Mar 27th, 2008
Speech!
I did it! Tea and coffee was supplied for 40 people last night, the chairs were arranged in an enormous semi-circle and the lighting was suitably dimmed. A hush fell over the room. I got up first and gave my speech. I was magnetic, incandescent, riveting even. I only said ‘bollocks’ once, but it was with reference to a politican so was received well.
When I finished and took an emotionally laden breath before saying ‘Thank you and good night…’ the room erupted with the applause of the only five people that turned up.
Oh well…
I did learn in all seriousness that the intense nervousness felt before an event is in direct inverse proportion to the ‘Thank Jaysus that’s over’ relief felt afterwards, which, in my case, was as powerful as a dose of heroin. So that was nice.
woot! Go you! I never got the fear of public speaking but I won’t go near jam sammiches (don’t ask) so well done you!.
Well done young lady! When do you start the tour?
Fair play K8. Never easy in front of 5 or 50!
What was the talk about/event for?
Grannymar; Umm, the tour has been cancelled due to artistic differences with myself.
Darragh; :) It was to rally enthusiasm for beach cleaning/community awareness. Yawn? You’re damn straight…
Anthony; Welcomes! Oh yeah, I heard of Conservi-sarni-phobia. Sounds perfectly rational to me, buddy.
It’ll get easier as the political career progresses. I wouldn’t mention the heroin again though, voters don’t like that sort of thing :-)
Some speakers get €10,000 for a speech. You’re on your way.
And you got your name in the paper ;)
Bravo, K8!
It’s interesting you should compare the relief after public speaking to heroin. I had to introduce myself with a few words at a book group the other day in one of these excruciating getting-to-know-you in a circle things. I felt some mild euphoria when I was done, not unlike a hit of marijuana. It was a gateway public-speech I reckon. Now I feel I want to try the hard-stuff, to do a whole seminar, for a truly out of this world high.
I expect it will all end when they find me cold, ragged and dead at Hyde Park Corner, a bottle of gin in one hand and a 3000 page Treatise On Sino-Franco-Hebridean Relations And The Threat To Philately” in the other.
Besides my obvious concern for your knowledge of drug induced euphoria . . kudos to you. It’s actually harder speaking to a small group than an audience of 500 where the law of averages says you’ll hear at least the sound of one hand clapping! I chair a monthly board meeting and it’s like being in front of the Spanish Inquisition!
Yep, public speaking is a rush, K8. I really dig it myself.
Keep it up. Your community needs you.
Thriftcriminal; Whoa… slow down there kiddo! There’ll be no political careers for me, though TAT is thinking of dipping his wick. The public eye definately ain’t for me.
Daddyo; €10,000?!?! I haven’t even graduated to donkey status yet. I think I’ll stick to prostitution…
Sam; It’s too late… I’ve already burned my soap box on the beach with 20 litres of diesel and 5 car tyres. There’s far too much talk in this world without my adding to it.
Baino; Oh don’t worry… my drug knowledge is borne from ‘Trainspotting’ and ‘The Wire’ only, for I am a true innocent. My heroin experimentation will come on the day I’m declared terminal.
You have a wonderful voice and presence for chairing meetings, of which I’m so jealous! I’m a mumbler and seem to be staying that way.
Medbh; My community doesn’t seem to care, yet. I think my future speaking endeavours won’t be wasted on the mature… we’ll be hitting the schools now, it makes more sense!