Milo's periodic journal of
learning, life-tips, and laughter


Thanksgiving Quizzler:

A happy Thanksgiving to you all!  
Question: What's a "snood"?

a)    the loose skin under a male turkey’s neck

b)    a Thanksgiving cider/beer drink originated in New Orleans

c)    someone ungrateful for the blessings in his/her life

Answer at the end of this eZine.


Public Speaking Tip of the Day

The human mind helps us survive through its recognition of patterns.  For instance, day after day, when we press the button on our car remote, we hear the door click as it unlocks and our mind recognizes that as normal and good. 

When we press on that button and hear nothing, we get a little jolt: something is wrong here!  Our mind then tries to look for similar patterns to explain it ("In the past when a button hasn't worked on something, like the TV remote, it's been the battery weakening...let me stand closer to the car and try again.")

Make use of this in speaking by knowing that three is a magic number.  Why?  Because one thing is out of context, two things can be compared but don't establish a pattern well, but three...well, that makes it feel juuuuuust right.  One might think, "Then four must be even clearer, right?"  But no...it doesn't work that way; four often feels like, "Come on, speaker...I got it already...move along." 

We don't need a fourth bear for Goldilocks or a fourth house made of paper for the wolf to blow down...we get the pattern at three.

So when putting speaking programs together, look for ways to give three examples, three sentences of support, three beats of rhythm to a line, etc.  Audiences, unconsciously, find this satisfying and clear.  And after three, instead of beating that horse, trust that they get it and move on.

One of the many tips in "Public Speaking: Get A's, Not Zzzzzz's!"
 

And my #2-on-Amazon hit for the next generation
makes a great gift for that teen you want to see succeed:
 


Travel Tips

You know that used boarding pass that you left in the seat pouch in front of you because you didn't need it anymore?  Hackers can scan the bar-codes on those to find out personal information about you.   Best to let that airline person at the door take it from you if you don't need it (they shred them) or, if you do for some reason, dispose of it carefully:  tear it vertically, splitting the bar code, and put the halves in different pails.

Another tip:  I'm still surprised to find that people don't know you can bring an empty water bottle through TSA and fill it on the other side at a fountain.

Lastly, TSA-Pre doesn't have to be a random thing you hope for.  Nor is getting it all the time something only the one-percenters can manage.  For $85, a little paperwork, and one trip to an office, you can get TSA-Pre for five years of domestic flights.  So, at under $18 a year, I keep my shoes on, my laptop in its case, my belt on, etc.  That's a clear time-and-hassle payoff in my book.  More info on getting yourself qualified.


Exciting News for Milo

I'm invited onto KUSI's "Good Morning San Diego" this Sunday Nov. 27 as a guest on public speaking skills, possibly with a small emphasis on teens and speaking.  If you're in San Diego, be watching at 9:40 (or set your DVR for that half hour) to see me put my skills to the test of the live camera!

I've verified that it's channel 9 on Cox Cable (1009 for HD) and 51 if you're on DISH network.  Beyond those two, check your local guide to find KUSI.


Today's Humor

Every speaker has a mouth;
An arrangement rather neat.
Sometimes it's filled with wisdom.
Sometimes it's filled with feet.

— Comedic writer Robert Orben  (1927 - )


Today's Featured Video

Happy to share my new welcome video for speaking coaching clients.  I'd wanted something for a while now that would allow me to talk directly to those who might be interested in coaching rather than just watching me in action.  The tough parts:  Keeping it under two minutes, energetic, and (wow, this is a hard lesson) keeping my hands within the camera frame for the whole two minutes I'm talking.

See what you think; it auto-starts after you link below:

 

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Quiz answer:  "A"   


See?  Told you the newsletters would be light and helpful.  

If I can be of service to you, just use the button here to reach my site and drop me a line!   -- Milo

 

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Copyright 2016, Milo Shapiro.

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