Seven people attended the meeting, which was a gratifying turn out. A faculty member at Chapman University in the College of Educational Studies sat in with us. She specializes in working with people who stutter, both in the academic arena & in her private practice. She's also active in Friends, the National Association of Young People Who Stutter. This was a special treat for the rest of us, as it was very interesting & informative to get her insights into stuttering.
We started the meeting with introductions along with the question: Did you have any heroes when you were a kid? Responses included the Lone Ranger, Dick Tracy, Bruce Lee & Jean-Claude Van Damme (a two-for-one package deal there), Neil Armstrong, Arnold Palmer, the cellist Yo Ma, a four-in-one package deal of Pele the soccer player, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton & Jimi Hendrix, (what a band that would have made) & "my parents." The person who said the Lone Ranger remembered listening to him on the radio before watching him on TV. Yes, we do have some old timers in our group.
Next we had a topic for discussion: Do you remember when you first became aware that you stuttered? Becoming aware of your stuttering as a child is a turning point for most people who stutter. It's at this point that we first label ourselves as stutterers & start seeing ourselves as we think others see us when we stutter. Most members said they became aware of their stuttering at about age 8 or 9. One said he's always been aware of his stuttering: he couldn't remember ever not being aware of it. Another member became aware of his stuttering when other kids made fun of him. One member said it was when he kept being taken out of class to see the speech therapist & he didn't know why. This was again at about age 8 or 9. Another said his earliest memories were not of the stuttering itself, but that he started hiding it in the 4th grade. Yet another member, who was born in Germany & later moved to South Korea & then Canada, felt he missed a "window of opportunity" to conquer his stuttering at about age 8, but the changes in cultures & language brought it back.
We had a few minutes left, so we briefly talked on the topic: "How would you describe what you do when you stutter?" Maybe the most descriptive response was: "I get stuck on certain sounds."
That's all for now. Next meeting is on June 11. Let's have another good turnout.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
April 23, 2015 Meeting Update
Yes, yes, it's been a month since this meeting, & there has been another since, but lately I've been up to my neck in alligators. It's eased somewhat: I'm now only, say, up to my navel in gerbils.
There were only 4 members present, which again was disappointing. For those of you who weren't there: listen for that knock on your door. There was a new member - welcome Justin! Justin said he's never met anyone else who stutters, which was interesting. He was encouraged to keep attending our meetings & the national convention each year, where he'd meet hundreds of other stutterers. We did introductions with the question: "What object or item that you now own would you most not want to lose"? Answers included: a sculpture I made, my bike, my smart phone or tablet & my wallet. (I was going to say my sanity, but that's not really an object, more of an abstract concept in my case.)
We talked a little about the recent presentation by Nan Ratner & Shelley Brundage that our chapter hosted. It was a real treat for those present to have these 2 high powered researchers speak. Despite the limited amount of preparation time for this event, it came off well. Thanks again to all who helped organize it.
Flyers were handed out for the then upcoming "Friends" all day event at Chapman University. Friends is the National Association for Young People Who Stutter. We talked on general stuttering topics, such as most other people don't care about your stuttering & how stuttering can effect career choice.
We also did "Table Topics." Topics included: What was your upbringing like concerning your stuttering?, hobbies, your favorite holiday & climate change. (This last one got a little political, which we usually try to avoid.)
That's all for now. Next meeting is June 28, same time, same place, led by yours truly. Your attendance will be greatly appreciated, & please slow down at alligator & gerbil crossings.
There were only 4 members present, which again was disappointing. For those of you who weren't there: listen for that knock on your door. There was a new member - welcome Justin! Justin said he's never met anyone else who stutters, which was interesting. He was encouraged to keep attending our meetings & the national convention each year, where he'd meet hundreds of other stutterers. We did introductions with the question: "What object or item that you now own would you most not want to lose"? Answers included: a sculpture I made, my bike, my smart phone or tablet & my wallet. (I was going to say my sanity, but that's not really an object, more of an abstract concept in my case.)
We talked a little about the recent presentation by Nan Ratner & Shelley Brundage that our chapter hosted. It was a real treat for those present to have these 2 high powered researchers speak. Despite the limited amount of preparation time for this event, it came off well. Thanks again to all who helped organize it.
Flyers were handed out for the then upcoming "Friends" all day event at Chapman University. Friends is the National Association for Young People Who Stutter. We talked on general stuttering topics, such as most other people don't care about your stuttering & how stuttering can effect career choice.
