Feedback

Last weekend I found myself in Prior Lake giving a presentation to over 200 people. I don't like public speaking. But I had been talked into giving a little talk about my peace corps experience. A fellow Ole was heading up a big girl scout extravaganza in Prior Lake and needed a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer to introduce the girls to the organization. She contacted St. Olaf and they gave her my name. And then she emailed me, and signed off with an Um Yah Yah. I wanted to say no, but as an Ole, it is against the rules to deny the Um Yah Yah. And I am an Ole with much guilt. I didn't sing Um Yah Yah at my wedding. I didn't even marry an Ole. I haven't been back on campus for many many moons. So she got me. I said yes.
I dug up the old slides, even had them digitalized, then fashioned up a fancy powerpoint. I got down to the school about 3 minutes before the presenation was to start- a timeline habit I picked up while living in the Caribbean. She introduced me to the throngs of young (so young!!) girls and their parents. It was a tough crowd- from girls about 4 through 12, and then their well-manicured, carefully coifed moms. And a few dads. But I launched into it, got the parents laughing a bit, and proceeded through my powerpoint. When I was done, I was aghast to see that I had gone over the time I was given. By about 25%. Shoot. Hate to do that. But ever since breaking my wrist I have been watch-less and my timing is just generally off, I must admit. After the presentation we all watched an African drumming group and then the scouts were set free to visit a bunch of booths, including one I was sitting at. I spent some time answering questions from adults, who seemed to have been somewhat engaged in my presentation. And then came a sly little 2nd grader. She approached and said, "I know who you are!! You are that lady (lady? really?) who gave that LONG LONG speech." I replied, "I know, it got a little long, didn't it?" To which she responded, "Oh yeah. I was SOOO bored. I looked over at my friend and said, 'I am SO bored, are you bored????'" Luckily her mom distracted her before I heard her friend's response. Feedback from the mouths of babes- the most potent source.