I don’t want to make a big deal of this, but you may have noticed that I’m trying to re-instate the 30 activities-Hudson Valley project. The reason I don’t want to make a big deal is two-fold. One is that I’m leaving for San Francisco on Friday, so I won’t be here to report on the happenings of the H.V. for a week. The other is that the last time I made a big announcement about my project, I spent days 1, 2, and 3 in the hospital. Not that I’m one to believe in superstition, but I’m keeping this one low-key just in case.
On Saturday, my second employer and I came to a mutual decision that they no longer needed me because they were over-staffed and I was tired. Now that I have all my weekends free again, it seems like an appropriate time to dig back in to the project. So here goes nothing, and just for good measure, I’m not playing kickball this season.
Every once and a while, I see this sign up when I pass the diner near me:
Birmingham and I stopped once last year, but then I was invalid and then it was winter, and there was no more car cruise, until tonight. On the way home from free pizza night at the gym, I stopped and took a gander at the classic cars that were on display.
(In case you’re wondering, the hula monkey hasn’t had much work since “The Ruins Post,” so now he hangs out on my dashboard, and will be standing in for Mr. Met (the plush keychain) who is enjoying his retirement.)
The owner of the diner is a car enthusiast, so once or twice a month he opens up the lawn adjacent to his establishment so that other car enthusiasts can park, pop their hoods, listen to music, and show off their babies. I was hoping to talk to some of the car owners to ask them some questions about their cars, but there was one big problem.
I’m shy, ya’ll.
I know, you may be thinking, “weren’t you just telling us and all the world about your soy-based flatulence problem?” Yes. I was. But no, I wasn’t. I was typing it. That is much easier than talking. Talking to new people is a real problem for me. It’s almost uncanny in its irrationality, but whenever I talk to strangers I get an awful hot feeling in my chest and face. I lose all control of my ability to speak normally until I’ve had at least one conversation with a person in the past. But I know that if I’m going to do this project, I’m eventually going to have to meet some new people and talk to them. So I tried, determined to talk to one car owner before going home to many shots of whiskey I chose my favorite car:
I procrastinated by circling all the other cars twice and pretending to be interested in the raffle at the main table. Finally I braced myself and walked up to the group sitting in front of the purple 1941 Ford Coupe.
“Hi. Who’s car is this?”
“This is mine.” says a nice looking middle-aged man.
This is where I want to say things like, “How long have you had this car? Did you paint it? Do you own other classic cars? Where do you drive it? ” and so on. But he’s sitting with a group of 5 other Strangers, and all I can think to say is “this is my favorite.” And I can’t even say it like a real person. My nerves cause me to talk in my high-pitched nervous voice. I’ve prepared some audio so you can understand:
BTW, this was my first foray into creating my own audio. It took me about an hour of opening all the programs that came with my new Mac and then signing up for every podcasting service I could find. That’s why you have it in two formats there, I’m playing around to see what works. (I even figured out how to use sound effects!) Please let me know how it comes out on your computer, or if it doesn’t at all. (If you’re like me and can’t listen to sound on your computer at work, that’s cool, you have something to look forward to when you get home.)
In the coming days, I’m going to muster the courage to meet new people so I can explore the Hudson Valley’s best and brightest. If that doesn’t work, oh well. It’s my blog, and I’ll be shy if I want to. With that in mind, I’d like to leave you some words of wisdom from the purple car’s yellow sticker:
There may be bugs,
There may be chips,
But one thing sure
I drive this Bitch!
UPDATE: I figured out how to make the audio file an MP3. This should work on your computer if the other one didn’t:
MP3 audio link
21 responses so far ↓
Allie // May 5, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I think your voice sounds a lot like mine. That kind of freaked me out.
And I get shy in front of people I don’t know too. It sucks.
If you’re doing audio on your project, you should see what you need to do to submit it to NPR. I think they’d eat it up.
I should come up with some good audio, then! Maybe we can do a show together.
Allie // May 5, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Um, I didn’t mean your voice was freaky or anything. And the sound quality was awesome.
I didn’t think you did, unless you think your voice is freaky. The sound quality is so good, that Birmingham was convinced it didn’t sound like me.
Kristabella // May 5, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I ge horribly shy and RED FACED in front of people. Which is why I’m scared of going to BlogHer because what if no one likes me?
I may have to pay homeless people to be my friends.
Also, I like your voice!
I’m sure they will like you! They are just as scared of you as you are of them.
Aaron // May 5, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I haven’t had a chance to listen to your audio post yet (don’t worry, I will; I would hate it if I went through all that hassle and no one cared), but I’m impressed by the effort. Although I did once hear you on my voicemail, so I imagine it won’t be too much of a surprise.
Sort-of-side-note: I’m excited that you’re (quietly) starting up the thirty days project again. Bring on the HV!
that’s right I did leave you a voice mail once! I’ll have to do it again someday, if you’re lucky.
Stefanie // May 5, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I’m way impressed by your technical prowess there. Also, if you were most bloggers I read, I would have listened to that and said, “Oh, that’s what Noelle’s voice sounds like!” Instead, since I have actually met you, I said, “Oh! It’s Noelle! I miss her.”
