Toastmasters in Kiev: Romantic Valentine's Table Topics

For anyone in Toastmasters, you know that Table Topics can sometimes be difficult to both lead out in, and to participate in. (For those who aren't in Toastmasters, there is a portion of a regular meeting wherein everyone at the table is given the choice of speaking on an assigned topic for 2 minutes and receiving feedback-- sometimes in larger clubs there is not much opportunity for feedback each meeting). The club in the following video, in Kiev, Ukraine, appear to get up and come to the dais area at the front of the room to present their table topic. It's fun to watch.

Toastmasters Club in an Antique Store

Boaz and Ruth

At the very back of an antique and used-furniture store in Richmond, Va., a Toastmasters meeting begins. Here, people get practice at becoming better public speakers.

Most of the twenty-five men and women in the store, seated around a heavy wooden table, have recently come out of prisons.

Off to the side, Martha Rollins sits and listens. She started this place, and now calls it her Robin Hood idea. She already had one antique store, then added this one with the purpose of selling to the rich and giving jobs to the poor.

Not many rich people show up at this store in the inner city. So to keep the place going, Rollins gets grants to hire ex-offenders and help them develop skills, such as speaking in public.

Rollins named this place Boaz and Ruth, after the Bible story of the wealthy landowner who married the homeless and hungry foreigner. Rollins remembers that both of the characters in the story ended up giving to one another.

"Release of gifts. That's what we're really about," Rollins says."It's looking at all the gifts, all the human gifts locked up in prison, waiting to be released. We're about releasing those gifts back to society."


Ruth Cosby, 48, is in the Toastmasters group. She is impeccably dressed in a blue print dress and pearl necklace. Her hair is tied back in a tight bun. She is one of the few at the table who has never been to prison. But she spent years in psychiatric institutions. She's the mother of a 7-year-old daughter. When she came to Boaz and Ruth nearly three years ago, she didn't think she had any talents.

But Martha Rollins helped her discover them.

Rollins put Cosby in charge of the Boaz and Ruth satellite store in downtown Richmond, and both soon saw Collins' talents as a saleswoman.

"Boaz and Ruth gave me a second chance. I would have been dead. I was suicidal, and just didn't want to live," Cosby says. "When I came to Boaz and Ruth, they got me a psychiatrist. They got me into group therapy. And that's why I'm standing here today, because they invested in my life."

Cosby had held more than twenty jobs, and never for a long time. If a boss or a co-worker made a remark she didn't like, or if she had a bad day at work, she'd just walk away and never return. When she tried to walk away from Boaz and Ruth, Martha Rollins showed up at her home.


"What she wanted me to know is, we can bend in life but we don't have to break," Cosby says. "And she taught me a valuable lesson: You don't have to run away all the time. There is help."

Rollins is 63. She doesn't have to be working 80 hours a week, but she started thinking about her life and what she wanted to accomplish.

"Time is drawing shorter. And I have all these things I haven't done and I see all these needs and things that I have some kind of gift or talent I can give to it," Rollins says. "So I just work real fast and I work real hard."
*********************************************************
This article was reprinted from the National Public Radio site.  You can read the original, listen to the audios and see the photos at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5751248
**Public domain image Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld: Ruth in Boaz's Field, 1828

Vocal Warm-ups that Actors Use-- Great for Public Speaking

When I was in school and college I did a fair amount of acting and am so very happy that I have a recollection of some of the vocal warm-ups when I need to do a bit of the old public speaking. Vocal warm-ups are so helpful in releasing tensions from your throat and face. If you have a tight throat or even a tense tongue(!) it can result in a very unattractive tone of voice-- something akin to strangulation. Watch this little clip to get a good idea of some things that can be done to warm up your vocal apparatus!

Building your Vocabulary for Great Speech-Making

When I was a young child my teachers often marveled at my expansive vocabulary when my parents went to the Parent-Teacher meetings-- we lived on a farm in rural Canada, but my parents were both voracious readers. Dad read aloud to all of us (including my mother) at bedtime. Early books included "Winnie the Pooh" and "Mill on the Floss". I had very little understanding of George Elliot's "Mill on the Floss" but was delighted when it turned up on my first year English reading list when I went to College.

I do believe that the growth rate of my vocabulary has diminished as I grow older. I play on the computer more and read less, particularly fiction. I have no stats to prove it, but I hunch that reading good fiction-- literature, if you will-- is an organic, osmotic way to go about increasing your vocabulary. Take a look at this video clip and start developing your vocabulary today:

It's Not What You Say, But How...

