Book Quotes and Tim’s Eulogy

The quotes from my book, Photographic Reflections knock me out. So I celebrated them with a video, including quotes from our Men’s Group and our Zoom group. 

Also included is my eulogy for Tim Garthwaite, spiced up with multimedia videos and still images. Hope you will watch it. 

Four Words That Launched My Life

Spring 1956. I was running for student body vice-president at Berkeley High. Against two competitors, I had to give a killer, two-minute speech before 3,500 students (to this day, my largest audience.)

        My dad had taken public speaking classes. He once told me, “Rick, people who can speak well get ahead in this world. You should study it.” I asked for his help.

        Now, I don’t know what he learned in those speech classes, but he thought I should have a strong opening. So, off I went, one fist in the air, yelling: “I HATE a liar!” That got their attention. Second sentence, “That’s why I’m not going to tell you that if you elect me, I will fire the principal (Mr. Le Tendre)”. Got a laugh. I was elected in a landslide.

        My future was shaped in that moment. I got into college with mediocre grades because that very principal wrote a letter on my behalf. You see, as VP of the school, Mr. LeTendre knew me. I got into college. But more important… I was developing a self-image, an identity as a person of worth, a person of consequence. I had been the student body VP of a huge top-tier high school. Wow.

      Of course I also suffered from imposter syndrome. I knew the other two candidates who gave serious and boring speeches would’ve done better jobs. Oh well.

      Who knew what lay ahead? I went on in life to found and develop a very successful speech training company that created my adult life. Thanks dad._____