Mannheim International Toastmasters

19/12/2024

Dear Fellow Toastmasters,
Seasons greetings from Mannheim International Toastmasters.
Best wishes,
Jeff Gordon

18/12/2024

Toastmasters International
Do you use artificial intelligence? 🤖 While AI is here to stay, it’s an enhancement—not a replacement. In a world embracing AI, real people are more essential than ever. 🌟 After all, nothing matches human problem-solving and emotional depth!
https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2024/dec/ai-world

While artificial intelligence is here to stay, it’s an enhancement, not a replacement.

16/12/2024

Toastmasters International
Pre-stage jitters? Sweaty hands, racing heart … and then you blank. 🫣 Don’t let nerves win! 🌟 Calm your nerves with this Toastmasters article: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2024/dec/calm-nerves.

12/12/2024

Christmas Meeting Recap

Dear fellow Toastmasters,

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." – Calvin Coolidge

The joy of Christmas often lies in its traditions. For Nadine, the Toastmaster of the evening, the highlight is singing and playing Christmas songs. That’s why she chose “Carols” as the theme for the final meeting of the year.

To kick off the meeting, Nadine invited attendees to share their favorite Christmas songs in the chat, while she revealed her own preference: Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödl.

Simon introduced the word of the evening, *chime*, and Jeff delighted everyone with a festive joke:

Q: What do you call a bunch of chess players bragging about their games in a hotel lobby?
A: Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer!

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The evening’s Table Topics were inspired by classic Christmas carols, each exploring meaningful themes:

- “Silent Night” is a beloved carol that evokes peace and serenity. Sybille shared how the soft glow of candlelight at church enhances the song's atmosphere, creating a truly magical moment.

- “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”: Celebrating the power of uniqueness, Sunny, a guest, reflected on his experience of being the only person from a different country or continent at Toastmasters meetings. He highlighted how this diversity has become a valuable advantage for learning.

- “Frosty the Snowman”: Instead of a magical hat, Gabi wished her paper crane could come to life—able to fly, deliver presents, and enjoy leftover cookies.

- “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”: In his speech, Jeff admitted that he would love to visit our Toastmasters Club as St. Nikolaus next year.

- “Little Drummer Boy”: Oliver explored the idea of heartfelt yet unconventional gifts, explaining how he plans to help his parents at home as a meaningful present.

The break was accompanied by some of the attendees' favorite carols, adding to the festive spirit.

A notable moment was the delivery of an Icebreaker speech, a key milestone in a Toastmaster’s journey. Juan, the club’s newest member, introduced himself with a speech titled “Focusing on What’s Important.” He spoke about his hometown in Colombia, known as the “refrigerator of the country,” and shared his challenges of adapting to life in Germany.

His Evaluator, Sybille, commended Juan’s clear voice, steady pacing, and comfortable speaking style. She also provided constructive feedback, encouraging him with examples to make his introductions more engaging and dynamic in future speeches.

The second speaker of the evening was Gabi, who delivered the remaining part of her project on managing projects successfully. Her speech „The Hazards of Modern Work Spaces“ focused on the challenges of creating an open workspace for two merged departments, which involved fewer desks than employees.

Oliver, her evaluator, appreciated the real-world insights and her passionate delivery. He also highlighted areas for improvement, particularly the importance of managing technical details in online presentations—such as avoiding reflections of the screen in one’s glasses and interferences of the blurred background setting with one’s gestures.

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Jeff, the General Evaluator, also commended the evaluators for providing specific, practical advice throughout the evening. He also highlighted how important preparation before the meeting is and the big impact on smooth sailing throughout the meeting.

Nadine’s role as Table Topics Master was part of her Active Listening project. That’s why Nadja gave her feedback and praised Nadine’s empathetic connection with the audience, evident through her genuine smile and strong engagement. She also encouraged her to connect through universal themes in addition to personal anecdotes to deepen her impact.

Our Grammarian, Nadja, pointed out some well-used figures of speech but also reminded us that the intonation of speaking impacts the delivery.

