Lessons Learned

One of the biggest gripes some District 30 officers have had with the membership of the district is that many members complain about going far for a Toastmasters event. It can be a suburban member complaining about having to go to a TLI in downtown Chicago, a downtown member having to go to the suburbs [...]

I’ve been to so many Toastmaster contests over the years.  In many cases, I’ve witnessed a contestant going from one level to another, then another, until they either reached the ultimate goal, such as Ed Hearn when he won the 2006 World Champion of Public Speaking, or they come up short.  There was one contestant [...]

As the Contest Chair for the 2006 District 30 Fall Conference, I had to make a gut-wrenching call to a Humorous Speech contestant less than a week before the conference – he was disqualified because Toastmasters International never received his application and payment from the club he was representing, an Advanced club he joined a [...]

Last Wednesday I went to Park West in Chicago to see King Crimson, the progressive rock group which is currently on a short U.S. tour to celebrate its 40th anniversary.  There were many versions of the group spreading throughout the 40 years, with only one constant member in Robert Fripp.  In fact by 1972 with [...]