Public Speaking, Captain America and Being Stuck in the Shower.

On Saturday our 4H club participated in our county's Club Day. 

In front of two judges and a bunch of parent our club put on a skit; There Was an Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly. The old woman was a 18 year old boy who sure didn't seem too excited about dressing up like an old lady :) but he was a trooper and didn't complain too much. 

The skit ended with my boys, the horses, saying in unison, "She's dead of course!" after the old lady swallowed a fly. 

After the skit my boys participated in a show and tell. They chose one of their 4H projects to share with the judges. Even though we practiced their "speech" they never said the same thing twice. I'm not too concerned about that though. I think the most important thing for them to get out of this experience was the confidence to speak in front of a crowd....which I think they were born with. 

Yip shared the Captain America stuffed toy he sewed. 

Yap shared his Electric circuit board. 

Yep, they both did very well. No nerves, lots of confidence. I'm thinking they are born speakers. 

I wish I could say the same about myself. I do NOT like to speak in front of a crowd. Once when I was a junior in high school I was required to give a speech in front of the class. I chose to speak about one of my favorite artists and I even had posters to share. But when it was my time to get up in front of everyone my hands were shaking so badly my teacher had to have a couple of boys hold the posters up for me. I eventually got over my stage fright enough to get up in front of my art classes and speak. It seems so much easier to speak in front of kids than adults. I had to give a short presentation to some adults a couple weeks ago, and although my hands weren't shaking, I did have a slight tremor in my voice and I forgot a lot of what I had planned to say. 

I don't know where I got my stage fright because I have plenty of siblings who have no problems getting up and talking to people. I have a brother, Mountain Man, who can get up and talk to hundreds of people without barely having to prepare. He's always cool and collected when talking. My sister Mrs. Einstein, the science teacher, went to numerous national FFA conventions and giving speeches. I remember one particular contest she was preparing a speech for and she would practice it whenever she could. She even came into the bathroom when I was taking a shower once to recite her speech knowing that I couldn't run away. Dang, by the time her contest rolled around I had the speech memorized too! But I'm sure glad that I wasn't the one getting up in front of an auditorium to recite it. 

I'm glad my boys have the opportunity at such a young age to practice public speaking. I think if I had started at a young age too maybe I wouldn't be so nervous as an adult. But as it is I'll just stick the background and paint, rather than speak, in silence! :)