St Ethelburga

Using Microsoft 'Powerpoint' in 2010 is the mark of an unreconstructed throwback. These days, quite frankly, if something involves someone else giving a presentation using 'Powerpoint' I won't go. Life is too short to detail the horrors of your common unqualified middle manager let loose with transitions, sound effects and no limit to the number of poorly laid out, ill thought and pointless slides he can inflict on a captive audience.

But tomorrow I am to give a presentation that requires some graphic support. Really needs it. Describing one of your dining chairs over the phone with the person at the other end having to draw it accurately from your description sort of really needs it. So I left it until last thing today to put together a simple series of half a dozen images to show as a full-screen pdf, as one does. And every single thing that could go wrong with a wide area network with thin client architecture did.

I've always accorded St Ethelburga, as the patron saint of throats, the privilege of being the patron saint of public speaking, and by extension of business presentations. My heartfelt prayer to her earlier this evening paid dividends and all is now resolved for tomorrow.

Anyone who wants to know a little about this remarkable lady might out of interest visit this site, where even I can painfully make out some of the phrases without asking Guthrum for help;

Anna hātte hyre fæder, Ēastengla cynincg, swȳðe Cristen man, swā swā hē cȳdde mid weorcum, and eall his tēam wearð ġewurðod þurh God