Introductory Speech Flashcards
School’s back in session, the days are getting shorter, and just this past week many of us turned off the air conditioning and turned on the heat.
Winter’s on it’s way, but don’t worry, there are ways to make it easier to deal and even kinda’ fun… kinda’.
I have a few pointers, and they are good enough to tell your friends and family about.
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Like many of you, I’ve spent every winter season here in the Midwest. I worked as a bike messenger here in Chicago for four years, believe me, I know how rough it can be.
Today I’m going to talk to you about how spending constructive time indoors or at home, properly preparing yourself to face elements, and how taking advantage of winter sports can all help to make your winter experience way better than it usually is.
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[Let’s take a look at a few of these strategies.]
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First, it’s important to find ways to spend constructive time indoors or at home.
Use the time trapped inside to study and to do school work.
Pick up a new hobby to fight boredom.
Cooking for your family or roommates at home is an excellent winter activity. The oven warms up the house and then theres no need to get all bundled up to go out in the cold when a nice meal can be had at home.
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Don’t spend so much time watching reality TV garbage, consider watching full seasons of good television shows.
HBO’s The Wire will keep you very occupied for hours.
AMC’s Breaking Bad is another excellent show. It takes place in the hot deserts of the Southwest, that may make you feel good.
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[Now that we’ve looked at a few ways to make your indoor life more interesting, let me give you a few pointers on getting ready to go outside in the cold and snow.]
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Properly prepare yourself to face the elements. Invest in a good coat. Make sure this coat has a lot of good insulation. It’s outer “shell” should be water resistant.
Get a good hat and a pair of gloves to compliment your coat. Both the hat and gloves should share the same characteristics as your coat. Most of your body heat escapes through your head, and circulation in your hands is minimal, so both are important.
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Pay close attention to your feet. Your feet come in contact with all the snow, slush, and ice on the streets and sidewalks.
I’d suggest buying a few pairs of warm wool socks. Look for a pair of shoes - like your coat, hat, and gloves - are well insulated and waterproof.
[Now that we’re ready, let’s get back outside and have some fun!]
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Take advantage of the freezing temperatures to have fun with some winter sports.
Go ice skating at Millennium park. The rink is in a good spot to take a date or out-of-town guests, it boasts an excellent view of the city. It’s also a great way to exercise.
Go see the Bears destroy some other team then go sledding on the nearby hill.
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[I could go on forever, but the few things I covered are the most important.]
Hopefully I was able to show you that by finding ways to spend more constructive time indoors or at home, by properly preparing yourself to face the elements, and by choosing to take advantage of the winter sports you can do right here in the city you’ll have an easier time dealing with what many consider the worst of the seasons.
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Global warming is not going to save you this year. Instead of agonizing over every lost minute of sunlight, groaning every time Tom Skilling says we’ve shaved another degree off the average daily high, or cursing every building owner who doesn’t shovel their sidewalk, try to look on the bright side; you’ll find there are more plusses than you thought.
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