Maybe it's from my years in the theater (okay! I'm counting high school drama club), but I try to make sure that when I speak in front of a group, it's clear speech with some inflection for emphasis. I can do all those things just fine and speak with expression (and even fun accents), but what I really wish I had was a more interesting voice.
When you hear someone's voice, it instantly sets off synapses in your mind and you quickly form an image and ideas. I wish I had a very recognizable voice like that--a voice of emphasis and strength.
Perhaps I really just want Maya Angelou's voice. I can't remember the first time I heard it--maybe in a class at school listening to a recording of one of her poems--but I will never forget her voice.
As I write this, I'm trying to scheme a way I could have a voice like that. All summer I could practice speaking like the dear, late Maya Angelou. It might make people laugh instead of making me sound more dignified. I could never reach that depth and would just wind up sounding silly.
But I still may practice.
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