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I'M FINE EVERYTHING IS FINE

2020-02-28 · letter vlog · Hank · 3:57 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Books & writing (also: Nerdfighteria) · mode: Personal update · tags: self promotion, community lore

A frazzled Hank unboxes the sheets for A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, joins the Vlogbrothers tradition of signing tens of thousands of them, plans to test every permanent marker to find the best, asks viewers to pre-order signed copies, and answers silly Twitter questions.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Unboxing the signing sheets for A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor; signing one on camera; frazzled like John in 2011

00:01:12 — Hank's plan to test every permanent marker; Sharpie stacks; the book is out July 7, 2020

  • ★★ Since few people ever have to sign tens of thousands of sheets, Hank will test every permanent marker he could find to learn which is best, something he jokes no one has ever known. (playful) — 00:01:12
  • ★ Hank says he bought about $250 of permanent markers for the test. — 00:01:12
  • ★ Hank shows that the stacks signed with one black Sharpie and one red Sharpie are different sizes, with many more pens to go. — 00:01:41 · Sharpie
  • ★★★ Hank says his book is called A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor and comes out July 7th, 2020. — 00:01:41 · A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor

00:02:10 — Signed copies available for pre-order; how a pre-order reaches you

  • ★★★ Hank says signed copies are available for pre-order now and asks viewers to pre-order one; anyone with an unsigned pre-order can cancel it. — 00:02:10
  • ★★ Hank explains that a pre-order is recorded on a computer, and the sheets he is signing go to a binder, are bound into finished books, and the reserved copy is sent to the buyer. — 00:02:10

00:02:40 — Twitter questions (cursed Kirbys, sherbs, Tarzan, coping) and the Y2K-calendar countdown to the book; sign-off

  • ★★ Hank says a pre-order buyer's debit card is only charged when the book is sent out. — 00:02:40
  • ★★ Asked by Kilko on Twitter how he copes, Hank says a new season of RuPaul's Drag Race is coming, which will help; we're working through it, as a species and individually. — 00:03:09 · Twitter
  • ★★ Hank has a Y2K countdown calendar set to his book's release, 130 days, 2 hours, 48 minutes and 55 seconds away. — 00:03:09 · A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor

In the description and comments

  • ★★ The description says signed pre-orders are available only in US stores (Amazon, BN.com, BAM). — video description · Amazon, Barnes & Noble
  • ★★ The description says Hank did signed copies for other markets last year (2019) but doesn't think that will happen this year (2020); he is at the mercy of how publishing works. (hedged) — video description
  • ★★ In a comment, Hank says he is already working on the video with the permanent-marker test results. — creator comment

Humor (significant)

  • Hank insists signing adds value to the sheets, then mangles one. — 00:01:41

    “I'm adding value to them, though I am destroying this one.”

  • Gabriel asks Hank for his thoughts on 'cursed Kirbys'. — 00:02:40

    “My thoughts are no.”

  • A Twitter question: if both birds and sheep have flocks, are birds sheep or sheep birds? — 00:03:09

    “Sherbs!”

  • Asked why Tarzan doesn't have a beard. — 00:03:09

    “He doesn't want a beard. He shaves.”

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor

Also: Kirby · RuPaul's Drag Race · Sharpie · Tarzan · The Fault in Our Stars · Twitter

Only in the description or credits: Amazon · Barnes & Noble · Books-A-Million

Replies to

  • continues · A weird YouTube thing? — “I was watching your video from 2011 when you were signing The Fault in Our Stars very quickly”

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