Today’s Boaters Toastmasters meeting kicked off with a burst of New Year energy, proving that if you repeat “Happy New Year” enough times, it might just become a lifestyle rather than a calendar event.
Our fearless Toastmaster for the day was Erika, who kept the ship (or boat… or very enthusiastic metaphorical vessel) sailing smoothly through a meeting full of laughs, learning, and the occasional “wait… what was I saying again?”
Word of the Day (and Slightly Fancy Latin)
Kent stepped up as Secretary/Grammarian and blessed us with the word “Resurgam”, meaning “we shall rise again.” A fitting motto for Toastmasters… and also for anyone trying to recover from holiday overindulgence, lost New Year’s resolutions, or simply finding where they left their pen.
Travels, Trade, and a Bit of Mystery Geography
Dean McLeod introduced Karis, who took us on a whirlwind tour of her Speech “A Few Places.” And few places it certainly was, France (Paris, très chic), Denmark (very hygge), and Rotorua (very sulphur, very unforgettable). A global journey without the jet lag, Toastmasters really is elite travel hacking.
Serina introduced Dan, who shared insights from his work with Trade Assist and spoke about “unlocking potential through culture, connection, and trust.” A serious message, delivered with the kind of calm professionalism that makes you feel like you should immediately start networking better and possibly drink more coffee.
Important Boaters Business
Lovey delivered the Boaters Bulletin, updating us on new roles. This segment had strong “season finale of a workplace documentary” energy, everyone nodding politely while secretly wondering if they’d been promoted, demoted, or accidentally volunteered for something.
Table Topics: Time Travel Edition
Natalie led Table Topics, taking us 10 years into the future and 100 years into the past (because apparently New Year isn’t dramatic enough on its own).
- Hannah imagined New Year’s Eve a decade from now, hopefully still remembering where she parked the boat.
- Jessica bravely ditched one habit she’d leave behind in the old year.
- Jeremy contributed to a 100 year time capsule discussion.
Evaluations & Expert Feedback (a.k.a. Gentle Truth Bombs)
- Helen evaluated Caryss, helping polish a talk that already travelled more than most of us do in a year.
- Aaron evaluated Dan, ensuring “unlocking potential” also included unlocking constructive feedback.
- Ian evaluated Table Topics, which is always brave because improvisation is basically organised chaos with confidence.
- Royden stepped in as General Evaluator, overseeing the whole operation like a calm captain watching slightly chaotic but enthusiastic deckhands.
- And keeping everyone on time (and mildly accountable) was Christian as Timer, arguably the most powerful role in any Toastmasters meeting. Without him, we would still be talking.
Final Thoughts
All in all, today’s meeting proved that whether it’s a new year, a new role, or a new attempt at public speaking confidence, Boaters Toastmasters is committed to one thing: rising again (resurgam, if you want to sound impressive at your next dinner party).
Same time next meeting, hopefully still in the correct year.
Blog By: Hayley Ching