The 2019 TEDxKeene Organizing Team
Corinne Marcou - Lead Organizer
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What do you do everyday that brings you joy? After the work hours have been put in, many of which can be stressful, walking into the gym changes all of that; simply makes it melt away. The sense of community, the friendships made and nurtured are at times more important than the actual work out completed. What brings us together is the desire to be more fit and active, but what keeps us coming back is the community support we have for each other. Each day I leave the gym, I’m stress-free, happier and a better person. What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? I’ve hiked Mount Monadnock a number of times in the past 20 years+ I’ve lived here. I’ve hiked many of it’s trails both alone and with some of my favorite people. On my bucket list is to do a moonlit hike, a sunrise hike and one during the winter months. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? The Happy Planet Index. This talk describes how I feel about our planet and the time we have here. Our time here isn’t about gaining more and more stuff as much as it’s to ensure we are all happy, that this earth is here, not just for today but also for our future generations. I believe it’s possible to live a positive happy life, not by collecting more products which is ultimately detrimental to our earth, but by giving, learning, being active, connecting socially, and taking notice of our community and our world. I agree with the speaker Nic Marcs that if there is a positive outlook on life and the Happy Planet Index, there could be a more collective agreement and movement on saving this one planet. |
Ritu Budakoti
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What do you do everyday that brings you joy? I have made a personal commitment to myself that I will nurture the mindset to find joy in anything that I do. So, being a mom of two awesome kids brings me immense joy. Working toward strengthening my local community is also something that is close to my heart. I am also a practitioner of Sahaja Yoga Meditation, which helps me recharge and rejuvenate every day. My mantra is "love what you do and do what you love" and so I work to save lives by helping change the global conversation on Human Performance. What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? Besides running and taking long walks with my husband or kids, I like to organize or be a part of multicultural events in the Monadnock region. Meeting new people, sharing and learning about new cultures and traditions is something I really enjoy. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? "Creativity is not an option. It is an absolute necessity." - Sir Ken Robinson. Being an educator, the most memorable TED talk that had a profound impact on me was, “Do schools kill creativity?” In this thought provoking talk, Sir Ken Robinson outlined the need and urgency of teaching and learning of creativity in the school system just like any other core subject. Robinson says that children have an extraordinary capacity for innovation and that they aren't afraid to try things and make mistakes. Education systems, however, heavily penalize mistakes; Robinson says, “We are educating people out of their creative capacities." So, personally when I am in doubt or fear undertaking new projects, I still find hope in his words: "If you are not prepared to be wrong you will never come up with anything original.” |
Kate Cote
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What do you do every day that brings you joy? Finding the joy in little moments and celebrations that happen each day. Noticing frost on some sumac, walking to the library after work in the summer, the way the woods smell, a really good song on the radio, all those little things. What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? Hiking! I love to get out in the woods, especially when they’re quiet. There are a huge number of amazing mountains and trails within NH. I feel extra lucky to live in an area where so many are available within such a close drive from my home. What TED talk changed your mind or elevated your perspective? What did it change for you? Matt Cutts’ talk “Try Something New For 30 Days”—This talk focuses on the idea that if there issomething that you’ve always wanted to do, or just thought about doing but just haven’t, try it for 30 days and see what happens. Get out of that rut, try new things, be a little bolder, make time more memorable. Small, achievable things like biking to work, taking a photo, journaling. I feel like we get stuck in multiple ruts: the everyday routine, the fear of not being able to do something, the what difference does it make. Trying something new every 30 days and sticking with it proves that life is indeed fun and variable. |
Amanda Hitchings
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What do you do everyday that gives you joy? Giving a forehead kiss to my now really big babies. What is your favorite thing to do in the Monadnock Region? Hearing the kerplunk of blueberries land in your bucket at Monadnock Berries and then eating as many as your hand could possibly hold at one time whilst driving home. Running the bike path to the dump and back to town when the air is just right. Jumping in Center Pond, swimming to the middle of the lake, letting the water hold you and star gaze at midnight. Drinking Demon Roast. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? Johann Hari’s TED Video: Everything you know about addiction is wrong. This talk left me inspired to continue to go to work each day with love, respect, and relatedness. After all, “the opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection.” |
Tammy Parrott
