Am I Done With Social Media?

It’s been a beautiful weekend so far and the drop in humidity has made it feel very comfortable outside. It makes it easier to sleep as well. I’m taking advantage of the September-like weather while it’s here and going to Mammoth Park for a walk. With everyone out today, I’ll stop at Getgo and have a little picnic for myself as well. Going to Mammoth will bring back memories of last year’s Harry Potter themed birthday party for Annabelle, though it was much cooler last year for that event. That shot of cool air came on the heels of Indian Summer weather a few days prior.

This week I seriously contemplated cutting back on my social media use. Three reasons why I’m doing this are because first off, it’s election season. Everyone on Facebook will be spewing their vitriol to verbally attack who’s running for President; thus, trying to guilt me into voting for the other person. Second, the algorithms on Facebook and Instagram are just terrible and the suggestions have nothing to do with my interests. That, plus the ads are repetitive and just annoying. Third and lastly, social media just is a huge time waster for me anymore and, to be honest, the notifications section isn’t what it used to be. As for YouTube, I just use it to watch highlights from last year’s football games to get myself ready for the season. In the time I waste on the socials, I can use that to declutter my life or look up something good to make from my cookbook.

In June when I was on vacation the last week of the month, one of the days I went to Tanger and purchased a 3-in-1 Michael Kors purse set. One tote and two crossbody purses, in pink. I’m looking for something that’s easy to wear around a coat once cooler Fall weather arrives. Thankfully I kept my Coach purses and I can use that pink one with the cherry charm. Now I have something I can use for meetings (the tote), going to the store or work (the Coach), or coffee (the crossbody). Good coordinating there, Stylish 🍒!

Finally, let’s look ahead to this upcoming week. After taking advantage of the amazing weather this afternoon into the early evening, what is on the agenda for Monday. It’s another Bible Study Monday at Cutie’s and the weather looks perfect. Last time we had a few sprinkles but it didn’t affect the event. This time I’ll walk in and get coffee before the study. The message was great two weeks ago, so I know I’ll be in for a treat. They will be celebrating their first anniversary on October 13. Cutie’s has become my favorite coffee shop in downtown Greensburg, though I like them all.

Tuesday is a Toastmasters night with Laurel Highlands holding their meeting. Wednesday I will be putting together Greensburg’s agenda for the 21st. Thursday, I am off; therefore, I will be taking a road trip to Somerset and visiting family. It will be a nice visit, I’m sure. Getting there is always fun as I will either take US 30 through Ligonier or PA 31 through Mount Pleasant or Donegal to get there.

Further ahead we will have a nice sendoff for two of my friends who are moving east. Also, I’m looking forward to dinner with Mr. Clougherty at Don Patron, Night-turn Appreciation night at Giant Eagle, and the first day of school.

It’s Getting Real!

As we move through August, things are starting to get real. First, school is less than two weeks away. Second, the election is three weeks away and the attack ads will get more persistent from now until November 5. Unlike 2008, I’m standing my ground. Unlike 2012, I’ll walk away if I hear my candidate get slammed. I’m doing my best to stay away from the socials on that topic. Third, I’m getting close to the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and thus, the series will be winding down. I started reading about a year ago and I’m proud that I stuck with it. I started the series in 2018 and quit after Prisoner of Azkaban. I’ve been acting businesslike in Toastmasters, getting guest packets together for Laurel Highlands and still coming off the high of Wednesday’s meeting.

I’m still proud of myself for how Wednesday night’s meeting went and how confident I was up there when I gave my speech. It’s taken four years to get here (meaning Level 5 in my path) and the critics would have told me to give it up long ago. They might also say I’m not getting my money’s worth but I’ve stuck with it for 13 years and show no signs of leaving anytime soon.

I did my best to give eye contact, even looking at my evaluator who was online. I was confident, relaxed, and authentic. I even did well with my gestures and my vocal variety. These are basic things to learn in Toastmasters and usually, I’m all over the place, even when I practice. What really stood out in my speech, according to my evaluator, was that I wasn’t afraid to share my vulnerability and my smile. I’m hoping to build off Wednesday night’s positive energy at the upcoming Laurel Highlands meeting. I’m serving as invocator and also one of the speech evaluators. To get myself ready, I’ll print out the evaluation form ahead of time. I’ll plan the agenda for Greensburg next week too and stay on top of things.

