Simulated Open Water Swim:
My shoulders especially the right were sore from the street badminton last Saturday and yesterday. Even my right torso side hurt. Looks like I always overstretch. It's the "good" soreness though and no injury at all. The pool today was not clear. The hairball I found a the bottom was a dead giveaway that the weekend was packed! There must've been some wild hair-pulling (sabunutan) that occured. After seeing that hairball, I decided to leave the pool. At the showers, I found and took a one-time-used-only bar of soap that the weekenders must've left. These are the kind of freebies I usually get after a weekend.
I delivered my 3rd Toastmasters Speech (Get to the Point) last Saturday at the Bureau of Customs Building, not as a contestant, but as a Test Speaker. Others call it the Model Speaker where the competetion is between Evaluators. I was extremely delighted with my speech. This time, I did not miss a single line. Yes!
Before the program started though, I started worrying coz I overheard a technician saying the lapel mic isn't available. This, after all the assurances beforehand from the Division and Area governors that a lapel mic will be used. The technician simply setup the mic on a stand infront. Does he think that we're singers? I've always practiced gesturing with both hands so that presented an unfamiliar ground to me.
While I was waiting at my seat, I "practiced" holding a mic by using a ballpen pretending it was a mic while thinking out aloud my speech. Corz it was all subtle, else everybody would think I was nuts. It worked very well though. Onstage, I did one-handed gestures shifting the mic from one hand to the other. This time all the points of my speech flowed flawlessly. I had a couple of pauses to recall the points, but they were all unnoticeable.
After my speech and the evaluation proper, I was so pleasantly surprised and flattered when experienced toastmasters (two of them club presidents!) approached to congratulate me. They liked my speech! A couple of them have asked me to guest speak at their clubs. Aw, shucks. I suddenly felt like I was some celebrity. It was fantastic!
Some of the nice comments I received:
From Evaluator 1:
My shoulders especially the right were sore from the street badminton last Saturday and yesterday. Even my right torso side hurt. Looks like I always overstretch. It's the "good" soreness though and no injury at all. The pool today was not clear. The hairball I found a the bottom was a dead giveaway that the weekend was packed! There must've been some wild hair-pulling (sabunutan) that occured. After seeing that hairball, I decided to leave the pool. At the showers, I found and took a one-time-used-only bar of soap that the weekenders must've left. These are the kind of freebies I usually get after a weekend.
I delivered my 3rd Toastmasters Speech (Get to the Point) last Saturday at the Bureau of Customs Building, not as a contestant, but as a Test Speaker. Others call it the Model Speaker where the competetion is between Evaluators. I was extremely delighted with my speech. This time, I did not miss a single line. Yes!
Before the program started though, I started worrying coz I overheard a technician saying the lapel mic isn't available. This, after all the assurances beforehand from the Division and Area governors that a lapel mic will be used. The technician simply setup the mic on a stand infront. Does he think that we're singers? I've always practiced gesturing with both hands so that presented an unfamiliar ground to me.
While I was waiting at my seat, I "practiced" holding a mic by using a ballpen pretending it was a mic while thinking out aloud my speech. Corz it was all subtle, else everybody would think I was nuts. It worked very well though. Onstage, I did one-handed gestures shifting the mic from one hand to the other. This time all the points of my speech flowed flawlessly. I had a couple of pauses to recall the points, but they were all unnoticeable.
After my speech and the evaluation proper, I was so pleasantly surprised and flattered when experienced toastmasters (two of them club presidents!) approached to congratulate me. They liked my speech! A couple of them have asked me to guest speak at their clubs. Aw, shucks. I suddenly felt like I was some celebrity. It was fantastic!
Some of the nice comments I received:
From Evaluator 1:
- Intro was a sure attention getter.
- Voice is well-modulated and loud enough.
- It was like watching the National Geographic channel.
- Showed mastery of the subject matter.
- It's like I took a plane ride to Peru.
- Very good opening. Invoked interest.
- Very vivid details. Very educational.
- Title is catchy and so is the intro.
- Manner of speaking demonstrated confidence and competence.
- Eye gestures / the ways you looked at audience were good.
- It was like a box of chocolates that was savored to the end.
Thanx. Sometimes I amaze myself with my speeches. I guess my simple guidelines are:
- Be prepared. Practice as much as you can BEFORE the day of the speech.
- Don't continuously reread your speech up to the last minute. Enjoy the other speeches and the whole program as well. This will take your mind off nervousness.
- Take to heart all the evaluation/feedback you hear. Although some may be superfluous, some are really gems that you should apply in succeeding speeches.
- Smile before you start. Smile at the Contest Chair. Smile at the audience. This will really relax you and the audience will WANT to hear what you have to say.
- Always think that you have something worthwhile to tell the audience - a nice story, an interesting fact, an intriguing opinion - anything you took the time to write.
See all my Toastmasters Speeches online here!
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