Sunday, September 13, 2015

Very Verbose

About this time last year I chaired a workshop for an organization I belong to.  According to the workshop's guidelines, after the weekend was over I was supposed to hand the materials on to the next chair.  However, even though I had been trying to solicit someone for months, no one had stepped up.  I sat on my hands until early December, when I let the group's head know if  she could find someone who would commit to being co-chair in 2015 and taking over in 2016 I'd consider being in charge again.   Later that month a person appeared, and the planning wheels were set in motion for the workshop, which took place this weekend.

Last  year the group's head acted as the emcee.  This year I volunteered to handle it (something I've never done before).  The job ended up being less stressful than I'd made it out to be in my mind, but there was one one small part that could have gone better.  One of the sessions on Saturday morning featured a panel of three speakers.  Each person was supposed to talk between ten and fifteen minutes.  One of the panelists, though, wasn't keeping good track of the time.  I tried getting their attention from the back of the room, but it didn't work.  Another committee member joined me, and we dramatically waved our phones around and pointed to our wrists where a watch would be.  Nothing.  Finally the other person grabbed a paper plate and wrote '2 minutes' on it, then held the plate up as they walked by the speaker podium.

Fortunately the speaker was a good sport about it and quickly wrapped things up. 

Five years ago today: PSR

5 comments:

  1. I guess that is what they do in Hollywood too, signs and cue cards!

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    Replies
    1. HA! I hadn't thought about it that way, but you're right.

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  2. I volunteeered for a workshop this past week. I would like to have attended as a participant, but I did get to sit in on one of the talks.

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  3. That sounds scary to emcee an event, but good for you. And what a creative way to stop someone over their time.

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