Super Quick Post

I wanted to take a minute before the festivities begin to say HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am so glad to know all of you---for real---and I can't wait to experience 2013 with you. Please be safe, and have fun. ♥

Happy Holidays!

Okay I wanted to post this a few days ago, but time slipped away from me. I hope everyone had/is having a wonderful holiday. I know that this time of year can be very hard for a lot of people. Sometimes we can feel alienated, and then feel burdensome if we talk about sad feelings at time when we are "supposed" to be feeling joy. If you are currently feeling sad, lonely, or even just meh---please keep your chin up. A rough patch doesn't mean you are guaranteed a rough future, and there are lots of bright days ahead of you. I wish everyone a safe and wonderful New Years, and I look forward to seeing where this amazing journey takes us all. Thank you for everything. Smile. And Sleep Well. :)

The Room Where I Film The Medical Roleplays

One of the most common questions I am asked is "Why does your bathroom not have a mirror in it?"  It doesn't have a mirror because it's not a bathroom.  I film the medical role plays in this interesting little alcove in my dining room.  The house had it, and we weren't really sure what to do with it.  One day we might turn it into a pantry---but for now it remains the home of Dr. Feather.  :)

Here's What's Coming Up

Hopefully I can accomplish everything I want to in the next few weeks.  I want to put out an ear exam RP, a hair cutting/salon RP, a holiday sounds assortment, and a special sounds assortment for New Year's.  Cross your fingers, I'll cross my toes.  :)

Well Since No One Guessed, Here is What I Found!

Now what's an ASMR content creator to do with a pocket watch?  Hmmmmm.

So I Found Something...

I thought I would present it as a riddle.

Deep in the basement
Searched Heather Feather.
She was looking to find
Some ASMR Treasure.
She stumbled upon
An old jewelry box,
Complete with no keys,
Complete with no locks.
Inside she found
To her delight,
Something that swings
To the left and the right.
Wiress: a character
From the Catching Fire book,
Would know what it was,
With just one look.
What could Ms Feather
Do with this find?
You'll have to decide,
Just relax your mind.
I hope you don't think
This riddle is creepy.
For now, let it go.
You're getting sleepy.

;)

Cat vs. Tree. Tree 1, Cat 0.

The Tree

We completed decorating our tree, and I thought I would post a picture here.  Like many other content creators, I will be exploring the objects on it for an upcoming sounds video.  I also have a (IMHO) very pretty menorah to tap for some sounds.  This will be a tricky video though, as my cats have waged an all out war against the tree, and try to bring it down multiple times every day.  I will brave the battlefield, if it means giving you some tingles.  :)

A Big Thank You To Celia

The beautiful artwork serving as the background for my blog came from the super talented Celia, who was kind enough to allow me to display it.  I love artwork, and Celia's wonderful gift touched my heart.  Thank you Celia for such a thoughtful, one of a kind gesture---I really do love it.  <3

Can You Guess What's Coming?

Hopefully this will be up next week.  While I was filming, I didn't know I had a makeup brush hair on my nose for the first 10 mins of the video.  Le sigh.  I had to do two takes of this one, and after 4 hours, I was pretty satisfied with it (even with the edits and errors)...and then I saw that hair...grrrrrrr.  I hope it doesn't detract from the effectiveness of the video.

My Top Five Favorite Intentional ASMR Videos of all Time: #1

It took a while to get here, but the time has come.  The number one video on my list (as of today) features one of the most popular ASMRtists, but doesn't show her face.  The video is simple, and is "powered" by only the sounds of the creator's voice, hand movements, and the occasional spritz of a perfume bottle.  Do you know which video I'm talking about?

Pat yourself on the back if you thought of QueenOfSerene's amazing Fragrance Counter Role Play!  The video can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM64L4pv4GA&feature=plcp

I've always been triggered by QueenOfSerene's voice.  She has a rich voice that has a hint of a gravelly texture (in the best way possible).  She's lovely, and all her videos come across as very professional..I'm convinced she's a jack of all trades.  I've fallen asleep to her videos literally hundreds of times---but her perfume video lit up my body with tingles from the start.  There were no little tingles, it was full blown base of the spine seizing tingles that knocked me out in the first 10 minutes.

