Meeting #548 - April 25, 2006

We had a cosy meeting on April 25, 2006. Our theme today was Seasons Change - So do I and we were capably led by Toastmaster Gisèle. We had one guest, and we look forward to future visits!

Toastmaster John H. provided us some new vocabulary with the Word of the Day: verdant (adjective), which means green with vegetation; covered with green growth; and also lacking experience or sophistication. Toastmaster Yola provided a Quote of the Day. Toastmaster Guy delighted us with a Joke of the Day.

It was then time to move to our speech. First, we heard from Toastmaster Rebecca the objectives for our speaker's CTM* #7 speech. Toastmaster Carrie then demonstrated her researching skills with her speech about the dangers of infectious diseases, "The Mumps".

We then had an opportunity for impromptu speaking with Table Topics, led by Toastmaster Sharon. Our Table Topics Master encouraged three volunteers, Toastmaster Marcos, Toastmaster Rebecca, and Toastmaster Bill, expound on their options for change.

Next up was an evaluation of Toastmaster Carrie's speech from Toastmaster Rebecca, who was followed by Toastmaster Louise who acted as Quizmaster and tested the listening skills of all participants.

Then we moved into the evaluation portion of the meeting. Toastmaster Bill returned to the lectern as General Evaluator, ably assisted by Toastmaster Marcos as Grammarian/Ah Counter and Toastmaster Kathryn as Timer. Turns out it was a very successful meeting!

Toastmaster Gisèle returned to ask the guest for comments (which were positive) and we adjourned.

Looking forward to seeing you on May 2!

* CTM = Competent Toastmaster

Meeting #547 - April 18, 2006

Our meeting on April 18, 2006, was well attended, in spite of it being a "virtual Monday" for some of our members. Our theme today was Easter, in honour of the recent holiday, and we were capably led by Toastmaster Kathryn. We had one guest, and we look forward to future visits!

Toastmaster Marcos provided us some new vocabulary with the Word of the Day: esculent (adj.), meaning fit to be eaten, or edible. Toastmaster Sharon provided a Quote of the Day: The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want. (Ben Stein). Toastmaster Guy delighted us with a joke for the day.

It was then time to move into our first speech. First, we heard from Toastmaster Carrie with the objectives for an ATM-B3*. Then we heard from Toastmaster John H. with his inspiring ATM-B3 speech, "Timmy's For Health".

We then had an opportunity for impromptu speaking with Table Topics, led by Toastmaster Yola. Our Table Topics Master encouraged three volunteers to use their creativity in answering her questions.

Next up was an evaluation of Toastmaster John H.'s speech from Toastmaster Carrie.

Then we moved into the evaluation portion of the meeting. Toastmaster Angie came to the lectern as General Evaluator, ably assisted by Toastmaster herself as Grammarian/Ah Counter and Toastmaster Gisele as Timer. Turns out it was a very successful meeting!

Toastmaster Kathryn returned to ask the guest for comments (which were positive), review the agenda line-up for the next meeting and we adjourned.

Looking forward to seeing you on April 25!

* ATM-B3 = Third speech in the Advantanced Toastmaster Bronze series

Meeting #546 - April 11, 2006

Several people attended our meeting on April 11, 2006. Our theme today was Something New and we were capably led by Toastmaster John H.

Toastmaster Carrie provided us some new vocabulary with the Word of the Day: harbinger (noun), which means one who provides lodgings, especially officer of the English Royal household who preceded the court when travelling, to provide and prepare lodging. Nowadays, it is used to mean the forerunner or precursor, or one that presages or foreshadows what is to come. Toastmaster Marcos provided a Quote of the Day aligned with the theme: It is better to begin in the evening than not at all. (English proverb). Toastmaster Rebecca delighted us with a Joke of the Day, actually a series of amusing headlines!

It was then time to move to our speech. We heard from Toastmaster Rebecca, with the objectives for our speaker's CTM* #5 speech. Toastmaster Bill then informed us all with his speech "I Robot".

We then had an opportunity for impromptu speaking with Table Topics, led by Toastmaster Yola. Our Table Topics Master encouraged three volunteers, Toastmaster Angie, Toastmaster Bill, and Toastmaster Marcos, to try something new in answering her questions.

Next up was an evaluation of Toastmaster Bill's speech from Toastmaster Rebecca, who was followed by Toastmaster Louise, who acted as Quizmaster and tested the listening skills of all participants.

Then we moved into the evaluation portion of the meeting. Toastmaster Sharon served as General Evaluator, ably assisted by Toastmaster Angie as Grammarian/Ah Counter and Toastmaster Kathryn as Timer. Turns out it was a very successful meeting!

Toastmaster Sharon returned to ask the guest for comments (which were positive), review the agenda line-up for the next meeting and we adjourned.

Looking forward to seeing you on April 18!

* CTM = Competent Toastmaster

Meeting #545 - April 4, 2006

Several people attended our meeting on April 4, 2006. Our theme today was Using Our Creativity and we were capably led by Toastmaster Sharon. We had one guest, and we look forward to future visits!

Toastmaster Bill provided us some new vocabulary with the Word of the Day: Confabulation (noun), which means the resolution of a problem through competition between pair-wise associations of concepts. Toastmaster Yola provided a Quote of the Day aligned with the theme: Being in the creative zone is a place of no time, of having a single focus, of transforming ideas into matter (Cynthia Morris). Toastmaster Marcos delighted us with a Joke of the Day.

It was then time to move into our first speech. First, we heard from Toastmaster Louise
with the objectives for our speaker's CTM* #10 speech. Toastmaster Angie then inspired us all with her speech on the benefits of exercise!

We then had an opportunity for impromptu speaking with Table Topics, led by Toastmaster Guy. Our Table Topics Master encouraged three volunteers, Toastmaster Rebecca, Toastmaster John H., and Toastmaster Marcos, to use their creativity in answering his questions.

Next up was an evaluation of Toastmaster Angie's speech from Toastmaster Louise, who was followed by Toastmaster Kathryn who acted as Quizmaster and tested the listening skills of all participants.

Then we moved into the evaluation portion of the meeting. Toastmaster John H. returned to the lectern as General Evaluator, ably assisted by Toastmaster Rebecca as Grammarian/Ah Counter and Toastmaster Marcin as Timer. Turns out it was a very successful meeting!

Toastmaster Sharon returned to ask the guest for comments (which were positive), review the agenda line-up for the next meeting and we adjourned.

Looking forward to seeing you on April 11!

* CTM = Competent Toastmaster