Hey everyone, it's Paul here coming at you with another edition of Homeroom Announcements, my Friday podcast type video where I give thoughts and updates about the Skooled Zone channel.

So my gaming videos starting going up this week and from the looks of it, a few people started to take notice. It'll take a while before the channel really catches on fire, but it's okay because that gives me time to continue learning the ropes. And that's what I wanted to touch on today, the concept of learning the ropes.

So, in true Skooled Zone fashion, we should first know a little about where that phrase came from. “Learning the ropes” or “To learn the ropes” came from nautical origins. It was used by sailors in the days when ships had masts, sails, and the ropes to secure them. Most modern ships use engines and propellers, but plenty of sailboats and catamarans still use sails and ropes today. When old sailing ships were run by a crew there was usually a high turnover rate. There'd always be a new guy around. And he was considered inexperienced until he had learned how to tie knots, handling the rigging, hoist the sails, and so on.

In fact, another common phrase “Crossing the Line” also has related nautical origins. It referred to testing whether a novice sailor could handle the hardships at sea. Ships would take a journey to the equator and back to see if the newbie could handle it. The equator being the line that was crossed. Those that could handle the rigorous journey were called shellbacks. Those who couldn't were called polliwogs, and eventually became landlubbers.

Some viewers out there might be fellow YouTubers. So you know what it was like crossing that line, to borrow the phrase. Making that journey towards being a content creator, gearing up, understanding the platform, and launching your channel. It may be old hat now, but some of you may remember that harsh learning curve. And this could apply to any career. Becoming a doctor, a lawyer, an architect, a dentist, a fireman, etc, etc. They all have their rites of passage.

So I'm in that phase now where I've crossed the line but I'm still learning the ropes. I really appreciate the support some of you have given both publicly and privately. I still have a lot to learn but I'm getting there. For example, one of the things I'm working on right now is improving the sound quality of the videos. I'll probably make a few breakthroughs next week that will help a bit. I'm also watching a bunch of tutorials on Adobe Audition. Complicated program, but it once I master it, things will radically improve. I'll probably get through that online course in a month or two.

Some other things I'd like to work on are better outros, learning how to use those interactive cards, and building a Skooled Zone website. That's nearly done and should launch fairly soon. I'll talk about that along with the After Skooled Club in an upcoming episode. I also need to get better at social media. Actually, I have a pretty long list of things I want to get better at but, you know, that's life. You should never stop learning, even if you're done with school and out in the real world.

Here's a wise quote for you: “I’m hungry for knowledge. The whole thing is to learn every day, to get brighter and brighter. That’s what this world is about.” ~ Jay-Z

If you love gaming and learning cool new things, then stay tuned because this is gonna be the place to hang out. I really want to build a strong community on this channel. So once again, thanks so much for your support and kind words.