There's something about watching someone apply perfume that has always struck me as elegant.  You don't get to see anyone apply perfume to themselves in Q.O.S's video---but her voice communicates that slow grace (if that makes any sense).  Q.O.S has a remarkable understanding of ASMR.  The lady knows triggers, and executes them with precision.  The way she handles the perfumes---like a home shopping model---is perfect.  She also has a variety of bottles that produce different sounds---making the video akin to a sound assortment video without all the unrelated props.

My favorite moment is early in the video:  it involves the second bottle of perfume that Q.O.S displays.  The perfume is called "Purr," and has a little dangly accent on the bottle.  When Q.O.S says "Purr" and then the little accent clinks against the bottle, I pretty much disintegrate into nothing but tingles.  I can honestly say that I have watched this video close to 100 times, and didn't get past the Purr bottle 90% of the time.  It's such a small, short moment, but it has a tremendous effect on my ASMR.  If I am fortunate enough to make it past that moment, the rest of the video doesn't disappoint   Each bottle offers a unique sound, and it complimented by Q.O.S's hand movements and nails.

The fragrance counter role play was the first ASMR video I ever regarded as "perfect."  There's not a misstep, there's tapping, slow movements, changes in light, a wonderful voice, and a few unintentional sounds  that make the intentional video magical.  This is why QueenOfSerene's perfume video holds the top spot in my top 5 intentional videos countdown.

Happy 2 Months!

Hello everyone!  Today marks the end of my second month making ASMR videos.  I have been watching ASMR videos for close to three years now, but I never had any inclination to make videos.  Then September came, and I was taken by a sudden strong urge to start---seriously, I got up off the couch and needed to make a video.  I wanted to do it in the hopes that I could provide the same gift to those who had helped me sleep every night.  I posted my first video, and the next morning I had six subscribers---and that was AWESOME to me.  I thought it was wild that anyone wanted to see my videos.  I slowly began to get more subscribers, and then encouragement from people that I turned to for my own restful nights.  I can't describe how it feels to have someone you watch often, admire, and feel grateful for, write to you in support of what you are trying to do---it's exhilarating.

The community has been so warm and welcoming to me.  I feel so lucky that this community exists, and that it is so kind and accepting in nature.  We are all joined by our experiencing ASMR, but we all experience it differently---yet for the most part, we respect each other and our individual triggers.  I love that.  

As a result of the two months that have flown by, I now have 3,918 subscribers, and 300,778 views.  This blows me away!  I never thought that I would find a hobby that I enjoy as much as I do making ASMR videos.  I watch ASMR videos for sleep at night, and now I make them for my own relaxation during the day.  I have gotten to revisit my childhood, and discover hidden treasures because of this endeavor.  I am so thankful to everyone for your letters, artwork, comments, the new friendships, and most importantly for allowing me the opportunity to find an new additional source of happiness in my life.  Every day I get to learn about myself, revisit my past, and feel fulfilled doing something that might help people (instead of just watching television).  

 I sincerely hope that my channel provides you with what you need to sleep, relax, or just go to bed with maybe a little less worry, and a little more happiness.   I know what it's like to not be able to shut your brain off, I know how frustrating it is to be laying in bed for hours, checking the clock, and wondering why you can't fall asleep.  We are all very lucky to experience the "tingles," and I hope that we get to continue experiencing them together for a long time.  Thank you for everything.  <3

My Top Five Favorite Intentional ASMR Videos of all Time: #2

This entry is going to be a little different from the others, because this one is a tie.  I struggled between picking one over the other, until I realized why I was struggling:  The two videos are very similar in that their creators are very similar.  Both have higher pitched, soft, delicate voices.  Both require very little aside from those voices to induce tingles.  Both are responsible for me getting some of the strongest tingles I've ever had, and both can knock me out in under 10 mins.  So why pick just one?

The first video is by asmraurette, and can be found here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioVuSguMtq0

Asmraurette is newer in the community, but has quickly amassed an astonishing amount of views and subscribers in a short period of time.  This is no fluke, or stroke of luck---the lovely lady's voice sounds like it was made for asmr.  She conveys comfort just by speaking.  She also is rather articulate, and pronounces her words perfectly while keeping them soft.  Her movements look natural, but are slow enough that they make my spine explode in tingles.  When she traces the shape of the butterfly on her face, I'm done.  The base of my spine melts, and I pass out.  Asmraurette is one of the few who can a video about anything, and it will always trigger tingles.  She's just got that nature...the asmr "it factor," if you will.

