10.3.12

President Obama seemed a little off his game tonight compared to a more tenacious Mitt Romney. This is not meant as a political post by any means, but more a remark on what's been on my mind the last two weekends - speaking in front of an audience. Sure, I speak in front of an audience for a living (my students), but executing a 3, or even 6 hour class gives me a lot less nerves (though, still some) than having to actually speak in front of my peers. Plus, when I'm nervous teaching I can shuffle papers until the class begins. When you speak in front of an audience you have to be on almost immediately and that scares me.

I've learned to deal with my anxiety mostly by learning to get over myself. I suppose that's how most fears are conquered, but any self-help book can tell you that. More satisfying is that when I let go, I'm able to see a competence not my own. And in the end, I think that's the point - was this ever about me?