Public Speaking: Aficionado or Achilles Heal?

Public speaking is the bane of most people's existence, but to be honest, I don't actually mind it. I am not an aficionado, but it is not my Achilles heel either. My strengths are confidence and remaining calm, while my weakness is public speaking without cue cards. Numerous public speaking experiences have given me the basis to learn and improve my skills. Public speaking is all about practice!

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My experience in public speaking started in 8th grade when I presented at a National Envirothon conference. We wrote and presented an environmental plan to the world's top scientists and answered 10 minutes of follow up questions. It is this experience in which I was quivering in my boots as the youngest member on my team, that has taught me everything that I need to know. It is all about perspective. A class talk is nothing compared to standing on that stage that day. Giving a speech is minuscule compared to answering questions from top scientists. Public speaking is about appearing confident, and by comparing each public experience to my most nerve wracking one, it allows my confidence to grow. Therefore confidence gained from previous experience is my main strength.

When speaking in public, it is key to remain calm in perilous situations. Recently I saw a newscaster from Iraq dive to the ground as a enemy plane went by while she continued the broadcast. Honestly, I am definitely not at that level of calmness, but it is still one of my strengths. During one of my presentations, another year for the same science competition, I had a major coughing attack. In that moment I thought I was going into anaphylactic shock, but I still continued through my part. It is in this moment that I leaned to just be calm, we are only human. Everyone has a coughing attack every once in a while, and the audience won't judge you for it. (Unless you are Hilary Clinton of course!)

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Although I have only discussed by strengths so far, I am far from perfect when it comes to public speaking. One of my key areas of weakness is when I have to think on my feet. A rehearsed, well written out speech is effortless, but having to think on my feet without cue cards is where I falter. I lose my eye contact, my confidence, and start to include verbal fillers. The way in which I could improve on this area is solely practice. For speeches that are without cue cards, I need to reverse them many more times before the event. Question and answer sessions could be improved by thinking of possible questions before and outlining answers. Above all, more experience with public speaking without cue cards is key to turning this weakness into a strength.

I enjoy public speaking because it gives me an opportunity to present my views. Although it is stressful for everyone, capitalizing on my strengths of confidence and calmness help me to get through the situation. My numerous public speaking experiences have allowed my to develop these strengths, but I am still working on being better in situations where I have think on my feet. As said by Rob Brown, "If you can speak, you can influence. If you can influence, you can change lives."

Merciless Path of Destruction

Bone-chilling. Leering. Ominous. The Mariana's Trench is a dark and mysterious part of our world, just like the unknown effects of closing the Circle. When Tom Stenton brings creatures back from the deep seas, he creates a contrast with a names, illustrates a utopia, and portrays a symbolic representation of the three wise men and Circle in general.

Mariana's Trench is the home territory of the shark, octopus, and seahorse that Stenton introduces to the Circle. The trench is relatively undiscovered and therefore is secretive, a trait against the Circle mantras.  Interestingly, Mariana is strikingly similar to the name Marion, who is the owner of the kayak rental that Mae frequents.  Kayaking for Mae is her only sense of privacy and secrecy before she becomes engulfed by the Circle. Therefore,  Mariana and Marion are similar to symbolize areas of unclosed circle and mystery within the utopia.

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After bringing the creatures back, Stenton comes up with a plan to put them all in a tank together. For this to happen, he constructs an enormous aquarium filled with a "gorgeous array of live coral and seaweed...symphonic under the bright lights"(pg. 471). The water was calm and there was only a "slight current" (pg. 472). In this form, the aquarium is a direct representation of the Circle and the paradise and dreamland that it is for its members. The aquarium is portrayed as pure bliss, similar to what the Circle professes to be. Interestingly, there is a dark shadow looming over the event, the unknown outcome of all three creatures entering the tank. This dark shadow is the same as the obscure effects of closing the circle. It is a utopia with a storm cloud brewing.