This week's tip is about: THE MESSAGE IS NOT WHAT YOU SAY; THE MESSAGE IS WHAT OTHERS GET FROM IT.

Do you have just 2 minutes? That's all the time it takes to read the following article. But if you're really short on time, just read the first paragraph. It summarizes the whole text.

Enjoy!

J.A. Gamache
http://www.jagamache.com

P.S.: DO SOMETHING WONDERFUL FOR YOUR FRIENDS!
Send them tomy website to sign up for this FREE Electronic
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Free article no. 29
THE MESSAGE IS NOT WHAT YOU SAY;
THE MESSAGE IS WHAT OTHERS GET FROM IT.
by J.A. Gamache
Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International
World Championship of Public Speaking

Avoid the frustration of being misinterpreted by an audience. Practice your speech in front of a group and ask them what they think your message is.

My experience has been that, no matter what my initial intentions, the only message I end up conveying is not what I said but what others understood.

Sometimes, all it takes is one word to change an audience's perception. For example, and this is from personal experience, there's a huge difference between saying: "I like your dress," and "I like your dress today." The second comment got this question: "What? You didn't like my dress yesterday?" If only I had left out one word, she would have understood that I was trying to pay her a compliment.

The meaning of your message can be unintentionally changed by other factors besides words. Your tone of voice and gestures can also influence the perception of an audience. Try the following experiment. Laugh and say, "That's very funny!".
You'll notice that your message has a single meaning--that it was very funny.

Now say it seriously, "That's ve-e-ry-y-y funny-y-y!" Use your best nasal tone. What did you just say? Exactly the opposite--that it was not funny at all. That's what's called irony--saying something to express the opposite.

Finally, repeat the sentence, using the same ironic tone and curling your upper lip. Look up (try it! Look at yourself in a mirror). Now your message is: "You're an idiot!"It may surprise you to see how little details like these can change your message so much that you can be misinterpreted.

That's why I strongly suggest that you check the meaning people get from your message. Test it in front of a group before you give your speech in public. Your test audience can be just one person. It's not important.

Ask the people in your test group what they think your message is. You'll avoid the frustration of being misinterpreted during your next speech. Remember: The message
is not what you say; the message is what others get from it.

Happy speech!

©MMIX J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that this byline, including the following paragraph, appears along with the reproduced text:

This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit: http://www.jagamache.com.
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Avoid Swaying Back and Forth...

by J.A. Gamache
Champion 2001, 3rd place at Toastmasters International's
World Championship of Public Speaking


It's annoying to watch a speaker rock back and forth. To help you correct this bad habit, here's a posture to keep your feet stable when you feel extremely nervous.

What do you think of speakers when they fidget or sway back and forth? What message do you think they're conveying?

The impression I get is that they feel very nervous and are not in control.

When I watch videos of my first speeches, I find my swaying so pronounced that I look like I was caught in a storm on the deck of a ship!

An actor friend told me how to stand at the lectern to avoid any swaying movement. It worked! I felt more stable right away.

Here's the position he suggested:

1- FEET AT SHOULDER WIDTH.
That is usually the position you adopt when you walk.

2- ONE FOOT SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.
This way you avoid swaying back and forth.

3- KNEES SLIGHTLY BENT.
The moment you bend your knees, you notice increased leg stability.

Try the following test: Adopt your usual stance and ask someone to give you a gentle push. Most likely, you will lose your balance. Now do the same test standing in the position suggested above. This time it will be hard to make you fall.

Adopt this stable position and practice it often. Use this stance when talking to a college at work, or waiting for the bus, etc. Do it as often as you can and soon the position will become natural.

The next time you give a speech, use the stance I have just described. It will make you stop swaying and give everyone the impression that you're calm and in control, because your legs will feel stable even though you may feel extremely nervous.

Happy writing!

©MMIX J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or in part if a copy of the reproduction is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that this byline including the following paragraph appears along with the reproduction:

This article was reproduced from the "Speaking in public with J.A." FREE electronic magazine, authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit http://www.jagamache.com .
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Experiencing Satisfaction following your Speech

by J.A. Gamache
3rd place Champion in 2001 at Toastmasters International's
World Championship of Public Speaking

Are you often dissatisfied with your speeches? Maybe your expectations are unrealistic. Stop being hard on yourself, and schedule your own learning goals.

