1369 – Lessons in Ineffective Speaking
Color-coordinated index cards will show you the way to dreamland as young Drew surprises Scooter with his speech-writing savvy and bibliographical audacity.
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Episode 1369 – Lessons in Ineffective Speaking
[START OF RECORDING]
SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster that’s here to keep you company, to be a friendly voice in the deep, dark night, to be your bore-friend, your bore-bud. I’ll talk more about that. But if you ever had trouble sleeping, right…not just trouble sleeping but having some ease and comfort at bedtime or before bedtime, thinking about bedtime, or in the middle of the night, something that feels friendly…because it doesn't always feel that way to me. It just…I’m pretty good at being kind to myself during the day, but things just take on a different tone for me. I don't know how else to say it. I don't know where…I didn’t get a good night's sleep last night, but I don't know if this is where that’s coming from.
But sometimes I gotta be a little bit serious 'cause I care so much about making this podcast and getting into this silly place…but letting you know if you feel that way, I’m here to try to help you if you're new or you're a regular listener, because I think it’s important to respect that that is tough. It may not be that for you, but I’m really glad you're here if you're new — or you're a regular listener; I’m so glad you're back — and that I could try to help you out just by being a friendly, silly voice as we go on with the rest of the show in the deep, dark night. This show’s very different. It is a sleep podcast that’s been around for eleven, twelve years. Twelve calendar years?
It’s meant to kinda…it’s meant to put you to sleep by just being here for you like a friend talking to you, where you wake up and you say, I don't even know…I don't remember stopping listening to him, but I did. But that’s a different thing. So, if you're new, I’m really glad you're here and I really hope we can help you out. What we got coming up is…this is like a intro to kinda introduce you to the podcast, then there’s support so paying for the podcast is optional, then a long, meandering intro meant to ease you into bedtime, and then later on…I’m not sure…I think it’ll be a potpourri-style episode, maybe like a trending random episode tonight, 'cause I haven't made the episode yet. So, I’m glad you're here, really, and if you…just see how it goes, right?
I don't know what got me in such…this mood that you're important, but I guess I’m glad, 'cause you're important and your sleep is important, and sometimes that just sticks out to me. So, I’m really glad you're here, I work really hard, and I really hope we can help you fall asleep. You could set your sleep timers for forty-five, sixty minutes, thirty minutes, but I’m…yeah, I’m really glad you're here, and we can be here on a regular basis because of the people who were already a part of your life. So, if you're new or we’re only a little bit a part of your life, it’s not important.
But if Sleep With Me is a part of your life, like it’s in your life twice a week, three times a week, multiple times a night, we're here because of the people like you that opt in to this show so it can be here for you and everybody else, even the casual listeners. But it’s just people…that the show is a part of your life that I always say, hey, if you want to opt in, the best ways to do it…support the show directly. Well, I’ll talk about it here, whatever Scoots talks about here, I guess. So, yeah, and I’m…really hope I can help everybody here keep you company and fall asleep. Thanks.
INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake. That could be thoughts on your mind, thoughts, thinking thoughts about the past, the present, the future, thoughts, feelings, anything coming up for you emotionally like feelings you're feeling, physical sensations, changes in time, temperature, routine, you could be going through something or getting over something or in the middle of something.
Whatever it is, I’m here to keep you company and take your mind off of it so you could fall asleep, which is a little bit different. The only reason I kinda go through some of that stuff or at the top of the show…I can be so, I don't know, sleep important, is because of two things. One, I know how it feels, and I think I talked about that a lot at the beginning of the show. If it feels for you anything…I mean, I don't know, I think I can identify with some of the things you feel related to sleep. But here’s the great news, is even if I can't, somewhere in the world there’s someone listening right now, a regular listener who’s kinda holding a nice place for you here, who has been through something, and they can relate to exactly or very closely whatever it is that’s keeping you awake.
We're lucky enough to have that many people, that many caring people who are rooting for you, and they're glad you're here. Alls they're rooting for is like, man, I hope this show can help you out like it helped me out. This show is very different and I didn’t know I was looking for something like this. These are the stories I get to hear on a regular basis from listeners and how good it can feel to just have…be that person that’s welcoming somebody in somewhere across the world, that they get you and you get them. They do see you where you are. The rest of us, we say, I think I can relate to you, and this person can see you in a indirect way. If you're a introvert like me, you say, well, I’d prefer you see me from over there.
I’d rather have this tree in the…you could see me, but the tree’s gonna be between the two of us, and you're across that other side. They say, okay, no prob…Sleep With Me listeners say, no problem. Matter of fact, I’m about 3,500 miles away. So, plenty of room. That’s all the person…or maybe you're the one doing it…that they say, man, I hope this show can help you out or introduce you to something that can. But if you become a regular listener, that one day…not only did you get the welcoming experience when you first got here, but you also get the experience of being the welcomer and feeling the positive sides, the positive energy, I guess, really — I don't like using that word that much, but it’s true — of something that doesn't always feel good, that there is this positive side to it.
As the welcomee and the welcomer, you get to feel that. That’s important…I usually don’t get this guru-like, but it’s important to point out and it’s really why I make the show, because the opposite was true, especially when I was a kid and I couldn't sleep. I didn’t feel like anybody understood. I got this sense that they wanted to understand, some people like my parents and stuff, but that they just couldn't quite grasp it. That was kind of a tough feeling, 'cause I say, okay, you want to relate to me, but you can't. Then when you try…you know what I’m…? I think if you're here, you know what I’m saying. So, we get an answer to that here, and that’s really magical for me because I’m not the one doing it. I’m only the one…I’m only the middle man, the middle person. That’s a pretty sweet spot to be in. So, I’m glad you're here.
I guess…this almost feels like a anniversary episode of the podcast. I don't know. Maybe…no, I don't think we're up to 1,400 yet, but whatever. So, the other side of this thing I’m talking about is that you deserve a bedtime where you could get the rest you need and your life is more manageable, where you could get the sleep you desire and the comfort you desire on a regular basis, and that you don’t have to have a bedtime you're dreading. I hope we could provide that for you or be a part of that. So, just see how it goes. Most people when they first got here…obviously if you listen to this, you're like, what is this? Yeah, it does take some getting used to. The show is very different. I’m very different.
