Keynote in Ayr at Creative Ageing day

23 March 2013 Creative Ageing  day in Ayr

"One door closes (no more young in this case) - other door opens (many in fact)
and we can be creative, playful, experimenting again as we were as children."

After the speech, after the QA, I did go to the Dancing workshop (really out of my comfort zone)
A great long day of different workshops and lots of photos I have also taken that day
Met a lot of interesting people! Spend the whole next day with Rosie, Ayr Storyteller.

And I got a great review from the organiser, of my performance.

As I see and listen to this video now, a month later, my first ever "pro" keynote: there is room for improvement. Together with the Q and A part, it gave a good result and great communication with those attending. For the moment, only two observations. I was very much at ease, no sign of the torment I went through the days before arriving there. And I have to analyse it longer to pick the good parts and, as also in a comedy set, let drop some of the rest.

Thanks a lot for sending it to me! And here is the student who took video of all the event and send me a copy that is small enough so I could upload on YouTube, embed and blog it here.

Jamie Hare, photographed this time by me

He is the "Studio and Technical Operations Co-Ordinator"

At the Ayr Campus KA8 0SR

The video shows only part of the audience as Jamie and his camera was on one side of the room.
The audience was in fact almost all around, about 45 to 55, a growing number arrived in the pause, between the speech and the questions and answers. There are so many great memories of that day, so many contributed to make it great and useful. Thank to Gillian the organiser, it was so full!

And here are the Questions and Answer part, about 12 minutes.

More reaction from audience to be heard, in the first part it is mostly 'seen' by me.

Or: thank You For Arguing

This book is a joy to read, from the first page when the author describes how he won by letting his son win, apparently, the argument.

It was published under another title now, and also updated with more modern reference to Obama's rhetoric too, it shares with me the belief in the great seduction of personal stories.

At the same time, almost underneath (but he always tells us in the sideline what method he used) to the different rhetoric craft techniques.

Got it yesterday, was difficult to put down, definitively will study it quote from it use its 'tricks' which in fact are 3000 years one s mostly but compactly modernised. Used in an argument home or before a huge crowd or a boardroom, they all help to obtain our goals.

I got till he tells the story of shaving in the evening before his wife comes home, to prove the importance of seduction in any argument also. shaving in the evening! You remember, my story about it in my comedy gig? Well, this part seduced me even more.

A book to study and enjoy.

Four words, Toastmasters Semifinals (Las Vegas)

I told you so...

Get up and go

Irene filming my "ordinary" life

After filming me at a gig and a storytelling event, and another time at home,
she came again to take some pictures of "everyday" life (but also me, shaving...)

What a beautiful and nice young woman!

Irene is doing it for a film for her Masters at Documentary Video making, at Goldsmith,
but at the same time so serious of doing a good and complete documentary.

She has so much material now, and all filmed with one and other times even two different cameras and angles, combined together later. She asked each time when I performed, another of her colleagues to film with a second camera.

I have seen already one of my gigs, and it for sure looks more professional when the angle and the size changes from time to time.

Soon, after some other interviews, she will begun editing. What a long and serious job! and perhaps I will be able to see how it is done one of the days.

Matt Hill and Dave Pickering at Hackney Attic

Every second Monday of the month, at the Hackney Attic of Hackney Pictorehouse, the Spark London true stories Open Mic event.

We had a good time and so many could tell their 5 minute true stories with the imposed theme, this month it was Awkward. The themes for each month are published well in advance on Spark London's web and Facebook site.

A place worth going back! Will be going from now on, also with our group of storytellers and also Toastmasters Club.

A podium, a good mic and lights to get used to and great audience too. And Matt registers your voice, sends it to you and does publish even some of them if you agree after listening.

It was a great night event if it was yesterday so cold outside. Inside, warm and so welcoming, too. Thanks Dave, great MC and host! Thanks Matt, wonderful sounds and lights and recording.

Canal Café theatre, 4th March 2013

Not only storyteller, now I am mentioned also as co-producer of this storytelling event the 4th of March.

Indeed, that is the conclusion of the Storytelling workshop held in the Toastmasters Area 59 (of which I am Governor 2012/2013) and the participants were from 4 of our clubs.

A wonderful event I co-organised with Joanna Yates who is the main producer and curated the event.

 I was most happy it went so well for each of us! As I predicted, all gained more confidence.

From the less experienced to speak in public to the most, all told compelling stories from their life.

Here is one of the stories from master storyteller Richard Green:

Thursday gigging : I did listen to Ivor!

‘I Should Have Listened to Ivor Dembina’

Resident Hampstead host Ivor Dembina, showcases some of the new talent to emerge from his comedy drop-in sessions.

This week with: Julie Kertesz - Al Cowie - Maxine Jones -
Ben Clover - Danny Hurst - Chris Douce

plus

The Orchestra of Andy Zapp

begins at 8 30 and all of us for 7 to 10 minutes

This weekend was great already with When the war caught up with me Saturday at Jewish Book Week and the yesterday, seven from our Toastmasters Area 59 out on stage with Road Block at Canal Café Theatre for Spark London.

I created and told a new story and remembered others that I have yet to tell will finish

Thursday gigging again.

HAMPSTEAD COMEDY CLUB

The Pembroke Castle, 150 Gloucester Avenue, Primrose Hill, London NW1 8JA

(2 minutes walk from Chalk Farm tube), Chalk Farm Buses 168 and 31

Enquiries 07722 832635