Table Topics - Wayne Dyer - CSF Meeting #223

The theme of CSF meeting #223 was "You'll see when you believe it", a quote from Wayne Dyer. I picked topics which are quotes of the famous author Wayne Dyer. 

1. How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. 
2. If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. 
3. Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made. 
4. The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don't know anything about. 
5. It's never crowded along the extra mile. 
6. The last suit that you wear, you don't need any pockets. 
7. Anything you really want, you can attain, if you really go after it. 
8. Conflict cannot survive without your participation. 
9. There's nothing wrong with anger provided you use it constructively. 
10. You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone with. 
11. You can't choose up sides on a round world.
12. Everything you are against weakens you. Everything you are for empowers you. 
13. Self-worth comes from one thing - thinking that you are worthy. 
14. Miracles come in moments. Be ready and willing.

I also picked some English idioms (local slang in any language) as topics... 

Let the cat out of the bag	Hot potato
Miss the boat	Can’t judge a book by its cover
Once in a blue moon	Ball is in your court
See eye to eye	Best of both worlds
Steal someone’s thunder	Costs an arm and a leg
Take with a grain of salt	Devil’s advocate
Last Straw	Hear it on the grapevine
Hit the nail on the head	Jump on the bandwagon

9 ways to prepare for Table Topics / Impromptu Speaking

"It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." - Mark Twain. It is really true. Fluency in English alone is not enough for you to be a great impromptu speaker. You definitely need to

prepare and practice to master the art.

Also read: Table Topics - 6 ways of getting the initial thinking time

When I joined toastmasters, Table Topics used to be Terror Topics. There were times when I used to sit in the remote corner of the room to hide away from the Table Topicsmaster. Eventually, I developed passion to speak. Though I had the passion to speak, I was running out of ideas / thoughts to express. I used to imagine my brain to be running rigorously like an empty grinder... making a lot of noise without any useful output. That is when I learned, you should feed the grinder with something to reduce the noise and to get useful output. I tried experimenting a number of techniques, which produced results. Today, I can confidently talk on any Table Topic (even on a topic which is as complex as "Craziness is the welcome mat at the doors of creativity").

Also read: How a Table Topics Master can hurt your club membership?

How do you go about preparing for Table Topics? Here are some simple techniques that you can follow to become a great Table Topics speaker.

1) Read newspapers - Reading newspapers will help you to stay current with the day to day events that are happening in the country/world. Most of the water cooler conversations that happen in social and professional life are about current events. Staying on top of current events will help you not only strike conversation with people, but also to handle impromptu situations such as Table Topics. For ex., if you get a topic such as "Honesty is the best policy", you can immediately relate back to the match fixing that is happening in cricket and how players have lost honesty.

2) Read books - “Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read.” a quote from John Wooden. You can accelerate your communication journey by reading good books. Reading books will help you to learn new words and new ways of communicating ideas. You can apply them in your Table Topics.

3) Listen to Podcasts / Audio Books  - Listening to podcasts and audio books help you to learn so much during your spare time - be it walking or commuting or when sitting idle waiting for a bus or a train. The authors of podcasts and audio books would've learned / experienced so much during their life time and sharing those experiences with us in a nut shell. You can talk about the content that you learned from Podcasts & Audio books, during your Table Topics. For ex., I quote Zig Ziglar often in my speeches. Zig Ziglar has published nearly 200+ podcasts for free. Each one of them has a story and a message. You can use those stories and messages in your table topics.

4) Prepare for standard topics - Most of the table topics are around common subjects such as success, failure, most memorable event, greatest achievement, most happiest moment, leadership, hardwork, friendship, forgiving, happiness, sadness, goals, vacation, professional life, career, family, kids, education, determination. If you can prepare a short paragraph on each of these subjects, you can easily talk about them in your speeches.

5) Blogging - Write blogs... Blog about your personal events, passion, hobby, things that inspired you, things that you learned, things that you admire etc., When you write about blogs or articles, you learn to organize your thoughts and present in a clear / conscise manner. This is a skill which will be very useful for you to apply when handling Table Topics.