The August 21 meeting will be our final meeting with the Teagues attending in person as they are moving. They’ll stay with the club but will be attending online. I’ll put together a nice outfit for me to wear for their final in person meeting with us.

In addition to being businesslike in Toastmasters, I’m doing so with my health as well. I need to get a form filled out that needs to be in by September 30 so that I can get the best price on my benefits for 2025. So, I’ll be making a trip to the doctor’s before Laurel Highlands on Tuesday to get that done and I may have to do bloodwork later next week. That’s an easy six minute drive up to Norwin Hills for me.

My health scare in 2021 was likely the turning point that my time at WIS was going to be up soon, whether I liked it or not. I needed to take better care of myself and having a job with great benefits and being close to home helps. Of course, I still inflict negative feelings upon myself mentally, but I’m working on curtailing that. I shouldn’t rely on social media or the feelings and opinions of friends or family to make myself happy.

Finally, I have Old Navy Super Cash to use up before the end of the day on Sunday. I also have a gift card. While it seems like I’ve been quiet on my fashion journey, let me remind you I’m still at it. It’s time to think of some trendy and cute fall ‘fits and I’m still looking for a cute houndstooth coat that I missed out on last Fall. I hit a home run with my cheetah top and my sweater that I slayed at last year’s reunion and Friendsgiving. I’m not looking for attention though I do appreciate it, but I just want to wear what makes me happy without feeling ashamed. I’m also in the market for a bag. I want one that’s easier to put on my shoulder while wearing a leather jacket or a coat in the months ahead with cooler weather coming.

It’s a great weekend to get outside as the humidity has tapered off and it feels like September. There’s still plenty of summer left as Fall doesn’t begin for six more weeks, but hot or cold I’ll make the most of it.

The Perfect Meeting!

Last night at our Greensburg Toastmasters meeting, I felt like I had a long awaited thing happen to me. I felt like I had a perfect meeting. I have finally made it to the last level of my path that I started in the Summer of 2020. I plan to finish the Dynamic Leadership path in September and have my speeches lined up over a three week period.

I talked about my experience serving as President of Greensburg Toastmasters last year. I also highlighted my Toastmasters history, going back in 2011. The Toastmaster of the meeting introduced me by saying that it wasn’t my first rodeo. I’ll highlight parts of my speech on this blog post.

What was special about tonight’s speech was that I sounded perfect on stage, and not relying on my notes. I really sounded like a seasoned Toastmaster up there last night. I put a lot of planning into that speech and the end result looked great. The same would go for Table Topics and I really like how we applied what we talked about at our officers’ meeting last month. We centered our Table Topics session around the Moments of Truth and I’m glad we’re continuing this at our next meeting.

My story took place early in the Spring of 2023. We just came out of our regular meeting and started planning for the new Toastmasters year. We had solid leadership from the Teagues the last four year and they guided our club through one of the most trying periods (that being COVID). They were very confident that I would continue leading the club to success as the next club President.

I had no problem building my team as most of my officers retained their roles for 2023-24. All I needed was a Secretary and Sergeant at Arms. In my speech, I stressed the importance of attending club officer training and where it fell in the Distinguished Club Program.

My club had its ups and downs, as guests and members came and went. Whether we had fifteen or five in attendance, we always made the most of our meetings. I always tried to set the best example, whether it was giving a speech or running a meeting that was fun, educational, and uplifting. Most importantly, I made sure my meetings ran on time.

The lockdowns during COVID meant meeting in person were no exception to the rule, either. We had to adjust and Zoom was going to be the wave of the future. I was going through the motions and dealing with my own issues but I came back around and learned to embrace the platform. That was around the time I accepted the nomination to serve as Club President.

In the NFL, a quarterback has a passer rating that highlights how he performed in a game. The number for achieving a perfect rating as a QB is 158.3. That’s how I felt Wednesday night at my meeting as I was firing on all cylinders. I even picked up pointers from Hillary’s evaluation. I even inspired one of our guests to come up and do a Table Topic question. Our speeches came from both ends of the Pathways spectrum as Hillary was working on her Level 1 and I was working on my Level 5. My speech evaluator Karen gave me excellent feedback on my speech as well.

