And today's lesson, dear readers, is all about being prepared....
A month ago, I visited a local community organization on behalf of the Red Cross...they had asked me to come out and do a presentation on the Pandemic Flu.
On my way to the civic center, I swung by my office at the Red Cross, where a co-worker had set out everything I needed to do the presentation...brochures, a projector, and a laptop computer. The brochures were in a giant plastic bag, and the electronic equipment nestled all snug in their respective black cases....I grabbed all of the bags and loaded up my car and headed out.
However... when I arrived at the civic center, I discovered - to my horror - that I had brochures, a projector, and a....projector. No computer. No way to run the slide show. The co-worker had inadvertently set out TWO projectors and NO computer. Oh, NO! Disaster!!!!
Having the wonderful God-given gift of gab, and quick thinking, I improvised, and did a wonderful presentation on the Psychological Stages of a Disaster...something that I've spoken on numerous times and can do off the top of my head.
The audience - of which there were 75 people! - ate it up and everything was cool....Whew. Crisis averted.
This is a monthly speaking engagement, and today was my day to head back out to the same civic center, and this time, speak on earthquakes.
I swung by my office at work, and my co-worker had set out brochures, and the two black cases....which, hopefully, held a laptop and a projector.
Not wanting to take any chances, I checked the black cases before I left my office to insure that they did, indeed, carry the necessary equipment...and to my relief, I saw a laptop in one and a projector in another. Whew. I was good to go.
So, I arrived at my destination, and began taking the laptop and projector out to set up...everything was going along very nicely until I began searching for the cable that "connects" the laptop with the projector...you know, that very-valuable piece of cording that allows the laptop to "speak" to the projector. Without it, you're screwed.
And guess what? (Yeah, you know where this is going, don't you?)
No cable. No connection. I'm screwed.
Are you KIDDING me???!!!
I seriously looked around for a minute, swearing on everything that is holy that I was being punk'd....and when I realized I wasn't being filmed for "Candid Camera", I just continued swearing on everything that is holy. But, you know, silently, as I didn't want to freak out the audience.
Having the wonderful gift of gab, and the wonderful foresight to be prepared for disasters, I had fortunately printed off the Earthquake slideshow before I left the house this morning...
...so I was able to do the presentation on the fly...using my notes as back-up...and the audience ate it up and everything was cool....Whew. Crisis averted.
But seriously? Two months in a row?
Next month, you know darn tootin' that I will be taking EVERYTHING out of the black cases while I'm STILL at my office to insure that I have EVERYTHING I need to speak...I'm really running out of the gift of gab.
And I'm starting to get just a bit paranoid...justifiably so, I think.
Peace.
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