The title of my speech today is Why Guelph?

I found myself here in mid May, for no other reason than the fact that I have always wanted for some reason to live here. I took the first apartment ad I found in the paper. And, I have been asking Why Guelph, of myself, and of other people ever since. And all the varying reasons I have accumulated are consistent in the fact that Guelph is great place to be!

Fellow Toastmasters,
The purpose of my speech today is to tell you Why Guelph for me.

1) The Arts and Music Community
How many people here have been to McClelland Art Centre?
I don’t know how many of you consider comics "art," but the proprietor of grooviest comic shop in all of Toronto was the one that told me Guelph has more comic book artists per capita than any other place he could think of.

2) The University. How many people saw the front page story on the Guelph Mercury last week where U of G was announced at the the top of Maclean’s list? My cousin got his phd from the University of Guelph, and in the course of his business he speaks to many, many horticultural professionals from around the world. I recently heard through him that University of Guelph graduates have a sincere and lifelong loyalty to their school that does not compare to students elsewhere. I myself have recently become associated with Equine Guelph, the world reknown part of the U of G, which is famous for its innovations, research and the association with the revolutionary vet techniques, in support of the health and welfare of horses, issues very close to my heart indeed. Just as a sidenote I am doing the grooming lesson you all helped me with at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and I want them to support a Horseweek presentation during horse week at Creativity Greenhouse on Suffolk St. next May.

3) Happy Hillside!To mark my 36th birthday, I attended Hillside Festival for the first time ever. The event at Guelph Lake on the Grant River Conservation Area offered cheap, veggie food and a relaxed and respectful attitude, between people and towards the environment – i loved the uniquely canadian, communal and genteel vibe. Sitting there on soft Ontario Green Grass, listening to the fiddle and the banjo, I decided “I am celebrating my birthday this way every year for the rest of my life” this very festival, on this exact conservation area. Hillside felt like home to me, like an event and a place I am connected to.

The modest half day of music was first conceived by a small group of friends and born on the Hillside farm site, and then moved to the banks of the Speed River at the Riverside Park bandshell. It has more than survived, it has thrived. i agree with the board member who said it is "delightfully difficult to tell one Hillside from the other: each year has people dancing, having fun, listening to great music, playing with children and eating good food.”

Sue Richards who was the first ever paid Hillside employee wrote: Weapon of mass love comes out of the closet. "A pivitol decision based on blind faith, a passion for live music and a love of Guelph." She now maintains Blogguelph and more recently said she was drawn here because Guelph is a hive of creative genius.

A Few More Hillside Facts:
The very first program was a single sheet photocopy folding in half stating “music celebration for all ages (noon – 11pm), and in in 1987 it moved to the island and became a 3 day event
in 1989 hillside was named as one reason Guelph is on the “top ten places to live in Canada”
1990 the first map from out of town was provided
1991 was the first year for poets and hat bands (draw to see who plays together)
in 1996 acoustic guitar magazine ranked hillside as one of the top festivals in NA
in 2000 hillsde released a cd, featuring live tracks, a sort of musical snapshot
in 2002 weekend passes sold out, and in 2003 Hillside launched on-line ticket sales. last year they sold out on line so fast it caught everybody off guard.

Toastmasters, volunteers need to check in March. And tickets go on sale May 1st. Although I also heard there might be a few up for grabs this Christmas....

Is there any time left in today's presentation to play Take a Guess Which Toastmaster? I would like to read you some answers of Why Guelph:

"Well, I picked up Guelph quite randomly. I was sending applications to different universities across Canada for my graduate school. But somehow only the University of Guelph accepted me. I can't even find the place from a map of Canada that I bought from Shanghai. But when I first got here, I thought Woo, this is a place that I probably won't get tied of easily. I have been here for over 4 years now. Isn't that amazing?!"

"I choose Guelph as a lifestyle choice. In Toronto we realized if we wanted to buy a house we would have to work way too hard. I was also tired of the fast paced side of life and the constant traffic. I find people in Guelph friendlier and the community is more supportive and interested in the environment, arts and alternative health. All subjects near and dear to my heart."

"Away back at the beginning, I decided that I wanted to help charter a new Toastmasters Club. I asked District 60 for a lead and they suggested Peggy Nagle. I found that I met and worked with so many younger and interesting people here that I have belonged ever since. That means getting up at 5:15 am to drive from Georgetown AFTER getting up with five hours sleep. This is a wonderful bunch of people!"

"Why Guelph? The University. At first it was the distance between Guelph and my home. It was far enough that I didn't have to live at home, but close enough that if I want to go home I could. And the U of G isn't a huge university. My final choice was made after visiting campus and feeling the overall atmosphere--people were actually polite here."

"My answer to #1 is that I work here."

"I moved to Guelph quite by accident. My parents decided to move to a small town, thinking it would be a more beneficial place for three kids to grow up. At first, my schoolmates weren't friendly (they didn't like girls whose ambitions weren't getting married and making babies). These days, my small town has become somewhat more open-minded, and most girls who grow up there go on to college or university."

"Why Guelph? well... my mom went to university here, my two older sisters went to university here, i have family close by, so if i came here for school i wouldnt be as homesick... i wasn't, and now i live with my sister in guelph, so its even better!"

A Few Words on The New Designations in
Toastmasters International Education Program

There are two distinctly different but complementary tracks in Toastmasters progression, the Leadership Track and the Communication Track, and both have recently been renamed. Each track starts with a basic manual outlining a set of ten projects. At the end of the basic manual, you receive an official designation that you may use, and you may elect to have a letter sent to your employer regarding your newly acheived designation! The CMT is now known as the 'CC' or Competent Communicator designation and the leadership track gives you a 'CL' or Compentent Leader designation upon completion.

Once you have finished the basic manual, you can continue to improve your communication and leadership skills by working through the advanced manuals. Each advanced step along the way gives you a different designation and a different set of skills. All the building blocks work towards the coveted Distinguished Toastmaster Designation.

The Toastmasters we spoke to, however, are more concerned with what they learn from a set of manuals, practice and of course, the invaluable feedback of fellow Toastmasters. Members appreciate the learning and development that comes from the usual 25 personalized, written evaluations of each of their presentations, as well as the verbal evaluation that is delivered immediately, during the meeting.

"I've become a more confident communicator, relying less on those verbal crutches that so clutter our conversations. I've also been able to talk to co-workers in a more constructive, less judgmental fashion; more direct communications with others;

"Benefits in my TM designation? When I think of that question I think that if I put a CTM behind my name I would receive some recognition by the rest of the world. I haven't found that. For me it has been a journey of personal growth and learning. I have also made good friends and enjoy the supportive nature of the TM environment."

the evaluator today said i had too many facts and not enough emotion. he asked me beforehand if i had any personal stories in there and his evaluation then focused on THAT. i thought asking the audience to raise their hands if they were persuaded was a gr8 way to check the project objectives. he thought not everyone put up their hand, but i didn't notice WHO held out!

Q. how anti-kl-actual nature can a work get???

- one person said i was doing that question thing at the end of some of my statements. someone else suggested i wasn't dressed appropriately. someone else would have liked to hear more about the sources. someone called me kimmy-pot-pie, and said she was definitely on my super-hero sign up sheet by the end. someone else said less BUSH/USA and more Canadian content would have ensured that the audience didn't distance themselves from the problem. someone else said i need more eye contact and more vocal variety. the self-admitted right wing said she was convinced "you have come up with articulate, intelligent and workable solutions to our global issues"
*
Just wanted to e-add a brief rebuttal to one of your evalutaor's comments, tho this might not be TM etiquette. I thought you *did *give a personal example to illustrate your point when you said you'd actually changed topics bc of what LM had said and the urgency of the message. Anyway, as usual it was an excellent presentation. Congratulations and Thank you!

of COURSE i am going to make the listening skills suggestion. how ELSE will he improve as a speaker if the evaluator doesn't provide honest feedback?!

(luckily, we can do it by phone and i don't have to drive in)

Project #9 Go Vegan = A New Call for Climate Change?

I have always been considered an outspoken feminist. In my family, and in many of the “old boys clubs” that I have experienced professionally. My little sister teaches the Introduction to Women’s Issues at the University of Chicago while putting the finishing touches on her phd from one of the finest Philosophy Departments in North America -- and I think it would be fair to say that I was her first mentor as a feminist!

Fellow Toastmasters,

Recently I listened to Xiao’s radio show on CFRU on environmental issues. He interviewed the first woman in the House of Commons, Lynn MacDonald and the discussion was clear and intelligent and full of impact. One of the points she made has really stuck with me. She said climate change is a MORAL issue. And, she positions environmental issues as social justice issues. And, she really got my attention when she said that concentrating on women’s rights right now is essentially ridiculous because it needs to take a back seat to ENVIRONMENTAL matters, because otherwise we are simply fighting for equality in mortality rates.

I heard on the CBC Tuesday morning that in the last 30 years we have destroyed 30% of earth’s biodiversity. And that by the year 2050 we will need two of our planet’s worth of natural resources in order for our species to continue to survive. Does anyone have an extra earth for us?

While life expectancy and standards of living have increased for many earthlings, the pressures of our ever increasing populations on FINITE natural resources create a huge problem for us.

Just consider that no more renewable fresh water is available today than existed at the dawn of human civilization. Global demand for water has tripled since the 1950s, while the supply of fresh drinking water has been reduced by consumption, waste and contamination. Half a billion people live in water-stressed or water-scarce countries, and by 2025 that number will grow to three billion.

