Hi, last post to this blog. If you want to get in touch with Rangiora Toastmasters check out their new website. Have fun! Tim

Fw: Tuesday Night

Farewell - for at least a year and thank you all for making it the best night of the week for the past eight and something years.

A germ ridden Ray still managed to get us off to a bright start, there was nothing sick about his social life though. T/master Ellie's intro warmed us on a cool.

    Erika welcomed Dave for his seventh to Silver. Captain James Kirk - or was it Danny Crane took us to where no man had been before. Dave beamed himself up and paralleled the starship whatsit with toastmasters. TimH introduced yours truly for nine minutes of self indulgence, tinged with some emotion I might add.

    Despite the bot Bard Ray intrigued us with tales of Al Capone, Easy Eddie, and strangely enough Butch O'Hare a Navy WWII fighter pilot.[there was a connection].

    Brendon - First time TT Master set a number of searching questions. Paul gave a yes or no answer to the question of role models in sport - quite right some are some aren't. Ellie had a novel answer to the question of rising food and fuel prices - throw out the kids - but there was more to it than that. TimH is a cat fan, my suggestion Tim is trap the cats and let the rodents run free. First time Annabelle fought the feelings of being a lamb and started on her trip to becoming a lion. AND she installed Broadband.

    After the usual evaluations another First Timer [at Rga] Debs fought the technology and produced a timer's report.

    Then several people said a lot of nice things, for which I was and am grateful.

    Thank you all, I will remain a Rga Toastmaster even if I don't attend the meetings.  Regards to all, Gerry

 

Fw: Gerry's last night

Hi one and all sshhh but I just can't let this slip by.  Gerry is taking a years sabbatical from this Tuesday on Many of you will have gained many a good laugh from Gerry and will be saying oh dear right now but after nearly 9 years Gerry feels he needs a wee break.

 

So I'd like to send him off with a lovely supper so could you please bring a wee plate to share and also if any of you would like to say a few words to Gerry can you please let me know before Tuesday.  I will not be publishing the programme ahead of Tuesday evening so that I can leave this as open as possible.

 Please note I've taken Gerry's email out of this list so please let's just keep it a secret and that way it can be a lovely surprise.

 Cheers  Ellie

Fw: Last Night at the Rga HS Library

It was a first time night last night, first we welcomed two new potential toastmasters Annabelle and Steve, it was Ray's first time as evaluator, Deb's first Rangiora speech, Paul was a first time timer.

    Doubling up as Sgt Ray was a busy man, hardly out of things at all, he cheered us up with quick fire humour, before introducing T/m DaveY.

    Ray again popped up when he introduced TimH's Ninth Speech [how time flies Tim], that speech was the one I disliked the most, that is when I  presented it in April 2001 [how time flies]. TimH showed me how it should have been done. His buy NZ speech made such an impact that when I got home I instructed my broker sell all my Warehouse shares. Then I stripped off all my imported garments. Standing in just my NZ Wool Sherpa Tensing style hat [but made in Nepal] I looked for my NZ Wool Socks [made in Nepal] but they had worn out - they say if the head and feet are warm the rest of you is warm.

    Erika made sense out of illogical traffic alignment decisions, and I'm glad I live in Leithfield.

    Debs ably assisted by none other than Ray attempted to sell a toaster, she gave us a good run down on the selling technique and was willing to answer the most probing questions.

    Debs was no sooner down than up hosting table topics, requesting some of our favourite things.She gave no one  the opportunity to pontificate on whiskers on kittens, nor raindrops on roses. However green fingered TimR did sound very knowledgeable horticulturally speaking about succulents meaning cacti [that is the correct plural]. Gerry who was evaluating at the time entertained with literary gems, eventually incorporating his favourite country.

First time Steve said all the right things, not only that he lasted the two minutes [that's more than I did].

Finally Ellie assaulted our olfactory senses by talk of her hobby of preparing succulent dishes for husband Dave.

The usual and some speedy evaluations and Paul's  first ever Timers Report, concluded the evening.  And that's it folks, Gerry   

Fw: A G M - [In Absentia]

I'm told on good authority that this is a blog, I didn't know that, but it must be true.

 

It's difficult to escape toastmasters even if you don't attend, for instance I was twenty km away, and yet I get to report [blog] on last week's meeting.

 

Ellie opened the AGM. I don't how many attended.  No doubt she was preceded by Sgt Ray. 

 

Erika's soapbox followed with a negative on pedestrian crossings, they don't work, praps they need winding up. [I don't have a problem at Leithfield]. Comedienne Jessica that well known stand up comic followed with the one about the hare with a permanent wave - the mind boggles [at least mine does].