Finally, I have a date set for when I’m going to sip my first Pumpkin Spice latte of the season. I’m looking at August 30, which is the Friday before Labor Day Weekend. Last year, I hinted at doing a Pumpkin Spice and Fall Coffee tour and unfortunately that fell through. I’m going to try my hand at it once more this year. I made it two weeks last year before things got busy but I made up for it with my Thanksgiving sandwich mini-tour in November.

Cutie’s is on my list. I’m tempted to try everything on their Fall menu, not just Pumpkin Spice. I’ll do my PSL and Fall Treat tour over a nine week period starting August 30 and going up to October 27. I want to include local cafes in Greensburg. Some road trips will be thrown in as well. The Pittsburgh suburbs, Cranberry, Butler, Kiski Valley, and Ligonier come to mind. I also sense an Oakmont Bakery trip to try some tasty Fall treats.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte and Fall Treats will begin as the Harry Potter reading tour comes to a conclusion.

Taking Charge!

In the previous weeks and those upcoming, I’m going to be busy. I’ll be filling the void at work for those on vacation. In Toastmasters, I’ll be fulfilling my officer duties in two clubs and giving speeches so my path will reach its long awaited completion. I’ll also exercising at the gym or walking at one of the parks, or getting my swimming time in while summer is still going strong.

What these all have in common is that I’m taking charge in my life.

Taking Charge of my Health

One thing I took charge of this week was sending for a form so I can fulfill my wellness requirements by September 30 to get the best prices on my insurance premiums for 2025. Not doing so means I’ll pay more. Once the forms are sent I’ll do my bloodwork and have my doctor sign off on everything. I did this last year too and learned that all was well with me.

Taking Charge in Toastmasters

It’s also time for me to take charge in my clubs that I belong to. One way I’m doing that is by completing the requirements for my last level in my original path, which I started in 2020. I’ll begin to road to my long-awaited completion Wednesday at my Greensburg meeting and schedule myself three weeks apart. I’ll then schedule a speech at Laurel Highlands the last Tuesday of the month and then complete the path in September at Greensburg.

In Laurel Highlands, I’m putting together guest packets for our members and that includes an application for membership, as well as some other pamphlets. We’re expecting a good number of guests at our upcoming meetings. It’s time to get the club to where it was when it chartered three years ago. I also want to promote the club in the community and in Fayette County. The name is Laurel Highlands which means we can reach out to Uniontown as well as Nemacolin Woodlands as well as Fort Necessity. There’s plenty of people in these three groups who can benefit from Toastmasters. In the case of Nemacolin, these people deal with a lot of high end customers too, from the front desk and in culinary to the spa and the casino.

Taking Charge of my Future

Finally, it’s time for me to take charge of my future. Changes are coming at work with a few in our department moving up or stepping down. In the last weeks, bids have been going up at our store. I may apply for the one (Night Turn Lead) as it’s a nice hike in pay and it’s more responsibility. It’s also a challenge but it’s one feel I may be ready for.

Speaking of taking charge of the future, I did that three years ago when I applied online for a job at Giant Eagle. Changes were happening at WIS when the merger with their competitor RGIS became official. I just turned 40, learned that things weren’t going to be in favor of me and was just ready to move on. I applied online for jobs at Goodwill and Giant Eagle, and had Target and Walmart in mind too. If nothing came about with those companies, my next plan of action would have applying at Excela Health and the new hospital in Jeannette (Allegheny Health Network). I interviewed with Goodwill and Giant Eagle a week before Thanksgiving.

I went out for a ride that Friday before Thanksgiving. I was driving on US 40 between Uniontown and Farmington when Giant Eagle called. I accepted the offer. It was the best decision I made and I’m proud to work for a great company. I have it made with a great store and a great team.

Best part, you can’t beat the commute.

