Stuck inside with nothing to do, but have the attention span of a dog chasing squirrels? You can conquer cabin fever by watching previously recorded lectures and storytelling series that shine the light on San Antonio speakers.
Usually ongoing throughout the year, these lecture and storytelling series promote creativity, positivity and perseverance in oral form. With vivid imagery, funny anecdotes and occasionally explicit language, these speakers crush the mold of boring school-like lectures — all under the span of 30 minutes.
For each iteration of Texas Public Radio’s Worth Repeating, seven storytellers share a true story from their lives on a central theme — but the kicker is, they have to tell it in seven minutes. From James Baker’s slithery snake tale to Crystal Henry’s cozy childhood memories of the calm following all those Texas thunderstorms, Worth Repeating’s speakers offer unique and interesting perspectives that will make the minutes fly by. tpr.org/programs/worth-repeating.
Another speaking staple in Countdown City is PechaKucha San Antonio, which twists the storytelling method into a sort of “show and tell” experience through a show of 20 slides — each of which the speaker can comment on for only 20 seconds. Previous San Antonio installments of this series have included Texas Poet Laureate Carmen Tafolla, planetary astrophysicist Natalie Hinkel and, most recently, artist Nicholas Frank. pechakucha.com/cities/san-antonio.
Falling down the life lesson rabbit hole wouldn’t be complete without the big kahuna of lecture series: TED Talks. Luckily, we have a TEDx offshoot right here in the Alamo City. At TEDxSanAntonio events, local figures discuss ideas and issues and create a space for dialogue within the community. TEDxSA’s past roster highlights thought-provoking presentations from a diverse array of people, from researchers and CEOs to artists and dancers. tedxsanantonio.com.
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