A TMOD theme titled “Bad Dress Days”

I am dressed well today. And that’s because “Bad Dress Day” is just my TMOD theme for the day, not my attire theme. And on most days, you will find me dressed reasonably well. Obviously, that gives you no reason to think that I dress shabbily or have horrible fashion taste. However, just sometimes things happen to go horribly wrong with me as I am sure it happens with all of you as well. There are evenings when I just don’t wish to change or entire days where I feel too depressed to focus on what my body is covered in. Those are days when it’s covered in clothes that you may confuse with rags. Raise your hands if you identify with what I just said. Now raise your hands if you have stepped out like that to get something to eat or fetch some grocery thinking you are obviously not going to meet anyone. Great. Thank you for your support. I have dared to step out in such appearances. And I have met the least expected people on those occasions – a very judgemental aunt, a co worker, a friend whom I don’t like but pretend to be okay with. That feeling is mutual and on that day she was dressed to kill. These are the days when I just sink lower into my depression. But my personal worse record is that one time when I was dressed in baggy jeans and a shabby top. That was the day I bumped into my professor who did not resist from equating it with my academic record in a full class. So now I had a C- in my accounts paper and my attire. I have more such secrets in my closet; pun intended but first let’s talk about Toastmasters.

More specifically, how a Toastmasters meeting happens. Every Toastmasters meeting is divided into three parts. The first part is the prepared speech section where members prepare a speech in advance, get it mentored and deliver the same. The second part is the impromptu session where anyone including the guest can participate. And the third part is the most important evaluation session where we will all learn how to improve ourselves. Let me now invite the General Evaluator to explain his role. Please help me welcome TM Name with a big round of applause.

Once the General Evaluator has explained his role, start the prepared speech section. After this session, continue with the theme as under.

It’s not always bad luck. Sometimes it’s bad decisions also. This happens usually when I am going to the airport for an early morning or a late evening flight. Airport is that one fancy place where we all tend to go dressed well. And so do I except that one time when I had a late evening flight to Guwahati. I told myself “Who am I going to meet in a flight this late on a Sunday, more importantly in a flight that’s heading to Guwahati?” So I dressed to comfort, not to impress. And then met a friend of a friend who boarded the same flight for a business meeting on Monday. My absolute worst airport incidence is also the funniest. In March last year, I woke up early one morning only to know that I have to drop my mother to the airport. I boarded my car wearing what I slept in, not realising that my mom is travelling with her friends who are of course going to be there at the airport. I practically walked myself into a scene so embarrassing that I ran back to my car without hugging my mother goodbye.

It’s time now for the most exciting and fun session in a Toastmasters meeting. Please welcome with a big round of applause our Table Topic Master TM Name.

Once the table topic session is over, continue with the theme as under.

Up until now, everything I said points the finger at me. You can say that it was my fault and so I deserved the embarrassment that ensued. But the one place where I think I am absolutely not at fault is when I am at my home and guests just decide to show up un-announced. Let’s admit we are all at our absolute worst at our homes. At our homes, we dress in clothes that are comfortable after being washed a thousand times. Sometimes they tend to be faded as well and at their worst they have a small hole that serves as ventilation. You guys wear them too and you cannot deny because during this pandemic I have seen you all in zoom meetings live from your homes. I rush to answer the door thinking that my package form Amazon has arrived only to welcome an uncle from Ahemdabad who shows up because he is in town or my brother’s friend who has a bag he needs urgently. I spend the next few moments debating in my head if I should change my clothes to prove I have better ones or not bother at all because the worst has already happened.

With that it’s time to start the final session of the meeting, the evaluation session. Let’s welcome the GE for the day TM Name.

Once the Evaluation session is over, conclude the theme as under.

I have shared a lot of embarrassing moments from my life today. And I am pretty sure you all have some similar such encounters as well. So let’s hear it from you. Tell us what happened with you and how did you react so that we can all laugh at your misery. Who would like to share their bad dress day story? (Audience engagement here)

It’s time for the awards now.