I had to give a class presentation. Speaking in front of others remains one of my least shining moments. I talk too fast, my hands tremble, and I lose my train of thought at key moments. Knowing my foibles, I decided to be proactive and bribe my way into the minds and hearts of fellow classmates. I baked three dozen pumpkin cheesecake muffins, drizzled caramel sauce over the batch, and passed the fragrant and sugary treats around the room. I have no idea if they were listening to me as I sped through my PowerPoint, but I saw a lot of smiles. (Maybe their lips were stuck to their teeth because of the caramel. That still counts, right?)
After class one of the students raised her sticky hand and asked the professor why she never brought muffins to class. The student felt they were more attentive with food in the room. My professor, in a smooth as silk fashion, said she was sure there was a clause in her contract that said once she had attained her doctorate she no longer had to bake. Hmmm…I have a long ways to go. In the meanwhile, knowing I had marinated my classmates in sweet goodness, AND getting through the dreaded presentation without fainting, was the best part of my day. Whew!
