Got To Read Poems to a Crowd in the Dark
Shirley L retired after 50 years at the Library, and they had a big blow-out party in the Mumford Room, with the Director and Deputy Director, her boss (which is the same as my boss), a cake decorated with a cherry blossom motif, and a bunch of people who knew her from current work or from way back in the day.
A certain number of her friends were not able to come, since she is a traveler and knows people all over the globe, and two of them sent poems in their place. The day of the party my boss volunteered me to read out the poems at the event, and fortunately got me copies of them several hours in advance, so I could practice my dramatic reading before hand.
So, I should have been terrified, but I shoved out of my mind the idea that I would be speaking into a microphone in front of the Big Bosses and God Knows Who Else Including a Camera Crew, lest I lose my nerve. Suzanne S, who had retired recently as well suggested that I got nominated "maybe because of your diction." Er, okay, diction. Or failure to take a step back when the boss called for volunteers is more likely. Another colleague was like, "No way am I doing it."
I got into the first poem, and the lights went out (someone leaned on the switch in the back of the room) and I didn't visibly freak out, go me. But I was sweating it big time. No hint of that on the recording though.
This reality of my externals is striking and interesting, given the disembodied self I carry in my head. On the video, I'm so physically there, solid, all middle aged and homely, but seem like such a jolly and nice lady, like a grade school teacher. Okay, class, everybody, settle down, settle down. Who is that woman? I mean, I'd totally hang with her*, and not worry she would harm me, abuse me, turn me into the cops. GOOD GRIEF. I just got it. I look like a social worker, holy smokes, all those social worker relatives, I have their genes or something. *facepalm* Or Mary Jo Pehl.
*even though she isn't as good-looking or cool as I am? She'd get a pass based on personality. I know, that makes no sense.