So, just see how it goes and say, okay, now I kinda get…I don't quite get…I kinda get that I don't quite get it. So, just kinda see how it goes. Most regular listeners say, hey, it took two or three tries for me to get used to the show. ‘Cause the way the show works is I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents. So, I go off topic, I get mixed up, I forget what I was talking about, then I go back around, then I say, wait a second, what was I talking about? Wait, who, what, where? So…and my voice is not traditionally soothing. So, is there a point…?
Like, I’ve already got…most of my…most of the time, my pointless meanders and superfluous tangents are less grounded than this, and that just takes…'cause if you can't sleep and you’ve found your way to the show, either somebody told you about it or you were searching for it, it’s…you're already gonna be tired and skeptical and doubtful, 'cause maybe you've tried other stuff to help you fall asleep, and you've heard people making promises or saying, well, this is gonna work or it worked for me, and that’s…I’ve found over the years that that’s not necessarily true. So, I don't make any promises. I say, just see how it goes, and I hope I can help you.
As a matter of fact, I have a website set up, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, that has other sleep podcasts and sleepy stuff on there you could check out, because you still deserve a good night's sleep whether this podcast helps you out or not, and that’s the truth. That’s why I have that website set up. That’s why over the years you can see all the connections between sleep podcasts, because everybody has a little bit different taste. So, hopefully if this show doesn't work for you, one of those other shows will, and then you'll get all the stuff I was talking about. You could still listen to another show and be that welcoming presence. So, I hope that turns out for you.
But I hope you try the show a few tries and it does help you, 'cause most people are like, I had no idea something like this even existed on this planet, 'cause it’s a podcast you kinda just barely listen to, almost like a TV show you're not paying attention to, but a little bit different. Almost like background noise, but a little bit more engaging. Almost like comedy, but not quite so funny. I’m laughing at the truth. So, just see how it goes because, yeah, it’s like a out-of-focus picture or sand running through your hands, in a sense, or as I like to refer to it, a rave many, many, many blocks away. You hear the thumping and the music, but it’s far enough away…you say, huh, it’s not too bad, that…or like somebody with a super-powerful car system, but they're like, twelve blocks away and their car is parked.
I think we…that’s not an archetypal experience, but it kinda is, right? I don't know, can that be archetypal? I guess it can. They have the subwoofers and maybe they have lights and stuff in their car, but we can't see it 'cause it’s like…it’s thumping and…but it’s thumping at a distance. I don't know if…I mean, again, I like to joke that may be what…that may not be what Bette Midler is singing about, but I guess she was. From a distance, there’s harmony with this car and this…as a metaphor for this podcast. So, yeah, it’s at…it’s like a noise that would only be soothing at a distance. I think I’ve been called a person that’s only soothing at a distance. I’ll take that. The other thing is this is a sleep podcast that’s not really here to put you to sleep. I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep, which is different.
There is no pressure to fall asleep with this show. That’s one of the most important things I’ll say. I’m gonna be here. The reason the shows are over an hour is so you don’t…when I started making the show, I was like, wait, this is too short. If there’s…if it’s anything less than an hour, I’m gonna be wondering when it’s gonna end. I said, well, I don't want to make a podcast like that. I want to make one where it’s like, oh, okay, I don't have to worry about it. It’s over an hour. So, yeah, that’s one thing. Yeah, so, there’s no pressure to fall asleep because there’s people who are listening who can't sleep at all or who need to listen in for a break during the day, and I’m here to the very end whether you're awake or asleep, which is another of the…paradox of the show.
I’ll be here to keep you company whether you're listening to me or not or whether you wake up and you need to listen, or you need to listen tomorrow or you don’t need to listen at all, because my job is not to put you to sleep. It’s to bring you over here to this nice, welcoming place we’ve established together that doesn't have a lot of pressure on it. Like, no pressure to listen, no pressure to fall asleep. You could just gently observe the nonsense coming out my mouth and see how it goes. What else do you need to know? Oh, structure of the show…oh no; my job. My job is to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your bore-bie, your bores, your boreman, your Boris Borlaf, your neigh-bore, your bore-bie, your bore-sib, your bore-cuz, your bore-bruh, your best bore-friend f’eva, to keep you company.
That’s what a bore-friend does. It’s like a roommate who doesn't stop talking, but it’s not…but manages to do it in a calming way for your benefit. So, yeah, that’s what I’m here to do, is just keep you company and distract you but also in a comforting way. Not just you; all the little parts of you…or at least for me…and again, I know everybody listens different, right? But for me…well, last night was just something…I don't even know what it was. I had…and that just happens from time to time, but I can be a little bit…last night I was not in acceptance about it, either. Most of the time I am, but last night I had a shorter sleep window. I was going to bed later than I wanted to, and I think that’s what happened.
So…and then I did everything, and I honestly thought it was gonna…it was like, looked like it was gonna happen, right, and then it didn’t, and then I was a little bit furrowed in brow. But sometimes it’s like different parts of me…and even then, it was probably something…I don't know what it was. But sometimes I just gotta be like, okay, well, the part of you that’s trying to control this, let’s try to soothe that, where other nights it might be something that wants to think or feel or process or whatever. I’m here to distract those things, too. So, I don't know…but in a way that’s somewhat entertaining. So, I’m glad you're here. What else? Oh, the structure of the show. I’ll run through that really quick. I’ve been trying to go through that quicker than…but in a slow, meandering voice, Scoots; remember that.
But the structure of the show is very…we structure the show in a very deliberate way to benefit the most amount of people we can. So, maybe that’s you or maybe you're somebody that wants to adjust how you listen and you become a regular listener. I want to meet you where you are, so that’s why I run through this. The show starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, so you feel seen and welcomed in, like I said at the beginning. Then the show is ad-supported, so paying for it’s optional. If you prefer something without ads, that’s how you get that. Otherwise the ads are there because it’s…so it’s optional. Then separate from the support is a long, meandering intro which we're maybe fifteen minutes into now, and the intro is meant to introduce what the podcast is.
It’s a show within a show totally separate from the support, but I do so…I follow a similar structure every time, but every intro is different, exactly what I talked about earlier, so that whatever those things are that keep you awake, they feel distracted. They don’t feel like this is something predictable or cloying or totally repetitive where they can predict what’s gonna happen, so…but they also feel the familiarity. But the other purpose of the intro is to ease you into bedtime. You could fall asleep during the intro or you could listen to the show all night long, but the show is designed…this version of the podcast, the main version of the podcast with the intro, to ease you into bedtime. While there is a percentage of people that are asleep during it, most people are getting eased into bedtime.
