I am standing on the stage, rooted to the round red carpet. Even though during rehearsal I was told not to do it I look beseechingly into the wings, almost begging MC Matt Youens to rescue me. I feel like a kindergarten child, told not to move until I am given permission, and while the moment is amazing it is overwhelming me in every way. Finally Matt comes out of the wings at the Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts and hugs me, and I leave the stage. I have just finished my presentation at TEDx Fort McMurray: Shift in Thought – and I am speechless, having left all my words on the stage.

I wrote a couple of days ago about the build-up to TEDx – the hours of preparation, and the work involved. I wrote about auditioning and the journey with my fellow presenters. It all culminated in a day I will never forget, a day I was honoured to share with the Intrepid Junior Blogger.

We arrived early Saturday morning, and while the day before during the dress rehearsal I had been nervous, on Saturday I was instead quite excited – but with calm nerves. I took the IJB’s photo in front of the big red X outside the doors, of course, and then we entered to find our nametags and register and begin our day.

It is remarkable, all the things the TEDx organizing committee managed to arrange for that day. There was the Baby X photo booth, and Speaker’s Corner, built all from recyclable materials by my dear friend Ashley (@ashcakesquiggle on Twitter). I had followed her building journey on Instagram, and I knew the hours she had put into an amazing finished piece where people could pause and record their thoughts from the day. There was the blackboard where you could write some words that inspire you, and, perhaps most intriguing of all, an adult ball pit called “Take a Seat and Make a Friend”, where you got in with a stranger and asked each other some prepared questions (or better yet went off-script and just talked). The IJB and I, however, dove into the delicious muffins and dropped my things backstage, and then went to find seats for the day.

Speaker’s Corner

We chose seats a couple of rows from the front of stage, because I wanted to be close enough to see and feel every nuance of the other presentations – from those individuals who had become my friends. The IJB and I settled in, and the morning started with amazing artist Lucie Bause, musician Dave Martin, and theatre guru Claude Giroux. I am not going to tell you about their presentations in this post, as I would rather save my thoughts for when their YouTube videos are ready to be watched. All I will say for now is that I was so proud of each of them, as I had seen them in rehearsal and I know the work they put in. It was an incredible start to an incredible day, and as I watched them I reflected on my moment on that stage to come later on. Our day of shifting thought had begun.

During the break the IJB and I got our photo done with Baby X, and I recorded a bit in Speaker’s Corner – and then we headed to the ball pit, where the IJB was the very first one to meet a stranger while immersed in small plastic balls. Then it was my turn, and I climbed in with a beautiful young woman, and found what was likely my favourite moment of the entire experience.

You see the young woman, Bianca, is new to this community. We talked about a lot of things, but one of the things we touched on is finding your place here. I advised her to find her niche, and to use it as an entry into the community. Just five minutes with her told me that she would quickly find her place here, and that we were lucky to have her because she is one of those people you immediately know will make a difference wherever they are. I have thought about that moment many times since, that conversation with Bianca, and whenever I do I smile because it is perhaps the moment that is most true to what I want to do here – share my love of this community, and find ways to connect with others in it.

We returned to the darkened theatre for Act II, which saw Liane Lefsrud, Kevin McNiff, and Alanna Bottrell hit the stage. I was again so proud of them, and delighted to see three more presenters – and friends – find their stride and own that little round red carpet. They delivered their thoughts in front of a tremendous stage set backdrop, one even the IJB commented on as impressive, and they connected with their audience, including me.

And then it was lunch time, a lunch packed in reusable containers in picnic baskets, and designed to introduce you to strangers. The IJB and I ended up at a table with three others, one I know well (fellow blogger and new Director of the Arts Council Wood Buffalo Russell Thomas), and we shared thoughts on the day thus far (as well as some delicious picnic fare, food that was the perfect fit for the day, and obviously lovingly prepared).

After lunch we headed backstage where I changed into the clothes I would wear to present, including my self-designed, custom-made shoes from Australia (more on those in a later post, too!), and snuck back into the theatre for Act III.

Act III focused on Amie Dawe and Brent Hughes, who both spoke about a shift in thought of the more practical nature, and compelling ones at that. Once again I found myself proud and pleased, although now I was also something else. I was nervous.

After Brent finished I led the IJB outside, and I hugged her. I found my coach Joelle, and we headed backstage. The lovely Ruby, our volunteer make-up artist, applied some basic shade to my no-doubt pale with fear face, and I kept up my usual patter of jokes and nonsense, hiding some very real nerves. Sean, the very calm theatre technician, helped me mike up – and then it was backstage in the wings with Rolando and Joelle, to wait for Matt to introduce me.