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What do you do everyday that brings you joy? Every day I find joy in engaging with the wide variety of people in the community and value the opportunity to interact and assist them in my role as a librarian. What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? As a recent immigrant to Monadnock I am blown away by the natural beauty of the region. Being here is a joy and I love sailing at Spofford Lake with my handsome husband, Hal. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? Over the years, I have found resonance in most of the TED talks I have experienced. Two in particular that have refined my thinking; Simon Sinek "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" and Verna Myers “How to Overcome Our Biases”. Sinek’s talk helped me think more clearly about my own personal ‘why’ and helped me some professional perspective. Verna Myers gave me hope as we navigate personal and societal biases, which flavors everything we do and hope to do. I am thrilled to be part of the TEDxKeene team and share that connection and resonance with others. |
Nikki Sauber
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What do you do every day that brings you joy? I absolutely love my daily walks with my dog, Maple. We live in a very rural area; there's nothing more peaceful than our quiet time in the woods every morning. What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? Be out in nature, naturally! My favorites are hiking, canoeing and gardening. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? Luvvie Ajayi's talk, "Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable," brought tears to my eyes. Luvvie reinforces the importance of speaking up and being the "domino" that starts important conversations in our circles and our society. This empowering talk reminds me to be bold in the face of power, because the world needs more of us to speak our truths. |
Amie Spicer
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What do you do everyday that brings you joy? I try to sink into the joy my daughter experiences and let her make me happy. Also you can't beat a fantastic cup of coffee first thing. What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? Amateur Mycology. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? I've gotta say almost every talk I've seen has changed my perspective about something. That's why I'm so excited to volunteer for this organization. One of my favorites was about the sex lives of bugs, but I was unable to find the link. |
Peter Starkey
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What do you do everyday that brings you joy? Coffee. I simply cannot live without it! I also enjoy the good company of friends on my porch. In the summers I try to spend as much time out there listening to the different sounds that Keene makes throughout the day. What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? Walking in downtown Keene (or really walking around any community or event). As the village extrovert I enjoy being around the people in our community and running into friends, family, and colleagues. There seems to be this myth that there's "nothing to do" or "no one to meet" in our region. Every day I see countless opportunities to connect, deepen relationships, enjoy ourselves, and make an impact. Our small part of the state has a great network of connectedness and I enjoy seeing that play out as I engage with others. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? Ann Morgan's "My year reading a book from every country in the world," which pairs perfectly with Chimamanda Adichie's "The danger of a single story." Both these TED talks and women push the envelope on what it means to observe our own power, privilege, and ignorance. As an avid reader, it's no surprise I would pick two talks primarily set in the literary field, and both women do a wondrous job of showing how when we limit our perspective we rob ourselves of greater understanding and cultural awareness. Ann Morgan reflects on her limited understanding of the world because she only read through the lease of western cultural great works of literature (with some trash thrown in), which complements the story of Chimamanda Adichie growing up in Africa with only British literature to read and form her reality from. Both women challenge the audience to break beyond our limited worldview, and explore the possibility and beauty of other's stories. Happy listening! |
Michael Gartman
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What do you do everyday that brings you joy? I enjoy being physically active, whether that is a hiking, climbing, biking, or even a competitive wiffle ball game. What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? My favorite this to do for fun in this region is hike all of the wonderful areas to take in the incredible natural beauty in and around Keene. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? Adam Kreek’s TED Talk on seeking failure shifted my mindset on many factors. I was lucky enough to meet with and work out with Adam and he is a fantastic motivator and leader. |
Maddie Phaneuf
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What do you do everyday that brings you joy? I talk to my dad before I go to bed. He’s my sounding board, so I’m grateful to have such a close relationship and to be able to bounce ideas off of him or vent about my problems! What is your favorite thing to do for fun in the Monadnock Region? I love being out and about in the community! I think Keene is a really special, unique place, and I want to soak it all in while I can. What TED talk changed your mind or altered your perspective? What did it change for you? My favorite TED talk is Brené Brown’s “The Power of Vulnerability.” I’m studying to become a social worker, so to see someone in that field possess an impactful viewpoint on how we interact with one another that is so widely accepted is really incredible. I would encourage any young adult to listen to it because it has reshaped my approach to my college years! |
Beth Wood