A TAM7 apology

Matt, thanks for your perspective. I've never thought of myself as a Batman, but I understand the comparison. here at the jref, I am a sort of "area man makes good" sort of character, i think. but at night, when i see the Stop Signal in the clouds...
 
RSLancastr said:
and thanks to you both again for the visit. it meant very much to me.

How are you doing, by the way?
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That was a good visit. You were in rare form :)

As far as I can tell, I'm fine. I feel normal -- it seems my thyroid hormone dosage is right. I go back in next month for another scan to make sure they got everything. If so, then I continue going back for regular checkups. If not, I get another radioactive weekend and we check again in six months.

My scar is fading quickly. By Christmas it'll look like a shaving accident :(
 
mr. ottle said:
That was a good visit. You were in rare form :)

As far as I can tell, I'm fine. I feel normal -- it seems my thyroid hormone dosage is right. I go back in next month for another scan to make sure they got everything. If so, then I continue going back for regular checkups. If not, I get another radioactive weekend and we check again in six months.

My scar is fading quickly. By Christmas it'll look like a shaving accident :(
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Glad to hear that you're doing so well. My best to you and Ottle!
 
Well, I watched your acceptance speech on the DVD. It looks like your first speech: the longer one you were primarily apologizing for, is not even on the DVDs.

So, I have nothing further to add... well.... except the following, for whatever it's worth:

The facial expression you made, when you were given the box with the award in it: You were sort-of half-frowning a bit. (I guess in deep thought on what to say for such an honor.) But, the result makes it look like you were just handed a box with a dead squirrel in it, or something.

Well, maybe I am exagerating. But, I hope the real trophy - that crystal thingy, what-ever-it-was, is sitting proudly on your mantel, someplace.
 
Wowbagger said:
Well, I watched your acceptance speech on the DVD. It looks like your first speech: the longer one you were primarily apologizing for, is not even on the DVDs.
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Really? It was on the set I received.

So, I have nothing further to add... well.... except the following, for whatever it's worth:

The facial expression you made, when you were given the box with the award in it: You were sort-of half-frowning a bit. (I guess in deep thought on what to say for such an honor.) But, the result makes it look like you were just handed a box with a dead squirrel in it, or something.
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I did not notice that, but will take a look. I assume I was just trying to come up with something pround to say, or perhaps I was trying t figure out how I would open the box with just my right hand.

Well, maybe I am exagerating. But, I hope the real trophy - that crystal thingy, what-ever-it-was, is sitting proudly on your mantel, someplace.
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It is in a tote bag, along with other TAM stuff. I will put it on display as soon as I figure out how best to protect it from the inevitable next earthquake.
 
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RSLancastr said:
The set is up and out of my reach. I think it was Disc 1, the chapter titled "ROBERT LANCASTER" It was, if I recall, the same disc with Bill Prady.
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Ah, now I see it! I must have accidentally skipped over it, 'cause I headed right to Prady's presentation.

You know, the speech was actually not nearly as bad as I was expecting. Lots of good tidbits in there: The e-mail to Randi (which I didn't even remember from seeing you live), advise on seeing doctors when you have a headache, etc. Even the dream (at least the first part, about being in a church) wasn't quite as bad as I remembered.

It's not exactly a concise presentation. But, it got the job done, well enough. Though, I suppose it does help to have a meal already in your stomach instead of waiting for one, while experienceing it.
 
You know what I thought was really painful to watch? Connie Sonne's press conference. I was actually very curious to watch that, 'cause I didn't get to see the the press conference live. (Though, I did watch the actual challenge live.)
I don't know exactly what it is... but, when I started running that press conference on the DVD, I was struck with some sense of teeth-gritting disturbance, of some sort. I still haven't watched the whole thing. But, it did surprise me how... disturbing... that thing was.

Totally makes your own time on stage seem like a rock concert in comparison!
 
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Wowbagger said:
You know what I thought was really painful to watch? Connie Sonne's press conference. I was actually very curious to watch that, 'cause I didn't get to see the the press conference live. (Though, I did watch the actual challenge live.)
I don't know exactly what it is... but, when I started running that press conference on the DVD, I was struck with some sense of teeth-gritting disturbance, of some sort. I still haven't watched the whole thing. But, it did surprise me how... disturbing... that thing was.

