h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh this is no holiday - I've been in meetings all week, the opposite of relaxation! I have 16 month old identical twins. They are brilliant. I also have two older children a boy 5 and a girl 3. We're kept busy!

That would explain why you're there on your own, then! Are they boy twins or girl twins - I'm assuming boys as you called them 'nippers'?

Just heard some pleasing news about our new club - we now have 5 new non-dual members (I was the first). Did i show you our website? http://www.meridianspeakers.org/ It's not me on the front, though.

That's a nice website! Best of luck in growing membership. Our area has maxed out, I think. It's very difficult to find new members given our size.

Yes - two little boys. Little darlings - I am *so* glad to be home, even if I am completely wrecked from the flight back last night.

I'm going to be president of our club next year, which is a mixed blessing. I am very busy both inside and outside work, and I have to do a lot of overseas travel with my job. Also I am trying to do a Masters degree course and to do some work with students, not forgetting my 4 little 'us. I decided to take on the role last night, but I am already regretting it.

I've been proposed as Vice-President and asked what work I can take on. I'm thinking of volunteering for Treasurer - I don't want to be Secretary, as I don't think I'll have enough time.

Mind, President will look good on your CV!

I was secretary this year. It wasn't too bad. My main function was to write up the minutes of meetings and to send out text messages to the team regarding up and coming meetings. President, however, is a different kettle of .

President has to sort out schedules and stuff - right?

Well they take responsibility for a lot of actions in the club - they have to draw up a list of goals and ensure each goal is met. They also need to network with other clubs and ensure that any problems are sorted out. Furthermore they are there for all meetings, keeping people appraised of future events and agenda items. A lot of work, I think.

Oh, I didn't know all that! Will you have a list of already established goals to meet, or are you responsible for forumlating and agreeing the goals with the rest of your team?

I'll have to agree them with the team, but the total list is set out already. There are about 10 goals overall and if you achieve 8 of them you get recognised as a distinguished club, or something like that. The goals relate to the number of new members, the number of people achieving CTM's, things like that.

Ah, sounds as though it can be quite challenging. As we're just starting out as a club, I'm just getting to grips with doing my speeches, roles and telling my friends. Funnily enough, since I've done a couple of speeches, it's easier for me to be enthusiastic about it.

Yes, it is going to be challenging because we have something of a membership crisis. Cork is top-heavy with Toastmasters clubs, and many of the clubs are competing with each other for the same base of people who might be interested. Also the clubs are small, so few members get to go to meetings and sit back. It can get tiring after a while, even for the most committed. If I could get 4 new members to join next year I will be a very happy camper indeed.

I can't remember if I've told you, but we now have five completely new members in our club (I was the first) and I'll be doing an evaluation for the second at the next meeting on Tuesday. I'm a bit nervous about it, as I've never evaluated before (being a judge in a competition isn't the same). I think it will teach me about listening skills. I'm good at pointing out what needs improving - less good at being encouraging and praising. The chap I'm evaluating has been good in his table topics, though, so I'm expecting that he will make a good first speech. His wife is an established toastmaster at a different club. Now I know that this is something you're good at!

Well, I've done my first evaluation, and I was told it was very good. I'd taken notes during the speech and related them to the speech's notes in the manual. The speaker didn't use notes - very impressive - and used the stage well (using a different part of the stage to represent himself at different stages of his life). He'd asked to be advised on pitch and speed. I gave him recommendations on being a little louder and slowing down - I missed a bit that sounded interesting because I couldn't hear properly. I did the commend - recommend - commend process and finished by saying I was looking forward to his next speech. And having spoken to him afterwards about it, he said that now he'd got it out of the way, all his energies were going into planning his next speech!

That's great news ZSQ! I was going to respond but I've been travelling with very little internet access. My style tends to be somewhat frenetic, but it works for me. When the speaker is talking I take copious notes: anything that comes into my head goes down on paper. I note phrases of particular value, and record my feelings on the speech as it is delivered. I also look up as often as I can, to see how the speaker is doing with gestures and eye-contact. Then afterwards I write up a quick summary, identifying a few things I thought were good, and the one or two things I would add as a recommendation. I top it off with a beginning and an ending where possible.

How do you end an evaluation properly, Woodpigeon? I just said that I was very much looking forward to hearing his next speech, after having summarised what I'd said in the main bit.

That's fine. If you can find a humourous angle it's even better, but don't force it. In the recent speech I evaluated regarding makeup for men, I ended the evaluation by telling him I would finish now as I expected he would be busy trying to arrange an armed escort out of the room. The thing to realise though is that evaluations happen towards the end of the meeting when people are getting tired, so a long evaluation is never appreciated terribly much. The shorter and more succinct, the better. If you can't think up a catchy ending then don't worry - the ending you gave is perfect.

I'm told I sounded quite authoritative. Finding a humourous angle - now that will be a challenge for me. It will be interesting to see how other newcomers find doing their first evaluation.

I'm now the president of the club. The big cheese, el grando fromaggio [sic]. I'm still worried I won't be able to give it my all though, what with everything else on my plate. Only time will tell, I guess. If we can get some good work done in August it should make it easier for the rest of the year. We need new members!

How far away is Gnomon - he'd make a good Toastmaster? Our little club is still growing - we recruited someone last week and it was her first visit.

Congratulations on being president, though - as I said previously, it will look great on your CV and I imagine there's a certain amount of respect that goes with it.