Earworms?
And what are they … exactly? They are the songs that you cannot get out of your head. Recently Kylie did it again to me. This time with “when I […]
Money Can’t Buy Me Love
The Beatles, pop group of the 1960s swooned …. “I’ll buy you a diamond ring my friend if it makes you feel alright. I’ll get you anything my friend if it makes […]
Petrol Heads – thanks Mark
There are people that like their cars and there are people that lurve their cars. These are the so called petrol heads. At first glance at tonight’s meeting theme, I thought […]
Martin Luther-King Jr Day
On this day in history, Martin Luther-King Jr was born (Jan 15th 1929). He was assassinated before his 40th birthday. He’d have been 89 today, if he’d have lived this […]
Crowdfunder Training – checked!
your team. On Tuesday, I took a day out to find out how to make the most of Crowdfunder to support the board at AsOne theatre company. We've all heard about it but how many of us really understand the nuances of this opportunity to raise cash for our business?
Sage, Age & Perspective
As a lady of a certain age, I have a vested interested in ‘Sageism’ – I thought it might be worth confessing this at the start! The thing is there […]
Yuletide – The Longest Night
The title strikes to the deepest fear of any insomniac. Regardless of the varied reasons for sleep deprivation, the extra hour in bed that we get when the clocks go […]
Ouch!
I’m sure my specialist will be happy to see hand propped up by pillows as he insisted earlier before discharge. Me? I’m glad to be home and I’m quickly adapting […]
Competitor Analysis
It is worth understanding how urgently your client needs what you can deliver and more importantly whether you can deliver in their timescale and within their budget. Moreover if you decide to undercut your competitors and take on a client who won't make you any money in the short term you need to know how you do will make money from them in the longer term.
The Winter Blues
Being a relatively resilient individual – I had always pooh poohed the idea that something like the changes in the season can affect your ability to cope with life. Until, […]
Learning from Honks & Hinks
Don’t you think it’s a wonderful sound when a flock of geese fly into Weymouth? Theirs is not the most attractive sound but it is very distinctive. For me, it […]
A little R&R goes a long way
I went to Crete this year. It was extremely warm for September, bright blue cloudless skies and myriad mosquitos. Boyfriend and I decided that we needed to rest and recuperate […]
Much Ado About Nothing!
Last weekend, Dave and I went to the open air Globe Theatre for our biennial visit. We always go in July and … it always rains! To date, we have […]
Clubs and Camaraderie
A few weeks ago I went to the pub for breakfast, dressed in this year’s Lion’s gear. We were supporting England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the battle for the […]
Summer Solstice
It has been the hottest day on record, previously registered in 1976. I was 14 that year. I don’t remember that day – in 1976 it was hot – all […]
Watch out little legs. My lanky ones are after you! – Special Occasions #3
This is Laura McHarrie’s 40th evaluated speech and the penultimate tick in the box towards Advanced Speaker Gold. She was the first member of Casterbridge Speakers having persuaded Steve Graham […]
The Five Es – High Performance Leadership part II
Laura is close to the end of her journey towards Distinguished Toastmaster. This is the penultimate project towards Advanced Leadership Silver. In this speech Laura takes a long hard look […]
To Boldly Go … Down Pathways –
Laura McHarrie has chosen to deliver her penultimate Advance Communicator Gold speech as part of her Area Director visit, as forthcoming changes to the Toastmasters learning programme lends itself to […]
COT MOP – Area Director’s Diary
(Club Officer Training – Mop up! Part 1) The joint area 1 and area 42 club officer training turned out to be a tremendous success. In pooling our resources, Diane […]
Live 2017 – Your Best Year Yet!
On Thursday evening, eight highly energised, exited and enthusiastic Hallmark Speakers took to the floor to give an amazing showcase of ideas on how to live life to the full […]
Talk Up Toastmasters – Area Director’s Diary
Talk Up Toastmasters is one of three challenges during the Toastmaster’s year to engage five new members to each of our clubs. Every club achieving five new members in this […]
Ring out the Old; Ring in the New
Sticking to the theme of resolutions this cliché has been lifted from a rather dark poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson published in 1850. It has been recited annually at the […]
Six Down; Six to Go – Speeches by Management #2
Speeches by Management (2011-05) #2 – Appraise with Praise (5:00-7:00 min) Demonstrate importance of feedback techniques personally used in daily life; Use constructive evaluation to help someone improve their performance; […]
Grow and Be Strong Pt 2 – Speeches by Management #3
Hey Hallmark Speakers – how are you doing? Me? I’m not doing too bad … now … after a few false starts and some key learning. In fact the learning […]
10 out of 10! Andrew – Special Occasion Speeches #4
Sausages, Sparkers and Fireworks! With this speech entitled The Secrets of the Seaside Andrew Knowles has completed the competent communicators manual. That’s ten out of ten! Lady President, Mr Toastmaster, […]
A Load of Old Codswallop -Special Occasion Speeches #2
A Load of Old Codswallop – you can just see him tutting with a wry grin and a twinkle in his eye as he says it. Friends and Family […]
Breaking the Rules – Speeches by Management #5
Houston, we have a problem! Tis not as bad as the Apollo 13 incident but neither are we NASA. However, according to the 2016/7 speech contest rulebook says a club […]
Grow & Be Strong – Speeches By Management #1
Laura McHarrie, introduced a project as part of her high performance leadership project in October 2015. The project floundered in the first few months. Having reviewed the initial plans, […]
Over to You! – Special Occasion Speeches #1
The Toast – On 6th July, Laura McHarrie officially handed over the running of Toastmaster’s Area 42 to her successor Linda Parkinson-Hardman, simultaniously completing another in the special occasion speeches manual. […]
From Foolish to Flourish – Special Occasion Speeches #5
The Acceptance Speech The thing about Toastmasters is there is always the next challenge. Just when you think you have nailed one set of skills another advanced manual opens up […]
What’s Next? Goals etc!
Well, here we are, at the end of my volunteer year 2015/6. Heavens! It’s a whole year since I said “yes”. If I only knew then, what I now know. […]
