Public Speaking ... Bust?

Saturday morning I went to an event at Lake Zurich High School where I was asked to speak at the community and business expo where about 300-500 people were expected to be in attendance. When I arrived there were many people, however, not all of them decided to attend my little lecture. In fact, there were only about 10 people there. Bummer!

I walked up to the stage after I was introduced and was handed the microphone. I spoke into it introducing myself and realized that I was now being heard all throughout the expo, but I was only actually speaking to about 10 people. This frightened me. It was strange to feel such nervousness come over me because I have spoken in front of groups of people more times than I can count. It was tying my shoes ... something I did all the time! But this was a first for me with a loud microphone in a big room with only 10 people actually there to listen.

I knew immediately that I should just put down the microphone and speak to the people straight from my mouth. With such a small group not only would it have been easier to communicate and ask questions, but it would have made me feel a hundred million times more comfortable. However, I let the "rules" get the best of me, and I continued talking over the loud mic. SHAME. ON. ME. I should have listened to my guts. In my opinion my talk completely lacked my spunky energy and was blah, lame, stupid. I was soooo bummed and disappointed with my performance and immediately after I finished I walked up to my boyfriend who had come to watch and said, "Well, I stunk up the room, lets get out of here before they start throwing tomatoes."

Adam (boyfriend) said that I did a fine job, and that I probably just thought it was a bust because its not the environment I was used to. Well ... OK. Think of it what you will, Adam ... but it stunk. However, I learned a lesson from this. I learned that you have to learn to adjust to the situation and know what is right for you. It would have been better for me to just trust my gut, put down the microphone, speak loudly and make certain with the audience that everyone could hear me. I should have asked the questions I planned to ask in order to engage the group, and I should have taken my time to speak the way I had intended to from the beginning. I let the chaos of the situation and the unfamiliarity take over my strengths as a speaker, and although I feel it was a miserable talk, I am glad to have had the experience with only a small group of 10 people instead of the 300 that were expected to show. That way, I learned, and hopefully I will have a better idea of what to do the next time something like that happens!!!

Yay! You live. You learn. You move on. I love life lessons, don't you?!

What Impresses Upon You?

I have attended multiple different events over the past two weeks, and have a few more to do before this week is up. During my "travels," if you will, I've been meeting a multitude of fascinating people, some of whom still stick out in my mind and some who I have already forgotten -- even those I know I probably met this morning. Whoops! But this made me wonder ... what grabs peoples' attentions to make a lasting impression??

I am leaving for the Miss USA Pageant in 47 days. That means I only have 47 days to prepare myself in soooo many aspects of my life, many of which no one but myself can help me with. However, this one I am turning to YOU for ... my wonderful readers. When I step off that airplane in Las Vegas, I will instantly become a sort of zoo animal for everyone there to watch and observe to try and get to know me -- they must determine if I will make a quality Miss USA. But there are going to be 50 other women there vying for the same prestigious title. SO WHAT DO I DO TO SET MYSELF APART?!?!

So if you will ... please think about it. What kinds of personalities or actions have left a lasting impression on you? Is it the people who are the most helpful? Is it the people who are overly happy and jolly? Is it someone who told you a great joke? Is it someone who dressed well? What is it? I feel that for me, the people who tend to stand out the most are those that show a genuine enthusiasm for life. Well, that, or the people who are crazy, lol! However, I do love to be around people who are living for the moment, have a curiosity that explodes from within them, and who can lighten up a room -- whether it be with her smile, her attitude or her actions. However, this is broad. I need to really pin it down and know what makes a LASTING impression. Any suggestions will do guys, so please comment back!

Truth be told, I am a terrible faker, and it's easy to read when someone is faking it -- especially me. In the end, I can only be myself, otherwise I'm going to flop ginormously and that won't be good for anything. However, its still an interesting topic to think about what kinds of people and/or personalities catch others' attentions. I can't wait to hear what some of you think!!

Spring Time in Chi-Town!

In spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring!

That is a clip from a poem called "A Lover and His Lass" by William Shakespeare. However, I discovered it from watching the original "Willy Wonka," many years ago during the scene where Gene Wilder is peddling his bike in the room with the Everlasting Gobstoppers. I don't know why his pretty little sing-song tune has always stuck with me, but I just love singing it as springtime approaches. I hope I haven't started singing too early ... because it certainly looks as though spring may have sprung in Chicago!!

********************

This week has been such a busy one for me and it won't let up for a bit of time. I love love love all of the things I'm doing, but I feel a major desire for some rest! I was out of the state this past weekend, came home to prepare for our important out of town guest, hung out with him for the past few days which was so much fun I'm sad its over, I'm working all day today and tomorrow, attending a grand opening tonight for my cousin's new health center in Orland Park, Friday I have two important meetings after work that will consume the evening, Saturday I give two lectures to young prospective business students about goals, Saturday night I get to take care of two sets of client work, one being a video creation I know very little about so I get to teach myself things, woo hoo! Sunday (daylight savings time!) I get to work from 8am to 5pm at the Home and Housewares Show downtown, same thing Monday and Tuesday, back to work Wednesday through Friday, a super duper important event next Saturday, and then SUNDAY I will get to rest. I think. I hope. WOO! What a stretch and boy am I pooped. I pray I don't wear myself out and can still manage to get my workouts in among all of that craziness. Only 52 days until I leave. I'm so excited I can't even stand it!!!!!!

Spring weather keeps me pleasant. Chocolate would do a better job, but that's out of the picture for the next 10 weeks. Miss USA, ready or not, here I come!

