My Greatest Experience as a Toastmaster

It is hard to pick one time out of the hundreds, even thousands of experiences I have enjoyed the most over the past years with Toastmasters.

I could start with the overwhelming relief I felt as I put my notes down and realized that I had survived my first “Icebreaker” speech. Or perhaps the feeling of satisfaction that went with completing my 10^th speech and achieving the CTM designation of a Competent Toastmaster. Maybe the simple words of an evaluator “I remember when you first started, you could barely get out a full sentence. Now you've become a great speaker.”

No, my greatest experience came after a speech I made on my vision of the future. I always try to make my speeches as interesting as possible. By mixing a variety of facts and theories along with my personal beliefs I hoped to come away with an interesting talk that will keep my audience engaged.

I thought the speech went well but I wasn't sure. Did I keep the audience's interest or was I talking over their heads?  The evaluation was good, but for me it was the timer's reaction that told the story: “I'm sorry, I was so captivated by the speech that I forgot to keep track of the time.” - Mission accomplished.

 

Rick Nesbitt

It's all in the preparation...But is it?

It's all in the preparation...But is it?

Interestingly enough, we can tell you how to craft a good speech, a little humour, no politically incorrect topics or phrases, then oh my...the person who doesn't do any of the aforementioned places first.
 
So, as a seasoned Toastmaster, I can only recommend that you speak on what's near and dear to your heart and soul. Always ask yourself "If I only had one chance to share with an audience, what would I want them to know?"

Think about the message you want to share, there has to be a point.

Getting ready for a contest means being prepared to move on. You just never know what will happen. For a lot of us, the first time winning is purely accidental...but from then on
it hardly is.

So will you be prepared for the next contest?

It has been an exhilarating experience for me and one I wish to continue experience, heck it's legal and much cheaper than drugs!

Annette Lavigne
A member since 1995
Owner/Creator of Shy Busters!

Guest Post - Off Grid Housing in Southwestern Ontario

Though he has been unable to officially join our group (for awhile at least), we were quite pleased to have Carl Bottema join us for a couple meetings as a guest.  Wanting to be engaged with our group, he oferred at one point to write a blog entry on something he was truly interested in and I happily agreed.  It's our hope that he will join us a little later...perhaps the fall?  Carl?  -- Tim Norton (President)
Off Grid Housing in Southwestern Ontario

The age old saying has never seemed so true; “A penny saved is a penny earned.”  Although this saying is applied to a variety of applications it can also be situated in the sentence of off grid housing. When a person has decided to go off the grid, they are taking a large step in decreasing their dependency of being on the grid as well as being free from the monthly costs of energy to operate the home.

When deciding upon going off the grid, analyzing the current loads within the home are required to understand these demands.  The energy saved within your home results in little need to generate fossil fuel or renewable energy.   Even if you are connected to the grid, having these conservative and efficient strategies will equate to lower energy bills. By creating a home with energy efficient appliances and strategic building design will reduce renewable energy system expenses or eliminate the need for backup power.

Those that are aware of the appliances in which they are using and what needs to be used and when, can help you adjust habits to minimize household energy use.  In order to determine which appliances is most energy efficient, it’s those that require no energy input.  This may seem too easy but by simply hanging clothes to dry on a clothesline instead of using a dryer saves energy. The next strategy is to use energy efficient appliances.  Evaluating the key energy losses within a home are crucial for reducing the loads with these are the Electronics, HVAC equipment, and well-sealed home.

Once an understanding of the loads within the home have been determined it can be reduce by consciously knowing that their using a great amount of energy and detrimental for an off grid house.   By making this little bit of effort throughout the entire house ensures that there is little energy used for living inside the home.  Incorporating structurally insulated panels, passive solar design, energy efficient appliances and heat recovery ventilators significantly reduce your dependence on the grid.

For an off grid house to operate effectively and consistently it must be supported by a consistent renewable energy supply for the system to be seamless.  The energy supply needs to be strong enough to support the loads within the home.  There are the typical ways of generating electricity which include photovoltaic, wind energy and wood power yet the uncommon sources such as micro hydro, solar hot water and geothermal are very useful dependent on your situation.