When I first started, I was always disappointed after giving a speech. No matter how much people praised me I was still unsatisfied with my performance.

Do you feel the same? Do you require perfection from yourself? Are you under the impression that unless you receive a standing ovation, your speech was a failure?

One day I realized that my feelings of failure were due to the fact that I was comparing myself to some of the public speaking stars who earned thousands of dollars for each performance. Of course the comparison was unfair, but I had
yet to realize that my heroes had taken years to get where they are today.

I understood then that my goal of being a public speaking virtuoso was still a good goal, but a long-term one. Accepting that I was still an apprentice, I came to realize that I needed short-term goals in order to progress towards my dream of becoming a star performer. That's when I decided to schedule learning goals for myself.

What is a learning goal? A simple, measurable goal that touches only one aspect of public speaking.

Try it! For each speech, challenge yourself to improve one aspect of your performance... but only one! Promise yourself you'll be satisfied if you succeed at that one goal.

Here are a few examples of challenges I gave myself:

- Speak without notes
- Stop rocking back and forth
- Look the audience in the eye
- Smile throughout my speech
- Speak slower to breathe easier
- Be more expressive
- Dare to talk about a difficult subject--the kind that usually makes me cry
- Make more pauses
- Stay within the time limit
- Use my voice in a variety of ways
- Have fun during my presentation

And so on...

For your next speech, stop expecting perfection of yourself. Instead, challenge yourself to meet a learning goal like those mentioned above. Since these objectives are easier to reach, you'll be satisfied with your progress after each speech.

Happy writing!

©MMVIII J.A. Gamache http://www.jagamache.com
All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE
in whole or in part if a copy of the reproduction is sent to
J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also
provided that the following byline appears along with the
reproduction:

This article was reproduced from the "Speaking in public with
J.A." FREE electronic magazine, authored by J.A. Gamache,
International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE
e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit
http://www.jagamache.com .
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An Easy Way to Get Laughs

by J.A. Gamache
3rd place Champion in 2001
at Toastmasters International's World Championship of Public Speaking

An easy way to get laughs is to change a common expression so it has an original ending.

When someone says, 'Thank you very much!' to be polite you should answer, 'You?re welcome.' Well, one day I said, 'Thank you very much!' and a person answered: 'You're welcome very much.'

I smiled immediately. I found the answer so original that I've been using it ever since. The joke works almost every time: I always get a laugh or at least a smile.

We could ask ourselves why this type of answer is so effective. The reason is simple: the preceding polite exchange with the ridiculous ending is built like a joke.

In fact, one of the basic techniques in humour consists of using the set-up/punch structure. The joke starts with the set-up, whose goal is to bring the audience to anticipate the end of a story. When the story ends with an unexpected punch, the element of surprise makes the audience laugh.

The element that makes the 'Thank you very much' example so original is that the person set up the joke without knowing it. And like with any good joke, the audience (in this case the person who thanked you) is convinced she knows the end of the story. The person expects you to answer: "You're welcome," and has no reason to think otherwise. When you answer, "You're welcome very much," the person is surprised and laughs.

Each time you use a common expression, you're creating a set-up. Here's another example in which the set-up is a famous quote. This time the same person says the set-up and the punch.

You start by saying: 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and?' You make a pause so the audience remembers that the end of the quote is: 'you feed him for life.'
However, you surprise everyone by saying: 'you get rid of him for the week-end!'

Try this technique the next time you write a speech. Have fun changing the end of common expressions. It's an easy way to get laughs almost every time.

Happy writing!

©MMVIII J.A. Gamache http://www.jagamache.com All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE
in whole or in part if a copy of the reproduction is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that the following byline appears along with the reproduction:

This article was reproduced from the "Speaking in public with J.A." FREE electronic magazine, authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit http://www.jagamache.com .
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Railroaded by Strong Emotions?

by J.A.
Gamache 3rd place Champion at Toastmasters International
World Championship of Public Speaking 2001

When you get emotional during a speech, the best thing to do
is to take the time to breathe properly.

I love to tell touching stories, because when I'm moved, the
audience experiences the same emotion. That's what I call the
resonance effect. When the audience and I are at the same
emotional level, we're like tuning forks.

A tuning fork is a metal instrument used by piano tuners. It
looks like a stick with a long, narrow U shape welded to the
tip. When we grasp a tuning fork and hit it against
something, it makes a musical note.