I don’t know how to describe that moment as I waited in the wings alone, collecting myself. I don’t even recall what Matt said when he introduced me, or walking out on that stage. I do recall looking up into the audience and catching sight of two familiar faces that gave me courage, and then launching into the twelve minutes that I had never written down.

Yes, I had never written that speech down, not even before I auditioned. Someone asked me how long it took me to write the speech, and while I said I had never written it that isn’t really true, I guess. The real answer is that I have been writing that speech my entire life, because it is, in the end, the narrative of my life.

I am not going to tell you what I said. I will share the video when it is ready, and I will tell you then a bit more about it. To be honest, though, I remember very little of my time on the stage, although I am told I hit all my key messages, and spoke clearly. I was so in the moment, though, that I have very little recollection of it…until the final moment when I finished and the unexpected happened. I said thank you, and the audience began to clap – and rise to their feet.

I have never experienced a standing ovation. I had not cried until that point, had not felt the sting of tears, until I saw people rising from their seats to applaud. I was overwhelmed, and began to look longingly into the wings, wishing for Matt to rescue me, but he refused, ensuring that I enjoyed that moment.

When I left the stage it was to find hugs and kind words from my coach and Rolando, and then quickly backstage to kind words from those gathered there. I stopped quickly in Speaker’s Corner to record my very raw and fresh thoughts (and I have absolutely no recollection of what I said, so I desperately want to see that video, too). My coach and I snuck back into the theatre to catch the presentation from the adorable Katie Long, and the final presentation from Jenny Berube, who elicited another standing ovation with her inspiring words.

And then it was over. It was done. Weeks of hard work by all involved. One final day, one moment on the stage. I went backstage with the IJB and collected my things, exchanging goodbyes and hugs. I drove home with the IJB and she wandered off, leaving me alone with my thoughts. And my thoughts? They centred on gratitude.

Gratitude for the opportunity. Gratitude for being able to share the day with the IJB. Gratitude for all who worked so hard to make TEDx Fort McMurray happen. Gratitude for an audience of my peers, community members, who seemed to find some value in what I brought to the stage that day. Gratitude for my fellow presenters, who had become friends along the way. Gratitude especially, though, for a few moments in a ball pit with a young woman seeking her place here, and being able to share with her that community is what you make of it, and something you can create. That was perhaps my real gratitude moment, a moment that reminded me of what this journey over the last two years has been about.

Summing up the TEDx experience is very difficult for me, as it encompasses so many things from the very personal to the very technical. In the end all I can say is that the journey meant far more than I ever anticipated, and that I believe it has been yet another life-altering experience in a string of life-altering experiences. I cannot wait to share the videos with you soon, so you can see all the presenters and what they brought to the stage that day. And I cannot wait to watch my own video, as my recollection of those twelve minutes is so fuzzy that it will almost be like living it for the first time. What I can say is this: the experience of being a TEDx presenter has changed me. It was another step in a long journey, and it was the kind of chance that humbles me. It brought new people into my life, new ideas – and a new memory of weeks leading up to a day I will never forget. It was one I will keep deep in my heart. It was so much more than a day of “ideas worth sharing” – it was a day of people worth sharing with. Robert Frost once wrote “I took the path less travelled by, and that has made all the difference”. On Saturday I took a path I had never travelled before – and it will, I believe, make all the difference, and forever change my life. It was, in the end, a shift in thought.

I feel like I have just run a marathon. I cannot seem to catch my breath, and my knees are shaky. I sit on the small wooden stool, unable to move as the enormity of it all has just hit me. I have just left the stage after my presentation dress rehearsal for TEDx Fort McMurray 2013, and while I have not run a physical race I have run an entire emotional racetrack, many times over, since beginning this journey.

I suppose the journey really began with the inaugural TEDx Fort McMurray last year, an event I did not attend as I was in Vancouver at the time. I followed it on Twitter and through texts from friends, and even sent a guest blogger in my place, the lovely and talented Ashley (or @ashcakesquiggle as she is known in the Twitterverse). I think the seed was planted then, the idea that maybe, just maybe I should audition – and then, this year, when the auditions were announced I decided to do it. To be honest, though, I wasn’t sure what to present.

I wanted to present a story that was compelling, and relevant to others. I wanted to share a shift in thought that so profoundly shifted my own thinking that it led to a dramatic life change that I never expected. It was intensely personal, though, and I struggled with revealing so much. I wondered if vulnerability was a sign of weakness. I wondered if my story even had any value to anyone but me.

