There was a feeling of anticipation in Larry’s this week as Vox celebrity Maria squared up to our irresistable topicsmaster Frank. His role play challenge to Maria was to get out of a wedding invite with Paul in order to accept a date with the one and only Ryan Tubridy, a task she accomplished with her usual creativity – what an opportunity to invite him to visit the club! – and style to boot.
Sharon was similarly occupied by the topic of boots as she discussed her favourite items of clothing and how they have to get used to the wearer, something that doesn’t always happen! Following a robust debate between Jill and Dan O over the thorny question of a suitable outfit for a wedding, an ongoing gender war was narrowly averted by John H who decided that, on the whole, it’s better not to ask women their age.
Dan and Fergal then had a go at convincing the audience that Sex and the City 3 was going to be even better than the first two – clearly impossible – which so inspired Jason that he confessed to wearing a tutu to a fashion show – the Vox confessional box is open for business!
Nora piqued the audience’s interest with a sneak preview of her kissing insights and threw in to the crowd’s delight an invite to the topicsmaster of a free sample, not a normal occurrence in a topics session..
It was time to move on to the sterling speech session. Jacinta started us off with an introduction to her love of words – a perfect topic for a group of public speakers.
Colette then had us all glad for our Sunday morning lie in as she brought forth the horrifying spectre of hundreds of people choosing to run through mud and jump into puddles on a February morning. Seemingly it was an experience she would repeat, despite it being called ‘The Hellen Back Challenge’, surely no sane person would give up Sunday brunch for mud avalanches and carrying a block of cement up a hill?
Beulah changed the focus of the evening as she introduced some of the Jewish history of Ireland to the group, a topic new to me and therefore extremely interesting. There’s no end to the subjects you can learn about in toastmasters!
Elaine’s props appeared at the front of the room at the interval, a broom, hatchet and hammer making those at the front slightly nervous at what was to come. Fortunately the audience were not her targets, rather she gave us an energetic reconstruction of the dispatch to mousy heaven of an unfortunate Donegal critter. Poor Minnie never stood a chance as she fell victim to a combination of a chest of drawers and gravity after niftily evading the traps filled with chocky bikkies.
Kissing, mouse killing and mud runs – Vox remains as unpredictable and informative as always. See you there next week!
Merrilyn Campbell, VPPR