Birth

Monique Fountain was TMoD for today's meeting, appropriately themed "Birth." For, as we were meeting, our VP Education, Kate Daniels Kurz was giving birth to our newest Toastmaster, Nicholas Ryan Kurz!

Jarrod Smith gave his #2 speech Let's Do Business:

Jarrod's evaluator, veteran Fred Sadler, was given Best Evaluator:

Moyara Ruehsen, working on her second go-around on the CC manual, gave speech #5 entitled The Circular Flow Model of the Economy:

Moyara was evaluated by Cristine Lambarte:

Tables Topics was won by new member Matt Balint:

Family

NPS Toastmasters' favorite newlywed, David Cho, chose the appropriate theme of "Family" for the meeting. And we had two Icebreaker speeches.

Humorist Don Free told a funny story about two boys with unusual names:

 First Icebreaker speech was by Annette Cain, A Short Story About a Long Run. Annette was voted Most Improved Speaker and also tied Pat Hanson for Best Speaker:

Annette's evaluator was Arnie Buss:

Returning member Pat Hanson decided to go through the CC manual a second time, and started with Pitches for the Pat Hanso Stories, for which she tied with Annette for Best Speaker:

Annette's evaluator, Kate Daniels Kurz, was selected Best Evaluator:

Humorous Speech Contest and Evaluation Contest

The annual Humorous and Evaluation Speech Contests were one of the best in memory!

The winner of the Humorous Speech Contest was Pat Hanson with Aging Positively: Second Place was Arnie Buss with I Just Can't Catch a Break: Third place was Don Free, I Gotta Go: The test speaker for the Evaluation Contest was Rich Gierman, How to Move a Pool Table: Evaluation winner was Kate Daniels Kurz: Runner-up Art Testani: Third place Jarrod Smith:

The Competent Leader Manual

Veteran Carl Thormeyer chose as his theme "The Competent Communicator Manual"

Returning to the "traditional" agenda, we began with Opening Remarks by Arnie Buss, in which the meeting was to be hinted at but not given away:

Moyara Ruehsen won Table Topics:

Newest member Tetyana Margolina won both Best Speaker and Most Improved for her Icebreaker speach, Tumbleweed or Rolling Stone?

Tetyana was evaluated by Arnie Buss:

Shane Grass spoke more of his passion for flying with his #2 speech Everyone Wants to be Superman:

Art Testani was Best Evaluator in his feedback to Shane:

Let's Dance!

Kate Daniels Kurz chose a secret theme of "Dance"for a sparsely-attended, but enthusiastic and excellent meeting.

Carl Thormeyer gave Opening Remarks, in which he hinted at (but did not reveal) the theme of the meeting:

Monique Fountain won Best Table Topics for her description of whales feeding in the Bay:

Fred Sadler gave a #5 CC speech, What I Learned at the Roast Last Saturday:

and was evaluated by Carl Thormeyer, chosen as Best Evaluator:

Arnie Buss inaugurated his tenth CC with an Icebreaker, Not By Myself:

He was evaluated by Don Free:

Friday the Thirteenth

Jim Burlison used the date-appropriate theme of "Friday the Thirteenth" for today;s meeting and sprinkled interesting facts about why it is a feared date throughout the meeting.

Jarrod Smith started off with some humor:

Shiela Dundon won Best Table Topics:

Don Free gave his Icebreaker speech It's a Good Life and was voted Best Speaker:

Kate Daniels Kurz was selected Best Evaluator fro her feedback to Don:

Most Improved Speaker was Cristine Lamberte, giving her #3 speech Without Imagination There Is No Action:

Mayara Ruehsen evaluated Cristine's speech:

This Week in History

Jarrod Smith led his first meeting as TMoD like a seasoned veteran. His theme was "This Day in History."

We began with Humorist Shane Grass:

Moyara Ruehsen won Table Topics:

Kate Daniels Kurz gave speech project #2 from Speaking on Television, an interview given by Fred Sadler for his TV show. Titled Building a Caring Economy, Kate won Most Improved Speaker honors:

Kate was evaluate by Shiela Dundon:

Art Terry completed the CC manual with his  #10 speech Stopping to Move Forward, and in additon to earning his CC was also voted Best Speaker:

Art was evaluated by Fred Sadler, who was chosen as Best Evaluator:

Gloves!

Moyara Ruehsen followed Fred's theme of Hats from last week with one of Gloves this week!