6) Write Diary - If you don't like to write and share your thoughts publicly through blogs, you can even begin the habit of writing diary. This will also help you to document your important moments & experiences which will eventually help you in creating stories from your own personal life. In fact, writing diary will help you to track where you are and focus on what you want to achieve in your life. It will also help you to get over your emotions.

7) Offline practice using Quotes - Take a printout of some 50 or 100 quotes from Internet. Cut the paper into smaller chits - each chit with one quote. Fold them, shuffle them and put them in a bowl. Now, take 1 chit from the bowl, open it and start talking about it for 2 minutes. Record what you speak. Then, play back and see how you could've handled the topic better. Be your own evaluator and write your "strengths" & "areas for improvement". Redo speaking on the same topic again, if you want to. Record it again and listen to it. Whenever you find time during the day or weekend, do this exercise. I have done this during my early days of toastmastering and it has helped me to think instantly and talk on any subject.

8) Play Table Topics Games - http://www.tabletopics.com/ sells box full of table topics that you can buy and play with your friends.

9) Volunteer for Table Topics - You cannot learn swimming by standing on the shore - you'll have to jump into the water to learn swimming. Similarly, you can sharpen your impromptu speaking skill by constantly participating in Table Topics sessions. Whenever the Table Topics master asks for a "Volunteer" to speak, raise your hand immediately without a second thought.

If you practice the suggestions given above, Table Topics will no more be a Terror Topics session for you.

Also read: Table Topics Evaluation Tips

Table Topics Master - Tips for effective performance

Do you know that a Table Topics master plays a key role in improving the club membership and in providing opportunity for every member to speak? How can you be effective in your role as a Table Topics Master? This article provides you some tips for performing your role as a Table Topics master, effectively.

Also read: 

How a Table Topics master can hurt your club membership?

1) Table Topics Master should come to the meeting at least 15 minutes in advance. This will give an opportunity for the Table Topics Master to identify 'who are all playing roles' and 'who are all NOT playing roles' in the club meeting. Most of the times, the role players list changes in the last minute. Table Topics Master should consult with Toastmaster of the Day and General Evaluator to make sure that he/she has the updated list of role players.

10 ways of identifying role players for your meeting

2) Table Topics Master should have a list of identified speech topics - at least 15 different topics. Preferably, a new toastmaster should get those topics reviewed by a mentor or a senior toastmaster in the club. This will help to ensure that the topics(s) provide scope for the participants to speak for at least 2 minutes.

3) Before calling a guest to participate in Table Topics, the Table Topics Master should check with the guest whether he/she would be interested to participate in the Table Topics Segment. Not every guest would be excited to deliver an unprepared / impromptu speech in front of strangers.

4) Table Topics Master should call members in the following order (My personal recommendation!). If you follow this order, even if you had to cut short the Table Topics segment due to lack of time, you would've covered all of your non-role players.
- members who are non-role players
- members who are minor role players (Timer, AH Counter, Grammarian, Ballot Counter etc.,)
- guests (if they are interested)
- members of other toastmasters club(s), who has visited your club

5) Table Topics Master should keep his/her introductions very short. I've seen Table Topics Master who speak for 5 minutes before getting into the Table Topics segment. This denies opportunity for at least 2 Table Topics speakers. A few Table Topics masters talk for about a 1 minute after every table topics speech. This is also not recommended.

6) The purpose of Table Topics segment is to encourage members to think on their feet and speak. If Table Topics master selects topics that are "too tough" or topics that are "too abstract" or topics that lack "clarity", members will find it difficult to speak. For example,

• "Assume that you are caught by a Traffic Police while speeding and you have to escape without paying fines to him" If you give this topic to a new member, he/she would not have any clue about how to speak and what to speak. 
• A topic like "Craziness is the welcome mat at the doors of creativity" is too difficult for somebody new to handle. 
• A topic like "What do you think about economy?!" is too abstract

Handling Table Topics - 6 ways of getting the initial thinking time

7) Customize the topic to the person. For example, you can give a relatively easier topic to a new toastmaster or a guest who participates in the Table Topics segment.

