Lessons Learned

Page 23 of the most recent Contest Rulebook has Rule 6B under Timing in the Humorous Speech Contest:
Time will begin with the first word uttered by the contestant.
However, should the contestant engage in definite verbal or
nonverbal communication with the audience (including the
playing of music or other sound effects, a staged act by
another person, etc.) prior [...]

There were times in which I did not take some facts well and expressed them emotionally, like the more recent entries here such as changing the contest room or finding the results of a recent election unfavorable.  At the end, it was a set of facts that I accepted, whether I like it or not, [...]

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 [...]