The owner, Bob, left carefully written instructions around the house such as: ”The garbage is picked up on Tuesdays and Saturdays . .  . Please — no grilling in the garage . . . and  tiny signs taped onto the toilet tanks: To flush solids in one flush, hold handle down for 12.5 seconds.”

I laughed at the 12.5 seconds. Who times this stuff?

But then I thought about it more carefully because the plumber was scheduled to come to my house the next day to fix a slow draining toilet. Would 12.5 seconds do the trick?

It did. Then I experimented with lesser times and came up with the ideal 6 seconds. I’m happy to report that I solved the problem, was able to cancel the appointment with the plumber and saved myself a few bucks.

Thanks NPR!

I’m a big National Public Radio fan and I love to listen to programs like “All Things Considered“, “Fresh Air” and “This American Life“.  A few days ago, there was a wonderful review of books to help stay calm and squelch stage fright. You can listen or download the podcast here.

The book that intrigued me was Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets Of History’s Greatest Speakers by James C. Humes.  From the NPR website:

A speechwriter to five presidents and a Churchill expert, Humes is known for books full of clever stories that have a point. In this one, he gives tips from greats ranging from Napoleon to Thatcher — examples showing how to use props like reading glasses and letters from the mail, statistics and even acknowledgments to great effect.

More than a how-to book, Speak Like Churchill Stand Like Lincoln includes a wealth of stories and powerful lines easily transferred to any occasion.

The Tucson Pima library has one copy and I’m going to check it out.

In coaching people to tell their stories for Odyssey Storytelling each month I’ve developed a new way of thinking about stage fright.

This is how it works – you change your expectation.  Ask yourself, how do I feel physically when I am nervous? How do I feel when I am excited? They both feel much the same way in your body – sweaty palms, butterflies in your belly, shortness of breath.

My theory is that when you are excited you are visualizing a positive outcome but when you are nervous you anticipate a less than good outcome.

Much of stage fright is simply excitement with a negative expectation. Change your focus and nervousness will transform into excitement.

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And then I heard Neal Conan talking with Laura Sullivan, National Public Radio’s police and prisons correspondent and Beau Hodai, freelance journalist covering private prisons about How Corporate Interests Got SB 1070 Passed on Talk of the Nation (a piece that all Arizonan’s should listen to.)

Both of these excellent radio hosts ask the kinds of questions that evoke stories from their guests. So in addition to presenting facts, they tell stories about how things work, and the listener gets more of a complete picture. It’s especially important on radio where there is no visual and everything needs to be explained.

I’m a big radio fan. In addition to listening in real time, I’ve discovered podcasts where I can download episodes of my favorite shows to my computer and ipod for free. That way I don’t have to miss anything, I can plug in on my own time schedule.

My present line up is Story Corps, This American Life, Science Friday, Fresh Air and The Moth. I change them around occasionally to keep myself amused.