"Every member who comes to the toastmasters meetings should get an opportunity to speak" - If you have this as the mantra of your club, I'm quite confident about the success of your club.

Let us give opportunity for everyone to speak, learn and grow!

How a Table Topics master can hurt your club membership?

"Every member who comes to the toastmasters meetings should get an opportunity to speak" - if this is the mantra of your club, I'm very confident that your club will be successful. Toastmasters is a 'learn by doing' program where a member learns by performing a role in the club.

Also read: 

Table Topics Evaluation Tips
Handling Table Topics - 6 ways of getting the initial thinking time

There are three types of members in any toastmasters club:

• Members who proactively signup for meeting roles in advance
• Members who take roles only when it is THRUST upon them
• Members who enjoy coming to the meetings, but do not sign-up for any roles 

Topics Master plays a crucial role in engaging and giving opportunity to members who are not playing any role in the meeting. However, some Table Topics Masters do not realize the importance of giving opportunity to EVERY MEMBER of the club TO SPEAK. Such Table Topics Masters, do one of the following:

• Calls the 'favorite' or 'popular' toastmasters in the club (for ex., Club President, Club Mentor etc.,)
• Calls the members who are already playing a role in the meeting
• Calls the member(s) of a different toastmasters club, who is visiting your club as a guest
• Calls guests (even without getting their permission before the meeting)
• Calls for volunteers (and a member who already had a chance to speak in another role goes to the stage again to speak)

This affects the success of the club in the long run. For example, a member who spends 30 minutes to an hour to commute to attend the club meeting may not get an opportunity to speak in the meeting. When new members do not get an opportunity to speak for 2 or 3 weeks in a row, they may lose interest/motivation to come to the meeting.

Either the club officers should motivate such members to take a role every week or the Table Topics Master should give an opportunity for such members to participate in Table Topics segment. Otherwise, it would have an impact on the club membership in the long run.

Table Topics Master - Tips for effective performance

Handling Table Topics - 6 ways of getting the initial thinking time

"What should I talk about?" - This is the first question that will come to your mind when you are called to the stage and given a Table Topic. Your brain cells will fight with each other to bombard you with thousands of thoughts in a few milliseconds time. However, you would need some time to pick the right thought and expand on it.

How would you get some thinking time for organizing your thoughts during Table Topics? This article outlines some techniques for getting a few extra seconds of thinking time, right after you are given a Table Topic.

(Also read: How to write attention grabbing introductions?)

1) Acknowledge & Address the Gathering

As soon as you get the topic from the Table Topics master, don't just jump into the Table Topic. Begin your speech by thanking the Table Topics master and by addressing the audience.

For example, by starting your speech with the following statements you will get approximately 5 seconds of thinking time.

Thank you [Mr|Madam] Table Topics master for that wonderful topic. Fellow toastmasters and my dear guests ... or

Mr. Table Topics Master, Fellow toastmasters and my dear guests ...

2) Read out the topic again

By reading out or repeating the topic again, you'll get at least a few seconds of thinking time.

For example, when you get a topic such as "What is your most memorable Christmas celebration" and if you repeat the topic, you'll get 5 seconds of thinking time easily.

3) Ask Questions

Asking questions will not only help you to get some thinking time, but also will help you to grab the attention of the audience.

You can start your speech by asking questions to the audience.

For example, if your topic is "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle", you can start by asking some questions such as "How many of you take a walk to the local store, instead of driving a car? How many of you carry a bag with you when you go for shopping, instead of asking for a plastic bag?".

If your topic is "What is your most memorable vacation", you can start by asking some questions such as "How many of you took a vacation recently?". If somebody respond back by raising their hand, you can ask them, "What is the place to which he/she went to?".

Then, you can continue the speech by saying "Great! My most memorable vacation is the one that I took to Ooty with my family".

