Lesson 2 - Packing/Moving

I'm down to my last ten days at home and to say that I'm excited would be an understatement. I'll be moving from Prescott AZ to Costa Mesa CA. Fortunately I used to live in that area, and I've already had a 2 month test run earlier this year, so the change won't be big at all. The 'Test run' was supposed to be a permanent move, but a series of... events... caused me to come back to AZ prematurely, which is a whole other story for a whole other entry. Anyway, this time is for sure. There's adventures to be had in CA, but before every adventure is the packing.

I know, we all hate packing(unless you have some weird packing fetish), but packing isn't all that bad, and if you're like me you may not even need to pack that much for a permanent move. On my 'Test run' I packed way too much stuff, shoes I would never use, books I would never read, shirts and jeans I would never wear. I brought home boxes of things I never even looked at. The problem was I made it a really big deal. When I was packing I kept thinking, 'I might use this, I might want this.' Which as far as I'm concerned if I might use something I might as well leave it be. I brought my entire wardrobe even though I only wear a few outfits from it(I brought my fucking suit reasoning that I'd never know when I'd need a suit, seriously). I brought all my pairs of shoes even though I only wear two or three of them. It was totally unnecessary. This time around I'm just going to bring what I need, and maybe use a small suitcase to bring things I might need. Things that I need are as follows:

1 toothbrush with toothpaste
1 thing of floss
1 bottle of shampoo and conditioner
1 thing of deodorant
1 thing of fancy perfume
5 razors
3 pairs of shoes
5 short sleeve shirts
5 long sleeve shirts
3 pairs of jeans
3 pairs of shorts(this also includes swim trunks)
2 jackets
3 hoodies(preferably plain hoodies)
3 belts(2 casual, 1 formal)
7 pairs of underwear/boxers/briefs/whatever
7 pairs of socks(I like black socks)
1 pair of sunglasses
1 laptop with all the necessities
1 large book(for putting your laptop on so it doesn't overheat)
4 books you enjoy reading or want to read

As far as I'm concerned that is all I need, now I didn't include things that are always on my person like my wallet, or cellphone, stuff like that, because those are obviously something that I would take regardless. Also, this list only applies when you're moving to somewhere that's already furnished with the necessary furniture(bed, sofa, refrigerator, toilet.. the works), no shit. Also make sure you bring paper money, you never know when you'll need to pay off a group of rabid sex deprived highwaymen taking a toll to cross the bridge over a dried stream in the middle of the California/Arizona dessert(I've never encountered such a thing, but then again I'm only 19 so I haven't encountered many things).

So pack light if you can, because packing an obese amount of things is unnecessary and you won't even use half of it. Oh! it's also a good idea to take one of those folding lightweight clothing hampers. That's it for now, if I think of anything necessary I'll let you know.

Lesson 1 - Public Speaking

Here we are, You and I. Me speaking(writing) and you listening(reading). *clears throat* I'm actually a little nervous, this being my first go at expressing my thoughts to the wide open space of the Internet. I try to imagine I'm speaking to a group of unnamed individuals in a lecture hall, it makes it easier than imagining I'm speaking into a void. Speaking to a group of people is one of the hardest things in life, many would rather be shot than have a go at public speaking. Why is this? Why are you so scared of public speaking? This will be my first lesson into life seeing as how it is such a common fear, and something everyone can relate to.

I, like many children in my generation, was forced to do public speaking in the classroom at a young age. The point of this exercise was to apparently make public speaking such a normality that we would become numb to the fear it instilled on us. Usually it doesn't work. I used to be petrified by the thought of speaking in front of a group of people I KNEW WELL. I eventually overcame that fear sometime in High School, probably around the same time I got laid for the first time. I'm not saying that all you need to do to be a good public speaker is get laid, that's not it at all. To be a good public speaker you need to be confident(it just so happened that I got confident after getting laid). I would guesstimate that confidence is AT LEAST 75 percent of your public speaking, the other 25 percent is how well you know what you're talking about. Yes, I know what you're thinking, 'but Marby, I've gotten laid plenty of times and public speaking still scares me.' And fortunately for you I know some other mediums of gaining confidence.

For many people just knowing the material well gives them the confidence they need for public speaking, this is probably the best way to gain your confidence since it kills two birds with one stone, You gain the confidence you need to speak in front of people, and you won't look like an idiot when someone asks a question that you should have the answer to. Another means of gaining confidence is speaking in the mirror, watching your facial expressions, practicing your smile, try to correlate your hand movements with what you're speaking about(For example: say you're speaking about climbing a ladder, as you're speaking about the action of doing it raise your hand up to show upward movement, visual cues along with vocal cues go a long way). Practice your public speaking in front of close friends or family members(be sure to ask them to critique you so you can practice on what needs work, common things to work on is voice volume, eye contact, more movement to keep attention, they may even want you to add visual aids to your speech). Practice and repetition are huge confidence builders in anything.

So let's summarize real quick:
1. Public speaking is a fear everyone possess and will always possess
2. Public speaking is about 75 percent confidence and 25 percent knowledge on the subject
3. To overcome your fear get confident by:
A. Having sex
B. Knowing the material
C. Practice and repetition

The skills and confidence you gain by mastering your fears of public speaking can and will drastically improve many areas of your life. You'll find it easier to approach strangers and start conversations. You'll find it easier to convey your thoughts and ideas to others. People will respect you more if you can talk without stuttering and placing an 'Uh' 'Um' or 'like' between every word. Public speaking is a crucial skill in life, and having that skill makes life so much better. I'm not saying that these things will cure you're fears, but it's what has worked for me thus far, and what I will continue to do until it fails me.

Not bad for a first entry, huh? Thanks for reading.