TED Community » Deborah Zotian

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• TEDCred score: +4.10 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• +1

  A comment on Conversation: How many books have you read this year?

  Jun 4 2012: I thought I was doing well having read 5 books so far this year; then I see everyone's list and wonder what I've been doing! I'm currently reading 2 books at the same time - one fiction, one nonfiction. Depending on my mood, I open the appropriate book.
  
  My favorite so far this year has been The Meaning of Night, by Michael Cox. It is his first book, and a very dark Victorian mystery. I'm currently reading Drift by Rachel Maddow, and the non-fiction book title escapes my mind just now. (It's also not that great, but I refuse to stop with the hope it will get better).
  
  I get about 45 min to an hour a day to read while I'm on the train to and from work.

• A reply on Conversation: Do you have a small idea to make this world Green? Mention if you already use it.

  Jun 3 2012: John - I actually tried to get solar panels for my home. I was told by two different companies that it wouldn't be cost efficient for me because I use so little already. The cost of the system would be more than I'm paying now for electricity and I couldn't afford the increase.
  
  I jokingly say that in October, my car will be able to drive itself. I have a 1997 Saturn that still gets about 30 MPG in the city and about 36 when I drive long distance. Most of the time, it is a 6 mile round trip to the train station to go to work. We need more mass transit for people - 30 minutes of peace and quiet and reading time in the morning and after work is wonderful.
• +4

  A comment on Conversation: Do you have a small idea to make this world Green? Mention if you already use it.

  Jun 3 2012: All lights in my home are CFLs, I've had my attic fully insulated so as not to lose heat in the winter; I shop farmers markets when I can. Another thing - I unplug anything that has phantom power when I leave the house - TVs, microwave, etc. My comptuer is on a powerstrip, so that turns off the monitor, CPU, speakers, printer when not in use. My electric bill shows my average bill is about $30 less/month than my neighbors. It does go up in the summer (I have to use a dehumidifier in the basement in the summer or mold grows from the damp), but it is still relatively low. No A/C - just fans when I'm home, and open windows. Every little bit helps.

• A reply on Conversation: What guidelines would you give someone preparing a TEDx talk?

  Apr 18 2012: Fritzie, what if it is someone who has never presented before? How would you know if they have an idea worth spreading?
  
  I would think there are some type of guidelines for the conference committee (or TED in general) to have to be sure the presenters have something of interest to the expected audience?

• A reply on Conversation: What guidelines would you give someone preparing a TEDx talk?

  Apr 18 2012: For my presentations, I don't have to worry about choosing the topic. I've been 'assigned' the topic by my client. I train on software so I know exactly what topic I have to prepare.
  
  As I've not been to a TED or TEDx event, isn't there normally a list of suggested topics or areas for the presenters to select? Or at least some guidelines of some kind for those selecting who will be speaking based on the presenters' suggestions?

• A comment on Conversation: Technology doesn't kill the magic

  Apr 11 2012: How can technology kill magic when it is the magic?
  
  I work for a company where we get beta copies of software so we can test it out. Every time, my reaction is "when can I install it so I can play with it?" Some people get annoyed because I say I want to 'play' but that's what it is. It's play; it's magic. Something new that you could never do before, now you can do with the press of a single key. Magic!
  
  You have to see magic in technology. It's there in every line of code and every press of the button.

• A comment on Conversation: Teachers: How would you/ would you speak about your past mistakes and failures to your students?

  Apr 11 2012: I don't train children; I train adults on new software they will be using in their office. There is always someone who is totally intimidated by the software. I sometimes think it helps them to see that the trainer, the supposed expert, also makes mistakes. I let them know how I struggled with the program when it was new because I didn't have anyone who could train me, and I'm giving them the benefit of my 'oops' moments. Inevitably, I find they know something about the software - a trick, a shorcut - that I didn't know. I believe it helps when the students, no matter their age, know their teacher is just as vulnerable as they are to making mistakes. The trick is knowing how to correct them.

• A comment on Conversation: What guidelines would you give someone preparing a TEDx talk?

  Apr 11 2012: My guideline when I prepare a talk (not a TED talk, unfortunately, but for business) is to write it up fully, do the PowerPoint presentation as though I had unlimited time. Then I edit like crazy. The first cut will be at leaset 50% of what I prepared, because it is repetitive or irrelevant to the topic. The second cut will be to tighten up what is remaining - Can certain things be combined? Are there too many ideas presented which could confuse the audience? There may be as many as 6 cuts before I get the final presentation. Something that would have taken an hour or more to start will end up being 10-15 minutes, and will contain the core of the idea.
  
  I try to instill this in my staff as well. I don't need the history of the world - just the facts.
• +3

  A comment on Conversation: What is your favourite quote and why?

  Mar 22 2012: It wasn't said by a famous person, but my mom. A bit of an explanation first: I moved home after my father died to help mom out with the house, etc. The utilities were in my name alone. When the phone companies were calling trying to get people to move to another service, they would call while I was at work. My mom would answer the phone and tell the reps "I don't have a phone" and hang up. (You can picture the person at the other end of the conversation wondering what just happened.)
  
  Every time it happened, it made me laugh for days. I told my brother, he laughed for days. She never understood why we thought it was funny - and we laughed some more.
  
  When she died, we remembered that line and laughed through our tears. That makes it my favorite quote ever.

• A reply on Conversation: What's your excuse for not pursuing your passion?

  Mar 15 2012: I'm trying to do what I can with what I have. I try to make time for some of my passions while still dealing with the 'real world' of billls and work obligations. I'll never make ends meet with my photography or crocheting, and they won't make me enough money to do some traveling. So, unfortunately, they have to wait to be truly and fully enjoyed until I can stop working.