When I scaled back my involvement in Toastmasters in the Summer of 2007, I did not see myself attending any more International Conventions after attending and enjoying the previous two.  I was planning on just being a club member and officer, occasionally attending some TM events outside of the club.  Instead of spending $600 to attend the convention, plus more for transportation and lodging, I’d rather spend my money and time on other pursuits.

Well next year the convention will be held at Foxwoods in Connecticut, just across the Long Island Sound from where I grew up in Suffolk County on Long Island.  And I just found out that my 20th high school reunion will take place on August 15th – the same day as the final day of the International Convention!  Assuming the reunion will take place in the evening, I could actually drive from my mom’s place on the Island, take the ferry across the Sound to Foxwoods early in the morning, watch the finals of the International Speech Contest, then return across the Sound with enough time to make it to the reunion.

So if the District 30 speech winner next year wins the Region V contest in June (which I will not be attending), or someone I know from one of the other Districts wins, perhaps that will tempt me to purchase a ticket for the contest and make the extra trip across Long Island Sound.  We’ll see….