Here's To You, Toast Masters

We had a good, although short, run.

Toast Masters was something I used to look forward to every Tuesday. Not because I was all about enriching my personal speaking skills, but because it was always funny, whether it was supposed to be or not.

I think it was going with Stacy that really made it fun. Even though we would already spend 40 hours a week laughing and talking between our cubes, we always managed to bring that fun to TM.

On my last TM meeting we had a shortage of speakers, so I JD-ed it and did a speech on the fly. My first (and last) speech - The Ice Breaker. Simple enough, I just have to talk about my self for 5-7min and have it flow well and sound prepared. Luckily I like talking about nothing more than I love talking about myself! Only half kidding.

Looks legit. Let's do this!

 I decided to go with a basic time line starting with birth until that day. When it was my turn I was so nervous. I was trying so hard to keep my voice steady and breathing normal. I don't know why I get nervous. I had tons of great stuff to say, plus I know everyone in the group. A few people have even given crap speeches, so if they can do it, so can I...except Better!

Things were going well, I even got a few laughs from people other than Stacy. Then I got a little choked up when I got to the recent stuff - Andrew. I didn't go into detail about what happened other than he's dead. I felt like I had to reference him because in the beginning I told them I had two brothers. That was the first time since the incident that I had to talk about my siblings to people that didn't know. I felt like a liar if I said only one, or if I said have two. Naturally I went with the honest route. I didn't think I'd get choked up because I often talk about him without that happening. I think it was the combo of the tragedy and the nerves. I just hated seeing how they all looked at me and I didn't want to get a sympathy vote for Best Speaker.

Anyway, then I got choked up when I slipped in about how this was my last meeting and how much I was going to miss Stacy. I then confessed to the group that we were in love. It was a joke, but I'll get back to that in a sec.**

I wrapped it up with how even when bad things happen I try to find the positive and turn it into humor (sometimes dark humor) so I can laugh because that's how I deal with things. Many people would probably think I'm really screwed up if they heard some of the things I've said to B about stuff that's happened in the last year, but it's how I deal.

My evaluator had nothing but wonderful things to say about my speech. I was told about how at ease I am when I speak (tricked them!) and how they learned so much about me. The only improvement? Is to change it so that I don't have to leave the club.

Can you guess which one is from Stacy? Oh, and I'm glad that someone appreciated my sense of humor - def marking this up as a win!

Of course I won Best Speaker for the day. Duh. Otherwise, I wouldn't be sharing this story. And you already know that I celebrated a little bit. When I got my certificate and hand shake I made sure to tell JD that "It's always a pleasure." Then when I got back to my desk I may have said BOOM! while dropping the certificate on the table. I think this further offended the new girl that always gives me criticism for my feedback. Heller? Hope on the Jes train because everyone else thought I was a great addition to the group. Man are they going to miss my WOD...This is actually fact because they told me.

Toast Master Baller Status

**I've been at my new job for about a month, but I still email Stacy almost every day. Even though I love my new job and have great coworkers, I still miss her a lot! OMGS! This week Stacy emailed me this:

• So I am leaving Toastmaster and one of the ladies (the one that always wants to do speeches) was like how is Jessica? I was like she is doing well we email all the time. And she is like I miss her, you guys make the cuties couple.

Ummm....maybe they didn't realize I was joking about the in love thing. Probably didn't help that Stacy agreed when I said it. And the fact that we are always laughing and giggling like fools in love. haha.

And because I know you are dying to know what my evaluations were from me being an Evaluator and Toast Master:

 

Stac and I laughed at the hand thing because we always joke about doing Talladega Nights hands when speaking.

Again, which one do you think Stacy wrote?