Human Robots

Greetings Pania People, for the beginning of 2013. We welcomed Jane and Russell back from the extended break.

Apologies were received from Sue Atkinson and Craig Robinson.

Thirteen members met this week, for the opening meeting of the year. Laurence was going to be late so Graeme stepped in and began the meeting. He also installed Ian as Timekeeper. Thanks to you both for short-notice obedience!


Darryl’s speech (no 2) was entitled “Three Trains, Three Countries, Three Lessons.” He likened train journeys and their (sometime) characteristics to life’s journey and how they can sometimes give us lessons to learn.
Sue McMullan’s speech was titled “Human Robots”, and she shared her opinion of what technological advances may or may not be turning us humans into. Lots of not pretty pictures were painted!
Graeme evaluated Darryl, with valuable feedback and suggestions for next time.
Jan evaluated Sue’s speech and praised Sue for the descriptive language she used during her speech.

Table Topics were prepared by Viv, using actual headlines from the  Dominion Post.  She asked participants to use their imagination to talk for one minute.
Cheryl needed to deal with wolf whistles. I gather she doesn’t like them!
Mike was a large (morbidly obese) person who could cause a rope bridge to collapse, complete with body language as he crossed (or not) the bridge.
Russell was asked to say why cat-borne brain disease is no trifling matter. (Glad we no longer have a cat!)
Jane shared a plea to think before we flushed. It really is a matter of where you are – in your own home anything goes!
Wendy evaluated the table topics, giving commendations and suggestions to everyone.
Barbara then summed up the meeting with a very full general evaluation, again with commendations and recommendations for all. Ian presented
the timekeeper’s report, brief and to the point, as w e have come to expect.

During the meeting sometime Laurence appeared, very quietly. He took over the Toastmaster role and the meeting resumed.

General business was dealt with, and next week’s programme checked.
We look forward to gathering next week, February 7th, after another holiday, Waitangi Day.
Keep well, folks.