Geoff Peters Blog

Why join Toastmasters?

Sun, 05 May 2013 23:51:00 -0700

A friend asked me about Toastmasters. She was interested in learning what skills Toastmasters helps with. Here is my response, in case anyone else is interested! :)

I have been in Toastmasters for 3 years. I started out at the club at my office (we have a club for employees) and then I joined a second club in Kitsilano.

It is focused on giving you a welcoming and supportive place to practice public speaking skills. It has a definite structure for the meetings (everything is timed and everyone has a particular role for each meeting, but you sign up for roles in advance). Some examples of roles are to give a prepared 5 to 7 minute speech, or to give a verbal evaluation of someone else’s speech for 2 to 3 minutes. There is also an opportunity to do a 2 minute impromptu speech - this is called “table topics” and the idea is that you will speak / improvise for 2 minutes on a topic that you find out right there and then.

So for what kind of skills it develops, for me I was focused on becoming more comfortable in front of an audience, improving the clarity of my voice and language (practicing on getting rid of “um’s” and “ahs”), using body gestures (such as hand movements or walking around the stage), thinking on my feet, and becoming a better listener / evaluator. It has also been a lot of fun!

-Geoff Peters

Co-VP Membership
Vancouver Toastmasters Club 59
http://tmclub59.com

How to Join Toastmasters?

if you are interested in checking out a Toastmasters meeting you can search for a club in your area on http://toastmasters.org

To Live In The 1920's and Trip Through The 80s - Instant mashup generator

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:48:05 -0700

To Live In The 1920's and Trip Through The 80s - Instant mashup generator:

This is a really good instant mashup!

Toastmasters Table Topics Discussion Questions on Marketing

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:17:00 -0700

Toastmasters Table topics discussion questions: Marketing

Would you rather be the director of Marketing for Santa Claus, or the Easter Bunny?
Why?

You are the VP of marketing for Starbucks. You notice that McDonalds is giving away their coffee for free, and it is really hurting your sales. What do you do?

You are the Head of Marketing for a cell phone company. You learn that 41 percent of iPhone owners fall in the $100,000+ income segment vs. 24 percent of Android owners.
What kind of phone do you sell?

Would you rather see a band live, or listen to a recording of them? Through what kind of marketing can a band convince you to see them live?

At movies, they now show up to 30 minutes of commercials before the movie, after it is supposed to start. Does this bother you, and if so, are you going to the movies less often?

Have you ever clicked on an advertisement on the Internet? Was it ever helpful or useful? Or are advertisements online just annoying?

In the last 10 years, newspapers have been losing money like crazy. Is it a bad time to be a journalist? Do you think online revenue will ever make up the difference?

Youtube is getting really popular. Do you think Youtube and Netflix will ever replace traditional TV?

Only 50% per cent of those in Vancouver age 16-24 got their driver’s licences in 2012, whereas in Surrey the proportion was 78%. If you were a car manufacturer, how would you make driving more attractive to Vancouver youth?

You own a restaurant in Kitsilano. However, not many people are coming to your restaurant. How can you improve your marketing to save your business?

Questions by Geoff Peters, Vancouver Toastmasters Club 59, http://tmclub59.com on March 25 2013. Feel free to use/adapt these questions for your own Toastmasters club. Contact: geoff@gpeters.com

Bollywood and Russian Folk Dance - Instant mashup generator

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:05:18 -0800

Bollywood and Russian Folk Dance - Instant mashup generator:

this works! lol.

The Wiggles Hot Potato and Sistar19 Ma Boy Mirrored Dance Practice - Instant mashup generator

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:01:01 -0800

The Wiggles Hot Potato and Sistar19 Ma Boy Mirrored Dance Practice - Instant mashup generator:

Wiggles meets k-pop!

Gaga Piano and Chick Corea Legends Of Jazz - Instant mashup generator

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 21:25:13 -0800

Gaga Piano and Chick Corea Legends Of Jazz - Instant mashup generator:

Here’s Lady Gaga playing some very cool Chick Corea jazz in this fun mashup :)

Nasa Spacewalk and Hal 9000 - Instant mashup generator

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:36:26 -0700

Nasa Spacewalk and Hal 9000 - Instant mashup generator:

pretty cool!

Friday and Bad To The Bone - Instant mashup generator

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:33:54 -0700

Friday and Bad To The Bone - Instant mashup generator:

Rebecca Black gets baaaad! So much better this way :)

Lance Armstrong Hill Climb and Beastie Boys Body Moving - Instant mashup generator

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:27:51 -0700

Lance Armstrong Hill Climb and Beastie Boys Body Moving - Instant mashup generator:

Lance would like this!! A fun Beastie Boys song accompanies hard working Tour de France cyclists.

Donald Judd and Double Rainbow - Instant mashup generator

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:36:00 -0700

Donald Judd and Double Rainbow - Instant mashup generator:

Someone is *really* appreciating the artwork and design of artist Donald Judd. Hilarious, and awesome at the same time.

Kitten Fight and Pew Pew Laser - Instant mashup generator

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:23:00 -0700

Kitten Fight and Pew Pew Laser - Instant mashup generator:

Cute kittens fight along with a man singing about laser beams. Bizarre, but somehow endearing.

Country Line Dancing and Heavy Dubstep - Instant mashup generator

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:16:00 -0700

Country Line Dancing and Heavy Dubstep - Instant mashup generator:

Another genre bending mashup. These athletic country line dancers are enjoying some heavy dubstep!

Geoff Peters Vegetarian and Cooking With Dog - Instant mashup generator

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:04:32 -0700

Geoff Peters Vegetarian and Cooking With Dog - Instant mashup generator:

This cooking video seems a bit confused!

Monkey Taunts Tigers and Spiderman Theme - Instant mashup generator

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:41:20 -0700

Monkey Taunts Tigers and Spiderman Theme - Instant mashup generator:

this is really funny!

Britney Spears and Mikhail Gorbachev - Instant mashup generator

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:52:40 -0700

Britney Spears and Mikhail Gorbachev - Instant mashup generator:

This mashup combines some very serious political history commentary with the most unlikely video from Britney Spears.

The result: some surprisingly deep insights! :)

Zombies and Rob Zombie - Instant mashup generator

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:49:35 -0700

Zombies and Rob Zombie - Instant mashup generator:

this Mashup speaks for itself!

what could be better than a video about Zombies accompanied by the music of Rob Zombie?

Meet The Pyro and Dude Looks Like A Lady - Instant mashup generator

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:46:39 -0700

Meet The Pyro and Dude Looks Like A Lady - Instant mashup generator:

this is a fun mashup between an animated video game sequence Meet the Pyro and a rocking Aerosmith song.

Ice Ice Baby and Under Pressure - Instant mashup generator

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 04:58:00 -0700

Ice Ice Baby and Under Pressure - Instant mashup generator:

Under Pressure is the Queen/David Bowie song that Vanilla Ice sampled for his hit song, Ice Ice Baby.

This is a mashup of the Under Pressure music combined with the Vanilla Ice video.

Kenny G Shreds and Jazz - Instant mashup generator

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 04:50:35 -0700

Kenny G Shreds and Jazz - Instant mashup generator:

Kenny G plays some good music here!!

Bieber and Mozart - Instant mashup generator

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 04:47:00 -0700

Bieber and Mozart - Instant mashup generator:

Surreal mashup between one of the most popular teen pop stars and the stately but elegant Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.