We welcomed newest member Don Free:

Arnie Buss was the humorist:

Fred Sadler won Best Table Topics:


And, at Fred's Request, Arnie's response was also recorded.

Shane Grass gave his Icebreaker speech and tied for Most Improved Speaker:

Shane was evaluated by Art Testani:

Monique Fountain gave her #2 speech Coastal Conservancy and also tied for Most Improved:

Shiela Dundon evaluated Monique:

Art Terry won Best Speaker for his #9 Who's In Control?:

Arnie Buss evaluated Art and was selected Best Evaluator:

Hats - And a Trifecta!

Fred Sadler chose a creative theme of "Hats" for today's meeting. Fred of course wears many hats, both in and out of Toastmasters, not the least of which is serving as Division Governor for Division Awesome in District 4! Some of Fred's literal hats include the following:

Monique Fountain provided the humor:

Art Terry nabbed an exceedingly rare trifecta, winning Best Table Topics, Best Speaker, as well as Most Improved Speaker. All on the day he graduated! Congratulations on all these achievements Art!

Art Terry Best Table Topics:

Art's winning speech, #8 from the CC manual, From the Halls of Montezuma:

Art's evaluator was Dhiela Dundon:

Arnie Buss gave project #3 from the advanced manual Interpretive Reading, "The Monodrama," reading Alfred Lord Tennyson's Ulysses:

Arnie was evaluated by Kate Daniels Kurz, who won the only award Art Terry didn't, Best Evaluator:



Here's Art with Vote Counter Shane Grass and Toastmaster Fred Sadler:

 

Coffee or Tea?

Dave Cho debuted as TMoD, and chose a theme of Coffee and/or Tea. To underline the theme, he provided Toastmasters High Tea" with snacks to go along with the beverages. What a delicious meeting!

We were joined by three guests from the Monterey Institute Toastmasters club (from left to right) Peter Weldon (not shown), Max Falaleyev, Sierra Tan.  Peter wound up winning Best Table Topics. (The picture shows Sierra responding to a Table Topics question).

 Cristina Lamberte gave the opening remarks:
Jarrod Smith gave his Icebreaker speech A Man's Life:

Jarrod was evaluated by Arnie Buss:

 Carl Thormeyer gave a #8 from his third time through the manual, The Meaning of our Toastmasters Equipment, and was voted Best Speaker:
Carl was evaluated by Art Testani, who was also selected as Best Evaluator:

The Bucket List

Tom Shih led our meeting today with a theme of "The Bucket List." Jarrod Smith was the humorist: Jim Burlison won Best Table Topics, which consisted of the incoming club officers giving their campaign speeches: Monique Fountain gave her Icebreaker speech In Pursuit of the Egg and was voted Most Improved Speaker: Monique was evaluated by Moyara Ruehsen: Fred Sadler gave a #4 from his second time though the CC manual, I Am Sick - I need a Doctor! and was voted Best Speaker: Fred was evaluated by Art Testani: Arnie Buss gave a #8 speech from the CC manual, The Most Expensive Violin in the World: Arnie was evaluated by Carl Thormeyer, who was also selected as the Best Evaluator:

All That Jazz!

Shiela Dundon debuted as TMoD with a bang - or rather with some hot and cool jazz! Tables Topics was won by Jim Burlison: Dave Cho gave his #3 speech Building Resilience in an Era of Persistent Conflict and was voted Best Speaker: Dave was evaluated by Tom Shih: Moyara Ruehsen garnered Most Improved for her speech Breaking the Ice in Baghdad:

Moyara was evaluated by Fred Sadler, selected as Best Evaluator:

Springtime

Fred Sadler was TMoD with a theme of Springtime!

Past member and club president Moyara Ruehsen re-joined us and proceeded to win Best Table Topics Speaker:

Sheila Dundon was voted Most Improved Speaker for her #3 speech When Women Lead, You Will Succeed:

Sheila was evaluated by Tom Shih:

Jim Burlison gave an advanced speech from the Speaking to Inform Manual, To Be or Not To Be and was voted Best Speaker:

Jim was evaluated by Arnie Buss, who was narrowly selected as Best Evaluator:

If At First You Don't Succeed ...

We got off to a great start by inducting newest members Monique Fountain and Jarrod Smith.

Arnie Buss was TMoD with a theme of "If At First Your Don't Succeed..."

