Many of the people who know me know me as something of the backup singer in a conversation. I am an active participant in a group conversation but am generally not the guy to want to hold the focus for long. I just chime in long enough to back up another’s point or to provide a quick counterpoint. So when Mark Blevis asked me to do a 5 minute “Jolt” for Podcasters Across Borders to talk about collaborative podcasting and the Talking Stick Podcast, my first instinct was to say no freaking way. But instead, I mulled it over, and the idea grew on me. By the time I got to PAB and had seen a few presentations, I really started to get into it.

Still, up until then, my only semi-public speaking to date has been being the tech guy who talks for a min or two here and there at sales presentations at work to a room of no more than 5-10 people. So the idea of facing a room of 100ish folks was very daunting. And like the nervous groom before his wedding, I started drinking at lunchtime – in my case my poison was coffee. And by the time my presentation came up, I was probably approaching the LD50 for caffeine. And like the proverbial drunken groom, looking back, I think were I to do it again, I would have shut myself off a few coffees earlier. Still, I’m pleased with the reception it got and I feel quite pleased with myself for doing something *so* out of character for me – but that is a step in the direction of who I would like to be.

Anyway, while I could only watch a tiny bit of it (I still have trouble listening or watching myself and have ever since I was 12 and rambled on channel 31 news in Vermont about my feelings on nuclear proliferation), the whole presentation is here for the curious:

Another less self-centred post about PAB will likely come soon – I’m still digesting the info and am also at home in Toronto for the first time in a while. Paul will likely be awake soon and we’ll be hanging out.