The world population has doubled in the last forty years. And, we continue to increase those numbers at ever increasing speed! The world population is currently about 6.5 billion and growing by another 76 million people per year. According to the UN the planet will add another 2.6 billion people by 2050. Every 11 seconds another person is added to the US population, and thus shows a population growth rate comparable to that of China. I read that "Leaders must come up with intelligent, creative, inventive measures to discourage births." meanwhile what Bush has actually done is put a person AGAINST birth control in charge of the American Food and Drug Administration.

Worse still is the fact that The US has 5% of the world's population but accounts for nearly a quarter of global emissions. What polluters!

Who has seen the Al Gore thing, An Inconvenient Truth??
While his opponent in the election has been battling to secure more oil for corporate profit and the conveniences of consumers, Gore has been touring with a multi-media lecture warning of the perils of global warming. Our society acts like oil and gas are infinite or renewable but it is in fact a one time gift of nature that we extract. Furthermore, the burning of said fossil fuels causes global warming – melting the polar ice cap and changing the effect of the sun on the earth’s surface. I learned from a Toastmaster’s presentation in Kitchener that Canada committed to reduce our emission levels by 6% (at the Kyoto planet saving agreement meeting) and we have actually increased by 20% and while we continue to INCREASE needs. And apparently the US won't even SIGN the Kyoto agreement?

In the last 50 years, cropland has been signifcantly reduced, and as many as 400 million people are at risk of starvation because of crop failure. Meanwhile,Britain will face flooding through increased rainfall and parts of the coastline could be washed away by rising seas.

This is the impact of short sighted corporate greed. These are just some of the incredibly unhealthy global consequences. THE HUMAN RACE IS GOING DOWN FAST.

Where is our Superhero to remedy our world destruction???

YOU MUST BECOME A SUPERHERO!!!

Do you believe me that saving the environment is a top priority?

Superheros, sustainability is the practice of conservation that allows people enough resources through their life and the lives of future generations.

Sustainability is possible by conserving energy, materials, resources, by innovating new technologies, and by ensuring that the number of births is low enough so that there is enough to go around.

I have some sustainability to suggestions:

1) I think it is smart to eat less meat. I have seen the pie charts that show how much more economically effective it is for humans to eat grains and vegetables directly, rather than growing them to feed to animals we then slaughter for meat.. The average American consumes 20 times as much in natural resources as the average African. And I read research that showed currently, a total of 3,265 pounds of agricultural products are produced annually to feed each American, while China's food supply averages only 1,029 pounds/capita/year.

2) Take up the challenge to reduce and clean up your own energy use. Make spiritual choices to reduce, reuse, recycle. Look for clean, renewable energy sources! Personally I want to drive a hybrid, and live closer to where I work

3) Lynn MacDonald suggested we rethink our values and ensure we use our vote, for the environment. She stressed in that radio show that we must Intervene For Good, and insist that politicians are held accountable and that corporations are also forced to act responsibly towards FUTURE populations as well as those that don’t have a voice. Remember how once slavery was acceptable? It was economically disadvantegeous to stop the practice, but to continue in that way was WRONG! Now we need to take up the social justice issue of fighting for the environment. For ourselves, and for the future of our species.

I hope I have persuaded you to take some constructive actions in this regard, starting today.

sources:
http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2005/10/12/meat/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_vegetarianism
http://www.alternet.org/story/12162/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/famine/story/0,12128,865087,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/famine/story/0,12128,865087,00.html
http://www.vegsource.com/articles/pimentel_resources.htm
http://www.overpopulation.org/impact.html

involve audience! the value of such workshops is ALSO in the opinions and ideas of participants who can share knowledge and experience and perspective, but in this workshop audience involvement was not pre-incorporated into the schedule, and not listened to. develop your LISTENING skills! also, it is hard to absorb info for long periods without interaction of some sort. too much of an info dump, not enough facilitation for learning.

let's make a deal
says the sharp suited guy who seems pleased to have me evaluate him at an impending business skills workshop/career transition training recruiter presentation:
"you do a speech at my club and i'll do one at yours."

* *
the table topics evaluator was very succinct in providing me feedback "very humourous" she said. i meant to use the word of the day "paucity" but forgot.
*
this club "welcomes members from within and outside Clarica/Sun Life organization" and keeps folders for members in a file drawer, and tracks role participation with draws for prizes, and gives out extra certificates and awards. the district something or other was there asking for judges at the humour contest. their name cards show their project progression and past/completed meeting and club roles. they give new guests an incredibly well branded portfolio of materials. i thanked them on a personal note for providing information on the new designations that i have been unable obtain in my own club, even though i have been asked to do a write up about the changes for the newsletter.

Yes, you can do outside speeches. You can do up to two speeches per level outside the club. You would need to arrange for a Toastmaster evaluator to listen to the speech, complete the evaluation and give you oral feedback.

I congratulate you on seeking out an outside audience.

I'm confident that you will learn a lot from the experience.

another ADMIRABLE fellow toastmaster:
http://www.lebrecht.com/

let's play Find The Toastmaster!

(isn't she cute???)
http://www.uoguelph.ca/atguelph/06-09-13/afterhours.shtml

the nerve to network

comes to me thru the CULTivations! i have just invited myself along to the club attended by a Branch Manager, Professional Staffing Services in the area. aren't you proud of me?

officer role anybody?

not sure how my volunteering for month of September for Sgt-at-Arms was misconstrued as an ongoing arrangement, but i have GOT to get someone else to take they keys since i won't be there! i have always thought they should look at your attendance AND participation in club roles as incentive, i.e. for preferential treatment when it comes to allocating speech time. but who would have time for such extra tracking?

* * *

i thought the use of the hand written messages on the construction paper pad was a really effective addition to the speech, and what a cheap way to bring your own flipchart!!!

*

i've just realized i haven't been getting my magazine. it was pretty good! i wonder how one changes their address with toastmasters international...

club visitations

i would have to say that the most organized, efficient and professionally presented club i have ever attended was the TDSupreme club, on lunchhours Wednesdays while Z was prez. The ah counter tallied every breath taken and the exact number of seconds taken for each aspect of the meeting etc.

the club that meets in the Harbourfront Community Centre building on Wednesday nights has some really creative, dramatic speakers that win Area level contests, and was recognized by the District Reps as one of the strongest. They have the quizmaster role, but give teeny, tiny evaluation note pages to each other.

the Stoneroad club is very friendly, and has guelph farm topics and friendliness and handles an oxford learning type diversity well. they have many young members! they also have yummy snacks at contests and their meeting time attracts a large number of visitors that they graciously accomodate. and some of their membership is really longstanding and development in members seems really significant.

my fave club, the one where i feel i belong best is in Johnson Hall at University of Guelph (you remember, with the boots and cowboy hat in the corner). i tire of our time management issues because of the over-competition for word of the day, but not only do we have incredible intellectual, varied and quality example speakers, the evaluations are Bang On and Very Meaningful. Only club members of more than 6 projects are aloud to have a speech evaluator's role on the agenda!

1) the word of the day was CADENCE! and the guest got to that idea because the theme was unplugged and she thought of music and that reminded her of horses and a dressage horse she used to love to watch called CADENCE. and, i forgot to tell her about this magical thing called a Kur, as well as forgetting to USE the word of the day.

2) it ain't easy to evaluate the prez, and he scowled at the suggestion i gave him for next time, so i am EXTRA proud of me. he kept repeating "you can't believe everything you read" and storytelling about his irish youth and so in my evalutation i said that i grew up hearing my father say that and how ha ha "i never knew he was so annoying because he is irish" which got a good laugh.

3) the next speaker really moved me with the arson and car bomb descriptions of north ireland in his youth. "a lifetime of treasures in the rubble"

the word of the day was presented by a wonderful role model in our club. i was sitting there kicking myself for not using it in my evaluation like i meant to, while she said the club had used it 14 times today...

she added that the language enricher trophy went to the person who used the word skillfully in her table topics 4x and it was me. lucky break eh?

the theme was fresh outlook and the word of the day was perspective.

my table topic word draw from the envelope was wildlife, and was i ever glad: i easily spoke to amber about how i have been getting all these wildlife documentaries out of the libraries and i've seen the one on dinasours and the one on the rain forest and so many others and it has been really pleasant for me. constructive for my perspective you might say because i was really down before about the state of humankind with all our war and our pollution and everything but that this all this watching had helped me to see us as part of a bigger picture. helped me to get comfortable with the fact that maybe we are gonna be extinct or maybe we're not, but right now we are all just part of nature... and how somehow thinking about things like that has cheered me up, changed my perspective.

next time i am on the agenda to do a speech evaluation i will bring my manual in case the speaker forgets theirs. for some reason i was nervous doing today's...

perhaps the fact that the make shift evaluation page i made for myself during the meeting (in leiu of an actual manual to write in) was for speech #2. then i realized this person was doing project #3 and reworked it, and the chair person introduced her project objectives by reading the goals for project #2. ACK.

luckily, she did a great job and i had lots to enthuse about. she seems to always talk about love and i love learning about healthy relationships... what could be a better reason to get to class?did you know that on average most people have 1-3 intimate relationships going on? she made nice analogies using foot bridges, and draw bridges and suspension bridges...

she joined at the same time as me. and just did her third. will she get the same feedback that i did? i did my third with this club last week and rec'd the feedback that i might benefit from slowing down on the pace of presentations. i wonder if it is only when you are further along in the manual projects that it would be better to spread your projects over more time? or if this was a special message just for the (over)enthusiastic me...