4) A witty prepared remark

You should have some witty/humorous remarks in your kitty. Starting your Table Topics speech with a little humor will get you some extra thinking time. Some suggested witty remarks are given below:

• Our Table Topics Master doesn't realize that it is always easy to ask questions, but it is very difficult to answer them.
• From next week on wards, I'll promptly sign-up for a meeting role, so that, I can esape from Table Topics
• I think they should change the name of Table Topics session to Terror Topics
• Last time, I got a topic "Craziness is the welcome mat at the doors of Creativity". This topic is much better than the topic that I got, last time.
• Fellow toastmasters and guests, you don't have to be GREAT to START, but you've to START to be GREAT. You may be wondering what is the relevance of this quote to the topic. My mentor advised me to start any speech with a quote to grab the attention of the audience  (Read: Spice up your speeches with quotes)

You don't have to use this technique always. When you gain experience in handling Table Topics, you may not have to use this technique.

Opening your speech with a humorous remark that is relevant to the topic, is always good.

5) Use the "Theme of the Day" or "Word of the Day" in your opening statement.

Referring to the "Word of the Day" or "Theme of the Day" will get you some applause from the audience. Each applause will last for approximately, 5 seconds. You can use that time to think and organize your thoughts in handling the Table Topic.

For example, if the Word of the Day is "dexterous" (meaning skillful), you can start your speech with the following statement.

"Mr. Table Topics Master of the Day, fellow dexterous toastmasters and guests"

6) Ask for a few seconds of thinking time :)

If you are not able to use any of the above techniques and if you are a new toastmaster trying to get your arms around Table Topics, I would recommend you to openly ask for some thinking time. I've seen Toastmasters asking for 30 seconds of thinking time, explicitly. The timer will buzz to indicate the speaker that 30 seconds is reached.

Using a combination of the techniques given above will easily get you 30 seconds of thinking time. It would help you to organize your thoughts and deliver a short speech during your table topic. Initially, it may be a little challenging to follow some of these techniques. But, if you continue to practice them regularly, you'll be able to handle Table Topics with ease.

Table Topics: Theme "Winners are Grinners"

Table Topics: Theme "Winners are Grinners"

Good evening to all the winners, grinners and the ones who are dreaming about their dinner.

"It takes me 3 weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech" said Mark Twain. If you actively participate in Table Topics session you won't require 3 weeks to prepare for a impromptu speech, you may hardly take 30 seconds to think.

If you want to be better than Mark Twain, make use of the platform in Toastmasters to practice and develop your impromptu speaking skills.

Each member who gets called to the stage will be asked to speak on a topic (for/against). You'll have to speak for at least 1 minute and a maximum of 2 minutes. I encourage everyone to use the Word of the Day (Triumphant) in their speeches.

1) A champion needs motivation above and beyond winning

2) A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning

3) What is your most memorable win? (A Contest, A competition or a life event)

4) The trophy stays in the shelf, the experience comes with you forever

5) Dieting is the game where you win when you lose

6) The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back - Vince Lombardi

7) I love winning because ...

8) Obstacles are challenges for winners and excuses for losers

9) Who is one person against whom you would love to lose? Why?

10) What do you think about India winning world cup last year?

11) Who is the real winner in your home - you or your spouse? Why?

12) Who is your most favorite sports champion? Why?

13) My dad is my champion / hero

14) I hate to win because ...

15) You are competing for the post of a President in Chennai Communicators Club. Your opponent is TM ______________________. What would be your pitch to get the votes from the audience to win?

(Table topics session conducted at Chennai Communicators Club, Velachery, Chennai on 4th Nov 2012)

Table Topics - Theme "Christmas"

If you are the Table Topics master for the Christmas special toastmasters meeting, you can get benefited by the questions listed here. This blog post has table topics questions that you can ask in your toastmasters meeting with the theme as "Christmas".

Also read: Table Topics - Theme "New Year"

1) What is your most memorable Christmas celebration?