The other video that is tied for #2 was made by a woman named "Cutebunny992."  Her channel no longer exists, but fortunately someone saved her videos and posted them so that people could still benefit from their sedative natures.  The video I hold most dear from Cutebunny992 can be found here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwjM1CF6m34&feature=g-vrec

This video was my first introduction cranial nerve examinations.  I had never even heard of one before this video, and had no idea how much my asmr would be triggered by them.  Cranial nerve examination videos are perfect for asmr because they require slow motions and personal attention.  Add Cutebunny's voice and accent, and it's an asmr bomb that detonates the tingles as soon as the video begins.

Cutebunny and Asmraurette have similar voices.  They both are very soft and airy without sounding forced.  They both don't require props in order to give tingles, they are conductors in themselves.  For those reasons, they both hold my #2 spot.

Can you guess what's coming?

My cat doesn't want you to get tingles. He really really doesn't.

My Top Five Favorite Intentional ASMR Videos of all Time: #3

On to number 3!  This video is brought to you by Amal, a beautiful and quick witted content creator.  Her video can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rujZxZkon-4&feature=plcp

Amal has a special quality to her, and I think it comes from her personality.  She's confident, and in my opinion, that confidence translates into that easy going quality of her voice.  Listening to her is like listening to a friend.

Amal has lots of great videos.  Her ASMR efforts feel so natural.  She doesn't have to work to give tingles to the viewer, she naturally possesses a voice like honey and smooth gesturing. So what makes her nail salon video so special?

I like videos that have variety in triggers.  I like different sounds and movements because (for me) too much repetition dulls the tingly sensation, which is probably why I gravitate to role plays so often instead of specialty videos (like just tapping, or just scratching).  Amal's nail salon video has a lot of triggers, presented in a subtle way:  there's water, tapping, counting, whispering, presentation, and personal attention, spread out throughout the video.

There are plenty of videos out there that posses the traits that Amal's nail video does---but for some reason Amal's nail video knocks me out.  Every time.  Halfway through.  I have watched it so many times, and it never fails to deliver.  For that, it gets my #3 spot.

My Top Five Favorite Intentional ASMR Videos of all Time: #4

In a list of favorite ASMR videos, it is almost an unwritten rule that Maria aka GentleWhispering be on it.  For many (including myself) Maria was everyone's "ah ha!" moment in discovering the name of our tingles.  It's like "The Neverending Story" when the empress pleads "Call my name!"---Maria says the name, and a whole new world is opened up to enjoy.

Maria (like all on my list) has a remarkable understanding of ASMR.  She caters to tingle sensations:  every gesture is calculated---but has an ease to it---so it looks soft, elegant, and concentrated.  She has been blessed with a voice that is delicate, and an accent that is heart melting.  She is the perfect storm for ASMR.

So how does one choose the perfect Maria video?  When she posts a video, there's no question it's going to be good.  She could be muttering to herself in a corner, and I'd still be drooling with my eyes half shut, with tingles like butterfly wings flying furiously around my spine.  God gosh look what I just wrote there.  I hope that makes sense to someone haha.  The point is that she has an astounding amount of great videos to choose from.  I think that's part of her charm---she is consistent in her ability to deliver the good stuff.

Yet there is one video that I hold in a higher esteem above all her others.  It's not her longest.  It's not her most popular.  It doesn't have a lot of props.  It's not filmed using her fantastical binaural microphone.  At first glance there is nothing that would make this video beat out all her others...but for me it does.

The video is a soft spoken reading of a bed time story about animals hitting the hay.  HA.  See what I did there?  Oh come on, that was funny!  You can find the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTNK1cokqeE&list=PL74923993ECEDB74B&index=25&feature=plpp_video

This video brings me back to my childhood, when I used to curl up in bed next to my mom while she'd read me a story.  My mother read to me every night for years.  We have three bookshelves filled with the stories from my childhood, ranging from "Bread and Honey" to "Watership Down."  Seriously.  My mom read all kinds of books to me, and it's because of her that I have a love of literature, metaphors, and words in general.  ANYWAY, Maria creates the atmosphere that the viewer is tucked in (complete with feet all wrapped up in blankets), next to someone who cares for them.  And this is just the setting.  There's more that makes this video #4.

Maria's a smart cookie.  She knows what's she's doing, and she selected a book that sounds perfect when touched.  She uses slow hand movements and a light touch to follow the words on the pages, points out the illustrations, and also makes sure to caress the furry swatch on each page.  She creates different sounds using the same medium.  The authenticity of the video is enhanced by her hand movements because they emulate those a sleepy mother would make while reading to a sleepy child.