We also did "Table Topics." Topics included: What was your upbringing like concerning your stuttering?, hobbies, your favorite holiday & climate change. (This last one got a little political, which we usually try to avoid.)
That's all for now. Next meeting is June 28, same time, same place, led by yours truly. Your attendance will be greatly appreciated, & please slow down at alligator & gerbil crossings.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
March 26, 2015 Meeting Update
There were 6 people at this meeting, including a new member - welcome Frederic Douglas! (Yep, that's him, & I must say he's aged well.) One member got a new job that he's very excited & pleased about - way to go, Robert!
We opened the meeting with introductions and the question: "What is one of your pet peeves?" Answers included: people at restaurants putting their chewing gum on their plate & leaving it there; large, loud groups of bikers roaring by you very close on the highway; taking up 2 parking spots with one car; not respecting other people's property (such as letting your car door hit the car next to you in a parking space); & people who don't return phone calls. We agreed that all of these people should be placed in permanent orbit around the planet Uranus.
Next, we played the ever popular & always exciting "I went to the beach!" game. For those unfamiliar with it (although I don't see how that's possible), the game goes like this: someone starts off by saying: I went to the beach & I saw....something that starts with the letter A - for example an aardvark. (This actually was used, & not everyone knew what an aardvark is - where have these people been all their lives?) The next person repeats that & adds something beginning with the letter B, and so on. Besides being fun and exercising your memory, for people who stutter the game brings up other interesting points. For example, one member said when concentrating very hard on a mental task that includes talking, one of two things sometimes happens: he either "forgets" he stutters & then doesn't stutter, or he does stutter but is not aware of it. This can also happen when talking about something that he's excited about. Not being aware of your stuttering is, of course, the way all stutterers were at some point when they were children. The point in your childhood when you become aware of your stuttering is very crucial. I believe Woody Starkweather at Temple University in Philadelphia has shown that if you start speech therapy with a child who stutters, but is not yet aware of his stuttering, the success rate is very high. Here's a link on a paper Starkweather wrote on preventing stuttering in young children: https://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/Parents/starkweather.html One member said when he thinks too much about what he is about to say, he usually stutters more. However, when he's caught "off guard" and has to respond, he usually stutters less. We talked a little more on the general idea of thinking too much about our stuttering when we're talking.
Our group is working on having Nan Ratner give a presentation on current research on stuttering on April 17. Dr. Ratner is an ASHA Fellow and Professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park. She has been actively involved in research and service within the stuttering community. Fearless leader Matt is working very hard on securing a space at the big Kaiser Permanente site at Sand Canyon, Irvine, for her talk.
Don't forget the "Friends Who Stutter Workshop" at Chapman University on 4/25/15. I previously sent you all emails with detailed information on this event. For more information, please contact Loryn McGill: lorynmcgill@gmail.com 949-302-5681.
That's all for now. Next meeting is Thursday, April 9. Be there, & don't feed the aardvarks.
We opened the meeting with introductions and the question: "What is one of your pet peeves?" Answers included: people at restaurants putting their chewing gum on their plate & leaving it there; large, loud groups of bikers roaring by you very close on the highway; taking up 2 parking spots with one car; not respecting other people's property (such as letting your car door hit the car next to you in a parking space); & people who don't return phone calls. We agreed that all of these people should be placed in permanent orbit around the planet Uranus.
Next, we played the ever popular & always exciting "I went to the beach!" game. For those unfamiliar with it (although I don't see how that's possible), the game goes like this: someone starts off by saying: I went to the beach & I saw....something that starts with the letter A - for example an aardvark. (This actually was used, & not everyone knew what an aardvark is - where have these people been all their lives?) The next person repeats that & adds something beginning with the letter B, and so on. Besides being fun and exercising your memory, for people who stutter the game brings up other interesting points. For example, one member said when concentrating very hard on a mental task that includes talking, one of two things sometimes happens: he either "forgets" he stutters & then doesn't stutter, or he does stutter but is not aware of it. This can also happen when talking about something that he's excited about. Not being aware of your stuttering is, of course, the way all stutterers were at some point when they were children. The point in your childhood when you become aware of your stuttering is very crucial. I believe Woody Starkweather at Temple University in Philadelphia has shown that if you start speech therapy with a child who stutters, but is not yet aware of his stuttering, the success rate is very high. Here's a link on a paper Starkweather wrote on preventing stuttering in young children: https://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/Parents/starkweather.html One member said when he thinks too much about what he is about to say, he usually stutters more. However, when he's caught "off guard" and has to respond, he usually stutters less. We talked a little more on the general idea of thinking too much about our stuttering when we're talking.
