Shoes for grandiloquent people

Wednesday, 11th of March 2015

As usual, today’s session started punctual with our President’s, Catalina Maldonado, introducing speaking, who passed the torch to Rayane Bachammar, the Toastmaster of the day. She introduced “shoes” as the subject of a session where the word of the day was “grandiloquent”, a word that was presented by Luzasz Zagroba, the Grammarian, accompanied at the control table by Teresa Rubinat, counting the “ahs”, Marc Majoral, controlling the time, and Felipe de la Cruz, putting in written words everything was said and happened. And so, the session ran with cruising speed.

Ibtissem Chikhaoui, in her first speaking, the Icebreaker, “Live is a chocolate box”, talked to us about her experience living in Algeria, her country, and how she learned a lot from movies. If live is like a chocolate box, she’s got the best pieces.

Paul illustrated us on his ninth speaking, “OMG, are we doomed??!”, about how gadgets full our lives and pass. In 1988 was the line phone, in 1995 modems connected us to Internet, in 1998 his got his first mobile phone, in 2008 we had a huge variety of models of smartphone to choose, and 2011 was the big bang of apps. And here we are. He likes gadgets, but he feels like a zombie. 

Today we only had two speeches, but what amazing speeches, as stated Júlia Ripoll and Jelena Vetockina. Both enjoyed their evaluated speech, especially Jelena, who said she was “enthusiastic!” about Paul’s speaking. 

Then was table topics time, conducted by our Catalina. She dedicated her time to make a bit long speech about how to make a great table topic, teaching us how to organize the structure and the use of some formulas. After that, and before to explain the topic, she asked for five brave people.

The first of them was Klaus, who had an unexpected date with Tinderella. Klaus don’t use to have a good experiences with shoes, and that date wasn’t an exception, so when Tinderella left in a hurry, she lost her shoe. So, don’t mix things are important with things can ruin you.

Marina invented a shoe that has the form of a human foot. Why? Because if you have horrible feet, you can hide them with these feet shoes.

Georgina has got magical shoes. Thanks to them she could create a new society, a world where people care about others.

Jorge told us that to attract people’s attention he has to wear long heel women shoes, because if you aren’t grandiloquent, that kind of shoes are the best option to call attention.

Laia belongs to an organization where people are barefooted. They’re connected to their realities, they’re real, as they don’t hide themselves behind shoes. In addition, if you wear shoes you’re contributing to animals killing so, remember, not to wear shoes helps Nature.

The session was arriving to the end but, as usual, we cannot leave the meeting without listening to the controllers. Teresa Rubinat told us that Ibtissem did a good speaking with zero “ah”, while Júlia has to take care of her speaking due to the high number of “ah”. The rest of speakers made a good job. Lukasz Zagroba was pleased with speaker’s grammar, as far as William Shakespeare would be if he could have the opportunity to listen to them. Marc said that Paul and Catalina passed their time, while table topics, within their agreed times, where pleasantly longer than usual.

Then it was time for the general evaluation and Joan Marc Garcia made the honors. He remembered to us that we have to take time and look the agendas before to take a commitment, and once we do, respect it. He also made the most of his role to thank Rayane for her good job at Toastmasters. He found evaluators did a good job, as well as the table topic toastmaster, who asked for five braves, something unusual.

Before of the end of the session, it was time for (lots of) recognitions. Júlia Ripoll and Joan Marc Garcia received their diplomas for their third speaking. Ibtissem Chikhaoui received her Icebreaker ribbon and Paul Conde his Competent Communicator ribbon. And, finally, it was time to welcome new members: Enrique, Claus, Marina and Felipe.

The session ended a little bit later but the additional time worth the effort.