Topics of mystery and imagination!

Impromptu speaking - we all do it and quite often,  we dread it. All interpersonal communications require the ability to think quickly and with flexibility, to be able to read the situation and respond accordingly. It can be complicated!

Toastmasters can help. Our Table Topics Session puts Members on the spot in a non threatening way. And! It can be hugely entertaining. At the last Speakeasy Meeting,  the Topicsmaster, Claire O'Connell treated her audience to a highly imaginative and quirky selection of challenges that brought out  the best in every response.

We cringed when we recalled "chat-up lines" we may have used. Yes, there is a plethora of corny conversations from meet up situations.  But nothing beats the story of the member (who will remain nameless) who complimented a woman for "looking radiant in white" and then, completely by accident,  tumbled a full pint of Murphy's stout over her!

We learned of members' pet peeves regarding Hotels,  especially Gyms that contravene such descriptions - gyms that are installed for Star Rating purposes that lack the basic essentials of a gym.

Imagine that you could be a household appliance? Which one? The response was a C⁰lothes Iron, steaming clothes and pressing them to perfection while blowing hot air, just like the speaker.

We had an ode to the importance of trees to our existence and a guide to matching and mismatching various colours while dressing for that night out but, most interesting of all, would you marry your arch enemy for a Billion? There was a time when we spoke about Millions but inflation has changed all that. One member spoke about a certain marriage arrangement in rural Ireland  - "40 acres and Madge thrown in". But, one response summed it up in practical terms, when marrying for a Billion,  make sure to have a good pre-nuptial. It was a modern day take on the infamous Zsa Zsa Gabor line - "I'm a great housekeeper,  when I divorce, I keep the house".

The next Speakeasy Meeting takes place on this Thursday night, 15th October in The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow at 7.45pm.  As always,  guests are welcome to attend our Meetings and are never obliged to speak unless they wish to do so. For more information about this Club,  please check out our website speakeasytoastmasters.com or on Facebook.