 

So the scene was set for the part we love to hate. Ellie [busy lady] presided over table topics. TimH told us he loves Loburn although he hardly lives in Loburn's CBD. My reporter tells me Erika waxed eloquent on her travels on her CV [I'm not sure if she was writing her CV or riding on, or in it] Maybe it's a two litre CV. Pam - good on yer - preferred NZ to Oz, but was it only for the winter weather? Surely not.

 Dave  told us the joys of  teaching his son. Ray talked about a job he would love to do but hasn't yet done [surely there's nothing left?].  Paul talked about why he joined Toastmasters. Neil's contribution remains a mystery perhpas for ever.  Debs talked about her role as an Emergency Planning Manager in UK and incidents she dealt with [I didn't realise that Emergencies were planned, although listening to the media one wonders.  Perhaps in UK it's different from my long cobweb enshrouded memories].

 

The King is dead, long live the Queen [-sorry TimR  I was waxing lyrical I didn't mean it litereally. Weren't you there to defend your title?] 

 

The AGM followed and Debs was elected President for 2008-9. Neil  was elected as Treasurer; Ray Wilmott  Sergeant at Arms and Pam  as VP Membership, all of which were unanimously agreed.

 

Good on all of you, because the future of the club depends upon willing people to give a little of their time, I can't believe we don't have someone take over Education, and Publicity.

 

Come on and take up the challenge.

 

The meeting closed with Debs giving an update from the Divisional Governor on the huge growth of District 72 and finished with the following quote:

 

Some people wish it would happen

Some people want it to happen

Some people make it happen

 

See you all on Tuesday.

 

Regards

 

Gerry

FW: Rollin On and news from Taiwan

 

Tuesday night was another red letter day for we heard Olivia's Ice Breaker, congrats Olivia. That's two Ice breakers in two weeks [obviously not both from Olivia], but I don't think it will be a hat trick [three in a row]. There was yet another first timer when TimH presented his  educational - the first of many. We welcomed Ben who is holidaying in Rangiora from his home in Taiwan.

Sgt Ray who is settling well into the role gave us his usual cheery opening, and T/m TimR conducted a bright and breezy 'best night of the week'

I misheard the title of Olivia's speech I thought she was in a role. It all became obvious pretty quickly.  Erika steamed [giving way to diesel and diesel-electric] into the second speech, [hope it's not your Rga swan song Erika], with the awe inspiring task of developing an abstract concept. She held our attention with her Railways theme.

Body language was the buzz word for TimH's educational with examples thrown in, I was nearly thrown to the ground when we had to do a test stance for him.

TTM AND TTE was DaveY's dual role, proving that men can multi task. His topics were rather wordy however, some of which I'm sure were of his own invention.

Diaphanous - Ellie. Something about a gold pin up the bum. But no word that Dia was a Welshman.

Ringhals - according to Ray were the poor relations from Lord of the Rings -  sdrawkcab is backwards backwards, I'm not sure how relevant that is Ray.

Paestom - Chris stated the obvious that paestrom can only be a Rangiora Cake Decoration or made up by Dave.

Intaglio Pam, again them pesky ringhals got into the act, but I can't remember how or when

Fissiplerous - Gerry - this word was a blatent invention by our ttm/tte there aint no such word.

Shibboleth - Ben obviously was influenced by the Taiwanese/English - English/Taiwanese dictionary but to sum up his explanation - single chivalry - married shibboleth. Ben followed up table topics by a run down on Taiwanese Toastmasters.  After the necessary and enlightening evaluations we absqatulated.  See you all next week. Gerry 

ps Every one of Dave's words were queried by my [American] spell checker. Who is right and who is wrong - surely Bill Gates can't be wrong Dave? So you must have invented the words!!!

  

FW: Better Late than Never - Was it Flannel or Soft Soap?

Didn't we all do well last Tuesday when we drew cards for the roles we were to play? 

Sgt TimH flannelled his way to opening the show, and toastmaster Dave ensured the evening went smoothly. Grammarian Jessica made us consider Flannel.

Kevin's Flight of Fancy introduced by Neil, enveloped us all in a trip to gay [am I allowed to say that] Paree. 

Ellie introduced Cindy's winning [hopefully] when she revealed her heart of the matter. 

Chris' bard extended into Poetic license, good one Chris.

We played 'when did you last' with Ray as ttm.

Ellie revealed her handbag fetish, whilst TimH phantasized at the opera. Chris explained that she was not a complainer, well actually a closet complainer really! TimR as the Penguin, gee whiz Batman, but it was only a penguin suit so no batmobile. DaveY would not cry for me Argentina, but he confirmed having weepy cinema moments, Neil's memory blanked out at national anthem singing, surely you don't mime as well. [I've been a mimer since I was 14 - although to be up to date I should say lip syncer]. Erika scared me stiff let herself, tales from her dark past. Jessica revealed all when she told us about a certain walk on the beach, or in the sea.

The evaluations brought yet another best night of the week to an end.  Here's to the next time, Gerry