This Monday was Valentine’s Day and our Speakers Roundtable meeting was a totally lovely and fun way to spend the evening.  Tom Nixon was our charming “host master’, blending in valentine specific table topics between the speakers.

The first speech on the agenda was an ice breaker entitled, A Little Taste of My Journey.” Mimi Williams began in song letting us know she was a Bayou girl from New Orleans.  She told of walking through the French Market with her father and her Grandmothers wonderful Creole gumbo. With love as the main ingredient in her grandmother’s gumbo, it always came out right.  From there we went to Red Beans and Rice, the meal that stewed in the pot while you did laundry and worked.  We learned of two marriages and raising a wonderful son as a single mom.  The epicurean delight of her life (crawfish) is right now as she enjoys her two grandchildren and lets the good time roll by inspiring and empowering others to live their life of dreams.  What a powerful, polished and wonderful recipe for life.

Our President, Cindy Cannon was next up with her speech, Soup Kitchen. She began by taking us to a buffet with her husband and mother-in-law, and ended by visiting her sister-in-law at the Soup Kitchen at Trinity.  We walked the buffet line with her indecisive mother-in-law, and then walked through the line of homeless folks waiting outside the church.  Cindy drew vocal pictures as she took us into the church.  From the AA quotes on the wall, to the long tailed mouse on the sofa, we walked with her.  She listened to the prayer and watched the homeless get two sandwiches put into their plastic bags and a bowl of soup and leave.  Without saying she’d had an epiphany that evening, we knew she had.  Cindy’s presentation was very moving and motivating.

Break brought us back to our seats to hear It’s Not About Perfection, It’s About Connection. Kelly Vandever’s told how her mother’s rants inspired (drove) her to be perfect.  When she had children, she decided it was time to give up perfectionism, which she did, only not perfectly.  Kelly’s imperfection as seen by son Zach, totally reeled us in.  Many times we need to take our own advice, which Kelly did when she chose to stay connected in a healthy relationship with her daughter.  What a huge message Kelly delivered through her own vulnerability.  She cast aside perfection and we definitely connected with her message.

The evening flowed into the evaluations which Iris Grimm efficiently stepped in and handled.  Cindy thanked Tom for a fine job of hosting the evening.  Steve Cohn removed Mimi Williams to the sound proof booth while, and, after a brief discussion, we unanimously voted her into SRT club membership. Cindy reminded members of Spring Conference and the need for presenters.  The attendees lingered in the meeting room and then in  parking lot.  It was that kind of an evening!

February 7, it is raining so we must be having a Speakers Roundtable Toast Master Meeting.  Steve Cohn acted as our “slow motion” Sgt at Arms so we could start exactly on time, but drag things out a wee bit while we waited for our Toast Master and break food to arrive.   President Cindy Cannon began our meeting with club business.  Spring Conference is in need of presenters so check with Cindy if you are able to help.  Keith Schroeder was announced as SRT TM of the Year, and very deservedly so.  With that charming smile of his, he volunteers and fills in any open slot on any evening’s program.  Keith rarely misses a meeting, plus he’s an excellent greeter, speaker and evaluator.  Thanks Keith for enriching and strengthening Speakers Roundtable.  I am enjoying a beautiful bouquet of flowers and the wonderful title of Club Miss Congeniality.

Iris arrived with two sets of goodies, the snack foods and the agenda.   She quickly took charge of the meeting introducing her evaluation team headed by Kelly Vandever, and yes Keith volunteered to be videographer.  With a fine introduction, Dwayne Smith was soon delivering the first speech of the evening, an inspirational talk called “Be Angry, but Do Not Sin.” We all get angry; anger brings both good and bad results; he mentioned road rage which we could all identify with.  We can run from it or learn from it as Simba did in the Lion King.  We can hold on to it and just let it build and keep hurting, like an anchor that drags us down.  Dwayne used the voices of the Lion King characters to make his points.  As always, Dwayne was exceptionally well prepared and masterfully inspired us to make wise choices when we are angry.