I did it though. I auditioned one bright Saturday morning, and when I saw tears in the eyes of the selection committee I knew my story had resonated with them on some level. I did not know, though, if I would be selected to present. I knew the competition would be fierce, and I did not know if my story would fit the theme for the year: “Shift in Thought”. I will never forget when the email telling me that I had been selected arrived. I felt, in some strange way, validated, even though my story and knowing what has happened in my world is validation enough. I felt that maybe, just maybe, I had something to share, something of worth.

The audition and selection process was just the beginning, though. There were all the sessions with my patient and stellar coach, Joelle Wolverton, who gave freely of her time and accommodated my ridiculously unpredictable schedule to help me refine my presentation, and to focus my thoughts. We met every week in the security of my house, where I could tell the story again and again until I had it down, until I had rehearsed the narrative of my life that I know, of course, by heart, but had never really told anyone.

I rehearsed in my car as I drove to work every day, right after dropping the Intrepid Junior Blogger at school. I rehearsed in the bathtub, and before my bathroom mirror to make sure I wasn’t making any funny faces while I spoke. And then the first rehearsal day arrived, and I had the chance to hear the presentations from my ten fellow presenters, those people who I suspect all went through the same fears and trepidations and hopes that I had, but perhaps in varying degrees.

I listened to them all – Lucie, Dave, Claude, Kevin, Lianne, Alanna, Amie, Brent, Katie, and Jenny – and I was so blown away I was almost speechless. Each and every one of them laid it on the stage, some with personal stories and some with stories of beliefs and ideas and communities and passions and songs. I sat in wonder as they each spoke in turn, and I discovered how badly I wanted to see each of them succeed, to find their shining moment when it all came together and they hit their stride. I left our first rehearsal day feeling that something very special was happening with this little group, and the dress rehearsal, just one day before TEDx Fort McMurray, confirmed it.

We gathered on that day, almost like old friends. We ran through our presentations, some of us experiencing stage fright and some of us breezing through. We spoke kind and encouraging words to each other, and I think we each saw that we were on a journey. For some it was a journey that they perhaps had taken before, and not a new path. For others, like me, it was so intensely new and unexpected that it had a profound impact.

I sat on the stool backstage, you see, completely overwhelmed. I had run through my speech, my story, my heart, and when it was over I fled the stage, almost running backstage, for a moment alone. It was in that moment that I knew this experience would likely be unparalleled in my life. Not only had I made new friends in my fellow presenters, but in the organizers of TEDx, like Matt and Rolando, two characters of whom I will now always be intensely fond. I had discovered a circle of support, yet another one that opened to me when I simply trusted and believed, just like others have done in the past two years.

I went home the night before TEDx to find several emails and encouraging texts from friends, and while I read them I built my courage to take the stage the next day in front of almost 200 people and tell the story of my life. There were so many kind words sent to me, but perhaps the one with the most impact was the one that simply said “be you, and leave it all on the stage” – and I knew that was what I had to do, and that vulnerability is not weakness but rather being strong enough to strip away all pretense and be authentic.

As I prepared that night, the night before I would leave it all on the stage and face some of my most significant fears, I thought of this video, which we had watched at the dress rehearsal. I realized that I too was going to do a little “crowd surfing”, throwing myself into my audience and letting them catch me, something I have learned to do over the past two years, something I have embraced despite my fears that on occasion I will fall to the ground, betrayed by those I trusted. On this night, though, the night before TEDx Fort McMurray: Shift in Thought, I thought about how the next day I would crowd surf in the most vulnerable way, not with my body but with my heart – and I never imagined, never could have dreamt, how they would catch me – but that is part two of this story, and for the blog tomorrow. Until then I leave you with Amanda Palmer – and the art of asking.

The gang of volunteers who put together TEDx Fort McMurray got it right.  They built on the success of their inaugural event in 2012 and stepped it up more than several notches in 2013.  I’ve written a couple of posts about the actual presentations, but haven’t said much about the event as whole, the process of selecting speakers, the build-up to the event, and the day itself.  I’ll do that now.

As a caveat to my comments, I will admit that I am not overly familiar with the nuances of what the TED organization demands in terms of organizational and operational requirements.  It is quite possible that suggestions I offer are impossible to do based on the rules of engagement.

The Selection Process

If you’re not intimately involved with TEDx, you may not know that there is an application and audition process that all candidates have to go through.  The selection panel spends hours of personal time meeting potential speakers (in person and via Skype), hearing early iterations of their presentations, and debating who should be invited to participate.  They consider a lot of things, including content balance, alignment with the theme, and the ability of the presenter.  Yes, some people don’t make the cut.

The incredible flow of presenters and topics that we experienced on Saturday is largely due to the diligence of this committee.