At the close of the meeting, presiding officer Gabi announced the evening’s winners:

- Best Table Topics Speaker: Jeff
- Best Speaker: Gabi
- Best Evaluator: Sybille

With that, the club wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, expressing their excitement to reconvene in 2025 with more inspiring speeches and activities.

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(A big thanks to Nadine for this great recap!)

Please join us for our next meeting on January 14. (online meeting). Be there for another fun meeting and an exciting start in the new year!

Best Toastmasters greetings,
Jeff Gordon

Here is a photo of the meeting:

09/12/2024

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at 7:30 PM CET
ZOOM Online in English

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Dear Toastmaster friends,
We are approaching Christmas rapidly. While we are busy with finishing work projects for this year and drinking some mulled wine, it is time to get into a festive mood.
Therefore our theme of the evening will be Carols 🎶🎷🎵.

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” Charles Dickens

Do join us for some fun and some learning (and maybe singeng) this evening!

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Here is the link for the meeting on Tuesday, 10th of December, 19:15, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/980755286

Meeting ID: 980 755 286
Passcode : 219785
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You can find the meeting agenda here: https://tmclub.eu/viewagenda.php?t=213681&pr=1

Best wishes,
Jeff Gordon
Mannheim International Toastmasters

01/12/2024

Last Tuesday marked our final in-person Toastmasters meeting of the year, and it was time for a beloved tradition: the White Elephant Exchange! This annual event is a chance to have some fun and share quirky gifts. If you have something you’d like to part with,you simply wrap it up, bring it along, and watch as your fellow Toastmasters get creative with impromptu speeches about their unexpected treasures.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Our experienced Toastmaster of the Evening, Jeff, skillfully guided the meeting, ensuring everything ran smoothly despite the unconventional format. With lighthearted instructions sprinkled throughout he kept the energy high and the laughter flowing.

Simon kicked things off with his Joke of the Evening, which featured a prop—a sign of the increasing professionalism and creativity in our meetings. Following this, Zair, our Table Topics Master for the evening, introduced the White Elephant approach with a quick refresher. Instead of our usual Table Topics format, each chosen speaker unwrapped a gift and presented a speech on why their surprise item was the ultimate fantastic present.

Ambi, who received the book Dead Poets Club, was the first speaker to unwrap a gift. This nostalgic find reminded him of a book on Indian innovations, like rocket building. For Ambi, these stories serve as a source of motivation during challenging times.

Next, it was time for our only prepared speech of the evening. Nadine delivered her Presentation Mastery project Managing a Difficult Audience. In a humorous yet insightful speech about how to lovingly annoy your parents, her “difficult audience” tried to interrupt her speech. Her efforts were followed by a brief, engaging discussion led by Nadine as well.

The second Table Topic speaker, Julian, discovered a foldable, portable cup in his gift. Drawing a hilarious comparison, he described it as the “kid’s version of an Oktoberfest mug,” bringing smiles and laughter as everyone momentarily imagined the festival atmosphere of next fall.

After a short break, the gift parade continued. Simon unwrapped a heart-shaped statue featuring a couple. He explained how this would make the perfect gift for his mother, emphasizing his preference for a minimalist lifestyle and thoughtful choices in his own home.

Following Simon’s TT speech, Juan offered an official evaluation of Nadine’s earlier presentation. While he noted that the message of her speech could have been more impactful if the main points were reiterated at the end, he praised her adept handling of audience interruptions—a key skill for any presenter.

Jennifer, another Table Topics speaker, received a picture frame and reflected on her yearly tradition of organizing photos. She shared how this ritual allows her to revisit cherished moments, encouraging the audience to appreciate the joys of the past year.

Finally, our guest Chris, from the Toastmasters Club in Heidelberg, unwrapped a sports drink bottle labeled Schnaps. This sparked a memory of a past club speech about giving up alcohol, illustrating how even practice speeches can leave a lasting impression on fellow members.

