Those of you that know me well would say that I am pretty good at talking. That I am. In a “supermarket queue”, “bus stop”, “train journey”, “any time any place” kind of way. This is part affliction, part blessing. My mum is to blame as she has perfected The Art over the years and has passed these cursed genes on to me. Today I gave a talk to U3A, the University of the Third Age. This was quite a different matter all together. It is not idle gossip, passing the time of day or indeed small talk. It involved a lot of forward planning, a projector, Powerpoint presentation, an audience and, a first for me, a microphone. How many of these torturous talks make you a seasoned professional I am not sure, I think today was number five in my career. In truth I was marginally less nervous than normal, the nightmares only began a couple of nights ago. I awoke at 6.00am with a calm innocence until I remembered what lay ahead. Then came countdown to doom, frenzied rereading of notes and wondering if the Foreign Legion takes women recruits these days. After all the stress, I think it went well and I might even have enjoyed it. The projector worked perfectly, I remembered all parts to my computer, most plant names and, as I was dangerously armed with a microphone, I didn’t forget myself and start a karaoke session. They were an attentive and generous audience who laughed at my jokes. There were trays of member donated plants, several of which I now call my own. I only spotted one man with his eyes closed and I would like to imagine he was going into raptures at my sage-like words. All in all it was a good day.
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Off The Edge Gardening 
Lovely blog ,Gill.made me smile.Your lovely personality came through and man with heavy eyelids was definitely savouring the ‘sage-like ‘words,sage is a wonderful plant.
I have been nurturing some seedlings which Him Indoors says are sow thistles…….hmm I think I have some learning to do.
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Thank you x You take no notice of Him Indoor, anyway sow thistles have their own peculiar charm …!
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I am glad your talk went well and for sure they were delighted with your jokes 🙂
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Thank you, it really is quite a bizzare thing to do on a Thursday morning!
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Well done. I’m sure I’ll hear all about it next week:)
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I’m laughing and I’m sure your audience was as well. I would trust you.
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You could be in my “rent an audience” if you like!
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Talking?? I could change my name to “motormouth” and not one person would argue with me about it! :-O
However, if I had to do it in front of an audience I would probably either (a) stumble over the few words that I might manage to get out, or (b) babble like an idiot from sheer nervousness. Luckily I’ve never had to find out, LOL. But I am sure you were wonderful — kudos to you! 🙂
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Ha! Another one! Thank you, I have to do it all over again in a few weeks …..
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I expect you are a wise and wonderful speaker, my mum belongs or attends the U3A, a great organisation.
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Thank you, yes U3A are brilliant, lovely people too 🙂
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Fantastic well done … 🙂
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🙂
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Apparently, you have to be a man between 17.5 and 39.5 years to join the French Foreign Legion. Also, I don’t suppose it would really be an easier experience than giving a talk to gardeners. As you say, they were an attentive and generous audience who laughed at your jokes. Plus, you went home with plants. Not to minimize your achievement, though–public speaking is the number one fear of most people.
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You have obviously looked into this before Mrs D! And my French is also abysmal so I wouldn’t be good at singing their songs. 🙂
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