Putting them and myself to sleep

Today I lectured to my students about the history of the Icelandic manuscript production, collection, destruction, and repatriation. I had the powerpoint in my collection from a speech I had given in Los Angeles two years ago I think. I distinctly recall members of the audience (an adult audience who got me to come as part of their annual banquet) at that event two years ago enjoying my lecture and laughing and asking lots of questions. Today the same powerpoint elicited only a few nods and I think one half-hearted chuckle from the 15 students in the summer session course I am teaching. I cannot blame the topic (who would not find the history of the Icelandic manuscripts fascinating??), of course, so I think it must have had something to do with my delivery. Repeating the same material in a presentation always takes some of the excitement and energy out of a talk, definitely. But today I figure postprandial shunt had probably directed all the blood away from my brain. So I blame the burrito.

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