for sure i did a good job as an officer of the club today, even if i'm the only one who is proud of me. and i am prepared to put required club supplies on my visa this week and pay the interest til the treasurer shows up...

i am not offering to go do any officer training yet though - even though i know this club could use that sort of development and "outside" recognition. i think it would be considered pushy instead of helpful, so i'll direct my energies where they are wanted.

signed,
not quite ready for nine
(but, um, unfortunately working on it)

a CULTivations colunmist idea popped into my head today. on my blog at least i am going to start jotting down notes about the speeches i hear... especially in clubs where i am guest.

did you know there's one in brampton that meets tuesday nights not far from the place i lived for 8 years. yup, the same apt for 8 years. i know you don't believe me...

in a way i'm glad i've learned to travel since. aren't reporters supposed to be ROVING?
more soon...

a disaster that still works?

for some reason the chair introduced/invented the title of my speech as "coming your way" when i'd told her it was called how to groom a horse. (at least someone showed some creativity).

feedback

next times = we ALL agree the laptop was useless unless projected (and, also my i-talk recording effort didn't work and was obvious when i tried to start it). hoof photo should have been larger than life and mounted on the back wall (this from the person who put me on the agenda at 2pm the afternoon prior to the presentation?!). even more legitimately she also adds that if chair had provided background i would not have had to. the timer did not tell me how long it was and i forgot to look for the green/amber/red while speaking and thus i have no clue how long it was. one person commented that use of props suit objectives of project 5 more so than 8 (tho the manual does suggest props for 8. perhaps i was too dramatic with mine?).

all that said, mr. Toughest feedback provider said "a wonderful, informative and interesting speech clearly and animately presented. be careful about deprecating yourself during i.e. "thank you for listening to my LITTLE presentation..." you are a great speaker and having fun at your task makes you nice to listen to."

other did wells = good intro of why grooming is important. good way of emphasizing key points i.e. relax/circulation etc. good enthusiasm, clarity, presence and eye contact

* * *
in the table topics my scrabble dictionary word was monk. i am pleased with the way i incorporated the required them of shoestring budgets and word of the day as in "eke" out a campaign with existing resources in my left brain marketing commercial. dang it, no trophy tho!

Project #8, Visual Aids

I am going to bring my grooming kit and my laptop (working offline) to the podium, but I am not bringing notes up there with me -- here’s what I hope I say:

Background:
I have volunteered to work with Equine Guelph within their Equimania! Program – which is where KIDS learn about horses. One of their sponsors is a chain of tack shops and one of the ideas I have is to present a Grooming lesson to store clients as a way of driving hits to the fanatastic Equimania website and on-line education tools. I know it is asking a lot of non-horse people to provide feedback on a topic such as I have chosen for today, but I imagine an unpredictably diverse public audience should these presentations come to fruition and so I will really welcome your feedback on content, delivery and of course the effectiveness of the chosen visual aids.

Fellow Toastmasters,
In my last presentation I taught you a handy word to catch a runaway horse. Today I will talk to you about the basics of Grooming it! And I have brought what I consider the top 5 tools for doing so for show and tell. I also want to show you the area of the website where kids can review what they have learned about grooming in a fun game!

An experienced horse person will often spend from 30 to 45 min on the process. i like to teach that a cowboy sweats when he grooms his horse. Far more than a cosmetic purpose, new horsemen will finding grooming is a good way to get to know horses and increase confidence around them. It also provides comfort to your horse and can teach him to relax -- in the wild a pony is groomed by a herd companion, and riders can bond in this way with their mount.Remember that not only does this activity maintain the horse's coat in good condition but time spent grooming allows you to check for any scratches, wounds, injuries or skin conditions

1. the CURRY COMB: is to remove loose hair and loosen caked on mud, use the rubber curry comb over the horses coat beginning with the neck on the pony's favourite side. rub in small circular motions over the entire body with exception of bony parts such as head or legs. this is a good massage of your horse's muscles, and good for circulation. Clean the curry comb by banging it on the floor.
2. the DANDY BRUSH has long stiff bristles and is used in short strokes and a flicking motion to take off surface dirt. always brush the coat in the direction of his hair, while avoiding especially tender parts like the face or clipped areas. clean the dandy brush in between strokes by rubbing against the curry comb, in order to ensure you do not reapply dirt to the horse's coat.3. the BODY BRUSH is also used in conjunction with the curry comb, to bring out the horse’s shine, removing grease and deep down dust. this brush is used with more pressure and longer, sweeping strokes, repeated in the same place up to six times, including the legs and head 4. the HOOF PICK is used to clear the feet of any stones that may have been picked up during turnout. run your hand down the shoulder and leg until you reach the fetlock, and are bending down. if your horse does not lift his foot, which he will often learn to do earlier and earlier in the process if you are consistent and efficient in YOUR pattern, then lean into him with your body. if the horse is being stubborn, firmly pinch the tendons while leaning, and lifting his darn foot! once holding the hoof up firmly, supporting it in your left hand, use the hoof pick staring at the back of the hoof and clear each side of the frog right to the tip. The frog is a V shaped fleshy formation in the sole of the foot. continue scraping in this way until there is no debris anywhere else on the hoof.
a skep can be placed in position to catch foot debris, or you can simply sweep your mess.
5. Mane Comb – plastic and metal. Brush the mane downwards on the side it lays naturally.

The Website has a game of identifying the items in the grooming kit. It keeps track of how long it takes you to reload the fallen collection item by designated item – popping up in a different order each time. Do you know any kids who might like to play the game? Let me know and I will jot down the web address for you.

Thanks for allowing me to practice another unmounted riding lesson on you. I hope one day soon you get out and do some grooming!

i liked the name cards for roles idea.

is my new club part of district 6. if so i would volunteer for officer training.

networking statements to practice
= industry
= vocational
= even more specific

quorum

4:45
and three people suggested next time i slow down. also ditch the notes entirely since going back to the podium detracted from the freedom with which i had been walking out in front of them.

one person wanted my card to come for lessons.

horse personality info would be interesting.
make sure your hat is not covering your eyes

reorder them so as to develop chronologically

practice again for the metro hall club.

2 documentary film makers in the room. looking to develop more INTERACTIVE and educational materials. one of them was a speaker too and now i want to find her film "beauty and the beach"

this club has a quiz master so i could tell that not everybody really Got it. next time i will recap and repeat more and i think i should provide some kind of handout.

what is a gait he asked them
my favourite answer was "the different walks of a horse"
EVERYBODY knew that trot was what they used to think was gallop tho.

A TABLE TOPICS TROPHY?

but i've never touched a trophy or earned one in my whole life. i am pathetically pleased to have won today's.

luckily the icelandic horse lady spoke to the theme of patience by describing how hard her beast can be to catch on occasion, when it was my turn i told the whipping oats AND THEN BUCKET at stoney's head before giving up on catching him because of lack of said virtue...

and the very tiny class today voted to let me take the Table Topics trophy.

aren't you proud???
(do you think this mean Toastmasters has finally FIXED me??)

project #7

did wells =
good energy and engaging animation, natural smile, good interesting topic, nice stats to back up facts, good audience involvement and humour.

25% of listeners commented they now want one (50% of audience already had one).

next times =
more RESEARCH in the research speech.
10 points is too many. consider limiting points to 3.
define all terms i.e. shuffle
also the intro was not attn grabbing since stmts were long and read rather than spoken

timer noted 6:58, i-pod memo 7:18.
too many crackles from moving it.

also, when i re-printed this morning for a larger font i neglected a key paragraph. BUT AT LEAST I DIDN'T ANNOUNCE THIS GLITCH in public when i realized it. and i think i managed to build in the missing facts off the cuff.

free butterflies:
*

kim logue has guested with us a few times and recently joined a club where there is actually a saddle in the corner of the meeting room. Presented there as the vocal variety project, the speech drew heavily on the body language project she presented just before that to the Supreme TD Club in the Bank Tower.

Since she hopes roll out this presentation in horse apparel shops or other public places as a marketing intiative, she asked if she could try the once again recently reworked speech on our club for yet more Toastmasters feedback... her talk today is called

Hoof Beats -- The Paces of the Horse.

PROJECT #7, Research It = "I-pod it"


Do you believe that the marriage of technology and art has the potential to bridge cultural divides and bring people of the world together like few inventions before? “The power of music to influence societies and bring about new and positive ideas is well documented throughout history.” The president of some wireless communications firm said the use of personal wireless communications devices and digital music will only make such experience more profound.

Fellow Toastmasters,

Music is the world's universal form of communication. It touches every person of every culture on the globe to the tune of $40 billion annually, and the U.S. recording industry accounts for fully one-third of that world market.

The music industry, as it was once known is again in crisis. From the 45’s of the 50’s& 60’s to the LP to the 8 track to the cassette tape to the cd and dvd, the landscape of business continues to change. At ever increasing speed. I think the new technology is to be embraced. Although it does not come easy to the industry, it has a gun to its head. The record companies must learn to adapt to decreasing retail cd sales volumes and prices, the impact of illegal downloads and the rapid, ongoing growth in digital sales.

The new demographic power base will continue to change the paradigm expecting “my media, on my time,” content on demand and virtual environments.

The emergence of Apple’s iPod was a mass-market phenonmen. They also launched their I-Tunes store in 2003 and empowered music fans to legally download individual songs. Technology is actually changing tastes! More on that later.

For now I want to find out how many people here have an iPod or mp3 player? How many understand what they are?
I like to explain that an iPod is a digital jukebox that fits in your pocket! It’s actually a hard drive, a tiny chunk of massive computer memory. Mine is the 20 gig which holds about 5,000 songs, and has 12 hours of battery life. I LOVE it!