Our group is working on having Nan Ratner give a presentation on current research on stuttering on April 17. Dr. Ratner is an ASHA Fellow and Professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park. She has been actively involved in research and service within the stuttering community. Fearless leader Matt is working very hard on securing a space at the big Kaiser Permanente site at Sand Canyon, Irvine, for her talk.
Don't forget the "Friends Who Stutter Workshop" at Chapman University on 4/25/15. I previously sent you all emails with detailed information on this event. For more information, please contact Loryn McGill: lorynmcgill@gmail.com 949-302-5681.
That's all for now. Next meeting is Thursday, April 9. Be there, & don't feed the aardvarks.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
February 26, 2015 Meeting Update
There were 5 people present at the meeting, which was a little disappointing. For those of you who weren't there, we know who you are. Appropriate measures will be taken.
We started with introductions along with the question: What was the last movie you saw? The movies mentioned were: Fury, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Hunger Games, American Sniper & Rome, Open City. The member who saw American Sniper said it was very inspiring & made you "want to sign up." Another member said he read the book from which the movie was made, & was hesitant to see the movie as he thought a lot of "politically incorrect" parts of the book would be left out of the movie. This same member traveled to the NuArt theater in LA to see Rome, Open City. The movie was made in 1945, & the background is the brief "occupation" of Rome by German forces in 1944. It's in Italian with sub-titles. A great movie! If you get a chance, go see it. (That's an order.)
Next there was a discussion topic: Could a person who stutters be elected president of the United States? The idea was to bring out other aspects of stuttering such as: Can a person exude confidence while stuttering? How do we think other people see us or think about us when we stutter? How much prejudice is there toward people who stutter? Is effective communication lessened by stuttering?
Of more practical interest: How would the debates be done? - Would the stuttering candidate be given more time? Could a stuttering president effectively deal with foreign leaders? Would the image of a stuttering commander in chief of the most powerful military force on earth be compromised? We talked a little bit about all of these. Three members said that yes, it was certainly possible for a person who stutters to be elected POTUS. The point was brought out that one can still communicate ideas even while stuttering. Another member said he didn't think a person who stutters could make it through all of the nominating process, debates, etc.
We talked a little bit about the possibility of attending the meetings via Skype. There's a member who usually can't make it to the meetings in person, and wants to explore the Skype idea. One of the more technically minded members is going to look into this. Also, this same member is going to look into the idea of our group having a Facebook presence.
That's all for now. Next meeting is on March 12, led by fearless leader Matt. Be there, or bring a note from your doctor.
We started with introductions along with the question: What was the last movie you saw? The movies mentioned were: Fury, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Hunger Games, American Sniper & Rome, Open City. The member who saw American Sniper said it was very inspiring & made you "want to sign up." Another member said he read the book from which the movie was made, & was hesitant to see the movie as he thought a lot of "politically incorrect" parts of the book would be left out of the movie. This same member traveled to the NuArt theater in LA to see Rome, Open City. The movie was made in 1945, & the background is the brief "occupation" of Rome by German forces in 1944. It's in Italian with sub-titles. A great movie! If you get a chance, go see it. (That's an order.)
Next there was a discussion topic: Could a person who stutters be elected president of the United States? The idea was to bring out other aspects of stuttering such as: Can a person exude confidence while stuttering? How do we think other people see us or think about us when we stutter? How much prejudice is there toward people who stutter? Is effective communication lessened by stuttering?
Of more practical interest: How would the debates be done? - Would the stuttering candidate be given more time? Could a stuttering president effectively deal with foreign leaders? Would the image of a stuttering commander in chief of the most powerful military force on earth be compromised? We talked a little bit about all of these. Three members said that yes, it was certainly possible for a person who stutters to be elected POTUS. The point was brought out that one can still communicate ideas even while stuttering. Another member said he didn't think a person who stutters could make it through all of the nominating process, debates, etc.
We talked a little bit about the possibility of attending the meetings via Skype. There's a member who usually can't make it to the meetings in person, and wants to explore the Skype idea. One of the more technically minded members is going to look into this. Also, this same member is going to look into the idea of our group having a Facebook presence.
