The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.
Kay, president of Peace Speakers, beams looking out at a room with a sea of members. Recently, our club enjoyed a rush of visitors for several months. All dove in and wanted to be involved carrying roles right off the bat. We let them, and what a joy it's been! Now they are all members...no longer our visitors...and our club is thriving.
The theme for our meeting today is "new forms of communication" and the Word of the Day is "text" (provided by our Ah Counter/Grammarian, Sam.) You might think that sounds a bit dull, but it wasn't. The speech that was given and the stories our members told during Table Topics kept us engaged and interested. We always have fun at our Peace Speakers meetings! (And Destini, thank you for taking some shots of me for this blog.)
Perry, our Toastmaster for the day, holds up one of his agendas created for our meeting. One image denotes his Twitter feed, and he wonders who his single follower is. (Perhaps his wife, he muses.) Perhaps if Perry didn't have 0 tweets, he might have more followers!!!! : )
It's Perry's responsibility to introduce all of the members who've taken on roles for our meeting, such as the Speech Evaluator, Ah Counter/Grammarian, Timer, and Table Topics Master. These roles allow members to practice leading, which gives everyone a chance to grow. The more times you volunteer, the greater the growth!
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| Joan is our Table Topics Master |
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| Betsy is our Speech Evaluator |
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| Sam is our Ah Counter/ Grammarian & Vote Counter |
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| Effie is our Timer |
Perry introduces today's prepared speaker, Octavia, who's giving her 3rd speech in the Competent Communication Manual. The focus of this talk is to get organized, and it's taken from an older educational program that Toastmasters is phasing out in 2020. (We currently use the new Pathways educational program.) Octavia's speech is called "YouTube is Not My Friend," and it is 5-7 minutes long. Here's the full speech, which made me laugh again as I read it:
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| YouTube is NOT my friend, and let me tell you why. |
Today, I’m going to tell you how YouTube is NOT my friend. YouTube uploaded its first video on April 23, 2005…pretty close to 15 years ago. I would say that since that time YouTube has grown significantly. At the present time, YouTube has 300 hours of video uploaded every minute and 5 billion videos are watched every day.
As most of you know, I am a crafter. I started out doing scrapbooks, and I had one scrapbook kit that my mother bought me, and I did pretty well with that kit. But, before I could complete my first scrapbook, a co-worker suggested that I take a look at YouTube to get some ideas and learn some new techniques that would make my pages pop. Oh my God! This was the beginning of my YouTube adventure. The work I saw on there was fabulous, plus they would show you how you could do the same thing. So, I started watching video after video and saying to myself, I can do that!
But, I looked at my little scrapbook kit and realized I didn’t have the right tools to do what they were doing. I needed paper, and scissors, and special tape and dispensers. I needed brads and hole punches. I needed ribbon and glitter. At this point, that was the beginning of my long term relationship with Michaels and Hobby Lobby, thanks to YouTube. The more videos that I watched, the longer my shopping list got. So with some careful budgeting and sacrifices, I was scrapbooking on another level, thanks to YouTube.
I was happy and I was scrapbooking. Then I discovered, while watching YouTube videos, that on the right side of my screen, there was a whole list of related videos. These were other things I could do with my scrapbooking supplies. Or, so I thought! Cards! I could make cards. And, since I have out of town family and friends that I send cards to regularly, this was a great idea! And, watching YouTube videos, these ladies were making beautiful cards in less than 10 minutes. Again, so I thought. Little did I know it would cost me $10 and 2 hours to make a card opposed to going to the store and spending $2 and dropping a card in the mail. But, no, I was determined I was going to do handmade cards. I needed different paper, a paper trimmer and all the fixings to make beautiful cards. So, back to Michaels and Hobby Lobby I go.
Now, I’m watching YouTube videos and I’m learning how to do so much and to my surprise, I could subscribe to those people that I watched. I could be notified when a new video was put up. There is a lady that I have been following for a long time now. Her name is Jennifer McGuire and she does great instructional videos. She always gives a list of the supplies she uses and even has links where you can go purchase those same items. How convenient! She always has a new technique and new tools. But, little did I know, she has sponsors. All of the products she uses is given to her so that she is able to show her now 330,000 subscribers how to use them. While I’m running back to Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and now Amazon to get at least some of the things she uses.
So, I’m watching YouTube and see a lady with a machine that can cut anything you want to put on a scrapbook page or a card. No need to go to the store and buy letters or flowers or any kind of embellishing you may want. This machine, a Cricut, can do it for you. So, off I go again. I bought a Cricut. This is all new to me, I had no idea what I was doing. But, do you know how I learned to use that machine? YouTube! I also learned that there were accessories and programs I could buy to enhance my cutting experience.
I took you through my YouTube and crafting adventure to let you know that YouTube is a great source of information and it’s accessible whenever you have some time, but it’s not my friend. I went from a simple scrapbook kit to a full craft room and a garage full of stuff that I don’t know why I have it or what I was going to do it. All thanks to YouTube.
Oh my, Octavia! I thought I took a hit after taking a pair of earrings into a beading shop to get them repaired. The clerk talked me into signing up for a jewelry-making course and buying the tools for that craft. Nice idea, but afterwards, I never even made one pair of earrings! Looks like you're on your way to starting your own scrapbooking business!
As most of you know, I am a crafter. I started out doing scrapbooks, and I had one scrapbook kit that my mother bought me, and I did pretty well with that kit. But, before I could complete my first scrapbook, a co-worker suggested that I take a look at YouTube to get some ideas and learn some new techniques that would make my pages pop. Oh my God! This was the beginning of my YouTube adventure. The work I saw on there was fabulous, plus they would show you how you could do the same thing. So, I started watching video after video and saying to myself, I can do that!
