Middlesex Toastmasters Meeting Notes December 12, 2013
Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT
Presiding Officer Jennifer C began the meeting at 7:05pm.
Presiding Officer Jennifer C began the meeting at 7:05pm.
Club Business: Our next meeting will be Thursday, January 9th, from 7-8:15pm at the Russell Library (Hubbard Room, 2nd Floor), as Middlesex Community College will be closed. We’ll be back at the college on January 23rd.
District 53 training (Toastmasters Leadership Exchange, or “TLE”) for club officers and any other interested Toastmasters began on 12/7 and will be continuing at the Division and Area levels in January. Dates to be announced as they become available.
The District 53 Leadership will be hosting a time of fun and networking at “Jan Jam”, to be held Saturday, January 11th at the Church of Christ, Manchester. More details to come.
Meeting attendees: Jennifer Cimilluca, John Keppler, Michael O’Brien, Rob Schaff. There was one guest, Ashley Oliver
Functionaries:
Invocator- Jennifer C
Toastmaster- Jennifer C
Word of the Day- Michael (assiduous:
1. constant; unremitting: assiduous reading. 2.constant in application or effort; working diligently at a task; persevering; industrious; attentive: an assiduous student.)
Humorist- Jennifer C (an accountant joke, with apologies to Jay and Kay)
General Evaluator- John Keppler
Timer- Ashley
Ah-Counter- Michael
Grammarian - Michael
Table Topics- Michael offered some Thanksgiving and New Year’s-themed Table Topics in which all participated, including our guest, Ashley.
Speakers:
Rob Schaff Competent Communicator Manual speech #, 8 (Objective: Get Comfortable with Visual Aids), Title: “Bad Eye Contact”
Rob used the story of Bokito, the “World’s Most Famous Gorilla” to remind us that not everyone has the same views about eye contact, and that while eye contact is important, there can be too much of a good thing. http://nowiknow.com/gorilla-goggles/
Rob’s speech was evaluated by Jen. With his speech on Thursday, Rob completed his fourth Competent Communicator manual. With Judy’s CC earlier in the Toastmasters year, Middlesex now has four points in the Distinguished Club Program.
Jen ended the meeting with words of inspiration from H. Jackson Brown, Jr., author of “Life’s Little Instruction Book”: Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
The meeting ended shortly after 8pm.
