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.