Listen, Don’t Talk!

    This may seem strange coming from someone who talks about public speaking.

I am from a talkative family.  Allow me to share two things I learned the hard way.

1.  You learn more when you listen.

2.  The less you say, and the more you THINK about what you will say, the more people pay attention when you DO say something.

In other words, as with many other things, quality, not quantity.

Stepping Up to the Plate When Needed.

    While I had softball practice today, for a change, this posting is not about that.  It is about being the Toastmaster for my Toastmasters meeting on Wed.  Our Educational Vice President called, saying we need a Toastmaster.

It is a baseball analogy, but here, stepping up to the plate means being there when you are needed without fuss or fanfare.  Like the Nike commercial, just do it!

So, we needed someone to be Toastmaster and I am it.

Monsoon Arizona Style.

    Most of the world thinks of Monsoons as Asia.  We call our summer rains that here in the Sonoran Desert.  It is the end of July, but the air has the feel of a muggy spring.

Well, streets become rivers, but we need the rain.  Now to make it work for us and utilize it.

Baseball’s Life Lessons.

    I had my Toastmasters meeting tonight.  One of our veteran members, Randy Lindsey gave a speech about succeeding and not quitting.  He spoke about Booker T. Washington and his courage in getting an education and succeeding against the odds.

Baseball is the one sport I follow with any regularity.  It is the sport I grew up watching.  Especially following the Mets AND the Red Sox, you learn important lessons about defeat and not giving up.  It is really from our losses, we learn new things.  If you win all the time, there is no reason to learn anything, is there?

Keep in mind, a .300 hitter in baseball is considered very good.  He is still failing seven out of ten times.  The game winning grand slam is sweet, but what about stomping back to the dugout when you strike out on a pitch that fooled you badly.  I don’t care how good you are, there is always something to learn, if you pay attention.

Why People Need Public Speaking.

    I have worked on a Non Fiction which has been put aside for the moment.

It goes deeper than being a great orator or earning a living as a professional speaker.  What if you need to convince someone of your positions?  What if you are suddenly asked to run your Non Profit group and you need to speak with different people?

Therefore, everyone has something to say that is beneficial to them and the people they are speaking to.

Lee Iacocca

    Mr. Iacocca has been in the news for decades.  I just read his recent book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone?  I sat up and took notice.

I do not want to give the book away.  Go out, read it, and realize it will change your life.  I now want to write to Mr. Iacocca and ask, “I’ll do what you suggest, sir.  When do you want me to begin and what do you want me to do?”

Geno’s Cheesesteaks and English

    I must admit I do understand Geno’s owner Joseph Vento’s position to a certain extent.  My mother’s first language is not English, but she learned it.

Come to think of it, an isolated part of American history showed that the Founding Fathers came within a centimeter of voting German in as our official language.  Well, history certainly would have been different.

If you want to participate in our nation, you have to speak English.  Lest you think this is the stance of an ugly American, I am being tutored in Spanish so I can travel in Latin America.  I am joining the Alliance Francaise  so I can travel in French speaking nations.  (I took French in high school, but need practice).  You know “Operor ut Romanorum operor, or Do as the Romans do.”

Mr. Vento would certainly not want to lean on a visiting tourist from another land who is not fluent in our language.  Now, you understand why I said, I agree with him to a point.

If you plan to live among us, and we welcome you, you need to learn the language.  I know how lucky I am my ancestors got on that ship.  Never forget that.

Eastern European Origins.

    I know, better late than never.   In the previous post, under things Mexican, I mentioned my friend Elizabeth and her tutoring me in Spanish.  I am always curious as to why people come to the United States.

Elizabeth left the Mexican city of Torreon with her kids for a better life in the United States.

My parents families left Eastern Europe for a better life in the United States.  I never forget where my family came from and more importantly WHY they came.

Just so you know, dear reader, I visited Eastern Europe in 1999 and plan to visit again in 2009.    (My father is a chemist and has colleagues there I grew up knowing).  Walking in Warsaw and Krakow was an unnerving experience.  People looked at me as though they had seen a ghost.  (Separate post coming up, The Ghosts of Poland).

Besides the weather, I would not want to live in Eastern Europe.  Fascinating to see,  would be tough to live in.

So yes, I am an American.  I would do for this country what needs to be done (see separate post on Lee Iaccoca).

Grateful to be in USA

Last Wed. when Elizabeth was tutoring me in Spanish, I asked her about leaving Mexico. What she (and another Mexican American I know) both said, was, “they are proud of their heritage, but happy to be here and be able to come for a better life.

I will not criticize their system. It is so different and built in from the culture.

Most who came to the United States brought our culture with us, but certainly did not want to return to where our families came from. Next time, I will comment on seeing Eastern Europe, where my family came from.

I am reading Lee Iacocca’s latest book about leadership and he speaks about his Italian American immigrants.

Softball Practice

    I am on my company softball team.  You may be wondering what in the world this has to do with writing.  The ballfield is another place to have ideas for my writing.  It is also a place of discipline.  Holding the bat properly for that level swing.  Getting into a certain zone.    Sounds a little Zen.  I remember a Japanese television commercial with their home run great Sadaharu Oh swinging with a sword at a straw dummy.  It is concentration.

I was trained as a catcher.  I got right back into it defensively by fielding foul pop ups.  Meditating while you do it.  Developing a rhythm.

Writing is the same.  You have to have a certain discipline and develop your rhythm.