With all the gifts unwrapped, the meeting moved into its final segment, led by our General Evaluator, Nadine. Julian, our Ah-Counter and Grammarian, noted areas for improvement while also highlighting the powerful language choices made throughout the evening. Nadine followed with a warm acknowledgment of every member’s contribution, ensuring no one was left unrecognized.

The night concluded with Julian winning the award for Best Table Topic Speaker. This spirited gathering was not only a fitting end to the year’s in-person meetings but also a lead-up to a milestone: the 400th meeting of the Mannheim Toastmasters Club on December 10th! (on-line meeting)

Nobody wants to miss that!

Best Toastmasters greetings,
Jeff

Here is a photo of the meeting:

27/11/2024

Toastmasters International
🌍✈️ Traveling Toastmasters! ✈️🌍
Surya Narayanan K., DTM, and Raghavan Menon, DTM, both from Doha, Qatar, visit the stunning Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, Turkey. 🕌📸

25/11/2024

Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 7:30 PM CET
Buergerhaus Neckarstadt-West, Lutherstrasse 15-17, 68169 Mannheim
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Dear Toastmaster friends,
for many years our club has had a tradition of doing a "white elephant gift exchange" at our last in person meeting of the year, a celebration of the season and a fun way to give and get from each other.

For those for whom the idea is new, a "white elephant gift exchange" is a chance to get rid of something that you have been given that you definitely don't want to have. You might say: one person's junk is another person's treasure.

Table Topics will be based on the gifts. That means that when someone is called, he or she will pick one of the gifts from a basket. Once they see what it is, they will have 1 to 2 minutes to tell us what is so special, great, fantastic about the gift, or maybe an interesting story involving the gift.

This means: please go into your cellar, attic or your over stuffed closet and find something to use as a white elephant gift, gift wrap it, and bring it to the meeting.

This is one of the most fun meetings of the year, you don't want to miss it!

We meet from 19:15 until about 21:15 on Tuesday, the 26th of November. Our in-person venue is the Buergerhaus Neckarstadt-West, Lutherstrasse 15-17, 68169 Mannheim.

You can find the meeting agenda here: https://tmclub.eu/viewagenda.php?t=213680&pr=1&sid=13fd267a06af7af3d6e2d2abc2758c77

I hope to see many of you soon.

Best wishes,
Jeff Gordon
Mannheim International Toastmasters

22/11/2024

Toastmasters International
🎤 Check, check! Take a tip from the champion! 🏆

19/11/2024

Toastmasters International
Struggling to find the perfect speech topic? 🗣️✨ Sometimes the best ideas come from the most unexpected places. 🌟 Check out creative tips from Toastmasters on uncovering unique and inspiring speech topics!

Start reading here: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2024/nov/finding-speech-topics.

15/11/2024

Toastmasters International
🌟 Meet the 2024 World Champions of Public Speaking! 🌍✨

Three incredible women share powerful stories that moved audiences worldwide. 💬❤️

Start reading their inspiring journeys today: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2024/nov/2024-world-champions

13/11/2024

Toastmasters International
POV: You discover speaking can actually be fun! 🎉 Talk about what you love, and remember—Toastmasters has your back every step of the way. 💬✨

12/11/2024

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 7:15 PM to 9:30 PM CET
ZOOM Online Meeting

Dear Toastmaster friends,
Our Club President and Toastmaster for the evening, Gabi, has chosen as theme: Energy

The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have. --Norman Vincent Peale

Do join us for some fun, learning and great energy this evening!

Here is the link for the meeting on Tuesday, 13th of November, 19:15, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/980755286?pwd=Znhwc3dCS1Y3Q1VMUFRQVzhsaHB4dz09

You can find the meeting agenda here: https://tmclub.eu/viewagenda.php?t=213679&pr=1&sid=eee88c9f312351aa5cd4e79a212eafac

Best wishes,
Jeff Gordon
Mannheim International Toastmasters

02/11/2024

Toastmaster Magazine - November 2024
The new Toastmaster Magazine is here.
Find out, click in! https://shorturl.at/F9G6H

27/10/2024

Recap of our Toastmasters club meeting October 22.