Here’s hoping I get to hear your voice in real time again some day. 
I keep thinking I’m going to get to see you again this summer since I saw you last summer. I’ll be bummed if I don’t…
tinetastic // May 6, 2008 at 6:14 am
“It’s because I like purple!”
Something I’d do. Except I’d not have the good sense to be embarrassed by my girly outbursts.
Sometimes having a filter is good, sometimes, not so much.
nancypearlwannabe // May 6, 2008 at 6:56 am
That totally sounded like a mini-NPR piece! Loved it. Also loved that you stopped at a Cruise Night. Were you the only person under 55?
There were a couple of kids… and a teenager who seemed pretty cool, but yeah, mostly it was for the retirement set.
3carnations // May 6, 2008 at 7:37 am
Maybe next time you could approach him and hand him a list of things you want to say? He will think you are mute or deaf, and I’m sure that won’t be awkward for anyone.
I will try that!
jennifer // May 6, 2008 at 7:38 am
I tried to listen to the audio and got nuthin’ - was that the point?
Some how Noelle, the idea of you being shy escapes me. Your red hair and flashing eyes speak of boldness and yeah, a little fun audacity. Your passion for the earth and your portable soap box say “I’m here bit…” Hard to wrap my mind around the shyness of Noelle.
The vintage car shows are FUN. My dad has a 76 Mercury that I am tempted to scratch my name into so it will be claimed for my future car show experiences. Watch my brother get it one day - he is SO unworthy.
Be blessed.
Jen
Seriously, I find it so much easier to be bold when I don’t have an immediate reaction. It’s why I email instead of IM. You should be able to hear the sound now, I’ve fixed it, although having a blank recording would have been cute…
Noelle // May 6, 2008 at 7:56 am
- I couldn’t get the audio to work on my work computer, in the minute I stole away from my busy, busy day. I’m going home for lunch, and I’ll see if I can tweak it a little to change the format for other computers.
lizgwiz // May 6, 2008 at 9:26 am
I couldn’t get the audio to load. It just kept “buffering.” Drat.
My voice goes up when I’m nervous, too. But, I’ve learned to control it mostly, from having to control it when I’m onstage. And I also hate talking to strangers. What if I say something stupid? What if they look at me funny? Too much pressure. Gah.
Having memorized lines is so much easier. That’s why I wrote out that podcast and what you hear there is take 9.
Laurel // May 6, 2008 at 9:48 am
I am glad the HV project is back!
I think you picked a great favorite car. What an amazing lavender hue.
I need to listen to your audio when I am safe at home and not at work. I am dying to hear your “talk to strangers” voice.
I enhanced the colors a little, to match the brightness of my face…
Ann // May 6, 2008 at 10:42 am
First of all, I LOVE the hula monkey and am glad to hear that he has an ongoing gig and that we can expect to see more of him.
Second, I’m totally with you on the not being able to talk to new people thing. I always tell people I have a major case of social anxiety disorder combined with a minor case of social retardation.
Last, I love the classic car night. When we lived in Wheaton, IL, they had a classic car night every Friday in the summer. It was so much fun to go and see all the cars.
Oh the anxiety. only made better by how the cars don’t care about what you say.
erikka // May 6, 2008 at 10:53 am
one step at a time, grasshopper. the fact you set a goal to talk to one new person and did is a good start. by activity 25 you’ll be having a real conversation with someone!
ps. how do you get the pages (like the 30 activities in HV) to display on your blog?
I’m not sure what you mean by that, but I think the answer is that the template does the work. email me if that didn’t answer the question.
courtney // May 6, 2008 at 11:37 am
That bumper sticker goes nicely with the one of the lady sitting down. Classy!
Yeah, the mudflap girl, she’s a doozy.
The Modern Gal // May 6, 2008 at 11:43 am
I do especially bad with the phone. I can type e-mails and blogposts all day long, but picking up the phone to make a call? HATE.
Me too, and I have to do them for my job. Ick.
apollocreed // May 6, 2008 at 11:44 am
The voice is heard!!!
Your vlog was my inspiration, the wind beneath my wings.
Kate // May 6, 2008 at 11:51 am
I love the audio. It really added a whole new dimension to the post. And NPW is right, it does sound like NPR.
Also, Good bye my sweet Mr. MET!
He’ll be around again some day, maybe. Like in a Oscar montage.
alexa // May 6, 2008 at 8:41 pm
i LOVE the voice thingy!! that is way cool. i’ve been throwing around the idea of a video blog but i haven’t got the guts yet. maybe audio is the way to go!!!
and i like the purple one too.
I may even just do the video thing too, one day.
erikka // May 8, 2008 at 12:44 pm
you have a cool NPR voice.
i picked a template with an unlimited amount of pages, but it is not listing them on the side like it said it would…hm.
You’ll need to change something in your template. I don’t exactly remember how to do it in Blogger, though.
Lara // May 8, 2008 at 4:34 pm
When you say “car cruise”, I picture lots of cars on a cruise ship. Hrm.
Leave a Comment