This iPod changed my life. So, let me share a top ten list of way an iPod can improve your life.
1. more napsac or purse space and less shoulder strain when you want music with you, since it is so much smaller/lighter than an oldfashioned walkman
2. you will not run out of batteries half way
3. you can listen to your entire library, on shuffle. I admit I have now become a modern music listener who enjoys listening to one off songs instead of albums in their entirety.
4. you can look at the display to learn song names. And personally, I’ve learned to worry less about who wrote what or who plays what since I don't have access to the info...
5. other people with white headphones will nod at you on the street
6. you can easily record conversations, since it will function as a hand-held tape recorder. I’m recording this speech right now!
7. you can also easily carry your contacts in your iPod instead of also bringing your palm pilot and it will also store your digital photographs -- the newer ones have wonderful colour displays!
8. you will also be always be carrying an alarm clock and a flashlight, since I’ve used the backlight on mine to see the lock of my apartment door in the dark
#9. you'll know what an i-pod is, just like all the kids!
10. you will never again make a list of top ten must have desert island albums. forget old fashioned shenanigins, you can bring ALL your music - you have an iPod! All the Music you’ve ever wanted in one conveniently Portable place -- your pocket!

Now, just a bit more background research on the trends:
I read that Lifehouse, a Southern California rock band has sold 887,000 digital copies of its hit single and just 770,000 copies of the album that includes the song. The trend is even more noticable in sales of an album which has sold 304,000 copies compared with its hit single “Laffy Taffy” that has been legally downloaded and paid for more than 700,000 times.

Talk about the stats to prove a decreasing album attention span in society.

We shouldn’t be surprised that The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently launched a Ringtone Sales Award, updating its 47-year old Gold and Platinum recognition program to reflect the growing popularity of enjoying music through cellular phones. Ringtones are an original recording, not a synthesized instrumental version of a song. Tracks are now certified Gold (500,000 downloads), Platinum (1 million downloads) and Multi-Platinum (starting at 2 million).

In conclusion of this mp3 commercial/music industry research speech I would like to say that my only problem with my iPod, and the evolving industry trends, is that it makes the rest of my life obsolete. And I'm NOT just talking about the PC System Requirements!!!

because i wasn't leaving early enough for the torture chamber -- i will now have a key and associated duties...

1) Open doors of building by 7 am on wednesday morning and setup the hall for the meeting.

2) Please make sure that water is served, the evaluation sheets and agendas are distributed, name boards are kept on the table near the entrance for the people to pickup as they enter. Post the toastmasters signs on the doors to guide the guests to the meeting room and welcome them when they enter the room.

3) Call the meeting to order at 7.15am and introduce the chairman of the day in few sentences.

(spend 1 minute only; so you have to be very brief).

An example introduction would look something like the following. " I call this educational meeting to order. Welcome fellow toastmasters and guests. I am ______ your sergeant at arms". The theme of the day is ".......(A penny saved).." and to lead the today's meeting (select your wording about the chairman such as) we have a very enthusiastic toastmaster from our club, Please welcome .......X...... Chairman of the day."

4) Please ensure that the guests sign the guest book.

5) At the end of the meeting, please collect the trophies, and other stuff including marker pens etc. and lock it up in the box. Hope that this information is sufficient for you to get it started.
The combination to the lock is written on the back of the key chain.

Thanks again. Talk to you soon, B

feedback

did wells =
met objectives of speech, engaging intro, good body language, good smile, good humour, great that audience participated.
"i liked it when you sang the instructions. nice hat too!"

next times =
don't mention your own mistake forgetting the explanation part of intro.
explanation introducing topic I.e. what IS a gait would have been helpful for non horse ppl. and also more clarification of relevance of hand motions
a few more pauses, a little more volume
kms vs mph

* * *
i did this speech with short notice to fill in for the person who ended up filling in for chair.n luckily someone else had checked the e-mail. another person found cups because the trunk combo wouldn't work and another person got volunentold by the ge about the dishes.
he said "whoa." (correctly!)

"this could come in handy around guelph. you never know when you're gonna come across a loose horse!"

i realized halfway thru my trot thing that i didn't set it up again. i cannot wing it too much because i launch in without any context.

Gryphon's Club General Evaluator's Checklist:

The Chair introduces you after the Evaluation portion of the meeting. You go to the lectern, smile, shake hands, then wait for the Chair to be seated.

Make sure speech evaluators have been thanked.

Make sure that we learn the results of our ballots:

-- smile and introduce the trophy presenter. Smile and introduce the Language Enricher (........................................) by name. Shake hands and move back and to one side while he/she presents the Trophy to the winner. Shake hands with the Language Enricher, smile and applaud while the role-player returns to be seated.

-- smile and introduce the Table Topics person (............................................) by name. Shake hands and move back and to one side while he/she presents the Trophy to the winner. Shake hands with the Table Topics person, smile and applaud while the role-player returns to be seated.

Watch the clock and try to finish by 8:10am. General Evaluator has 2, 2:30 and 3 minutes to complete the general evaluation -- use this time for overall club feedback:

one of the lessons to be practiced in speech training is that of expressing a thought within a specific time.in most clubs, each segment of the meeting is timed, and reported to the club precisely and clearly.

use time for meeting feedback, consider commenting on the following:

Did the meeting flow smoothly?

Did each section, each speaker begin and end on time?

Was everyone well prepared?

Were there any distractions?

Enthusiasm

General performance of duties: Chairperson/Table Topics Presenter or speaker/Toast-Timer /Grammarian / Speaker 1 /Speaker 2


*
Return The Floor to Chair
*

speech #6, revised for liberty village practice session.

Ter-Rot. Ter-Rot
waaaaal-k. waaaaal-k.
whoa. walk (!) on.

Fellow Toastmasters/Guests..

Horses respond not just to body language but to vocal variety. they recognize tone and pitch and today i will teach you the commands to obtain the various gaits of the horse. And since I don't have a pony in the room to let you see or hear the unique rhythm of each pace, we are going to incorporate some audience participation and body percussion into the program!!!

Gaits are the different paces by which a horse moves himself and can be roughly categorized into 3 ordinary ones that an average horse will do without special training. (there are several other gaits which usually require training and/or special breeding to enable). i count the gallop a variation of the canter, so in increasing order of speed, i like to teach that the gaits are: walk, trot, and canter.

1. Ter-Rot smack, clap, up, down:1.2 do this with me for a minute.
- a two time or two beat pace where the horse’s legs moving in pairs
- like this, stepping from one diagonal to the other
- twice as fast as a walk, about 6 miles per hour.
- very very bouncy and most of the stories about horses galloping off with their tourist trail riders are actually horses breaking into trot.


2. waaaaaaal-k. waaaaaaaaaaaaaaal-k. Snap snap snap snap
- four time movement with each leg moving individually in a clear one-two-three-four beat
- slow gait, matches space and timing of human walk, nearly 3 mph
- each of feet come down as they are lifted
- right fore, left hind, left fore, right hind


3. Now to STOP a horse when riding you must remember: Sit down, heels down, keep back straight and hold/pull. The verbal command to halt. “Whoa”. Everyone say this. Say Whoa. If you ever go on a trail ride or face a runaway horse it could come in handy. And now while we’re safely at a halt, let’s talk about the position in which the rider sits:
- governed by the actions to communicate with the horse correctly, based on BALANCE rather than grip. - symmetry is also really important, model position, straight line thing.


5. Back to an area of my expertise - my favorite average joe horse pace,
three distinct audible beats, called the CAN-ter.
- like a waltz or ¾ time since there is a moment of suspension, all the feet are off the ground.
- usually about 10 miles/hour.
- easy to remember the footfall, because it all starts with the rider’s position for the transition.
You put your outside leg back behind the girth blah blah blah -sit up tall in the saddle keeping your center of gravity over the horse's center of gravity.

cheating in the mounted games at the last myrddin stable christmas party story in the hopes each rider-on-the-opposing team penalties for breaking out of trot.

*
Don’t horses sound fun? Thank you for letting me practice explaining the gaits of the horse, without a horse. I hope that the next time I try out this presentation I have a real live horse standing by to put thru his paces. Until then, you should get out riding!!!

TIMING:

one of the lessons to be practiced in speech training is that of expressing a thought within a specific time.

in most clubs, each segment of the meeting is timed, and reported to the club precisely and clearly. (mostly for the benefit of guests, timing rules and how signals will be given must be explained prior to the meeting)

give the completed timer's report to the secretary for speech times in the minutes if this is done in your club

more handy questions:

who inspires you as a good speaker and why?

what brought you to toastmasters?

what keeps you at your club?

Meet The Contestants:

Tell us about your first time at Toastmasters.

What inspired you to come to your first Toastmasters meeting?

How would you say Toastmasters has improved your life?

spare:

What does your Toastmasters profile our club website say about you? (this was a tough love question intended to generate an interest in completion of said profiles by fellow members)


Tell us about of some of the extracuricular Toastmasters activities you've experienced.

What are some of the stregnths of our club?

* * *
chair of international speech contest feb 23
*
chair person presentation script
"contestant #1 first name last name, name of speech, name of speech, first name last name."

may we have one moment of silence to allow the judges to mark their ballots.
would the timers pls give me a signal at the end of one minute.

would the ballot counters please collect the ballots from the judges?

jugdes pls sign it, fold it and hold it up.

feedback

certificates should have member number on them. (can you tell i can't find the info???)
also, why doesn't that club honour the rule about project #6=entitlements on evaluations? its so strict on so much else!

also my past club timed evaluators including GE, and timers presented a report as did the dreaded ah counter.

