Speak for yourself

Oh what a miserable morning it is, lots of rain, best stay indoors today.

Ha ha, this is a recent comment which caught my attention. 

simplesuffolksmallholder11 October 2013 13:11

Blimey Ilona, I just reckon you got out of bed on the wrong side! Anyway you have loads of interests and lots of friends. Please tell us more about the talks you give to groups.

Nope, not got out of bed the wrong side, if I did I must have been in a grumpy mood all day, because I didn't write that particular post until late at night. The reason for my off the top of my heard garbled words was that I couldn't think of anything else to write. I had been flitting around looking for inspiration and kept reading the same old stuff over and over again. Not that I am knocking all money saving frugal blogs, some of them play an important role for those with absolutely no knowledge on how to manage their money. I sometimes forget that some people need constant reminders, and not everyone is like me, naturally tight with their money. I only have to read Money Saving Expert forum and I am astounded by the levels of debt people are in, and how they haven't a clue what the difference is between a need and a want. When someone talks about the price of wet wipes, I think WHAT! Get a bit of rag and wet it under the tap. Never mind the wet wipes, buy a loaf of bread instead for goodness sake.

 Anyway, getting off my horse, I won't go on about it any longer. SSH wants to know about my talks. I first started giving talks about 25 years ago. I got a lot of people asking me about what it was like to be in the minority as a female lorry driver. Whilst I was always polite and answered their questions, I did find it a bit wearing after telling the same story over and over again. The usual questions were, how did you get into it, how long have you been doing it, what do the men think of it. One question really annoyed me, what does your husband think of you doing that job. If it was a male lorry driver asking, and it usually was, I replied, what does your wife think of you doing that job. Grrrrr.

 After a while I thought rather than tell one person I might as well tell my story to a whole group of people, so I contacted the WI in my area in the Midlands. I started to get a few enquiries. I didn't know what the going rate was, all I wanted was my expenses covered, it was a hobby. After a few months, people started passing my name around and I got more enquiries, some people are members of several groups, or have friends in other groups. I never set out to promote myself, I didn't need to, my details were passed around.

I must have done several hundred talks by now, I think I did most of the groups in Staffordshire and Derbyshire, and some of the ladies had husbands in men's groups, so I did some of those as well. Rotary Clubs, Round Table, and Probus, even did some Young Farmers. I can adjust the talk to the audience. The blokes like it a bit racey after their dinner. Be careful of my P,s and Q's with the ladies, especially if it's in a church hall, try not to offend. No swearing in front of the Young Farmers, though they could probably swear better than I can, ha ha. The mixed groups are good fun, because you have the men busting to laugh, but not sure if they should do in front of their wives. The ladies titter. I have seen people nearly wet themselves with laughing, that is great fun, ha ha. I know it's going well then so it spurs me on.

I have seen looks of shock and horror on some faces, as I push the boundaries out a bit. Sneak an odd naughty word out now and again. They look sideways to see if their friend is laughing. I haven't had anyone walk out yet. Every talk is different.

When I started doing talks, I had notes on cards, to prompt me. I soon dropped them as they were more of a hindrance than a help. For the trucking talks I had slides, something visual can be used as a prompt. Now, if I do a Meanqueen talk I take along crafting items I have made.

Professional after dinner speakers can make a lot of money, but I was never in that league. I once did a big Rotary Club do, as a back up speaker to a professional footballer. It was a disaster, I was completely out of my depth with it.

Generally, the bigger the audience the easier it is for me. I find it hard work speaking to ten people in a village hall,  it's much easier to speak to 100. Laughter is infectious. I have a set talk and scan their faces to see what is working and what is not. If things are looking a bit flat, I change direction, pep it up a bit, try something else. If they laugh I know I am on the right track. Reading your audience is important.

Knowing your subject is also important. I have never rehearsed at home, never in front of friends. My talks are about my life so I just bring all my memories up to the surface, open my mouth, and out they come. Give me a microphone and put me on a stage and I perform.

Here is me talking to a group at a new community centre which opened in Caistor. Dressing the part is also important. Here I am wearing clothes which have been given to me, or bought from a car boot sale or charity shop, to keep it in line with the recycling theme.    

 

More recycling ideas at a men's group. I talked about the walking as well, as I thought they might get a bit bored with the crafting. I had previously done a trucking talk for them and they invited me back. A meal was thrown in here as well. Again wearing second hand clothes.

I did a ladies group in a posh hotel for this one. Wearing my dress which is 25 years old, second hand boots, and home made accessories. And they fed me. My posh frock comes out now and again, I will be keeping that till I die.

I've picked a clip out from a video that someone made of the Lady Truckers. It starts with a few seconds of Linda, my friend in Ellesmere Port, then they overlap my voice towards the end of her bit and the start of me. Sorry about the poor quality. Film made in the 1980's.

 

 

So there you are. Hope you found that interesting. If anyone wants to ask any questions please feel free, about any topic as long as it's not politics or religion. I will answer you, but if you offend me I will delete you.

Chuffin heck, the sun has come out. Toodle pip.