Our Pania Toastmasters meeting opened on time with Israel’s
confident voice and manner leading us through. Pedro read the mission statement
and we were underway.
Michael introduced Graeme and mentioned he had never seen
Graeme present a full speech before – many table topics and evaluations but no
speech according to Michael – boy was he in for a treat! Graeme told us all
about his cataract surgery and how his “Happy Days were Here Again” after having
the ability of sight through his right eye once again. After three months he
found that the left eye went out in sympathy and was told it needed cataract
surgery as well. He went to have his eye test to check out his eyesight for his
licence and it was a touch and go moment when he may not have had his licence
renewed. Luckily the upshot was that Graeme is now scheduled to have surgery on
16th October for his left eye cataract surgery – yippee - and the
doctor has cleared him to drive between now and then. We wish him all the best
for this second surgery. Michael mentioned Graeme did a great job with good
order, voice volume, grammar and he was present with the audience. He showed
his experience as a Toastmaster and used good props and humour. Michael’s only
recommendation - Please don’t give up Toastmasters. Michael values Graeme’s
opinion, feedback and teachings – as we all do - well done
Graeme!
Sahar introduced Paula our second speaker and mentioned Paula
was to speak to us about a thing called the “activity trap” and how many of us
are always striving to be busy. Paula opened with a question “What is really
important to you?” She used the Stephen Covey book “Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People” to share examples for us to learn. We all wrote our name with
our non-dominate hand to experience using the opposite side of our brain to
co-ordinate for creativity. Paula then went on to have us visualise an occasion
that we attended (either previously or in the future) and answer the question
“What are people saying about you at this occasion or celebration?” Plenty to
think about and using one of Stephen’s habits “Begin with the end in mind.”
Paula tied everything up with reminding us that being busy for busy-ness sake
may not be beginning with the end in mind. Sahar evaluated Paula and gave some
good feedback.
Laurel presented Table Topics as a True or False topic. Her
first victim, Lou “Human beings are taller in the morning than before they go to
bed – true or false?” Lou said her tall family of over 6ft around her, pat her
on the head often. She made the case that you are shorter at the end of the day
especially if you are a farmer on his motorbike bumping along around the farm.
Competition for height abounds in her family and her advice was if you want to
measure yourself do it first thing in the morning and measure your opponents at
night – True.
Pedro was Laurel's second 'victim'. “An American tourist asked to be
taken to Ayres Rock in Australia via taxi when they arrived from the Sydney
airport – true or false?” Pedro hadn’t had much experience with travel to
Sydney but did well identifying that Sydney to Ayres Rock could not be taken via
car – True.
Leigh had to decide if “Ostrich’s hide by burying their heads in the sand?” She reminded us of the road runner cartoon and told us it’s
a good way to hind from trouble. Leigh also mentioned Ostriche’s in the outback
in Australia are used for racing with people on their backs. Plus her parents
live across from the Zoo and hear Ostrich’s overnight. She believed the
statement was true but fact it is not true that they bury their heads in the
sand – so no excuse to bury yours – False.
Patrick had to answer “Did Walt Disney tell his employees
they could not grow moustaches – True or False?” Patrick told us moustaches are
a safe place to hide all kinds of things including drinks through the day. For
instance - hide your beer in your moustache and you will have a fun day! Plus
it will add to your creativity for making cartoons! Patrick felt, Walt Disney
preferred his employees with moustaches. Patrick also mentioned that women
naturally have moustaches and he told us that Walt Disney preferred to employ
women with moustaches too. Luckily for Patrick his time was up. The actual
answer for Walt Disney - true.
Peter (a visiting Toastmaster and our guest today) was asked “Do Dolphins sleep with
their eyes open?” He decided he would not answer this question but instead tell
us more about living in Adelaide and going to Ayres rock – A $99 bus from his
hotel room could get him there and he asked if this could happen overnight to
which he was told – you must be a New Zealander! Laurel completed this topic by
telling us Dolphins’ do sleep with their eyes open - true.
Anna gave an excellent evaluation of Table Topics with comments for all the speakers and selected our Guest, Peter as the Best Table Topic.
Carol evaluated the meeting as General Evaluator assisted by the Timekeeper Mehran.
Overall a wonderful meeting with plenty of life skills,
tea-cup facts and animated accounts of real-life events.
Meeting next week when the Toastmaster is Carol.
Speaker: Graeme
Evaluator: Anna
Table Topics: Peter (Guest)
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