I have spoken to them before and I believe I talked about my years in journalism.
Wednesday's was a bit of a hotch potch talk and a bit of an experiment. I had 20 or so PowerPoint slides but absolutely no notes and a determination not to dry up or say you know or ok or I mean.
I didn't dry up and managed to keep going and everyone seemed to enjoy it. So mission accomplished. I even got a couple of laughs as well. I think they might invite me back in the future so I need to work on something new.
To me speaking is a skill. I'm not saying it's necessarily a skill that I have but the important thing is to hold your audience, entertain them and leave them either smiling or enriched. It is no good having a great knowledge on a subject if you cannot convey it in an interesting way .
We found this on a cruise last year. We had a couple of lectures on indigenous Australia, a subject that should have been interesting. This university professor made it sound as dull as ditch water. Ten minutes in I just switched off and I presume they got a free cruise and were paid handsomely for sending us to sleep.
*. *. *
Occasionally people ask me to promote coming events in my blog and I'm very happy to do so.
Today there's a music and tea afternoon in Hethersett Methodist Church from 2.30 pm. This will be led by the singing fellowship and there will be tea and cake. Everyone is welcome.
*. * *
Last night we went to a free film show at Cinema City. It was an American film about a black gay marine entitled The Inspection. It was well acted but a bog standard affair and I'm sure I've seen similar films about the Marines and their training before. There was plenty of violence and I wouldn't call it entertaining but it was free. Put another way, it isn't a film I would pay to see.
Before going to the cinema we went to the Italian restaurant in Norwich as we had a voucher for ASK. I had a pizza and I would describe it as adequate but unspectacular - that's if a pizza can be unspectacular. More to the point, can a pizza ever be spectacular.
Going back to the cinema, I hate it when you have to sit through half an hour of adverts before the film starts. The previews of coming films are ok but those adverts which seem to promote a perfect world where if you own a new Kia electric car you are almost a super hero. The world just isn't like that.
I think they should introduce interactive commenting on films. Give the audience a keypad to make comments about various products. I would certainly have made one on the claims that Talk Talk is an outstanding internet provider and just what every household needs.
I would press my button and type in the words. "This is nonsense. I had Talk Talk and the service was practically non existent, I kept losing connection and got so frustrated that I kicked them into touch and went with Sky, with whom I have had no problems."
That might be a bit long but it's more real than the ridiculous claims made by the adverts.
As the adverts were playing I had a look around the cinema and virtually nobody was watching and listening to them. They were all on their mobile phones and that included me.