One of the creatures to be introduced is the famous shark, which attracts a lot of attention from Mae's viewers. Although the shark is blind, it eats all of its meals immediately, no matter the size, depositing a pile of digested "ash" quickly after. The shark is translucent, so its digestion is easily watched. The shark is a direct symbolization of Tom Stenton. Stanton is the flashiest of the three wise men, and  a direct proponent of closing the circle. Furthermore, the shark represents the Circle as a whole and its propensity to devour defenseless beings. Once the shark is put in the tank with the other creatures, it ravages them, leaving behind nothing but a pile of ash. The watchers contemplate protecting the remaining animals, but it simply cannot be done. Nothing can get in the path of the lethal shark, and similarly nothing can stop the destructive path of the Circle. The shark and the Circle are both tornadoes, out of control, dangerous, and without mercy.

The Mariana's Trench scene is a key aspect of symbolism within the novel.  The similarity of the names Mariana and Marion point to their comparable secretive nature and dark spots in closing the Circle. The illustration of peace within the aquarium conveys the utopia of the Circle,  while a foreboding presence symbolizes the closing of the circle. Ultimately, the flashy shark is a direct representation of Stenton and closing the circle in general as they both consume the defenseless on their merciless path of destruction.

The Power of Family

Family is an underlying theme woven into the plot of The Circle. It is a dynamic aspect of many Circlers lives, particularly Annie and Mae. As the plot unfolds, Mae's relationship with her family dissolves, a contrast is developed between her work and home life, and a family failure leads to a key break in Mae's career.

For Mae, privacy and family go hand-in-hand for the first part of the novel. She escapes from the intense open world and relishes in the safety of her own home. They live a quiet life, although her father suffers from MS. The relationship with her family shifts after her parents are added to the Circle health plan. Privacy is relinquished and her parents begin to resent Mae, going so far as to cover up the SeeChange cameras in their house. All the while Mae becomes uncomfortable with her parents relying on her and fights to connect the circle within her own home.

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Ultimately the divide within her family is only deepened as her father's condition worsens. After he has an accident on the couch, their relationship is never the same. Mae dislikes the lack of control and power that she has over her father's condition. His life and disease is a contrast to the ordered and strict life at the Circle. As time progresses she begins to live at the Circle in effort to avoid the "chaos of the unordered world" (pg. 373) and her family.  She is ashamed of her family life and longs for a family just like her best friend Annie.

Annie has a strange relationship with her family. For her, family is power. As a descendant of the good blood,  she views herself as royalty. Annie comes from money, and her position at the Circle reflects that. A key transition in the novel occurs when Annie discovers disturbing things about her ancestors. The finding that her ancestors had slaves shakes her self confidence, laying the perfect soil for Mae to grow in the company. Mae used to be jealous of Annie and her powerful family, but it is that exact family that leads to the downfall of her best friend.

Family is a driving force of change in Mae's life. Technology distances her from her family, and work ultimately replaces them as a perfect storm in Annie's family boosts Mae to new positions. In our society, technology is trending towards an eerie future. Instead of talking with our family, we sit on couches entranced by our screens. Instead of going on a family trip, we stay home to go to the movies. Instead of enjoying the moment, we live within the worlds of our screens. Since when did we prioritize our phones over our parents, siblings, grandparents, etc? The power of family is exemplified by Mae's experiences in the Circle,  and we need to take warning so that we too don't follow the same path.

Do Secrets Equal Lies?

Secrets are lies. Sharing is caring. Privacy is theft. Follow these mantras and succeed in the Circle society, or deny them and be exiled. In The Circle, these ideals are ingrained in the utopian society, but in the real world, the application of the mantras are less black and white. I agree that from a definition perspective and examining our culture, secrets are lies, and sharing is caring hold true, however privacy is NOT a theft because of rights that we hold.

When examining if secrets are lies, it is key to look at the definitions of both words. A secret is "kept hidden from others.(1)" A lie is "to make an untrue statement with the intent to deceive. (2) " If we are keeping something from others, we are in fact deceiving them. Therefore, secrets are lies. Mae believes that secrets are lies because secrets inspire speculation. As humans, when something is hidden, we make up answers that are actually damaging lies. Secrets often lead to lies to cover up the hidden information.

