It’s the off-the-cuff speeches that take the most preparation.
I’ve never been a great public speaker. Come to think of it, I haven’t even been a public speaker. The last time I addressed someone in public was when I asked what aisle had mayonnaise.
But I am undeterred. Perhaps I mean undaunted. Or unhinged. Whatever. You get it.
I want to be a good speaker.
I have a lot of examples to look up to. Take Daniel Webster. I remember from school that, if nothing else, he was a great orator.
He spoke against nullification and disunion in his famous “Second Reply to Hayne,” concluding with the immortal line… hold on.
He didn’t actually say “hold on.” I mean, I suppose he could have, but that’s not the point.
What I’m trying to say here is that I’m devoting valuable page space to this chap, when I should be devoting it to me. How else am I supposed to get my face on the currency?
I have a long road to walk, mouth-wise, before I can become the Webster of my generation.
For one, I can make more sensible expressions than mouth-wise. Inventing words may work well for Shakespeare, but it does me no favors.
I also notice Shakespeare’s on the currency, just like our American pal Webster. Coincidence? I think not.
So I advance again toward the podium. Figuratively, not literally. I don’t talk very well up there.
I am prone to longwindedness when I verbalize such that I circumlocute the subject in an attempt to allay discomfort resulting from the situation in question.
I use big words because public speaking makes me nervous.
Copyright 2024 Alexandra Paskhaver, distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate.