PowerPoint Presentation Writing TIPS

Here are some PowerPoint presentation writing tips which I am using to prepare for grant writing workshop presentation tomorrow here in Dodgeville, WI. These tips are based off a video by Lawrence Bernstein.

1. Don’t bore the audience with tons of words on each PowerPoint presentation slide.
   1. The slides are not your notes for your presentation.
   2. Keep your slides and the presentation script separate.
2. Make the slides interesting.
   1. Use no more than 10 words per slide.
   2. Use funny graphics if possible.
3. Don’t use technical stuff.
   1. Try to ammuse the audience not bore!
4. Use a story to make the presentation.
   • What you want the audience to take away from the speech.
   • Overall philosophy.
   • The story keeps you focused which you can continue to come back to.
5. Don’t go into too much detail.
6. Make sure to include pauses for them to take in the slide then talk.
7. Make the presentation informal, ask questions, engage the audience.

Edited: November 30th, 2010

Pandora Radio Tips and Tricks

As you can see in my Lifestream, I am addicted to Pandora Radio.

I use Pandora in my home office while preparing and eating dinners. I often find Pandora to be anoying as I get distracted rating music. This free online music service plays music based on your thumbs up/down ratings of artists, songs and albums.

User Notes – Pandora Tips & Tricks

These tips and tricks in the video blog below show how to get more variety or how to fine tune what kind of music plays on your Pandora radio stations.

For more information about Pandora and the Music Genome Project, view my Pandora profile or use the “P” Pandora icon under “Follow Me” in the sidebar below.

Edited: August 10th, 2009

Governor Dodge Canoe Cave Adventure

Last Christmas, I gave my sister a different kind of present. The present was to take her to Governor Dodge State Park and spend the day together in a canoe. We are going to take this trip on Saturday and I am so excited to be free with my big sister! The canoe idea is going include docking our canoe, leaving some of our stuff under the canoe and hiking to find a cave.

There are three caves at Gov Dodge which I have hiked to with my family. Officially though, there are only two caves on the state park trail map. The third cave is smaller than the other two and hard to find off the Pine Cliff trail.

There are over 40 miles of hiking trails at Governor Dodge SP which I do not plan on hiking all of. The trails that we have hiked are some of the most beautiful walks in my life. The Gold Mine Trail will take you to one of the two official caves and is easy to find just off the Twin Valley Lakes campground entrance. The Horse Trail (Interior Loop) is like the shortcut to and from the big cave. To find the big cave (there are many other ways) locate the Meadow Valley Trail which you can pick up from the Cox Hallow Beach, at the end of the parking lot past the concession stand. Head twards Twin Valley Lake using the Meadow Valley Trail. After a looooong walk, pick up the Cave Trail to the right and look for the “Cave” sign. You’ll find it.

Canoe day to-bring list:

(these are just my items, Beckster is bringing items to compliment this list)

• eat before I leave
• pick up Beckie @ 8am!

Lunch

• PBJ’s
• Apples
• Cheese
• Raisins

Dinner

• Bagels
• Cream Cheese
• Chips
• Green salad with asian miracle dressing

Drinks

• two Windy City Cup blue water bottles
• Capitol Brewery Amber in cans, 12 pk. minimum

Dress

(these are items outside my regular garb)

• hat
• Tevas
• Muscle T
• Raincoat / rain pants
• leather hiking shoes

Supplies

• rope or strap for canoe tie-off
• pocket knife
• silverware
• blue overnight framed back pack
• cheese slicer
• small cutting board
• cloth napkins
• blue cloth cooler
• Ice
• life preserver vests
• flashlight (for the cave)
• tobacco and other vices

Edited: July 15th, 2009