It doesn’t specifically discuss trying to stay calm while making a presentation in front of an audience about a personal interest one wishes to share. But, in a different context, the article touches on similar emotional terrain — what it can mean to take a personal risk and nervously step outside one’s ‘zone’ of familiarity.

A few relevant quote snippets:

I think that fear of embarrassment is the essence of the human challenge. On the one hand, our social nature is our greatest beauty — it means that we have natural empathy and sympathy. But our social nature also means that we may let ourselves be controlled by the judgments of others….

You suggest that sometimes we think fear is telling us to stop when it actually means “go!”

…[social psychologist and philosopher] Eric Fromm takes Descartes’ statement, “I think, therefore I am” and changes it to “I effect, therefore I am.” Humans need to feel effective — to feel that we can “make a dent,” as he puts it.

As a big fan of this site, I look forward to playing a small part now and then. When The News was still around, Dave and Mary were seen as our biggest competition. I was especially in awe of the way Dave – one of the smartest, hardest working people I’ve ever met – would dig into a story and not let go. And nobody doesn’t love Mary.

So I root for their continued success, and will see you back here next time.

As I read your wonderfully clear, informative, witty, and entertaining article, I was flooded with feelings of intense grief and loss. I realized I had lost a wonderful friend who just knew how I felt and just how to say it. For instance, “To me, there’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when the lights go down, the curtain goes up, and all you have to do is … nothing.” Amen, sister!

But in the celebration of once again reading your words and the validation of someone completely getting me, I am overwhelm with grief. In this moment i realize I have never truly mourned the loss of the Ann Arbor New in my life.

Please keep writing!