Debt is Dumb?

Watch finance-evangelist, Dave Ramsay, and pick up some of his superlative communication skills: http://godshealingword.org/debt1.html

The Club's Humorous Speech Contest

Last week was a bit of an eventful meeting-- I was Toastmaster for the first time (it went well) and our Vice President- Education resigned since she has just too many commitments on her plate at present. Fortunately, for us, a bright young guy in our fold consented to pick up the VP-Ed role-- the most challenging Club executive position, I understand.

And it appears that we are still planning to run our "Humorous Speech Contest" (for the Club) next week. I would love to finish my 10th Manual project with something hilarious-- but for the life of me, I feel so un-funny and really a blank when it comes to putting together a humorous AND inspiring 8-10 minute speech. I am going out to work in my garden and see if I become inspired...

Here is a really animated and helpful video of a Toastmaster doing a humorous speech:

ToastMasters Jitters

Tonight I'm the Toastmaster for the first time. It means that I am scurrying to fill a speech spot at a time when most people are either working or unwilling to do so at such an advanced time.

I'm actually considering doing my Number Ten speech and trading the Toastmaster's role with someone else for this week (I don't think I could manage both with much aplomb).

I just ran across a Public Speaking Group on-line that looks interesting. You can check it out here. I'm not sure I can afford it right now, but it looks intriguing.

Flop Sweat at the Comox Valley Toastmasters

Well, there I was, feeling all calm and chuffed about getting up and doing my #9 project in the Competent Communicator manual... I was going to demo a Green Smoothie in the Vita-Mix (as I talked about here previously) and had everything in place. Or so I thought. Turned out I left the lid for the Vita-Mix at home in the dishwasher. An inauspicious time was had by all. I just carried on, in the true spirit of Toastmasters (surely a bastion of stoicism if ever there was one). One very sweet young man, who did my evaluation, suggested that I might want to re-do the same speech another time so as to do it with the lid... that it was possible to do that. mmm. I don't think so.

Countdown to the First Speech of the Season

I'm scheduled to give a speech on Wednesday night after a summer of laziness in extremis (as far as speeches go-- okay, in general lol). I am nervous and feel that strange blankness that feeds into my anxiety. I have a topic, but I'm not 100% "up" for it-- enthusiastic, maybe. I plan to go into the group and demonstrate the Vita-Mix by making a Green Smoothie. The project is #9= "Persuade with Power".

Persuade with Power

The idea with this project is to get others to understand (that to be healthy we need to eat about 12 servings of fresh fruits, veggies and grains every day), accept (we can cook the veggies and destroy their enzymes or the only way we can break through the tough cell walls of the fresh fruits and veggies to get at the nutrients is with the amazing Vita-Mix-- no other appliance can do this) and act upon the ideas I present (go away with a strong commitment to start making and drinking Green Smoothies at home).

I'm having trouble starting this project because I'm trying to undertake TOO MANY goals for a 5 to 7 minute speech (where I also plan to do a demo of the Vita-Mix and hand out small samples of Green Smoothie-- frankly, that terrifies me.) I want to convince them of the health benefits of the Green Smoothie AND of the necessity of having a Vita-Mix to get optimal nutrition from the Green Smoothie. Can this be done effectively?

Here is what I would like to convince my audience:

for health and longevity, you need to consume fresh fruits and veggies in abundance each day

to get at the nutrients in the fresh fruits and veggies, you need a powerful way to break through their cell walls

you can get more nutrition from a quart of Green Smoothie than you can from chewing up a bag of oranges, a bag of apples and a whole stalk of celery, for example.

you can get more nutrition from a quart of Green Smoothie than you can from a handfull of vitamin pills ("supplements") and "green" powders.

you need only one appliance to get at the benefits of the Green Smoothie, and that is a Vita-Mix (10 appliances in one).

you will get more benefit from drinking a Green Smoothie than you will from drinking a fresh juice extracted with the conventional juicer

Green Smoothies are not only healthy, but also delicious

I want to inspire them to be hopeful about their health (energy, vigor, etc.)if they have current problems. I want to have them clamor to look at the Vita-Mix materials I will be taking with me to the meeting, to ask questions, and, ultimately, to go home and decide that they are going to make changes in their lifestyles.

They must trust me. I must have credibility.

Hmmm. Will they trust me? I guess that I have gotten to know quite a few of the Club members through our weekly meetings and more casually on Facebook, but what do they see when they look at me? Someone who is healthy and energetic, or someone who is still struggling to lose weight and regain lost energy? I am pretty healthy, I think. While people all around me have been succumbing to sore throats and nasty summer "colds", I have remained unscathed. Every morning I have a Green Smoothie after a walk with my dog and husband, and a 20-minute jump on my rebounder. I guess it is important for them to know that the Green Smoothie is not the "silver bullet"-- that good health is still a process. I can testify, however, that since I began using the Vita-Mix for Green Smoothies, I have indeed lost some weight (35#)and regained energy (I'm digging a lily garden in my front yard and don't need naps during the day like I used to). Like the man from the Gilette commercial, I was so enthusiastic about my Vita-Mix that I chose to get involved with the company as an Affiliate. (Just like my Clubmates, if you choose to buy a Vita-Mix 5000 from me you can get FREE standard shipping just by giving the order clerk the code number 06-002685. That's a saving of $25 for Americans, and a whopping $35 for Canadians. Just mention this number when you phone in your order to 1-800-VITAMIX or 1-800-848-2645.) I believe it will be useful for me to prepare a bit of an introduction to give to the ToastMaster so that I can include some of the "qualifications" that I bring to the presentation with me.

Burden of Proof

In previous speeches involving health I have had the kind of feedback that leads me to believe that some of the class members are already 'on side' with the benefits that I believe in. I know that there is one clubmate, for sure, who believes that we are created to eat animal proteins, so he might be a harder 'sell'. Logic and EMOTION are needed to encourage people to change their points of view. They will also want to know "What's in it for me?" so I must focus, as much as I can, on the benefits.

Finally, I am going to have to organize my thoughts very carefully and thoroughly before I produce a clearly understood message.

Thank you for going through this with me! For more information on the amazing Vita-Mix, please see the following:

A whole food diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is the key to a long and healthy life. Creating terrific-tasting, nutrient-rich whole food meals in the Vita-Mix Super 5000 is the fastest and easiest way! Try it RISK FREE for 30 days! Imagine… Cooking soup from scratch that’s hot, hearty and satisfying in just 4 minutes. Making whole food juice that’s full of fiber and flavor in under a minute. Making frozen treats that are full of fruit and low in fat in only 30 seconds. Grinding fresh whole grains into flour and kneading dough for healthy home made bread in one 5-minute operation. *Flash Player Required

Visit Whirled Soup for delicious whirled soup recipes!

Write down this special code now

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a $35 value!

Canadian customers please call

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More product information, click HERE.

Looking for Inspiration?

Here is a really inspiring video: