People’s choice: Community asked to vote now to select 2013 Ignite talk lineup

Ignite is a new Asheville event that asks participants to inspire or inform the audience with a talk only five minutes long. Submissions for this year’s event are up, and Asheville’s asked to vote on ten to take the stage next month.

A cool, interesting and impressive group of prospective talks includes and a story from a man who lost 95 pounds, a MAKE magazine contributor and geek dad, a community “time bank,”  safer online dating, lessons learned from hiking the Appalachian trail, and the true story behind “a truly mediocre iPod accessory once sold in SkyMall.”

Check out a few ideas here:

The Art & Etiquette Of The Jam, Or ‘Sitting In’ – Denton Perry 
A treatise on gaining the most satisfaction for both oneself and the audience when attending a jam session or sitting in with the band. How to prevent getting the hook and be sure you’re invited back!

Losing 100 Pounds Without Losing Your Mind – Bill Morefield 
In 2010 I weighed in at 295 pounds. As of January I’ve dropped to 200 pounds. This talk isn’t a collection of diet tips, but what I learned in changing habits, viewpoint, and how to make a big change in a life already full with other things that need to be done.

Location Independence – What, Who, Why and How – Audrey Reynolds 
I’ve long dreamed of being Location Independent and decided 2013 is my year to make it happen. My talk will cover what Location Independence is, why you might want it too and the steps needed to get there.

Beam Me Up, Ringo: The Fab Four’s Journey Through Rock Music, the Jim Crow South, and Outer Space – Jim MacKenzie 
The Beatles are from the future. They changed the culture, they were civil rights advocates, and they were chosen to be Earth’s ambassadors to extraterrestrial life on NASA Spacecraft. I will speak about the Fab Four’s technique that enabled them to navigate tumultuous times. This is why their music and philosophies remain relevant today.

Seriously, these look interesting and informative. I attended last year’s Ignite and enjoyed it, and won’t miss this year’s.

Vote here if you want to help select  the 2013 lineup:

Voting begins Sunday, January 20th and runs through Friday, February 1st at 5:00pm. After voting closes, all votes will be tallied and the results announced on Tuesday, February 5th.

You can vote once for up to 10 talks.

If you vote multiple times, only your latest vote will be counted. If the same person attempts to vote using multiple e-mail addresses, our fraud detection will flag the votes and ALL those votes will be invalidated. One person, one vote will be strictly enforced.

2013 voting link.

Here’s last year’s winner Blake Boles, who made a convincing case for repurposing $20,000 earmarked for college in self-directed learning equivalent to college and business startup funds.

Ignite Asheville on Facebook

Ignite Asheville website

Ignite Asheville 2013 is February 19, 6-9 p.m. at Highland Brewing. Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for everyone else.