Peninsula Toastmasters, Meeting review  - 26 November:  It’s a lovely Thursday evening.  I am attending the meeting as a panelist on Ana Garcia’s assignment.  The meeting can be described as intimate, yet productive.  I think I count around ten people in the room, which bodes well for the recess as there would be food for more than that and I am starving!

The barman recognises my silhouette as I walk in through the bar.  He reaches for a tall beer glass and three Cokes, bypassing the ice bucket.  In a blur of hands as I walk by him R30 is exhanged for this heavenly mother’s milk (at least my Coke habit isn’t likely to kill me anytime soon…).  I am set for the loyal toast.

I shouldn’t be too surprised to be greeted by a blue-eyed, blonde lady speaking German to me as I sit down.  This is the German club, after all…  But no, this is none other than Jazzmin Hecht from Germany, visiting South Africa for a few months for the n-th time.  I think she must be psychic; how can she know I speak German?  Simple, really.  I am still wearing my Lufthansa ID tag. German club, German airline.  Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, must be a duck…

Evadne comes running around the table to give me her usual warm welcome, and I go down on one knee so that I can hug her properly.  Such a friendly and happy club, this…

Donna Maclagan and her Triple Crown Award

As I’m chatting to Jazzmin I spot my vic… I mean, evaluee, Donna Mclagan walking in.  What is it that people find so intimidating about having their assignments evaluated by the Division Governor?  If you prick me, do I not bleed?  Donna is doing her “Accepting an Award” speech from the Special Occassions Speeches manual.  She has her Triple Crown Award which she will be accepting, but no one to present it!  Never fear, the Division Governor is near!  After a quick huddle with Evadne, doubling up the Sergeant at Arms role  with that of Toastmaster Of The Evening, I organise a slot to present Donna with her Triple Crown Award.  Nothing like throwing a bit of realism into the mix.

During her opening, Ana says she is looking for a volunteer to do the meeting review.  In a flash of I-don’t-know-what-the-hell-I’m-getting-myself-into-but-it-sounds-like-it-could-be-cool my seemingly springloaded sucker-hand shoots up.  I start taking some notes so that I can remember all of this for later.

Craig gives us the word of the day – Thanks, in the spirit of Thanksgiving (why do we care about American holidays when we have enough of our own…?).  He makes a valid point, that we don’t say thanks often enough.

Lois starts the C&L proceedings with a CC7 presentation called Awakened With a Kiss.  It’s about the story of the story of sleeping beauty (no typo!).  She also tells us the original version of the story.  “The prince went into the castle, found Sleeping Beauty, fell in love, and …”  HE DID WHAT?!?  I don’t shock easily, but Lois sure manages it.  I now know where Tarantino gets it from.

Funny guy Thomas Bowman

Thomas Bowman is up next.  He’s speaking from the Humorously Speaking manual.  He’s a good lad, is Thomas.  His mother told him not to jump out of an aeroplane in New Zealand.  She never said anything about throwing himself off a bridge with a rubber band attached to his ankles.  He listens to her.  Afterwards he phones her to tell her all about it.  What a guy!  He says he’s not funny.  I beg to differ.

La Presidenta Ana Garcia (who is getting married as I type this! You read it here first…) brings out the big guns to be her panelists for her panel discussion assignment from the Facilitating Discussion manual.  Lois Strachan, Immediate Past District Governor, Distinguished Toastmaster, soon to be Distinguished Toastmaster Times Two.  Craig Strachan, District Governor, Distinguished Toastmaster, hot on his wife’s heels.  And me, Division Governor and a mere Advanced Communicator Silver.  I am successful because  I surround myself with successful people, I remind myself.  The topic is starting multiple new clubs in Area D3.  The outcome:  There’s a lot of potential for new Clubs in the City Bowl area, which will fit in with the District’s goal of growth, but let’s not just start clubs for the sake of starting clubs.  Quality, rather than quantity.

The panelists: Lois Strachan, Craig Strachan and the author, Francois Rossouw

The snack break ensues, and there is a marked inprovement in the offering from the month before.  Again, I thank the gods for a small meeting.  More for me.  I give a good account of myself.

Table Topics is presented by Frau Hecht, nothing like jumping in there with both feet, Jazz!  Tonight’s is interesting.  Everybody writes down one of their secrets with their name on the top.  Jazzmin randomly picks speakers and tells him or her that, for example, someone in the audience wants to be a rock star.  The speaker has to tell us who and why.  No one gets the person right.  Everyone’s secrets remain safe.  PS, I’m the one who wants to be the aerobatics pilot!  Gut gemacht, Jazzmin!

Jazzmin Hecht puts Mapaseka Vryman through her impromptu speaking paces

The evaluations are of a good quality, as much as the speeches were of a high standard.  As the Division Governor this pleases me.  People are meeting their goals and Peninsula signs up another member.  They have a conversion rate that is right up there.

How do they do it?

Champagne appears as if by magic, and we drink a toast to Ana Garcia who is getting married on Sunday, 29 November. Felicitaciones por el gran día, Ana. Que todos tus días juntos se llena de alegría, felicidad y amor! Para siempre!

Chalk up another successful meeting.  Thanks, Peninsula ROCKS!

Thanks to Francois Rossouw for this review.