Mentorship

Once selections were made, each presenter was teamed up with a coach.  I was honoured to be one of those and had the good fortune to assist artist Lucie Bause with her InTER-CoNNecTion talk.  I’m not sure how it worked with the other folks, but I felt this was a valuable process.  My only criticism would be that I wish I could have been out front to watch Lucie’s presentation.  From my vantage point in the wing, I couldn’t really see anything.

Rehearsals

Based on comments from a number of the presenters, they appreciated having two full days of rehearsal in the Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts.  This coveted time in the space not only gave them familiarity with the technology, it gave them quality time with each other.  Relationships have been formed through the TEDx process, and that’s really cool.

Attendance

I’ve gone back and forth on this one, worrying that the two step process may have stifled attendance.  We had room for an additional 150 people in the house, and I heard first-hand reports from people who got frustrated with the application phase of the process and just bailed.  On the other hand, the people that did go through with it were highly motivated and made for an excellent audience.  The price of $50 is absolutely nothing for the quantity and quality of what we experienced.  I’d have happily paid several hundred dollars for the privilege of seeing those 11 presentations.

One way or another, TEDx Fort McMurray deserves a full house.  Something needs to change to make this happen in 2014.  Whether the application process gets dropped, or a stronger marketing push happens. a shift in thought needs to happen to get bums in seats.

Photo Booth

This was a HOME RUN!  Set up in the office area at Holy Trinity, I got my picture taken with Lucie, gave the young fellow my email address, and they sent the beautiful shot immediately.  I had the high resolution image on my iPhone and ready to share within one minute.

That wonderful system enabled me to post my picture with Lucie and Baby X to Facebook and Twitter during the event, which added way more value to the brand of TEDx than if they had been posted later that day or the next.  Great job.

Video Box

Ashley Laurenson (@ashcakequiggles) created a marvellous cardboard box/video experience.  Guests walked in, pressed a button on the camera, and got to say whatever was on their mind about the TEDx experience.  Too fun!  Watch for a this collection of observations and video interactions coming soon.

Ball Pit

I didn’t try the ball pit located at the far end of the hall, but Heather did, and she loved it.  Two strangers crawl into this pit filled with plastic balls, at which time they are given a set of random questions to explore with each other.  By the end of the process, you are strangers no more.

The Lunch

We were seated with random people based on a number that had been placed on the back of our name tags.  In this way, we got to sit and chat with people who we would probably not instinctively gravitate toward.  Lunch was contained within a reusable picnic basket filled with an awesome potato salad, fried chicken, and fruit salad for dessert.

Highlighting the sustainability piece, Loraine Humphrey explained the significance of the meal and how it was being served.  Everything was made with natural ingredients, packed in reusable containers and eaten with biodegradable utensils.  This is a great example of how to make the narrative of the event stronger.  Had nothing been said, that story thread may not have been appreciated or shared.

The Length

We were bagged by the end of the day – absolutely nothing left.  For us, the length seemed to be an issue.  As we talked about the experience after getting home, we wondered if you are mandated to have videos between each presentation?  If you are, then it might be advantageous to pick ones that are slightly shorter.  Had everything neatly wrapped up by 4 pm, the length of the day would have been perfect.

The Emcee

Matt Youens did a brilliant job of personalizing the experience, of moving things along, and of allowing the presenters to bask in the adoration of their fans for just the right amount of time after they were done.

The Organizing Committee

While Matt has become of the face of TEDx Fort McMurray, there are many others who were equally outstanding in their organizations efforts.  Let’s see if I can name them without checking: Rolando, Loraine, Renee, Jude, Michelle, Karen, Ken, Jeanettte, Stephen and Zayal…..did I miss anyone?

The Volunteers

The helping hands who made TEDx a success were awesome.  Friendly, engaging, informative, they elevated the experience and can’t be thanked enough.

The Buzz

I can think of four or five individuals who are actively planning to apply to present next year.  At the end of the day, that has to be one of the more important measures of success.  Another measure of effectiveness will be the video versions of the 2013 presentations and how often they get shared and viewed.  That’s where you will come in, and you, and you, and you!

Closing Thoughts

Outside of working on growing attendance and shortening the length of the experience, I’m not sure how the organizing committee can make the 2014 event better.  That said, I’m sure they will find a way to top themselves; they always do.

I’m sitting here drinking my coffee, looking at the drawings that flowed out of my pen through the 11 TEDx talks yesterday during the second iteration of this independently organized TED event, wondering where to begin.

If I start at the very beginning, I end up in the stage left wing, watching Lucie Bause share a beautiful moment of clarity and vision that she experienced in the Arctic and the stunning series of paintings that followed.  I was Lucie’s coach and had met with her a few times over the last month or two.