A Recap of July

July has come and gone, and the summer of 2024 is going by fast. For Hempfield, school starts on August 22. It’s been a hot, dry summer. I knew this was going to happen. We had a Spring that saw record rains in April. We experienced more tornadoes next month than we usually do in a year. The heat ramped up just as I began vacation on June 21 and hasn’t really let up. We’ve seen rain but it hasn’t been enough to put a dent in the drought we’ve experienced this summer. I’ve been busy working and trying to find time to do everything, and most times set myself up for disappointment. But I’ve swam in our pool this summer more than I have in recent years.

As we turn the calendar to August, summer begins to hit its peak. It starts to fade as school busses hit the roads and bells ring. I start to look ahead to the fall season and when I’ll taste my first pumpkin spice latte. I’m thinking about planning my fall wardrobe. I look forward to rocking my cheetah sweater and leather jacket for the first time after the long, hot summer. Before all of that happens, let’s look back at July.

Fourth of July at the Farm

The Fourth of July picnic was held at the Gaffron farm on the actual July 4. There was lots of family and lots of food. I caught up with everyone including my midwestern cousins and those closer to home. I had to work that night so I couldn’t see the fireworks in person. Not to worry though, as my cousin posted pictures on social media and video of the fireworks.

James Visits Western Maryland Toastmasters

A week later, I had an opportunity to visit the new Western Maryland Toastmasters club. Since I worked that night and it was an hour and a half drive, I attended online. I bought a new mouse that week. It would help make it easier for me to mute. I would not rely so much on the touch pad. I’m getting the hang of the Zoom platform more and more now, four years later. Western Maryland Toastmasters chartered in May and the meeting I attended had a great turnout.

Just like the red carpet event that Laurel Highlands Toastmasters held after chartering in June 2021, Western Maryland is also having one in September. This event will be similar. The event in September is expected to be just as exciting. This one will be held at Rocky Gap Casino. I attended the Laurel Highlands event and really enjoyed myself there. Going off of experience, I know the Western Maryland event will be just as spectacular.

Getting Back Into My Walk With God

Finally, I got back into reading the Bible in July. I studied the book of Proverbs and read a chapter every day. What’s funny is I read every day up until the last day of the month. Plans in August include studying the Gospels, starting with John. I hinted at going back to church but I’m still up in the air over that.

I attended Bible Study Monday night. It was held in the parking lot at Cutie’s, one of my favorite places to get coffee in downtown Greensburg. The turnout was amazing. It’s recommended that you take your own chair for sitting in. Monday night’s study was on forgiveness. It was the first time I attended a big event like this in a while. The next event will be held on August 12 and the study runs every other week through October.

Time to look ahead to the new week.

A Look Ahead to August

It’s time to look ahead to next month, but before I do I’ll give an update on how Monday night went. A few nights ago, I attended a Bible Study that the newest coffee shop in town, Cutie’s, held. They had been doing this for a little bit now and at the last few, the turnouts have been great. This month has seen me get back into reading the Good Book, one chapter of Proverbs a day.

Monday night’s turnout was just as amazing as the last few have been. You can get free coffee outside or you can walk in and order a drink (the cafe was open until 7 on Monday). We started off the night with a song and then it was time to study the Scripture and hear an encouraging word from the speaker. Overall, I was very pleased. The study runs every two Mondays and the next Bible Study will be August 12. It’s scheduled to run through October 21.

For most of us, August means that summer is still here and it’s still going to be hot. However, for the kids it means that summer vacation will be winding down soon and school will be starting in a few weeks. Tomorrow night is the unofficial start of the NFL season as the preseason kicks off. Without further ado, let’s see what August has to offer for me.

To kick off the month, we’ll be spending some quality time with family who are visiting from out east this week. We’ll have a picnic this Friday and it looks to be a great time.

I’ll be making some more visits to other Toastmasters clubs in August as I continue to relight my Spirit of Toastmasters fire. I’m hoping to do an online visit for Allegheny Mountains tomorrow night. Sometime this month, I am also looking into visiting Bakery Square Toastmasters, hopefully next week. That will be an online visit. I am going to shoot for an in-person visit later this year, likely during my vacation week in December.

It’s going to be a busy Toastmasters month for me in my clubs and with those I’ll be visiting. Next Wednesday I’ll be speaking at my home club, finally beginning the process of knocking out my level 5 so I can finally finish my path. I’ll schedule speeches every three weeks, with August 27 at Laurel Highlands and September 18 at Greensburg also be scheduled for speaking engagements. We just got word that our District received the highest honor in the world, being a Smedley Distinguished district. We placed #9 in the world, out of all the districts. We really poured it on at the end of the year getting our clubs to finish Distinguished or higher, and we even chartered a few new clubs. One of them is Giant Eagle Toastmasters, which will be in the same area as Cranberry High Noon, Cranberry Area, Promasters, and Westinghouse. I’ll be interested to see how this club works out.

Emily in Paris is back for season 4. This upcoming season will be split with the first half premiering August 15 and the second half premiering September 12. As is the case, I’ll watch an episode a week. For the first half, I’ll watch two episodes so that I’m ready for the second half to premiere in September.

I’m halfway through the last Harry Potter book and plan to be finished by the end of the month. I realize I still need to watch the last three movies in the series. Therefore, I’ll be doing that in August with part two of the Deathly Hallows planned for Labor Day weekend.

I’ll be doing a few restaurant reviews in August and I’m planning on trying out Nico’s this Friday morning. Later this month as part of my dinner series, I’ll be eating at Don Patron. If I can go to Ligonier for Night Market, and that will come with better planning and leaving earlier, then I will do a review there as well.

Finally, it’s almost August which means we should hear more about Night Turn Appreciation Week at Giant Eagle and if and when we’re doing it. Last year’s theme was a lot of fun with lots of great food and words of encouragement from our management and higher ups. I hope whatever’s planned for 2024 is just as awesome. It’s a kind gesture for those of us who work “behind the scenes” overnight to make sure the customers find what they’re looking for in their shopping experience.

The 100th Blog!

In today’s blog, we are celebrating. This is the 100th post of 2024, and it came two months earlier than it did last year. I’m well ahead of last year’s pace, and I’m even surprised! At this rate, I will blow last year’s total out of the water, as well as 2020’s total. Which begs the question…

Do I let all my content from 2020 count or do I retcon that entire year? January and February’s totals to me do not count. I pretty much blogged every day those first two months before the pandemic began. When COVID hit, I only posted half the month and eventually, much lesser. It’s a good argument and one that won’t be solved any time soon, if at all.

Eventually by 2023, I got into a routine with the blog as I got my laptop. I did about 11 posts a month from July to November of 2023 and then picked it up in December, officially setting the record that was just broken last month. After a quiet winter, I picked back up again in the Spring (far cry from that of 2023). My plans this year are to have a quiet summer (but is it ever quiet?) before I ramp up content for Fall and the holiday season. I’m planning a “25 blogs of Christmas” for December.

Thursday night after I had dinner with Mr. Clougherty, I spent some time at the monthly Greensburg Night Market. The Market has changed a lot since I went a few times during COVID, as it now takes up four blocks along Pennsylvania Avenue. Lots of vendors line the street and there’s something you may just need or want to buy. Food trucks are plentiful as well and there’s always something good to eat. I recommend Pickled Chef for a good sandwich and Roaming Bean if you’re thirsty and want an iced coffee. To make the most of your experience in downtown Greensburg, know where you want to go by studying the map so you’re not wandering around. While the night market is going on, other businesses in the city will be open as well, so definitely check those out and shop small. Support Your Local Everything. The next Greensburg Night Market will be on August 29. Same time, same place.

Monday night I’m going to attempt to beat my anxiety and go to a Bible Study held by my favorite coffee shop. This recently started and the turnouts at the previous ones have been pretty good. July has been a good month as I’m making a comeback in my walk with God. I’m almost through the book of Proverbs, having read a chapter a day. I’ve been praying about where God wants me to go next. It’s looking like the Gospels for me, starting with John.

In my upcoming blog posts, I’ll recap how the experience went. The Bible study will be every two weeks.

Listening to @ana_eats_pgh on 100.7 STAR!

I had a hard time finding a title for today’s blog, because I’m not sure what I wanted to talk about. What I do know is that today is the penultimate blog before I post the century mark blog tomorrow. Wednesday will be Blog 101 and in that post we look ahead to the month of August. While it doesn’t have any major holidays, kids going back to school could be one for some parents. For the kids, it’s like their fun is coming to and end and it’s back to learning but seeing their friends again. Without further ado, here’s some of the latest happenings.

Mr. Clougherty and I had our monthly get-together on Thursday night, in the fourth installment of the 2024 Dinner Series. The place was EDO Hibachi. We met at 5:30 as we usually do and when asked if I wanted to do dining in or hibachi, I chose the latter. Next visit I’ll dine in so I can try the other options on the menu. I’m always impressed with the service and the entertainment. You always get a great show from the talented chef who prepares your dinner and even get to catch food in your mouth and cleanse your palate with some saki. My experience gets fives across the board meaning it was excellent. However, when you go, know what you want because your options depend on dining in or hibachi. Maybe I’ll meet my aunt here for lunch sometime.

Friday morning, I listened to 100.7 STAR for the first time in a long time. What was the reason? I wanted to listen to @ana_eats_pgh. She is a food influencer who is popular and has a big following on Instagram. Ana has also appeared on KDKA’s afternoon talk show, Talk Pittsburgh. She goes to restaurants and cafes in the Pittsburgh area (around the city and in Robinson Township and other parts). However, she also comes to Greensburg and like me is a big fan of Cutie’s Coffee. Ana, if you’re ever in Ligonier, I recommend Abigail’s if you want great coffee and the Ligonier Creamery if you’re up for amazing ice cream. Ana loves Market District too, and that makes me very happy, as I work for Giant Eagle. Maybe I’ll see her in Settlers Ridge sometime.

Other Pittsburgh foodies I recommend are @meet_n_eat_pgh and @berryintheburgh.

I had a rare treat and that was being scheduled off two days in a row (it’s not Saturday and Sunday but I’ll take it). Did my two days off go well? Well yes and no. I got to eat at the places I wanted to. I had dinner at Hibachi Thursday, breakfast at Sun Dawg yesterday, and this morning’s coffee at Cutie’s. I’ll be going to Bible Study there Monday night, and thus should plan accordingly (bring a chair, get there early, find good parking). It won’t be a problem because I’m out until 8pm on select Wednesdays for my Toastmasters meetings even when I work, which is common. I look forward to the study and hope I can make it a tradition. Now let’s address the elephant in the room and why these two days didn’t go well.

Negative thoughts ruled the day as well and as always I fold when I don’t get attention. I feel like I’m not good enough sometimes. It’s going to be a rocky road and there will be political posts and ads that spew bad things about both candidates there to confuse me. I just need to remember to keep doing me and being true to myself and not changing for anyone. I have the same schedule lined up for next week and plan to do what I keep doing, and that’s to dance when no one’s watching (and slaying). Elephant in the room taken care of.

It’s a Toastmaster free week as my clubs don’t meet. However, I need to prepare membership kits and my plan of action to promote one of my clubs, and prepare a speech for another. I got this!

Let’s push those positive thoughts, people.

Buying Myself Some Time

Before I begin today’s blog post, I want to give a happy birthday shoutout to one of my favorite bloggers. She is also my cousin. Happy birthday Katie. I always enjoy reading your content and you too are an amazing writer. I love learning about all your adventures and always feel like I’m there too. Thanks again for your kind words on my blog as well.

Yesterday turned out better for me than I thought. I had a good report from the doctor at my six month checkup. Sometimes it can be nerve-wracking because I’m not sure if my blood pressure will be high or not. The reading was good but I still want to pay attention to my health now that I’ve begun another year around the sun. We got our new fridge but had to remove a cabinet to get it to fit. Third, I attended my Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting. With a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon, I had to attend the meeting online but still had fun. I’m finally getting the hang of this zoom platform after four years. I was able to buy myself some time. Confused? Let me explain.

I read my texts and saw an email that said we would have 8-10 guests coming to our meeting. I thought it would have been last night’s meeting. That would have given me about three hours (doctor’s visit not included) to get about ten guest packets ready. We ended up having our usual members there, half in person and half online. The guests were going to be coming to the next meeting in three weeks. This lets me buy myself some time and get everything ready for the August 13 meeting. I also have time to put my action plan in place before our officer meeting in August for how I want to promote Laurel Highlands Toastmasters.

