If you haven’t heard what TEDx is by now, you are missing out on some of the most inspiring and motivating presentations available to the public.

TEDx centers around the theme of ideas worth sharing. The acronym stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design. Created in 1984 as a small conference, the concept of presenting TED talks has gone global. (There is even a TEDxYerevan) The small ‘x’ signifies an independently organized TED event. Each TED talk ranges in time no longer than eighteen minutes. This is great for those of us with short attention span!

If you are an enthusiast of TED talks, you have undoubtedly have a favorite presenter.  I have watched many of these presentations over the years, but some of my favorite presenters that come to mind are Ernesto Sirolli and Sir Ken Robinson. Who are your favorite presenters?

Outside of Oakland University

On October 23rd, I had the opportunity to become a TED speaker. I was one of the speakers at TEDx Oakland University. What an unbelievable experience this was for me. Over 500 in attendance, the day was filled with some remarkable speakers and topics.

My topic was on Armenian music, 100 years after the Armenian Genocide. Certainly a topic which I have little difficulty in presenting, but the challenge was greater for me this time around. Not only was I going to speak about this topic, but play some music and click through slides in a matter of fifteen minutes. This made me a bit uneasy, however I think I managed well. (The proof will be in a forthcoming video link).

Not only was this enjoyable for me, but it was rewarding. I was able to present on a topic that means so much to me and to be able to educate an audience which has not been exposed to Armenian music is wonderful. Equal in satisfaction is educating the audience about the Armenian Genocide. This caught me off guard a bit as sometimes I take for granted that everyone has heard of the Genocide. I could tell by my discussion and description and by audience reactions, that wasn’t the case.

No pressure…..

I would like to give thanks to Charlie Rinehart. Initially I wasn’t sure if I needed assistance in preparing for this talk, but Charlie offered to be a coach as part of the Ted team and I gladly accepted the offer. It was well worth it. A fantastic sounding board that offered clear assistance to me.

Finally, this was not an easy even to organize. Attention to detail was apparent and a big thank you to all of those involved in making TEDx Oakland University team is in order!