Tom Nixon entertained us with a semi-impromptu speech titled “Grand Canyon by Starlight”. Tom shared a vacation he took with his family, west of the Mississippi.  Tom was a master of visual pictures, racing through the night in a rental car with his wife beside him and two daughters in the back seat.  He soon realized there was a blanket of a billion crystal clear stars above them.  He pulled over in the darkness of shadowy plants and mountains outlined against the sky.  They all got out of the car and gazed in awe at the starlit heavens.  As they were absorbing the scene, one of his daughters whispered, Sasquatch.  In fright, his daughters raced to the car.  Tom suggested that perhaps it’s time for us to pull off the road, to stop and behold life’s glory.  However, we must not allow simple or irrational fears to hold us back.  Amen, Tom.  (Sasquatch = Big Foot)

Following our break, Iris had prepared five excellent football related Table Topic questions.  We had the fun of hearing from Kelly Vandever, Christina Poodt, Bill Kovach, Steve Cohn and Miss Club Congeniality (who should have lost her flowers for her angry attitude).  The General Evaluator report was a mixed bag.  The speakers were grammatically “clean” while the evaluators and table topics folks wore Cindy to a frazzle with their sloppiness.  However, prevaricate, the word of the day, was happily sprinkled into our speeches and evals by at least seven members.   All agreed, wonderful speeches, good snacks, fun table topics, thorough evaluations, and great fellowship . . . welcome back Bill Kovach . . . . Thanks everyone for a truly starlit evening!

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January 31^st and a rainy meeting night for Speakers Roundtable, but we’ll take the rain over snow any day.  Sixteen members and two guests were present for our meeting shepherded by Toastmaster, Claudia Brogan.  Claudia provided us with blue and green post-its and two decoratively bowed buckets.  Color coordinated instructions at the bottom of our agenda, explained the game.  Blue = Requiem Retirement nominations for words and phrases that needed to be put to rest.  Green = Renewal/Recommitment nominations for good, helpful, smart words to reinvigorate.  It was very creative, verbal, visual, and thought provoking.  Then she called up her General Evaluator Keith Schroder who immediately held a blue post-it requiem for “Thank you Madam Toastmaster.  Good Evening Fellow Toastmasters.”

Our first speaker of the evening, Manola Robinson, successfully resuscitated “Thank you Madam Toastmaster  . . .”  The title of Manola’s speech was “Dreams Can Come True” which was project # 4 “How to say it” from the CC manual.  She talked of the three pillars needed to make a dream come true.  When you have pursued your dream via these three pillars, the dream not only comes true, but you can accomplish the impossible.  Manola delivered a very energetic and personable message.

Then it was a Steve Cohn night as it usually is when he is on the agenda.  He was on fire, introducing us to Patience, the most important of the Greek Seven Heavenly Virtues.  He applied Patience to the remaining six virtues and then launched into the world of speed!  Some memorable thoughts, Impatience has consequences, Blame Burger King, and Long line of Love.

Following a short break, Claudia introduced the evening’s final speaker, Merrilee Morris.  Her topic was, “Another type of Trauma.”  Merrilee explained the need for Emotional Trauma Certification, the skills that would be acquired, and the huge impact such volunteering would have on the lives of those in emotional crisis.  She encouraged members to sign up for a one hour overview workshop through the Family Assistance Foundation.

GE Keith called on his team, Cindy Cannon – Grammarian, Jon Schwartz, – Timer, and Iris Grimm – Videographer (not camera person).  Claudia went through the buckets of retired words and reinvigorated words.  We are definitely a fun and creative group!

Next week’s (Feb 7, 3011) meeting roles are:

Toastmaster:  Iris Grimm

GE:  Kelly Vandever           Gr:  Cindy Cannon  Tr: Shea Ellison Videographer: Kichard Kirby

Speakers:  Ericka Butler           Dwayne Smith              Tom Nixon

Club officers remained following the meeting for required training.