Great time last night in Anchorage

Spoke at the University of Alaska-Anchorage in a really nice auditorium-style classroom. AV was solid, and great crowd of over 100. A bookseller was moving both books (paper) out front, so I signed a bunch before heading in and setting up.

I was a little tired and a little out of sorts (I'm speaking at 2300 my time, remember), but you can always feel an audience's desire for the material, and this one had it (far more than the laid-back Juneau crowd the night before), so they just pull the energy out of you and whenever you feel your effort flagging, you lock you eyes on somebody you can tell is really into your delivery and they just keep you strong. Simply put, if you want it good, you get it good, no matter how I'm feeling. You just cannot disrespect an audience that's making that effort to remain focused and engaged.

The only trick was that I really needed to project in this room, so the throat got a good workout, but unlike in Juneau the day earlier, I didn't speak that much earlier in the day, so my voice didn't falter.

Went long on slides (almost 60), because I just had that inkling beforehand that these guys would desire more, so I talked a solid 1:45.

Then the questions flowed and we went another solid hour, which was a bit surprising given the lateness of the hour (after 9pm). But, save for one protest statement that was a bit off-topic (autism), they were really thoughtful and well-delivered and pushed me quite a bit.

I notice two burly guys in work clothes that break in on the place about 20 minutes in. You could just sense these two had driven a long way to get there and had rushed the entire way.

As soon as they sat down on my far left, I was immediately drawn to them. You just sense the intensity of the listening.

Well, they had driven for hours at high speeds to make the talk, one of them being a 31-year special operations naval vet who had participated in Desert One with Pete Schoomaker. This guy also recently just lost a son in Iraq.

Following the talk, which included two very solid questions from these guys that indicated they've read me intensely and get on a truly high plane, we end up talking for a while outside (they're threatening to drive to Fairbanks today to see the show all over again tonight), I was carrying a signed map poster (thanks to old friend Steff, I have about 280 of them now in my bedroom closet, so I've been bringing them to talks and giving them away like it's my command coin or something) and because the expected retired flag big-name didn't show up, I gave it to this vet who was really thrilled to get it.

It was a nice ending to one of my best nights of talking ever.

Comments

[Mike in VA]

You go, Tom...its the workadaddy lunchbucket guys and gals you need to reach, as well as the "whateverigentsia", which is why I was so glad to see your column get going in "local" papers. Also why I regret it, on your behalf, when I detect echoes and whiffs of an "insider" partisan, rather than balanced critique, 'cuz these folks can and will make up their own minds and "insider" stuff sounds like being talked down to when you'd drive hours at high speeds to hear a guy's ideas. I live inside the Beltway, but I'd drive over to Morgantown or Pittsburgh or someplace to hear you speak to an audience of "just us local folks".