Layers, words, and meaning, circle and cycle through this creative journey that has resulted in a body of work that continues to evolve, explore and connect.  Watch for InTER-CoNNecTion when it is released on video in the coming weeks.

Dave Martin, guitar in hand, was next.  An incredibly generous soul, who is omnipresent at events and in organizations that are about building a better community, Dave launched into a song that challenged the audience to jump in and participate with “bottles in one bag, garbage in the other.” Voices swelled around me as the crowd jumped in for the final chorus.

“What is your song?” asked Dave.

What is my song? I thought to myself.  A day later, I’m still trying to come up with an answer to that one.

“Theatre is the only institution that has been dying for 4,000 years,” said playwright John Steinbeck, and Claude Giroux as he launched into his TED-treatise about why theatre audiences are dwindling.  He punctuated startling numbers, the total hours our kids (and ourselves)  are attached to media in our homes and on mobile devices that costs pennies, and often, nothing.

“We’re asking people to come to a specific place, at a specific time, with expectations about dress and behaviour, and we’re asking them to pay for the privilege.”

Put that way, it’s abundantly clear why the product-consumer model that has existed for generations no longer works.  Claude posits that people are creating and participating in the arts in greater numbers than at any other time in history.

“We are experiencing a cultural reformation of seismic proportions,” he said.

He shared the incredible journey to conceive, research, write, and stage Hometown…The Musical!, the locally acclaimed Keyano Theatre Company production that featured a cast of 125 and was seen by 4,300 patrons in February.

“We could have run the show an additional week.”

I got a little choked up when he closed his presentation with the “Show-mance” that was the emotional centre of the experience, between Madeleine (1 year old) and Bear, the head barkeep at Showgirls, the local adult entertainment watering hole.

He didn’t say it, but the sentence that bubbled out of me during the break and onto the chalkboard was “The MAGIC is in the DOING.”

Act Two began with paramedic Kevin McNiff, elegantly dressed with awesome shoes and an old fashioned pocket watch.  He conjured up the wisdom of former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed in challenging us to think beyond the immediate horizon to create a vision of our community and region when the oil is gone.  Arguably, the most effective provincial leader in Canadian history, Lougheed’s 6 principles are worth revisiting: 1) Behave like an OWNER, 2) Collect your fair share, 3) Save for a rainy day, 4) Add value, 5) Go slow, and 6) Practice State Craft.  I thought of my dear colleague Councillor Kirschner several times, as he is a fierce advocate for all the principles, but particularly the last two.

Kevin became choked up when he revealed the driving force behind his passionate plea to be more mindful of our future – his wife is expecting.  He wants to ensure a thriving, dynamic, resilient, and sustainable community is here for his children, and the children that will follow in subsequent generations.

From the end of oil we transitioned to the language of oil sands and tar sands, with Lianne Lefsrud. Finishing her PhD in Business Strategy at the University of Alberta, she shared fascinating data about the global fascination with what is happening within a 100-kilometre radius of Fort McMurray.

“This isn’t about good or bad, right or wrong, or us and them.  It is, in fact, about us, all of us.”

According to the virtual TEDx Fort McMurray program (no trees were harmed in the making of this program), her dissertation Golden Goose or Ugly Duckling, examines how we infuse the oil sands with value beyond its technical requirements.  One of the out-of-towners at this year’s event, Lianne has had a colourful career, spending time as a bronco breaker (farm girl), blaster (PCL Construction) and an engineer (CN Rail).

I’ll never forget my first meeting with Alanna Bottrell, over lunch at The Pantry, as she was contemplating applying for a job in my department at Keyano College.  At first, I didn’t know what to make of her: irreverent, goofy, surprising, off-the-wall.  She turned out to be authentically all those things, and a whole lot more, as she became part of our extended family at the end of Franklin Avenue. She’s at the other end of the avenue now, working for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo – “Oh my gosh, we absolutely love Alanna,” said a co-worker when asked how things were going over there – but I still felt a sense of father-ish pride seeing her do her thing in front of an appreciative audience at TEDx.

She challenged some of our hang-ups about the words we use to describe ourselves, Fort Mac being on top of the list, and that we need to unabashedly embrace those things that make us unique.

“You know how honourary Newfoundlanders get screeched in?” she asked.  ”We need to invent a way for people to be Mac’d out.”

Changing perceptions and perspectives is going to take time, and like Alanna’s mother used to say: “you gotta eat the elephant, one bite at a time.”

So many great ideas, so much passion, so many reason to feel gratitude for being at TEDx Fort McMurray.  Now it’s lunch time.  Acts 3 and 4 are coming next.

We’ve had singers, musicians, artists, futurists and thought-shifters apply and audition to present. The opportunity to be part of the Selection Committee is a true gift. The brave people who shared their ideas and allowed a group of strangers to evaluate them are to all be commended.