So, they're getting ready for bed, they're in bed getting comfortable, they're winding down, they're doing a chill activity so that we have some wind-down time. That’s what’s been shown to work, and it’s worked for me most of the time. You could set a sleep timer or whatever, thirty, forty-five, sixty minutes. If you want something without the intros, we have a podcast; Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me, that you could get in any podcast app, or you could upgrade and get a ton of different stuff on Sleep With Me+. But at first just see how this goes. Getting eased into bedtime is pretty nice. It may not be for everybody.
It may not be for you, but try it out, and then try out having some sort of wind down to work with this podcast to ease you into bedtime, and pander…you know, one of the greatest ones where I pander to pets…you could also pander to your pets. What if you pretend…? This is not a joke, either, 'cause I was doing it yes…well, I was actually treating my dog like she was a queen yesterday…last night and speaking to her that way; well, yes, my queen. So, you could do that, pretend you're in some sort of service position to your pets, and pander to them. It actually is kind of relaxing, as long as they don’t take it too far. Koa sometimes does, and she’ll…she starts to get used to it and then she’ll say, what do you mean? You're not seriously gonna pet me for four hours? I say, no, my queen. My queen, I must rest. So, try it out.
It’s actually pretty nice. There’s a lot of different pet names you could use for your pet. So, that’s just…I’ve never recommended a wind…but it’s true. That was part…it didn’t work last night, so maybe I gotta reassess. But I don't think it was Koa’s fault because she was sleeping with my daughter. So, she was sound asleep. So, I don't know. But in the end, what I know is I’m glad you're here and I really hope I can help you fall asleep. Myself and a team of people work really hard on the show. We yearn and strive. We really want to help you fall asleep. Thank you again for coming by. If you decide you want to opt in and be a part of this thing we're doing here together, here’s a couple ways you could do it.
Alright everybody, Scoots here. This is an episode…we haven't…we’ve done similar things, but this one is pretty…I don't know what’s gonna happen. So, I…this is called…this is…we’ve had Ray go through some of my receipts before, and I think I’ve gone through some old stuff I wrote as a kid before, 'cause people…one of the more popular style of episodes we do is personal essays, but personal essays are not an episode I can just make happen or even intentionally sit down…it has to be somewhat organic for it to work. But so, this will be a personal essay-style one. I’m hopeful that this will give us some insight. I have in my lap here a collection of index cards and other things, and I…that I’m…'cause I’m getting…I’m not…I’m expecting I’m gonna be moving in August.
So, right now it’s the end of February, and I kinda made an interesting rule for myself, 'cause I’m not positive I’m gonna move. I just realized in the past two weeks how powerfully…one of the main reasons Sleep With Me has worked is because the deadlines for Sleep With Me worked. It was the first time I had a deadline that felt real that created creative restraints and created…put me in a position where I could create the structure to deliver stuff on a regular basis. Then, for some reason, I’ve just struggled to make…apply that to my life. But now, 'cause I think maybe I struggle a little bit more with imaginary deadlines or open-ended ones…but I’m leaning more and more into it, actually.
But so, I said, well, if I’m gonna move in August, what if I pack or have one box of stuff leave my life, like organize one box in January, two boxes in February, three boxes in March, four boxes in April, and organize or donate or clear out, so that then when August comes…? I don't know. Also, I have some stuff coming up where there might be some other hurdles to getting stuff packed and stuff. So, I don't know, that’s what I’m doing now. So, in February, the second half of February, I’ve been going through either boxes that the two or three times I’ve moved I’ve just never unpacked, and that’s where some of the stuff comes from, that it probably hasn’t even been out of a box in at least ten…no, no, definitely…at least twelve years, and possibly just went from one box to another in the past twenty-five years, maybe?
So, what I think the first…what I think the index cards are…but I haven't…I didn’t want to over-prepare are from a class I took in college about making speeches. So, let’s…let me get out…let’s me…let me start with those index cards and then organize them, and then we’ll go from there. Okay, we have a fairly large stack of them, and they even have my own feedback on them, I think. So…and I don't know, maybe…these may be from different things I’ve made. There’s different-color inks. So, first I’m gonna organize them by ink and then we’ll go from there. Okay, so, I’m back. I think I may have been able to organize them into three different stacks.
I’m only glancing at them, so I don't know for sure, but my suspicion is…or I’m pretty certain at least one of them, if not all of these, are presentations I made in a class…it looks like the class was called Effective Speaking, which would…I would have taken as an elective in my senior year of college. Here’s a few things…well, no, 'cause I get…maybe it was the same teacher? But maybe not. It would have been a night…a class I took at night at the School of Business, which I was not enrolled in, but you could take electives there. I remember taking a few different classes over the two semesters of my senior year because I had quite a few electives I could do. I guess I wanted to take classes that were once a week for a long time and weren't in the mornings — so, that narrowed my list — and that somewhat appealed to me.
So, I know I took a class on public relations, which we did do an episode about; the term paper that made up the majority of our grade for that class. I remember taking another class where I was…and that may be this class, though I don't think it is, where a teacher…I even had to do a job interview with the teacher in front of the class, and it went really well. Then there was this class, Effective Speaking, which in my mind I picture it in the same classroom as the Public Relations class with the same teacher, but I don't know. Maybe one day I’ll find my transcript and find out. But what I did was…I was…so, I’ve…the podcast has helped me…making Sleep With Me has helped me be a little bit more…come out of my shell, right? So, even when I was at school and even when I was…I’ve always been a quiet, reserved person.
I mean, sometimes I’d be loud or whatever, but even when I was in my cups, as they say, I mostly tended to be reserved. Whatever, we don’t need to overanalyze that, but that was just my style. Part of it was natural, part of it is who I am, and then part of it was a little bit of backing off from the world. But deep inside me, the person that makes this podcast has always been there. So, this is kinda funny because I’ve also been a person that’s overly serious or led with an overly serious side, which still comes across in the podcast. Or particularly me trying to keep the podcast sustainable is the biggest struggle because it’s like, oh, this is serious. But it’s like…so, it does come up…or where it’s like, man, how am I gonna manage all this, right?
