Dialogue Page 8

Player's Lineup

What's Dangerous about Monty Python, Dilbert, & Hospital Food?

Tom Hobbs, ACG, ALB Denver Division Governor

When a baker makes a cake they follow a basic tried and true recipe for consistent results. When the anticipated results are historically mediocre they start adding new ingredients for different results. How many vanilla wedding cakes are made in a year in the United States? Could that be contributing to the Divorce Rate?

Change can be scary, but the knowledge that if you don't change you will likely have the same results. Changes were recently made at Toast-A-Matics Toastmasters in Denver. The club proved a great teacher, Doug Stevens, correct, "Safe is a dangerous Place to be."

Having seen other clubs have membership and participation concerns during the summer months they got out of their Safe Meeting room. Toast-A-Matics held a "Welcome lunch" at the New Children's Hospital at the Medical Campus in Aurora. This was a well received event by all types of staff at the campus. There was more than double the summer time attendance and a very high quality meeting was presented. I sat next to a Division Administrator who brought 3 of her staff. She was amazed at how well the Grammarian & Evaluators could listen and then give an oral report as well. She certainly wants more of that in her work environment.

So what was Dangerous about this event?

Quoting Monty Python as an expert Therapist by Todd Baldini during his speech.
Seeing an 8 foot photo of an Engineer's Brain so schematically enhanced that Dilbert could smile and Kate Worster could teach us to Speak to Engineers!
Purposefully serving Hospital food to NON Patients

The club risked their skills in front of a dozen new faces and heads of some powerful departments. They added some financial risks for the meals as a bonus attraction. Yes, Toast-A-Matics took some great risks, and the potential rewards are huge. How cool would it be if Doctors could communicate with Nurses, Nurses with Patients, and Patients with Doctors?

My Hat is off to Kirk McCrimmon, Umarani Pugazhenthi, Winnie Moll, Christine Keating, Mike Rannie, Brian Eliason, Danielle Richardson, Paul Wyles, and the Toast-A-Matics Toastmasters Club.

Taking Risks is Contagious. Simply Speaking Toastmasters is having a Full Debate with Front Range Toastmasters August 19th (open to the public). Note: Security will not allow any snowballs in the room this time.

Cheers,
Tom G. Hobbs
The Man in the Hat
Denver Division Governor

Be bold in what you stand for and careful what you fall for.

— Ruth Boorstin

Pep Squad

"Toastmasters"

George Peele^*

(to the tune of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" as recorded by Johnny Cash & others)

Some people when they're asked to speak
in front of a big group
their throat goes dry, their knees get weak
they don't know what to do
but there's somewhere that they can turn
where they can get some help
my dad's a prominent member
by his license plate frame, you can tell

Public speaking's a ginormous fear
up there with death
but super friends are always near
don't turn to Coke or meth
don't be a yellow-belly
just open the Yellow Pages
and call them on the tele
you'll thank me for ages

Yippee Yi Yea Yippee Yi Yo
Toastmasters end stage-fright
Toastmasters slay stage-fright

You'll overcome your nervous ticks
and master gestures too
and then there is Table Topics
talking off the cuff's cool
your sweaty palms will dry up
you will surely fidget less
and it won't even cost that much
much less than you might guess