2) Even today, I believe in Santa Claus because ...

3) I love getting gifts, but I hate buying it for others.

4) Why do you think we should not have a holiday for Christmas?

5) If you have an option to change the costume of Santa Claus, what would you do?

6) I'm jealous of Santa Clause because ...

7) Christmas reminds me the state of our economy, every year

8) I don't believe in buying things during Christmas Sale because ...

9) 5 things that you like to do during Christmas holidays.

10) Why do you think Christmas should be celebrated by everyone in this world?

11) Why do you like Christmas so much?

12) 5 reasons why we should not give gifts to others on Christmas.

13) Christmas holidays should be a month long

14) If you have unlimited money, what is one electronic gadget that you would buy for yourself? Why?

15) You get a phone call from Christ on the day of the Christmas. What would you ask him?

Also read: Table Topics - Theme "New Year"

Table Topics - Theme "New Year"

This blog post has table topics questions that you can ask in your toastmasters meeting with the theme as "New Year".  If you are the Table Topics master for the New Year special toastmasters meeting, you can get benefited by the questions listed here.

Also read: Table Topics - Theme "Christmas"

1) What is your most memorable new year celebration?

2) I love new year ! But, I hate the celebrations.

3) I hate taking new year resolutions because ...

4) What are the changes that you want to see in our country in the new year?

5) What are your new year resolutions?

6) What is the ONE new year resolution that you take every year?

7) 5 things that you would like to stop doing, starting this year?

8) New year resolutions are meant to be broken.

9) What if you got promoted to be the CEO of your company, this year? What would you do?

10) I love new year celebrations. I hate new year.

11) The BIG THING that is going to happen in your family in the new year.

12) If you are given the power to change the new years day (i.e., from January 1st to some other day), which day in the year would you choose?

13) I'm already perfect. I don't take new year resolutions.

14) Why do you think the world is going to come to an end, this year?

15) Every day is a new years day to me.

Also read: Table Topics - Theme "Christmas"

Table Topics - Theme "Independence Day"

This blog post has table topics questions that you can ask in your toastmasters meeting with the theme as "Independence Day".  If you are the Table Topics master for the Independence Day special toastmasters meeting, you can get benefited by the questions listed here.

Table Topics - Theme Independence Day 

1) What is your most memorable Independence day celebration?

2) What do you normally do during Independence day holidays?

3) Which is the most memorable trip that you took during the Independence day long weekend?

4) I wish we had not got Independence

5) The modern generation does not understand the power and value of Independence

6) What if our country has not received Independence?

7) If you were a leader who fought for Independence, what would you have done differently?

8) 5 mistakes that our country did post Independence

9) I love the movie "Independence day" much more than the actual "Independence day"

10) Who is your favorite national leader? Why?

11) Why would you not join politics?

12) Why should our youth take an active part in our country's politics?

13) Why should the country not declare holiday for Independence day?

14) Independence day celebrations should be month long. Not just a day or a couple of days.

15) I love to be a slave, than being independent?

16) We are slaves even post Independence.

17) If we are going to be slaves again, which country would you think will capture/control us?

18) Assuming that we are not a Independent country today, how do you think the modern Independence

day struggle would be?

19) Today, we are Independently Interdependent.

20) Women has not still received Independence from the male dominated society. You can talk for or

against this topic.

21) Why do you think Independence day celebrations are not environment friendly.

Table Topics - Theme "Memorial Day" or "Flag Day" or "Defender of the Fatherland Day"

"Memorial Day" or "Flag Day" or "Defender of the Fatherland Day" - The day may have many names. But, the purpose is the same. To thank the heroes who protect us, protected us and are protecting us. 

The following are some table topics that can be used in toastmasters meetings with the theme as "Memorial Day" (USA) or "Flag Day" (India) or "Defender of the Fatherland Day" (Russia)

1) If you have unlimited sum of money, which job would you like to do?

2) What do you normally do for Labor Day weekend?

