I’ve been working on a new series of decks related to writing and the application of the concepts I’ve learned to the art of composition, and I’ve also been working on grades for my online students all in the lovely Pacific Northwest. This is by far my favorite part of the country, and I love being here and gaining inspiration from the world around me. As I graded, I ran across this excellent deck by Gleb Maitsev of Toastmasters International. I’ve flirted with the idea of Toastmasters; I’ve never attended a meeting and I think this is partly because of my own misconceptions about the place, which are driven by my fears about public speaking. Maitsev has definitely intrigued me with this deck: