Flowers for mothers

I bought the Cyclamens for my mother, also she died 50 years ago, I continue as she liked to receive them at her birthday, the 26 December..

And my grandson got 17 just then.

How happy she would be with my "accomplishments", specially my two children and grandchildren. But all the others too.

True, alas she lived too much "through me" all my life.

The second, present from my daughter, she offered me before she left to go home, far. I'll follow its development and opening in the windowsill of the kitchen where they feel best.

Here is the set "memory" and flowers.

Waiting

I was waiting for a doctor when I took this image, that I like a lot, still now. It was almost six years ago!

I did not have to wait long, but when one is afraid, one hour seems very long.

The very good doctor, almost did not speak at all with me, but he did explain what he found to his assistant. "All is well" at least, not bad. No operation is needed, as I did suppose, but they did not even did what they have prepared me a month ago, that they will.

I was afraid for all this time, for nothing.

Nothing?

I behaved, like a child, not an adult, not like an old experienced woman. Not outside, toward those in hospital, but inside me.

Who knows, perhaps from all this, I can make a story...

Like Richard, a colleague from Toastmasters told us, I have made a Monster giant menacing me, and it shrink when reality arrived.

Reality become so small relative to all what I imagined in lived in myself! Now, I can go on with more energy, as the imagined Giant does not frighten me any more, does not sap a huge part of my energy, any more!

Hospital corridor

It was in March 2007, as I went to a scan in the Argenteuil Hospital's long corridor, all alone there, I was afraid.

It seems I captured it in this image.

Taking three photos there, took out some of the edges of my fear, but it still captures the dread and aloneness I felt at the time.

I do not think there will be a lonely long underground corridor this time, but I am not very assured to go, again, alone, and stay, again, alone, in the hospital.

But finally, I have to learn, again and again, then sometimes in life we are alone, left on ourselves. Others could empathise, and they do, but we have to be able, at times, to deal with what comes on our own feet.

Did I not say always that "courage is to fear but go anyway"! ?

Your most important accomplishment?

To introduce me, yesterday's Ewan, the Toastmaster of the Evening, in the club near London Bridge, asked me:

"What was your most important accomplishment in 2010 ?"

I answered that it was my telling a story before 300 and being paid by it.

But was it really?

I got more pleasure telling stories at the Canal Cafe Theatre, and I love the audience of 60 so responsive, there! I got more pleasure in listening to the speeches of those I helped to grow. I got more pleasure coming home with my grand son hand in my hand.

Preparing my stories. Learning new techniques. Delivering the same story better. Finally, the most important from 2010 is the progress I did achieve in storytelling.

That is my "resolution" for the next year: be able to tell better, be able to have even better contact with the public at the end of next year then now. Connecting with the audience: what a pleasure!

Memories

There remain mostly memories now of the festive season.

As this fir, a bit sad and planted in a garden. And hopes for the new year.

I remember having almost cried when because of the snow the Airports of London closed and my daughter could not arrive in time from USA.

I remember the joy Christmas day, when she finally did arrive and a great diner we had with a Scot / Vietnamese British family, together.

I remember the Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde, still modern and well played that we assisted with my daughter, and the diner in family at the 'Girafe' restaurant with all the family a day later.

I remember the strolls in central London and to the Greenwich observatory and that I was at the end a bit more tired then I wanted. I remember the visit with her to the British Museum, but mostly I do remember my daughter's warm smile and her hand holding mine.

She is now back, the festive season finished but the memories remain.

British Museum

My daughter visited me and London, and we went together to theatre, to Trafalgar Square, the lights around the London Eye, and of course, the British Museum.

So much interest in the old sculptures, writings, art!

She taught me, also I suspected, how much one can still learn at any age!

I was stunned of the art done about 5000 years ago!

We also have seen different things at the Museum and with different eyes. Here is some of my observations.

From here to there

Published in Toastmaster's District 71 December / January Journal 
District 71 is all UK and Ireland

How I got from the Icebreaker
to Manchester Town hall

I came to live in London when I was 74 years old. The first Toastmaster club I visited was Lewisham Speakers in February 2009.

As I prepared my Icebreaker, I read in the CC manual «each project builds on what you have learned».In the first project, it is proposed to speak about ourselves, and then, «weave the ideas into a story» - I did that by consequence, speech after speech, and as I am 76, it was not so difficult to find a personal story for each project.

When I delivered my icebreaker I fell in love with the audience in spite of my hands trembling with anxiety.

I concentrated all my energy on improving my skills.

I studied the good speeches on the web and at the Toastmaster meetings. I bought the book -‘Power of Personal Storytelling’ (Maguire). giving me advice between others on how to remember my stories. Another book I bought was ‘Improving your storytelling’ (Lipman), and finally a great book from Toastmasters International about Storytelling, which states “the difference between a speaker and a great speaker are personal stories" At this time I got the Storytelling Advanced Manual, and learned by doing project after project. I had finished my CC November 2009.

Wanting to practice and to listen to more personal stories, I attended more then one club, and also discovered 'Spark London', a Personal Storytelling event held monthly at Canal Café Theatre. The first time I went to listen, then Johanna Yates the organizer, invited me to participate.

In November 2009 I began with ‘Now or Never’, a story about how I arrived in London and found myself a home with Toastmasters. During last year I told a few other stories with Spark London at Cafe Canal Theatre, with an audience of sixty each time. I also spoke at the Chocolate Bar and the Soho, Blue Elephant, Blackheath Bakehouse, and so on.

I was always happy to have new experiences and new audiences and to be able to give my speeches in the Toastmasters clubs. I could fit them into one of my advanced Manual Project without any problem or, repeat one of the Storytelling projects.

It was at the Canal Cafe Theatre I first told my story about twenty-four hours in my life when the second world war caught up with me. I was invited to tell that same story as a paid speaker in Manchester Town hall before an audience of 300. Grant Whisky sponsored this event.

I recently finished the CL manual and my first two Advanced Manuals. I have begun work on my Advanced Communicator Silver. The preparation of my story ‘Mistaken Identity’ about how I changed profession at forty-five is ongoing and was given at Canal Cafe theatre on November 1st.

I am also VPE in Lewisham, trying to give a bit of all that Toastmasters gave to me. I do feel that any message we want to pass to others is better done through a tale, in my case mostly personal tales that speak more to the emotions and are best remembered.

Julie Kertesz VPE Lewisham