My blog has been dormant for several months. Thankfully this is because business has been busy lately. But I am breaking the silence with a 28 minute video of a recent talk I gave at the Glendon School of Translation Alumni Night. Yes, 28 minutes. About 15 minutes too long perhaps. Lesson number one: editing is as important in speaking as it is in writing. I eschewed a written script in favour of a less formal presentation and I blame the cold I was fighting for my rather lengthy speech.

It's hard to keep track of time when your head is congested, I discovered. The fact that, at the beginning, I make a joke about having too much to say is more than a little ironic in hindsight.

It's been almost a year since I formally established my translation business. At first I had reservations about speaking to a room full of seasoned translators and students eager for real-world advice. After all, a business usually takes a full year or more to become truly established. But the seeds I’ve been sowing over the past few months are now sprouting, so I figured I might have a couple of useful things to say. If I had only said a bit less it might have been more effective. :)

By the way, I sometimes refer to a slide presentation that the video doesn't show. But the images were meant to just underline my points, so they're not essential. Maybe some of what I said rings true or maybe you disagree with my observations. Feel free to let me know.

[Edited to add: the loud explosion at 10:28 is one of the decorative balloons popping - at that point the buffet heaters for the reception had warmed the room by several degrees!]