Update to my Public Speaking post

I wrote the instructor to let her know I was dropping the Speech course and I would like to share what was said. This makes me feel better for when I do take the course again.

I wrote:

Renee,
>         I regret to inform you I have had to drop
> speech class from my schedule this semester. I
> volunteered to purchase the DVD's for myself and two
> of my classmates, Peter and Michelle, they sit to
> the right of me. I will be dropping off the dvd's at
> Columbia tomorrow to be placed in your mail box.
> Please tell my classmates not to worry about the
> cost they were very inexpensive. I hope to see you
> in a couple semesters to take the course again.
>
> Thank you and take care,
> 

She wrote back:

Lidia,

I am so sorry to hear that you had to drop the course.
I appreciate you following thru with your commitment
to the other students, that shows a great amount of
integrity and respect. I wish all my students could be
like you.  I will look for the DVD's in my box.
Hopefully you will be able to take the class in the
near future.  Thanks for the email.

Need I say anymore. :)

Public Speaking

I thought I was ready to take the dreaded Introduction to speech course that is on my agenda of classes to take for my associates. Just after the first class last Thursday I felt that now is just not the right time. On the first day all the students had to go up in front of the class and tell a little bit about themselves. When it was my turn to speak I panicked. I still went up and went through with it but when I looked out at all those faces everything became blurry, my heart started racing and my face turned beat red. On top of that the class was supposed to ask the speaker questions about themselves after they did their little intro...and nobody asked me questions, the instructor had to ask the questions. I was sympathetic to the other students who went up before me, I initiated some of the first questions if another student didn't speak up first. Why didn't I get the same common courtesy?
Then while reading the book material assigned, and during the preparation of my first speech I panicked just doing that. So needless to say I dropped the course and will attempt to take it a couple semesters from now. I feel like a failure in a way but I would have felt like more of a failure if I didn't pass the class.

2008

So it's a new year and I am not making any resolutions. I never kept them in the past and don't want to be disappointed when I don't accomplish them. Last year was rough, personally and financially. I hope, not resolute, to be more frugal this year and do things that bring happiness in my life. It seems that my art class didn't go well. I think I am more of a free lance artist rather than a student. I am going to stick to random drawing and silly crafts.

School is going well. I got a "B" in my Statistics class and have signed up for speech this semester.

I do have to make a huge life decision that could possibly land me in California. It's just so hard to fathom leaving everyone and everything I've ever known behind. I think if I was going with someone I knew it would make it easier. It would be nice to be closer to my mom but I am scared about starting over with friends and leaving most of my family behind. Most of my friends here I have known 10+ years and the ones I've met recently are great! All of it is just scary. I don't know if I can actually go through with it.

Vegas in Christmas was a blast! However, 5 days is way too long to be there. We stayed at the Golden Nugget (picture above) in old part of Vegas and in the back of the Hotel is a small strip with a digital canopy covering the street. Every top of the hour is a show on the canopy and everyone just stops in their tracks to see it. The new part of Vegas is very glitzy and expensive. The hotels are gorgeous and each one has a unique look. The fountain shows in front of some of the hotels are very cool. My family and I drew names and bought cheezy souvenirs for our secret santa and let me tell ya there were some pretty interesting gifts.

So, I guess I just keep plugging away at school and look forward to some possible cool vacations this year...Italy may be one of them.