Name Change

Canberra University Toastmasters is the new face of Benjamin Toastmasters.  We meet at the University of Canberra every fortnight.  Come along and try us out!

See our Meetings information page.

Christmas meeting on Friday 18th December

This was our last meeting before Christmas holiday this year. Thanks Karina for her great idea for this special agenda about “True or Dare” and prizes for everyone, it was just fun!

The rules for “True or Dare” are “Each member nominates the next member and asks "Truth or Dare".  If the next member chooses "Truth" they have 2-3 minutes to tell a story, preferably a story from their past life.  If the next member chooses "Dare" they are asked a Table Topic question and have 1-2 minutes to speak on it.” Lili first shared experience about shopping in EPIC after given a topic of “better results without plan”. Geoff told us an interesting story about having trouble in getting sheep in truck on his father’s farm. Max gave us a short but meaningful story titled “making life simple” with an experience of reversing car. Ianon explained why she would like Christmas to be in December not in July. Peter suggested to use time to work for you by sharing his experience in managing property all over Australia. Karina told us her interesting working experience on freeway in Brisbane.

After this first run of “True or Dare”, it was so much fun that we had another run later.

Another interesting part is awards. Karina had come up with some great prizes for each member. So who wins what? Ianon gained the prizes for “Attending the most meetings” and “The most encouraging evaluations”. Geoff got “Brought the most new members” and “The most memorable Table Topic”. Peter was given “The earliest to arrive at meetings” and “The best dressed”. Max was rewarded “The most proactive”. Karina gained “The most hard working and organizer”. Lili got “the most speeches”, actually Dominic did the most speeches. But he did not show up today, Lucky Lili got this prize too. Laura and Linda did not attend the meeting neither, we decided to keep their prizes and to pass to them in the next meeting. Laura got “The most moving speech” and Linda gained “The most diligent coach”.  Congratulations everyone.

Happy Christmas! Happy New Year!

Spring is Here on Friday 11th September (meeting 1052)

This meeting was not really about Spring, but now that I have your attention I can tell you that it was a lot of fun!  We had Laura and Nicky back again and a new guest, Matt.

Karina presented her Project 5 Competent Communicator speech to ‘let your body speak’, with her speech entitled “Just Don’t Stress”.  In this speech she explained the vicious circle between solution and symptom of stress.  The documented known signs of stress we are commonly told not to have as if it is some kind of solution.  Don’t stress, just relax, don’t worry, get more sleep, keep positive!  When we know that muscle tension, worry, poor sleep and negativity are signs of stress.  She gave some background in her own battle with stage nerves and some good (and not so good) advice she has been given.  But still the question, how? How do we stop stress, now?

After that Table Topics was expertly presented by Nicky from a list of questions that Lili had written before realising that she could not attend the meeting.  Thank you Nicky and Lili – a team effort.

Linda told us that it is way more important to be loved than to love. Dom said that you must believe before you can see, not see to believe.  Laura explained that birth is worth waiting for, and that as a midwife that is what she must do a lot.  Karina told us that the difference between living and existing is that to live you must indulge your emotional state.  Peter explained that it is worse to never try than to fail, pick yourself up and brush yourself off before trying again.  Ianon was very excited about her outdoor painting classes.  Dom spoke a second time and let us in on the white lies he tells about noticing a woman’s hair or shoes.  And finally Nicky shared her experiences with audiobooks in the car, as she is usually the passenger while her partner drives.

Overall a really fun meeting.  I hope that Matt enjoyed himself and will be brave enough to participate next time.

The next meeting will be 25^th September and we can have just as much fun again.  See you there!

Meetings Roll on Despite Quiet Blog Space (meetings 1048, 1049, 1050 and 1051), Executive change, Area Director Visit and Market Day

As does happen on occasion, things have been really busy recently and I have not had time for writing blogs.  BUT in the interest of keeping you all up to date, decided to write one or two now.

One of the things that has happened at Benjamin Toastmasters is we have had a change of Executive.  My role has changed from VPPR (Public Relations) to VPE (Education and general Agenda setting).  The new VPPR has returned from maternity leave and will take over blogs now, so hopefully they will keep more up to date.

So current new Executive is:

Position	Name
Club President	Geoffrey Adams, CC
Club VP Education	Karina Redpath
Club VP Membership	Ianon Yusoff, ACS, CL
Club VP PR	Lili Zhang
Club Secretary	Ianon Yusoff, ACS, CL
Club Treasurer	Dominic Dolan, CC
Club Sergeant at Arms	Peter Herbert, DTM

Just so you know what the letters after each name is, below described the Toastmasters Education program.  (See the VPE Me has taken over already!)

