New Project - Pet Horoscopes

I was interviewed this morning to write a new humor column for a magazine that goes out to vets. I'll write the back page "Petascopes" column where I inform the vets the horoscope for the animals who fall under each sign they should be examining that day. It's the first project in a long while I've been excited about.  It's funny and quirky and my mind is already brimming with a million little odd associations and asides I can make in the column. 

The magazine also writes about leadership and better business practices and networking and the editor mentioned possibly even bringing me in to conduct some networking or public speaking training.  Great fun!

 I'm wrapping up projects for the week.  I dub this "Public Speaking Week." I've got a 5-minute speech I'm giving tomorrow in Toastmasters, a 20-minute speech I'm presenting to a Networking group Thursday night, and a 3-hour public speaking class on Saturday.  I am the original "yada-yada-yada" woman.

But now I must venture out of the house to the library.  I still need to pick up To Kill A Mockingbird. 

Women Who Inspire Me

I met a fantastic group of women today at the Greensboro Women's Resource Center.  The Center is where I used to work as a Job-Search Program Coordinator for displaced homemakers, and I was there today teaching a class on Networking for the program I used to run.

I wasn't overly enthusiastic about going.  I've got a lot to do to get ready for my trip and really wanted to be at home in front of my computer. But I'm so grateful for having the opportunity to teach this wonderful group of women.  I'd forgotten how inspiring it is to be around the women in this program.  They make an 8-week commitment to attend class 2 days per week to work on all aspects of the job search so it's not an easy program to graduate from.  But every woman there is determined and motivated to change her life and follow her dreams.  Most of these women have so little (materially) but they have huge spirits and hearts and I walked away with an energy buzz just from spending 2 1/2 hours in the same room with them.

It was a wonderful reminder for me as I told them  (and I believe this) that they can accomplish anything they want.  That they are full of talents and passions and purpose.  That if they reach out a little first, the Universe will reach back tenfold.  I was saying to them the words I needed to hear myself.  And the group was so receptive, taking notes and asking questions that showed they were paying attention.  As they got excited about the networking process, I got excited right along with them. 

Having the chance to speak to them today was the best thing I could have had on my schedule.  It reminds me how lucky I am to be doing what I love with support from people I love.  And how important it is to give back and help others climb obstacles and reach their goals, so the chain continues.

Toastmaster Speech Topic on...What Else?

On the bright side--remembering my vow from yesterday's post to not delay pulling together my next Toastmaster's speech--I am on it. Yesterday afternoon I selected a topic (Bathroom Renovation--what else??) and wrote the speech.  I was on such a high from getting into the game early that I decided I didn't want to wait until my speech date of Feb. 8th to deliver the speech, but would do it asap.  That would be fine, except my fellow Toastmasters seem as taken with the New Year/New Speeches tact as I am, and almost every speakers spot is filled for the next month.  So I took the only date open--this Wednesday.  As in, tomorrow.  So I'll be mumbling a 5-7 minute speech for the next 24 hours, trying to prepare.

That would be okay, except I am booked minute to minute today and tomorrow.  I figured out that from today until 4pm on Friday, I will conduct 15 interviews - 13 in person and 2 over the phone.  That's a lot of interviews, drive time, and writing time.  The good news is that once this week is over, I will be a month ahead in my assignments for the News & Record and can back off a bit.  If I was smart (if, if, if...), I'd do 2 interviews a week for them and stay on top of it.  Instead, what I do is go into a frenzy like I am this week, let all work for them slide for a month, then go into another frenzy.

But it's 7:15 AM and I have a little over an hour until yoga starts--enough time to practice my speech 3-4 times and get set up for my first phone interview today at 11. 

Triad Networks

Before Christmas I attended, at a friends invitation, a networking group called "Triad Networks." It's a business support and referral group that I think has been around for over 30 years.  I was impressed with the attendance and the breadth of professionals within the group.  I found out later they allow only one member per business category.  So, for example, there is one attorney, one property insurance adjuster, one life coach, etc.

It's a typical networking group in that everyone goes around the room and gives a 30 second commercial on what their business is and what type of leads they're seeking. What's not typical though (because I've been to a lot of these groups) is how much fun this group had with process and the number of connections I saw being made.  Even just attending as a guest landed me a new ongoing writing assignment and 2 possible future assignments.  So I've decided to join and become the groups "writer in residence." Plus, if I do decide I want to grow my speaking career, this would be an excellent venue through which to market my services.

They meet every Wednesday morning in GSO from 7:15 -8:30 am, which means I'll need to leave the house around 6:45 and miss my 6am yoga class.  But I think I can squeeze in a Tuesday session instead, so I'll still be going at least 3 days a week.  I've found anything less just isn't beneficial, and I'm trying to find time to work in 4 sessions a week. 

Wednesdays are becoming my "day in GSO."  I have Triad Networks until 8:30, then meet my friend Bernie for a writing session from 9-11:45, then Toastmasters from noon-1.  After that, I try to schedule auto interviews for my News & Record column.  It's a busy day, but Wednesdays are one of my favorite days of the week.  By mid-week I'm itching to get out of the house and be around other people and going from place to place makes the day fly by.

I have much work to do in the next 2 months for Toastmasters.  I want to reach ATM (Advanced Toastmaster) status this year which means I need to give 8 speeches--some of them over 20 minutes long.  I've signed up for my first 2 in the next 6 weeks and have vowed NOT to wait last minute to come up with a topic and throw them together, but rather to actually put some thought and practice into the speeches.  We'll see how well I do in keeping that vow.

Much work to do today though.  Need to finish up some query letters, work on a new networking column, and spend at least an hour on book PR.

And of course, pause a moment to reflect and honor one of the great leaders and inspirations of our country, Martin Luther King, Jr.