Heading to Region!
Colin William
It was a long day. Woke up nervous at 6am. Then forced down some
breakfast and hit the road for the two-hour drive down. Relaxed in the
hotel in the afternoon. Contestant briefing is always one of my
favorite parts, getting to meet the other participants. Then some time
to kill, so I rehearsed out loud at the back of the parking lot.
Contest was scheduled to start at 8, but district stuff pushed it back
to 8:50. I drew 4th, and spoke at close to 9:30. I went on after a
strong, emotional performance from a woman speaking about her
grandmother.
The speech itself went well. I picked some smiling faces out of
the crowd. They laughed hard at the places where I wanted them to
laugh, including several places where smaller audiences had stayed
quiet. Around the midpoint of the speech I flubbed a transition. Same
thing that last year derailed me into silence, but this year I was
able to wrap my head around it quickly and salvage something so that
nobody was any the wiser. Later I dropped a line, but didn't realize
until I sat down. The audience laughed hard at a line, so it suddenly
became a better time to transition instead of adding the next line. By
this point I knew i wasn't blanking this year, saw the end in sight,
and took it home, walking offstage to great relief, loud applause
(from an audience including many who'd seen what happened last year)
and high fives from my fellow contestants.
As an enjoyable postscript, the woman who placed second (the one who
spoke about her grandmother) had attended a TLI presentation I'd given
in January on how to write a contest-winning speech. I had noticed her
taking copious notes at the time, so I was thrilled to see her at the
District contest and placing too.
I'd like to give a shout-out of thanks to our own Mark Perew. He offered to
read over my speech and give me some feedback, and he gave me some
very important thoughts that in part contributed to a substantial re-
write for clarity of point and making it all more meaningful. I really
appreciated his thoughts, and they pushed me to make this the speech
it needed to be.
So anyway, on to Kansas City for the Region V contest in June!
Colin
---------------------
"Science is based on a fundamental insight - that the degree to which an
idea seems true has nothing to do with whether it is true"
Joy
news:671ug0F...@mid.individual.net...
Congratulations, Colin! I imagine you're still riding high. A reception
like that would be enough for that, and of course, winning is the cherry on
top! Best of luck at Region!
Joy
Colin William
> Congratulations, Colin! I imagine you're still riding high. A reception
> like that would be enough for that, and of course, winning is the cherry
> on top! Best of luck at Region!
The relief of finishing was a more palpable emotion than the actual
announcement of my name.
Colin
p c
John Fleming, DTM
in the scriptorium "Colin William"
<colint...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> $For the first time I came first at the District level!
Congratulations!!
> $It was a long day. Woke up nervous at 6am. Then forced down some
> $breakfast and hit the road for the two-hour drive down. Relaxed in the
> $hotel in the afternoon. Contestant briefing is always one of my
> $favorite parts, getting to meet the other participants. Then some time
> $to kill, so I rehearsed out loud at the back of the parking lot.
> $
> $
> $Contest was scheduled to start at 8, but district stuff pushed it back
> $to 8:50. I drew 4th, and spoke at close to 9:30. I went on after a
> $strong, emotional performance from a woman speaking about her
> $grandmother.
> $
> $
> $The speech itself went well. I picked some smiling faces out of
> $the crowd. They laughed hard at the places where I wanted them to
> $laugh, including several places where smaller audiences had stayed
> $quiet. Around the midpoint of the speech I flubbed a transition. Same
> $thing that last year derailed me into silence, but this year I was
> $able to wrap my head around it quickly and salvage something so that
> $nobody was any the wiser. Later I dropped a line, but didn't realize
> $until I sat down. The audience laughed hard at a line, so it suddenly
> $became a better time to transition instead of adding the next line. By
> $this point I knew i wasn't blanking this year, saw the end in sight,
> $and took it home, walking offstage to great relief, loud applause
> $(from an audience including many who'd seen what happened last year)
> $and high fives from my fellow contestants.
> $
> $As an enjoyable postscript, the woman who placed second (the one who
> $spoke about her grandmother) had attended a TLI presentation I'd given
> $in January on how to write a contest-winning speech. I had noticed her
> $taking copious notes at the time, so I was thrilled to see her at the
> $District contest and placing too.
> $
> $
> $I'd like to give a shout-out of thanks to our own Mark Perew. He offered to
> $read over my speech and give me some feedback, and he gave me some
> $very important thoughts that in part contributed to a substantial re-
> $write for clarity of point and making it all more meaningful. I really
> $appreciated his thoughts, and they pushed me to make this the speech
> $it needed to be.
> $
> $So anyway, on to Kansas City for the Region V contest in June!
> $
> $Colin
> $---------------------
> $"Science is based on a fundamental insight - that the degree to which an
> $idea seems true has nothing to do with whether it is true"
> $
--
John Fleming, DTM
Edmonton, Canada
Attitude Boosters Toastmasters (7022-42) - Member
Chamber Toastmasters (5594 - 42) - Member
A scientist can discover a new star but he
cannot make one. He would have to ask an
engineer to do it for him.
- Gordon L. Glegg
Larry L [in Honolulu]
> For the first time I came first at the District level!
>
> . . . . ., walking offstage to great relief, loud applause
> (from an audience including many who'd seen what happened last year)
> and high fives from my fellow contestants.
>
Colin,
Congratulations! Regional will be even more fun, though no doubt a bit
more nervous. For me, the "walking off the stage" knowing I'd done what
I'd come to do was the greatest reward itself. Of course, winning isn't
bad!
Best of luck at your Regional.
Larry Lands DTM PDG
Finalist 2001 World Championship
Colin William
> Congratulations! Regional will be even more fun, though no doubt a bit
> more nervous. For me, the "walking off the stage" knowing I'd done what
> I'd come to do was the greatest reward itself. Of course, winning isn't
> bad!
Thanks, larry! It was certainly very nice to hear my name called at
district as the winner, but I agree with you, that feeling of walking
off stage knowing I'd given my speech as I wanted to give it was a
combination of both thrill and relief.
Colin
Joy
news:68j2uoF...@mid.individual.net...
Congratulations, Colin! Yes, that's a great feeling, isn't it? It also
helps if the audience responded the way you hoped they would. ;-) Winning
is the icing on the cake.
Joy
Colin William
"Joy" <toa...@real-me.net> wrote
> Congratulations, Colin! Yes, that's a great feeling, isn't it? It also
> helps if the audience responded the way you hoped they would. ;-)
> Winning > is the icing on the cake.
The audience response was great, and I could pick out some very smiley faces
throughout. My one frustration is that I had one phrase that I thought was
particulary clever and funny; however, no audience before district laughed
at all. I had wanted to see if it would work with that audience, but I
flubbed a transition and that phrase got lost in the shuffle. So I'll never
know!
Colin
Joy
That is frustrating!
I find that sometimes a line I though was very funny doesn't get a laugh,
while I get laughs where I didn't expect them.
Joy
Colin William
"Joy" <toa...@real-me.net> wrote
> I find that sometimes a line I though was very funny doesn't get a laugh,
> while I get laughs where I didn't expect them.
I always find that happens. At the district contest I think I may have
flubbed that one transition (not that anyone noticed) because I felt pressed
on time - in part because of some unexpected laughter. Which is a nice place
to be, I suppose, as long as you don't get disqualified.
Colin
Joy
Yes, I know what you mean. I was skating on thin ice with my Tall Tale at
Division, because I got more laughs than I expected. Still, as you say, if
you don't get disqualified, that's nice.
Joy