Our word of the day was “unorthodox” and it succinctly described the type of meeting we had. Toastmaster John brought context to the “un-meeting” theme by explaining it’s ok to break rules when coming up with ideas. For example, Porter Airlines broke away from traditional airlines advertising by positioning itself in an unconventional way that made it distinct from its competition. John indicated that speeches can break conventions too and still be memorable and impactful.

We heard three prepared speeches with unconventional elements and John invited us to listen to them without prejudice and vote for the best “un-speech”. The winner would be awarded a prize.

Lily was the first speaker of the night. She enlightened us about the Robocop Campaign that helped elevate Detroit’s image.

Second speaker Francisco revisited the themes of his “ice breaker” speech with a different slant.

Finally, our last speaker Julian relived the nightmarish ordeal he endured buying a house from a unique seller and the challenging circumstances that followed.

Francisco got the most votes and won the prize.

Instead of Table Topics, we had an exceptional workshop on procrastination led by Ian. He covered why people procrastinate and gave us some great tips, including how he tries to overcome procrastination. We were thoroughly engaged and a lot of questions were asked.

Overall the word of the day was used six times – a club record for the most times the word of the day has been used. The “un-meeting” was quite successful.

Special mention goes out to Hazel, a true Toastmaster who epitomizes the art of time management and perfect delivery. After delivering her speech on March 16, she delivered a healthy baby boy three days later on March 19! Congratulations from all of us!

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting!