Another Award! Yay, Me.

Today was the day I gave my first speech at the Kossowan Toastmasters Club. It was, as a first speech in the first manual, a icebreaker speech. So the topic was to be something that told a bit about my self, my job, my hobbies or something of that kind.

I decided to do it as a humorous speech about my new "addiction" to playing Cityville and Farmville. I titled it "My Name Is Carmen ... And I Am A Zyngaholic." Zynga being the company that created both Facebook games as well as many others like Cafeworld, etc.

I didn't really know what I wanted to say when it came time to do my first speech as I knew from experience the last time around at Toastmasters that it always seems as though there is nothing to say but when you do pick something it always ends up way to long.

For me, anyway. Sure enough, the Zyngaholic topic I picked because I wasn't sure how to talk about some other aspect of myself in a 4 to 6 minute window oddly seemed to flow right out of me when I did my "draft". In fact, I didn't even have to re-write it or even make many changes to it.

And it was written quite quickly, in one sitting no less. The only thing was I knew from using a not very accurate watch (I don't yet own a digital stopwatch) but one that did at least have a second hand that I would be a "little" (about a minute was my guess) over time.

For me, from past experience, that was nothing short of a miraculously good job. So since the material came so easily I decided that I wasn't going to "jinx" it and make any changes that would reduce the time to hit the 4 to 6 minute mark better.

As it turned out, I was correct about the time pretty much. My final time was 7 minutes 12 seconds. So all in all, not too bad I don't think. If I didn't also decide that I was going to stand behind the lectern and use my notes I would have reduced the time as notes save time.

Regarding the speech it self, there were several points where there were humorous elements (in addition to the topic in and of itself) but there were also parts (some were the aforementioned "humorous" parts) that were kind of risque or as I referred to them in the speech - tawdry!

All in all, it went over quite well. So well in fact that although the first speaker - there were two of us - was the very accomplished and can-be-funny-even-in-serious-speeches Fred Sawka, I managed to win the better speaker award for my speech.

My first speech since re-joining. It's been a long time so I really don't know for sure but I really don't think it's likely I ever won a better speaker award during all my time (abt 10 to 15 years!) @ the Norwood/N'orators clubs.

Maybe it's possible that in all that time I won once or twice but I don't recall it. My speeches were for the most part "patchwork" and mostly over-long so I don't think I'm being self-effacing when I say it was less than likely that I won often if ever.

So it's nice that I am starting out with a fairly strong first outing. In fairness, though, but without taking anything away from this speech and the fact that I did win the award because I am very proud of the my presentation and it's reception,

I think I had a better chance because mine was humorous. That is why I titled my post this way. I decided that while I've written a lately about blog awards and Toastmaster awards (for Table Topics) today's being for being a prepared speaker was extra special and was worthy of really crowing about!

Carmen