The volunteers who sat on the Selection Committee gave upwards of 24 hours of their time over three Saturdays to help select presenters for TEDxFortMcMurray.

People auditioned in person and over Skype from Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver!

As a member of the Organizing Committee and the Chair of the Presenters Selection Committee, I feel honoured to have heard so many amazing stories and having worked with such passionate volunteers. I look forward to the official announcement of our line-up soon so that you can share in our excitement! Stay tuned.

Rolando Inzunza

TEDxFortMcMurray 2012 Speakers

We started on a “hunger is the best sauce” theme… and from the buzz around Twitter and Facebook, it looks like we’re ending on ravenous theme as well. Even as our videos were slowly being uploaded, and we had not yet linked to any of them, people started finding them, linking to them, and even writing blog posts about them! All to our half-horror-half-excitement.

But the wait is over! We’re thrilled to say that all 11 videos from the TEDxFortMcMurray | Sharing Our Potential event are now online and ready to be viewed.

TEDx Talk Instructions:

1. Click
2. View
3. Share
4. Repeat as necessary

Thank you – and happy viewing!

the TEDxFortMcMurray Organizing Committee

Hopefully, this will tide everyone over to when we’re able to post the videos of the 11 Speakers from the day of… but, like we’ve said before, hunger is the best sauce! And we’re just as hungry as you!

We promise though, they will be up as soon as we can do them justice.

Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids

John Bohannon: Dance vs. powerpoint, a modest proposal

Mark Bezos: A life lesson from a volunteer firefighter

Peter Diamandis: Abundance is our future

Marco Tempest: The magic of truth and lies (and iPods)

Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work

Part two of “TEDxFortMcMurray Arrives, an Emcee’s Perspective” is here. For those who wish, you can catch up with Part One.

Act Three

Act Three began with a short, but fantastic, TED Talk: “Mark Bezos: A life lesson from a volunteer firefighter”. I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s well worth watching.

Our seventh Speaker of the day, and first post-picnic, was Mark Elliott with “Life in a Learning Community – Learning, Unlearning and Relearning Fort McMurray”. I found that even the pressure of waiting backstage, and the nerves that come hand-in-hand with that, nothing could take the smile off of Mark’s face. He did a fantastic job and helped bring a different perspective for attendees to ponder.

Following Mark, was someone who I promise-promise-promise will never (again) forget.

Just as I was tying in Mark’s presentation to the next talk, “Waste as a Resource”, I completely and utterly blanked on the Speaker’s name. Poof.

I was horrified, dumbfounded, and yes, speechless. This does not often happen to me – ask my wife… I could see his face, I knew his presentation, yet I just could not pull the name out from my little grey cells. Was this the lack of sleep coming back to haunt me?

Ladies and Gentlemen, whatshisname! You know, that guy. With the ears, and a mouth. You know, him.

Thankfully at that time an attendee (who will go nameless, but it rhymes with “Mike Durocher”) yelled out “Someone, right?!” (or something to that effect) which must have kicked me back into gear as I then stammered out a relieved “Kevin Scoble!”, turned to smile at Kevin, shook his hand and quickly exited stage left.

As Kevin was dutifully blowing everyone’s mind with the amazing regional work being done around waste, energy & carbon issues, I humbly tweeted:

Afterwards, I came out, joked about “whatshisname” (or something like that) and introduced an amazing TED Talk filmed earlier in the month: “Peter Diamandis: Abundance is our future”. Kevin then forgave me backstage, although I think I do owe him a beer.

And then came our last Speaker of Act Three – Reinalie Jorolan with “Uncompromising Commitment to Self, Motherhood and Community”. I will not ruin it (per se) for those who were not there, but I did have to call Reinalie back on stage to receive a standing ovation. It was a nice moment.

Reinalie Jorolan

Act Four

Act Four began with a recap of the break’s homework – “What is the one thing from today that you will share with your colleagues on Monday?”, which then quickly switched into the ridiculous and fabulous TED Talk “Marco Tempest: The magic of truth and lies (and iPods)”.

From a talk about the beauty in lies and deception, we then moved the audience to Speaker Maria Fustic, who at thirteen (now fourteen), climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to help raise funds for the Red Cross campaign “Malaria Bites”. Maria is someone who continually amazes me with her poise and grace and performed admirably. The community will continue to hear from Maria for years to come, I’m sure.

Maria Fustic

Moving from a land of Giraffes and Zebras, the audience was then delighted by a tale of Bobo who married a Unicorn with the TED Talk “Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work“. And if that last sentence doesn’t make any sense, then I urge you to watch the TED Talk.