I don't know if you've ever had that; like, the weight-of-the-world-type feelings, but I had that a lot. I still do. So, that added to my seriousness and reserveness, and then I’ve always kinda not been great at the whole relationship with anybody I identify as an authority figure. So, that’s made things unnecessarily complicated, I guess, and in college it was unnecessarily complicated. Then also, I was doing a lot of escapism. I probably had some stuff…other stuff I could have been getting…dealt with and help with, too. But I still managed to enjoy myself and get some stuff out of it, and these elective classes were a great opportunity.
But what’s funny is how I view myself and how the world views myself and how we are maybe in these repetitive loops, that we can slowly grow and make the loops more loopy than right…take the right angles out of them. I don't know exactly what happened in this class, but at some point, either with the first or second assignment, it was very open as far as, okay, you gotta make this…there was rules, right, but we would…each class or each couple classes as a part of your grade, you had to make a presentation in front of the whole class. Now, the good thing was most people…and I think I took this 'cause I said, well, this is something I don't…I know I want to be able to express myself more, particularly publicly, but it’s something I don't have a lot of comfort with. Then I also knew I had a goofy sense of humor.
So, in some sense, this class gave me this freedom, and then freedom to write, and again, a deadline to write and a context to write stuff, and then a requirement to deliver it, which, you know, that’s the magic of deadlines right there. Now, I can tell you that most of my…well, the way I perceived most of my presentations was…they weren't quite there because I was just so caught up in my own feelings and my feelings of anxiety and nervousness. I’ll just say it out loud. Usually I try to shift around this podcast, but this is in a good way and in a growth way. But then I would get feedback from the people I knew in the class or that I would encounter, and they would be like, that’s wild, because everybody else was taking it seriously and doing serious stuff, where I was taking it seriously and doing goofy stuff.
So, the first one is…that I have notes from, that I have all the cards, it looks like…and I guess you had to quote people. Maybe you had to have references, but they're made-up references, clearly, in this. So, I’ll just go through this but as a Sleep With Me episode. So, this one is about keeping your smile fresh and clean. I guess it was called…I don't have the title here, but let’s see; we got one, two, three, four, five reasons to keep your mouth fresh and clean. So, I was supposed to…I delivered these in a serious way, and…so, yeah, let me go off note card one. These are one-sided note cards. It says, Roman numeral I.
So, in an exclusive interview held in 1996 with the director of the Brooklyn Fresh Mouth Center — and then it has a name of one of my roommates in 1996 — I was very surprised to learn that keeping your mouth fresh and clean will require both…oh, so, this was an instructive one. We had to show how to do something and why, maybe. But I was very surprised to learn…with both a toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as a splash of water.
Now, just so you know, there’s many brands and styles available, as all of us know, and choosing your equipment is at your discretion, but…and I think I actually did research this, 'cause I can remember…this was probably after I wrote that Public Relations one, and so, I learned how to use these online databases that at this time you could only use at the library where you could really do powerful searches, because I remember trying to figure out what is the best brush. Should it be soft, medium, or firm? I’m pretty sure at that time it was inconclusive, just for your own reassurance. But I put, a soft-bristled brush, toothpaste with fluoride is suggested. That is point number one.
Point number two; now that you have the tools for brushing, dot, dot, dot…and this is somebody from…so, I must have had a bibliography, 'cause it says chart road…chart ran from 1980…1914 or 1984 or 1994…reminds us to take it easy. Oh no, it must be ‘94, 'cause it says, you know, these plastic bristles on the brush…you want to be kind to your gums and you don’t want to overdo it with force. You also have enamel and roots that need good care. By the way, according to the…my source here, two out of three people brush too hard. The best way to avoid this is to use gentle, circular strokes with a soft-bristle brush. So, that may have been where I got the brush…soft bristles from.
Now, that’s point number two. I probably set this up by talking about…whatever, that I don't necessarily…I don't know what my routine was like back then. It’s funny, though; now…and this has only been…at some point…and we all went through that early 2019, 2020, 2021 together, right? Our habits and stuff changed. Then my year of 2024 and then seeming like 2025 offered me…have offered endless growth opportunities that just don’t seem to cease. At some point…I just spent a lot of time in 2024 at my parents’ condo in Florida. What I discovered was…because it was like…would be…every day would be full of new growth opportunities, and I really became…where I got to lean into some of these healthy routines I have at night, in the morning, and other ones that I try to practice.
So…but one of the new ones I discovered was because it was so…up until…working from home, as I have for a long time, I always would do…what…I would get up and drink coffee first and then take care of my fresh and healthiness in my mouth after. But then this time I spent in Florida in 2024, I don't know, I really focused on my routine. A lot of these routines…and the science backs this up, which is surprising, though, is like, making them mechanical and link to one another.
Somehow, I just made it link to where the first thing I did…well, I had a couple things I do while I’m still in bed, but then as soon as I got out of bed, I would say ‘hi’ to the WC, you know, and then I would wash my hands and then I would…now, starting then, so probably January 2024…it may have happened earlier, but this is just how I’m retelling it and remembering it now. Then I would brush my teeth and wash my face and also put screen on my face. ‘Cause I think in Florida what I would do is then I would go outside to do my morning routine, which I do here, but it’s normally not quite as sunny as it was in Florida. But I’ve managed to continue that routine now, where it’s like, the first thing I do. I like it and I think it’s a good thing. Then I know…then it’s done. So, that’s just…that’s a modern-day tangent.
So, back to Scoots in the nineties here. Point three; while brushing is considered necessary for a shiny, freshy mouth, using the string between your teeth is just as important. If you want to use…oh, to maintain prime…a prime level of freshness and goodness…oh, it is imperative…I changed ‘important’ to ‘imperative’ there. Maybe a power word? Oh, I used ‘important’ earlier. Wow, Scoots, you were really working hard at this class. This is according to Nolton from 1995. So, there must…there’s not a bibliography on these cards, but I’m sure I had to turn in an outline. Not doing that is not…has been shown…studies have shown it’s not for the best. Now, as with brush and paste, there’s plenty of types of string. There was tape, which was new.
This was right when Seinfeld did a episode about Glide, which I think is…they come in a tape and a string, too, now. So, I said, why don’t you just experiment until you find something you prefer? So, that’s three. This is where I think…this is very Scoots, I think. I haven't read it, but I’m just scanning it. I got a feeling maybe I’ll talk about, but…okay, point…number four; the reason we must take good care to be…have freshness and good care is in order…because there’s different…there’s a lot of different, good reasons. Squires in 1993 gave some interesting info about this, and let’s see if I could read this.
