Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Public Speaking

I am having a little anxiety about the TN Support Group meeting tonight. Public Speaking is not my forte. I have given many "Garden Talks" over the course of the years. I even ran unsuccessfully for School Board a long time ago. Years and years ago I gave CPR Classes mainly to health care professionals. So I have done a fair amount of public speaking.

I liked the "Garden Talks" the best. Gardeners are a happy group of people, a short talk giving my 2 cents worth, a few pretty pictures and my gardening scrapbook, a bunch of garden tips and hints and a time for questions. Piece of cake. Most of the time I could just wing it!

Tonight I intend for my part to be a cross between a welcome lady and a moderator. The people coming tonight have lots of questions..I do not have the answers, I do not have a bunch of pretty pictures to share, I have a very small list of useful tips and hints concerning Trigeminal Neuralgia. I hope that everyone is comfortable enough to share something, but not dominate the conversation...some of these people are talkers. If one of those crackpots with a "cure" shows up..my invisible hatchet that I carry to defend and protect Far Guy from insensitive people may have to come out. Taking two Tums and the raising the head of your bed..does not work. If it did I could cure TN with one hand tied behind my back and I could throw away my hatchet once and for all. Do I have a prepared speech..no.. I will prayerfully wing it:)

Thank you to everyone who has read the newspaper article..and a special thank you to those of you who commented on the newspaper site!

10 comments:

RURAL said...

Best of luck tonight, I know that you will do great!

Sorry I still cannot load the newspaper article. I have tried numerous times. And I really want to read it.

Jen

flydragon said...

I can't believe you are having anxiety about public speaking. Not you with the gifted tongue on your blog. Just pretend all that show up are really all your friendly blogging buddies. Easy for me to say, right?

Unknown said...

Good luck tonight. I loved the article about your husband and especially thought it was so cute how he called you his "Florence Nightengale". Remember that this evening when you are surrounded by a bunch of people.
I've never heard of TN before I found your blog so find it really interesting to read about, except for hearing how much pain Far Guy is in. Glad he has you and Chance to take care of him.

DayPhoto said...

Several comments on your blog! Happy Birthday, CHANCE! Aren't dogs just the greatest!

My daughter is a hairdresser and every time I get a hair cut I get a new hair style, sigh, sigh, I'm getting too old for change and I never thought THAT would happen!

Also, I spent 6 long years on the school boards, be glad you didn't go there, you have done other things I could only dream about and envy you for.

You will be great tonight, after all you have ALL your blogging friends pulling for you!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Vodka Mom said...

best of luck!!! We'll be sending you strength...

alphawoman said...

Good luck tonight. I am throwing good vibes your way right now.

Jewel said...

I'd say good luck but by now you are either already at the meeting or home. Hope it went well.

Lattice said...

Hey Far!

Spinning off Ruth's famous rebuttal to Idgie, "Never [think] never [of] me!" ;~)

Thanks for the kind words of affirmation, though--Phew! that was hard!

Thanks also for sharing your vulnerability about tonight. I hope it went well for all of you, but even if tonight was a little rocky, take courage. I've found the three most helpful tools for successfully winging a session of public speaking to be prayer, passion, and provisions (almost any snack will do, but I bet Far Guy could get creative if he wanted to).

You've got at least two out of three! ;~)

Anonymous said...

Hope it went well! I can't load the article either, otherwise I would have left them a comment or ten...

Far Side of Fifty said...

Thank you so much for all your support I needed it! It went well, I did not stick my foot in my mouth anyway:)