And so, with a small amount of regret on my part (only because the day was almost over, not because of who was speaking last!) it was time to introduce the last Speaker – Tim Reid with “Third Down Leadership”.

I believe Tim had made the backstage his home all day. He saw the first 10 Speakers prepare, stare, pace, joke, read cue cards, meditate or otherwise try to centre themselves. And one by one, they put on their mics, stood within the wings and left to do their best did Caesar impersonation – Veni Vedi Vici. And when it was Tim’s turn, he did no less.

Tim Reid

Tim’s talk, “Third Down Leadership”, was part passion for sports, part passion for teamwork, and part passion for the unsung heroes of every organization. To those of you who were there – have you said hello to your janitor?

Closing

And just like that, the day came to a close. With a few remarks, I brought an end to the inaugural TEDxFortMcMurray event.

I’m not sure if it was the lack of sleep, or the gamut of emotions I experienced throughout the day, but I had goosebumps as I thanked the Speakers, audience, volunteers, sponsors and families of the Organizing Committee. It was a special moment for me.

The audience provided some feedback and questions (all so gratifying – “when is the next event?!” etc.), the energy in the room seemed alive and the positive nature seemed contagious. The excitement for TEDxFortMcMurray 2013 was palpable – I cannot wait for next year.

Mayor Melissa Blake

But just before I gave the orders for the ushers to unlock the theatre doors (kidding), I asked Mayor Blake (who partook in the entire day) to come on stage to say a few words.

Mayor Blake was very kind and mentioned that following TEDxFortMcMurray was a challenge for her, and she spoke about the opportunity events such as this have to help share our stories and messages on our own terms. I know the Organizing Committee and the Speakers were appreciative of her time and her message. It was a nice cap to the day.

What You Didn’t See On Stage

What, or should I say who, you didn’t see on stage were the dedicated Theatre Techs who ran the show behind the scenes. Led by Sean McIlveen, the full-time Theatre Technician at the Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts at Holy Trinity High School, the easy-going volunteer crew of Steve Gartner, Ron Scott, Jason Campbell & Mitchell Mulhall made sure those on stage both looked and sounded good.

They dealt with everything for us, told us where to be and when to be, took care of short-notice “house lights up”, or easily dealt with such things as “oh dear, I just realized that there’s a spelling mistake in a slide 10 minutes from now…”.

In short, they were amazing, and deserve the credit. Well done gents. I look forward to working with you again.

Green with Envy – The TEDxYMM Photobooth!

click to view all

At the far end of the concourse, we had a small but dedicated crew of volunteer teachers and students from Holy Trinity Catholic High School who were manning the TEDxFortMcMurray Photobooth during the breaks. They were in charge of a camera, a small red X and a green screen and they were the hub behind a social media strategy cooked up by the Organizing Committee.

Attendees, Speakers and volunteers took a leap of faith and had their pictures taken with no reference to what would be their backdrop. Our Photobooth Elves then tirelessly worked behind-the-scenes to crop, isolate, then drag ‘n drop the subjects onto one of three Wood Buffalo backdrops.

I think it was about half-way through Act Two when twitter feeds started popping up with the Photobooth images that attendees were receiving by email. It was great to see people proud to share their #TEDxYMM photos then and there, and it’s been even better to see Facebook profile pictures and Twitter avatars be replaced by a “I was there” memento.

Brad Wassilaskus and Nathalie Reid

While I don’t know the names of all who helped pull this off (I’m so sorry, but you know who you are and you are amazing!), I do take my hat off to the two teachers that did such a fantastic job of running the Photobooth: Brad Wassilaskus and Nathalie Reid. Thank you for helping add a little sparkle to the day.

~ fin ~

And that’s it. Thank you so much for reading this far. If you wish, we’ve made our event program available for download as a PDF. Maybe we’ll see you there for 2013?

I’m not sure where to start writing about Friday’s event, there is so much to say… So, to make things easier, I’ll start from the beginning.

TEDxFortMcMurray 2012 Speakers


Prelude

The Organizing Committee arrived on site around 6:45 am, and I arrived with maybe one hour of sleep under my belt. After leaving setup the night before, I was off-balance.

I was worried – worried about my ability to emcee effectively, worried about some of the little details, worried about some of the bigger details. My brain just wouldn’t shut down – it wouldn’t settle into neutral. We had done everything we could to ensure a successful event, but my brain just wouldn’t let it go. And so I didn’t sleep.

Unrested, I arrived in plenty of time to help with the final touches before the attendees walked down the red carpet. The Photobooth needed to be set up, the red carpet laid out (and stomped down), a few technical pieces needed to be installed, and a last few questions needed to be answered.