09/22/2005 Humorous Speech Contest
09/29/2005 Table Topics 3rd place
02/16/2006 Evaluation Speech Contest

1) get to know logue like vogue jul 7, 2005
2) get to know AC (volunteer grant program commercial) aug 18, 2005
3) farewell roast to the double g (i wish he had come to the meeting instead of just approving it and sending me with the glenn doll instead. it would have been soooooooo much funnier if the whole class saw HIM laugh. he always LAUGHED.) sep 29, 2005
4) balanced feedback, jan 12, 2006
5) the gaits of the horse, feb 9, 2006 target speaker for guest evaluator

executive speech evaluations = jan 19th, feb 2

Toastmaster News:

Welcome to new member Kim Logue who has joined us from another Toastmaster club in Toronto. You will notice that Kim is already part-way through her Toastmaster manual and will be doing her CC # 6 speech in our club next week. Welcome Kim!

did i mention i served for the first time as timer??? they seemed a little put out that i actually led applause when people went over time, even though they explained to me that was my role and then i explained to them that's how i would DO my role.

i am going to find my ^%$ manual and put together a small speil on why SOME aspects of the timer's report MUST be up-held , in ever a super non rigid club like ours... for next week when i am g.e.

(i have never been good at the timing of things. but i did good, i swear. especially for a first timer)

i have already said how we have very gifted speakers in this club from whom to learn and emulate... but, today i was blown away by the evaluations. talk about nailing the issue and providing constructive feedback...

speaker #1 was encouraged to strive for a more conversational tone while tossing her notes over her shoulder. which was perfect, and the exact criticism i couldn't find to put on my evaluation page for her very confident and engaging delivery, with very minimal reference to notes... but, it was exactly correct that her strict adherence to her pre-planned words was detrimental to her CONNECTION with the audience. at coffeee afterwards she said she was reminded to memorize the flow of ideas only for next time.

speaker #2 was eloquently busted for not quite being funny with his humourous story opener and then busted again for the fact that it was difficult to relate the joke to the content of the speech. kablam.

* * *
talk about a diverse group, so many international students and so many u of g employees make for quite a blend. different cultures, different ages, different interests, different backgrounds, different beliefs and attitudes... i enjoy the especially ecclectic nature of this club.

next week i am GE, and i am praying the others on the waiting list before me decline the speech role vacancy that has appeared for august. otherwise i am to wait until late september to do my project #6 -- the speech which entitles one by the way, to give speech evaluations to your fellow toastmasters.

* * *

would you believe two toastmasters are horse people? i had never known much about the iceland gaited horse, and look forward to learning more (meanwhile, i am to go watch a beginner's dressage lesson in my own neighbourhood tomorrow evening...) furthermore, the icelandic pony lady runs the media lab (open to the public) in the university building next door to our meetings and they help people learn to operate A U D A C I T Y. of all things. now, tell me that's not a synchronous sign, in support of my goals... i think i will offer to work on a website for them too -- if my former PR boss will mentor me on the topic. more soon!

tro-t

wal-k

whoa. walk on.

i will add some vocal variety to the number 5 speech to make it number six and i am good to go.

no trouble at this club getting a spot they say? oooooooookkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaay...

A CULTMEMBER'S PROMISE

to attend club meetings regularly
to prepare all my speeches to the best of my ability
to prepare for and fulfill meeting assignments
to provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations
to help the club maintain the positive, friendly environment neccessary for all members to learn and frow
to serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so
to treat my fellow club members with courtesy and respect
to bring guests (and share benefits)
to adhere to guidelines and rules for educational and recognition programs
to maintain honest and highly ethical standards during the conduct of activities

did someone say "forget me not" blue grass in their yard?

did someone else paint a spiritual picture of a woman who changed her name from white to blue when she married?

this club does actual toasts. we have dixie cups with water in them but it still feels unholy to be toasting before 7:30am on a WEEKDAY!

"to local produce" cities live and die on commerce

i like the signs on the doors (of such beautiful buildings), but i wish they clapped more...

anti-capitalist rhetoric??

1) table topics in this particular torture chamber are unique because EVERYONE at the meeting participates. this week we had to say what we were going to grow in our unusual backyard garden and why... first i thought of telling the truth, and splaining how my geraniums are still alive in my guelph grown first ever success of a garden, then i considered talking about growing spinach cuccumber and sweet potatoe corn since i'd just recently imagined the blends of my favourite good for me foods and do indeed want to grow magic like that, but in the end, i announced to the table that i would also, like the table topic victim before me, GROW SOME MONEY. why not?

2) i am proud that i spoke up with a question to the presenter who did her Atm #19! about why big box retailers are good for our community. since she was so convincing and since i too want to save on gas money while saving on prices and benefitting from larger selection (even if its in trade for service quality), i couldn't think of a question that would speak strongly to an opposing view. so, i asked her "WHAT are the opposing views?" i asked her to define the best points of the "anti-capitalist rhetoric" she had referred to in her presentation... mean eh? THAT'll teach a girl to grow poison ivy in HER unusual garden eh? intruder remedy indeed...

* * *

this club has some really great role model-speakers. are they teachers AT the school? and i like that they don't bother with a timer's report or ah counting. because they have so many student members come and go, they break their annual fees down into half years. TRANSFERABLE to other club fees i might add, so if i want to join the liberty village club at harbourfront community
centre in september i can...

yes, i plan to join.

i like a less formal environment where i am welcomed for who i am.

i.e. today i wore my harbourfront hat to class, even though i was general evaluator! i told them they won't even recognize me next meeting and that they are NOT allowed to kick me out for bad fashion...

As General Evaluator, you draw on your experience to date in Toastmasters. Tackle it from the position of how you "feel" about what role-players did rather than whether it was "right" or "wrong". Feel free to mention to us that will be your approach to your role. You will make a positive contribution to the meeting if you concentrate on your personal reactions and feelings toward what was said or done and how it affected you. Role-players want feedback. I'll bet you have been disappointed when you did not get any. Recognizing something done well is appreciated particularly by first-timers.

This week the "first-timers" are:Toast/Timer, Language Enricher

Observe and make notes as the meeting progresses. The Chair introduces you after the Evaluation portion of the meeting. You go to the lectern, smile, shake hands, then wait for the Chair to be seated. If the Chair has not said so already, tell us something like "Feed-back is an important part of Toastmasters. Our Evaluators have responded to the Speakers. I will comment on other parts of the Meeting, and see that you learn the results of your ballots."

introduce the trophy presenters.
Smile and introduce the Language Enricher (........................................) by name. Shake hands and move back and to one side while he/she presents the Trophy to the winner. Shake hands with the Language Enricher, smile and applaud while the role-player returns to be seated.

Smile and introduce the Table Topics person (............................................) by name. Shake hands and move back and to one side while he/she presents the Trophy to the winner. Shake hands with the Table Topics person, smile and applaud while the role-player returns to be seated.

Comment on the meeting, and keep an eye on the clock and try to finish by 8:10am.

When finished, smile, turn to the Chair and step back to indicate you are through. The Chair will come to the lecturn, shake hands and applaud while you return to your seat.

* * *

General tone of the Meeting?
Did someone greet Members and Guests?
Sergeant-At-Arms had the meeting room set up (lectern, water, evaluation sheets, agenda) on time? (did members help)
Chair introduced Meeting Theme?
Agenda reviewed?
Roles assigned if role-players were not there?
Agenda adopted?
New Guests introduced by Members?
Introduced role-players in an interesting fashion?
Smooth transitions between sections of the meeting?
Toast/Timer -- Toast well executed and fits the Theme?
Timing explained?
Language Enricher -- Word readable, clearly defined, example provided?
Trophy presentation?
Table Topics smoothly introduced, fun, different?

* * *

If someone did a role for the first time, try to have a comment. Talk with role-players after the Meeting if you think it will help and will be well received.

perhaps what i thought was u of T magic is just a love of universities! i found the meeting room today soooooooooo beautiful it was worth getting up and out before 7 am in the pouring rain. with a huge old saddle in the corner??? i was so inspired i signed up to be general evaluator at the same ungodly time next week.

"With this for background -- I hope that you l like what you see and will join us. If you have time after Meetings, join the bunch that go across the street to Second Cup.

Your Table Topic today showed a knack -- and skill -- and sense of humour. We like that."

well, 7:15 comes pretty dang early.

and, i haven't been able to recruit any fellow cult-guests to meet me there for bonus points...

but, i got the warm yet professional welcome i have come to expect from a toastmasters club. i look forward to seeing what goes on at this one... its a good time of year to cough up $100 for a new club. i want to STOP being a quitter (ha ha) and actually finish a &^%$ program.

don't YOU want to be a toastmaster too? ? ?

uh, dear good cheer fairy,
i sure do know what you mean about the question sound at the end of every statement. (i've been listening to random i-talk memos washing into the shuffle)

i think its just the way i talk?
ACK.

there appears to be some good storytellers options in this town. two different groups i want to check out as well...

www.toastmasters.org

i have 5 clubs in my new town to choose from. i think i shalt guest once at each before choosing, so as to make a new neighbourhood network as broad as possible.

the one at the university is at 7:15am. ACK.

want to come?

