. I miss writing. Strange dream last night... foggy now but apparently I was a celebrity of some sort, but I didn't know it. A movie was made of my life and in the movie there was a scene depicting me and my brother-- I was 8 and he was 6 and someone brought it to my attention that the scene in the movie was based on a family video, recreated for the movie and yet still I had no idea how I became famous and a celebrity. Weird scenes inside the gold mine....

Two notes of positive reenforcement

A card a got in the mail by one of Mathew's teammates: Dear Mr. Utley, thank you for making a video of the braves. I watch it everyday. From Aidan F.

An email I received from the father of one of our Rangers players after the season ended: "Hi Jim,

Sorry for just getting back to you. Been a little out of touch in California. We'd love a copy of that video! Ryan had a blast this year, so I'm sure he'd love to relive it often. You and the rest of the coaching staff really brought something out in him this year. He's always enjoyed playing, but by the end of the year it was with more confidence than ever before!"

Christopher and his Rangers season highlights

I was assistant coach, my first attempt at any coaching. Christopher was elated when I was asked to help out and even more when I doubtfully agreed. But it was fun-- watching the kids grow and get better. I actually think we over achieved with the talent we had but our coaches made it a fun environment where all the kids got to play and when we could, we let some of the lesser talented players take on bigger roles. We made it to the semi-finals-- one win away from world series. During the last game we fell behind in the last inning by three runs only to tie it up during our last at bat, eventually losing in extra innings. Anyway, this video was conceived from the beginning and ends at last game of season before the playoffs. I didn't think we would have the depth to win the whole thing so I just made a regular season video and formatted it to DVD to give to all the parents for a keepsake.

And while this was going on, my other son's team, The Braves, a level below AAA had a mediocre season that culminated in them getting red hot as the play offs began and they began surgically taking apart the top teams. In the playoffs, they beat the top seeded team, then the second seeded team and then swept the third seeded team to win the whole thing. As far as his video, I only started out just filming him and with no intentions to make a team video but as the team got better, old habits kicked up and found myself filming and photographing them. Anyway, proud of my boys. Love them to death and damn they are pretty good athletes too.

Mathew's Braves 2016 AA Champions

Taking photos, filming and uploading them to the computer... those are the easy parts. Running out of battery power half way thru a game and not having back ups... missing a great play because I'm swept up in the moment... missing a shot because my camera won't adjust to the light within shot and thus won't take the shot until the moment has passed... hitting the record button but its accidentally been on the last 2 minutes... life of the parent photographer.

Making the videos, editing... that's the fun part. Choosing the songs that best represent the videos is generally the tougher task. Ideally, I try and keep the soundtrack current. Sometimes, like Metallica's For Whom the Bell Tolls, that song just was made for sports clips. I actually used it on Christopher's hockey tournament video in March and again on his Rangers video. I used The Atari's cover of Boys of Summer on Chris and Mathew's baseball video. I'm pretty good at not repeating tunes unless I believe the repeat song has no other choice but to be on my video.

I want to do it, but I just can't. Been dragged too much. Nope. Not worth it anymore.