Scary Movie WAGon

Last week I was the WAG for our ToastMasters meeting.  The WAG, as I got to explain, is responsible for counting the number of a times a speaker uses ‘filler words.’  Filler words include, but are not limited to ‘um’, ‘ah’,’ ‘you know’,’well’ etc…  Some charters apparently charge their members a nominal fee each time they use a filler word, (like a nickel per word, just enough to make you more aware of using them) but our club just counts them.  You also get to be a grammer nazi if you so choose.  I was also responsible for the Word of the Day.  I chose antipathy.  I love that word.  It also fit with the Horror Movie theme we had in honor of Halloween.

Word-of-the-day, Ah-counter, Grammerian = WAG

I learned that counting the number of times someone uses a filler word is a lot harder than it sounds.  :/  It wound up being a pretty tough lesson in active listening.  I found myself wandering, caught up in wondering why using “um” to designate that you are thinking is necessarily a bad thing.  I use it a lot, especially over IM at work to let someone know that I have received their request, and am thinking it over.  I found myself thinking about what I should say instead and then coming back to where I was and what I was supposed to be doing with a guilty snap.  Then I learned that you have to really LISTEN to a person speak to determine what their filler words are.  Not everyone uses the standard “um” or “ah”.  I learned that some people will bite back the same word multiple times while they search for the right word, not quite a stutter, but – as one person later called it “a verbal double clutch.”

I have realized in the days since that I double-clutch my words a lot too, changing my mind in the middle of forming the word in my mouth, and then getting the two confused on my tongue.  I think it might be a confidence thing; a fear of being misunderstood that makes me overzealous to find the exact right word, for each word.

Signing up for the WAG spot was supposed to be my baby-step up to giving my first speech…but I think I was more nervous doing this when it came time to give my report than I will be when I stand to give my speech.  To look at the people in the eye and critique them, knowing how hard it might have been for them to speak at all – even knowing they signed on for it just like I did, was infinitely more scary than I thought it would be.  I dislike critiquing.  who knew?

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I wrote my speech for tomorrow's meeting while in New Orleans.  It's funny that LAST week's topic was horror movies, since that is what my speech is (partially) on... but ce la vie.  Tonight...at some point...I have to time it.  Is it weird that I'm nervous about even 'giving' the speech to no one?  Cause I am... a little bit.