Wednesday 21 October 2020

October 20, 2020

 It wasn’t a scary story after all - in fact, it was great.


I am referring to the joint “Scary Stories” meeting between Lingo Advanced Toastmasters and Fabulous Facilitators clubs on Tuesday October 20/2020. Thirteen of us were dressed as witches, decked out in hats, creepy glasses or just our scary lighted selves. When asked by witch Toastmaster Edith B, all members indicated what gave them ‘perturbation’: rodents, heights, flying, being caught with or without a Halloween costume or in a housecoat were some of the items.
First speaker, Mrs X (Xiao) in her chef hat and apron, was interviewed by Estella, Evaluator, regarding her Restaurant X, a not-for-profit eatery suffering during this Covid year. Both did an excellent job.
Second speaker, Yeshu, informed us about her son’s debating experience in her speech “Debating Debate.” Evaluator Oksana said Yeshu came off as a very professional speaker. She wondered if she was watching a YouTube video. Speaker #3 was Lynn speaking direct from her daughter’s bowling game. Lynn’s speech “A little big scare” was just that as she gave as a very descriptive, per evaluator Dan, story of one of the feats she had to accomplish in pursuing her military career. After her speech, Lynn said we would not see her on “American Ninja Warriors” ever.
The highlight of the night was creepy witch Tabletopics Master Cherry, who started a story about a Ouija board experience that all responders had a minute each to continue the story where the last person left off - members took the story to the airport, Canada Place, flying as an unidentified object or bird on October 31st and back to the Ouija board. What a whirlwind and fun. Poor timer, Eileen was kept very busy. According to Evaluator Rhys backed up by alien sound effects Cam won best Tabletopics with his own sound effects.
General Evaluator Peter was impressed with our joint meeting. Quizmaster Lochlan stumped us when none of us remembered Peter’s movie reference to the Chevy Chase’s movie “Christmas Vacation” and being scared on a ladder. During evaluations Dan reminded us that the time was 20:20 on October 20, 2020. If that was not scary enough, Edith reminded us that with turning our clocks back after October 31st, we have the pleasure of one more hour of 2020 than our fellow District 99 Toastmasters in Saskatchewan.
So ended our scary stories meeting - a great success. Fabulous Facilitators will have their own Halloween Meeting October 27th unless they are too scared to do so. Lingo Advanced Toastmasters next meeting is a “Wow” meetings WORKSHOP on November 3rd. Toastmasters, besides enhancing our speaking and leadership skills, certainly get our creative juices flowing. Also noted was how we have all improved in our Zoom portrayal (thanks Lynn for the picture). Written by DTM Edith B, member of both clubs.


Wednesday 7 October 2020

October 6, 2020 ZOOM Workshop: Audience Engagement

Submitted by Cherry Cheung & Edith Baranieski

Our guests Nancy and Diana B. joined us early and we had the opportunity to find out that Nancy found us through Eventbrite and Diana B, DTM found us via D99 fan page (Nancy only joined briefly)            Grammarian Yeshu gave us WOD: Riveting (completely engrossing; compelling). Everyone used the WOD throughout the meeting.

1st speaker: Cherry's speech title: Mental Health starts with your hands. Cherry used her body gestures, props and hand exercises to demonstrate how one can connect with her audience. Cherry also explained those exercises healed her carpal tunnel, and relieved her shoulders, neck pain and migraine headache; thus changed her life up side down, to live a pain free life.

2nd speaker: Dan split us into 2 breakout rooms to discuss and define "What is a WOW meeting?" and how we might engage audience in our next workshop. As we resumed back to the main room, Bonnie represented the 1st group and Dan represented the 2nd group.  Ideas came up were: Let people talk about themselves, tell us their stories, what they know and what they like to know, Role play, e.g. love boat with roles assigned ahead of time such as captain, servers, seamen etc...  Panel of 3 interview,  ZOOM experts, get things started ahead, sent video to win a prize, do write up & vote, court house, wedding, police stations, the list goes on.

Edith lead us into a WOW Table topics moment, she started something like this:

'Today we are gathered here to read the contents of Aunt Bessie’s will. You know Aunt Bessie was rather eccentric. She had no close family m embers. You never knew what she was up to nor do we know if she has a fortune or if she flittered her money away on lottery tickets, gifts, coffee, trips, casinos.

You are all special people that she had asked me, her executor, to gather.

Your job is to convince me, and those gathered here why you deserve Auntie Bessie’s fortune, whatever it is. I will let you know who you are when I call upon you. 

When we are finished, please send me your vote as to whojoin you thought gave the best argument as to why they deserve Aunt Bessie’s fortune.


her introverted nephew, Dan

the newspaper girl, Eileen

her pharmacist, Cherry

her tea buddy, (Bonnie

her hair stylist, Yeshu 

her travel buddy, (Diana)

her next door neighbour. (Susan)


I am pleased to announce that Yeshu was voted as the most deserving of Aunt Bessie’s fortune. 

Oh dear, she had 98 cents left on her Tim Horton’s card and $3 on her MacDonald’s card.'

We had a full agenda meeting, we engaged our audience through speeches, group discussion involving everyone thinking caps, Edith gave everyone a speaking role as shown above.  Nobody left the zoom room without speaking.