I AM A SUNFLOWER.

for 2 minutes???


i HATE table topics ! ! !

last night as a guest i managed to last 48 seconds, with only 2 ums and a use of the word of the day (nonage). did i say anything related to being a sunflower? i should have mentioned how they shake in the wind...

at least i didn't back out like the other guest who said she would try it and then didn't. it is good to practice your weaknesses right?

it also helps me notice that when i DO have something i WANT to communicate, and have had a moment to prepare, i'm not really shy about it anymore. certainly Much Improved!

and by the way, duh, Toastmasters always stand.

This is the kind of "learning beyond language" that the torture chamber is good for.

As well as recruiting for the Harbourfront Community Centre club, I think I might shalt explore some other geographical options (N says we should start our own. Want to join?)

Liberty Village Toastmasters:

last night i visited the club that meets at the Harbourfront Community Centre. Can you believe they made a guest do a table topic? CRUEL. i spoke for 32 seconds with 3 ums to accept the award for Patience.

i know that THEY didn't know it (it was a just a random pick from the envelope afterall, but I know i deserve it...)

the area governor was there and she raved about how that particular club is such a successful one that it serves well as a model for clubs that are struggling. she recommends to other clubs to come check out Liberty Village. cool eh?

they were all so welcoming! and, i liked how the person assigned a role explained it, and i liked how they awarded a prize for the table topics winner and i liked how they had a quizmaster. if i ever do THAT role, i will TOSS candies out to the people who answer the questions correctly...

do i sound like it was fun? don't forget, it WAS a toastmasters torture chamber... i might shalt join. it is really bugging me to be only half way thru the CMT...

want to join too?

isn't it nice that i got a coffee card present as one of the newsletter article writers? i think it looks great and can't wait to hand out the copies i have in my hands... the VP PR e-offerred a big thank you for "tremendous contributions... we couldn't have done it without you!"


* * *
mr. diversity indeed:

what an inspiration!

do you think i wrecked mr. awesome speaker's ability to stress the point when i put up my hand and guessed 7% of a communication is based on the actual WORDS? i'm proud to have guessed correctly.

he stressed how toastmasters teaches language BEYOND words.

i like his intention/mandate to create an inclusive environment, while dealing with the legacy and what he called the language GAP in the organization, referring really i guess to imbedded mind sets, and images that we respond to in said culture.

80% of the 45,000 employees are women, visible minorities or diversely abled? yet the exective is 80% white as in anglo saxon men?

DO WE ALL WANT TO WORK FOR THIS GUY???
i think we all encourage the state of being different. the human dimension.

incidentally, he does not look old enough to have completed a Masters in Education by 1986.

he is looking for people for his team to figure out the attraction vs. exit trends and work on corrections...

what on earth would be a suitable next step for a keener like me?
* *
arrange a liberty village toastmasters visit a week wednesday...
also, a trip into the other club in the tower on the same day?

The first table topic thrown at me, June 2nd was "you are about to embark on a sports vacation. where are you going and what sport/activity are you going to be doing?" Luckily, I had just been reading about an adult camp for horse back riders, so I enthused about that, for 29 seconds and 3 ahs.

i first acted as table topics master, on the theme of joy. This was July 14.

the purpose of table topics is to give everyone in the room an opportunity to speak, and second to allow people to practice and "think and speak on their feet" we listen for responses between 1 and 2 minutes

1. this question is for someone who has a wonderful, complicated, imperfect life with a real marriage. how did you meet/when did you recognize "The One?"

2. If someone were to command that you give yourself a treat or two every day just because you're you, no exceptions no excuses, what special indulgences would you enjoy?

3.Can you identify and articulate at least one of your heart's desires? Please share with us what you want and why...

4. The author of the Joy Diet recommends speding 15 minutes a day doing nothing. She contends that a daily period of mindful silence provides a sanctuary that no one can ever take from you... Have you ever mediated or created a sanctuary? If so, describe.

note to self:

1) next time, INTRODUCE YOURSELF to the person you want to meet and chat with to learn more about their career

2) wouldn't it be great if we had some sort of cult e-forum to post notes to each other instead of the e-mail flurries of congratulatory remarks that follow each meeting?

it's essentially PERFECT, don't you think?
besides the fact that our names should have appeared beside our articles i mean.

i have tried to paste the newsletter pdf here 1,000 times but i can't make it work. pls ask for your hard copy today!

whoo hoo! since the prez says i can come as a guest i am keeping my spots as booked for the meetings... well, the next ones i booked roles for anyway.

wait a minute, does that mean i should bring my guitar???
just in case like? or do they really warn you in advance. i'm back up #2, afterall...

i think the newsletter is coming out soon too. it's to the prez for final approval this weekend i believe. it is soooooooo slick and professional yet cool and represents our clever membership wonderfully!

i'm so glad i got to pen a little piece and that the editor put it on the front page, and will list my name as a contributor. i am very proud of it. maybe i should try and SELL copies. ha ha.

***
p.s.

when i ask the Double G for a reference letter, i will ask him to pretty please approve of my toastmasters speech IN WRITING (as presented with his approval).

if only i could post the sound of him laughing and calling it cute on the blog!

Back Up Table Topic Questions:


tell us about your most memorable St. Paddy's day

tell us about your favourite St. Paddy's day tradition

Toastsmasters Club Involvement and CMT Program Progression:

- Chaired International Speech Contest 03/2006
- Target Speaker for Toastmasters Expert Evaluator 03/2006
- 3rd in Table Topics contest 09/2005
- 3rd in Humour Contest, TD Supreme Toastmasters 09/2005

- acted as PR committee memberwhich included support of website http://supremetdtoastmasters.org/tm101a/?pg=homeand newsletter content

- Completed Projects 1-5(Get to Know Logue like Vogue, A Farewell Roast to the Double G, AC Takes Ten, Balanced Feedback, The Gaits of a Horse)03/2006 - 07/2005

Bookings

Thu May 4
Back up Speaker 2, Back up Speech Evaluator

Thu May 11
Back up Speaker, Back up Speech Evaluator

Thu Jul 6
Back up Speaker, Evaluator 2

Thu Jul 13
Speaker 1, CMT 6

Thu Aug 3
Speaker 2, CMT 7, Evaluator 1

Thu Sep 7
Speaker 2, CMT 8

Feedback Requested?

Task: min 200 words for the education section of the newsletter; 1st draft 400 words

Title: Evaluate to Motivate
Congratulations Fellow Supreme Toastmasters,

It is well known that evaluations are the heart of the Toastmasters program, and we have shown a lot of heart. Despite the fact that we are such a young club, I do not think it is any wonder our club won at the Regional level. A winner in both of the categories. We give good evaluations! And, we receive them. I notice that we coach each other not only on public speaking delivery skills, but on the effectiveness of the presentations themselves, content-wise and in terms of speech structure and development.

Remember what Paul S** taught us with his visit February 9, 2006? Be specific. And be honest, without being overly complimentary. Directly provide real, meaningful feedback. For sure after hearing his presentation, and then seeing him put his expert preaching into practice by doing an evaluation right before our very eyes/ears, I bought into his tougher minded approach. “I’m sorry if I went a little light” he said to me after publicly providing at least 3 or 4 specific recommendations I could take away, without making me feel bad about an effort I was personally very disappointed in.

If you truly want to help a person improve you must offer useful evaluations of their efforts. I thought he suggested we be brave in addressing opportunities for improvement, while also stressing the importance of diplomacy. I think we have all been sensitive to the fact that an overly harsh evaluation could cause hardship or harm to a fellow member but our invited educator that day reminded us that if you are too effusive or kind in balance then you deprive the speaker a chance to improve and develop.

I had suggested earlier we use a 3 to 1 did well to next time script, modeled on what I was taught for video coaching new Customer Interaction Models, and the Education Session made me rethink it. In the end my favourite approach is the one the Prez herself urged our Guest Education Session Presenter to define for us that day, the Toastmasters sandwich. You remember, packaging your feedback so that you acknowledge something positive up front, then get to the meat of it and provide your specific recommendations and reasons, the next time feedback, and on the other side of that you provide more positive feedback.

I say, keep those sandwiches coming! Our meetings make a healthy, nourishing lunch.



Contributor’s profile:
this writer was honoured to act as chairperson recently for the recent club International Speech Contest, and keeps a toastmasters-y blog, which you are welcome to check out at http://loguelikevogue2.blogspot.com/ (there's worksheets!)

General Evaluator's Checklist:
Confirm Evaluation Team in advance of meeting, and arrival at meeting. Introduce each evaluator.

Advise timer of each evaluator’s time line (1, 1:30 and 2)

"speaker # ___, _____________ will be evaluted by _____________ . Please welcome _____________________.

Advise timer of each evaluator's time line (1, 1:30, 2)
________________ who will be evaluating 'speaker #__, _____________. Please welcome _____________________.

Thank each Evaluator for speech evaluation.
Inform the timer that General Evaluator has 2, 2:30 and 3 minutes to complete the general evaluation.

Pick Three Did Wells and One Meeting Next Time. Also, use this time for overall club feedback
.i.e.Did the meeting flow smoothly? ___________________________________
Did each section, each speaker begin and end on time?______________
Was everyone well prepared?_____________________________________
Were there any distractions?______________________________________
Organization________________________________________
Delivery ___________________________________________
Enthusiasm _________________________________________
Observation _________________________________________
General performance of duties
Chairperson/Table Topics Presenter/JokeMaster ?Timer /Ah Counter /Grammarian / Toast Presenter /Education Presenter /Quotemaster / Speaker 1 /Speaker 2

Request Grammarian's Report
Request Ah Counter's Report
Request Timer's Report

Return The Floor to Chair

*
http://loguelikevogue2.blogspot.com/2006/08/gryphons-club-general-evaluators.html

re: next week's farewell ramblings


*
general evaluator's food for thought:

- i love the 'i am a guest' name card

- suggest recent guest introductions as standard?
i.e. recount my 1st guest's experience vs. recent visitors;

-speakers need attendance kept for them!

