Look Up, Get Up, and Never Give Up

On what appeared to be an even colder night than our ‘coldest night’ an excellent turnout of Toastmasters and even a couple of guests,  Kellie and Robyn, joined Napier Toastmasters for the ‘birthday’ meeting on 10th August. The evening had a great deal of ‘temerity’ about it and we enjoyed “Arthur’s Experience” and an “Unsociable” speech! but let me explain.

Toastmaster James

Toastmaster for the night was James (for the first time-although you would not have known it) and he had produced a clear and concise program and linked the items together well during the evening, we even managed to finish 10 minutes early!! Well done James on your efforts.

Grammarian for the night was, Steve, and he chose the word ‘temerity’ for us to utilise during our presentations. The word was used quite regularly throughout the meeting and at the conclusion Steve suggested that many members had used ‘so’ as a filler- not required, he advised wisely!

Table Topics were introduced by Colin, this was something a little different and speakers were asked to say why certain places in New Zealand (stated by the NZ Herald to be either good or bad places to live) were the opposite to the Herald’s opinion.

• Steve spoke about Waiapu (North Auckland) supposedly a good place. 
• Morewa (Nth Auckland) was next on the list and correcting Colin’s pronunciation got guest, Kellie into answering (it was supposedly a Bad place to live). 
• Alastair had Te Awamutu as a good place to live( he couldn’t think of anything bad about the place-so it must be good-regardless of all the cows!) 
• Craig struck Opotiki (Bad place) but waxed eloquently about the advantages of the place, particularly the beaches. 
• Robyn(another guest) had Queenstown (bad place-housing costs) but answered well in her first Table Topic.

Well done all who took part and especially Kellie and Robyn (we do not usually ask guests a Table Topic at their first meeting but they both answered like well experienced Toastmasters, in fact better than many!) Kellie was awarded the “Best Table Topics Speaker” of the night.

Christine & Tracey evaluated Table Topics and had good suggestions for the speakers both from the point of commendations and recommendations. Being Tracey’s first evaluation she achieved the requirements very well.

Table Topic Evaluators - Christine and Tracey

Netta was our first prepared speaker and she completed an assignment from the Advanced Story Telling Manual, entitled “Arthur’s Experience”. An excellent story, very well told and with a definite message for everyone. Arthur (a ordinary brown dog) wanted to be someone else with that “if only’' mentality and at the end of the story he found out it was better to just “be yourself”, you can be loved,capable,talented and beautiful by being yourself! Well done, Netta an excellent presentation and what a message!! “failure,failure and enthusiasm can lead to be a success”

Ian evaluated Netta’s speech and gave her many well deserved commendations plus a couple of very worthwhile suggestions for improvement.

Evaluator of Netta's Speech - Ian

Chris was the next speaker, speaking from the ‘Entertaining Speaker’ Manual with a speech entitled “Unsociable” , this was really entertaining and had the audience gasping once or twice!, it was set in his own home and he was minding the children for the night. It revolved around ‘social media’ and the use of humour and innuendo was great. Is social media going to take over the world? is that what we want? Chris does not think so. Well done Chris, well thought out and presented.

Graeme evaluated Chris’s speech and had some very worthwhile comments regarding the type of humour used (not always appropriate for some occasions) but congratulated Chris on achieving the objectives and on the variations that he utilised during the speech, he also had a another couple of good suggestions for Chris to think about for his next speech.

We had an Educational on the Table Topics contest, coming up at the next meeting, from Dee and this was well presented with worthwhile information and I really liked the way Dee covered the advantages of entering contests it improves your experience,settles nerves, Toastmasters is about doing, and assists with speaking under pressure. We can all enter and have a bit of fun, look upon it as another speaking opportunity, nobody fails and we can all learn and improve from the experience. 2 minutes it is not very long!!!

The business session sought Judges for Hasting’s contest on 20th August, Pania’s Humorous Contest on 20th August, covered of the next meeting’s programme and encouraged members to utilise their Competent Leader Manuals (give them to Wayne at the beginning of the meeting).

We also inducted Alastair into the Club, welcome Alastair, we will assist you to become more confident and a better speaker.

General Evaluator, Paul, a last minute stand in, who achieved a high standard, then summarised the meeting concentrating on giving feedback to the Evaluators, which he was able to do well and was assisted by the Grammarian Steve and the Timekeeper, Johno, who summarised the times efficiently assisted by Wayne.

Awards for the Night: 

• Best Table Topic: Kellie (Guest) 
• Best Speaker: Netta 
• Best Evaluator: Ian 
• Best Contribution; Paul.

Thanks to Craig for the lovely supper (whose birthday was it?)

See you all on the 24th, if you are a guest, come along and enjoy our contest, if you are a member, come along and enter our contest!!