Break Up By PowerPoint

Break Up By PowerPoint is a speech I created for Toastmasters.  (When you watch the video...2 things:  1.  it's 7 min long so plan appropriately; 2.  you may have to adjust the volume at some points...my mic tended to go in and out).  Link is included below to the YouTube site where it's posted.  


Toastmasters is fantastic...this is where I really get to show my creativity. Especially in a world where sometimes our creativity gets stifled, Toastmasters, for me, is one of the places where I can share some of my adventures.  

The best part: sometimes I even win trophies. For those of you that know me well, you know that I will participate in just about anything if there is a possibility of winning a trophy at the end. Several of you may remember that I won 2 contests with another true story:  "Technology Can Burn You", where I wrote a true story of an employee that worked for me at a prior gig.  I discovered that he was going to resign via Facebook.  However, that is another story.

Break Up By PowerPoint allowed me to win 3 contests and take home 2 trophies.  


Here is how the speech evolved:

1:  I dated a guy many years ago that those of you in my inner circle know as "the devil". Most of you are probably not even aware of this, but the devil is a cute, blond haired, blue eyed musician. If you see him, I recommend you throw your drink at him and run.

2:  Fast forward a few years.   I helped a friend write a break up letter to a guy she needed to stop seeing. My letter was not very effective and he kept coming back!  This is where Break Up By PowerPoint was born.  It was suggested to me that perhaps I needed to be more clear and possibly utilize slides.  


BRILLIANT.


3:  Decide this will be my last speech out of the Toastmaster manual "Entertaining Speaking".  


4: Choose boy to write about.  No brainer.  The devil will work just fine.  I did not change his name in the speech to protect him.  Truth is usually better than fiction anyway.  :-)


5:  Write speech.  Practice.  Practice.  Practice.  


6:  Start live performance(s) at Toastmasters.  


Folks, sometimes there is no better way to get true closure than making a parody out of a relationship gone awry.  


I hope you all enjoy it...remember, it can be tailored for any type of breakup.  My next installment of the Break Up by PowerPoint series will be how to break up with an employer.  Stay tuned. 


Link: 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ0h-XwgQgA

Who Loves Dating?

Recently, I told a boy that I was not going to further invest any emotion into our relationship. I did that because his actions clearly told me that he was still tied (emotionally and a little bit financially) to his ex. They have been divorced for over two years.

Turns out, boys don't call you again after you say such things to them.

Since then, I have ruminated several times about this decision to be honest...started to second guess whether that was the right thing to do. Then it dawned on me: one of my favorite Deep
Thoughts by Jack Handey:



"If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let 'em go, because man, they're gone."



When relationships end, it's so easy to start thinking of the good times. This was my second go around with this particular boy. I had forgotten why we stopped seeing each other the first time. We allow ourselves to be swept away...until we are reminded of why it ended the first time. Oh. Right. Now I remember. Sigh.

The thought of having to start over yet again can seem so daunting. Dating is not for sissies, that's for sure. I'm totally looking forward to the next adventure though. In order to psych myself up for this, I put this in the google line: who loves dating?

The most interesting site (to me) that came back was this one: http://www.loveisgreat.com/. The guy that started the site did this because he needed to redirect his feelings in a positive way. It's actually a very touchy feely site...very positive. He posted a bunch of 'truisms' that relate to love. Here is my favorite...it's a quote from Helen Keller:

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens: but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us."

BAM.

Moral(s) of the story?

1. Stop looking at closed doors.
2. When things go the way of lava, let 'em go.