横浜トーストマスターズクラブ第660回目の例会は、2018年2月3日節分の日に開催されました。当日は立春前日とは思えぬ寒さでしたが、寒気を物ともせず24名のメンバーと4名のゲストを含む合計28名が､ 明治時代に建てられた横浜市開港記念会館に集いました。

節分の日に合わせて、例会のテーマも「節分」。事前に「一番心に残る節分の思い出は?」という質問をメンバーに投げかけたものの、TMODである私自身、節分の思い出など殆どなかったため、この日を自分も含めたメンバー全員の「心に残る節分」にしようと、100円ショップで鬼のお面を買い、自宅に転がっていたStar Warsのライトセイバーを鬼の金棒代わりに持ち込みました。鬼の華麗な剣舞でも舞うつもりでいたのですが、数日前にぎっくり腰になり自由に動けなかったので、代わりに即興で長身のTM Tを壇上に招き、横浜TMCのクールな鬼になってもらいました。かっこいいでしょう? 私の下手な剣舞よりよっぽどいいですね!

メンバーの節分にまつわる回答の中で特に印象に残ったのはTM Nのお父さんとの思い出で、かつてご近所に鳴り響くお父さんの「鬼は外、福は内」と叫ぶ声が、子供心に恥ずかしかったが、お父さんが亡くなった今は、その声が懐かしく思い出され、もう一度聞きたいと思う、というTM Nの亡きお父さんへの愛情が心に響きました。

この日は、C. C. マニュアルを完了したTM Nが、Competent Communicator Award を受賞し、数分の受賞スピーチを行いました。TM Nはいつもながらしっかりスピーチ原稿を準備し、完璧な内容のスピーチを披露してくれました。スピーチの準備を完璧に行うのは時間的にも大変なのですが、労力を惜しまず準備を怠らないTM Nの姿勢は、横浜トーストマスターズクラブの良き模範となっていると思います。今後のTM Nの更なる活躍を期待しています。

この日のWord of the Dayは “Believe”。誰もが知っている簡単な動詞ですが、この言葉を準備したTM Aによると、日本人は “I think”を連発しがちだ。しかし英語には ”think” を意味する言葉が沢山あり、その一つが “believe”だ、とのこと。確かに日本人は “I think”ばかり連発しますよね。でも “think”は、”I believe / I guess / I suppose / I presume / I assume / I’m sure / I reckon / I’m afraid” などなど、その場に応じていろいろ言い換えることができます、と気付いたのは私だけではなかったようで、当日は沢山のメンバーが “I believe”を例会中に使用しました。TM Aのword of the day、素晴らしいチョイスでした。

さて、最初のセッションはTable Topic Master初挑戦のTM TによるTable Topic Session。テーマは「冬」で、初挑戦とは思えないTM Tのスムースな進行のもと、5名のスピーカーが各質問に答え、氷点下30度の北海道での体験を披露したTM Mが見事ベストテーブルトピックスピーカーに選ばれました。

準備スピーチセッションでは、ベテラン2名と新人2名がバラエティに富んだスピーチを披露し、中でもTM NとTM Oによる新人とは思えない見事なアイスブレーキングスピーチが印象的でした。

最近入会してくる新人メンバーはいずれもレベルが高く、ベテランメンバーもうかうかしていられません。ベテラン2名のうち、ベトナム出身のTM Hはベトナム人の愛国心について語ってくれ、ベトナム人についてあまり知らない日本人メンバーには新鮮で興味深い内容でした。また本日一番のベテランでアドバンスト・マニュアルに挑んだTM Tは、ご主人の入院話を面白おかしく披露し、会場を沸かせました。ベストスピーカーには初スピーチに挑戦した新人のTM Oが選ばれました。

論評セッションは、これもGeneral Evaluator初挑戦のTM Nが司会を担当しました。最後の総合論評で少し緊張が見られましたが、持ち前の堂々たる風貌で役目をこなされました。時間が足りず、各論評者に対する論評が出来なかったのが少し残念でした。ベストイバリュエーターには、新人スピーカーの論評を行ったプレジデントのTM Tが選ばれました。さすがですね!

最後に、この日の例会は1分遅れで始まり、7分遅れで閉会しました。数分の遅れとはいえ、TMODだけでなく、プレジデントを初め各セッション担当者が予定時間に気を配りながら進行する必要がありますね。また、一旦司会を始めると時間を忘れてしまいがちなので、現在は行っていませんが、時計係が進行を促せば良いでしょう。

とはいえ、節分例会は盛況のうちに閉会し、次回はいよいよ春のコンテストの初戦、インハウスコンテストです。才能あるスピーカー達の素晴らしいスピーチを聴けるのを楽しみにしています!

