Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Popping in for a quick hello let's talk about me

I'm just popping in for a quick hello. Classes are going swimmingly but boy am I wiped at the end of the day. And the traffic, ugh, the hideous, hideous traffic of doom. Okay it's not as bad as the 405, but yesterday it seemed like an obstacle course to get to work where everyone else conspired to hinder my forward progression. I seethed numerous times but then calmed myself down by reminding myself that the only person suffering from the seething feelings is me, and then I was able to discard the hatred. It's really when I'm on the road that I most often think, "People SUCK."

I was so proud of Georgie yesterday. When he's had his accidents I've picked him up and taken him outside to a corner of the patio and set him down. Yesterday morning when he woke up (he never gets up when we do, he always lingers in sleep mode for at least half an hour) I opened the door and he went right to the spot where I've been putting him and did a major piddle. Oh the love and kisses and cookies that rained upon him. Good dog!

Yesterday in class we were talking about different pills scientists might develop and one of them was the personality pill. Some people wished they were more confident, less shy, more diligent or less cranky. When it came to my turn my first instinct was to state that I would change nothing, but they wouldn't have it and said surely there was some quality I had that I could improve. So I said that I wished I were less nervous when I'm in front of a big group like them. And then I told them that even if they couldn't see it, I was totally nervous Monday morning when I met them and always have trouble sleeping before I start any new class. They were flabbergasted. Apparently my actor's training hides it well. But really, does anyone ever truly overcome stagefright?

15 comments:

Birdie said...

When I do a presentation, I channel the nervous energy into my talk. But I'll bet I expend several hundred calories during my talk.

Anyway, I'm quite the introvert. Put me on camera in front of a thousand before you put me in a room with only one stranger. In a conversation, you have to respond; in a presentation, you just have to pontificate.

Larry Ohio said...

I've had occasion to speak before several groups numbering in the tens of thousands. It's easy. The faces in the crowd just becomes a mass of colors and I don't see them as individuals.

Talking to a group of a dozen? That brings out the stagefright big time!

Where are the Georgie piddle pics?

carlnepa said...

I was 14 years old when I started playing the organ in the catholic church. I shook like a whore in line for confession at first, then nothing phased me. I loudly announced hymns, sang, played right over my mistakes. In time I learned to just keep on going.
Groups don't intimidate me. I don't lust to be in front of one, but I'm not overwhelmed by it, either.

Snooze said...

I would love to be showered with love and kisses and cookies after my first pee of the morning. I do have a calico cat that generally rubs against my legs purring away, but no cookies.

Greg said...

Driving seems to bring out people's baser instincts, it seems. Good for you realizing the seething is only self-hurting. : )

What a good Georgie...

sageweb said...

I never feel nervous before I start speaking. But once I start I can hear my voice get nervous..then I get nervous..

I am so happy for Georgie..he is learning ..yay!

A Lewis said...

You know, Mason lingers in bed too...he definitely not a morning pooch!

Anonymous said...

I did a radio gig for three years. One of the things I learned was you never admit mistakes on the air. You just keep going.

Rox said...

When I started admitting to people that I had anxiety issues, they were always blown away by the knowledge because apparently I seem quite confident. I believe in the "fake it till you make it" approach to life.

Oh the driving stress nearly kills me. I need medication, I think!

Zlatka Krum said...

Stagefright is never overcome. Even La Streisand has it to this day.

Perplexio said...

My stagefright tends to be worse with prepared speeches. In impromptu ad-libbed speeches I'm actually more at ease. I think it's because it feels more like a conversation than public speaking when its ad-libbed.

Granted that doesn't always work for teaching.

dykewife said...

i love doing presentations but i'm always nervous about them.

even walter cronkite was nervous before the news. i read where he said that though nervous he wouldn't go pee before a broadcast. he said it gave him a sense of urgency.

Rick Bettencourt said...

Way to go Georgie!

Phronk said...

I'd totally take a pill that made me less shy. And one for stage fright. As long as they're tested and used properly, I'd say it's all good. Mental setbacks are no differnet than physical ones that we'd pop pills for without as second thought.

Aw it's great that Georgie is learning. He's adorable.

Patrick said...

My dad taught for over 40 years, and he says he would get no sleep the night before every first class. You maybe never get over stagefright, but you do get better at dealing with it.