3) If you are given an option to join our army, will you take the offer? Why or Why not?

4) I'm proud of my army men, because ...

5) If your son/daughter wants to join the army, will you allow them? Why or Why not?

6) Should we spend more money on the army? Why or Why not?

7) Quote: War does not determine who is right - only who is left. - Bertrand Russell 

8) Quote: If we don't end war, war will end us.  - H. G. Wells 

9) Quote: In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons. - Herodotus 

10) Quote: The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy.  - Friedrich Nietzsche 

11) Quote: Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.  - John F. Kennedy 

12) Quote: Only the dead have seen the end of the war. - George Santayana 

13) You don't have to be really part of the army to serve the nation.

14) Who is your hero in life? Why?

15) If you would want to be a real hero? Who would that be?

Table Topics - Theme "Quotes"

• Small things make perfection, but perfection isn’t a small thing.

-              Anonymous

• Dreams of the future are better than the history of the past

-              Thomas Jefferson

• It is better to have loved and lost.. than never to have loved at all

-              Alfred Lord Tennyson

• I love everything that’s old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines

-              Oliver Goldsmith

• It is better to be envied than pitied

-              Anonymous

• He travels fastest, who travels alone

-              Rudyard Kipling

• Everything is funny as long as it happens to somebody else.

-              Anonymous

• Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it and there’s no one to live in it.

-              Arthur Miller

• Love is as strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as the grave

-              Bible

• What’s in a name? That which we call a rose … by any other name would smell as sweet

-              Shakespeare

• Throw a lucky man in the sea, and he will come up with a perl in his mouth

-              Arab Proverb

• Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference

-              Robert Frost

• The butterfly counts not months, but moments … and has enough time

-               Rabindranath Tagore

• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining

-              John F. Kennedy

• The more we elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate

-               J.B. Priestley

• Loose lips, sink ships

                Anonymous, World War II Poster

Table Topics - Theme "Back to school"

This article has Table Topics with the theme "Back to school"

Terry - "Back to school" promotions - Are they a boon or a bane (persistent annoyance)?

John Love - Most of the teachers, establish rules on the first day of school. If Ray Downen is the teacher of 1st grade students, what are some of the rules he would establish?  (John Love)

Don - When you were a kid, "Why did you like going back to school"?

Min - How would you motivate your son to get the best grade in school, this year? 

Warren - You are the head master of a school. This is the first day of the school. You had promised everyone that you'll give a speech about "punctuality". You are late by 15 minutes. How would you start your speech?

Cliff - Imagine that Hillary becomes the President of USA. She selects you as the Vice President. You should persuade Hillary to sign a bill that forces all the employers (not just schools) to announce a mandatory 3 months summer break.

Chris - Why do you think the summer break should be just 1 week instead of 3 months?

Maren - Which is the most memorable summer break that you had during child hood?

Erica - What are some of the things that you would do to impress your teacher on the first day? 

Ray - We are your students. Talk to us on the subject "Plagiarism is the short cut to success".

Blanca - You are the head mistress of a school. You notice that the newly hired teachers aren't dressed 'appropriately' to the school. You called them all for a meeting. What would your pep talk to them, be?

Hana -You are the owner of a local stationary store. Why do you think we should buy "back-to-school" items from your store than from Walmart?

Carmalita - Did you ever got night-mares about going "back to school"? Why or Why not?

Mark - What was the most costly 'back to school' item that you ever got?

Karen - Kids give a lot of excuses for not going to school. What was your most creative excuse for not going to school?

Ron - If you are the President of United States for just one day, what are some of the changes that you would bring in our education system?

Gil - When you were a kid, what did you think, you would become in life? Did your dream come true?

Marty - You are the teacher of 10-th grade students. How will you explain them that participating in sports is important than academics?

Wada - Does spirituality help in getting good grades, even if you don't do your homework?

Sam - Do you think the gas price & current inflation have any impact on the "back to school" spending?

