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Live, Laugh, Love and Laundry!!!

Shameless Selfie
This week I want to share an amazing Toastmasters event with you and then my very boring Sunday at home.

Live, every moment.
Laugh, often.
Love, thy neighbor.
Laundry, it just needs to be done.

Tuire Vuolasvirta - Keynote Speaker
I had a fantastic weekend at the Toastmasters Division F District 95 Contest in Bensheim, Germany. The Humorous speeches were funny and the Table Topics were entertaining.  If you have never been to a Toastmasters meeting, a Table Topic is a one to two minute impromptu speech and you have no advance notice of the question or topic. Anything goes and no topic is too obscure.  Tuire Vuolasvirta, the District 95 immediate past Director, who came all the way from Finland for the weekend. was the English Table Topics Chair.  Her question was "When is the right time?"  A really thought provoking question with a lot of different answers from the five contestants.

Let Them Eat Cake!
The highlight for me was to hear Tuire Vuolasvirta give the keynote speech.  Her speech was about how leaders are made through the Toastmasters program and how politicians could benefit with the training.  Instead of just personal attacks, they would have to provide content.  Her speech focused on European politics needing this, not just US politics.  It was great to hear an International perspective and she addressed a serious topic with humor.

The venue was well organized for a party and Bensheim Rhetorik-Club Bergstrasse.  I spent a really enjoyable day reconnecting with old friends and making new friends.  Our hosts even had some wonderful cakes made to celebrate the festive occasion.  Of course you need to be careful when eating blue icing and giving speeches.

Reutlingen and Stuttgart Toastmasters
I had the honor of driving a young Toastmaster who is only 21 to and from the event.  The drive was almost two hours each way, so a great opportunity to meet a young man that is inspiring and motivated.  The opposite of what people say about the young people of this generation.  I was also able to meet up with some of the great people from the Downtown Stuttgart Toastmasters Club.

In the end, it was a great event.  The kind of event where you Live, Laugh and Love.   After I came home, a friend sent me a personal message on Facebook and commented on how glamorous my life appeared from her perspective.  I will admit that I have a great life, amazing friends and am very blessed, but I was surprised by her comment.  After chatting for a while, I realized that her perception also comes from what I decide to share.

Today is Sunday.  I am wearing jeans with my hair in a ponytail, doing laundry and other household chores.  I have a load of dishes in the dishwasher and need to vacuum the floors.  This part of my life isn't exciting and I won't take a selfie today.  Instead, I will enjoy a quiet day with the pets and write my blog.

Life is short.  Live, Laugh, Love and do Laundry when you need to.
Photo provided by Shutterstock



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