(To listen to my audio recording of this post, click on the white triangle below) A client remarked offhandedly in a rehearsal session yesterday, “When I actually give my talk, I’ll embellish that part of the story.” I laughed sarcastically, “Yeah! You could say you were hit by enemy fire!” I’m a public speaking coach. I […]
2 Things We Can Learn From Brian Williams Read More »
Long ago we were courageous hunters and diligent gatherers. We slept in caves at night and walked the land in the day. And then we had a brilliant idea. What if we created a shelter outside of the cave that wouldn’t limit us to cave-dwelling? So we created make-shift tents out of wooden poles and
The Evolution of Camping Read More »
As you probably know, having a career and being a parent has its challenges. Yesterday, my 10-year old son and our 7-year old friend, and I went to the Word studios on Music Row in downtown Nashville to record character voices for an upcoming Christmas musical I just finished writing for Word. (Other people wrote
You Try Being a Voiceover Artist- and a Mom Read More »
I’m just a middle-class country girl. I don’t own a fancy gown, and if we ever have steak, we have to use our steak knives to cut it. Chew it long enough and we call it “steak gum.” With 4 boys and 5 pets, I do things like clean stinky feet with wipies and walk
The Night we had a Ball- in the ER Read More »
My trunk is full of groceries as I pull up to the corner and turn on my blinker. Out of the corner of my eye I see a man standing near me, leaning on a cane, wearing a black coat and a hat to ward off the cold wind. He’s selling newspapers for $1. I
My Interview with “Red”- a Corner Newspaper Salesman Read More »
(Click on the audio bar above for a recording of this post) A second nurse has contracted Ebola. I don’t know about you, but that news made me want to wear a Hazmat suit to the grocery store, or just lock myself in my house and order my food online! But even then some pizza delivery
Ebola, Breast Cancer, and Hope for our Fear of Pain Read More »
(To hear me read this post, click on the audio panel above) For many of us, it takes a while to find our voice. We’re afraid no one will listen, or those who listen won’t value what we have to say. So we stay silent. At one of my jobs right out of college,
The Night the Mute Bunny Found His Voice Read More »
(to hear the audio recording of this post, click on the link above) My husband, Brian, asked me to marry him on our 4th date. That’s crazy. We didn’t even know each other. And I said yes, which is even crazier. He had no idea I couldn’t throw a Frisbee straight to save my life,
Turrets, Packers, and Being Known Read More »
“Mom, I’m going to stop saying, ‘Um,’ starting now,” my 11-year old declares one night as I tuck him into bed. He then begins to tell me about his day. “So, mom, um…oh come on!” I smile, “Try it again.” “I really had fun today at the game when, um…oh rats!” “It’s hard, isn’t it?” He
3 Steps to Cure Your Ums Read More »
I lug heavy cast iron skillets to the wash station across from our campsite and grouch. Grumble, gripe, grouch. I pass my husband and boys playing cornhole. I could ask them to help but I would rather play the martyr, sigh, and grouch my grouchy hands into the soapy water to scrub bacon grease off
The Secret of the Happy Janitor Read More »