Additionally the book choice is perfect because of its simplicity.  From the first pages, you can gather that the book follows the pattern of an animal playing during the day, and falling asleep at night.  No one is going to be biting their nails for the epic conclusion of this piece---it's safe to fall asleep.  

Of course I have to mention her voice.  The way she reads the story feels so genuine.  She sounds concerned with the viewer's comfort.  She sounds like she's trying to lull the viewer to sleep.  She seamlessly varies her soft spoken and whisper voices, and uses both frequently, without sounding artificial.  Her accent also creates the most pleasant sounds when she pronounces words ending with the letters "s, t, d, y, l..." pretty much all the letters haha.

The mixture of comforting nostalgia  caressing secondary sounds, and the voice of a Russian angel make this video my #4 favorite intentional ASMR video of all time.

My top 5 Favorite Intentional ASMR Videos of All Time: #5

I have watched ASMR videos on Youtube for over two years now.  I have hundreds (possibly thousands) of videos I adore and turn to for sleep.  I respect and admire people that put themselves out there and make videos for something so little understood.  Aside from trolls (who I personally don't mind---if you've ever played Xbox Live, you know internet trolls are pieces of cake haha), there are lots of different personalities to contend with, and it does take a certain amount of bravery to make videos.

Finding the perfect ASMR video isn't easy to do because our triggers fluctuate over time.  If we subject ourselves consistently to the same trigger, we "lose" the tingles from it for a time.  Personally, I need variation to keep my tingles going.  I go through lots of videos a night until I find the right one to put me to bed for the night.

That isn't to say I don't have ones I hold as especially remarkable.  I do have my tried and true favorites that I turn to when nothing else can put my mind at ease.  These are videos I have watched hundreds of times.  They are the ones I will always go back to because they are (IMHO) perfect ASMR videos.  The sounds are subtle.  The voices are soft.  The mannerisms are slow and gentle.  After careful consideration, I have chosen my top 5 (as of today...of course, with all the new videos created daily, this is subject to change---and if it does, I will be sure to update this).

Tonight I would like to present #5.  It was created by a lovely woman named Amandine.  You can find it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp4M726Hx6E&list=PL74923993ECEDB74B&index=103&feature=plpp_video

I do not understand a word spoken in it, but I don't need to know French to get the multitude of tingles down my spine from this work of art.  Amandine has one of the best soft spoken voices I have ever heard.  Her voice is textured but soft---in essence, her voice is a purr---and she speaks in almost a singsong way.  Her tones rise and fall as if she were speaking a melody (if that makes sense).  When I tried to explain how my ears received her voice (when corresponding to the wonderful woman), I kept falling on the words "velvet" and "silk."  Her voice is a soft caress (and I mean that in the least creepiest way possible).

That's not all that makes this video special.  Amandine's gesturing is practiced --she understands her viewers, and delivers slow methodical hand movements right from the start.  Her scratching isn't abrasive, and her tapping is gentle.  The objects she displays for her video are interesting without being distracting.

The first 50 times I watched this video (I'm not sure if I am exaggerating) I didn't get past the paint/ink (like I said, I don't speak French, so I'm guessing) mark.  I was asleep every time before she got through identifying the colors.  I still haven't been able to watch the video in its entirety without passing out.  The potency of the video, and the harmony of voice and movement are what make Amandine's video my reigning #5 favorite intentional ASMR video of all time.

Cat Attack During Filming of Shoe Store Roleplay

My cat loves shoes.  Seriously.  He loves to shove his head in them, so naturally he was upset when I took his shoe garden to use for my ASMR video.  He's a weirdo.  <3

Bonus Zombie Footage

Hey guys!  Here is a few extra minutes of zombie feather.  I thought the pop rocks were too loud in this clip, so be careful when listening with headphones.  Happy Halloween!

Zombie Makeover Role Play for Spine Tingling Relaxation

This was so fun. Thanks so much to MsMementoVivere and NRYoung14 on youtube for suggesting this to me...I hope I did you guys proud. I decided to tweak my voice a little and play around with the theme, because why not? It's close to Halloween, and I thought I'd get a little drama-bomb with it lol. I hope you guys enjoy it, may all your treats be tingles, and happy viewing! 

Can you guess what's coming?

