Prep

A few weeks ago I was in London for the 'Internet of Things' conference. I arrived a bit early and stopped for a coffee, and while I was sat outside in the sun, I posted a picture onto Instagram and chap called Tom - a friend of a friend, whom I'd met once at a Wire gig - contacted me to say that I was right near his office and did I fancy a drink at lunchtime?

Well, of course I said yes and after a relatively unimpressive morning I was happy to join Tom at The Shipwrights Arms for what turned out to be an enjoyable couple of pints. Just as we were getting ready to leave, Tom told me that he invited people to come in and talk to his company when he could and would I be interested in doing that. Anticipating my first question, he said the whole point was to invite people who were from a completely different business. I was flattered - and, to be honest, a bit perplexed - but I fell back on the Minx's maxim of 'just say yes' and agreed to do it. 

Well, for the last few weeks it's been preying on my mind, on and off, now and then. But, like the top notch procrastinator that I am, I took comfort in the distant deadline and thought I could always worry about it properly later. For the last few days, though, I've not been able to take comfort from the calendar and I've been thinking about what I might talk about. (There was no specific remit.)

About a week ago, I thought of a theme and yesterday I managed to put together some headings. It was taking shape. About eleven o'clock last night, I asked the Minx for some help and she promptly created nine illustrations for me. Now I was beginning to get a bit excited and yet proportionally more anxious.

I went for a run this morning and went through the talk in my head. It was OK, I thought; quite interesting and (possibly) amusing in places. If only it would come out that way when I delivered it. 

On the way down to London I went through it again in my head, making some notes as I went along. I also experimented with controlling the presentation on one iPad from another. That really took up more time than it should have done... it's a wonder the future ever got built.