You know, as children we watched a lot of cartoons, and your professionals, your parents said that you're gonna…oh, this is actually proven false, according to Squires in 1993, or depending on how good my research was, that that stuff of eating…even though you're watching all day long cartoons with advertisements about stuff that taste oh, so sweet, that that was proven flase through research that that’s just not true, because it’s equal…and again, I’m not saying…this is something I wrote. I’m just rereading it. I wouldn't base any decisions on it. But it’s been shown that anything you consume has the same impact if you're not maintaining your good habits. It’s not what you have but how often, and it’s important to…I did a lot of stuff like limiting, something I changed…made some changes, added some stuff.
But it’s important…and I changed this here to maintain these healthy habits, check in with a professional at least twice a year. So, I think the main point on that one that would have been humorous is that everybody could have related to the fact that they were told…well, one, you watch all these ads for stuff that tasted great and was sweet, then you were told, oh, if you eat sweet stuff, that’s gonna be…it was at school, too, that that was the thing that was causing it, but this study that I’m quoting, at least, said, no, everything is equal, actually. Whether that’s true or not…thing. Okay, so, this is five. This is the last card that I have here, at least. Okay, now you know that it’s important but it’s not always convenient. Woods in 1992 recommended chewing sugarless gum.
This helps reduce things because it stimulates movement, and that offers a protection. Oh, and the saliva…oh, it offers production of saliva. You never thought you'd hear that on a sleep podcast, huh? But here we are. Many people request personal essay episodes, so…and that saliva production, which is stimulated by chewing the gum, helps do a little natural thingamajig. Stuff falls off of your shiny, shiny things, making them somewhat refreshed. This can always be helpful for a person on the run or who feels busy. Okay, so that was that one. I think…well, maybe not. Maybe that was the first one I did. That does seem like it. This one has a lot more reminders.
So, I have one with blue pen and…I’m not sure these are gonna be the same or not, but we’ll go with…okay, this…yeah, okay, so the third one built on the first two. So, this is about…maybe about children’s books — this is interesting — and it has more pages. Okay, so, this is the intro, number one. At the bottom it reminds me; go slow. Maybe…? Was there something about a dictionary? Okay, it says, intro. If you've ever seen the big book, been berated — so, accidentally using alliteration there — or talked to someone who forgot night after night to drink or…in castle…? You've experienced that they don’t brushy, brushy, brush. I’ve been quality…oh yeah, I’ve missed brushing, brush, brush. To take the time for superior care; that’s my purpose.
Okay, I guess these two aren't related because…okay, so just so you know, this is what I was…this is like formative Scoots. Wow, so, I think this may be…I don't know where this is coming from. So, I don't know that one and two are related. But it says, page two; leaving the world where I can drink until I can pass out and begin a new stage of existence where I was…experience new challenges and pleasures will some day lead to…oh, me being a parent. These visions pushed me to action. I tried to remember how I was a sibling to my younger siblings, and suddenly it came to my attention; children’s books. It says times two, so maybe I’m supposed to say, children’s books. This was the answer, and this mission became my speech. Interesting. I don't know.
Plus, we missed page one, so I don't know what your set-up was. Could that be it? If you've ever seen the big book, been berated, or talked to someone who forgot after a night of drinking…oh, and eating White Castle…okay, maybe that was the intro for this one. Alright, my purpose here…okay, so, children’s books; this became…this was my answer, my mission for my speech. My purpose, therefore, will be to help prepare you for what may lie ahead. By giving you eight reviews of a variety of…I don't remember making this speech. I remember the dental one and remember one about…’why you should date me’ was one of the other ones I gave. It wasn’t…it should have actually been delivered to people in the class, but that’s how non…how ungrounded a person I was.
But I don't remember this one, so, this will be really interesting. By giving you eight reviews of a variety of children’s books that include different topics including being up at night, babysitters, computers, learning history, poetry, song, and even curiosity…so, instead of toiling with your inner self as I did, relax and let me do the work. Okay, we're missing four, so it goes straight to five. It’s funny 'cause I wrote this when I was in…like 1995, 1996. So, if you have…what does that say? Marble…morals and entertainment? Okay, this is 1995. Span is the…I don't know if that’s the bibliography thing. But what if Scoots has a daughter and you're looking for morals and entertainment? The Babysitter’s Club series of books written by Ann Martin can supply plenty of entertainment.
There are over 200 titles, and new ones are always coming out. Sales have reached 125 million copies, as Martin is doing something right. So, that’s interesting. That’s cool. Okay, that’s…but we're missing four, but that’s fine. Okay, then we go to six. In contrast to babysitters, computers as sitters is something few, as Keeling, 1995, describes. A Very Personal Computer by Justine Rendal…and sometimes I wonder if I make this stuff up. This is a story about a twelve-year-old, and they're going through a lot, and they're living with their grandfather and their father, who’s having a very tough time. He turns to a computer for support, and in return, it comes to life. The computer takes him on fun and entertaining adventures. This book will definitely entertain kids interested in technology. Okay, was that six? Oh, it was.
Okay, so the next one is seven. If you're looking for fun and education, Mike Dorita, October 1995, reviews Joanne Cole’s The Magic School Bus. There’s no way that…takes on…visits a storm and describes its unique way of teaching. Sometime…yeah, I think I made some of this up. The book features the educational misadventures of Mrs. Frizzle and her class on the Magic School Bus. Using pictures, text, and fun, this book teaches about the Earth, oceans, and electricity. I don't know, I’ll have to look up if these books are just like…that I…Scoot…I created a Scooter version of reality. But it was funny; in 1990…a year later or so, I’d be reading The Magic School Bus with first and second-graders when I was a second grade teacher’s aide. Okay…okay, this comes in at eight.
While learning kids might want to find out about history…well, Julian Eli, 1995, describes My Story, edited by Leighton Coleman, which is the tale told by a teddybear, Polar, who’s on a famous ship. This book is based on a diary written by someone who was on the same ship. This could be…can be for kids and parents since it gives a new perspective on a major historical event. In another 1995-deride article, Judith Viorst’s…okay, just…this is Scoots; this is…I’m just reading through. I’m sleepifying all of this. I don't know if this is real, either. Judith Viorst’s Sad Underwear and Other Complications: A Book of Poetry is described. A wide variety of styles and emotions can be found in the book. Viorst’s style possesses rhyme and rhythm while still being entertaining and funny. Here’s a taste of her poetry.