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| Video after video, I said, "I can do that!" |
I was happy and I was scrapbooking. Then I discovered, while watching YouTube videos, that on the right side of my screen, there was a whole list of related videos. These were other things I could do with my scrapbooking supplies. Or, so I thought! Cards! I could make cards. And, since I have out of town family and friends that I send cards to regularly, this was a great idea! And, watching YouTube videos, these ladies were making beautiful cards in less than 10 minutes. Again, so I thought. Little did I know it would cost me $10 and 2 hours to make a card opposed to going to the store and spending $2 and dropping a card in the mail. But, no, I was determined I was going to do handmade cards. I needed different paper, a paper trimmer and all the fixings to make beautiful cards. So, back to Michaels and Hobby Lobby I go.
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| The possibilities are endless! |
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| Gee, what else can I learn from YouTube? |
I took you through my YouTube and crafting adventure to let you know that YouTube is a great source of information and it’s accessible whenever you have some time, but it’s not my friend. I went from a simple scrapbook kit to a full craft room and a garage full of stuff that I don’t know why I have it or what I was going to do it. All thanks to YouTube.
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| Octavia's scrapbook kit and craft room. Wow! |
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| Joan offers communication-themed prompts |
Now it's time to segue to an activity where people learn how to speak extemporaneously. Joan, our Table Topics Master, entices members to volunteer and draw a prompt she's created about new forms of communication, today's theme. Our visitor, Teresa, jumps at the chance and comes to the front of the room.
Teresa talks about how life is full of communication needs. We all need that sense of belonging and ability to use forms of electronics, which is why her dad gave her a cell phone when she moved to New Zealand. With text messaging you can know what's happening regardless of the time. Learning about an incident of U.S. terrorism, she was able to determine if any of her friends or family were impacted. To be able to reach out across the world concerning survival was potent.
"Texting!" Sam exclaims! It is the most popular way of communicating. She'd rather text than call you on the phone where you have to do pleasantries like, "How's your mother?" She just wants to get to the meat of it all, and texting does that. It's polite enough, you can check it when you're available, and don't have to interrupt someone. Text messaging is absolutely the way to go! "Would someone please count how many times I've said texting, the Word of the Day?" Sam asks.
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| Effie, Teresa and Perry enjoy hearing the 1-2 minute Table Topics speeches |
Have you ever sent a text, email, etc., and it was misconstrued? If so, how did you fix it, and what form of communication did you use to straighten it out?
Destini claims she's never sent one by mistake because she's so careful. However, she has received plenty by mistake. One time her mother and grandmother were talking on an older form of communication. It was a 3-way phone conversation including Destini. Forgetting that she had continued to be on the line with them, they started gossiping about her. They talked about how she'd gotten plump, and how men don't like plump girls! Her southern bell grandmother explained, "Back in my days you had to be fit and trim in order to get a man." Destini concluded by saying she'd received some pretty blunt information from family members and is careful not to send out anything like that herself.
Everdith relays that she and a friend who loved sending videos and pictures were texting back and forth trying to fix a disagreement between them. Her friend didn't realize how rude she sounds over text messaging. Everdith wondered if she realized what she said and noted that her friend could have just called her. The friend ended up sending her response to the whole family group, like her momma, her brother, and more. Everdith let her know she'd sent her reply to the whole family, which made her very uncomfortable. She has a rule where texts and emails are not sent anytime she's upset, not to mention inappropriate pictures!
Betsy says she doesn't fall into the category of under 50 and didn't mean to be rude by answering a text from her 88-year-old aunt during our meeting. She's being released from the hospital today. Anyway, her favorite form of communication is sending cards by snail mail. She's old-fashioned and loves to drop people little cards and notes weekly, like to her aunt and uncle dealing with the effects of a tornado. Even though Betsy does text, she prefers sending something in the mail that you can open and read that's actually signed, instead of using the phone or the computer. She prefers the old-fashioned way and to her, it's more effective.
Bea admits, "That can actually go both ways 'cause some people don't need to have any form of communication." But in a business sense, she thinks having the different forms is a good way, especially with her being able to interact with her clients or the tax office because she works full time and runs her tax preparation business. Some of her clients are in other states, so being able to text, email, Facebook, or Zoom that contact is important...any way they can find her!
Sam's group shared Facebook Live, where people communicate through video conferencing that's recorded. So it's very important to speak clearly and carefully.
Joan's group shared Marco Polo, which is like a 2-way radio version where two people can share their conversation with short videos.
Kay's group shared the TED Talks, where you hear and see short speeches on any number of compelling topics. Talks are timed and speakers effectively use body language, voice, visuals and enhanced content relaying information about Technology, Entertainment or Design.
Kay closes the meeting thanking everyone who took on a role and participated in some fashion, full well knowing that it takes everyone's courage and determination to keep Peace Speakers thriving. She reminds members to continue exploring the new educational program Pathways. Help is just a call, text or email away as we each delve into the projects and move through the levels in our chosen paths.
If you're a visitor to this blog, be our guest at one of our upcoming meetings. We will warmly welcome you into the fold so that you can experience a Toastmasters meeting. If we're a good fit, we'd love to see you come again!
OUR UPCOMING 2019 MEETINGS:
Wed., Mar. 20 - Conference Room B
Wed., Apr. 3 - Conference Room B
Wed., Apr. 3 - Conference Room B
Wed., Apr. 17 - Conference Room B
Wed., May 1 - Conference Room B
Peace Speakers Toastmasters Club
1st and 3rd Wednesdays (usually)
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
100 Witherspoon Street
Downtown Louisville, KY
Respectfully submitted,
Kay Chambers
President and Blogger for Peace Speakers