Coffee at TEDxFortMcMurray

After things seemed settled (from my point of view) I walked around, chatted with my fellow organizers, said hello to volunteers, asked if anyone needed anything, helped out where I could, and generally watched as others took care of business.

With the doors open, people started to walk the red carpet, register and enjoy a cup of coffee. I managed to coax a few people to test out the TEDx Photobooth, then I started shaking hands and welcoming attendees to the event.

8:00 am rolled around and that meant photo sessions on stage with the Speakers and the Organizing Committee. Unfortunately not all of our Speakers had yet arrived… but we played it calm, took what photos we could and waited.

After the photos were successfully taken, it was a matter of myself and the first three Speakers going backstage, being mic’d, and waiting for 8:53 – the moment I would walk out on stage and introduce TEDx to FortMcMurray.

For those of you who were not there – I cannot do the day justice with these posts. All I can say is that it was quite possibly one of the best days of my life.

Act One

A shaky Emcee puts his hand in his pocket!

With my hands shaking, I walked past our hand-crafted, bold and beautiful X, to start the day in front of the lights. After about a minute of talking through the first few slides, I felt my body relax, my mind fall into Spinning Leaf and I started to enjoyed the role of Emcee. A few jokes seemed to go well and before I knew it, our first Speaker of the day, Malik Badar Aman, was up and running with “On Chasing Dreams”.

Malik Badar Aman

After Malik had charmed the crowd, Anas Eljamal had a great talk about “Controlling Instincts”, which was quickly followed by a TED Talk video (Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids). Act One was closed out by Sheldon Germain with his great Fort McMurray talk: “Pathway to Potential – A New Understanding”.

Anas Eljamal

Sheldon Germain

And with that, Act One was over and the audience moved into the foyer with some discussion homework: “If you were to talk at a TEDx or TED event, what would you talk about and why?”.

All three of our Act One Speakers seemed excited, and to be honest, a little relieved, and could now relax and enjoy the rest of the day. I mingled with a few of the attendees, grabbed some more coffee and prepared myself for Act Two, which as my intro stated, might just leave the audience in a state of “Gobsmackedness” (whatever that means).

TEDxFortMcMurray Program/Agenda

Act Two

Act Two began with everyone in the audience who was born in January standing up, and being told that Malcom Gladwell says they should have made it as an NHL player. After these gracious volunteers reported back on their homework assignments and retook their seats, our fourth Speaker of the day, David Sabine was introduced.

David Sabine

David’s talk was one of our more unique of the day: behind him, on the large screen, was a video he had generated himself, with interlacing audio/video that sometimes played over-top of his talk. It was quite unique and matched his talk of “Rethinking Education” perfectly.

After David, we played the charming TED talk “John Bohannon: Dance vs. powerpoint, a modest proposal”, which tied in nicely with our fifth presenter – Dancer and Yoga Instructor Julie Funk. Julie took command of the stage and passionately spoke from her core with “Loving Fort McMurray” – a retrospective of her childhood and her encounters surrounding Fort McMurray with 
citizens in distant lands.

Julie Funk

Russell Thomas then closed out Act Two with his talk “Social Media Timeline”. You can read about Russell’s experience on his blog, the Middle Age Bulge.

Russell Thomas - Backstage

My own take on the moment is this: I have a tendency to joke around and try to make people smile when under pressure, so I had to actively hold myself back from joking around with Russell. He seemed so focused and determined backstage… in fact, I’d never before seen him in such a focused state.

I thought this was perhaps his regular routine (Russell being a trained actor and all) and the last thing he needed was for me to start mentioning “Hamlet” or joking about how only 7 billion people might be watching this later on YouTube… so I (wisely) stayed silent, let him be, and he gave The Talk of His Life.

Russell was the first (but not the last) to emotionally connect with the audience in such a way as to have them in tears.

The TEDx Picnic

Lunch saw the attendees and Speakers with a boxed lunch that included a number scrawled in sharpie on the outside of the box. The number signified the table you were supposed to sit at, with t idea being that you would be sitting with potential strangers and enjoy a TEDx-type conversation… not sure what to talk about? No worries, we’ve got you covered with a handy-dandy Conversation Starter in every boxed lunch.

Picnic Lunch!

I had the pleasure of being seated at Table 1, with seven engaged and enthusiastic attendees (plus one excited member of the Organizing Committee). My only regret was that I kept being called away from our conversation to attend to a few event bits and pieces, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, the conversation was flowing and that was what mattered most.

… and that’s it for now, more to come later this week!

Cheers, Matt Youens

p.s. Don’t forget you can see all of the amazing photos from the big day via our Flickr page.