[SpinnerMan]

Then came the Best Man who said he was going to wing it

Why? Why? Why?

Unless you are a special kind of speaker, this is just a horrible idea.

Though the Maid of Honor read her toast, which is always a mistake, it was well thought out.

But if you have no experience public speaking, it might be the safe thing to do. Better than winging it for nearly everybody.

You and I speak a lot in front of people so we know the middle of neither winging it nor reading work best. But back when I had horrible stage fright, reading would have been a big challenge for me. I remember when a 5 minute "speech" seemed like an absolute eternity. Now, you have 15 minutes. What the hell can you do in only 15 minutes?

BTW, I nearly flunked my required high school speech class my senior year. I gave the mandatory speeches. It was the fake parliamentary thing where you had to raise your hand, get called on and go to the front and talk. I never did. Looking back a halfway decent teacher would have at least asked me why I took zeros. She did teach me zero. My college freshman mandatory speech class I took the last semester of my senior year. Couldn't put it off any further. 🤣

 

[cartervj]

 

[cartervj]

 

[cartervj]

 

[Rat Creek]

But back when I had horrible stage fright, reading would have been a big challenge for me. I remember when a 5 minute "speech" seemed like an absolute eternity. Now, you have 15 minutes. What the hell can you do in only 15 minutes?

Speaking in front of others is always nerve-racking, and only gets easier with repetition. To this day, if I am speaking from a lectern, my hands are ice cold with no blood flow until I get started. Then two minutes in, I can literally feel the blood flow into them again.

The most miserable time of the year is upon us. Beginning the first of September, I will travel to eight different states for two presentations in each state, one to the Department of Education and the other to the Higher Education folks. It is all data related and I call it "Stump the Presenter" as everyone has their pet peeve and wants to know something about the non-white males on Free Lunch who had better than 90% attendance rates..... blah blah blah. To which I usually impersonate Circle Back PeeSaki.

 

[SpinnerMan]

Speaking in front of others is always nerve-racking, and only gets easier with repetition. To this day, if I am speaking from a lectern, my hands are ice cold with no blood flow until I get started. Then two minutes in, I can literally feel the blood flow into them again.

The most miserable time of the year is upon us. Beginning the first of September, I will travel to eight different states for two presentations in each state, one to the Department of Education and the other to the Higher Education folks. It is all data related and I call it "Stump the Presenter" as everyone has their pet peeve and wants to know something about the non-white males on Free Lunch who had better than 90% attendance rates..... blah blah blah. To which I usually impersonate Circle Back PeeSaki.

I actually much prefer to answer questions than do a long prepared speech.

Years ago now, I had a big presentation in front of a big audience with a bunch of very important people in attendance. Probably pushing a 1,000 people. On the run up to the presentation, my wife was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and the morning of it became very sadly clear that it was time to put our dog down. The only thing I remember about the speech was afterwards a lot of people including a couple of the very important people coming up to me and telling me how good a job I did. I honestly don't remember it and really could not have cared much less. It went from being hugely important to essentially irrelevant. It was probably why I did so well 🤣 I literally felt no pressure about the presentation.

 

[HNTFSH]

For some reason, over time, I have learned to freak myself out. Especially on video calls where it's MUCH harder to work an audience. I took theatre in jr high and highschool, no problem. I'm my own worst enemy, stand-up comedy would be a cinch, a presentation...meh...not so much.

 

[Rat Creek]

Especially on video calls where it's MUCH harder to work an audience.

Video calls are the worst. Not only can you not gauge your audience, you have to manage the technology to show the right screen, watch for raised hands, tell some loser to mute their phone, keep an eye on chat, all the while being somewhat entertaining. Its too much.

The only thing worse than that is when someone wants to role play. We are group grope interviewing for a new position. The two top candidates are both internal candidates that we all know well. My boss has them role playing the process of putting someone on a PIP (performance improvement plan). Man, you talk about being as phony as a plastic banana.

 

[HNTFSH]

WOW...that is fuggin' sad. Unless deperate, I would have declined that opportunity. Just like I am not spending time preparing and/or giving a fake "presentation" as part of an interview process.

 

[Indaswamp]

 

[lil dinamo]

 

[Indaswamp]

 

[cartervj]

 

[Rat Creek]

 

[cartervj]

 

[cartervj]

 

[cartervj]

 

[Rat Creek]

Excuse me Breitbart, that is Dr. Jill to you!!!

 

[HNTFSH]

View attachment 477413

Excuse me Breitbart, that is Dr. Jill to you!!!

Got all the way to a Doctorate in Education and doesn't know what a Bodega is. 🤣 🤣 Brilliant I tell ya!

 

[Rat Creek]

Got all the way to a Doctorate in Education and doesn't know what a Bodega is. 🤣 🤣 Brilliant I tell ya!

That's the Capital of Columbia, right?

You would think that an aspiring Ed.D. candidate would take great care in her thesis (I don't think it is a dissertation), and that her "coaches" would tell her to correct the numerous errors, including this stupid statement.

"Biden appears to forget her fractions, writing, "Three quarters of the class will be Caucasian; one quarter of the class will be African American; one seat will hold a Latino; and the remaining seats will be filled with students of Asian descent or non-resident aliens."

And to no one's surprise, the University of Delaware bestowed the Ed.D. on the corrupt senator's wife anyway.

If my thesis was the same topic - Retention of Community College Students, it would be a very short paper... basically one sentence. - My deep study and review indicates offering free pizza on Friday for everyone who showed up and went to class increased retention... Dr. Ratatouille Creek.

I prefer to be more casual, so you can just call me Doc.