FHA

So, WAYYYY back in high school, I was a member of the FHA (Future Homemakers of America). In fact I was more than just a member, I was the State Parlimentarian my Senior year of high school. My Home Ec teacher from high school, who was also the FHA advisor, contacted as many members as she could to come to a school board meeting Monday night where she was going to present the FHA scrapbook to the school for the archives and then we were having a mini reunion of past FHA members. She wanted all 6 of us who had been state officers to say a few words about what the FHA meant to us. Somehow, all those years ago she saw something in me that I didn't even know was there. She made a shy, introverted teenager confident enough to run meetings and conventions, stand on stage and make speaches to large groups. And I think she did that for all of us. It wasn't a group with the primary function to make us ready to stay home and raise a family. We learned a lot of life skills, especially as state officers - I had to take ediqute classes (so I never feared the large banquets we had with McDonalds - I always knew which fork, glass, or plate to use), I learned how to stand on stage like a lady (no fig leaf pose with your hands clenched in front of your stomach, and be sure the heel of your right foot is touching the middle of your left) also very helpful with my time as a restaurant manager doing lots of presentations. Don't use non words such as UUHHHMMMM when you are speaking - practice that speach and know what you are going to say. My friends and I competed in Parlimentary Procedure, so we learned team work, taking turns, organization, and how to function when a decision needs made and a plan has to come together. I look back at that time fondly. As I was getting dressed to go to the meeting, I noticed as I was going back upstairs for someting that the hem had come out of one of the legs of my slacks. I briefly thought "what quick fix can I use?", and then "OH, I guess if I am representing the Future Homemakers of America, I should get out my needle and fix it right" I did (and it only took a couple of minutes). I had a great time Monday.