Pechu kucha hit our family reunion, and it was, predictably, unpredictable, exhilarating and informative. The format: 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide. You have to talk fast or say very little! Then there's a dramatic change of topic and away we go again. Examples:
- Tom: how to convert your car engine to vegetable oil fuel. Emasculating for some who don't know a distributor from a carburettor, but awe-inspiring.
- Robyn: the life of Celia Twyneham (our mother: that beautiful naughty adventurous socialite turned poor radical vicar's wife back in the day).
- Jamie: redesigning Christchurch: his take on pre-earthquake Christchurch, past developments and possibilities. Great chance to brood on the city the six Taylor matriarchs grew up in.
- Me: how dancing kills mosquitoes, fixes global warming, brings world peace and straightens your teeth.
The family reunion was brilliant. Relaxed, happy, friendly. Instant rapport among 60-odd people. Tennis swimming cricket walking biking talking cards. It's great watching those cousins size each other up, latch on and make superglue bonds. The secret is simple: having the reunions so often that they're just part of life. We do it every 5–7 years.
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