-downloadable agenda from website to act as hard copy invitations, and/or posted as a sign?

- compliment reading clarification of role while performing it as example!

Supreme TD Toastmasters Moments:

what about our combo girls? wasn't that cute? good things come in small packages followed by tall tales. they are so clever. and funny! i felt like i should have payed a cover charge to attend such a funny meeting.

* * *

Would you believe a contestant burst into tears? in the contest i chaired today.
ohmigod, of all the rotten questions! a question i asked i mean. this was in the beauty pageant part, when the counters and the officials are doing all the math from the scorecards in the hallway and its the chairs job to interview the contestants...

of course, my redundancy-end-of-contract departure, means i did not get all the speech bio's in the internal mail and had had to resort to inventing questions off the wall like, and pre-decided we would all just do one big cult commercial and was asking them each things like:

what inspired you to come out to your first meeting and what was it like?
who inspires you as a great speaker and why?
and i asked her "how she thinks the club and program has impacted her life?" and, she burst into tears! and she gulped for air and she tried to speak but that just made it worse and so then i had to hug a person in front of the whole class and ohmigod the poor woman. and the poor chairperson! you can bet i will tiptoe around the NEXT questions i ask anybody in an interview in public. ack!!

oy yoy yoy. it turns out that a person who has since died invited her to her first meeting, and she was just thinking about that and i guess with contest jitters all added on top and just the right table topic for time killing added and whammo, calamity follows Madame Chair.

the truth is, i had fun though. and i did a good job, despite of the fact i doooooooooo have a list of next times... LIKE WATCH WHAT YOU ASK A PERSON etc.

Evaluation Contest Thoughts:

next time i will think of trying to suggest something less obvious, since FIVE people reviewing the same speech (albeit not in your presence) means the odds are kind of high the target speaker, the fellow toastmasters, honoured guests and judges have heard it before, by the time number four or five get going. and seriously, next time i will not miss the most important recommendation i have for the speaker, which was that her speech did not even give us one iota of emergency handling training. it only inspired us to want some. ALSO, I THREW OUT MY NOTES! duh! i needed them in front of me for emergencies! what on earth was i thinking that i'd memorized the three points, i didn't need to bring my back up pre made notes! (they take them away, while you're waiting, and just hand 'em back before you go).
*
next time, i will be able to see the second hand on my watch or a clock. i think the timer did not give me a 2 min flag but i admit i had no idea how long anything would take, so i am not sure what almost barfing today actually learned me...
* *
I was disappointed that the contestants don’t listen to each other but sit out in yoga hall.
"what does it mean that you are a dancing girl?" she asks me, in front of the whole class...


Nov 17
You want me to evaluate you? but you're my role model for evaluations...

* *
i took a table topic "what are some of the wonderful times you had when you turned 16?" and talked about how i got my 365 the DAY i turned 16 and i got my liscence the day after. i told them about the time me and a carload of barn girls did about 18 donuts before the car was planted deep in a snow bank and how we then shovelled and pushed our way out, trying everything and anything to get my mom's blue honda out of the spot without having to call any parents for help! we were successful in the end getting unstuck, by stripping layters and using our clothes under the car wheels for woolen traction. i also told about how i tested my dad's blue oldsmobile to see how it felt to go 100 miles an hour.
THIS OLDEN DAYS CHATTER TOOK 54 SECONDS AND 3 UMS
* *
as general evaluator i got everything out of order, by not having thought 1 second ahead and then following an agenda that had mistakes in it; i insisted that the um counter be hard core and include the "so's" and all told spoke for 1 min and 31 seconds, with 8 ums/so's, about how i approved of all the goofy stunts (aka mistakes in protocol) that required double applause and while managing to throw out the meaningful suggestion that the chair and or table topics master keep a few extra questions handy for days when some speakers don't make it.

oct 14

i forgot to tell you what happened yesterday. i'm on the agenda to evaluate someone's speech okay, so i should be prepared out of respect to the key member of the club that has put in so much energy blah blah blah but i'm not okay... so i'm sitting there reading the manual on evaluating someone's speech while the table topics are going on. THE TABLE TOPICS MASTER IS SUPPOSED TO VOLUNTOLD PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ON THE AGENDA already, plus, she's my bud, so i know i'm safe to avert my eyes and try and get my homework done...except she calls on me for crying out loud. so i go up there and the question she gives me is: RED YELLOW ORANGE OR GOLD pick a colour and describe its personality.

what the^%$# are you supposed to say about that? for TWO minutes????

i survived for 39 seconds, which included clarifying how long i was supposed to try and talk and pointing out that my "bud" broke the rules. and then mentioning that that made ME see red, and left me unable to pick a colour. and who cares about picking a colour anyway when the best thing about fall is ALL the colours and how they all blend together just like the various personalities of a torture-i-mean-toastmasters club.

b r u t a l.

then the speech i evaluated was awesome. seriously, totally inspirational content wise and truly well, well delivered. with a dramatic donning of the gi to start it all off, so it was easy to enthuse off the top of my head, just referring to notes i jotted for specifics... and finally coming up with the suggestion that she could smile more for the free good endorphins and offerring one real "next time" which is that she shouldn't make us wait so long between speeches!

Oct 6

the only thing worse than being a table topics master at the cult meeting, is being the chair person when the table topics master doesn't show up.

today's learning lesson: keep a back up question or two in your pocket, for just such an occurence. also, check attendance in the room, before you begin! etc.

in truth, a heartfelt plea and admission of the predicament was a great strategy. volunteers were up at the front before i had time to thank them or introduce them. we all just gave thanks! thanksgiving is a gooooooooooooooooooood theme, that i had announced in advance. so, who needs table topics questions

sep 29

I didn't realize that we would all get the same topic and that we would be standing in the hall outside waiting for our turn to speak...it kinda foiled my plan of just speaking to what others before me had said. but anyway... the topic was tears of joy.
I said essentially that it was a timely topic for me since I had just spent all night in the hosptial waiting for my mom to wake up from an operation. And that when she woke up we ALL shed tears of joy. And that what really meant the most to me was, when I squeezed her hand, how hard she squeezed it back.
Then there was still like a minute to kill so I ummed a bit about comedy and tragedy and beauty and sorrow all blending in mysterious ways.
and then i relaxed and finished my coffee listening to the other poor saps that volunteered for the torture too.

Sep 22

so, i think my entry in humour contest was a huuuuuuuuuuuge success. especially since i didn't win and am thus done with it, and even if nobody (including ME) laughed.

also, thank GOD i drew first spot, because i got to enjoy the rest of the meeting.
all three of the other competitors were very funny !!! and, i was a good laugher, front row.

contestant #2's was called
communicating to get what you want: how i got my husband
she told some great stories about learning how to ask guys out.

contestant #3's was called
country mouse, town mouse (i think)
and she slayed us with total hick scenarios vs. problem solving with good ole country common sense (i.e. use of beer and duct tape) -- imagine a woman who can drive a tractor, and handle toronto traffic, walking away with 2nd place! lucky her the first place winner is travelling during the next phase so she will represent our club.

contestant #4's was called
looking for love in all the wrong places.
and he won with his story about accidentally taking a modern dance class (because the latin dancing class was full) to try and meet women. the hilarity flowed nicely through physical re-enacting the one session he attended! and i was especially impressed because i know this guy considers himself to be too serious.
~

Club Members Cubicle Sign:
(post or circulate weekly, as appropriate, with day's agenda and/or outlook calendar appt)

Happy Toastmaster’s Day!
want to be my guest?

The courageous and curious are encouraged to attend!
12:00 – 1:00 XX Tower, XXX fl, XX Room

greetings from the club PR committee

Speech Evalutor's Worksheet:


what could the speaker have done to make it more effective?
i.e. limiting the main ideas to 3 instead of 5 would have helped you to make the points more effectively. NEXT TIME...


describe your own reaction (tone AND content):







consider speech organization/content
i.e. opening/body/conclusion. specific purpose. vivid words write for the ear rhetorical devices
economical, correct word choice without jargon, descriptive, specific word usage, research
logical flow of ideas, emotion conveyed, etc.

consider body language
movement stance gesture expression eye contact

consider vocal variety
silence(pauses) expressive good voice posture breathing rehearsed expressive/volume rate pitch



* *
public speaking is a skill, and like any skill it can be developed and improved. in toastmasters feedback is called evaluation, and it is the heart of the educational program. you observe the speeches of your fellow club members and offer evaluations of their efforts, and they do the same for you. if you truly want to improve your speaking skills, you must learn how to give and receive helpful evalutations.

Project 5) Your Body Speaks


There is a pony girl pic on our members profile page, and it is of Kim Logue, who is practicing teaching an UNMOUNTED riding lesson today, and will talk to us about the gaits of a horse.
*
I am a the rookie addition to the team of riding instructors at Myrddin, and, my specialty there is beginners (gesture). but usually, the classes involve actual HORSES, so today, i am forced to resort (in leui of equine assistance) to more than body language and will incorporate some body percussion into my presentation on how a horse moves.

Fellow Toastmasters, and Honoured Guests, rest assured, I will also cover the basic rider position...