The remarkable thing is that when you place a second tuning
fork very close to another one without touching it, it also
makes a musical note. The vibration of the first tuning fork
is sufficient to make the second one resonate. Similarly,
when you tell a touching story, the vibration of your own
emotions will be enough to make the audience feel the same
emotion.

Wouldn't you agree that most people love to be touched by a
well-delivered story? In fact, the most successful movies are
dramas that make us experience strong emotions.

The audience will enjoy the emotions they experience during
your talk, but under one condition: that you stay in control.
People are touched when they see you on the verge of tears,
as long as you can still talk. But if you have to stop and
take a few moments to calm down, that time may seem like an
eternity to them, and they'll feel uneasy.

Here's what to do when you feel a surge of emotion during
your speech.

1- GO ALONG WITH THE EMOTION
Fist of all, don't try to suppress the emotion. It's too
late. The emotion is already there. You have to let the wave
pass.

2- TAKE THE TIME TO BREATHE PROPERLY
Concentrate on your breathing. We tend to stop breathing when
we experience intense emotions.

Try this the next time you get emotional during a speech:
make pauses. Inhale more often. Take the time to really fill
your lungs. If you have to, speak slower.

With proper breathing, you'll be able to "surf" the wave of
your emotions. You'll see that it is still possible to talk
and not necessarily burst into sobs while you're feeling very
emotional. It's all in the breathing.

During your next speech, learn to breathe better, and you'll
be able to talk even when you're feeling emotional. Through
the resonance effect, your audience will also be touched by
your presentation. Remember that people will forget what you
say and do, but they'll never forget how you make them feel!

Happy writing!

©MMIX J.A. Gamache http://www.jagamache.com
All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduction is sent to J.A. Gamache
at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided
that the following byline appears along with the
reproduction:

This article was reproduced from the "Speaking in public with
J.A." FREE electronic magazine, authored by J.A. Gamache,
International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE
e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit
http://www.jagamache.com .
----------------------------------

Can they Imagine...?

by J.A. Gamache
3rd place Champion in 2001 at Toastmasters International's
World Championship of Public Speaking

Have you ever wondered why some speakers are such good storytellers? Here's one of their tricks: they begin a story by first describing the scene of the action and the characters' state of mind--in other words, they create an
image BEFORE describing the action.

Do you know someone who's an excellent storyteller?

A friend of mine has a talent for telling the minutest details of her life. Her stories are lively; she plays all the parts, changing her voice and her face. She makes us relive the scenes with her, and we find ourselves hanging on her every word. She has mastered the art of bringing images to life.

One day, when I was listening to her describe an adventure she had had the previous day, I noticed an important detail in the way she begins her stories.

In virtually each story, she begins by describing the setting and her state of mind. In other words, she sets the stage and the ambiance BEFORE describing the action.

I always knew it was better to conjure up images in a story to bring it to life, but I never understood that it was always better to BEGIN with an image.

Here's what I suggest. The next time you include a story in a speech, begin by conjuring up an image. Set the stage in our mind's eye. If you are one of the main characters, describe how you felt. Each time a new character enters the story, introduce the person by offering a physical description and an insight into his or her emotions.

Capture your audience's imagination by painting a scene of colour, characters and emotions when you begin your story. Once the ambiance is well established then you can begin to describe the action.

Try it. Begin your stories with an image, and watch how eager your audience will be for the outcome. They'll be hanging on your every word.

Happy writing!

©MMVIII J.A. Gamache http://www.jagamache.com
All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduction is sent to J.A. Gamache
at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided
that the following byline appears along with the
reproduction:

This article was reproduced from the "Speaking in public with
J.A." FREE electronic magazine, authored by J.A. Gamache,
International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE
e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit
http://www.jagamache.com .
----------------------------------

An Unforgettable Speech...

by J.A. Gamache
3rd place Champion in 2001 at Toastmasters International's
World Championship of Public Speaking

So you want to deliver a memorable speech? Then tack a story on to your message. Why? Because although people may forget your message, they generally remember stories.

When people who have seen my presentations approach me, they typically talk about my stories rather than my message. They'll generally say something like,' I remember the story about your grand-father and the chair,' or, 'You're the guy who talks about the butterfly, right?' or 'I remember the story about the young baseball player... It made me think...'

I don't exactly know why audiences remember stories the most. Is it because they empower the imagination? Or do they remind us of the stories we were told as children? Or perhaps they stir up the emotions? I don't know, but they work! In fact, this technique works so well that it's always better to incorporate a story into your message if you want it to be remembered easily.