That's all for now. Next meeting is on March 12, led by fearless leader Matt. Be there, or bring a note from your doctor.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
November 13, 2014 Meeting Update
Six members were present for this meeting, a 50% improvement from the last meeting - thanks to those who came. Because there will not be a meeting on the 4th Thursday this month (Thanksgiving), this was a "combined" meeting, led jointly by fearless leaders Matt & myself. Also, there will be only one meeting next month on December11, as the 4th Thursday is Christmas day. The December 11 meeting will be a pot luck holiday celebration meeting. Be there! (And bring something edible).
We opened with introductions along with the question: Name something interesting you did recently or what activity do you enjoy? (Sort of 2 questions in one). One person recently attended an air show near Las Vegas that included the Thunderbirds, the precision flying team of the U.S. Air Force. Because his brother-in-law is a crew chief, he and some others got to introduce themselves to each pilot individually. Needless to say, the member got to use his fluency techniques. He talked about witnessing the flight of of the F22 Raptor, an aircraft capable of incredible in-air maneuvers. On this same general topic, the member mentioned that his grandmother in New York State, aged 100, recently made headlines by jumping out of an airplane! It made the local newspaper here (Orange County Register) with a photo. And, yes, she used a parachute. Another member mentioned trying to join the Air Force & being turned down because of his stuttering - a loss for the Air Force, alas. Another member recently attended the American Film Institute (AFI) Film Festival in LA. He and his wife drove up to LA & back 3 days in a row, seeing 3 feature length films & 2 sets of short films. He highly recommends a Russian film called "Leviathan," which may come out in general circulation soon. The director of the film was present afterwards (with a translator) for a Q&A session. The member admits he tried to get up the courage to ask a question before time ran out but couldn't quite do it. Maybe next time. Other members talked about enjoying playing basketball, driving tractors, learning a new framework for programming websites & working out. The person who enjoys driving tractors brought his bullhorn along again. He said he doesn't stutter as much when talking through the bullhorn. Obviously, this is a breakthrough in stuttering therapy: all we have to do is use a bullhorn when speaking! Might be a little hard to whisper, though, and not so good for intimate conversations. One member talked recently to Speech Language Pathology students at Cal State Fullerton & enjoyed "educating" them about stuttering. This member also talked about how frustrating stuttering can be. He applied for a job as a college lecturer & was turned down because he stuttered in the audition. This was very clear to him even though he wasn't specifically told this. He majored in Chinese in college but later started a whole new career as a software engineer because he couldn't find a proper job in his chosen field because of his stuttering. This same person talked about a fluency technique he developed based on a variation of voluntary stuttering. It involves purposely repeating the beginning of words you would normally stutter on as a kind of "stalling tactic." It has worked very well for him. We talked a little about how people who stutter are perceived by fluent people. It's kind of a Catch 22 - if you don't talk very much because you stutter, you may be seen as anti-social. If you talk & stutter, others may think negatively of you, at least until they get used to your stuttering, if they ever do. The interesting point was made that some people who stutter severely don't seem to be adversely effected. A member works with someone who stutters fairly severely, but either isn't aware he stutters or isn't bothered by it. The member approached him about this, but he didn't want to talk about it. The member said it apparently never enters his co-worker's mind to be ashamed or embarassed about his stuttering. The group labeled him a "happy stutterer''. How does a "regular stutterer" become a happy stutterer? If all people who stutter were happy stutterers, would there be any need for speech therapy or even the NSA? Serious questions to ponder.
That's all for now. Again, next meeting is the pot luck on Thursday, December 11, which will be the only meeting in December - same time, same place. A happy Thanksgiving to all. Don't eat too much turkey. Gobble gobble.
