Friday, April 1, 2016

The Voice

...not!
As I mentioned here last week, I am the recipient of a ham radio award, the 2016 Special Achievement Award. I will receive the award when I make my annual trip to Dayton, Ohio, in May to attend Hamvention.

I viewed last year's awards dinner on YouTube and saw how the attendees were dressed ― men in jackets and ties, women in dresses or tops and skirts.  I also noticed that each award recipient spoke briefly  (5 minutes, more or less) after they received their award.

I will have no problem speaking for 5 minutes; I could probably speak for 55 minutes, but it is how I will speak that is a little worrisome. I plan to accept the award as a woman, so in addition to looking like a woman, I should speak like a woman, too, don't you think?

Many years ago, I bought Melanie Anne Phillips VHS video course "Melanie Speaks," which is intended to teach you how to speak like a woman. I watched the video and was impressed with the Melanie's method, but finding free time to practice with the video at home was a problem. So I copied the audio portion of the course to a cassette tape and practiced during my 35-minute commute to and from work.

In about three weeks, I got the hang of it and the voice that came out of my mouth was scary... in a good way! I sounded like a natural born woman!

Although I could sound like a woman, I seldom used that voice because I was embarrassed to do so with friends and acquaintances who were familiar with my usual soft male voice. And when I was out among civilians, my soft male voice usually did not give me away. So why bother?

But I think I will bother for the award ceremony as well as my whole weekend in Dayton. I want to make a good impression. Dressing as a woman, but speaking like a man would impress, but not in a good way.

So as a refresher, I listened to Melanie's course again and have been practicing and practicing and practicing some more. I am using a digital voice recorder to hear what I sound like and I think I am sounding pretty, pretty good. When I reach the point of no return, I will post an audio clip for all of you to hear and critique.


Source: Popsugar
Wearing Forever 21.


Freddie Fenwick, Arthur Holland, Leonard Young and Ross Hamilton
Freddie Fenwick, Arthur Holland, Leonard Young and Ross Hamilton entertain Canadian
troops during World War I appearing as "The Dumbells" in The Duchess Entertains.

4 comments:

  1. When my mother first started going downhill mentally, I would make a six hour drive almost every weekend to check on her. I would use music tapes from women singers, sing along and try to pitch my voice the same as the singers. It seemed to work quite well and now in church I sing in a higher voice than my wife. I remembered reading what Melanie said about her technique and tried to use that also.

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    1. I have used that technique, too, Beverly. I find it works great with Shania Twain's "Man - I Feel Like A Woman."

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  2. Wow, that is great you mastered the voice so well and easily!
    (love that Forever 21 dress, too)
    Good luck! hugs, sara

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    1. Now We should wish we all had copies of Shania's black closet she wore singing that song on stage,she just killed the TLD!

      Sara Blevins

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