table topics

One component of each Toastmasters meeting is something called Table Topics. The Table Topics Master comes up with topics for three to four people to talk about in an impromptu manner for one to two minutes.

Last week was my first time as Table Topics Master. My subject was based on the Doonesbury cartoons below. They are from 1986 when Mike Doonesbury left his wife J.J and had a soundtrack playing in his head. We actually did five, rather than the normal three to four, as we were short a speaker that day.

What was your soundtrack…

• when you were a senior in college about to graduate?
• when you started your first career path job?
• when you had your first romantic breakup as an adult?
• when your first child was born?
• on your first date in high school?

The General Evaluator said that was the most thoughtful Table Topics he had ever seen, and he was going to steal it for the other chapter that he is involved with. I got several compliments from members, including the written one you see here.

I like the fact that I’ve kicked my participation up a notch.