When I said I was going to the Reason Rally and Northwest Freethought Conference I left out a little detail. Of the speakers that were then to be announced, I already knew I was one of them. I’ve been promised that the schedule was supposed to have already been updated and that it will be soon, but I am “Speaker” who will be reporting on the Reason Rally during the banquet. Oh, and yes it is a little intimidating to be filling the spot that had been filled by PZ Myers last year.

In case you’re wondering, yes, the last time I took the stage was July 16, 2007 and that was the last time I stood before a few hundred people and recited pious lies. So I might be a little rusty…of course I have had staff meetings at work, group discussions I’ve lead with local groups, and several podcast appearances with tens of thousands of listeners to help keep me from getting too rusty. However, speaking to people you know or into the void of cyberspace is a lot different than a room of 300 – 400 people who are mostly strangers.

Oh, you know what? I have two things going for me now that I didn’t five years ago, I don’t have an cognitive dissonance and there’s no reason I can’t have a beer or two before I take the stage 😉