AWARD

Last week, as part of my training class, I was supposed to practice resolving conflicts and avoiding arguements.  It went pretty well, then Friday rolled around...  Mark got home from work around 6, and I was in an ill mood.  He made a suggestion, and I snapped!  We're talking: slamming doors, yelling, stomping around... it was not a pretty site.

What eventually happened?  I got my way!  But for some reason, I didn't feel good about it.  In fact, I felt guilty, and I'm pretty sure Mark resented me for getting my way.  Then it occured to me that I HAD NOT resolved this conflict the "Dale Carnegie" way.  According to my training, there was only one way to handle the situation at this point...an apology.  This is one of the most painful things for me to do!  But I sucked it up and admitted to Mark that I had been wrong.

Not only did we both feel better after we reached a compromise, but I also won in award in class on Tuesday when I spoke about the event.  Success (and without lying)!

The "I Miss..." Game

As far back as I can remember (yes, my memory only spans about 10 years), my friends Bree and Chelsey have played the "I miss..." game with me.  It's as simple as it sounds!  You go around and each person names someone, or something, they miss. 

Well, I don't know why, but nothing makes me more nostalgic than the beach.  My memory starts working in overdrive, and I think of all the fun times I've had there and the people I've met.  In honor of the "I miss..." game and my weekend at the beach, I have compiled a list of people and things I miss.  I miss...

-Bluepoint.  It was our first "going out at the beach" love and it will be missed.  Ok, it might have been second, AJ's is always a good time
-Norriego Point.  Yes, I'm taking it back to the old school.
-Sketchy Wood Cabin.
-Billy Bowlegs.  No comment
-Dylan, Paul, David, Kel, JLo, Colin (and friends), Jeremy, Neal, Travis, Ross, Red, Chris, Jeremy 2, Robert, Nathanial.... The list goes on and on.  We even managed to meet a few girls: Shannon, Kathleen, and Lindsay.
-Pat O's.  Left us too soon.
-Kings.  We seem to play this game more at the beach
-Being too sleepy to make it up all 8 floors in the elevator.
-Karma.  Ok, no one "misses" karma.  But I do believe it after a trip to the beach.  Never dance with a friend's ex-boyfriend, it can only end in tears...and pain.
-Dancing in the car and the "Dance Button."  Just don't make the mistake of making the on-star button your "dance button."
-"Drive....Drive, Drive."
-The air-drums, guitar, entire girl band

-Synchronized Swimming
-Abandoned Bowling Alley
-iPod Fortune Teller Game (Thank, Kaitlin, for not letting me forget this one)

Can't wait to go back!

Liar, Liar

We all know the old saying "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire."

I can't take credit for making my pants instantaneously burst into flames, but when I lie, my face turns red-hot!  You're probably wondering where this is going...bare with me...

*SIGH*

I am officially a liar!  Last Tuesday I went to my training course and was fully prepared to give my speech on a personal experience and ready to be a fabulous public speaker. 

One by one, my classmates delivered colorful and inspiring speeches.  I was floored!  Who are these people?  Why do they have so much more life experience than I do?  Sure, some of them are older.  Each week I worry if Walter (named changed to protect his identity) is even going to make it to class next week.  But not ALL of them should be putting my speech to shame..

I started thinking about my personal experience that I was planning to share.. "It's not great"...."Well, it's a little boring"...."OMG! It's horrible.  I will not go through with it."  Dramatic much?

I had two options:

1)  The truth:  I could admit that I was uncomfortable with my speech and ask to make it up next week.

2)  The lie:  Improvise.  Make up a story and make it as believable as possible.

I thought of the experience I was going to share and how I could "tweek" it.  By the time it was my turn to talk, I had rewritten my life...  In fact, did you know that I almost died when I was 4 years old?  Trust me, my speech made the situation sound that grave.  I'm a regular miracle....

I guess my public speaking skills will never improve this way.  Especially since all I could think was "Liar, Liar, Face on Fire."  Next week, I will be boring Caroline.  No lies.

Public Speaking

This month, I have been focusing on improving my public speaking skills (or lack thereof). In order to work on that, and a few other things, I enrolled in a Dale Carnegie training course. It offers the chance to practice in front of a small group, and the skills our instructor teaches have proved to be pretty effective.

In addition, I'm learning how to remember names! HUGE for me! Unfortunately, the method that helps me the most is a little, dare I say, coarse. Example: If someone's name is Jane Doe, I would think "Jane Doe the Insane Hoe." See...not the nicest way to rememeber someone's name. But I'm working on it...