The position in which the rider sits on the horse is governed by several factors, the first one being the actions needed of the rider to control the horse correctly. Communicating with their equine partner, the rider must establish a position based on BALANCE. The rider’s physical shape, and the shape and size of the horse are also contributing factors to how they establish their seat, and position on horseback. While remembering BALANCE, rather than trying to grip. Symmetry is also really important.

Here is an illustration of a stationery position, where the laws of stationary balance apply. I will also model it for you... straight line thing.

At the halt, the rider should demonstrate this correct and balanced position. Although a perfectly square halt is not always possible for beginners, attention should be paid to straightness. Thinking of the horse having four corners can help riders produce better halts.
For a rider, the laws of balance really kick in and apply in motion, will apply once the horse begins to move in the three basic paces: walk trot and canter.

1. I want to explain to you that the walk is a four time movement with each horse leg moving individually in a clear one-two-three-four beat being heard. A rider must move with the horse’s natural rhythm without any pumping of the body when riding this slow gait. Each of the horse’s feet come down as they are lifted right fore, left hind, left fore, right hind, while the horse travels at about 5 to 7 km per hour. The rider should demonstrate the correct contact with the horse’s mouth, and an experienced rider should be able to influence a horse’s stride, longer and more forward through use of their legs. Talk about the halt four step transition? Talk about the whoa whoa whoa thing?

2. stomp, clap, up, down: Trot is a two time or two beat pace with the horse’s legs moving in diagonal pairs. Like this (Demo Trot) Moving faster than the walk, right forefoot and left hind foot at same time with the horse stepping from one diagonal to the otherWhen the horse trots he can travel from 10-14 km, or I also read 6 miles per hour. The horse's head does not usually bob up and down as it does in the walk.
Riders can ride a sitting or posting trot. In a rising trot, the rider sits and rises in time (beat) to the up and down movement. . Riders should be in the sitting phase of the posting trot when the outside front leg hits the ground. This is because when the horse’s inside hind leg and outside front leg are in their supporting phase, the horse is able to support our weight easier.

3. My winter favorite horse pace, is the rhythmical swinging gait with three distinct beats, called the canter. I think it is usually about 10 miles an hour. I always find it easy to remember how it works, because it all starts with the rider’s position for the transition. You put your outside leg back behind the girth as part of the signal to canter, and this engages the horse’s outside hind leg. And then the other hind and the opposite fore leg move in unison, hitting the ground for the second beat, and then the inside fore hits the ground last. While cantering, the horse is either on the left or right lead. In this demonstration, I am a horse on the left lead and with the left front leg hitting the ground in front of, not before, the right leg. When turning in a circle to the right, the horse should be on the right lead, and when turning to the left, should be on the left lead. In the canter, there is a moment of suspension, when all the feet are off the ground at the same time. When cantering, a rider should sit up tall in the saddle keeping your center of gravity over the horse's center of gravity, with your seat deep and relaxed. following the movement of the horses back.


Doesn't that sound fun? Thank you for letting me practice explaining the gaits of the horse, without a horse. Isn't it something you always wanted to know? I wanted to conclude by handing out a flyer for I've been working on for introductory riding lessons. The point is that the address is on there, and tours of the barn are free. So come and visit me!

Project 4) How to Say It

Kim Logue is talking today about Balanced Feedback, so really, she says, the name of her speech should be: Why I love Toastmasters!
*
Greetings Fellow Toastmasters

Today I decided to talk for 5 minutes on a topic I am passionate about rather than presenting a formally pre-prepared speech. I am really grateful to Toastmasters as a forum and I really look forward to YOUR feedback on this kooky experiment!

Balancing feedback has become increasingly important to me personally because of my learning curve in a new position at the Bank, as well as my recently re-established role as a horseback riding instructor who takes beginners through the introductory program at Myrrdin stables in Georgetown. Not to mention the feedback one benefits from as a Toastmaster!!!

1) I think what we do here is all about providing balanced feedback. We offer evaluations that are helpful, positive, constructive and motivational opinions.
- The tone and content of an evaluation have a great impact: too kind and you deprive the speaker of a spark to improvement and too harsh can cause true hardship;
We are learning to be a better listener and more critical thinker

Toastmasters Script=
Mention something the speaker did well
Mention something that could be improved
And make a SPECIFIC recommendation for improvement

What you feel is important
Be honest and clearly address an issue

* *

2) As an break out room facilitator I was trained that in order to provide the most effective feedback, use name and provide positive to next time feedback in 3:1 ratio.

Satistically 10 to 1 negative outweighs positive - A friend at a party fat pants story

Another key is considering negative feedback as next time feedback. Not woulda shoulda coulda but FUTURE focused.

discuss phrasing using handout


Conclusion=
I enjoy receiving feedback from Toastmasters, and I look forward to developing my skills in presenting it. Thanks for allowing me to share some of the important tips I came across on the topic.

Proposed Balanced Feedback Script Handout

Fellow Toastmaster (use name),

I liked (state skill). What you said was (provide direct quote from work), and that was good because (state benefit).

My next time feedback for you is (state most important suggestion.) This would be good because (state benefit). This could be accomplished by (make specific recommendation for improvement).

Project 3) Get To The Point
A Farewell Roast to The Double G

Kim Logue says that the former boss and team she has recently departed is far too heart broken about her departure to acknowledge it in anyway. So, as usual, this hardworking employee is taking matters into her own hands. Her speech today has been "pre-approved" one VP and Director who said "you have captured the essence of working for GG." And her current boss who said, "Well... practice speaking with pauses, so people have time to laugh..."
*
Unless it was such a great party that I've forgotten it, I’m throwing my own going away celebration, and you’re invited! Invited to laugh that is, at my saga of the impossible boss…Do I only get seven minutes?

Fellow Toastmasters, Double G Survivors and other Honoured Guests,
Please allow me to begin a Farewell Roast to the Double G.

I got the interview, with the former, impossible boss, when a friend of mine told him, that I am a buxom blonde.

I got the job, working for the Double G, when I turned out NOT to be another of the shrinking violet types HR kept sending him to interview for the position.

I think my former bossman liked the moxy with which I had just written a paper at NBF, for V8. My proposal was that, since the company paying for free drinks for staff all day anyway, why not offer healthier alternates than pop and coffee as well? You know, in order to be more cost effective by having nourished, strengthened employees.

The GG, on hearing that story during our interview, said “you want V8. I can get you V8.” And I did receive one warm bottle of the usually so tasty tomato juice on my very first day.

The very first moment I started working with The GG, I stopped feeling overqualified for the role. The corporate and investment banking world is so intense, and believe me, our CIB is King of the sweatshop! The GG then, is King of Kings and moves at about 2,000 miles an hour. He never even finishes his sentences!

I would jot down what ever he half uttered in my trusty black book, and then quote his blurt back to him later, so we could follow through and actually accomplish whatever his goals were on any given day.

When he wasn't Gone Golfing (out earning his nickname), he snapped his fingers at me, expected me to interpret conflicting facial expressions, had me say outrageous things to very important people and made me memorize how he likes his coffee from Tim Hortons versus his lattes from Timothy’s.

While I paid for them all with my own money! Imagine! An underpaid and overworked employee with a balance accruing on a visa card while I pay for my boss's refreshments during the day, because he was too busy to reach in his wallet to provide coffee money along with the demand to fetch it…

I remember pleading with another VP on the team to make my case for improved job parameters. His reply? Simply “Deaf Ears, my friend. Deaf ears.” and a shrug.

I tried, really tried to understand how to meet my job requirements. The best answer came from one of the VPs on the team who took the time to explain “My job is to fix the GG’s mess on the outside. Your job is to fix GG’s mess on the inside.”

This, incidentally, from the guy who cleans his office once every five years, and chose my brief tenure in the department as that exact window of opportunity. I guess he figured, why not, the boss was Gone Golfing and everyone else was cleaning out their office, through me, at the time! That guy was supposed to be my mentor as a rockstar too, but somehow the sacred axe he promised to loan me never materialized…

Do NOT get me started on missing items. I do not know if was lousy tipping habits or just the stupors clients and coworkers could drink him into, but many-a-credit-card left for many-a-bar-tab went missing, and ended up on MY things to solve list.

And please note, I never got to go out for beers!

As for the rest of the team, it was as if I’d given them, his carefully selected for their likeness team, these instructions (compiled from various internet sources) on how to enhance the relationship with the assistant:
1. Never assign work in the morning. Always wait until 5:00 and then bring it. The challenge of a deadline is refreshing! Really, do your best to keep me late. I like the office and really have nowhere to go or anything to do…
2. Always leave without telling anyone where you’re going. It allows creative responses when someone asks where you are or assumes that you've Gone Golfing!
3. When the my arms are full of papers, boxes, or supplies, don’t open the door, or otherwise pitch in – just comment on how working out obviously makes me strong. And, be sure to invite me the next time you need your heavy golf giveaways carried down from marketing.
4. When, as a team, you assign more than one job, don’t mention which is a priority. Let me guess!
5. If you have special instructions for a job save them til the job is almost done!
And, finally, if it’s a rush job, run in and interrupt every 2 minutes to inquire how it’s going. That helps.

In conclusion, I would like to offer these tips to his official new keeper, about the best way to survive your new assignment with the Double G. First, chose your battles carefully. Second, cry to make your point.

And, remember, his saving grace is he KNOWS he is impossible, so you can tell him so..

Since he has a sense of humour!
Or so I hope, since I've proceeded with a farewell roast.
Thanks for listening. And for laughing