Professional speakers understand that. That's why they often use storytelling to support their viewpoint. Listen closely to the way the pros speak. Many of them even start and finish their presentation with a story. Using storytelling to get your message across is an old teaching technique. Isn't it how we often teach our children? For my part, Aesop's fable, The boy who cried wolf, taught me not to lie about needing help. In this tale, a boy so often
pretends that wolves are attacking that the day he really needs help no one comes to his rescue. Although I've never had to face wolves, I learned a lesson from the boy and never, ever cried wolf!

Tell at least one story in your next speech, whether it's funny or sad, real or imaginary, or whether it's personal or
not. What matters is that all your stories make your speeches memorable. Don't forget: if your message is backed up by a story, chances are it will be remembered!

Happy writing!

©MMVIII J.A. Gamache http://www.jagamache.com
All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduction is sent to J.A. Gamache
at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided
that the following byline appears along with the
reproduction:

This article was reproduced from the "Speaking in public with
J.A." FREE electronic magazine, authored by J.A. Gamache,
International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE
e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit
http://www.jagamache.com .
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How does one interpret this piece?

I have prepared and delivered three "interpretive readings" over the past couple of months. These projects come from the Advanced Communications Series of manuals called "Interpretive Reading", sometimes referred to as oral reading, dramatic reading, reading aloud, or interpretive speech.

The essential difference between the speeches from the Competent Communicator's manual and this advanced manual is that instead of researching, writing, and communicating your own ideas to the audience, you convey the ideas and emotions of someone else.

To some degree this is acting. Both actors and interpretive readers recreate the author's thoughs through their own voices and bodies. But the interpretive reader "does not pretend to be someone else."

Or so it says in the manual.

In each of my three projects I have been roundly applauded for "becoming" the character in the story or poem that I have presented.

I purposely chose pieces that I could relate to as a woman. My first piece was a short story about a cat by Wendy Dudley, an author, artist, and award-winning journalist who lives with a mule, donkeys, and assorted critters in southern Alberta. She spent 17 years as a full-time journalist with the Calgary Herald, before leaving to be a freelance writer, specializing in agriculture, western heritage and any other subject that captures her interest. Her stories about country living were also heard on CBC Radio’s regional programming. "She enjoys photography, travels with Maggie, her Aussie Shepherd/ border collie cross, and matching wits with Lucy the mule. She also teaches nature journalling, and creative writing. If it brays, neighs, moos or barks, she is there with pen and palette in hand. An avid conservationist, she cares for the land, seeking to protect the bears, cougars and moose that wander by her back door." The 8 - 10 minute story I read was called "Fergus" from her book, Don't Name the Ducks: And Other Truths About Life in the Country I highly recommend it as a choice for anyone doing an interpretive reading: it is charged with emotion, fresh prairie colour, and fun.

For the second project I sought a 'performance piece' and thought about what I had heard of performing poets from my forebears-- they had a great deal more experience with this sort of entertainment. I remembered that my Grandmother and Great-Aunt had both told me about the part-Mohawk poet, E. Pauline Johnson. In school we had studied a couple of her poems. I chose the highly dramatic monologue-like poem called "Ojistoh" about the wife of a Mohawk Chief. You can read more in my blog at Healthia Cynthia, and about some interesting events that followed the presentation... or, interesting to me. I've included the poem, in full, so if you want to use it for your presentation, there you are!

The third project was called a "Monodrama" and I chose poetry again, this time a series of poems from a collection called Forever Fifty and Other Negotiations. The poet, Judith Viorst, is best known for her children's books. I loved this slim volume and really have to say that the pleasure I have found in 'interpreting' these pieces of poetry far exceeds any anxiety before or during the performances. "Forever Fifty" had me laughing out loud to myself-- lol-- something we use quite often as shorthand on-line, but which is actually pretty rare and precious.

The next project is an actual Play wherein I must focus on a particular character for interpretation. Any ideas to pass along?

A Hairy Hairy Night

This was one of those weird and hairy Club meetings. As usual, I felt some deep-seated anxiety before the meeting. I was ready an hour too early (I still haven't put my watch back like everyone else in the province... gives me a sense of 'being on time' although I sometimes forget, as I did tonight).