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In our culture, sharing is caring is the bane of the existence of many moms to three and four year olds. Taught from a young age, sharing is crucial to fitting in with our society. Whether it be a shovel at the playground or a dress my roommate wants to borrow, we devalue materialism by encouraging sharing. No one wants to be viewed as materialistic, and in a way sharing portrays our lack of connection with a said material item. Mae views the material item as information. Eamon Bailey uses his disabled son as an example. He "experiences the world through the experiences of others (pg.302)." Sharing information and material items  conveys a selfless character that is sought after in our society and in the Circle.

On the other hand, privacy is not theft. Although Mae believes that all information should be public, even sexual history, in reality, privacy is a basic human right. In the United States, the fourth amendment guarantees our right to privacy. We are allowed to separate our lives into public and private spheres. It is not considered theft if I don't share to everyone what I ate for breakfast. For it to be a theft, it must be assumed that someone else owns or is entitled to my information, which is simply not the case.

Mae lives by the mantras secrets are lies, sharing is caring, and privacy is theft. It can be difficult to transfer ideologies from a utopian world, to our realistic one, but secrets are lies and sharing is caring hold to be true when looking a definitions and cultural backgrounds. However, privacy is not theft because privacy is a basic human right.

A Dynamic Balance: Data vs. Privacy

Privacy or data, choose one. Make the right choice or be an outcast from society. In The Circle, by Dave Eggers, data and privacy are mutually exclusive, and Mae experiences the evolution of technology at the expense of  privacy. The complexity of the relationship is further exemplified by contrasting permanence and connotations associated with different aspects of Mae's life.

Data rules the utopian Circle community as a direct result of TruYou. This system leads to increased accountability on the Internet all the while extinguishing anonymity. Later in the novel, Eamon Bailey presents a new technology called SeeChange that allows users to install public cameras globally. This innovation contributes to the downturn of nonpublic areas and privacy in general as exemplified by his shocking and eerie statement: " All that happens must be known. "

Data lasts forever and privacy just for a moment. A single picture stays on the Cloud for eternity, yet a three minute bathroom break only makes up a mere fraction of the day. A conversation with a classmate is tagged to Mae's name forever, but a private run-in with a stranger named Calden lasts for a mere 30 seconds. This contrasting permanence is a direct result of the growth of technology in The Circle society as examined by the paragraph above. The distinction in magnitude is conveyed throughout Mae's interaction with the seal while kayaking. After leaving her parents to go back to work, Mae kayaks on the choppy bay where she sees no one.  The placid water of the bay symbolizes privacy for her. It is a time to think within her own mind and relax on the "cold and clear" bay (pg.80). As she continues her trip, she suddenly sees a harbor seal. Mae looks into its "black button, unreflective (pg. 81)" eyes. Before she could take another breath, the seal ducks beneath the water. The seal represents persistent data and technology invading even the brief moments of alone time.The seal stays for a second, contrasting with the perpetual nature of data in Mae's actual life.

 Privacy and data are further differentiated within the division of her everyday life into her private home life and a technology driven work world. Being at home is the closest thing to privacy for Mae in the beginning of The Circle, and it is characterized negatively. Her dad is ill and her pesty boyfriend, Mercer, is always hanging around the house. The positives are limited for Mae's private life emphasizing the overall negative connotation of privacy within the novel. On the other hand, Mae's life of data at work is full great opportunities. Lavish parties and communal spirit characterize her technological side, pointing to the positive connotation of data.

Privacy and data have an inverse relationship in the Circle. Throughout the novel, as technology's influence grows, privacy shrinks. Furthermore, as portrayed by Mae's encounter with the harbor seal, privacy is fleeting and data is eternal. Lastly, privacy is directly related to her home life pointing to a negative connotation, while data is linked to her career pointing to a positive connotation. Overall, privacy and data are interconnected, yet complete opposites in The Circle.

Together in Continuous Change

Change is the only constant in the universe. In The Circle by Dave Eggers, Mae changes jobs becoming a "newbie" at the monopolistic Circle, and at Penn State thousands of students, including myself,  make the life changing leap of faith to go to college. Transition is an ever prevalent and dynamic aspect of life. On the surface level, there are physical similarities in our shifting paths of life and on a deeper perspective there are metaphorical similarities with "big fish, small pond" and the communal spirit.

