Friday, October 10, 2008

the speech

Ok -- so I promised to come back to Katie's question about the speech.

I mentioned it briefly during the 2008 Olympics and watching Michael Phelps rewrite history, but as many of you that follow my blog know, I was in the Olympics a lifetime ago. And, no, I have no desire to follow in Dara Torres' amazing footsteps and attempt a comeback after having children. I can't tell you how much I have NO desire to jump in a pool first thing in the morning anymore.

Oh and I was a distance swimmer, so none of those sprint workouts for me. We would be talking miles in the pool on a daily basis. BLECK. No thanks.

Regardless, when I made the Olympic team I was swimming for a team in a bigger east coast city, but I lived in a VERY small town. The entire county was close to 50,000 people and although it has grown, it isn't much over 75,000 to this day. I moved back to this town. To say I am still known in this town is an understatement.

Within a week of me returning, I was front page Saturday morning news. Yes, you read that correctly -- front page, main news, my return. Don't think I get a big head about it because I find it flat out hilarious. Although I will say my self-esteem isn't taking a beating like it did in NYC where everyone was prettier, better dressed, richer (or at least seemed to be so) and seemingly smarter.

So - why the speech - well there is a new aquatic center opening here, so it only made sense that I be the headliner, right? You know, because I have tons of speaking experience and it has been more than a decade since I was in the Games. But I think the fact that the head coach used to coach my old club team and the assistant coach is the son of one of the founding partners of my firm has something to do with it. And I will point out that this whole "speech" started out as a request to "say a few words about your Olympic experience". It was only after I got the invitations that I knew that I was THE speaker!

After getting a new dress (losing almost 20 lbs since the last blacktie event made my only other formal dress a total no go) and shoes, securing a babysitter and having everything else ready to go, I still continue to stare at a blank word document titled -- GAC Speech. Yeah, it is tomorrow. Guess what I will be up doing tonight?

Anyone have any idea how hard it is to write a speech when 90% of your natural humor is sarcastic? Not to mention there are people that of course I need to mention, among them, my firm since I will be seated next to that founding partner.

*sigh*

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