We opened with introductions along with the question: Name something interesting you did recently or what activity do you enjoy? (Sort of 2 questions in one). One person recently attended an air show near Las Vegas that included the Thunderbirds, the precision flying team of the U.S. Air Force. Because his brother-in-law is a crew chief, he and some others got to introduce themselves to each pilot individually. Needless to say, the member got to use his fluency techniques. He talked about witnessing the flight of of the F22 Raptor, an aircraft capable of incredible in-air maneuvers. On this same general topic, the member mentioned that his grandmother in New York State, aged 100, recently made headlines by jumping out of an airplane! It made the local newspaper here (Orange County Register) with a photo. And, yes, she used a parachute. Another member mentioned trying to join the Air Force & being turned down because of his stuttering - a loss for the Air Force, alas. Another member recently attended the American Film Institute (AFI) Film Festival in LA. He and his wife drove up to LA & back 3 days in a row, seeing 3 feature length films & 2 sets of short films. He highly recommends a Russian film called "Leviathan," which may come out in general circulation soon. The director of the film was present afterwards (with a translator) for a Q&A session. The member admits he tried to get up the courage to ask a question before time ran out but couldn't quite do it. Maybe next time. Other members talked about enjoying playing basketball, driving tractors, learning a new framework for programming websites & working out. The person who enjoys driving tractors brought his bullhorn along again. He said he doesn't stutter as much when talking through the bullhorn. Obviously, this is a breakthrough in stuttering therapy: all we have to do is use a bullhorn when speaking! Might be a little hard to whisper, though, and not so good for intimate conversations. One member talked recently to Speech Language Pathology students at Cal State Fullerton & enjoyed "educating" them about stuttering. This member also talked about how frustrating stuttering can be. He applied for a job as a college lecturer & was turned down because he stuttered in the audition. This was very clear to him even though he wasn't specifically told this. He majored in Chinese in college but later started a whole new career as a software engineer because he couldn't find a proper job in his chosen field because of his stuttering. This same person talked about a fluency technique he developed based on a variation of voluntary stuttering. It involves purposely repeating the beginning of words you would normally stutter on as a kind of "stalling tactic." It has worked very well for him. We talked a little about how people who stutter are perceived by fluent people. It's kind of a Catch 22 - if you don't talk very much because you stutter, you may be seen as anti-social. If you talk & stutter, others may think negatively of you, at least until they get used to your stuttering, if they ever do. The interesting point was made that some people who stutter severely don't seem to be adversely effected. A member works with someone who stutters fairly severely, but either isn't aware he stutters or isn't bothered by it. The member approached him about this, but he didn't want to talk about it. The member said it apparently never enters his co-worker's mind to be ashamed or embarassed about his stuttering. The group labeled him a "happy stutterer''. How does a "regular stutterer" become a happy stutterer? If all people who stutter were happy stutterers, would there be any need for speech therapy or even the NSA? Serious questions to ponder.
That's all for now. Again, next meeting is the pot luck on Thursday, December 11, which will be the only meeting in December - same time, same place. A happy Thanksgiving to all. Don't eat too much turkey. Gobble gobble.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
October 23 Meeting Update
There were only 4 people present at this meeting, which is disappointing for this time of year. Although NSA chapter meeting attendance is wildly unpredictable, lower attendance usually occurs during the summer. For those of you who weren't at the meeting - you know this goes on your permanent record don't you? You can redeem yourselves by attending all NSA chapter meetings for the rest of your lives. See how easy that is?
We opened with introductions along with the question: "When you were a kid, did you have any pets & what do you remember about them?" One member talked about a Yorky Terrier named Max he had from when he was about 9 till he graduated from college, which meant the dog would have been about 84 in people years. One day, after getting into some paint, the dog disappeared for 8 days. He was eventually found at the local pound, but soon after sadly had to be euthanized due to a number of problems.
Another member talked about a cat named Stinker he had for part of his childhood & teen years. It was a big orange Manx cat - the ones with a stubby tail & high rear legs. The member thought the cat was very smart, being able to open slightly ajar doors with his paw. He had other fond memories of the cat.
There was general agreement that cats were easier to take care of than dogs.
This led to a short discussion about the fact that most people who stutter usually don't stutter when they talk to animals. I don't know that any research has determined why this is so - another mysterious aspect of stuttering. If only all the people in the world who don't stutter could be turned into animals! OK, maybe that would be a little extreme.
A member talked about how his speech has been regressing lately, since he completed an intensive, 3 week therapy program where he had made great progress. We talked about how this is common. There are several well known intensive therapy programs for stuttering, and over the years I've heard similar stories about a person's speech regressing afterward. Some people in individual therapy experience the same thing. One long-time NSA member said he stutters least in chapter meetings. All of this has to do, I think, with how comfortable we are speaking to those around us, whether or not they know we stutter & have heard our worst blocks, & if we think they are going to "judge" us. If only the world was one big NSA chapter meeting! OK, maybe that would also be a little extreme.
We talked about how time pressure effects stuttering. Stuttering & anxiety about stuttering invariably increase during rapid fire conversations, or when you're expected to respond quickly to a question. To deal with this, one member talked about a technique he learned in a therapy program: pause before responding in a speaking situation. The pause is only for a second or two. This allows you to "own" the situation & steer the conversation in the direction you want. You can use this all the time - whether you think you're going to stutter or not. The member has had good success with this.
That's all for now. The next meeting is on Thursday, November 13, same time, same place, led by fearless leader Matt. Remember the mantra: Second & Fourth Thursdays - 5:45PM - Kaiser.
