So I just want to say thank you very much to everyone that came along to my Webinar last night (’Using Images Creatively‘). Just in case you didn’t make it, here’s what you missed:
22:45: Ten minutes to go before the Webinar is due to kick off. I log onto the platform and wait.
22.50: I hear voices - it’s Tyson and Tania! They are the organisers from English Central. We chat.
22.55: I look over my notes as you do before a presentation.
23.00: We go live! Tyson introduces the event. He asks where the participants where they are from. I hear Canada, Spain, Turkey and Ireland. There are other countries represented but I don’t catch these as I am adjusting my headset at this point.
23.02: Tyson gives me control (Webinar terminology). I say thank you to everyone for coming alone. I tell them where I am in the world - I am staying with my brother in Reading, UK. I tell them what time it is here. I give a bit of background information about myself and mention what I am going to talk about.
23.09: I tell a very funny joke about two bumble bees and a dolphin
23.11: I am walking around the sitting room, straying as far from my laptop as my headset will allow. I’m talking everyone through one of my favourite activities: ‘Mental Image Dictation’. I always get a bit carried away with this one.
23.12: I ask Tyson a question but get no reply. Strange - I thought we would be in audio contact throughout. I look at my computer screen and notice that the signal bar icon has no reading. This is bad - it means ‘no Internet’.
23.13: I run to the router which is under the desk. I unplug it and plug it back in. I bump my head on the underside of the desk. It was quite hard but it didn’t hurt. I get my brother involved. I ask him to have a look.
23.15: Still no internet. We repeat the unplugging/ plugging in process. I am stressing out my brother quite a bit. He doesn’t deserve that at all.
23.16: Still no internet. No idea why.
23.17: I realise I have to get in contact with the organisers of the Webinar. I can’t get their number as I don’t have online access. I need someone who does.
23.22: Start calling friends and family members. Everyone is either out or not at a computer. I mean what is going on?! I thought everyone had iPhones these days. I’m swearing quite a lot.
23.27: I finally get through to my sister in Barcelona. I wake her up but she doesn’t seem to mind.
23.30: My sister should have been able to get her computer up and running by now but she says that it is being extra slow this evening.
23.33: Still waiting
23.37: Everything is beautiful. My sister’s computer connects. She manages to find me the contact number as well as the dialing code for Canada (the organisers’ location)
23.39: Get through to English Central. Manage to speak with Tyson. I apologise. He is very understanding and says that we can reschedule. He tells me that Gavin Dudeney stepped in for me. I have jealous visions of him entertaining my participants who are all thinking to themselves, “Wow this is great. I’m really glad it all worked out like this.”
23.42: I hang up.
23.45: The Internet returns.
23.50: My brother phones Virgin, the Internet provider. Apparently there was a fault in the area. What absolute perfect inconvenience. I am in awe of their timing. I take the phone and congratulate the customer services agent. She thinks that I am being sarcastic. I really don’t know if I was.
Anyway, sorry about all that. Reschedule information will follow. Watch this space.
19 responses so far ↓
1 Callie // Sep 30, 2009 at 1:18 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGG8JIuhXX8 - The Technical Hitch - a friend of yours?
2 Shelly Terrell // Sep 30, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Although you had to go through a lot of hassle, I’m glad I get another chance to hear you. Yesterday, when I logged in everyone sounded like the chipmunks and I was not able to comprehend what they were really saying. The voices were very high pitched and this has never happened to me before at a webinar. I have had technical difficulties with someone’s sound being cut off, but I have never experienced the chipmunks before.
3 admin // Sep 30, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Hello Callie. Yep - the Technical Hitch definitely sums up my week. Internet down, blog problems, it’s all happening. Thanks for the funny video.
4 admin // Sep 30, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Shelly - that is quite funny. I do sometimes speak like a chipmunk but not last night. Anyway, every cloud has a silver lining I suppose so I’m glad it has worked out in the end.
5 Hortensia // Sep 30, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I won’t forget my first webinar.
I never thought the webinar were so exciting, specially for you.
Don’t worry there will be another chance to hear you
6 admin // Sep 30, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Hello Hortensia.
You are funny. Now I am going to be worried whenever I have to give a Webinar in the future. This will probably last the rest of my life.
J =)
7 Patrick Jackson // Sep 30, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Hi Jamie. The really disappointing thing was not being able to actually see all this. We could only imagine the strong language and general panic stations out there in the void (Reading? Same thing). This is one area where a webinar going wrong is less entertaining than a similar meltdown in real life. Don’t worry, Jamie. We’ll be expecting great things next week and if it doesn’t work this time you owe me a beer. Oooh the prrrrrresssure!
8 Johanna Stirling // Sep 30, 2009 at 8:42 pm
The next one can’t be worse (you may wish I hadn’t said that). Jo x
9 Rosa // Sep 30, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I was not able to be at the webinar, but now, by reading this, I only can tell you that even Bill Gates has this kind of problems. Can’t tell you it won’t happen again, but next time (hope not) you’ll be more experienced and maybe not swear very much.
10 admin // Sep 30, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Thanks for the support Patrick, Jo and Rosa (sounds like it was something serious that I have been through!).
Anyway, just been talking with Tyson and Tania. Trying to work out when take two will take place. Will keep you informed here.
Jamie
=)
11 Sabridv // Oct 1, 2009 at 1:31 am
Looking forward to the next try! =)
12 Gavin Dudeney // Oct 1, 2009 at 4:06 am
Jamie,
Bad luck, for sure. I didn’t really step in and save the day, but a couple of people asked about Second Life so I told them, and we all sympathised with you and your problems (though I had a sneaking suspicion you’d simply gone to the pub!) and then we all went home. I’ll be looking forward to the real thing sometime soon.
With the broken luggage and the broken Net I’m wondering if you’ve got ‘Reverse Midas Touch’?
Gavin
13 kitty // Oct 2, 2009 at 8:28 am
Hello Jamie,
it’s all actually very good news, well, for me at least, because I wasn’t able to watch the first try and I’d definitely like to try again. Moreover, the story above is really funny, though I understand how stressful it must have been at the time.
Waiting for the new date.
Kitty
14 Dan // Oct 6, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Hello matey, I’m very glad it went pair-shaped - Like Kitty, I get a chance to see it too. There you go, you see, more listeners (or is it viewers?) for you.
By the way, there’s an even better site for ornithological questions… Twitcher.com (boom, boom!)
15 admin // Oct 12, 2009 at 11:40 am
Thanks very much everyone for your kind support. It was really nice of you all to let me know that you were on my side!
Anyway, the Webinar has been rescheduled. Look forward to seeing you there:
http://englishcentral.net/index.php?id=66
16 gita assefi // Oct 18, 2009 at 7:56 am
Hi there !
You must have got so nervous ….It’s so disappointing event and hope you will never face that ,but it may happen …what is important to be calm and always in control in these circumstances ….good luck!
17 admin // Oct 19, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Thanks for the support Gita
Let’s see what happens tomorrow night
Jamie =)
18 Kung Fu Bunny // Oct 21, 2009 at 3:23 am
[…] and although have to admit I was a tiny bit apprehensive about the whole thing given what happened last time, I’m proud to announce that it went off without ! Here’s a few of the […]
19 Pesky technology problems « English Central Blog // Oct 22, 2009 at 4:22 am
[…] it took a while for him to realise and he has a very entertaining blog entry entitled An evening without me that relates the experience. Gavin Dudeney, co-author of the award-winning How to Teach English […]
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