Theme of the meeting: breath and breathing

As our Presiding Officer this evening (one of many hats I wore tonight), I warmly greeted our 6 guests. I then invited all present to take one minute to share with us an experience from the day when they felt they could "breathe easier", when they felt at ease. This go-around let us learn something about each other: many meditated, did sport, Simon even told of his using a cold plunge to start the day.

Jennifer was our Toastmaster of the Evening. She introduced the theme of the evening, talking about the importance of deep breathing. She even bookmarked her role by leading us in a short breathing exercise at the beginning and at the end of her part.

Our one Speaker for tonight had to cancel because of illness, so we moved on to the Table Topics. As TTs Master, I gave questions staying with our theme (more of less).

We have an expression “getting a second wind”. Tell us about a difficult experience when you were able to go on even though you were tired /exhausted. Simon told us in a very vivid way of a long bike ride where he had to overcome his tiredness and how he felt enlivened by this.
What role does breathing play in your favorite physical activity or sport? Kamna told us how she noticed her breathing changing when she goes for a walk, and especially climbing stairs.
We say that something is like a breath of fresh air. Tell us about an experience you have had that was like a breath of fresh air for you. Zair shared a difficult challenge at work, and the relief when things went well at the end.
Tell us about a time when you have been inspired, and what this inspiration meant to you. Juan talked about a really difficult period first living in a new country/culture, and how he was able to get some support that helped him adjust.
Speaking of being inspired: what was the worst advice that you have ever received? Professional or private. Julian told of a former boss who scolded his employees for asking questions.
All speakers did a great job with their questions, and Simon was voted best TTs speaker. Congratulations Simon!

As General Evaluator I got the report from our Ah-Counter Zair, and our Grammarian Julian. After giving all the TTs speakers a short feedback, I complemented Jennifer on her role as TME, and how well prepared she was, making the theme come alive with the breathing exercises.

Closing the meeting, our guests gave feedback on how interesting and friendly the club atmosphere is.

Please join us for our next (online) meeting on Tuesday, November 12th. (on-line meeting)

Best Toastmaster greetings,

Jeff, Mannheim Int. Toastmasters
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Here is a photo of the meeting: (Julian was our camera man).

22/10/2024

Toastmasters International

A Toast to 100 Years: Celebrating Toastmasters' Centennial Journey

🎉 Join us in celebrating Toastmasters International's 100th Anniversary! 🎂 Since 1924, Toastmasters has transformed lives by building confident leaders and communicators around the world. 🌍✨ Discover the rich history and impact of this global community as we mark a century of empowering voices. 🎤
🔗 https://youtu.be/80T9t4Do-zk

Join us in celebrating Toastmasters International's 100th anniversary! Since 1924, Toastmasters has transformed lives by building confident leaders and commu...

21/10/2024

Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 7:15 PM to 9:30 PM CEST
Bürgerhaus Neckarstadt-West · Lutherstraße 15-17

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Dear Toastmaster friends,
Jennifer will be our Toastmaster of the Evening tomorrow, and she has chosen as our theme: "breath".

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. – Oprah Winfrey

Please join us for another exciting evening, sign up for open roles and help us breath fun and life into our meeting! Looking forward to seeing many of you at this in-person meeting.

We meet from 19:15 until about 21:00 on Tuesday, the 22d of October. Our in-person venue is the Buergerhaus Neckarstadt-West, Lutherstrasse 15-17, 68169 Mannheim.

You can find the meeting agenda here: https://tmclub.eu/viewagenda.php?t=213678&pr=1&sid=85e6b7d4939f758b825715fe6c22639f

Best wishes,
Jeff Gordon
Mannheim International Toastmasters

18/10/2024

Toastmasters International
How can we ensure positive future experiences in our clubs? 🤔 A mentor not only shares knowledge through communication but also leads by example. They use their words to impart wisdom 💬📚 and, more importantly, serve as a role model—demonstrating true leadership in action. 🌟

Check out the October Toastmaster article, The Meaning of Good Mentoring, to learn more! 📖✨
https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2024/oct/good-mentoring