Icebreaker speech
Producing Smiles Since 1981
Madame Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters, and Guests
Everyone smile! Now, doesn’t that feel good.
Maybe it was the fact that I was born on a full moon, but I prefer to be smiling, it’s really not difficult for me, either. And, I find the benefits to be quite numerous. Stress relief, lower blood pressure & a euphoric state of mind. Who wouldn’t want to smile all the time?!
Even from an early age, I found I had a natural ability to make people smile. What a gift, right?!
My mother tells me I was a beautiful baby. She said there were always women around me commenting on my luscious locks of black hair, my ridiculously long eyelashes, or my never ending smile which was replicated on each of their faces.
As I grew older, smiles were a result of my witty or unexpected words. I remember one Christmas when I was about 6 and my younger brother was about 4 and my mother asked both of us what we wanted from Santa. My brother eager to get the latest power ranger and WWF figure made a quick list of action figures, trucks, and all those other boy toys. Then, she turned to me with her expectant look. I extemporaneously said I wanted Blossom, Minty, Butterscotch, Cotton Candy, Blue Belle, and Snuzzle. My mom smiled, although I believe it was a nervous smile. She asked me what they were. I said very matter-of-factly, “They’re the My Little Ponies!” Now, I said I was producing smiles since 1981, but I didn’t say they were all pleasant.
I tribute a lot of who I am to my mother. She is as dramatic as a day in June is long. Anything can be exaggerated and nothing was as it seemed with her. However, our roars of laughter can always be heard coming from the kitchen.
Speaking of roars of laughter, I’m well known for my uninhibited cackle. Unfortunately, the sound is truly authentic, so I can’t reproduce it without cause. However, if you’re around me enough, you’ll probably witness and partake of the cackle or my girlish giggle and squeal, which are equally as fun.
Now, there are several other characteristics about me which keep people smiling. Lets talk Wardrobe. My philosophy is Accessorize Glamorize. I would be wearing more Tiffany, but my chain broke. I nearly cried yesterday when I found it in my Crocodile Gym Bag. Horrible. Speaking of bags, my murse is always handy. Yes. I said murse, it’s a man’s purse, so murse. You may laugh, but jest not because I’ve been the savior on many occasions when someone needed an Excedrin, piece of gum, chapstick, Splenda, some place to put a camera or umbrella, even a pad of paper and pen to write something down. No, my friend, a murse is no laughing matter. A murse should only bring a smile to your face as a useful “day-to-day” article of clothing, besides I got tired of washing things left in my pockets. A friend of mine said, “George, you can accessorize just like MacGyver can build a bomb from anything.” Mind you, that very same friend said I didn’t come out of the closet, but it burned down around me.
I find this flamboyant persona of mine is loved by most. However, don’t catch me on an off day, they are rare, but the alter ego…
Now just like a Gemini, there is a twin, but I try to keep my judgmentalness and cynicism to a minimum. I believe being an optimistic realistic with a pinch of cynicism is best. I’ve always been indecisive, always had a finger in each pie. I just like to keep my options open. When someone asks me to make a decision the turmoil in my mind is often evident on my face. I never have been able to lie to someone because the truth is always written across my face.
Another friend of mine says my facial expressions are an endless supply of smiles for her. When someone says something that is ridiculous it’s more than just my face, it’s a whole body expression. Pursed lips, raised eyebrow, cocked hip, and finger swinging. Le me demonstrate. “You said WHAT?”
Needless to say, it often takes the pressure off the situation.
Regardless of how extravagant, flamboyant or over the top I may be, I never have a hard time stepping back from a situation to smile and look at the situation from a different angle, usually, when you smile, everything’s just a little better. Heck, I’ve been doing it since 1981. So, smile a little more often. You won’t regret it.
Madame Toastmaster.
Madame Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters, and Guests
Everyone smile! Now, doesn’t that feel good.
Maybe it was the fact that I was born on a full moon, but I prefer to be smiling, it’s really not difficult for me, either. And, I find the benefits to be quite numerous. Stress relief, lower blood pressure & a euphoric state of mind. Who wouldn’t want to smile all the time?!
Even from an early age, I found I had a natural ability to make people smile. What a gift, right?!
My mother tells me I was a beautiful baby. She said there were always women around me commenting on my luscious locks of black hair, my ridiculously long eyelashes, or my never ending smile which was replicated on each of their faces.
As I grew older, smiles were a result of my witty or unexpected words. I remember one Christmas when I was about 6 and my younger brother was about 4 and my mother asked both of us what we wanted from Santa. My brother eager to get the latest power ranger and WWF figure made a quick list of action figures, trucks, and all those other boy toys. Then, she turned to me with her expectant look. I extemporaneously said I wanted Blossom, Minty, Butterscotch, Cotton Candy, Blue Belle, and Snuzzle. My mom smiled, although I believe it was a nervous smile. She asked me what they were. I said very matter-of-factly, “They’re the My Little Ponies!” Now, I said I was producing smiles since 1981, but I didn’t say they were all pleasant.
I tribute a lot of who I am to my mother. She is as dramatic as a day in June is long. Anything can be exaggerated and nothing was as it seemed with her. However, our roars of laughter can always be heard coming from the kitchen.
Speaking of roars of laughter, I’m well known for my uninhibited cackle. Unfortunately, the sound is truly authentic, so I can’t reproduce it without cause. However, if you’re around me enough, you’ll probably witness and partake of the cackle or my girlish giggle and squeal, which are equally as fun.
Now, there are several other characteristics about me which keep people smiling. Lets talk Wardrobe. My philosophy is Accessorize Glamorize. I would be wearing more Tiffany, but my chain broke. I nearly cried yesterday when I found it in my Crocodile Gym Bag. Horrible. Speaking of bags, my murse is always handy. Yes. I said murse, it’s a man’s purse, so murse. You may laugh, but jest not because I’ve been the savior on many occasions when someone needed an Excedrin, piece of gum, chapstick, Splenda, some place to put a camera or umbrella, even a pad of paper and pen to write something down. No, my friend, a murse is no laughing matter. A murse should only bring a smile to your face as a useful “day-to-day” article of clothing, besides I got tired of washing things left in my pockets. A friend of mine said, “George, you can accessorize just like MacGyver can build a bomb from anything.” Mind you, that very same friend said I didn’t come out of the closet, but it burned down around me.
I find this flamboyant persona of mine is loved by most. However, don’t catch me on an off day, they are rare, but the alter ego…
Now just like a Gemini, there is a twin, but I try to keep my judgmentalness and cynicism to a minimum. I believe being an optimistic realistic with a pinch of cynicism is best. I’ve always been indecisive, always had a finger in each pie. I just like to keep my options open. When someone asks me to make a decision the turmoil in my mind is often evident on my face. I never have been able to lie to someone because the truth is always written across my face.
Another friend of mine says my facial expressions are an endless supply of smiles for her. When someone says something that is ridiculous it’s more than just my face, it’s a whole body expression. Pursed lips, raised eyebrow, cocked hip, and finger swinging. Le me demonstrate. “You said WHAT?”
Needless to say, it often takes the pressure off the situation.
Regardless of how extravagant, flamboyant or over the top I may be, I never have a hard time stepping back from a situation to smile and look at the situation from a different angle, usually, when you smile, everything’s just a little better. Heck, I’ve been doing it since 1981. So, smile a little more often. You won’t regret it.
Madame Toastmaster.