Totally makes your own time on stage seem like a rock concert in comparison!
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Ugh. I was there, and I fully agree with this sentiment.
 
OK, next year...

just have me (and I know a few others) talk right before you do.

Did you see the part of the video where your wife comes out to HUG you? THAT for me was the highlight of TAM7.

Look, I thought it was great. I thought it was needed.

Plus, I recently totally bombed at a skeptic meeting in the pub (even beer did not help). I soon learned that references to the 1970's were totally lost on the crowd ("boy remember when you were young? Oh yeah, you weren't even born then and maybe your parents weren't even born then either..."). I felt awful and I didn't even have a stroke to blame it on and trust me, your speech was great!

OK Loon and I have a joke about his little trip to the hospital at TAM6. The joke was we were in the ambulance and he said "well as painful as this is its not as bad as having to listen to ------------- speak again!"

This year I slipped him a note during that same speaker and said "wow Loon, you are looking pretty sick...I think we should go to the hospital".

seriously, go to the talent show portion of the tape. There were a few of us (and I'm one of them) that is is PAINFUL to watch. No one told some of us it was going to be a REAL talent show. After a few people came up to me and said "well it looked like you were having fun". And "well you made the others look really good". And "so, you aren't really a magician right? I mean really because if you are I can give you some tips to make your act work..."

People are simply unable to control saying that kind of unkind stuff, and so always remember Robert... we've all been there.

Did you remember Adam Savage and his talk? He talked openly about all his failures. It was so inspirational. He had failed badly, many times, but he owned up and with support and love kept right on doing what he loved.

I felt so badly after the skeptics in the pub fiasco that I was almost ready to give up ever speaking in public again. And then, I just thought about Adam's talk. And so, I'm going to speak again. This time it will be with what I'm comfortable with (I'm not a stand up comic) and I know I have to as what I have to say and share is important. Jeff Wagg recently mentioned about how important skeptic work IS. Between Adam Savage and Jeff Wagg I was able to commit to getting back on the horse that threw me a few times.

And my talk is going to be fantastic.

Sorry to take over your thread!! Seriously, I just remember being so happy to see you and when your wife came out and gave you that hug....there was a BIG lesson there. About the power of love. About not giving up. About how we are all in this together. Simply the vision of you up there together was worth the price of the conference.
 
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Kitty, just get up there and talk! By the way, I fully intend to speak at future TAMs, if asked. I'll just be better prepared next time!
 
You had better!!

It should be noted my next scheduled speech is about French "woo". (Paranormal stuff)

it's not rated "G". Hey they are FRENCH, ofcourse their woo has a lot to do with sex!

I've got slides to go along with it.

So no stealing my idea though ok? You can talk about Italian woo if you like ...
 
Wow. I just happened on this thread. I suppose I should check in more often.

Robert! What are you thinking!

It may be that your talk was a bit rambling, but hey, I could name names of people who have talked at TAM and put me to sleep. You didn’t come close to doing that, which may not be the highest honor, but it counts for something. Look. Many of us were concerned about you. And there you were talking and making sense and putting yourself out there. Please don’t think that because some of us were relieved to see you doing so well that the fact that you are does not count as important to the content of your talk.

I was freaking floored by your talk.

I have had the pleasure of talking with you on a few occasions before your stroke, seeing you talk at TAM7, and also chatting with you since your stroke, and aside from being somewhat self conscious, which is understandable, you seem to be very much the same guy I met at TAM5.

Give yourself a break fer-crying-out-loud. Your talk made a lot of us very happy.
 
Kil said:
I was freaking floored by your talk.

I have had the pleasure of talking with you on a few occasions before your stroke, seeing you talk at TAM7, and also chatting with you since your stroke, and aside from being somewhat self conscious, which is understandable, you seem to be very much the same guy I met at TAM5.

Give yourself a break fer-crying-out-loud. Your talk made a lot of us very happy.
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Thanks, Kil.
 
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