Comments on: A Cup of Tea With the Grim Reaper http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/ Personal Development for Smart People Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:01:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Alejandro http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-5925 Alejandro Sun, 24 Jul 2005 15:53:26 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-5925 What do you think the grim reaper's real name is? Oh I've been asking that question for years! And still no response. So I thought, maybe this guy can tell me the answer. Because you know well about life and death, but you didn't talk about how we're created. I've always believed in god, and I still do at this point and forever. But my friends tell me then, Then what is Led-Zepplin? Well he surely isn't hell. Led-Zepplin is god. Then at Sea World we were talking about how you would go to hell. After my response, my friend Seby[short for Sebastian] looks up at me and says there is no hell, and there never was. What do you think the grim reaper’s real name is? Oh I’ve been asking that question for years! And still no response. So I thought, maybe this guy can tell me the answer. Because you know well about life and death, but you didn’t talk about how we’re created. I’ve always believed in god, and I still do at this point and forever. But my friends tell me then, Then what is Led-Zepplin? Well he surely isn’t hell. Led-Zepplin is god. Then at Sea World we were talking about how you would go to hell. After my response, my friend Seby[short for Sebastian] looks up at me and says there is no hell, and there never was.

]]> By: Alex http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-5924 Alex Sun, 24 Jul 2005 15:35:09 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-5924 You know what. I've couldn't of said it better. So, what do you mean a "Don't kill list"? Don't you mean a "don't reap list"? Because the grim reaper got it's name by bringing people to another world or dimension. I mean the grim reaper does probably sometimes kill but, don't you think he would reap instead? I mean it's like I said, he got his name by reaping not killing, cause it's the grim reaper not the grim killer. Well I wanted you to answer this question, Do you think the reaper has a brother or sister? You know what. I’ve couldn’t of said it better. So, what do you mean a “Don’t kill list”? Don’t you mean a “don’t reap list”? Because the grim reaper got it’s name by bringing people to another world or dimension. I mean the grim reaper does probably sometimes kill but, don’t you think he would reap instead? I mean it’s like I said, he got his name by reaping not killing, cause it’s the grim reaper not the grim killer. Well I wanted you to answer this question, Do you think the reaper has a brother or sister?

]]> By: botluck http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2249 botluck Fri, 13 May 2005 15:58:33 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2249 Nice post Insomniac. If you dont have anything to offer, dont offer. Just live and at least enjoy yourself and dont feel guilty. Those that can offer will offer. Those that dont have anything to offer can take offers at least :) Nice post Insomniac. If you dont have anything to offer, dont offer. Just live and at least enjoy yourself and dont feel guilty. Those that can offer will offer. Those that dont have anything to offer can take offers at least :)

]]> By: Aaron F Stanton http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2243 Aaron F Stanton Fri, 13 May 2005 12:27:16 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2243 Insomniac - I suspect you do have something to give to others. Your time, at the very least. Even if you think you can't do much, try something like volunteering at a homeless shelter. Ladling out soup to people may sound like nothing to you, but it will help them quite a bit. What do you do for a living? Does it help people? If not, what skills do you use in your job? If you don't have a job, what baseline skills do you have that you can use? Take small steps and build on that. Insomniac - I suspect you do have something to give to others. Your time, at the very least. Even if you think you can’t do much, try something like volunteering at a homeless shelter. Ladling out soup to people may sound like nothing to you, but it will help them quite a bit. What do you do for a living? Does it help people? If not, what skills do you use in your job? If you don’t have a job, what baseline skills do you have that you can use? Take small steps and build on that.

]]> By: Insomniac http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2231 Insomniac Thu, 12 May 2005 22:33:47 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2231 The speech is depressing. :-( Yeah, don't die with the music still in you (like you said in a previous article), but what if you don't have any music (=fantastic thing you can give to others such as a poem, a work of art, a bridge, etc) in you? I don't belive I have something extremely significant I can give to other people. So.. your speech left me with a bitter taste. However, the speech is well crafted. I like the way it is constructed, and I shall study it's style in order to learn new techniques. The speech is depressing. :-( Yeah, don’t die with the music still in you (like you said in a previous article), but what if you don’t have any music (=fantastic thing you can give to others such as a poem, a work of art, a bridge, etc) in you?

I don’t belive I have something extremely significant I can give to other people.

So.. your speech left me with a bitter taste.

However, the speech is well crafted. I like the way it is constructed, and I shall study it’s style in order to learn new techniques.

