This afternoon I'll be the first speaker in a new talk series at the Pierson Library in Shelburne, VT. I'll be using a slightly different program from my usual in honor of the series' name - "Armchair Traveler." To my Power Point slides - which explain how some of the images in the book were prepared - Ricky has added for me some of the photos from the book as well as a few others. The photos I've added illustrate some things and places that Addie found beautiful or interesting and mentioned specifically in her trip journal.
It's below zero today, but for now the sun is shining. No precipitation is predicted, so I hope people will venture out of their cozy homes to visit the library and attend my program.
The private home talk I gave Saturday evening, February 1st, was very enjoyable. The attendance was good and everyone was enthusiastic and full of questions and comments. I've often felt that I should not change my program each time, adjusting to each audience as I tend to, and instead should try just opening it up to questions from the beginning. Let them decide what they'd like to know or hear about. On the 1st, one member of the audience gave me a taste of that type of talk. Just as I was about to begin, he raised his hand and asked me a question, which I answered. Then he asked another. By the time I'd answered both questions, my prepared talk was out the window since I had planned to cover those subjects much later in the talk.
I threw caution to the wind and sort of jumped in from there, discarding the notes which would have kept me on track and from wandering too far off on tangents. I was already off track and all my fancy words were scattered. I'm still not sure whether I covered everything I'd intended to, But if I didn't, I'm the only one who would have known.
Today, because of the available space, the talk will include the display of interesting/beautiful gifts that Addie was given by the Japanese. When I speak in a private home or travel far afield for talks I can't take those things with me. Off to gather everything together.
Don't forget to make time for reading in your life, and if you have children, share that pleasure with them every day. Even in his teens, our son Ricky enjoyed lounging and listening to me read chapter after chapter. I'd offer that up as a testament to my skills, but I fear it is more likely that he was just too lazy to read to himself. Whatever works . . .
It's below zero today, but for now the sun is shining. No precipitation is predicted, so I hope people will venture out of their cozy homes to visit the library and attend my program.
The private home talk I gave Saturday evening, February 1st, was very enjoyable. The attendance was good and everyone was enthusiastic and full of questions and comments. I've often felt that I should not change my program each time, adjusting to each audience as I tend to, and instead should try just opening it up to questions from the beginning. Let them decide what they'd like to know or hear about. On the 1st, one member of the audience gave me a taste of that type of talk. Just as I was about to begin, he raised his hand and asked me a question, which I answered. Then he asked another. By the time I'd answered both questions, my prepared talk was out the window since I had planned to cover those subjects much later in the talk.
I threw caution to the wind and sort of jumped in from there, discarding the notes which would have kept me on track and from wandering too far off on tangents. I was already off track and all my fancy words were scattered. I'm still not sure whether I covered everything I'd intended to, But if I didn't, I'm the only one who would have known.
Today, because of the available space, the talk will include the display of interesting/beautiful gifts that Addie was given by the Japanese. When I speak in a private home or travel far afield for talks I can't take those things with me. Off to gather everything together.
Don't forget to make time for reading in your life, and if you have children, share that pleasure with them every day. Even in his teens, our son Ricky enjoyed lounging and listening to me read chapter after chapter. I'd offer that up as a testament to my skills, but I fear it is more likely that he was just too lazy to read to himself. Whatever works . . .