Now I think I'll work on a science fiction story about a planet where everyone is an animal in an NSA chapter meeting. I'll let you know how it turns out.
RIP Jack Bruce 1943-2014
We opened with introductions along with the question: "When you were a kid, did you have any pets & what do you remember about them?" One member talked about a Yorky Terrier named Max he had from when he was about 9 till he graduated from college, which meant the dog would have been about 84 in people years. One day, after getting into some paint, the dog disappeared for 8 days. He was eventually found at the local pound, but soon after sadly had to be euthanized due to a number of problems.
Another member talked about a cat named Stinker he had for part of his childhood & teen years. It was a big orange Manx cat - the ones with a stubby tail & high rear legs. The member thought the cat was very smart, being able to open slightly ajar doors with his paw. He had other fond memories of the cat.
There was general agreement that cats were easier to take care of than dogs.
This led to a short discussion about the fact that most people who stutter usually don't stutter when they talk to animals. I don't know that any research has determined why this is so - another mysterious aspect of stuttering. If only all the people in the world who don't stutter could be turned into animals! OK, maybe that would be a little extreme.
A member talked about how his speech has been regressing lately, since he completed an intensive, 3 week therapy program where he had made great progress. We talked about how this is common. There are several well known intensive therapy programs for stuttering, and over the years I've heard similar stories about a person's speech regressing afterward. Some people in individual therapy experience the same thing. One long-time NSA member said he stutters least in chapter meetings. All of this has to do, I think, with how comfortable we are speaking to those around us, whether or not they know we stutter & have heard our worst blocks, & if we think they are going to "judge" us. If only the world was one big NSA chapter meeting! OK, maybe that would also be a little extreme.
We talked about how time pressure effects stuttering. Stuttering & anxiety about stuttering invariably increase during rapid fire conversations, or when you're expected to respond quickly to a question. To deal with this, one member talked about a technique he learned in a therapy program: pause before responding in a speaking situation. The pause is only for a second or two. This allows you to "own" the situation & steer the conversation in the direction you want. You can use this all the time - whether you think you're going to stutter or not. The member has had good success with this.
That's all for now. The next meeting is on Thursday, November 13, same time, same place, led by fearless leader Matt. Remember the mantra: Second & Fourth Thursdays - 5:45PM - Kaiser.
Now I think I'll work on a science fiction story about a planet where everyone is an animal in an NSA chapter meeting. I'll let you know how it turns out.
RIP Jack Bruce 1943-2014
Saturday, September 27, 2014
September 25 Meeting Update
5 members were present. We started the meeting by acknowledging that one of the group's founders & a chapter leader, Mihaela, has stepped down as chapter leader & will only occasionally attend meetings as she pursues a medical career. Matt & Mihaela founded the group about 3 years ago, & both have worked tirelessly to keep it going. Mihaela created this website blog & has kept it timely. She's also put in a ton of energy as a chapter leader to keep the meetings interesting. She will be missed. We wish her luck in her studies. Matt will assume the role of sole chapter leader for the second-Thursday-of -the-month meeting. Yours truly will continue to lead the fourth-Thursday-of-the-month meeting.
We continued with the topic: "In your past, what was your worst fear about stuttering? Is it still your worst fear now?" This was another all male group, so it wasn't surprising that 4 members said talking to females had been their worst fear. One member added talking to females on the phone was especially anxiety ridden. Another said talking in front of a group was his worst fear. One member said he tried to alleviate fear of talking to females during his school years by getting involved in extra curricular activities such as sports. This helped him build self-esteem & took his mind off stuttering. Several members agreed that hiding your stuttering went along with a fear of talking to females. One member brought up that as he gets older, he doesn't worry so much about what others think of him because of his stuttering. All of this led to a discussion about how with all the modern non-verbal ways to communicate - texting, emails, social media - people don't have to actually speak to "talk" to each other. We discussed how for people who stutter this could be used to avoid speaking. One member who has a daughter said he wouldn't want her to respond to a boy who asks her out on dates by texting, email, etc. It's too cold & informal. He wants the boy to present himself in person or at least on the phone. Makes sense to me.
A member active in Toastmasters talked a little about that organization & gave out some literature. He said you can simply say at the beginning of a speech that you stutter & joined Toastmasters to work on your stuttering.
That's all for now folks. Next meeting is on Thursday, October 9th led by Matt. Remember the mantra: Second & Fourth Thursdays - 5:45PM - Kaiser.
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