Oh What Have I done!

I’ve agreed to be a speaker on a Zoom call with several other people. Am I mad?

The answer is yes, and no.

I’ve always wanted to do public speaking and took a course pre-Covid. I visited a few groups in my area and had two topics, books and fostering, because I grew up in a house where my parents took in children.

I’ve spoken once last year, and nothing else since. So I’ve volunteered to talk on a Zoom call to other Avon representatives about interaction in their Facebook groups.

We all have groups to share with our customers, but with mine, I share my books too. In fact, it’s been evolving even further just recently as people get involved in the topics I bring up. Usually memories, humour, places, and seasons, after all we British always talk about the weather!

Books and Beauty is my go to place to meet and chat with others. But it never used to be that way. At the beginning when I posted, no one talked to me. It felt like I was on my own there sometimes. It was disheartening.

A lot of rep groups are still like that, so I’ve volunteered to tell them about my experience and what worked for me. I hope to inspire them to find something they can bring to their own groups.

You’re welcome to join me in Books and Beauty because books are stories, and they are around us every day waiting to shared. Beauty is life, and nature, and the things that inspire us. There is enough horror in this world, so why shouldn’t we would celebrate all that is good and beautiful?

Update: it happened last night and didn’t quite go as expected. Only six turned up, which actually made it cosy.

I’d had a new webcam with a built in mic. I’d tried it out by going live on Facebook, but as the meeting opened realised I needed to hear too, and I have no speakers. I hastily tried to link my up ear buds but couldn’t.

I then had to use my iPad and my computer screen and ended up with horrendous feedback, my voice echoing every time I spoke. So my talk was cut short.

Zoom stopped after half an hour, not the hour we expected, so we resorted to a What’s App video call. It was perfect.

We had a great chat. We all knew each other from text talking and it was the first time we’d seen the faces behind our names.

We’ll do again next month with a topic of Christmas fairs.