Do people still make new year resolutions? I was pondering this as I headed towards the first Vox meeting for 2013. That question was answered as I walked into a room already filling with faces, many of them unfamiliar. I think the total this week was around 11 
guests, perhaps public speaking is becoming a more interesting alternative to joining the gym in January?
The usual new year giving up of vices was on show in Larry’s this week. Nora spoke of her efforts in giving up the grape for the month, while the multiple glasses of water upstairs in the bar spoke for themselves!
First time topicsmaster Mark did a stellar job of getting the discussion and laughs going, with surprise of the night going to Frank with his robust defence of the first Sex and the City movie.. hmm.. I still stand by my statement that it’s one of the worst films I’ve ever seen, this gives me the last word, Frank!
Cora also managed a first for Vox, in getting onesies and ukeleles into the same topic reply. I’m still wondering how she managed that one.. Mark sprinkled in a few more serious points for discussion: the question of whether to be honest and give back extra change in shops brought karma to the fore, while Tony gave a reasoned reply on the importance of both nuture and nature in children rather than having one outrank the other.
Poetmaster Jill did great service to a poem called The Poppy by an up and coming poet going by the name of Mike Murphy, I don’t think Australia’s heard of him yet anyway!
Toastmaster Sharon had us moving along swiftly to the four fantastic speeches that took up the second half of the meeting. From Fionnuala M’s ice breaker description of looking for the ‘purple chocolate’ in life’s selection box of job choices, to Rosie revealing she is actually Santa, the audience was thoroughly engaged and entertained.
Inspiration was in the room as Fionnuala K brought us stories of tsunami survival and Maria challenged the room to ‘take a breath’ and make the most of the oxygen, to inspire ourselves and the people around us on a daily basis. Congratulations to Maria on finishing her Competent Communicator manual of ten speeches, a great achievement!
Phew! I’m not sure how some of stuck to our January water (a twist of lemon didn’t really add substitute for the missing hops and grapes) but the consensus was that this was a truly wonderful, inspirational meeting.
The oficial word of the day was ‘cogent’, but apart from Maria’s imagery of not just ‘golden opportunities’ all around us but platinum ones, I have to give a gong to Fionnuala M for my new favourite word – ‘Applified’!
2013 is shaping up to be a strong and successful year for Vox Populi, with plenty of new members starting out and longer standing goals being met. See you all at the podium!
Merrilyn Campbell, VPPR