Is your Inner Child in need of therapy?!
Our fabulous Pania Toastmasters meeting opened on time and
was well set up by our master at arms Graeme with Linda as our competent
Toastmaster of the day. Linda’s theme throughout the meeting was spring and she
used this very effectively – even talking about spring cleaning! It was great to be joined by four guests, Gavin(ex- Pania member);Chris (ex- Napier member); Christine (Area Director) and another guest who is keen to join.
First up we had the very vivacious and capable Anna introduce
Barbara for her 5-7 minute speech from the Public Relations Manual, Project 3
entitled Best Friends Ever.
Barbara’s speech was all about her best friends from Napier
Girls High School. The 13 ladies have been friends for over 50 years. On their
50th birthday year when they had been together 35 years, the Hawkes
Bay Today Newspaper did a story on their continuing friendship. This year they
all celebrated their 65th year of life by gathering together for a
wonderful luncheon at the Mission to additionally celebrate their friendship of
50 years. Barbara ended with a great quote of the value of friendship “Old
friend are like Diamonds, Precious and Rare”. She challenged us all to make
contact with any old acquaintances via text, phone, email or what every way they
can be contacted, just to say Hi and to keep in touch with old
friends.
Next we had our Table Topics Sessions mastered by Jen. And
how wonderful that our topic kept to the school theme - Primary School
Memories. Craig was first with his favourite teacher, to which he said his
Palmerston North School Headmaster. Craig informed us that he got 6 of the best
for a crime he didn’t do - pulling the bricks from the fence at the School to
have a swim in the School pool. However, this didn’t diminish his likeability
for this teacher. When asked “who was your best friend at school?” Graeme
replied that he did not have any friends at school and was bullied. He
maintained that being someone with glasses and a tiny frame he was picked on.
The memory got him so enraged we all thought we were done for. Wouldn’t want to
be bullying Graeme these days for sure! Mike was apparently never unkind at
school. However, as we have no one to back up his claims it just goes
unfounded. He did have a District Nurse whom he recalls was unkind with the
needles as she had a shake so bad when giving the immunisations that the
nightmare of needles is still with Mike. He also went to another school that
provided soap if bad language was used – again he never experienced this
apparently – we will never know. Noel became quite animated when he spoke about
a teacher he didn’t like. Noel and his friend were belittled by this teacher
for going into an area of the school where they were not meant to be. Noel said
he felt they did not get the kind of punishment that suited the crime – it was
most unfair. Gavin first got into trouble at primary school as only a good
Irish Catholic boy could. Sisters of Mercy were very strict – so strict Gavin
called them the Sisters of No Mercy. Asked to come to the front of the class to
discuss wrong mathematics answers, one the Sisters had a stick which was used
for every incorrect answer. Gavin went back to his seat with a very sore
leg!
David jumped out of the Hot Seat and conducted an impromptu
speech for a scheduled member who was not able to make the meeting. He
discussed with us his advice around using visual aids at Toastmasters. In
particular using TV screens and putting all presentations onto a USB stick and
playing onto the TV. We have to be prepared to play with our visual aids and
use them in presentations. David suggested we get the old TV out and practise a
few times and we will be in business.
Anna evaluated Barbara very professionally. She re-read the
objectives and advised that Barbara had met them. She provided Barbara with
good constructive feedback such as using her visual aids differently and
modulating her voice a bit more. A very good evaluation.
Darryl then gave feedback to each person for their Table
Topics. Good use of the CRC method, nice hand gestures and good humour used by
Darryl. He even managed to get out of Graeme that he did have a friend at
school – a Tuatara Lizard. WOW! The General Evaluator, Carol, wound up the meeting with a very efficient and worthwhile evaluation assisted by the Timekeeper Laurel, and we even had time for comments from all four guests!(Ed)
Overall our meeting was an emotional roller coaster and one
that ensured our guests will be back for more next week. Our meeting also
highlighted that most of the Toastmasters Club need to attend therapy sessions
for their childhood school traumas!
Best Table Topics: Graeme
Best Speech: Barbara
Best Evaluator: Anna
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