I attended two Toastmaster meetings this week.    On Monday at Saint John Toastmasters we had four speeches covering topics such as the power of habits (and habitual reactions when we think we're actually making decisions), the nature of Information Technology projects, ideas on working effectively in committees, and a view to microfinance projects.  These projects enabled the speakers to practice skills such as speech organization, research, and vocal variety.   Each speaking assignment has us develop and deliver a speech to exercise a skill - the topic is our choice.

Saint John Toastmasters is nearing our summer break with one or two meetings remaining until we resume after Labour Day.

http://saintjohn.toastmastersclubs.org/

I also visited Harbourside Toastmasters on Wednesday.  This group continues throughout the summer.    At this meeting I led the Table Topics session, the impromptu speaking session, and I had a series of questions about Canadian astronaut Chris Hatfield who just piloted the International Space Station and brought much visibility to the space program.  The series of questions invited people to comment on what they saw on the news about Chris Hatfield, on whether his visibility will help with interest in science over the long term, about whether people know more about real space or pretend space e.g. Star Trek, and on whatever happens to the wonder and curiosity kids have about space and science.  People handled these questions they hadn't prepared for very well as the the questions were general enough and opinion oriented so they could comment on some aspect. That is, there were no correct answers to the questions.

Harbourside meets every Wednesday of the year in Brunswick Square office tower from 12:15-1:15.

http://harbourside.toastmastersclubs.org/

Jim K


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