]]> By: Aaron F Stanton http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2224 Aaron F Stanton Thu, 12 May 2005 02:02:30 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2224 http://afstanton.blogspot.com/2005/04/long-term.html - a brief entry, on the same thing, and you might like the previous two, as well. Cheers! http://afstanton.blogspot.com/2005/04/long-term.html - a brief entry, on the same thing, and you might like the previous two, as well.

Cheers!

]]> By: Ted http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2223 Ted Thu, 12 May 2005 00:46:27 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2223 Taping speeches at home isn't quite the same as taping them in front of a live audience. Our club gives all speakers the option to have their speech taped. It is one of the best feedback mechanisms I know. Toastmasters is one of the best groups to try different things and hone your speaking skills. No matter how badly you screw up, they'll still appauld enthusiasticlly. At the Division D contest, one person said a study had been done and found that Toastmasters is one of the most transformational organization in existence. BTW, I see that dues are going up. It's still a bargin. Taping speeches at home isn’t quite the same as taping them in front of a live audience. Our club gives all speakers the option to have their speech taped. It is one of the best feedback mechanisms I know.

Toastmasters is one of the best groups to try different things and hone your speaking skills. No matter how badly you screw up, they’ll still appauld enthusiasticlly.

At the Division D contest, one person said a study had been done and found that Toastmasters is one of the most transformational organization in existence.

BTW, I see that dues are going up. It’s still a bargin.

]]> By: Steve Pavlina http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2222 Steve Pavlina Thu, 12 May 2005 00:29:08 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2222 I see a lot of ways this speech could have been improved. Most of my speeches do include personal stories -- I'm also including a lot of stories in my book. For this speech I wanted to try something a little different and stretch myself. I try some speeches I know aren't quite right so I can test different approaches and see how the audience reacts. This one was definitely too didactic and preachy. The nice thing about a Toastmasters audience is that they applaud no matter what. :) Our club doesn't video tape speeches -- I don't know of any clubs in my division that do -- but I can always tape my own speeches at home. I see a lot of ways this speech could have been improved. Most of my speeches do include personal stories — I’m also including a lot of stories in my book. For this speech I wanted to try something a little different and stretch myself. I try some speeches I know aren’t quite right so I can test different approaches and see how the audience reacts. This one was definitely too didactic and preachy. The nice thing about a Toastmasters audience is that they applaud no matter what. :)

Our club doesn’t video tape speeches — I don’t know of any clubs in my division that do — but I can always tape my own speeches at home.

]]> By: Ted http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2221 Ted Thu, 12 May 2005 00:25:51 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2221 PS. Doesn't your club video tape your speeches? PS. Doesn’t your club video tape your speeches?

]]> By: lostspirit http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2220 lostspirit Wed, 11 May 2005 23:37:34 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2220 WOOOOW!!! WOOOOW!!!

]]> By: Ted http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2218 Ted Wed, 11 May 2005 23:11:17 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/a-cup-of-tea-with-the-grim-reaper/#comment-2218 Steve, No offense, it's just that this is the type of speech I hear at TM very frequently. Let me offer a suggestion I think would improve your speech. Add a story that helps to make your point. As an ATMB and the VPE of my own club, www.boardwalktoastmasters.org, I'm a big fan of telling stories. People love to hear stories and I feel it really helps you to connect with them. I also have a phrase I use for my club, "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story." You might also want to work with your pronouns. You're exhorting your audience, much as a preacher does. I feel you audience tends to reject your theme as you are pushing it on to them. I prefer put myself or a straw man into the speech and talk about his or my own failure to act and how much he or I regret that decision. I like to let my audience look over my shoulder at my own mistakes and the lessons I draw from them. Your audience is smart enough to make draw their own conclusions without beating them over the head with them. I’m pleased you’re a member of Toastmasters. I only wish we weren’t 3,000 miles away from each other. I would like have the honor to evaluate one of your speeches. Steve,
No offense, it’s just that this is the type of speech I hear at TM very frequently. Let me offer a suggestion I think would improve your speech. Add a story that helps to make your point. As an ATMB and the VPE of my own club, http://www.boardwalktoastmasters.org, I’m a big fan of telling stories. People love to hear stories and I feel it really helps you to connect with them. I also have a phrase I use for my club, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”

You might also want to work with your pronouns. You’re exhorting your audience, much as a preacher does. I feel you audience tends to reject your theme as you are pushing it on to them.

I prefer put myself or a straw man into the speech and talk about his or my own failure to act and how much he or I regret that decision. I like to let my audience look over my shoulder at my own mistakes and the lessons I draw from them. Your audience is smart enough to make draw their own conclusions without beating them over the head with them.

I’m pleased you’re a member of Toastmasters. I only wish we weren’t 3,000 miles away from each other. I would like have the honor to evaluate one of your speeches.

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