In order for an off grid house to operate effectively there must be strategy for storing the energy until it is needed or required. In a home this can be difficult because of the inconsistency of the energy use throughout the day.  For a family household, everybody wakes up around 7 and there is a large energy use of the shower, cooking devices, lights, etc. Than they go to school or to work throughout the day when there is little to no energy use. When everybody comes home around 4 the hydro peaks until 9 in which everybody goes to bed.  Preparing a consistent energy supply for this is very difficult due to the irregularly use of the time in which energy is used. That is why it is important to have energy storage in order to store the energy when there is abundance and save it for times when it is required.  These include thermal storage, batteries and elevated water supply.

                                                                                                                                              By Carl Bottema

Toastmasters and the Environment

Toastmasters and the Environment.

The environment is one of today's hot topics. As well it should be. There are very few things in this world that have an impact on every single person on the planet. The environment and what happens to it will effect everyone from the Arctic to the Amazon, from the carrot farmer in the Holland Marsh to the sheep herder in New Zealand.

There are two ways we can look at the environment from a Toastmasters perspective. What we say and how we react to environmental ideas in our speeches and table topics comments can have a profound impact. But I think we should talk first about the environment on a more personal and immediate level.

Next time you go to your local meeting take a look around the room. One of the things you will notice is that a lot of people will have a beverage at hand. This is not surprising since Toastmasters meetings usually involve talking and speeches. Most people will need some type of liquid to keep from becoming too parched or to dislodge that frog that sometimes sets up in our throats.

Beverages are a good and necessary thing when talking is involved but the containers that these beverages come in needs some consideration. Did you know that plastic water bottles contribute up to 2 million tons of plastic waste ever year in the US. That plastic requires around 47 million gallons of oil every year to produce. The producers of bottled water will tell us that the water bottles can be recycled – true. But the fact is that over 80% of plastic water bottles simply get thrown out eventually making their way to the landfill where they can take up to 1,000 years to bio-degrade.

Instead of grabbing that bottle of water, consider a metal water bottle filled from home. Not only will this save money, but it is also a healthier alternative.  Many plastic water bottles contain the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA), that has been shown to be harmful to our health (Canada and US have recently banned BPA use in baby bottles). There is very little regulatory oversight concerning bottled water. Municipal tap water on the other hand is regularly inspected for bacteria and toxic chemicals. There is very little empirical evidence that suggests bottled water is any cleaner or better for you than the water that comes out of your tap at home.

Let's take a look at paper coffee and tea cups. Although made of paper a lot of coffee cups are not recyclable. The problem is most paper cups for hot beverages are laminated with a plastic resin. This process helps keep the contents hot and may stop leaking but it also prevents them from being recyclable. The average coffee drinker will throw away around 250 cups per year. In the US that works out to 58 billion cups a year. That is a lot of trash. In addition it takes 20 million trees and over 12 billion gallons of water to make those disposable cups.

There is an answer. It is not all doom and gloom. There is a way we can enjoy our favourite beverage and at the same time have a positive impact on the environment. It is called the travel mug. Travel mugs are a simple way we can bring a hot drink to a meeting and not contribute to the landfill. Available at most coffee shops, hardware and department stores, travel mugs are also insulated so they do a better job of keeping your beverage hot. So you can enjoy that tea without burning your hands.

So if you want to make a personal impact on the environment, consider bringing your travel mug or perhaps a metal water bottle to the next Toastmasters meeting. Using a metal water bottle or a travel mug is not only safer and healthier you will be making a positive, more sustainable choice for the environment.

Rick Nesbitt

Why I Joined....

The blog torch was passed to me to discuss a notable Toastmasters event I have experienced.

 What came to mind was the interesting combination of similarities and differences I have seen between Toastmasters clubs.  I joined Toastmasters at a corporate club. I participated in several meetings, however, my job role and location changed making it difficult to attend that location. That’s when I joined Speak for Success in Bradford, close to home.

I found both clubs were very supportive.  The meeting agendas and roles are also fairly similar.  The Corporate club meets for one hour each week, so the agenda and number of roles were paired down a little. 

I found the size of the corporate club to be one of the notable differences. It was literally a competition to sign up for roles and speeches at the corporate club.  At Speak for Success, I have found the smaller club provides members more communication and leadership opportunities.

