What to say?

[harvestar]

My mom called yesterday saying, "I have some surprising news." (said in the tone reserved for announcing births, weddings, etc. )

It turns out that my old grade school (where she still works) wants me (ME?!?) to come back and be the guest speaker for 8th grade graduation.

Goodness, I remember those being so unbelievably boring.

Any advice on what to say, what not to say? I'm kind of drawing a blank here. (any examples from speeches you remember or that didn't bore you to tears would be great!)

jamiam was helpful today with saying to go the inspirational route, and possibly using liquid nitrogen.

Comments

Really, anything that goes "boom" will do...

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

Where "inspirational" can be easily interchanged with "interactive"....

Re: Really, anything that goes "boom" will do...

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

There is of course the stipulation that you somehow connect any hands-on demonstration to whatever it is that you're actually saying.

Me, I would go the anecdotal route: I would pick some larger theme (you are about to become adults now/you future is in your hands/your future is in God's hands/something something something something) and weave it around a personal anecdote. Ideally a personal anecdote which a.) illustrates how awesome astronomy is, b.) illustrates how your education got you to the point where you could appreciate that awesomeness, and c.) contains a strong, spectacularly slapstick element. Optionally, you may want to include d.) a semi-exotic location.

(Hee, if you weren't talking in a church, I would recommend borrowing Chris' exploding toilet story....)

Re: Really, anything that goes "boom" will do...

[harvestar.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Exploding toilet story? (I know I should know that...)

Re: Really, anything that goes "boom" will do...

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

Sorry to blather at you. I'm sure you'll do something completely different, and it'll turn out better still! But it's funny: I know exactly what to say now, when I'm not under the hammer. If I were in your shoes, I'd have no idea. And I'd already be hyperventilating.

I'd better quick cut and paste what I wrote there, so I can look at it when that finally happens....

Oh, exploding toilet. Um. That one is really best told in person, you know?

Re: Really, anything that goes "boom" will do...

[harvestar.livejournal.com]

No apologies necessary. :) You have some great ideas there! And this is why I'm asking others. I'm sure if someone presented this idea to me in the abstract, I'd be able to come up with something.

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

Oh, you know the stars' lives demonstration? About how blue stars burn hot, bright and fast? And red stars burn slow and long? And you get some volunteers to jump up and down doing jumping jacks, and other volunteers to do a cool, easy hula dance? That generalizes easily to real life, and it'll keep people awake for 5 minutes. And you know for sure that it won't crack the marble...

turned to the dark side

[soulgem.livejournal.com]

So I am leavig randomm notes in everyone's journal since I just made one as a way to waste even more of my time.

RJC