Okay, this one’s pretty funny. I don't know if this is real, but it’s about a baby sister and how much she loves her, and also that she wants a dog. So, this is funny. I’ll have to look it up. Okay, finally, my favorite character, Curious George, has yet another feature in Publisher’s Weekly, 1987. This pop-up book dedicates a page to almost every book in Curious George’s series written by Margret Rey. There’s where he meets the man in the yellow hat, he tries to fly, he goes…he calls people on the phone, and the climax where George floats away with a handful of balloons. Okay, this one I think is four. This is earlier. There’s also books you read after dark. Webster 1995 talks about how stories…autumnal tales have risen in popularity, and autumnal tales, even in the non-autumnal season, are favorites of lots of kids.
Webster or…Webster suggests Maurice Sendak’s Outside Over There with heroine Ida. Ida uses bravery, responsibility on her adventure — sound fun? — along with some good morals taught. Okay, this continues with the Curious George part, though. As George and the balloons drift into the sunset, so will all your childcare worries if you simply remember these eight books. They will nourish your child’s mind and make you the parent Dr. Spock dreams of. Even if I may be exaggerating a bit, books about lots of different subjects and George will still be handy some day. Okay, so that…oh, let me just put four back in there. Alright, that was another speech that I made. Okay, so, this is the next one. I have no idea what we're in for.
Intro; I took you to the promised land of fresh…a fresh mouth and then to the center of my soul for children’s books. For a final speech, I was faced with an impasse, and I decided…then I…stuff…I crossed out ‘as the rock-and-rollers say’. I decided to now…revision…look at myself from the outside in in order to discover my speech topic. What I saw…this is so truthful, too. So, what I saw, very…surprised me very much so, and I decided…my internal critic said hello. I started to look and analyze my imperfections. This process wavered…impacted my esteem level. Self-esteem is something that everyone needs and can use, but if you've ever had it go down like I did preparing this speech, you might know how important it is to recover it. So, this seems like some sort of set up. So, basically…well, we’ll just keep going.
The best way I figured I could gain my self-esteem was to write a speech about it. So, I asked ten people I know why everyone…oh, so, everyone in Effective Speaking should love and praise me. Their answers without a doubt have driven my esteem to new heights. So, this is probably a joke within a joke, too. The purpose of my speech…and I will give you many unbiased and objective reasons why this class should love and praise me. Not all will be positive or flattering, but most should be entertaining, so pay attention and get ready to love. Before…I guess you had to have a visual aid. Before going to the experts, observe my visual aid, which is myself, here present with you, and combine this…and then I put ‘imperfect vision’.
I crossed that out and I just put ‘vision’…with the characteristics presented by my sources, and you will be on the road to blissful…your blissful appreciation of me. Who would know me better than a roommate of three years? Well, my roommate of three years out of four said this about me; living with him has made my patience stronger than anyone on Earth, and now I can…feel like I can endure anything in life. Not bad, huh? Not a bad review. A mother knows…a mother’s…a mother knows her son closer than any roommate could. So, this is from my mom. My son, while he spends too much time on social, non-positive things, is a good part…hearted person with a lot to offer the world. I just wish he would take some time to be quiet and relax. Okay, so that was my mom’s opinion. Huh, what is this one?
Okay…oh, studying philosophy and theology can help people form an objective view of a person. So, I spoke to someone that’s getting their masters in Philosophy and Theology who knows me. Oh, this must have been real because he said, Andrew’s fun to be with and is open to other people and new experiences. Well, that’s my kind of answer there. Holy cow. Now, living with someone for two years can be an interesting experience as well. I happened to live with two twin brothers. They're fraternal twins, and they each gave me a quick review. Brother One said his humor is therapeutic and he’s particularly well-behaved around pets. These are made up, though, because it says…the other brother said, I’m an Accounting major, and my calculations are that he’s great.
Then a shorter-term roommate but friend and mentor says, because of him, I’ve never had to wait at White Castle alone. What a humanitarian this guy is, me, that I’m talking about right now. Now, you also would want to speak to my siblings about me, so first I talked to one of my brothers who said, he’s always trying to help me. Whenever I have a question, I ask him. Anytime me and my friends maybe were not twenty-one…oh, never mind. Let’s keep moving on. Now, in order to be objective, I did try to take…put in some reviews that are non-positive and some critical thoughts about me as well. My father does not always have positive things to say about me and that I’m not living up to my potential and not using my time well, though he does admit I do have some redeeming qualities.
I would also like to say that he made the first comments when I was asking for money. So, you could see the kind of old-fashioned jokiness there that I was trying to go for. It’s too bad I took a break from whenever I did this ‘til twenty-eight years later or something, but here we are. This is cool. You can always start again. That’s a present-day tangent. Sorry. Now, another one of my younger brothers had critical things to say; he’s self-centered and I don't know that he has any positive qualities. These comments, though, were also made after I was asking to borrow money.
Finally I took some anonymous opinions in an inbox, and this one came from a student who said anonymously, he’s a bit like those…in a sleep podcast you have to change it, but he’s a bit like the characters in Shakespearean…that are the sidekicks that act in jest, and…but I can't help but love him. Now you come to see the majority of my sources love or at least have respect for me. You should listen to their advice. So, in summary, love and praise me. Thank you. So, yeah, that’s…so, I guess those were the three speeches I made. I guess…so, I guess maybe I changed it, why you should date me to why everyone should love and praise me. But what’s interesting is that I…that I was kinda covering up that I didn’t have…my critic was pretty powerful.
Then I actually encountered someone from that class — I don't know if it was after that speech or another one — who told me how great it was. I was like, man, I was so…how I imagined when I was writing it and then the delivery were not matching up, right? Like, when I deliver stuff and write it, I’m also imagining it being the greatest speech ever given in a class called Effective Speaking. While I think it was memorable because it was so different…she was expressing her appreciation, but I was so caught up in my own feelings that I didn’t realize, wait a second, this is like maybe an overture to having a cup of coffee or something. I just…'cause it was in the stairway and I was like, okay, okay, I gotta…bye. I gotta go, though. Bye. So, yeah, that’s a little bit of a couple things.