We put together our agenda for August 13, the night of our next meeting. I signed up to be a speech evaluator as well as invocator (we don’t do this at Greensburg). I’m also flexing my Spirit of Toastmasters muscles and planning visits to other clubs in August and into the Fall. I’m scheduling speeches in advance, including in two weeks at Greensburg and at the end of the month at Laurel Highlands. I plan on speaking again in September at Greensburg. These speeches will help me complete my Dynamic Leadership path.

It’s been an interesting ride as I began my path during the pandemic, struggled through my last months at my old job, and transitioned into a better one closer to home. I struggled with people who criticized my choices when I embarked on my “fashion journey” and broke into depression when I wasn’t hearing from anyone. I just wanted their approval so I wouldn’t feel judged. I probably could have benefitted by taking a Toastmasters hiatus and coming back (around the time when I was leaving WIS for Giant Eagle). Around 8-12 months, maybe.

My upcoming visits in August include Bakery Square and Allegheny Mountains in August online, and in person at Johnstown and Cranberry High Noon in the first few weeks of Fall. I’ll do another online visit to Western Maryland in November, and an in-person visit to Bakery Square in December as I work Christmas shopping into that visit.

Finally, I will be meeting online with my other Greensburg officers to plan things. We’ll hit on some acronyms including the CSP and the MOT. That session at Summer TLI helped me understand it better and I got to meet some of the new DuBois Area Toastmasters who were in my group. We’ll also talk about Free Toast Host and new member efforts. However it goes, I’m excited to make plans this second half of 2024.

F.E.A.R.—What is it?

The word fear takes on two different meanings. Let’s break it down both ways. F.E.A.R. can stand for two different ways to handle a situation. I can’t take credit for this quote as it comes from the great Zig Ziglar. F.E.A.R means to Forget Everything and Run or, to Face Everything and Rise.

The choice is yours.

For someone who has anxiety, FEAR can mean the former. It’s easier to do this when things don’t go their way but it doesn’t mean a win. I’m not talking about a fear of public speaking, dying, or spiders, though these things frighten me just as much. For someone who’s changing the status quo and changing the world, I’m going to have to face naysayers. Those critics could be in public, in front of a computer screen on social media or a podcast, or people close to me trying to “help me”. I also have to learn that I’m going to do this alone (already there). In this case, FEAR should mean Face Everything and Rise.

What I need to combat my anxiety is simple. Just keep being me. Easier said than done though. I look forward to something and then the day or night of, fear comes over me like a dark cloud that covers the sun. I feel like I set myself up for disappointment because I want instant approval and when I don’t get it, I feel disappointed. I feel like I get guilt-tripped just for being me. I fear rejection and I fear getting yelled at. Instead of depending on others’ approval, why not God’s approval or my own approval?

If you watched the news today or were perusing on social media, you learned that Joe Biden has stepped aside from running for re-election in 2024. He has endorsed his running mate, Kamala Harris, but it’s not a sure thing yet. This is good for Biden as he needs to preserve his legacy in politics. He’s had a good run and now it’s time to see who can run against Donald Trump in the election. The last four elections have had me living in fear or have seen me get ostracized for who I’m voting for. If Kamala runs, she has my vote.

Any comments on this post concerning the election will be deleted. I’m talking about fear, not politics (which most people don’t like talking about for fear of offending someine).

When one thinks of what the biggest fear is, they look no further than public speaking. If you have fear of getting up in front of a group and talking for a peiod of time, there’s no better place to go than to a Toastmasters meeting. Face everything and rise.

The first speech, also known as the ice breaker, is the toughest one to give. Getting up and presenting it in front of your club, and accomplishing said speech, is like a huge weight lifted off of you.

One of my favorite scenes in Harry Potter comes from the third film where Professor Lupin has the students naming their biggest fear. For Ron Weasley, it’s spiders. For Neville Longbottom, it’s Professor Snape. In the second movie, Ron goes into the forest with Harry and Hagrid’s dog Fang to clear Hagrid’s name, even if it means all of them getting eaten by Aragog’s offspring. He and Harry faced everything and rose, even though it would have been much easier to do with Hermione there. To me that was one of the scenes that really firghtened me. Expelliarmus!

Sometimes, I just need to take my own advice, face everything, and rise!