Toastmasters, Capitol Hill, Washington DC

Let me be the first to say, I'm a strange duck.

Mostly an introvert, which is why I've been part of Active Rain for years, but have only recently pushed past 200k points.  I'm not the extrovert, and so, I don't write.  Though I do read.  That's how I'd describe the real me.  That's how my family, my friends, my clients would describe me if they thought about it.

However, I'm always talking.  Any room I walk into, I'll get into conversations.  Any family, friend or client will know, when the phone rings, I start talking.  When the elevator doors close, I start talking.  When the tv commercial comes on, I start talking. Some would argue I take the dog on his 2-3 walks a day not for his or my physical exercise, but rather so that I can speak to those neighbors I've not seen today.

For quite some time, I've thought I should consider Toastmasters.  This advice was given to me in the 1990's when I was in software; surely I would ignore that advice.  In the past 2-3 years, I've had the advise suggested again, but as a realtor, I'm often given the opportunity to speak, and so, I open my mouth and stuff comes out.  Isn't that how it works?

A bunch of Texans (scary, right?) formed a Toastmasters club here in Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC. The group is unusual in that it meets weekly, and more so, in that it's not associated with any particular firm or professional club.  Simply a free standing club of hard core people committed to the craft; and at the same time provide a comforting & safe environment for learning the craft better still.

It turns out, truly speaking involves much more than simply opening my mouth. In the past 12 months with them, I've learned more than in my prior 3 decades of professional life.  These people, who've become friends, have reinvigorated my love of languge, that which I developed in high school (English was my 2nd language, French being my mother tongue) and which blossomed in college.  Somehow, when I moved into a professional, and more recently, a sales role, langauge takes a back seat as a result of being lazy or any other excuse I can find.

We meet every Tuesday, 7-8pm.  Today, I was the grammarian; yes, I was the grammar police.

If you'd like to visit us, there's a Meetup option, or Facebook or our website, and while one or two members are Texan, that's not a requirement.

I should have done this years ago, I surely challenge you to do so as well.  With our 30 or so members, three of us are realtors.  Surely, your local community has options to consider.