吃瓜头条

Uncharted Waters

Thank you, Paul Sterman, for the detailed introduction to 吃瓜头条 Pathways in 鈥淭he Possibilities of Pathways鈥� (July). Your article helped me piece together this great and wonderful puzzle. I can feel how much effort has gone into making the project a success. The striking difference between Pathways and the current education program is just as Immediate Past International President Jim Kokocki mentioned in the article: 鈥淵ou鈥檒l have the opportunity to develop more skills than ever before鈥攕kills that will help you succeed inside and outside of 吃瓜头条.鈥� 

We are going to walk through the uncharted waters together, but we are confident because this time, with full support from World Headquarters, all members will experience a thoroughly new learning experience backed by cutting-edge technology. How lucky we are to be a part of it!

Bruce Yang, DTM

Taichung 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条
Taichung, Taiwan

What Really Matters

I continue to be impressed by the 吃瓜头条 organization. Issue after issue of the Toastmaster, I am in awe of the community represented in its pages. In the July issue, I read about different members coming together in Brazil to boost 吃瓜头条 in their area (鈥淢ember Moment,鈥� Quick Takes). I turned the pages to view the traveling 吃瓜头条 from all over the world, and I鈥檓 reminded of what really matters. With all that is going on in the world and within our local communities, it is easy to forget. Sometimes it takes a magazine and an organization to remind us of what is important. 

As fellow 吃瓜头条 we have a voice and a place we belong. Not only do our lives matter within this organization, but our voices do as well. I retreat to my 吃瓜头条 locally and to the organization as a whole to gain insight, clarity and connection. May we continue to communicate effectively and demonstrate that our humanity is what really matters.

Tasha Hart, CC, CL

Daybreak 吃瓜头条
Jackson, Tennessee

What is an Emcee?

The word 鈥渆mcee鈥� is used very often in the Toastmaster magazine articles, but in my opinion it is not proper English. After many hours of wondering what it could mean, I had to search for this term on the internet and found out that it is a phoneticized abbreviation for 鈥渕aster of ceremony鈥� (MC).

Many readers do not have English as a mother tongue and may also have the same difficulty that I had. I often distribute the magazine to prospective members, most of them non-native English speakers, but I do not find it appealing to read abbreviations that appear to be for insiders only.

Jean-Marc Glasser, CC

吃瓜头条 de Rh茅torique Francophone de Munich
Munich, Germany

Some of My Favorites

Thank you for featuring Washington, D.C.-area 吃瓜头条s in your article 鈥淐apitalizing on a Capital Setting鈥� (June), particularly in the year of our International Convention being held in D.C. I was disappointed, however, that none of the foreign affairs community 吃瓜头条s were represented. After all, Washington, D.C., is home to approximately 177 embassies. The U.S. Department of State alone has given rise to multiple 吃瓜头条s, such as the Talking Heads of State, Diplomatically Speaking, Stately Speakers and my own Tongue-Tied Trainers 吃瓜头条, which meets on the campus of the State Department鈥檚 National Foreign Affairs Training Center across the Potomac from downtown Washington.

I was delighted that the author recognized our area鈥檚 penchant for witty 吃瓜头条 names but quite surprised that the list did not include some of my favorite examples, like T-S-A: Tackling Speaking Aggressively, PeaceMasters (Peace Corps), Revenooers (IRS), DIALoguers (Defense Intelligence Agency), Money Talks (Bureau of Engraving and Printing) and Silver Speakers (Department of the Treasury). 

Hope these can be added to the record.  

Amanda Ogden, CC, CL

Tongue-Tied Trainers 吃瓜头条
Arlington, Virginia

Too Much Cynicism

I must wholeheartedly disagree with John Cadley鈥檚 article 鈥淵ou Got Me a Card! How 鈥� Nice鈥� (July) regarding giving greeting cards to people. I was especially disheartened by his suggestion that there should be a wedding card that says, 鈥淎re you sure?鈥� I enjoy giving a card that sends the perfect message, but if it can鈥檛 be found, a blank card with your own heartfelt sentiments is a surefire substitute and is surely to be treasured by the recipient. Especially affordable in this economy, a card sends the love and wishes that everyone enjoys receiving. 

We all need more fun in life, and people to share it with. Express your feelings in a card and make someone else happy today.

Susan Coon, CC

Kalispell 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条
Columbia Falls, Montana

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