crazy talk

early Thursday morning sky

Promise me 
you'll always remember

you're braver than you believe, 

stronger than you seem, 

and smarter than you think.

A. A. Milne 

My most recent presentation/workshop/guest speaker event was Wednesday of this week. I was talking to a group of nearly 50 avid rug hookers - my topic design. It's a big topic. It's a topic I'm in love with. It's a topic I think about all the time and it's a topic I know a lot about. However I learned quite quickly while preparing for this event that knowing something intimately doesn't at all mean it's easy to know how to share that knowledge clearly, concisely & completely. Especially writing it. Writing is hard. Editing is hard. This project completely consumed me and frightened me ... I was so afraid I'd fail and not fail necessarily in the eyes or opinions of the audience (how would they know what I was or wasn't capable of). But I'd know if I'd failed and I couldn't bear that.

I wrote this post last night because we're leaving early this morning to take Miss D to her follow up vet appointment (she had a serious urinary tract infection at the end of August). It's been 24 hours since I arrived home from my day spent in the nearby town at the Fibre Arts Festival, being the guest speaker & giving my presentation. I still can hardly believe it's over, I'd worried about it for so long. Hooray !

Deanne opened the workshop with her own warm, honest, down-to-earth way leaving me the space to try and do exactly the same. Be myself, be honest. Tell them right off the bat I am both thrilled and terrified to be here. There was a speakers podium of solid wood. Good I thought to myself I'll use the podium that way I won't be rattling my papers in mid air and they won't be able to see me trembling. There was microphone too. I have never spoken into a microphone - how is that possible ? to have lived this long and not had that experience ? go figure ? It wasn't easy at all getting started. I felt seriously nervous. But the audience was warm and attentive, they were busy admiring my handout and throughout my chat/presentation they asked tons of interested & interesting questions. It didn't take long before I caught myself thinking - I'm kinda getting the hang of this. I remember eventually glancing down at my cue cards and realizing I was nearing the end of my notes and I distinctly felt sad & dissapointed oh no ... I'm at the end. By the end I was relaxed and enjoying myself ... having a great time. I thought they're gonna have to wrestle this mic away from me ;-) Now how crazy is that ?

I swear it seemed nearly every woman there came up to me after & thanked me. Told me something that they had learned from my talk or shared with me that they thought I spoke very well, that I didn't seem nervous, that I was clear, not rushed. Such lovely, encouraging comments and compliments. Such gracious women all of them. It really was a fantastic, fabulous experience. I can't believe I'm saying this - but I can't wait to do it again ... & again ... & again. 

Ha ... that's just crazy talk.

Crazy, wonderful, unbelievable talk - thank you Deanne for inviting me. 

Links - I'm having a terrible time with linking - there is a big, bad bug in my blogger - please hover your cursor over Fibre Arts Festival in paragraph 2 & also over Deanne's name beginning paragraph 3 thanks)