Speaking Tonight in Massachusetts, Sort Of

I'll have the distinct honor of speaking tonight at Thomas Talbot Lodge in the northwestern Boston suburb of Billerica, Massachusetts. Dinner begins at 6PM; lodge opens at 7PM; and I believe my part of the evening starts around 7:45 or so.

I just won't be there.

This will be a unique experience for a couple of reasons. First, this will be a video conference between myself and everyone attending this evening. So, please don't bring books thinking I will sign them, or that I'll have any with me. I'm actually in Indianapolis still taking care of Alice in her bed of pain with her post-op knee. The lodge will be projecting my mug onscreen, which means I'll have to break down and move the junk out from behind my desk for the occasion—at least out of camera range.

Second, if any of you have heard me elsewhere, you'll be thrilled to know I'm not making a speech you've heard before. Instead, this will be something that lodges seem to have enjoyed more of recently—a back and forth conversation, sharing ideas from around the country about membership, retention, programming, social media issues, ego tug of wars, and much more. We'll talk about problems and solutions, successes and failures, hare-brained schemes and brilliant ideas, and anything else anyone wants to throw around. 

I understand that the lodge will conclude its business and officially close before we get started, and this will be an open gathering. So members, guests, and even non-Masons may attend. And yes, we tested this technology out a couple of weeks ago just to be sure it works.

The lodge is located at 11 Concord Road, Billerica, Massachusetts. If you have questions about the evening, please contact Worshipful Master Lee Spach at master@thomastalbot.org

By the way, if you still haven't got your Christmas tree yet, come out to the lodge tonight. Their annual Christmas Tree Sale is going on now. 

Down with plastic trees! 

Bet they'll even tie it to your car roof.