FW: Convivial conclusion

Hi all, the last RT ‘meeting’ of the year was held last nite at Robbie’s Rangiora.  A large percentage of our members surrounded the round table in the Snug for convivial conversation – a relaxed and pleasant conclusion to a good year for our club.

The consensus was that we should ease our way back into t/ms in the same fashion on the 8^th of Jan 08 – so if you should be about then be there from 7.30pm.

15^th Jan we will be back at the RHS library for a informal fun toastmaster-y sort of evening then on the 22^nd we’ll be getting back into the normal program.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, Tim

FW: 2007's last formal t/m meeting

Hi all,  a balmy evening in a denuded library would  describe the scene of the last Rangiora Toastmasters meeting  for 2007.  The air was toastie and the library had been stripped out for a repaint over the holidays. A jovial meeting in a huge empty hall, strange but fun.

Norma was MC and had organized things to perfection – and made things run perfectly as well – great bridging.  Erika delivered her practice 10^th speech on Christmas in Switzerland – they get two shots at it over there apparently – the 6^th and the 25^th of December!  Her real full on #10 CTM speech will be delivered early in the new year. Doug revealed his latent local body politician persona by leading a lively discussion on the merits of the Rangiora pool options.  Oh yes – I can sense that we will be hearing more on this subject.  We had a good dose of time available for table topics and so just about everyone present had a go.  Good to see Pam, Brian and Michelle back and so keen to get into TT’s – absence makes the heart grow fonder obviously and they used their allotted times with relish.  Even new – about to be member, Ray - really got into it tonite.  Can see some valuable contributions to the club coming from him some time soon.  Kev was GE but has escaped being TM next week – he’ll no doubt do the honours early in 08.  Club goal for next year – at least 1 education every fortnight.  Next Tuesday?  7.30pm at Robbies, Rangiora, we’ll have a few drinks, dissect the year gone and maybe chat about the one coming.  Hope to see you then, Tim.

FW: Tuesday 27th Nov review

Hullo Fellow Toastmasters   

8 keen Toasties turned out in bucketing rain for a night of scintillating debate.   Where would we be without Dave who so capably organised and guided us through the evening.   Debating is a fairly new experience for some of us so it was really educational. 

After drawing lots Bev, a debater of long experience, adjudicated with Dave as Chairman and the subject was "That schooldays are the best days of our lives." 

Kevin, as leader of the Affirmative team, defined the subject well, (don't know what school he went to but evidentally they were extremely well fed there), Erika (2nd affirmative) had to RUN home through those Swiss hills during her schooldays, during which she met lifelong friends, while Patricia  (3rd affirmative) was privately educated by some wonderful nuns.   It all sounded pretty idyllic. 

A different picture was painted by the Negative team led by Tim, who fired many salvos at the opposition, stating that schooldays were miserable days, endorsed by 2nd negative Norma, who had her fingers squashed in her crayon tin by Terrible Terry on her first day, then Corran, (3rd negative) who was bullied and brainwashed.

The speakers were expertly evaluated in the usual Toastmaster style by Dave and Bev and this proved really useful.   We were all winners on the night!

December 4th looks to be another interesting evening with good speakers so hopefully we'll have a good turnout.

Cheers, Norma