We got to the Center driving through the fog. One of my Clubmates breathlessly pulled me aside and told me that just right outside the Center, in a snowbank, she had observed a couple having sex. She was shocked but had wanted to make sure the woman involved was not being raped. It seemed that they were both highly inebriated (what kind of drug would make them so oblivious to cold snow and passersby? Alcohol?) So, she was a little traumatized, although she said she does spend four hours a week on the crisis line as a volunteer each week and has seen and heard just about everything.

Then, because we were sparsely populated tonight, I found myself filling the following roles: Timekeeper, Uhms and Ahs Counter, Secretary to the Business Meeting, Ballot Counter, Greeter, and I evaluated a speech. Next week I'm down to be Toastmaster. Yikes.

We had a guest speaker tonight from one of the other local clubs. He talked about how we don't use our voices to full benefit. Very interesting speech, with demonstrations of how we can change our breathing, etc., to make a difference to our delivery. He also brought cookies.

I emailed a friend in Ireland to tell her that I ran across a blog by a Toastmaster in a Club not far from where she lives. I suggested that since she is eloquent and enjoys having fun, she might be interested in joining Toastmasters. I told her that in our Club, for example, we have a city planner, an engineer, a teacher, an entrepreneur, a former hypnotherapist, a chiropractor, a ski rescue team member, a man with head injury, a philosopher, and who knows what else? We blend and we learn. It's cool.

But right before the evening starts, I get the usual performance anxiety... always.

Faux Pas: Putting People On The Spot

There is a great deal of civility built into Toastmasters... old fashioned courtesy and politeness, courtliness and kindness.

I really blew it last week. It was my 10th speech and I did it on "The Big Question" as in 'asking the important question'. I thought it would be clever to go around the table and commend my Clubmates for what I thought I knew of one or two of the important questions they have asked themselves.

Well, I assumed a lot.

Sure, I won the Best Speaker award that night, but the next day I received an email from one of my Clubmates who was not impressed by my having used her as an example without having asked her permission, or at least having warned her, initially. I felt awful, but obviously not as awful as she felt. I apologized for my insensitivity and we resolved the matter. This was a real humbling learning experience for me... even though I'm 57 years old, I still make the kind of mistakes that I used to chastise my children for making.

I received some wonderful feedback from a long-time toastmaster who just dropped in to the meeting (she was in our town visiting her brother). She wrote: "Instead of guessing questions that individuals have (I thought this was so clever and would be so entertaining) state the suggested question. Ask how many have asked themselves that question-- that way no one is put on the spot." Wow, this is really something I will take to heart!

The Coming Speech

My husband and I have been in Vancouver helping our elder granddaughter (big age 2) transition with her new baby sister (born October 7th). I have 'farmed out' my secretarial tasks in the Toastmaster's Club at home, and have pretty much deferred the writing of a speech.

But words DO run through my head.

I'm not surprised to find out that there are tons of resources on the Internet. Here are some you might be interested in learning more about:

Debt is Dumb?

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

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:

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Looking for Inspiration?

Here is a really inspiring video:

Proper Elocution

I blog quite a bit. Recently I have begun a sort of amateur attempt at video blogging... For some odd reason, when I suggested that I had a Blogger account, they sent the videos here. So you can see them on July 23 and 24... fairly unrelated to ToastMasters, except that I am holding forth and I certainly seem to be calling for some evaluation of my speaking skills!

Last night I went with a friend to the summer session of ToastMasters in our community-- two clubs amalgamated to form one of sufficient numbers to hold a meeting. My friend had an opportunity to observe quite a bit of fraternal "networking" take place. One chap asked her what sort of work she was in and when she said she was a pharmacist he told her that the manager at the Safeway was looking for someone, etc. We got a business card from a massage therapist for a friend of ours who is experiencing pain (she is a pharmacist also, with a counter that is too high for her petite self). One of our members has just launched a foundation so we are all going in to look at her new website. And the chap who knows the head honcho at Safeway also arranges yachting expeditions, so I gave him my husband's name and phone number. And lots of laughs as well, of course. ToastMasters is great.. if you haven't thought about it seriously, you might want to.

Summer ToastMasters

"Toast" by Richard Jack

This is just an update, since, formally, our ToastMasters club doesn't meet again until the Fall... However, we are given the option to meet on Tuesday nights with another club.

I am so lazy.

However, this morning a friend called and asked about ToastMasters in general, and then suggested that she would like to come with me, as a guest, to the next meeting. Hmmm.

So, I will be calling the woman who is graciously co-ordinating this 'extra' bit of effort and let her know that we will be coming along to the meeting tomorrow night. I'm sure there is a good reason for this....

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