Another difference I noticed, is that members of the local club are more invested in the club. This may be due of the smaller club size and more opportunities, but I think this is also because there is a greater sense of community associated with a club close to home.

All told, I’m happy how fate helped to change my Toastmasters experience, in my mind, for the better.

Bob Cameron
Vice President - Public Relations

A healthy change can create fulfillment in your life.

No resolutions for me, I believe in action. For those of you who lack will, take baby
steps. You know the saying one step at a time, this is a reasonable action solution.
Letʼs take an example, exercise. For some exercise is painful. Find the exercise you like
whether it is going for a walk in the woods, or doing a physical activity like racquet
sports or perhaps you are a quieter person who would appreciate yoga or stretching, it
really doesnʼt matter, find what it is that gives you pleasure and makes you feel good.
For me I need cardio activity everyday in order for me to thrive, so I do a physical
workout in the am but I also love the outdoors. Having a dog makes this happen for me
everyday and I appreciate the fresh air and nature and cherish those time. I just do it.

No resolution required!

 Start off slow...donʼt try to be an Olympian overnight, disappointment will surely happen
without even trying. Give yourself a reasonable action, try once a week. After
28 weeks (this is the time prescribed to create a habit) move your routine to twice a
week, give this 28 weeks and if you are truly ambitious add another day. You will know
what you are able to do, by how you feel. And the routine will be there before you know
it. The more you do it the easier it gets. Try to pick a time and date and stick to it. It will
make your routine easier to follow. If I put this in the context of a speech, I would take
action once a month to create a speech and practice it. This is how I was able to follow
through on my goals.

Be encouraging to yourself. This one we always forget...you are only going to do
something if you believe you can. So everyday when you look at what it is you would
like to achieve, tell yourself you can do it. When you have completed or got a routine
going celebrate by rewarding or giving yourself something that will make you feel good.
It can be simple or extravagant as you like, just set the celebration and make sure you
follow through. Perhaps use the 29th week for the celebration. Oh and donʼt be hard on
yourself if you have to change or miss a day, life happens and you can assure yourself
that you will resume the schedule after this circumstance.

Anything that is new takes time to work into your life. For those of you who have a very
full plate remember to add something else you need to remove something less
important. Sometimes it is that very full plate that makes your life take a back seat.
Again, only you will know what you can do. I remember the time when I was juggling a
new business, 2 infants, my aging parents and troubled brother, the daily cleaning,
cooking and all the other things momʼs do and exercise just wasnʼt in the picture, but I
always got my speech ready (that was the one thing I did for myself). Once my children
were independent enough I started to take a front seat to my action. Your time will come
too.

I guess you need to evaluate your life and move ahead the pieces that will help you be
more fulfilled and happy. I was once told “A happy wife is a happy life?” for you men
food for thought. I believe men and women need to do something that will create a
challenge in their life, because learning is growing and changing routines can be as
refreshing as a holiday, which make us more productive, but most of all fulfilled.

Marsha Field

Start with a goal

They say when you want to achieve a goal start with the end in mind. As a new member of Toastmasters it can seem overwhelming trying to come up with speech topics and getting through 10 speeches can seem daunting to complete your Competent Communicator Level 1. On the flip side it must be very challenging to keep topics fresh after a period of time with Toastmasters. I had to ask myself what would I hope to accomplish after 5 years and how do I use Toastmasters as an effective  tool for continuous improvement over time rather than a “one and done” program.

The moment I knew the Bradford Toastmasters club was for me was hearing from the long standing members who are so passionate and excited about Toastmasters and what they take away from each session. It is quite amazing to see so many people enthusiastic to help each other achieve goals and overcome obstacles.
As a recent member I would love to get more insight from our tenured members on some of the following topics:

1.How to give a speech effectively (all of the thoughts and behaviors that go along with it.)

2.How to achieve goals through Toastmasters – a speech on case studies from local clubs

3.Murphy’s Law for speaking or leading

4.Common phrases from around the world

5.Craziest public speaking memory

6.Making mistakes and why you need to make mistakes to be successful

7.Common myths of speaking or leading

With a New Year here already it is important to ask yourself: What are my goals? Are they Smart goals? How can I use this tool in my life to help achieve my long term goals? Where do I want to be in 5 years ? Am I beginning with the end in mind?

 

Maggie Dempsey