Spring Cleaning Comes Early

As a recent graduate from the University of Illinois, but a woman who is passionately entailed with the dream of becoming the next Miss USA, I have to admit … I still live with my parents. Some may see this as negative, but in fact … it’s marvelous. Actually, it’s so good that I don’t really want to leave! OK, that’s not true. I’m dying for my own place. But lets put the emphasis on how wonderful living at home is for now, and talk about my future aspirations later.

My fantastic mother keeps a very clean house, but over the past few days as we’ve been preparing for a few out of town guests to visit, we’ve been cleaning Danny-Tanner-style around here. I mean … I think I evened vacuumed the underside of rugs. My dad polished the knobs on the stove and dusted in the garage. My mom cleaned the laundry room so well that it looks like it could be a contender for the Good Housekeeping Magazine! I’m telling you – it’s been a cleaning madhouse around here. And for how clean our house usually is, I’m surprised at how much of an improvement this was!

Anyway … now that the house is in mint condition, I think my poor mother feels a little bit better. Tip for all the kids reading this: Making momma happy is a good thing. Take that for what it is and believe it with all your heart boys and girls. As the saying goes, “If momma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy!” Hate it break it to you folks, but it’s soooo true. And if your mom is anything like mine, then she must also be the most amazing woman in the world. My mom has jumped through hoops of blazing fire for me over the past few months. She will bend over backwards and twist inside out to help me, and I have no idea on the planet earth how I will ever in a hundred thousand million years repay her in the way she deserves. Do any of you ever feel that way? Finding a way to repay someone who has given her heart and soul to helping you? It’s a tough battle to find a solution, but I’m sure it can be done. Like the nice man who helped me with my suitcase proved, a small kind gesture can go a super long way!

I tried some new cardio workouts this week, which I will share with you soooooon! I’m officially at 55 days until I board the flight to Vegas so its mega crunch time. My magnificent trainer Toni gave me a new eating regimen to follow, and it looks like it’s going to be suuuuper tough, but I know I can do it. As my other trainer, Josh, put it … “You can do anything for 55 days!” And that’s exactly right!

Miss USA Pageant … here I come with my body in check, whether I like it or not!! Yahoo!

Mr. Nice Guy

I had a bit of a rough week last week. Seriously, nothing seemed to be going right, everything was hitting at once, and by Thursday … I most definitely cracked. During work on Friday I was a zombie. I couldn’t focus on the jobs I had to finish and I couldn’t think about my day. All I wanted was to be at home or with a friend. It was terrible, but the worst part was – nothing was making it better! I tried thinking happy thoughts. I tried calling my mom to talk it out. I even tried *dun dun dun* eating chocolate!!! My number one no-no, but number one stress killer! Even that didn’t help. Sleep was the only thing I hadn’t tried, but the chairs in our office aren’t that comfortable.

Anyway …

Friday evening as my train was pulling into the 143rd street station where I stood waiting to exit, I waited contently, ready to get home so I could let out the tears in the privacy of my own bedroom. I didn’t wear the negativity on my face, but inside I felt like screaming. Just as the train doors were about to open, a nice older man noticed the heavy suitcase I had lugged with me to work that day. Kindly, he said, “Excuse me, I would be happy to lift that down off the train for you if you’d like.” It was a very nice and unnecessary gesture that came completely out of nowhere. However, that one kind gesture made me smile bigger and longer than I had smiled all the days that week. Just one kind act from a stranger brightened my spirits and made me remember all of the goodness around me. It helped to remind me that life really isn’t that bad when you look at the big picture. My petty little problems that had been ruining my week were not all that important, and in fact, there are people all over the place who are there for me – even strangers!! As I got off the train, I thanked him sincerely and smiled all the way to my car. ☺

My lesson to you is this – never undervalue someone. You don’t know what he or she has been through, or how he or she is feeling. Please do your part to bring a smile to others, because you never know the incredible impact it could have on them. It certainly did for me! It was effortless for that man to life my suitcase off the train, and I totally could have managed it myself. However, it was kind, and I appreciated it.

So thanks, Mr. Nice Guy. I wish I knew your name so I can tell you how you turned my dreary evening into a lovely one. Instead, I’ll pay it forward. How does that sound?

Miss USA Contestant Pictures Posted

Head shots of the 51 contestants vying for the title of Miss USA are up at www.missusa.com! Rate the girls and look for your favorites!

It's 15 Degrees, Lets Jump Into Lake Michigan!

Saturday afternoon Lexi and I did something we never dreamed we would. We journeyed afar, trekking through mounds of cold, toe-numbing slush, mountains of white frosty snow, fearlessly battling the powerful Midwestern winds against our cheeks and the sub-zero temperatures, all while styling our teeny weeny bikinis.

OK well, it may not have gone juuuuust like that. But we did jump into Lake Michigan at the end of February. I guess if anything you could call us "nuts," instead of "adventurous!" :)



Helping to raise money for the Special Olympics, Lexi and I bared all as we entered the water. With a running start, we splashed the way up to our waists before losing all feeling in our bodies. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought since I couldn't feel anything! Aboooouuuuut ... 2 seconds later I was completely wet and was now being splashed by the other plungers. I decided to make a run straight to the heated tent to take my soaking, freezing shoes off! Sticking on some warmer (and dryer) boots, Lexi and I then posed for pictures on the beach. I think the worst part was not actually being in the icy water (yes, there was ice where we were), but standing next to it with the wind against us while we tried to smile in our swimsuits wondering "WHY AM I OUTSIDE IN FEBRUARY IN MY SWIMSUIT!?" Oh yes, for a good cause. That's right!



It was a wonderful experience, and with over 200 plungers in attendance I realized just how important the Special Olympics truly are and how much it means to people. I hope very much to be able to get involved more in this amazing cause ... but perhaps not in my swimsuit again until at least May 1st!