Just trying to think if I have anything else that’s interesting here that I could quote. Yeah, I think that’s it for now. That was…so, those were three speeches I made back in the day. I don't know. But hopefully they put you to sleep, and I’ll keep going through my old stuff. This could be…this will probably be a series that comes out once…a couple times a year. But yeah, thanks so much, and goodnight.
[END OF RECORDING]
(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)
-
Trending Tuesday / Personal Essay
Car Sound System Culture
https://daily.jstor.org/the-boomin-systems-the-evolution-of-car-audio/
Deadlines
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/why-are-deadlines-important
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tykiisel/2013/03/27/deadlines-objectives-and-action-oh-my/
https://activecollab.com/resources/time-management/meeting-deadlines-every-time
Seinfeld Glide episode
https://the-avocado.org/2024/12/22/seinfeld-season-five-episode-four-the-sniffing-accountant/
https://mapsaboutnothing.com/2013/05/14/the-sniffing-accountant/
https://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheSniffingAccountant.htm
Public Speaking History
https://virtualspeech.com/blog/history-public-speaking
https://speakerskills.com/a-brief-history-of-public-speaking/
DOWN TO BUSINESS
Something that feels friendly
I’m not as good at being kind to myself at night
Twelve Calendar Years
A trending random episode tonight
I hope I can help everybody here
PLUGS
Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Emily Tat Artwork; Rusty Biscuit Links; Crisis Textline; Referral Program
SPONSORS
Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Quince; Odoo
INTRO
Thinking thoughts about the past, present, or future
Being Sleep-Important at the top of the show
Someone out there knows what you’re going through
I’d prefer I see you from over there, behind that tree
I’m about 3500 miles away, just to be safe
Being welcomed and being the welcomer
I’m only the middle person to foster this connection
This almost feels like an anniversary podcast episode but it’s not
Just see how it goes
sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
Everyone has different tastes
I hope you try it a couple times
Almost like comedy but not quite so funny
Like a rave many blocks away
Or a super powerful car system, parked 12 blocks away
Is that an archetypal experience?
Thumping at a distance
Is that what Bette Midler was singing about?
Your Bore Friend, etc
A borefriend is just here to keep you company
Last night’s sleep escapades
I was a little furrowed brow
Soothing the part of me seeking control
Barely Somewhat Entertaining
Explaining the show structure
Avoiding being predictable, cloying, or repetitive
Getting eased into bedtime can be pretty nice
Time to pander to your pets
Yesterday I was treating my dog like she was a Queen
In a Service Position to Pets
Koa sometimes does take it too farr
My Queen, I must rest
Pet names for my pets
STORY
I don’t know what’s going to happen with this
I can’t just force a personal essay episode
A collection of index cards
I expect I’m going to be moving in August
SWM worked because the deadlines worked
Deadlines made a structure for me to be creative
Organizing boxes of stuff to leave my life
I’ve been going through boxes of stuff that I never unpacked when I moved into here
Some of this might be over 25 years old
Index cards from a college class
Organizing by ink color
3 different stacks
I think the class was called Effective Speaking
I took this over the night at the School of Business as an elective my senior year
I did a class in Public Relations, which I’ve covered before
This might’ve been the same teacher
SWM has helped me come out of my shell
I’ve normally been a quiet, reserved person
My inner podcaster was always inside of me
I tended to lead with my serious side
Weight of the World type feelings
Plus, I’ve never had a good relationship with any authority figure
But I did enjoy these elective classes
Slowly growing in repetitive loops
This class gave me some freedom
And some deadlines
I don’t think I perceived these presentations as being very good
Taking it seriously and doing goofy stuff
These are clearly made up references
How To Keep Your Smile Fresh and Clean
5 Reasons to Keep Your Mouth Fresh & Clean
Point 1…
I said my roommate was the leader of the Brooklyn Fresh Mouth Center
Choosing your mouth equipment is at your discretion
I knew how to learn to use online databases
Searching for the best toothbrush
Point 2…
Take It Easy
Be Kind to your gums
2 out of 3 brush too hard
I don’t know if I followed my toothbrushing advice
We all went through that 2020 period together
I spent a lot of time in 2024 at my parents’ condo
Every day was full of growth opportunities
I really focused on my routine
A mechanical routine is more important than the details of the routine
I’d brush my teeth almost immediately after waking
Point 3…
Using the string between your mouth is important, no, imperative!
I can’t find my bibliography with this
This is right after Seinfeld did the Glide episode
I said that candy wasn’t worse for you if you had bad mouth habits in general
This was later disproven
I think this was meant to be a joke
Point 4
Chewing sugarless gum
Offering production of saliva
The Next Stack
This is about children’s books
Remember: Go Slow!
Okay, I’m not sure what this one is about
This is Formative Scoots
Visions of being a parent
Children’s Books x2
Huh, interesting
Oh wait, maybe this goes with another speech
8 Reviews of Children’s Books
I don’t remember giving this speech at all
My other topic was “Why You Should Date Me”
1995 Span? Is that a bibliography
The first 4 are missing
- and Entertainment
The Babysitter’s Club
- Computers as Sitters
A Very Personal Computer by Justine Randall
Did I make this book up?
