Table Topics Special: Speak, Learn, and Repeat — June 6, 2026

This meeting was held entirely online and focused on Table Topics Speech (TTS). A TTS is a short speech for one to two minutes. Its most striking feature is impromptu delivery; the speaker must respond to a topic given on the spot. It felt as if we were thrown into a TTS boot camp.

Idea Shaped into a Clear Program

Kama-yan, Toastmaster of the Day, introduced a new idea of the combination of TTS and evaluation. He successfully shaped it into a clear program:

Participants’ TTS → Immediate Evaluations → Participants’ TTS on the same topic → Second Evaluations

Through this cycle, we could see the improvement from the first attempts to the second. It was truly the process of “Speak, Learn, and Repeat.”

Before and After

It was the evaluators who led the first speech to a more organized and more empathetic one. We could see the improvement from before to after.

The first evaluator, Jinyoung, delivered crystal-clear evaluations, accurately identifying the core message of each speech.

The second evaluator, Tenten, offered persuasive and instructive evaluations.

Generalizing: elevation of specific facts into universally understandable truth.

The impact of one word: how one well-chosen word can open the world the speaker is leading us into.

Calm Voice Magic

TTS is one of the most challenging activities for many Toastmasters. Eri, Topics Master, introduced each topic and appointed each speaker with a gentle, calm voice that created a relaxed atmosphere for everyone.

Teamwork

This busy and complex program succeeded because of strong teamwork: two Grammarians, two Ah-Counters, two Timers, and two Vote Counters. Everybody appreciated their precise and supportive performances.

We were able to enjoy another meaningful meeting.

(By Hiko)

Science Fiction Meeting – May 30, 2026

May 30th Senri TMC Special Meeting had a theme of “Sci-Fi”, which was set by our Captain of the Starship (Toastmaster of the Day), Anne, and brought a total fun time, in spite of the minimum crew of only 8 attendees. When it launched on time, I, the Chief Analyst (General Evaluator) was still driving home, connected by the modern science benefit of smartphone, without feeling "alienated" (Word of the Day from Mats), and managed to slip into the Starship in 30 mins.

Our Communication Scanner (Ah-Counter) Kankan suddenly got very sick and had to cancel her boarding, but our President Eri kindly and swiftly took her place. I believe it was not only me who was looking forward to Kankan's "Here's My Trick," but it will surely have another chance before long (with a larger audience!)

Today's three main projects (prepared speeches) were more than great. The first project commander Tenten showed us interesting comparisons between "Two Approaches" of a space station staff (contest staff) and an astronaut (contestant). The second project commander Marylin gave us truly practical and beneficial hints of "Managing Anxiety". And the third project commander Jinyoung guided us into an amazing tour of South Korea!

The following analyses (the Evaluation Session) was offered by a team of acrobatic aviators. Eri evaluated our most skillful speaker Tenten very well after speaking as President and Ah-Counter, Tenten evaluated Marylin's 15-min-flight after his own flight, and Marylin evaluated Jinyoung's 25-min-tour after her own 15-min-flight!

The Table Topics Session was conducted by Tenten, who had prepared lots of topics about science fictions. He wisely warned us beforehand that we could be called on twice, so we remained thrilled and on guard until the end of the session. Among the speeches, all of which were eligible(!!!), Marylin's exhortation to a Black Hole Tour in 2050, full of humor and suspense, quoting her own prepared speech, was literally out of this world. No wonder she won the double crown of the best table-topics and prepared speaker! (She might have won even a triple crown if her evaluation speech had not overtimed again( ´艸｀).)

Today's captain's goal as TMOD was to create an energetic sci-fi atmosphere while still keeping the meeting professional and organized, which was undoubtedly achieved and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you everyone, for your full team work. Mission completed!

(by Momoko)