Melanie Hope's Blog, page 3

The Snuggie Debacle

First-place humorous speech based on The Snuggie My family is funny enough to have their own show – if you could round us up without burning down anything. What happens when an “As Seen on TV” junkie sets her sights on a Snuggie? Check out this recent rendition of the Snuggie speech that won me… Read More

Cyrus Web – take woops

The nicest interview I didn’t have. I was scheduled to appear today on Conversations LIVE with Cyrus Webb to discuss my book, Get Over It & Get Started. Due to technical difficulties, I wasn’t able to get through – and yet he posted the nicest introduction I think I’ve ever seen! Hopefully, I will be… Read More

What’s Holding You Back? Choices Magazine

What holds you back? Is it your finances? Weight? Social skills? Race? Religion? Location? Lack of education? Age? Yes, folks may judge you for what you are or are not – but that is their problem, not yours. If you allow these things to take hold of your dreams, then these are all just excuses… Read More

Your talent holds your happiness

It’s not easy to keep up on the bills when you’re an artist married to an actor. Sure, we have had moments of weakness where one of us has told the other, “Get a JOB, already,” but never will we return to the soul-sucking jobs of our past. Sure, I made good money as an… Read More

Interview with fellow speaker Derrick Hayes

Derrick Hayes is a fellow speaker and author who posts interviews with questions prompted from the letters of his name: D is for Dream. What is your dream, goals or what have you achieved? E is for Encourage. What encourages you? R is for Resource. What resources do you bring to the table that makes… Read More

After the Splat

I am humbled and honored to have been a part of this year’s NSA Academy program – what an amazing learning experience! We got to hear from some of the most talented speakers on the planet, including our instructor, Judi Moreo. As the finale of our program, we work on a 12-minute exposition piece that… Read More

Featured: What I wish I knew about life at 25

Ah, the magical twenties. Everything thing seemed simpler then – except when you were actually in the middle of it. How often have you looked back on your life and thought, “I wish I knew then what I know now”? How would your life change, or would it? Would you have had more fun, or… Read More

No glass ceiling was ever shattered by a whiner

Last Monday I had the privilege of making some new friends who had originated from South Africa. Later, I reflected on a group I was part of when I was in school, Students Opposed to Apartheid. We focused on South Africa and what we, as citizens of the United States, could do to help end… Read More

Is inspiration your biggest excuse?

Do you have a novel in you? Nearly every person I’ve asked gives me an answer that begins with, “Yes, but…” So many excuses follow – time, kids, cramped hands, too old of a computer – some are downright silly – yet the one that really saddens me is the person who was not inspired… Read More