I Was The Target!

Last Monday evening, I was the "target speaker" for an evaluation contest.  After hearing my speech, six people competed by giving a 3-minute oral evaluation of my speech.  Their remarks included both my good points as a speaker and the points on which I could improve.

It was interesting to hear what people thought of my speech and how I delivered it.  Listening to the evaluators comment on what they thought I did well was not a problem.  The tricky part was to receive the suggestions for improvement while not allowing those same suggestions to discourage me from ever getting up to speak in front of an audience again.

Participating in this exercise was an opportunity to learn and grow in a safe environment.  The contest was a part of the program of Toastmasters International, an organization dedicated to fostering speaking and leadership skills.  Members work to improve their thinking and listening expertise as well as their proficiency in public speaking.

Everyone can benefit from developing their communication skills, and almost everyone can take advantage of the Toastmasters experience.  Go to www.toastmasters.org to find a club nearby - visitors are always welcome.

Happy Birthday, Girl Scouting!

(Oops - written on March 12 but not posted until March 13)

On this date in 1912, in the state of Georgia, Juliette Gordon Low called her cousin, Nina Anderson Pape, and said, "Come right over!  I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight!"

Today, March 12, as Girl Scouts of the USA celebrate their 100th birthday, their mission is "to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place."  (see www.girlscouts.org)

In this Saturday, May 31, 1997 file photo, Barb Rishell, of DuBos, Penn., leads about 50,000 girl scouts in a pledge, on the Mall in Washington. It's been 100 years since Juliette Gordon Low recruited the first scouts in Georgia. Low's original registration book from March of 1912 shows 102 recruits. Now there are 2.3 million active Girl Scouts nationwide. Photo: Brian K. Diggs / AP  (Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Girl-Scouts-mark-100-years-of-closing-gender-gaps-3379359.php#ixzz1oxQraX3v)

International Women's Day

Today, March 8, is International Women's Day, celebrated around the globe in countries on every continent. This year marks the 101st anniversary of IWD (first celebrated in the United States in 1911).

Go to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristi-york-wooten/international-womens-day_b_1322064.html to find a list of ten simple actions you can take to improve the lives of women and girls everywhere. From signing a pledge to playing an on-line trivia game, there is something on this list that everyone can do. My personal favorite for this election year is:

Exercise your right [to vote]. Many women have died for the right to vote . . . it's important for every voice to be heard and every vote to count.

Today, Aunt Sandi says:

• Are you registered to vote? Are you registered to vote at your current address? In Oregon, you can go to www.oregonvotes.org to register, and - as Election Day approaches - you will receive your ballot to vote by mail. 
• The United Nations began celebrating March 8 as International Women's Day in 1975. The theme for this year is "Empower Rural Women - End Hunger and Poverty." See http://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/iwd/ to find out how the UN observes this day. 
• Don't forget to set your clocks ahead on Saturday night. Yes, Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday at 2:00 a.m. It should be called Energy Saving Time because the purpose is to make better use of daylight, therefore conserving energy. 

That's what Aunt Sandi says. What do you say?