The "opening remarks" were this video of Heather Dorniden's Inspiring 600 meter race:
Returning as a guest, past member and club president Moyara Ruehsen won table topics: Cristine Lamberte was voted Most Improved for her #2 speech Where Do You Want to Go? Cristine was evaluated by Art Testani, who was selected Best Evaluator: Fred Sadler won Best Speaker for his #3 speech (of his second time through the CC manual) Talk the Line: Fred was evaluated by Jim Burlison:

Winning the Lottery!

Inspired by the recent Mega-million lottery, Kate Daniels Kurz led us on a fanciful "what-if" venture - namely what if we won the lottery!


We also welcomed newest member, Beverley Schmidt!


Cristine Lambarte was opening remarks/humorist:


Table Topics was won by one of our guests, Timothy Barrett.


We had two Icebreaker speeches, both fantastic. Sheila Dundon was voted both Best Speaker as well as Most Improved for What Got Me Here With Help Get Me There:

Sheila was evaluated by Jon Barnes:


Michael Chankij's Icebreaker was entitled My Snowboarding Obsession:


Michale was evaluated by Arnie Buss, selected Best Evaluator:

April Fool's Day

In her first time as Toastmaster of the Day, Cristine Lambarte led like a seasoned veteran. She chose a theme of "April Fool's" - here is a portion of her introduction:


Graduation day at NPS generally prompts lighter attendence, and this was no exception. The one speech was by Carl Thormeyer, and it gave us all pause to consider a possible threat overseas. He gave speech #9 from the CC manual entitled Be Really Concerned:


Carl was evaluated by Jim Burlison:


Table Topics was won by Kate Daniels Kurz:

Baseball

Jim Burlison took us out to the old ballgame with a theme of Baseball at today;s meeting. Acting as the manager, he put himself in as humorist in keeping with the playing managers of yore:


Art Terry demonstrated why he was the club Table Topics champion with his winning response:


Laura Ramos gave an inspiring Icebreaker speech, Nothing to Be Afraid Of, that garnered her both Best Speaker as well as Most Improved:


Laura was evaluated by Arnie Buss:


Carl Thormeyer gave a #6 CC speech Make Your Voice Match Your Message:


Carl was evaluated by Stanley Wong, who was selected Best Evaluator for the meeting:

Leap Year

It was a bittersweet meeting, the last for outgoing President and outstanding member Sharon Lipinski, who is headed to far off places. The greybeards sent her off with some appreciations:


Jon Barnes led his first meeting as Toastmaster of the Day (TMoD) and took great leaps and bounds with his theme of Leap Year! :D

Jim Burlison was humorist:


Veteran Carl Thormeyer asserted himself in Table Topics with a win:


Dave Cho continued his inspiring speeches, garnering Most Improved with his #2 speech Efficiency - Set a Goal, Get Organized, Get it Done!:


Dave was evaluated by Scott Yeatman:


Sharon Lipinski closed with a humorous reflection at her time at NPS Toastmasters, A Look Back at the Lipinski Administration winning Best Speaker with her #5 speech from "Humorously Speaking" advanced manual:


Sharon was evaluated by Kate Daniels Kurz, picked as Best Evaluator:

Famous Quotes

Art Testani was TMoD with a theme of "Famous Quotes".

The meeting got off to a great start with the induction of two new members, Manny Bueno and Mike Chankij.

Fred Sadler amused us with an incident at the Black Bear Diner.


Mike won Best Table topics, getting off to a terrific start in Toastmasters!


And Manny was voted Most Improved:


The high points continued with Kate Daniels Kurz' #10 speech, Change the Media, Change Everything, for which she won Best Speaker:


Kate was evaluated by Jim Burlison:


Arnie Buss gave a #4 speech Listen From the Heart:


Arnie was evaluated by Carl Thormeyer, who was selected as Best Evaluator:


Finally, we honored Tom Shih as NPS Toastmasters' Toastmaster of the Year. Here is Tom being recognized by Sharon Lipinski, Club President, and Fred Sadler, Division A Governor:

Speech Contest!

It's speech contest season again - International and Table Topics! Ably led by VP Education Jim Burlison with assists from Sharon Lipinski and Carl Thormeyer, we had a fantastic contest. Representing NPS at the Area A1 contest will be:

Arnie Buss, International Speech Contest
Art Terry, Table Topics Contest

Runner-up in Table Topics was Art Testani, who will represent the club at the Area contest if Art Terry cannot.

Arnie's speech was entitled Are We Here Yet?


All the the contestants gave excellent responses and are definitely blog-worthy

Kate Daniels Kurz:


Art Testani (Runner-Up):


Scott Yeatman:


Art Terry (Winner):