Table Topics Contest

"Phew! It's over!"
"Did I just say that? "
"How stupid was that!!??!!"

Those are some of phrases I say after almost every Table Topics segment. Impromptu speaking continues to be the thing I fear most in Toastmasters! It's not just about saying it right, it's also about saying the right things... and making people laugh... and making sense! Learning to drive was easier than this!

As a Toastmaster for about 3+ years, I've crossed many a hurdles - won humorous speech contests, facilitated training sessions, managed public relations, and now serving as President. But, I've always avoided participating in a Table Topics contest. It has been my biggest fear. Today, I felt like I jumped out of an airplane... again! And I landed.... safely!

It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulder. To be honest, it wasn't that scary. Yes, I could've made my segment longer and better, but I managed to successfully complete the contest without breaking down or saying non-sense.

I now know why did the chicken cross the road? 
Because it was afraid of the Table Topics! *cheeky laugh* :P :P :P

If there is an image of how I felt, this is it!

Family

The Toastmasters club is like a family unit. We meet every week, share laughter, talk about each other's lives and most importantly, support one another when required. And sometimes, important decisions need to be made and there is a need for a family meeting. Today, we conducted a club business meeting to discuss a potential membership fee increase. Since Toastmasters International (TMI) has headquarters in the US, all the fees/expenses need to be paid in USD. Due to the weak exchange rate and poor CAD/USD conversion, we have been going under deficit which would worsen the situation with the impending renewals in October. As a result, I teamed up with the Treasurer and created a detailed presentation discussing the need for an increase, the potential impact on the financials and the next steps. The members were supportive, there was a spirited discussion and we voted on the increase.

Yang Sun, our newest member, delivered her first speech, the Ice Breaker! Yang has been actively participating at our club meetings and volunteering for new roles each week. I have to admit that the energy shown by our newer members has quite infectious! It helps infuse positive energy and renew the commitment to the Toastmasters journey!