Skip to main content

You don't know what you can do until you have to do it!


There I was sitting at the area speech competition for Toastmasters International, waiting for my turn. A few minutes ago, I had just received news that the Tall Tale speech that I had practiced at my club to rave reviews, was too long. At the practice run, I had clocked in at 6 minutes, 4 seconds, which was great when I thought the speech was supposed to be 5-7 minutes long. However, I was just informed by the competition official time keepers that the Tall Tale speech is 3-5 minutes.   Currently the speech I had prepared for was over by 1 minute 4 seconds, instant disqualification.
There were two other gentlemen that were in the Tall Tale Competition as well.  The first man started pacing back and forth quietly lamenting that he thought he had 5-7 minutes as well to give his speech. The other man confidently announced, “That’s what I planned for!”  He reminded me of Sergeant Harvey Walden IV from Celebrity Fit Club.  This former Marine sergeant was always barking tough, motivational  phrases to the contestants like “Mind over matter! If you don’t mind, it don’t matter!”
 I basically fell in between these two men’s reactions. My stomach dropped when I heard the time constraints. However, when the Toastmaster (who is in my club and knew my speech would be too long) whispered to me, “Can you do it?” I answered back quite assuredly before taking my seat, “Yes, all I have to do is edit.”
Emeril Lagasse has said in cooking you can always add, you can’t take away. However, the exact opposite is true in writing—it is much easier to edit your story rather than add more to it.  Luckily, someone up there liked me-- I was the last one on the agenda. I was able to use my waiting time tightening and brightening my speech.  
When it was my turn, I took a deep breath, stepped onto the stage and delivered my edited speech. I was so relieved to see the green card (that indicates the three minute mark) appear by the Timer when I was about to wrap up my speech. Yes!! I had made the designated time allotment! Also, and most importantly, I walked away with my area’s 1st prize award.
In the next couple of weeks, I am preparing to give my speech again in the Division competition. Just the thought of it gets the butterflies going in my stomach, but all in all I’m pretty excited. I mean, why else did I join Toastmasters International for, if not to write and give speeches?
Outstanding!!  

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How's the haircut?

Isn't it amazing how a bad memory can stick to you like a wad of gum in your hair? You try to remove it, but in order to do that, you need to cut off some of your hair? At first, you’re apprehensive, but in the process, you end up with a nice hair style? At the beginning of my career, I was working at an apartment complex.  I must have upset my boss by interrupting him when he spoke to me.  I hadn't realized I was in a bad habit of talking over him. I was so anxious to prove I was on top of all the assignments, but in this process, wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise. One day, he held up an eyeglass case and said this signified when it was his time to talk. In front of the other staff, he actually held up the case while he spoke to me. I was embarrassed by his demeaning ways. I didn't put any credence in his opinion. I wrote him off as being a mean old man! For a while, I carried this memory like a wad of hardened gum in my hair. It was brittle and would have
Post a Comment
Read more

Just a note

If you visit my website, you can now read the first chapter of my book for free! Please feel free to click on its link below: website All I ask is please leave me a comment. Even to just say "hello" so I know that some people are reading it! Thanks everyone, and I'll talk with you later!! Diane
Post a Comment
Read more

"B"lathering about soap

I have noticed lately I have picked up a new interest: hand made soaps. There are two incidences that introduced me to this world. The first incidence was perusing YouTube and stopping at a thumbnail of a soap maker's reaction video. I clicked on it and enjoyed the humorous take of the soap maker. She was down to earth, spunky and informative at the same time. Then I clicked on her channel and was intrigued by the vibrant colors and decadent designs. It was a mix of being soothing and fun.  The second incident was a feed from a soap company that was on my Facebook page.  Their glorious photograph of a swirling black raspberry hand made soap defied what I thought soap could be. If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn it was a dessert. My mother would at times describe colors as being yummy and this soap fit it to a T.  What is it about this mundane item like a soap bar?   I wonder if it has to do with seeing all of the news about the importance of hand washing that has
Post a Comment
Read more