...Felt like I hadn't skipped a beat. The strange thing--and this has happened to me several times in the past--I don't remember what I said! I didn't go over the allotted time, or screw up the speech. The audience was receptive and asked several very good questions. My Mom and Dad were in the audience, which was really cool and the first time that had happened since my Eagle Scout Court of Honor in 1979. They've seen me in plays, but speeches are a different beast.
I had an opportunity to speak to the Kiwanis Club of Kalamazoo (great organization, Kiwanis--I was a member for 15 years and loved it) today. It made for a long day. Three hours of driving to get there, an hour and a half for the meeting, 25 minutes behind the podium, and 3 hours back. Worth every minute.
There's a speaker's high that comes when you're in the groove. The audience was very receptive. The questions were very good... Maybe some of the folks there will buy my books. I hope so, but even if they don't it was worth the effort to make the speech. I have a feeling I'll talk about my books at any and every opportunity.
I do remember they seemed impressed when I said (the only thing I really remember saying), "I was unhappy with my profession and my wife offered to support me if I wanted to leave the profession, take a part-time job, and write books. Shortly after that, I fell seriously ill and spent some time in the neural intensive care unit, quit my job, took a part time job cleaning toilets in the middle of the night, and started writing books."
It sounds like the actions of a madman when I hear myself say it. Maybe it is. I don't know. I don't care much, really, if it sounds like the actions of a madman. I will tell you this: I'm glad I did.
And--I almost forgot--they gave me a pen. A very cool pen with a Kiwanis logo on the clip. If you follow this blog at all, you know I love nice pens.
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