- Fun and Education
The Magic School Bus
Okay, I must’ve made this particular volume up
Creating a Scooter version of reality
Just a year later, I’d be reading one of those books to First and Second Graders as a teacher’s aide
- Learning about history
My Story, edited by Layton Coleman
A teddy bear on the Titanic
I don’t know how much of this is real
A wide variety of poetry
Reading a poetry selection
A new Curious George book
Books you read after dark
Autumnal tales have risen in popularity
A Maurice Sendak book
Back to Curious George
Remember these 8 books
The 3rd speech
Looking at myself from the outside in
Analyzing my imperfections impacted my self-esteem
Earning back my self-esteem through my speech
A joke within a joke
Pay attention and get ready to love
I am my own visual aide
Quoting my long-term roommate
Quoting my mother
Examining me from a philosophical, theological POV
Quoting my twin brother roommates
Quoting my siblings
Quoting my father
Some old fashioned jokiness
This was fun
Too bad I took a break after
It’s never too late to start again
Some anonymous feedback
Like a Shakespearean sidekick that acts in jest
Most of my sources love, or at least respect, me
In summary, you should love and praise me
A classmate complimented me afterwards
I didn’t realize that might’ve been an overture until years later
I hope you enjoyed those speeches
SUMMARY:
Episode: 1369
Title: Lessons in Ineffective Speaking
Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Emily Tat Artwork; Rusty Biscuit Links; Crisis Textline; Referral Program
Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Quince; Odoo
Notable Language:
- Almost Like Comedy
- Thumping at a distance
- Barely Somewhat Entertaining
- In a Service Position to Pets
- My Queen, I must rest
- Weight of the World type feelings
- Saliva Production
- Go Slow
- Formative Scoots
Notable Culture:
-
- sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
- Bette Midler
- The Brooklyn Fresh Mouth Center
- Seinfeld
- Ben Berated
-
- Whitecastle
- The Babysitter’s Club
- A Very Personal Computer by Justine Randall
- The Magic School Bus
- My Story, edited by Layton Coleman
-
- Titanic
- Curious George
- Maurice Sendak
- Dr. Spock (childcare)
Notable Talking Points:
- Thinking thoughts about the past, present, or future
- Being Sleep-Important at the top of the show
- Someone out there knows what you’re going through
- I’d prefer I see you from over there, behind that tree
- I’m about 3500 miles away, just to be safe
- Being welcomed and being the welcomer
- I’m only the middle person to foster this connection
- This almost feels like an anniversary podcast episode but it’s not
- Just see how it goes
- sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
- Everyone has different tastes
- I hope you try it a couple times
- Almost like comedy but not quite so funny
- Like a rave many blocks away
- Or a super powerful car system, parked 12 blocks away
- Is that an archetypal experience?
- Thumping at a distance
- Is that what Bette Midler was singing about?
- Your Bore Friend, etc
- A borefriend is just here to keep you company
- Last night’s sleep escapades
- I was a little furrowed brow
- Soothing the part of me seeking control
- Barely Somewhat Entertaining
- Explaining the show structure
- Avoiding being predictable, cloying, or repetitive
- Getting eased into bedtime can be pretty nice
- Time to pander to your pets
- Yesterday I was treating my dog like she was a Queen
- In a Service Position to Pets
- Koa sometimes does take it too farr
- My Queen, I must rest
- Pet names for my pets
- I don’t know what’s going to happen with this
- I can’t just force a personal essay episode
- A collection of index cards
- I expect I’m going to be moving in August
- SWM worked because the deadlines worked
- Deadlines made a structure for me to be creative
- Organizing boxes of stuff to leave my life
- I’ve been going through boxes of stuff that I never unpacked when I moved into here
- Some of this might be over 25 years old
- Index cards from a college class
- Organizing by ink color
- 3 different stacks
- I think the class was called Effective Speaking
- I took this over the night at the School of Business as an elective my senior year
- I did a class in Public Relations, which I’ve covered before
- This might’ve been the same teacher
- SWM has helped me come out of my shell
- I’ve normally been a quiet, reserved person
- My inner podcaster was always inside of me
- I tended to lead with my serious side
- Weight of the World type feelings
- Plus, I’ve never had a good relationship with any authority figure
- But I did enjoy these elective classes
- Slowly growing in repetitive loops
- This class gave me some freedom
- And some deadlines
- I don’t think I perceived these presentations as being very good
- Taking it seriously and doing goofy stuff
- These are clearly made up references
- How To Keep Your Smile Fresh and Clean
- 5 Reasons to Keep Your Mouth Fresh & Clean
- Point 1…
- I said my roommate was the leader of the Brooklyn Fresh Mouth Center
- Choosing your mouth equipment is at your discretion
- I knew how to learn to use online databases
- Searching for the best toothbrush
- Point 2…
- Take It Easy
- Be Kind to your gums
- 2 out of 3 brush too hard
- I don’t know if I followed my toothbrushing advice
- We all went through that 2020 period together
- I spent a lot of time in 2024 at my parents’ condo
- Every day was full of growth opportunities
- I really focused on my routine
- A mechanical routine is more important than the details of the routine
- I’d brush my teeth almost immediately after waking
- Point 3…
- Using the string between your mouth is important, no, imperative!
- I can’t find my bibliography with this
- This is right after Seinfeld did the Glide episode
- I said that candy wasn’t worse for you if you had bad mouth habits in general
- This was later disproven
- I think this was meant to be a joke
- Point 4
- Chewing sugarless gum
- Offering production of saliva
- The Next Stack
- This is about children’s books
- Remember: Go Slow!
- Okay, I’m not sure what this one is about
- This is Formative Scoots
- Visions of being a parent
- Children’s Books x2
- Huh, interesting
- Oh wait, maybe this goes with another speech
- 8 Reviews of Children’s Books
- I don’t remember giving this speech at all
- My other topic was “Why You Should Date Me”
- 1995 Span? Is that a bibliography
- The first 4 are missing
- 5. and Entertainment
- The Babysitter’s Club
- 6. Computers as Sitters
- A Very Personal Computer by Justine Randall
- Did I make this book up?
- 7. Fun and Education
- The Magic School Bus
- Okay, I must’ve made this particular volume up
- Creating a Scooter version of reality
- Just a year later, I’d be reading one of those books to First and Second Graders as a teacher’s aide
- 8. Learning about history
- My Story, edited by Layton Coleman
- A teddy bear on the Titanic
- I don’t know how much of this is real
- A wide variety of poetry
- Reading a poetry selection
- A new Curious George book
- Books you read after dark
- Autumnal tales have risen in popularity
- A Maurice Sendak book
- Back to Curious George
- Remember these 8 books
- The 3rd speech
- Looking at myself from the outside in
- Analyzing my imperfections impacted my self-esteem
- Earning back my self-esteem through my speech
- A joke within a joke
- Pay attention and get ready to love
- I am my own visual aide
- Quoting my long-term roommate
- Quoting my mother
- Examining me from a philosophical, theological POV
- Quoting my twin brother roommates
- Quoting my siblings
- Quoting my father
- Some old fashioned jokiness
- This was fun
- Too bad I took a break after
- It’s never too late to start again
- Some anonymous feedback
- Like a Shakespearean sidekick that acts in jest
- Most of my sources love, or at least respect, me
- In summary, you should love and praise me
- A classmate complimented me afterwards
- I didn’t realize that might’ve been an overture until years later
- I hope you enjoyed those speeches
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