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When Mae walked through the Circle doors, she was in awe of the enormity and beauty of the building. The ceiling was as "tall as a cathedral" and "every wall [was] made of glass, (pg. 3)." As a newbie at Penn State, I experienced the same admiration as I walked into the Smeal College of Business Building. The glass staircases were perched on the glass windows like birds, and the stocks ran across the stairs like snakes slithering to the top. As I roamed through the building, I felt as if I was in a scene from The Circle. Mae describes the campus as "vast" and "rambling" (pg.1), which is a direct representation of this campus. Mae's first tour through her new workplace is eerily similar to college tours that I did as a newcomer. Her colleague describes the pool and sports areas, as our tour guides mentioned the natatorium and Rec hall.

On a deeper level, Mae's transition to a new area is similar to mine in a metaphorical sense. In Mae's old employment, Mae was a protege. A big fish in a small pond. Mae excelled in all aspects of her career and her coworkers marveled at her bright future. In high school, we too were big fish in small ponds, mastering schoolwork and receiving complements from our small town schools. As Mae transitions to her job, she is no longer a big fish in a small pond, but a small fish in a big pond. She is one of many talented people in the Circle. As new students at Penn State, we are now small fish in a giant pond (50,000 students!). We no longer stand out in the same way that we once did. This metaphorical transition is a trait that we both share.

One other area that Mae and I both experience as newbies is the communal spirit. The group happiness and togetherness that I feel at Penn State is unlike anything I have every experienced. Mae has a similar feeling as she attends her first Circle party.  The Circle's mantra is "Community First" and Penn State's motto is "We Are..."Both mantras exemplify camaraderie and a united front that both groups have. Like members in the Circle come out to speeches and parties, students at Penn State go to football games. New members and new students in both groups are automatically accepted into the positive crowd spirit.

Mae and I are both newbies, her in the Circle job  and my new school. While her Utopian world may be different than my realistic one, we can connect on many levels including: similar physical environment, metaphorical transition, and communal spirit. Change is continuous, and she and I are together in this change.

Puppies, Food, or People: The Ultimate Decision

Cute puppy pictures, nature, the environment, and puppies again comprise my everyday thoughts and passions. This is how I so imaginatively came up with "An Animal A Week with Lizzy." This innovative and spectacular idea will carry me through the next 10 assignments with ease and will probably go viral. With never before seen factoids and adorable baby animal pictures, this idea is surely a winner. I am just kidding. "An Animal a Week with Lizzy" sounds more like a cartoon I watched when I was five, than a valid option for a passion blog. Therefore, I will move on against my heart's desire.

My next option is outside of my normal realm. I am not really a foodie, and this idea involves a whole lot of food. In this blog I would travel to 10 State College restaurants and give you, the reader, my unfiltered honest opinion of the total experience. By total experience I mean food taste, food cost, location, service and much more. I might even sneak a few pictures of the inside to give the audience an up close and personal view. I can try to order a similar thing a each restaurant, to decrease variables, but I don't know if I can eat the same food 10 times. Actually thats a lie, I ate the same exact lunch from 6th grade on everyday. Back from the slight digression, I could order the same food at each restaurant or I could order their signature/special or I could order their craziest option. Thoughts? An idea for the name is "Cuisine Critic," yet I feel that critic has negative connotation, and I don't plan on bashing our local restaurants. Another option is "Cuisine Connoisseur," but I feel as if it implies that I am knowledgeable about food, which I certainly am not. Maybe " Penn State's Cuisine Connoisseur"?

Another idea is to interview a different person each week around the Penn State Campus. From my roommate to the dean of the college, (we all know that probably won't happen) the plan is to introduce my audience to someone new, including their interests, hobbies, fun facts, and how they go about their daily life. Complete with high quality pictures taken by my iPhone, this is surely a blog to be remembered. A possible name is "People of Penn State." The longevity of this blog is a plus because there are plenty of people here on campus. Even if I interviewed one person every week, I could keep this blog going for at least 50,000 weeks, which is about 900 years.  The one problem I foresee with this idea is the difficulty of incorporating my own voice into the blog. It may become too informative, and less conversational.

Let me know what you think. Pardon my ramblings, colloquial language, and subpar photoshops, but if you like this style, let me know too. Any other ideas that are better than mine, let me know. Thanks for reading!

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