Michele (?) - Which one do you like the most - "summer break" or "winter break"

Table Topics - Theme "Voicemails"

Voicemails

It was a Saturday evening ... you are at home, lying on the couch, watching your favorite TV channel. You receive a call from your boss. You are wondering "Why is this guy calling me over a weekend?" You let the phone to ring for a while and it goes to your voice mail.

You are in an important meeting... You receive a phone call on your mobile from your spouse. Boom... press a "cancel" button and it goes to your voice mail.

You are a lazy person. You rarely charge your mobile phone. Any call that you receive... Zoom... it goes straight to your voice mailbox.

It is easy to avoid a problem or person, by letting a call to go to your voice mail box. What if you were the person who is making the call? How'll you handle situations requiring you to leave an effective voice mail? Well, in our table topics today, we are going to rehearse just that.

1) What if you were that boss, who have to leave a voice mail to ask your employee to come to work over a weekend? What will be the content of your voice mail?

2) You were dating someone and you met another person who is more interesting and exciting. You want to break-up with your old girl/boy friend. You call them to let them know that it is not working out. The call goes to voice mailbox. What will be the content of your voice mail?

3) You promised your wife that you'd take her for a movie tonight. Of late, you've been breaking several promises that you made to your wife. Your wife is not very happy about that. When you were about to leave office, your boss stops you and says "XYZ, I've an important business presentation tomorrow. I need to discuss a few things with you. Can you spare a few hours for me this evening?" You call your wife to let her know. It goes to the voice mail. What will be the content of your voice mail?

4) Imagine that you were living with your friend. Your friend was not at home. You took your friend's brand new BMW for shopping - without letting him know. On the way back to home, you bumped your friend's BMW into another vehicle. You are calling your friend to let him know about the accident. However, it goes to his voice mail. What will be the content of your voice mail?

5) Which is the most memorable voice mail that you left?

6) Which is the most memorable voice mail that you got?

Voicemail has now become one of the mediums of communication.  However, when we make phone calls we are normally not prepared to leave voice mail. The result is - we loose business; we strain relationships. So, the next time you make a call, decide what will be the message if it goes to the voice mail box.

Table Topics - Theme "World without Computers"

Table Topics

Good evening fellow toastmasters and dear guests …

I’ll be the table topics master for the day.

Theme & Introduction

The theme for today’s table topic session is “World without Computers & Internet”

Internet has become part of our everyday life. Infact, many of us eat, sleep and get up with a computer. Computers are yet to become water proof. Otherwise, they would be with us even in the bath tub.

Internet has been taken for granted these days. We get access to information from almost all the places. With the advancements in mobile technologies, Internet can now be accessed from anywhere in the world.

In today’s table topic session, we are going to get some of your perspectives about Computers & Internet.

Questions

I have four questions for our discussion, today. The first question is

1)      Tell us five things that the world would miss without computers & internet?

Rajesh's speech last week touched upon an interesting point. A growth in the rate of obese people is due to lack of physical activities. Computers & Internet not only have an impact on our physical health - but also our mental health. They've changed the way in which we do things.

2)      How do you think you are spoilt because of Computers & Internet?

Many of us even sacrifice our personal life and spend hours & hours together with computers & Internet. Internet is a double edged sword.

3)      How would Computers & Internet change your life in another 20 years?

The first time that I saw a computer was during my 10th Grade. The computers were locked in a room with glass walls. We were just given the opportunity to "see" them from a distant location. However, my 7 months old daughter gets to play with my laptop almost everyday.

4) Would you recommend kids to have access to Internet? If so why? If not why?

We read a number of stories/articles regarding personal identity being stolen and security being compromised over the internet.

5) Was there a situation where your personal identity/security was compromised over the internet?

Well, it is hard to imagine a world without Computers & Internet. Computers & Internet have deeply penetrated into everyone's life. While we cannot live in a world without them, we should make sure that we don't miss our personal life. For those who spend hours & hours in front of computers, please remember that there is a beautiful world outside the LCD panels.

With this, let me close today's table topics session.