What's a Pecha Kucha?

Our trip started with a scare on the airplane when a few people a couple of rows in front of us started waving their arms wildly in the plane shouting "hey - we need help here!" One passenger had passed out and we didn't know if he was okay or not. Oxygen tanks were brought out and another passenger who apparently was a doctor monitored the passengers health. When we landed the passenger was looked at by medical staff and we saw him in the baggage claim so all was well. Whew!

We arrived in Houston around 6pm. Weather was overcast and not too humid - hooray! Our taxi driver took a little detour and tried to drop us off at the Four Seasons. He forgot Renee said the Hyatt! So we had an impromptu tour of downtown Houston. Jason mentioned that Houston was the fourth largest city in the US which I didn't know. We rushed around, checked into the conference, tossed our bags into our rooms, ate sandwiches at Einstein's Bros. Bagels for dinner before walking to Sam Houston Park to attend the Boot Stompin' Pecha Kucha at 8pm.
What's a Pecha Kucha? It's a Japanese phrase meaning "chit chat". It's a presentation style which is limited to 20 slides which show for 20 seconds. Presentations would be limited to 6 min and 66 seconds - hmmmm. The host said 6 min. and 40 seconds, maybe to avoid the 6.66 number? I'm tired so I'm thinking weird thoughts.
Presenters have to really be on top of it and time their presentations to fit the flow of the slides. I thought the style of Pecha Kucha was very dynamic and kept my attention. The Children's Museum of Houston did a really good presentation about educational technology and hands on learning. Kidcity, a children's museum in Middleton County, CT did a presentation about creating a hygiene exhibit. Another presenter did an inspiring personal story about having a "ukelele moment" and striving to achieve that feeling of discovery and excitement in a childen's museum.
A not so successful presentation was made by some guys from Red Box Workshop. I think they were supposed to be an example of effective team Pecha Kucha but they kept falling behind the timing of their slides and their topic seemed really out there - difference between soccer fields vs. football fields? Wha???? Because their presentation didn't flow, it seemed disjointed and not very professional.
I have to critique the set up of the event. In the program it mentioned there would be volunteers in the hotel lobby to direct people to the park. The volunteer we talked to gave us wrong directions. When we arrived at the park, which was a really cool, sprawling compound of historical buildings surrounding an awesome oak tree, we didn't know where the Pecha Kucha was being presented. No signs, no staff/volunteers were stationed around the park to direct people. When we finally found the room it was nearly full. The room which the event was held was very small and not well thought out. There were large vertical wooden beams which obscured the view for people sitting on the left and right side (see pic at top.)The only people who could see the whole screen had to sit dead center.
Thursday will be easier to navigate since all the workshops on on site at the hotel. It will be a workshop packed day!