The Lorimer Series

Hey guys - I'm going out of town, so I'm having to postpone the April 23rd Lorimer Series. I'll let you know when we resume.

Vol. 5 is coming up next week. Sex and Time and Sex. Check out the lecturers from the schedule page.

Vol. 4 was wonderful. For everyone who enjoyed Marlene's piece, please check out her performance SEEING VOICES, Thursday, March 27th & Friday, March 28th @ 8pm. Tickets at http://www.smartix.com

A participant in the very first Lorimer Series is presenting the Neurosciences and Free Will Symposium at Columbia University on Sunday and Monday, March 30-31, 2008. Check it out.

I've started uploading the videos. It is a painful process, and I'm trying to figure out how to streamline it. If anyone has an easy way to go from MP4 to AVI while throwing in compression and edits let me know. And by easy, I mean that it doesn't take 6 hours to render a one hour video.

More to come, but the first is on the Video Page

Volume 3 was a blast. The Bitter (never date a 28 year old who's never been to Asia) Poet had everyone laughing, Troy had everyone thinking, and I pissed some people off with talk about saving sapience for the Universe. But it was more fun than we all deserved. I swear, I'll get the videos posted this week.

Coming up in Volume 4 on February 13, we're going to learn from Robert a bit about how to perform the bullshit test on statistics, we're going to hear more from Marlene about those voices in her head, and Andrea is going to tell us about about those crazy celebs and some of the voices they may or may not be hearing. Or she might do something on prozac. I'm not sure. But I do know it'll be interesting no mattter what it is.

See you at 8.

Volume 2 of the Lorimer series was another fun time. We heard from Marlene who was performing part of her latest work in progress, Seeing Voices. I've seen it evolve over the past couple of months and it keeps getting funnier and at the same time gives us a glimpse into Marlene's and our own hearts.

Will gave us a look at the whacky fly-boys and the rules that keep them from being bold and dead. While David braved the hecklers and miscreants that sometimes litter the landscape of The Lorimer Series (you know who you are) to give us the latest in the unfolding financial debacle.

Next up on Jan. 9, we'll have The Bitter Poet and his amplified songs of unrequited lust; I'll be talking about your place in the cosmos; and Troy Tyler is making a reappearance to speak to us about our Jeans (I think. Or maybe Genes).

See you at 8.

The inaugural evening of The Lorimer Series was extremely successful. I was very satisfied with the performances and each of the two lectures, and I think the format works beautifully. We had some silly, crazy fun with the Crush Project, Alec gave us a hint of beauty and numbers, and Troy gave us a sobering perspective on the upcoming oil crunch. There was just the right amount of heckling, laughter, and serious thinking.

Next up on November 28th, we have more crazyness from Marlene's multiple personalities; Will is going to give us a brand new frame for our decision making, Death; and David is going to explain to us why things are so very screwed up in the financial markets, and what we can do to avoid lining up against the wall like the other suckers. 

See you at 8.

Ok, so I've finally got everyone I need for the first three lectures!! It has been fun looking for everyone, and thanks to everyone who's signed up. I'm scheduling the first lecture for the 24th of October, and the second one for the 28th of November. I'm going to wait unti Jan. for the third in the series. December just doesn't make sense for anyone, least of all me. I'll be sending out the invitations via email. Make sure you RSVP!

One more lecturer has joined the roster for TLS. I'm really looking forward to hear more from David Kovner. David will likely be speaking to us on financial issues related to the global market, though he might just give us a dissertation on his surfboard collection. I should have his speaking topic by the end of next week.

Just two more to go. We're getting close.

I've just signed up two more lecturers, and I've only got to get three more to fill up the first three of the series. I'm hoping to have everyone finalized and scheduled by the end of the month.

The new lecturers are Maren, with her lecture entitled "Should we merge with our machines?", and Marlene, who's going to be performing her work, "Seeing Voices". I'll be happy to get the final speakers, because I'm really looking forward to the presentations I already have lined up.

Stay tuned!!!

I'm looking for more lecturers to feed the hungry maw that is The Lorimer Series. I'm open to a broad range of topics - really it can be anything, but it has to be interesting and broadly applicable. I'll admit the selection criteria are pretty arbitrary, but if you're reading this, you no doubt have one or two intellectual passions. 

Preparation for a lecture will help you refine your own learning and your own views on a subject that you care about. After you get that lecture done, come back and give another one on a different topic.

Do you need to be an expert? No. You just need to care deeply about the topic. The point isn't to show off your knowledge, it is to share your enthusiasm.

There are a lot of reasons to attend one (or all!) of the series lectures. First of all, come to have a good time. Let's face it, you are going to be surrounded by people who care about ideas, care about people, and care about having a good time. If you learn something or get infected by someone's overwhelming love for her topic, so much the better.

If you want to be wowed by experts who've devoted their whole lives to the pursuit of excellence in their given field, and are highly accomplished, published authors, stimulating speakers, and sexy bookworms. Then go to Ted.com. After you realize you won't be invited to Monterey any time soon, come back here and let's have some fun.

I want to get the first nine lectures scheduled, then I'll put up the first three lecture dates. They'll be approximately one month apart, and I'd like to start as soon as possible. Hope to see you soon.