If you’ve never delivered a speech, presentation or workshop with a lavalier microphone attached to you, then friend, you’ve missed out.

The lav is a little microphone, about the size of a bumblebee, that clips to your lapel. A black wire runs from the mic to a little black transmitter that you clip to your belt; that transmitter connects you to the sound system.

Result: you’re able to roam freely about the podium, your hands free to gesture dramatically and your body liberated from the invisible cage of the lectern.

And after an event a while ago, I’ve taken to wearing mine… a little higher up on my lapel. There I was, middle of the presentation, great dramatic moment, I’m building to something – and I pause for effect.

Over the speakers, I hear “raw-raw-ROWWwwww-burble”.

It turns out that this particular lav was really, really good at picking up a tummy rumble.

In fairness, it was very close to the lunch break.