Experimenting With Visual and Audio Triggers

You'll notice this video seems a bit disjointed---that's because I moved a lot of the clips around from their original spots. Since I was doing a few visual elements (finger painting, bubble blowing, and some other things I edited out until I can perfect them a little more), I wanted to space them out in case they didn't work for anyone.  I also played with the amount of pressure I tapped with.  Let me know if there's anything you especially love, and I will continue to include those elements in upcoming vids.  As always, sorry about the edits and background noise (until I get a new camera, this is what I have to work with), and I appreciate how kind everyone's been regardless of the flaws.  Happy viewing!

For those who need a quick fix:
0:00-7:17 Clock tapping
7:24-13:33 Wooden Instrument
13:34-18:15 Typewriter
18:32-23:17 Paintbrush
23:39-28:51 Watch
28:54-31:00 Plastic scissors
31:10-37:30 Pumpkin
37:35-44:28 BLOWING BUBBLES! SO FUN!
44:44-50:28 Indiana Jones rock
50:44-57:06 Wooden Dragon wall decoration
57:24-1:04:48 Xbox controller
1:04:49-1:25:27 Fingerpainting

Hello Kitties!

A few people had asked to see the diabolical duo that plague my video making, so here is a brief movie featuring them.

Comprehensive Physical Examination Role Play for Relaxation (ASMR)

Someone awesome lent me a tripod to make this, so I played around a bit with it.  Did it go as smoothly as I hoped?  No.  Was it better than a tower of cat food to balance my camera on?  Oh yes.  I hope it translates into tingles for you.  I used a different method of video processing (not sure if it will make a difference), and I tried experimenting with angles and sound distance as well, so let me know what you think (as far as it feeling more or less realistic and enjoyable).  As always, sorry about the white noise and copious amounts of editing, and happy viewing!


Here are the links to the videos I used as references to make this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5tK3Ikb7ug
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_-ALfUmmiA&feature=plcp

My next role play will be up in a few days---can you guess what it is?

Relaxing Sound Assortment

In this video, I cover a bunch of sounds and two requests I've gotten. I hope you all get super tingly. Happy viewing! 

For those whose tingles need a quick fix:

0:00-1:55 Talking and some nail tapping
1:57-5:00 Tapping and gilding nails over cans
5:04-12:05 Mirror tapping
12:25-15:49 Fun with matches
15:55-18:28 Tapping, sliding nails, and rubbing crystal ball
18:36-21:49 Abacus 
21:55-31:02 Chalk and chalk board
31:16-40:07 Jewelry and figurines
40:08-43:25 Mr. Peanut wooden pan thing
43:26-49:35 Wooden and plastic toy tapping, scratching, rubbing, and screwing/unscrewing noises
49:39-54:41 Balloon touching, bouncing, and marker writing
54:44-57:59 Frosted Glass tapping (melts my brain)
Requests:
58:05-1:08:41 Pouring liquid, washing makeup brushes, lather sounds
1:08:44-1:17:02 Rinsing brushes in sink
1:17:03-1:26:51 Brushing my hair and whispering.

Assorted Sleepy Sounds Video Coming soon

I'm currently working an Assorted Sleepy Sounds Video.  I hope to have that one up very soon.  Stay tuned.... :)

Relaxing Soft Spoken Potion Brewing Role Play

Pay no attention the the black wire that appears to be connected to my magic crystal ball...that's just one of my really long and thick stray hairs. Well I think this video was cursed. I had to nix the first attempt, and I don't feel much better about this one. I had numerous technical difficulties, the flow felt off, social interference, as well as a cloudy sky that rained on my parade (rimshot). I will revisit this theme again, but until I do, I hope I can elicit some tingles out of you for now. I really wish this had gone better, because I'm hoping more people will post videos like this---when I was little, I got so many tingles from scenes from "Death Becomes Her," and (more recently) from the potion scene in "Alice in Wonderland." Both have inspired this video, and I wish I had done them more justice---but the universe trolled me mercilessly. Le sigh. Anyway, I hope this works for you (if not, I apologize). 

Happy Viewing! 

Ps. Here are the links to the aforementioned film scenes that triggered me:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EZ-aP8tDrc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOFYIqKH_4Y

What I Have to Work With

I have told you all about my diabolical kitties and their determination to take down my ASMR videos.  Here is an instance of that.  Warning:  not an ASMR vid, I'm speaking in my regular voice.