Hard to believe it, but we had yet another stellar Toastmaster meeting on March 27, 2011, adeptly guided by Keith Schroder.  I grow weary of using terms like awesome, fantastic, impressive, far out, which are all accurate descriptions of our Speakers Roundtable meetings,  but week after week, come on folks!  Let’s plan a revoltingly defective, blunder filled TM meeting one of these Mondays!  Okay?  Let’s have a little variety, diversity, and vicissitude!

Keith’s “What’s up with the Economy?” was an excellent theme for the evening.  David Flach, our first speaker, tied right into the theme with “Credit Card No-No’s.” He spoke of the major economic failures we’d experienced to date, unemployment, mortgage foreclosures, and then warned us of a third, the ‘credit bubble yet to come.  Banks are nervous.  Credit card balances are high, $10,000 average per household.  We are still experiencing a 9 ½ % unemployment rate.  Banks and credit card companies are data mining how we use our credit cards.  David’s handout of “Ten Things You Should Not Charge” along with good credit resources was a helpful tool.  Beware, these nervous banks are changing your credit limits and even denying you credit.  We are all indebted to David for this timely, useable information.  Great news, the credit bubble depressed some of us, Tom in particular!  I know, let’s have an all bad news meeting!  Okay?

What’s up with this Economy brought Deborah to the front of the room with her insightful comments.  Individuals pursue successful careers and financial power at the expense of their basic values and desires.  Following your inner values brings true happiness and real success.  Next Keith informed us that we were all Toast Master Area Governors and to please welcome our President, Cindy Cannon and her speech titled, “The Invitation.” Cindy provided us with great Toast Master statistics: 290,000 club members in 106 countries in 1100 clubs.  She then read a poem which had given her inspirational support when she was District Governor.   She became our cheerleader as she motivated us to help all our area clubs become Distinguished.  She reminded us of the four success factors, education, open a new club with a minimum of 20 members, get renewal dues collected and in on time, and a plus five member increase.  Work as a team, help each other, and know your numbers.  To that we frequently said “Yes we can!”  I know, let’s all pay our dues and bring a guest! Okay?

Then it was back to “What’s up with this Economy?” which brought guest Linda Hall to front and center.  Linda felt we were all living in the fast lane, the drive-through lane at the fast food, rushing around and that it was time to slow down and savor life.  We had a five minute break. Now that’s abuse, only five minutes to scoff down food and water and try to visit.  I know, we could have a meeting that is entirely break!  Okay?

Tom Nixon was next up and entertained us with his speech “Grand Canyon.” Tom had given this speech as a semi-impromptu on February 7, 2011 and had received excellent feedback.  Now, evaluation suggestions had been incorporated, practiced, and polished until Tom’s speech shown as brightly as any star in the canyon heavens.  Masterfully, Tom planned his family’s vacation trip to the Grand Canyon.  Incorporating the new ideas into the previous talk, he left us spell bound, looking up and staring at the stars.  .  Years later, when he reminisces with his family about their trip, they talk about the blanket of stars, not the canyon.  We are so busy looking down and around at the glitzy world.  Tom suggested we look up and see how limitless our universe is.  It was wonderful to re-experience Tom’s speech and realize first-hand the value of incorporating evaluations.    I know, let’s have a wonderful evening of re-runs!  Okay?

One final “What’s up with this Economy?” brought guest Rob Butler to the front.  He decided the bad economy was due to greed and fear, primarily fear.  Folks feeling they don’t have enough.  His solution was to scale back and live within our means.  Then it was Kelly VanDever and her evaluation team closing out the meeting.  I’ve heard of clubs having backward meetings.  Maybe we should get the evaluation of the meeting over at the very start of the meeting.  I know, let’s have an upside down meeting!  Okay?

President Cindy Cannon reminded us of the Spring Conference May 13 and 14.  Four of our club members are speaking so be sure to support them.   Congratulations to Tom Nixon and Keith Schroder who took seconds in the area Eval and TT competition on Saturday.  I know, let’s all get together and have a Toast Master meeting next Monday April 4th!   Okay?