FS Toastmasters

Josh Gravley took the reverse of last week's theme and dealt with "last's."  Josh lasted throughout the meeting with interesting information, including the last trip to the moon (1972), the last word in the dictionary (the zyzzyva, a snouted beetle), and The Last of the Mohicans movie (1992).  Joke Master Karen did not have the last laugh, but she opened with some. Word Master Ray Daley was "optimistic" about getting some word usage, and near the last of the meeting he got some. Jeanne Resen gave a very enlightening view of the stage manager's job.  She gave entertaining stories of holding up a show, saving  flying effects, managing 14 kids and dog, and carrying a firearm across the border on a road show.  Her audience gained a new appreciation of all the responsibilities entrusted to this liaison to the show's director.  She was evaluated by Stan Coss. Sally Jones was Table Topics Master and supplied prompts in support of the ...

The official theme of our meeting was "Firsts," and, appropriately, we had a number of "first-time" guests.  But one of the most gratifying additions to the meeting was a guest who was a member from the past, Don Emon.  He was joined by another guest and past member, his wife Deanne. Judy Groff was Toastmaster, but she is not pictured until the very end with the link to her Youtube video that won second place in last Saturday's contest. Carole Kitchen took center stage with her first, her first ride on an ATV.  She was very descriptive with her gestures to simulate accurately her adventure, which included flipping the ATV upside down.  Carole was animated throughout in showing the various moves of the vehicle up and down the hills, or mountains they seemed to be.   Betty McCallister, another member highly reputed for gesturing, was her evaluator. A Vision was the objective of Stan Coss, who first played up the vision Judy Groff had in moving ...

FSTM had three audience members, some filling roles, at the Area Contest at Habitat for Humanity in Asheville on Saturday, February 22:  Karen Alexander, Susann Swan, and Ray Daley.  Our club also had three contestants.  Above is Judy Groff, who won second place in the International Speech Contest. Above Don Groff wins second place in the Table Topics Contest, surrounded on his right by Area Director Bryan Smith and "Quality Control" Director Michael Beach.  Below, Stan Coss is part of the same sandwich.  Stan won first in the International Speech and Table Topics in representing another club, Ridgefield.  He was a bit tied up to represent FSTM, as he was contest master of our speech contest February 7th. Make plans to join us at the April 4th, Saturday contest for 8:00 to 12:00.   There should be a carpool to make the trek to the Morganton event.  The area's top two finalists in each event are invited to compete in the divisio...

Toastmaster Betty McCallister led the Valentine theme with history and other intriguing information.  Don Groff gave a double dose of laughter with his joke duo.  Word master Jeanne Resen presented "relationship" as the word of the day.  Melinda served faithfully as Sergeant at Arms and Susann opened and closed as President. Our featured speaker of the day was Hoyt Griffith.  "A Matter of Time" spoke of Hoyt's fascination with his luxury watch, an Apple that tempted his indulgence with its changing watch face, animation, GPS, internet access, wind speed, maps, 911 notification, and another 40 or so features.  Undoubtedly, "Reading your Mind" was the ultimate element of Hoyt's watchfulness.  Susann Swan was Hoyt's evaluator. Judy Groff was table topics master in reinforcing the Valentine theme.  She included some references to what she gleaned from the current   Toastmaster Magazine .  The five love languages of Gary Chapman's 199...

Here are all the contestants from the International and Table Topics Speech Contests.  L to R: Ray Daley, Molly Garnett, Judy Groff and Karen Alexander (the two International Speech contestants), Caitlin Owens, Carole Kitchen, and Don Groff. Consider how you would respond to this TT prompt:  "Every four years,  there's a leap year, the presidential election, and the Summer Olympics.  How would you compare or contrast two of these three events happening this year?"  Two of the five TT contestants chose to not mention the presidential event. In light of the presidential omission of shaking hands with the Speaker of the House two days before, Contest Master Stan Coss spoke of there being maybe a greater courtesy in using the fist bump over the handshake to relinquish control of the speaking area.  It was, after all, the peak of the flu and virus season. The contest was well attended by all the support team members in timing, counting, and judging....

Betty McCallister was Toastmaster and suited well the role of espousing all the reasons to be GRATEFUL (which was Wendy Whittaker's word for the day).  Joke master Carole Kitchen captured  a child's disappointment at not seeing all the clowns at the office her dad had spoken of. Our first speaker, Susann Swan, had just returned from the N.C. Jazz Festival and spoke on "All That Jazz."  She set the mood well before the meeting even started with jazz music playing in the background.  She said she had spent 17 hours over the three days of last weekend absorbing the whole jazz party scene.  She used the analogy that being at the fest with a ringside seat was similar to having food cooked before you at the table of a Japanese restaurant.  She was on the visionary communication pathway using descriptive language.  Jeanne Resen was Susann's evaluator. Sally Jones spoke on "Ions and Izidizers" for a radio audience in selling the idea of an ionizer....

Friday's meeting brought into focus an issue at ALL Toastmaster clubs.  What do you do if scheduled speakers cancel or if no or limited speakers even sign up for a particular week?  The answer is "The Back Pocket Speech!"  This was the theme of today's meeting. Toastmaster Karla Reese introduced the idea of "All Things Winter."  Josh Gravley presented his joke about hunting.  Then Jeanne Resen prompted three responders to table topics. Then it was Back Pocket Speech time.  A description of the back pocket speech can be found no where on the otherwise articulate, well-informed Toastmaster’s International site.  No where on Toastmasters.org will a search produce anything!  Many online dictionaries will have an explanation such as this one:  "In one's back pocket: Available to use as a resource for one's advantage whenever needed; in reserve." Clubs internationally need this resource.  Not all veteran members have a 5-7 minute spe...