And the Winner is ...

Just got in from the speech contest. I left work early yesterday and did not go to Kiwanis Middle School Tract meet and did not participate in the Ways & Means conference call for the 2006 National Conf.--just went home and sat for two hours without moving. I actually felt myself get mostly over my cold in those two hours. I still have the snuffels a little, but amazingly I am pretty much over a cold that had me lightheaded and quesy most of the week.

So I'm not too horse for the speech contest and I'm not lightheaded, my voice is ok. Then I saw my competition. Bruce did an evaluation for me several months back and he's very good. The other guy ouzed confidence and they were both so young. Ok, everyone is young to me anymore. What the heck, I tell myself--I'm here to sell girl scout cookies--the contest is gravy.

I did sell six boxes of girl scout cookies, but I got the gravy too. I won! Maybe it's my experience (ok, fine, I'm old) or maybe I love my topic (though it is difficult to come across as a savy attorney when you are gushing about girl scouts) or maybe I just didn't care if I won so I was more comfortable in front of the audience. Whatever the reason, yippie.

The next level of the contest is in April after Girl Scout cookie sales are over, so I'm not too sure how it will go over, but we'll see. My next speech in the club is about the death penalty--pretty serious subject. So far my speeches have been light, so this will be a bit of a challenge. Unfortunately I keep getting weepy at one part of the speech, so I either have to cut it or tough it out. I can handle it. Being old, I mean experienced, has it's benefits.