NPC Toastmasters meets Monday, April 24, in the McClendon Lounge at 7 pm

What would you say if someone asked you to explain why your car had a bumper sticker that read “Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see?”

At our last meeting Toastmasters were challenged to provide impromptu responses to exactly that question during a lively Table Topics session. What is a Table Topics session? It’s a standard part of our meetings where one member comes prepared with a series of prompts to solicit one to two minute responses from randomly-selected members. This exercise helps us learn to develop cogent responses in unexpected situations. The subject can be serious, fun, factual or imaginative.

The next meeting is on April 24 at 7 p.m. at the National Press Club in the McClendon Room.

At the last Toastmasters meeting we were challenged to explain why we had particular bumper stickers on our cars. The bumper stickers were:

· Be the reason someone smiles today

· Life begins at the end of your comfort zone

· Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see

· The best things in life aren't things

How would you have answered?

If you enjoy testing your mettle with impromptu speaking or want to polish your public speaking skills, check out the NPC Toastmasters group. We meet on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. There is no charge to visit and no limit to the number of visits. Membership fees are about $130 per year.