gregory ormson
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The Drums of Menomonie High School
When I was young, my ears were alive, and I heard everything. I counted on one hand the times anyone ever said anything important to me and stepped as drummers’ step, with attitude. I crossed every boundary and nobody ever bothered me. At 17, when Colt 4 broke up, I immediately joined a second band.…
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A Strong Affirmation: Nominated for Best American Essays 2027
Please join Flash the Court in congratulating this year’s nominees for Best American Essays Read the nominated writers below: “Transitions” by Jennifer Braunfelshttps://flashthecourt.com/…/transitions-by-jennifer…/“Liturgist of the Land: A Single Work Completed” by Gregory Ormsonhttps://flashthecourt.com/…/liturgist-of-the-land-a…/“Lucky” by Nate Methothttps://flashthecourt.com/2026/07/03/lucky-by-nate-methot/“Balance Exercises” by Brian McNelyhttps://flashthecourt.com/…/balance-exercises-by-brian…/“On the Anniversary of My Mother’s Death” by Amy L. Bernsteinhttps://flashthecourt.com/…/on-the-anniversary-of-my…/ My essay appeared in the…
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You Are Your Voice: Why THIS Matters in Public Speaking
Breaking wide open the fear of public speaking, Gregory Ormson says, “It’s not about you.”
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Superior Skills or Superior Judgment?
What matters more in public speaking: superior skills or superior judgment? Superior skills matter, but superior judgment matters more. A skilled speaker can command a room, tell stories, maintain eye contact, and speak without notes. But a speaker with good judgment understands the audience, the occasion, and what people have actually come to hear. I…
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What Makes a Speech Feel Human
What makes a speech feel human? It begins with presence: turning toward the people in the room. In Speaking as Hospitality, Gregory A Ormson explores the deeper work of public speaking: welcoming an audience before a word is spoken.
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HEART TERRITORY: a journey in three parts.
HEART TERRITORY: a journey in three parts PART I. Soundtrack from the Road. This music reel captures several performances from July 26-August 21. The northern notes became part of the fabric woven into our summer journey. Acts are from Wisconsin, Michigan, and other places: Chippewa Valley Based Blues, Howard Guitar Luedtke and Blue Max; Detroit…
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Father and Son Among the Estivant Pines: For a While They Stand Together
Think of that seed opening to the sun as history unfolded around it; before Wisconsin had its name, before my ancestors had imagined coming here. We touched that history in the bark, feeling its heft, its weight, its gravity. Much like the love between fathers and sons or mothers and daughters, immigrant journeys, and the…
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Halleluijah in a Northern Wisconsin Bar
Various renditions of every song are worth listening to. Some renditions move beyond our recognition, yet if we appreciate music and musicians, we can find something to enjoy. And some songs are nearly sacramental with ineffable or opaque elements that strongly affect the listener. Leonard Cohen’s “Halleluijah” is one of those songs; it’s not just…
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Speaking as Hospitality
Can a speech feel like Grandma Grace’s table? When I think about hospitality, I think about my grandmother’s table. When I was a teen, my family visited Grandma Grace and Grandpa Harry in Barron, Wisconsin. They were always home, and always welcomed us inside where we sat at a simple table in the kitchen. Grandma…
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Speaking as Hospitality: A First Look from Sutra House
It may be odd to hear that effective public speaking is about learning to pay better attention. Attention to the room. Attention to another person’s fears. Attention to the conversations taking shape before your first word. This attention led me to write Speaking as Hospitality and Sutra House has released the pre-publication page, and I’m…