Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host
As "Mr. Constitution," I do my share of speaking engagements. More often than not I speak to women's republican clubs, mostly of the Republican Women's Federated variety. Most of my speaking engagement opportunities emerge when a leader or member of a group has the opportunity to see me speak at a different venue. Sometimes, they stumble upon me on the radio, online, or on one of the speaker's bureaus I am listed on.
The Women's Federated Group in Santa Monica had me out to speak yesterday. Their event was held at Enterprise Fish Company in Santa Monica, in the outside patio of the fish restaurant, and I have to say it was the best grilled trout I have ever tasted. While my speaking time was a tad on the shorter side (half-hour, plus or minus a few minutes), the group was delightful and enthusiastic. As usual, I received a lot of positive comments, afterwards.
I opened with my usual, "My favorite founding father was a woman."
The tale, here, when it comes to my journey through the traffic of Los Angeles, and the drive to northern California, however, begins when that speaking engagement ended.
I live in Southern California, and the Los Angeles traffic scene is renowned worldwide as the most challenging to navigate, or at least among the worst across the globe.
The plan was to arrive in Santa Monica early (which I did, with forty-five minutes to spare), leave at a reasonable time, get home by the time my wife arrived at our house from work, kiss the five remaining members of the family at the house "goodbye," and then head up to Carmel-By-The-Sea, next to Monterrey, and arrive with my wife at our hotel up there before midnight.
California traffic, and other things that go bump in the night, had other plans.
The 11:30 am start in Santa Monica was great. I have a tendency to not depart until the last person has had a chance to talk to me. I figured I'd be out of there by 1:30, giving me a full three-and a half hours to get home by five.
I departed at 2:30 pm.
I took a wrong turn, and visited the marina.
I finally got down the road at 3:00 pm, and with the traffic in full swing, it wound up taking me a full three-and-a-half hours to get home.
Note: The true distance is 99 miles, which should have been a less than two hour drive in driving conditions other than the Los Angeles parking lot, otherwise known as Southern California's freeway system.
I arrived at home at 6:30 pm, got on the road at 7:00 pm, realized we needed gas, and spent my $4 per gallon to get it (it's close to $5 a gallon along the central coast, and the cap and trade hike still hasn't kicked in, yet). L.A. Traffic was as bad heading north has it had been heading south. We experienced continuous rubbernecking opportunities to view accidents and roadwork along the way. By the time we got over the Grapevine on Interstate 5 we were looking at, if all things worked out properly, arriving well after midnight in Monterrey.
We wound up flopping down on our hotel beds at 2:30 am.
I am not complaining, I am just telling you how hair-raising the life of a public speaker can sometimes get.
The good news is a Navy Federal Credit Union is in town (so that I can deposit yesterday's speaker fee), and the venue up here is 12 minutes from my hotel.
The group up here is excited to have me speak, or so the person who scheduled me told me this morning on the phone (she called around 7 am, but I was already up ... who gets more than a few hours sleep in this busy world, anyway?).
Here's the thing. While I always get rave reviews for my speeches, and I am told I am a wonderful speaker, I have honestly never thought of myself as being that great of a presenter. Maybe the scenery from the other side of my skull is different than from what I notice. But, I think I do well, and get rave reviews not because of any particular skill in my presentation, but because of the unique information I provide, and my unique take on how to present it.
Nobody talks about the Constitution, anymore. Heck, most of us have been convinced of a bunch of myths about it, anyway. Most folks I talk to think the Constitution is the Preamble and the Bill of Rights. They are shocked when they hear there are seven articles, and 27 amendments (well, 25 if you consider that the 18th and 21st cancel each other out).
So, when I deliver my presentation, a whole new world opens up for most folks. From a constitutional angle, they step out of ignorance and into a wonderful world of knowledge. For some, it is like stepping out of a black and white scene into a world of blazing color. The social contract we call the United States Constitution becomes a fascinating piece of literature that is both timeless, and obviously responsible for the freedom and prosperity the United States has enjoyed for well over two centuries. I break down the language of the document, and provide historical and testimonial evidence that shocks and amazes. The Constitution is, after all, the second greatest document ever written . . . second only to the Holy Bible.
The thing is, all I do is provide basic truth, and it blows people out of the water when they hear that truth.
In a world of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a radical action.
The problem is, we have been lied to for so long, the truth, when we hear it, is shocking.
Anyway, my event in Carmel starts is a couple hours, and pictures from both Santa Monica, and Carmel, are forthcoming. As for those of you who follow me on Facebook, I plan to do a Facebook Live video later on today.
www.facebook.com/douglasvgibbs
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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