Here's a snap-survey:
What do a pair of shoes, a record player, an acacia tree and a bicycle have in common?
Answer: Nothing, unless you have a propensity for imagination...
These were some of the Table Topics dished out by Glenice during Monday's Transformers meeting and even our most experienced members were floored by the quality of creative thinking!
Before we delve into them, it would be wise to note the quality of prepared speeches which preceded them.
Buhle led the pack with her first prepared speech in Toastmasters and did a sterling job of informing us about her hair, and her state of being. It was the ideal opener - both for a CC1 and for the evening, and if there were any nerves at the start, they soon dissipated with the onset of applause.

Here's a question: How many members can claim best speaker with their CC2?
Ele's second speech in Toastmasters was a display of both insight and class. She took us through the Value of Communication and recited facts and figures that were in many cases astounding.
Her use of pause was right on cue, as was her use of "Eschew" - the word of the evening!
A thoroughly deserved best speaker award soon followed.
Rod soon posed a question of a different sort: Am I a fisherman?
His expressions and gestures were fantastic, in a speech that was an intricately woven patchwork of boyhood and fishing memories. He took the audience to all manner of places, before concluding that, No, he wasn't a fisherman, but, "I like to think I'm a fishing Rod!".

Our guest speaker Matt showed outstanding stage presence by taking us through the Victory Dances of those around us. His stories and anecdotes took us from the sales arena, to weddings and sports fields - How many of us choose to dance when we achieve something extraordinary?

Glenice then took control of proceedings - and asked members and guests to explain why they wanted to be a particular item - no small feat considering most were inanimate objects!
But the participants, bless them, came to the party...

Keith somehow made good mileage as a Pair of Shoes, whilst Ruth cut to the chase as a Potato Peeler. Kay's voice shone through when she became a Record Player, just before the wheels of Mary's bicycle came off. Richard showed zip as a fly on the wall before John-Peter provided welcome relief from the heat - as an Acacia Tree.
A more creative and exceptional cast you will not find, with Kay leading the pack for best of the best!

Join us for our Club Contest evening on the 23rd of February.
All guests and visitors are welcome!

Transformers opened the 2009 season in spectacular fashion when the topics of food, Phalaropes and face-to-face communication filled the evenings proceedings.
In true Transformers style our theme of the evening - "climb every mountain" - provided the ideal platform for those new years wishes. Johns word of the evening "Summit" slotted in just fine with the theme, but what was impressive was the number of members and guests who used it. Ruth managed to top the list with 4, along with providing the driving force for the evening as toastmaster.
Ele's CC1 was one of the highlights of the evening as she took us through the "Things I like".
Her choices? Food, sleep or sex!
She handled this first presentation with aplomb, and her descriptions of lamb shank and other tasty morsels proved to all and sundry that her first choice in life was...yes, you guessed it...food - with sleep and sex both in hot pursuit..
Rod conducted an interview with our 'new' arrival Jackie, originally from Interchange Toastmasters, and whilst it allowed us to gain a little insight into her thoughts on toastmasters, it was her impromptu speech later in the evening that really had all of us on the edge of our seats!
Ryan took us through the passions of other people, in this case weaving the stories of birdwatchers and their many successes and faux pas. He spiced it up with some interesting bird names, including phalaropes and frigatebirds, and concluded that sometimes our passions do overtake our logic - would you really cross a crocodile infested river in search of a bird?!

Mary won the best contribution of the evening with her in depth presentation on toastmasters awards and how to get them - from the Competent Communicator all the way up to the ultimate, the Distiguished Toastmaster. It was certainly enlightening, and put the entire programme into perspective, especially for those of us who are still learning the ropes.

The evening was just warming up though and Cheryl-Lynn was soon putting our guests and members who had yet to take the floor to the test. It must be said that the impromptu's were of a very high standard, with various speakers keeping the audience engaged! As mentioned earlier, Jackie took top honours, in a closely contested race.

Mary's fortune cookies capped a splendid evening - and allowed everyone, in a manner of speaking, to eat their words..

Join us on the 9th of February for our 2nd meeting of 2009.
As always, guests and visitors welcome!