Some highlights from meetings of the last two months are;

Meeting 1048 on Friday 17^th July

Dominic Dolan delivered his Project 5 Speech, forcing us all to think about a complicated moral question.  Can you be considered criminally culpable if you are the small cog in the wheel of a larger criminal/unethical organisation?  He told the story of Oskar Groning who was an accountant for Auschwitz for 2 ½ years, during which he assisted in the sentencing of 3000 Jews to death.  How he was impressed by a powerful man who fixed his country and wanted to be part of his organisation. He never actively participated in the crimes but supported the Nazi organisation.  What will be saying in years to come about Border Force and the treatment of boat people?

Meeting 1049 on Friday 31^st August

I missed this meeting but I understand that there was a visit by the new Area 17 Director, Frances Carleton!

Meeting 1050 on Friday 14^th August

The meeting of Friday 14^th August was spectacular because it was the day we were introduced to new member Laura who delivered her Ice Breaker speech, “Three Words About Me”.  Laura shared herself with us in her warm and engaging style, explaining what has inspired and motivated her.  The words were “play, “ease” and “listening”.  These are things that she has consciously become to understand and use in her life.  As a student in midwifery, this seems highly suited to her.

Meeting 1051 on Friday 28^th August

Meeting 1051 was a Table Topics meeting as we had no speaking projects proposed.  Another new person, Nicky, visited the Club.  Ianon delivered Table Topics to us and we all had two topics each.

Dominic told us that the worst advice he has been given is to sit quietly and stay out of the way, and that he has been known to be persuaded into buying things by advertising.  Laura told us that as well as a midwife she is also a marine biologist, and also that her best childhood meal was her stepmum’s apple chutney chicken.  Nicky told us that the most useful invention to her was the brace that allowed her to rehabilitate her elbow from injury, and also that her best holiday accommodation was a resort in the Great Barrier Reef.  Geoff told us that, in the dentist chair, he thinks about opening his mouth wide, and that he overcomes self-consciousness at social functions by finding a drink and a person to talk to.  Karina told us the new technology item she wants the most is an iPad, and also that the chores she loathes the most is picking up toys and cleaning cloth nappies.  Peter told us the best item in a museum is early cars, and how the major decision of installing solar panels has had a major effect on his life because of the cost savings.  Lili told us that she the country she wants to visit most is her home country, China, as she keeps putting back her visit because of having a baby etc, but her father is getting old.  Finally Geoff asked Ianon a question so she didn’t miss out.  Is one’s personality born or made? She replied that personalities are some of each, but that you can see the different traits from babies and gave the example of how differently they react to swimming classes at her local pool.

Electricity and Fireworks! on Friday 3rd July (meeting 1047)

At this meeting we were treated to a speech by Toastmaster of the Year, Peter Herbert.  He spoke of his passion as a Power Systems Engineer – the history of electricity in Canberra.  His passion is a treat to the audience, although a little surprise as we did not know the topic before he started, and neither did Linda who introduced him!  Well done, Linda for thinking on your feet and for an honest and constructive evaluation at the end.  We all learn from a good evaluation of an experienced speaker.

Table Topics by Geoff were wide and varied.  Linda told us that Canberra needs more fireworks, not less (how can there be too many?).  Ianon told us what community gardens are good for and Peter told us that safety is one good reason to be late. “Better late than dead on time!”  Dom told us that Australia is not the ‘lucky country’ anymore as we have made many mistakes.

The next meeting is 17^th July, but we will NOT be holding our Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contest at this meeting, but we may well set the date.  See you all there!

Table Topics on Friday 19th June (meeting 1046)

Table topics was the focus of today’s meeting. The club’s table topics speech contest is fast approaching, so this extra practice was well timed. Each of us were given two table topics run under contest conditions. The questions were pieces of wisdom that Ianon found, and were long and complex, perfect for us to use as practice for the upcoming contest. We all gained feedback on the things that we could improve on, especially thinking on our feet, one of the main objectives of table topics. I just hope the contest question is easier than these questions were!

Making an Impression on Friday 5th June (meeting 1045)

The word of the day was “Impression” and what an impression was made by Linda and Dominic in their two fabulous speeches in the meeting of 5^th June!  The meeting was opened with the first speaker, Linda, speaking about first impressions.  Her speech was entitled Moments of Truth and she spoke about the key ways to run a successful club in an informative and thought provoking speech.  At the end we were all encouraged to give our own input by the next meeting.

Dominic then presented his Speech 1 from Speaking to Inform.  His speech was not only very well structured and informative, but very persuasive.  It left an impression on the audience, and I, for one, am and remain completely convinced that we should have light rail in Canberra.

For Table Topics, Geoff chose a range of questions about long weekends in preparation for the Queen’s Birthday weekend coming up.  Linda seemed to be looking forward to riding her bicycle and Dominic seemed to be looking forward to watching soccer on TV.

The next meeting is 19^th June.  I will be away, but will see you at the following one on 3^rd July.