Page 8 - November 2019

COVER STORY

we said and did more than we do. Recently Incredible though it may be, I enjoy
someone came up to me at a District event and traveling on Greyhound buses and was
thanked me for the encouragement I’d given sorry when the Roseburg Greyhound
many years ago. It had inspired them to step terminal was closed.
up to club leadership and beyond. Wow! What 3. I love sketching and drawing with pencils,
if I had said or done something discouraging pens, and crayons. Taking a blank sheet
instead? and creating images is rewarding. During
my student days, I supplemented my
What do you do outside of Toastmasters meager allowance by drawing for other
-hobbies, interests, etc. students. At work one Christmas, I gave

I have several hobbies and interests but due my teammates charcoal drawings. Most
to space limitations, I’ll mention three: of them were happy that I’d taken the
1. “I love books” is an understatement. I’m time to capture their likenesses. One

compulsive! I often find several copies of didn’t like her portrait. Lesson learned.
the same book in my personal library. No drawings as presents!
And I collect autographed books. When
I went to hear Ken Blanchard, I had 30+ You’ve been in Toastmasters for a long

of his books. Event organizers created a time now. How has Toastmasters affected
separate line for me. Blanchard alternately your life?
signed a book for someone on the other Toastmasters has CHANGED many lives,
line, signed one for me, then back to the including mine. In addition, Toastmasters

other line. Ditto with Mark Victor Hansen, SAVED my life. In 2006 I experienced a
whom I asked to sign my collection of devastating betrayal and came precariously
“Chicken Soup for the Soul”! I treasure close to checking out while in New York. The
books autographed by Stephen Covey, thought of an upcoming demo meeting I was
Marcus Buckingham, Jack Canfield, coordinating in Irvine jerked me back from
Patrick Lencioni, John Maxwell, etc. the precipice. “What would fellow Toastmasters
2. I enjoy travelling. I relish the thrill of think if I didn’t show up?” I’m happy to say

exploring exotic places, discovering that we had a successful demo and the club we
different customs and cuisine, and started, Contrarians, is going strong 12 years
making new friends. However, I hate later.
flying (especially take-offs and landings). Thanks to Toastmasters, I have friends in
I’ll volunteer as a guinea pig for the first 150+ countries.
prototype teleporter. Like Star Trek, I Thanks to Toastmasters, I am a more
could visit remote locations in seconds! empathetic listener, a better time manager, a
Whenever possible, I prefer to travel by more sensitive teammate, a more motivating
train. It’s relaxing, reinvigorating, and evaluator, a more considerate boss, a more

romantic. I’m looking forward to touring expressive mom, and a better human being.
Europe again on Eurail after Paris 2020.

8 ONE COMMUNITY