Overall

Last night, Jenny came home from a long day at work and complained the dishes hadn’t been done. Most nights they are, long before she gets home. But of course, you only hear about these things when there’s something to complain about, rarely do people acknowledge work when it’s getting done right.

Looking back at my archive of posts here on Viral Video Wannabe, I seem to only yell at YouTube when the dishes don’t get done, but have failed to thank them for all the nights they do (and the nights they go above and beyond, and even dry them and put them away!).

When the rumored changes of YouTube’s redesign started leaking to various media blogs, I picked up on the rumors and ran an article here. That same day, two staff members from YouTube, the second largest site on all of the internets, emailed me personally. I’m not NBC. I’m not the New York Times. I’m a vlogger who writes a blog with a couple thousand readers. George (head of the Partnership Program) and Mia (head editor) didn’t have to take that time (personal time, I might add, both wrote me after business hours). They have much larger outlets to worry about. But for whatever reason, they did. They sat down and spent fifteen to twenty minutes of their own time reading, and then another ten or fifteen responding to my article.

That deserves a thank you. Thank you.

Sadia is the editor of the DIY category. Sadia watched, and featured (in the DIY category) my first real video uploaded to YouTube. I found her email on her YouTube channel and wrote her a little thank you note. We kept in touch for over a year after that. Wishing each other a Merry Christmas, catching up on how things were going, she even sent me a nice little note about my YouTube book when it came out. Sadia also introduced me to Michele.

Michele is the Music category editor. Michele featured me on the front page of YouTube for the first time, back when that meant three-quarter of a million views easily. Michele and Sadia emailed me the day my video went on to the front page to say congrats. Michele and I also stayed in contact for months after that. Michele also read and wrote me a nice note about my book.

YouTube doesn’t always get it right. But no company ever does. However, these four people, over the years, have got it right with me, anyway. And as much as I might write about the doom and gloom of YouTube here, it’s only because I love the site to death. And I know you do too. We wouldn’t get so worked up if we didn’t. The interactions. The ideas. The people it’s introduced us all to. The opportunities and outlet and audience it’s provided - it is all beyond description sometimes. Forgive my mushy attempt here at describing it.

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