Thursday, April 29, 2010

Hello Fellow Toastmasters,

Fifth Thursdays give us, as a club, an opportunity to veer from the usual club meeting format.  This fifth Thursday provided the opportunity to hold a 'Speech-a-thon'.  Lois Boyle was Chair and Wade Miner was Co-Chair.  We had eight speakers and three evaluation teams.  Each speaker had five to seven minutes for their speech.  Evaluation teams were assigned separate duties.  Team #1 evaluated the speech introduction, Team #2 the body and Team #3 evaluated the speech conclusion.  The evaluation teams evaluated each speech.  Additionally, evaluations were given after sets of three - first three speeches, break, evaluations, second three speeches, break, evaluations, final two speeches, break, and final set of evaluations.  This proved to be a good flow.

Speaker #1, Christy Gardner talked about the just passed US Health Care Bill working its way into society.  Rick Boyer (#2) gave his speech on making change easier.  Rick provided a hand-out for "Kotter's 8-Step Process of Successful Change".  Zach Miller told us desire and action are the two things you need to get yourself out of a J-O-B (just over broke) and into your dream business.  Magda Brugos says no special thing is needed to give yourself a positive edge.  All you have to do is be consistent on a daily basis via the power of compounding.  A little action each day works for you just like compounding.  Adam Gold says eating like a caveman will get you feeling like a sabre tooth tiger.  Thinking about the modern diet should have you asking yourself "are you poisoning yourself and your family?"  30 to 60 minutes after you eat, "how do you feel?".  Adam says to pay attention to your feedback system.  Michael Brugos gave us an in-depth primer on the mood altering Bi-Polar Disorder.  Matthew Phillips presented the history of safety regulation in America.  The safety regulations typically were instituted after spectacular industrial accidents.  Finally, James Bryant, speaker #8 and a visiting Toastmaster, captured the audience with his performed Swahili folk tale, "The Wise Baboo".  The wise Baboo (grandfather) urges you to embrace the pride of lions within, your dream that lives within, and you can make it live.

There were 23 in attendance including four guests: Suda Natarajan, Justin Hill, James Bryant, and Adam Gold (second visit).

Members, sign up for future meeting roles:

 http://ops.freetoasthost.info/members/roster.cgi

Nancy Hogg
Club Secretary
Oyster Point Speakers

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Hello Fellow Toastmasters,

Career Night was the theme of the evening.  Jobs - finding, keeping and upgrading skills - tips that kept everyone interested through-out the evening.

Toastmaster of the Evening:  Rick Boyer.  General Evaluator:  Frank Connelly.  Table Topics Master:  Grayson Williams.

Twenty three in attendance, includes three guests: Tom Day, David Richey and Adam Gold.

Speaker #1, Jessica Ledbetter, talked about "hohum to happy at your job".  She gave tips on what to do to make the job better starting with 'how do you feel on Monday morning?'.  Self evaluation, the value you give to and get from the job and the voice you have play a large part in analyzing how to get the most satisfaction from your job.  Tom Delbridge, speaker #2, told us submitting a resume for that job we want, we have 8 to 10 seconds to make an impression on the resume reader.  Read "The Elements of Resume Style" for the perfect resume resource, Tom urged.  You need to get it all on ONE page.  No bullets.  Use action words. Only use words that add value.  Janet Krenn described how networking can develop into leads for jobs and business.  One needs to consider what your unique skills and differences are and the value they bring.  Your 'elevator speech' must be short, descriptive (no jargon) and practiced to engage others.  Jessica Ledbetter received the Best Speech ribbon.

We had six Table Topics speeches from Michael Brugos, Stan Dalziel, Tom Day, Adam Gold, Linda Williams and Magda Brugos.  Linda Williams received the Best Table Topics ribbon.

Speech Evaluators were John Harman, Stan Dalziel and Stacey Wallace.  Stan Dalziel received the Best Evaluator ribbon.

Nancy Hogg
Club Secretary
Oyster Point Speakers

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,

Oyster Point Speakers Toastmasters Club reached President's Distinguished Club status with Tim Tonkovic's speech tonight.  This is an achievement not reached by many clubs.  Oyster Point Speakers Club has reached it in an amazingly short amount of time!  Congratulations Tim and fellow club members!!!

This meeting had an unconventional structure called "Grab Bag".  All the roles were up for grabs.  Literally, as the agenda noted.  All meeting roles were drawn from a bag filled with slips of paper with a particular role assigned to that person who pulled it.  Adventurous guests were included.  Lots of fun ensued.

Jessica Ledbetter was Toastmaster of the Evening.  John Harman was General Evaluator with Rick Boyer as Table Topics Master.

We had two speakers, Janet Krenn and Tim Tonkovic.  Janet Krenn talked about the Cow Nose Ray.  This creature lives in the Chesapeake Bay.  Tim Tonkovic talked about flying.  The airline way.  Used to be fun; but, take a train if you're travelling now.  Janet took the Best Speech honors (ribbon).

Table Topics had six speakers that included two of our guests.  Good sports.  Danita Fox described 'her life as a mirror.'  Stan Dalziel described 'why we should go out and buy his new book on "My Life As A Mountaineer".'  Christy Gardner talked about 'if she could be any age for one week, what would it be.'  Victor Lopez (guest) discussed 'some people say a little white lie is sometimes OK, what do you think.'  Linda Williams (guest) talked about 'day-glo-orange and why she plans to paint herself that color.'  Finally, Nancy Pracker (guest) defended 'you (I) live in a swamp and it is a good place to live.'  All off the wall subjects and all artfully explored.  Thanks Rick.  Linda Williams received the Best Table Topics speech ribbon.

Word of the Day, hugger-mugger, might have described the evening.  However, it was an orderly jumble.  And fun!

Sixteen in total attendance, included six guests: Linda Williams, Nancy and Jerry Pracker and son Stephen (visiting in town from Ohio), Victor Lopez and Ernest Jones.

Nancy Hogg
Club Secretary
Oyster Point Speakers