The BIG Day!!

Fuji Oil Co.
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I slept well. I’m glad I decided to go straight to bed instead of staying up on the computer. I was so nervous. I tried not to think about the presentation. Even though I packed certain clothes to wear, I couldn’t decide if I should wear the shirt I planned to wear or if I should wear a different one – retarded, I know. So after I committed, I realized that the pants were wrinkled. They don’t have irons in the room. They have some sort of pant presser thing that looked intimidating. And I was afraid if I used it, I would burn my pants or something.  I hoped the wrinkles weren’t noticeable, probably not – besides they were probably going to get wrinkled on the taxi ride over to the plant.

Sorry, I don't have any photos of the actual presentation.
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Breathe, pray, count to ten. This was the chant that I repeated all morning (out loud & to myself)!!! I called the front desk & asked them to request a taxi to come at 8:20. I slipped my shoes on and WHAT??? What is in my shoe? Did you guess?   . . . . . . . . . the 4GB card for my camera; the very same one that had eluded all my previous searches. Hooray!!!! Mystery solved!!! Maybe this was a sign that it was going to be a good day!!

What a relief.....

Taxi ride to Fuji.
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I went downstairs @ 8:20 & my taxi was waiting. I arrived at the plant. Barry came down to get me. Thank goodness, because I was so nervous that I probably would not have been able to find my way anywhere!!! I waited in his area & read over the presentation. Jeff came & got me and it was about to be show time!

There were 21 entrants. They had us scheduled about 12 minutes apart. I was 3^rd in line. Ugh!! My mouth was dry & my palms started to sweat. Thankfully I brought my last Diet Mountain Dew w/ me. As the 1^st presenter was giving his presentation, I said a prayer and took one last sip of the Mountain Dew. I heard a bell; it was his 9 minute warning. Our presentations were supposed to be a maximum of 10 minutes. Then the bell sounded again. Oh crap, he just went over & he wasn't even finished. He kept going & finished a couple minutes later.  When presenter # 2 was called I had to go to the front & wait in the “staging” chairs. (Deep breaths, don’t trip while you’re walking to the chair, don’t drop you papers). Whew, I made it to the chairs.

Click the down arrow on the laptop....
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Presenter #2 was the only other English speaking presenter. I realized that he was a little nervous himself. That actually made me feel better. Eased my nerves a little. The other thing that helped was that I could understand what he was saying, so I focused on his presentation and not the fact that I was going up there next.  The 9-minute bell rang; he was still talking. 10-minute bell rang – Uh Oh!! He finished shortly after the second bell.

Oh my 2 out of 2 went over the time limit. Ok Kristine, stick to the plan – 9 minutes is the goal!! I was next. I approached the podium, positioned the laptop, light & mic stand the way that I wanted. Took a deep breath and said, “Konnichiwa – Watashiwa Kristine Lupica des.” That means Good day, my name is Kristine Lupica. Several people in the audience made an ahhwww sound (I think they were surprised & maybe a little impressed).

Don't knock the reading light over....
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Then for the next 9 minutes I delivered the presentation better than I had in any of my rehearsals. Sure I was nervous, my hands were still sweating, my mouth was dry, my armpits were damp, but I managed to get through it. Throughout the presentation, I was conscious of the microphone in my right hand. My hands were shaking and I didn’t want them to see the microphone shaking in my hand. I don’t know how I did it, but I don’t think the mic shook at all (thank God)! Now, my left hand was another story. Between having to flip the pages and click the laptop to change slides, it was shaking enough for both hands!!!! I chose one member of the audience to be my resting spot for my eyes. This audience member happens to be one of the Japanese guys that I’ve known for years. I think that a familiar & friendly face to look at helped keep me calm (or as calm as possible).

Mountain Dew to the rescue (oh that rhymes!)
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After rehearsal the other day, I reviewed my speech & added some notes to myself. I picked a few sections on each page to write “SLOW DOWN”. When I’m nervous I talk fast, not that they could understand me anyways, but I didn’t want to be under the 8-minute minimum. My notes must have helped because just as I was saying the last line of my summary, the 9-minute warning bell sounded. Then I said “Thank you for your attention. Domo Arigato.”  They clapped and I went towards my seat – I realized left something at the podium. . . . my fear! I DID IT!!! I’M A ROCKSTAR!!!!  THAT WAS AN AWARD WINNING PERFORMANCE!!!  Ok, so not really award winning, but I overcame my fear!!  I even looked up several times while speaking & directed them to look at the screen a few times. I didn’t read it word for word & I even added a couple things!!!  Most of all I didn’t drop the microphone, didn’t forget to change slides or change them at the wrong time, I didn’t drop my papers and I didn’t knock the reading light over!! I didn’t trip over the cords or my own feet and I certainly didn't ‘bang a beanie’ (Jamie)!!!  HOORRAAAYY FOR ME!!!!

As I walked to my seat, an older Japanese gentleman said, “Excellent presentation!” What, he understood it? I don’t even know who he was. Wow, that made me feel good! Jeff immediately came over and directed me to go out into the hall. He told me I did a good job. He said there was no reason for me to have to sit & listen to all the presentations that I wouldn't understand anyways. He took me to an office so I could rest & work on the computer or whatever I wanted to do. I just had to meet him downstairs at 11:30 to walk around the product booths.