TMOD: TM T. S.

The 660th regular meeting of Yokohama Toastmasters Club was held on the day of “Setsubun”, on Feb. 3rd, 2018. It was too cold to feel like a day before “the beginning of spring”, but despite the cold weather the total of 28 people (24 members & 4 guests) got together at the historical Yokohama Port Opening Memorial Hall, which had been built in the Meiji Period.

The meeting theme was decided to be “Setsubun” to celebrate the day before the beginning of spring. Prior to the meeting I, a TMOD, asked the members the question; “What is the most unforgettable Setsubun experience you had in your life?” However, I myself didn’t have any unforgettable Setsubun experience. Thus, I made up my mind to make this meeting something memorable for all of us. First, I bought masks of Oni (monster) at a 100-yen shop. Second, I fetched a Lightsaber of Star Wars rolling on the floor of my place to make it a monster’s sword. With these props, I was planning to dance an elegant sword dance of Setsubun monster. However, unexpectedly I sprained my lower back a few days before the meeting. Immobile and despaired, I asked a tall and cool TM T to come to the stand and become a Setsubun monster instead of me. And take a look! He looked cooler than I’d expected him to be. Better than my poor dance!

One of the most impressive answers to my Setsubun question was TM N’s memory of her late father. She used to feel ashamed of his loud voice, “Go away evil spirits! Come in good lucks!”, which echoed loudly in the neighborhood on the Setsubun day in her childhood. However, now that he is gone, she misses his loud voice so much. Her love for her late father melted my heart.

In the Business Session, TM N received the Competent Communicator Award for her successful completion of the C. C. Manual, and she made a few-minute speech to commemorate her achievement. She had prepared a perfect script for her speech as usual and delivered it smoothly. Making a perfect preparation for each speech is time-consuming and tough. However, she always makes a perfect preparation. Her sincere attitude towards making a speech is a good model that all members should follow and learn from. I’ll be looking forward to her further achievements in this club.

This meeting’s Word of the Day was “believe”. Although this is the verb anybody knows, according to TM A, who chose this word, Japanese people tend to say “I think…” too much when “think” can be rephrased by other words that also mean “I think”. One of these words is “believe”. She is right. I too realize we say “I think” too much when it can be rephrased by “I believe / I guess / I suppose / I presume / I assume / I’m sure / I reckon / I’m afraid” and more. It seems that I wasn’t the only one who realized that fact, and many members said, “I believe” instead of saying “I think” in this meeting. TM A’s choice of word was proven to be perfect!

The first session, which was the Table Topic Session, was conducted by the first-timer TM T. He facilitated the session as smoothly as though he had done this many times before. The theme of the session was “winter”, and the five speakers answered his questions respectively. TM M, who talked about his experience in Hokkaido when the temperature was 30 degrees below zero, won the Best Table Topic Speaker Award.

In the succeeding Prepared Speech Session, two experienced speakers, as well as two rookies, made a variety of speeches. Especially, two rookies’ ice-breaking speeches were too good to be the ones made by first-timers. I find that recent rookies who have just joined our club are already accomplished English speakers. Experienced Toastmasters (including me!) should roll up sleeves once again and try harder to improve ourselves. Out of two experienced Toastmasters, TM H, who is from Vietnam, talked about the patriotism of Vietnamese. Since we Japanese don’t know much about Vietnamese beliefs, her speech was novel and interesting. TM T, who was the most experienced Toastmaster in the crowd on that day, made a speech about her husband who had been hospitalized for his injured leg. Her humorous way of talking about her husband was so funny and entertaining. The Best Prepared Speaker Award went to TM O, who made the very first speech in this club.

The Evaluation Session was facilitated by TM N, who took the role of the General Evaluator for the first time. Although he seemed a little nervous when he made a general evaluation, he facilitated the whole session with his signature confidence. The one thing I regret was he didn’t have enough time left to make an evaluation for each evaluator. The Best Evaluator Award was given to TM T, our president who made an evaluation of the first speech made by one of the rookies.

Last but not least, this meeting started a minute late and closed 7 minutes behind the schedule. Even though a few minutes delay seems nothing, the delay could’ve been avoided if not only TMOD but also the president as well as other session masters paid more attention to time. However, once the session starts the session master can easily forget about time. It may be a good idea to ask Timer remind them of the time during each session.

Anyway, the Setsubun meeting went well and we’ll be having the In-house Contest for the Toastmasters International Spring Conference two weeks from now. Let’s enjoy the fabulous speeches of the talented contestants together. I’m looking forward to it!

TMOD: TM T. S.