Saturday, June 16, 2018

A Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening in Preston

Last month I was invited to be a speaker at the Dull Men's Club's 'Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening' at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston.


Crazy Golfer Richard Gottfried - guest speaker at the Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston
I had a thoroughly enjoyable time as a guest speaker at the Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening at UCLan

The Dull Men's Club is where dull men — and women who appreciate dull men — share experiences of enjoying everyday, mundane things, far from glitz and glam — "Celebrating the Ordinary".


The Dull Men's Club - where dull men, and women who appreciate dull men, share thoughts and experiences about ordinary things
The Dull Men's Club - where dull men, and women who appreciate dull men, share thoughts and experiences about ordinary things

The keynote speaker at the event was Dr Sandi Mann, aka ‘Dr Boredom’, author of The Science of Boredom: The Upside of Downtime, who spoke to the attendees about the benefits of boredom and her research on the Thirty Habits of Boring People.

A Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening in Preston
One of the highlights of the evening at UCLan

A Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening in Preston
The pink post-it notes directing delegates to the lecture theatre were a bit bright for a dull event

A Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening in Preston
We were on the 1st floor

A Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening in Preston
Not far from here

The desk space in the lecture theatre was a lovely shade of grey
The desk space in the lecture theatre was a lovely shade of grey

Some highlights of my presentation covered my travels on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and how I, along with Emily, had - up to that point - visited 815 miniature golf courses since 2006.

Crazy Golf scorecard from the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Skegness
One of the scorecards displayed in my presentation

Some of the intricacies of the sport were also discussed, with the show & tell element on minigolf balls being a particular highlight.

Southend Pier Crazy Golf
Course #683 - Southend Pier Crazy Golf

Somewhat controversially the 'Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening' was anything but. With a range of characters talking about their hobbies, pursuits and interests the group could've spent a long time sharing stories and ideas. Perhaps next time there'll be a longer Dull Men's Club symposium to spend more time talking about dull and boring matters.

Crazy Golfer Richard Gottfried - guest speaker at the Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston
Showing off my Putter

The "Anorak of the Year 2017.4" was also announced one the night (".4" as we were 40% into 2018), with Roundabout enthusiast Kevin Beresford taking the title.

Following the event I visited the 816th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when I swung by the indoor Crazy Golf course at Level Preston.

Trailer Trash Jim's Crazy Golf course at Level in Preston
At Trailer Trash Jim's Crazy Golf course at Level in Preston
Links:
- The Dull Men's Club
- Dr Sandi Mann

Other dull blog posts can be found within the archives of the Ham & Egger Files...

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