Another Training on Public Speaking This afternoon, I attended another training on public speaking. When I was taking notes, I found on the same notebook there were my notes taken last December, for the same event. I couldn't help admiring myself... I've been in Toastmasters for five years. The training today was about advanced communication. Remember the first time I participated it, probably was five years ago, when I had no idea of what the trainers were talking about. Then in 2014, I participated it as a demo speaker. In 2015, in the same meeting room, I was not tired and attended the workshops again. Now, it's 2016. The other day, I decided to meet my old "friend" again to run away from my daily translation work. However, this time, I was rather tired. It was a little stuffy inside. I had been expecting some insights from the first heavyweight trainer, only to realize this was for beginners and I had to bear with the elementary stuff. After the first workshop, the first speech and evaluation... then the second workshop was going on... I put on my scarf and was about to leave... Turned out the second trainer hadn't treated her work lightly. She was talking about how to make public relations speeches. The first point she gave was to always have goodwill whatever the situation. The second was to be truthful... When I heard the second point, I felt my mind was nourished, so I took off the scarf again...Her last point was showing your concern. I think her training was in every way almost perfect, lasting only 15 minutes, clearly organized yet packed with vivid examples and full of insights... Imagine if I had been the trainer on the stage, perhaps another me in the audience would have put on her winter clothes and left long before. So I stayed till the last workshop and still left earlier missing the last two speeches. On the one hand, I was hesitant to have that rash(?) and fresh passion for this as before. Some of the speaking skills were already repeated numerous times in my ear. I felt I had been a persistent on-looker and shamelessly held that amateur attitude for such a long time... On the other hand, I still like being inspired by the exceptional efforts and work of others. I like to see a different world in them. I like to realize life could be funnier, more novel(?) and special through constant trying and improving... And what's more practical is, when I'm obliged to speak, I can still see that beautiful picture where I can speak properly for myself and the people I love.