Potential meeting theme?

I listened to Barack Obama's inaugural address at lunch time last week and had an idea for your next Toastmasters meeting ...

What if you could "recreate" the inaugural address with each member presenting a portion of the text? Members could evaluate each other (and the content of the speech) afterwards.

If you do it, be sure to get the word out to the local newspapers and get some publicity for Toastmasters. It would be bit of a challenge, but then again, we are Toastmasters!

Here is a site with the full text ...

http://www.businesspundit.com/obamas-inaugural-address-full-text/

What do you think? Does it sound like it could be fun?

If you do end up using this idea at your club... be sure to submit it at the D53 Meeting Themes wiki (pictures would be great too!).

Dave Wheeler

D53 LGM, 2008-9
Be The Change You Want T0 See!

Quote from http://www.barackobama.com/...

" I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington ... I'm asking you to believe in yours." - Barack Obama

Ignite ... a new(?) speaking format

I just heard about an interesting speaking "format" called Ignite.

If you had five minutes on stage what would you say? What if you only got 20 slides and they rotated automatically after 15 seconds? Around the world geeks have been putting together Ignite nights to show their answers...

Ignite usually has two parts: the Ignite Contest, where people make things, and Ignite Talks, where presenters get 20 slides and five minutes to make their point. Sometimes I've only had Talks, but the contest is fun and can serve as a great warm-up for the talks.

This activity is similar to Pecha Kucha (check out this post for news on that) and either format might be adapted to create an interesting Toastmasters theme meeting. (Don't forget the D53 Meeting Theme contest wiki !)