Archive for July, 2006

Prep time

Published on 31 July 2006 in Uncategorized. 8 Comments

I’m starting (just starting!) to think about my two presentations for that conference in September. It’s just dawned on me that it’s AUGUST and I haven’t any idea what I’m going to say, and how I’m going to say it.

I think my subconscious has known for ages and has been trying to prod me into awareness, though, because I have been noting blog posts about presentations for the last few weeks…

Like this one on how to do a great presentation, from Kathy Sierra (Creating Passionate Users). Some of the points made:

Take a ridiculously long time to prepare. I think he suggests a minimum of 20 hours per hour of presentation, to work on your slides and talk. [The he referred to here is Damian Conway.]

Don’t make it all about YOU.

Use huge, readable fonts (and very very few words)

Don’t read from your notes.

Be energetic. Be enthusiastic. Dare I say… be passionate.
You don’t have to behave as someone you’re not, but if you CARE about the topic and the audience (and if you don’t, why are you there?), make sure that it shows. Energy and enthusiasm is infectious. [I just hope I am not sick of blogs and wikis by the time it’s time to give my presentations. …Wait, what am I saying, me, sick of blogs and wikis??? … Okay, I’m safe ;) ]

Care.
Care about the audience. Care about their time. Care about their attention. Care about what they probably paid in time and money to be there. Care because… that’s the kind of person you are ; )

And then this morning (via Scobleizer) I noted this scenario, written by a Microsoft person, about the code he was presenting to a live audience failing. Actually I’ve had similar things happen before. Just recently too - in front of a group of about twenty PhD students. The search example I’d prepared didn’t work. I was trying not to be too mortified in front of the class, making lame jokes about how it was like a cooking show, and oops my soufflé just collapsed and where was the one I prepared earlier? Luckily one student had been following my every word, and had tried my search, and strangely enough, it worked for her - and hooray for her, she said so to the whole class, which diverted their attention from the sweating librarian briefly. Enough time to think up another example, quickly.

So, looking at it positively I think I have had a fair amount of experience with failing presentations… I should follow Kathy Sierra’s advice and start preparing NOW, though.

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Things worth doing…

Published on 30 July 2006 in Uncategorized. 2 Comments

While making a pot of pea and ham soup yesterday I watched Sunday Arts on the ABC. There was a great interview with the soprano Yvonne Kenny. The interviewer, Virginia Trioli, asked Yvonne Kenny about how much of her success was due to talent, and how much due to hard work and training. In response she talked about the amount of work she has to do, memorising operas in different languages, and about how she finds learning the verses of each aria really tough; she always worries she will forget when to come in with the right verse.

This made me reflect on the amount of work ’stars’ must do in order to make their performances effortless. I hadn’t really thought about it - they look and sound good and it seems so natural (especially a diva like Yvonne Kenny). I guess I’d imagined they just did it. It’s good to remember that some things take effort and energy and practice to achieve. Of course, in some areas, talent is essential too - no amount of hard work or training will turn me into a soprano! (My vocal range, such as it is, is more alto/contralto, anyway.)

Sometimes, in our instant gratification society, it’s easier to follow Homer Simpson’s maxim: “If at first you don’t succeed, give up.” Just microwave it, or get fast food, then, when you need to lose weight, pop a pill… The quick fix sometimes has consequences which we can’t always predict at the point of choosing it. And is it as satisfying?

The other thing Yvonne Kenny said that interested me was that singing in each of the languages of the Western opera is a very different experience - some seem naturally higher or lower (or “more forward in the mouth”). Obviously I don’t have any real point for comparison as I don’t know any arias, and definitely not in German, Italian, Russian or French (Frère Jacques doesn’t count). I have been told before that I tend to speak in a higher pitch when I speak Mandarin, though.

The soup turned out well - last time I made it, a few weeks ago, I didn’t stir it very often and the bottom burned. It was very irritating having to pick out the burned bits. This time I sat in the kitchen watching tv and reading (The Scar by China Miéville) and making sure I stirred the soup every ten minutes or so.

Listening to: Roberto Servile, The Barber of Seville - Largo al factotum della cita - Rossini.

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Reg Bolton’s funeral

Published on 30 July 2006 in Uncategorized. 5 Comments

M and I attended Reg Bolton’s funeral yesterday, along with MR, and a couple of people from Curtin. The rain (we’ve had a lot of rain this week) stopped long enough for the morning to be bright and sunny. The funeral was held in St George’s Cathedral, on St George’s Terrace in the city.

It was a beautiful service, right from the beginning with the Perth Harmony Chorus singing that circus classic March of the Gladiators (also known as Thunder and Blazes, original music by the Czech composer Julius Fučík; I know all this now because I spent some time looking for the lyrics to the song, I think I might have to go to the library and look in a book!).

Reg’s wife Annie read a passage from The Little Prince.
“And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me. You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure . . . And your friends will be properly astonished to see you laughing as you look up at the sky! Then you will say to them, ‘Yes, the stars always make me laugh!’ And they will think you are crazy. It will be a very shabby trick that I shall have played on you . . .”

Reg’s children Jo and Sophie spoke of their dad - Jo with a bright yellow gerbera in his breast pocket, Sophie with red ribbons in her hair. Sophie shared Reg’s motto: “It’ll take as long as you’ve got, plus five minutes”.

Reg’s sister spoke for all his family who were unable to come from England and farewelled Reg who must be “clowning with the angels”.

An old friend of Reg’s spoke of all the encouragement Reg gave him over the years.

A young man from the Nyoongar community gave a moving eulogy and thanked Reg for all the advice and support Reg gave him over the years. (I’m not sure, but I think I recognised Dr Richard Walley walking with the troupe - does anyone know if he was there?)

An Aboriginal dance troupe honoured Reg with a haunting song accompanied by didgeridoo (beautiful acoustics in the church).

I don’t think there was a dry eye in the congregation.

After the service we all lined the drive out from the cathedral as the family went to Pinnaroo for a private ceremony. People clapped and waved as the hearse with Reg’s coffin, covered with flowers and a set of juggling balls, went past.

Reg inspired me with his friendliness and warm heart. Everytime M and I went to his place in Maylands he was welcoming and good to talk to - and I loved watching his interactions with people of all ages and backgrounds (there were always people in his circus shop). He even talked to me, an avowed non-circussy person. I’ll remember him, and hope to emulate his ever-cheerful, ever-open and can do attitude to everything I do in my life.

Edit Monday 31 July 9am: Sirexkat attended the celebration of Reg’s life on Sunday, and writes about it on her blog.

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