Interview with our District 84 Governor, Jim Miller, DTM

ST - Is there an aspect of the Toastmaster mission that motivated you to want to be a District 84 Leader?

Jim Miller, DTM at
International Conference - Las Vegas

Jim - It honestly had nothing to do with the Toastmasters mission. Leadership in Toastmasters is something I stumbled into, and I'm glad I did. It's an incredible learning experience, it's a lot of fun, and it keeps me off the streets at night.

ST - What are your personal goals for this experience?
Jim - Toastmasters essentially gives us our goals - to be a "distinguished district". Personal goals? I would like to leave the district in better shape than it is right now. I look at our club base, and we have far too many with low membership. Low member clubs just aren't fun. Our focus has to be on increasing and retaining members.

ST - Tell me about other volunteer experiences you've had.
Jim - Well, a lot of the jobs I've had seemed to think I was volunteering (current one included). I don't do a lot of volunteer work, but there's something about Toastmasters. I might need therapy...

ST - What have you enjoyed most about previous volunteer leadership positions?
Jim - Not volunteering.

ST - If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional with whom would it be?
Jim - A week makes that a very unfair question. I could probably stand being Brad Pitt for a week.

ST - What was the last movie you have seen?
Jim - The Tourist with Johnnie Depp and Angelina Jolie. The critics were right; it wasn't all that good.

ST - What is your favorite movie/song and why? Favorite movie.
Jim - Hmmm... put me down for the Matrix (the whole trilogy) I suppose, or maybe Interview with a Vampire. Song? We'll I love music, which makes it hard to pick out one song. I would say that Sacred Fire by Santana is the best rock album ever.

ST - What is the silliest prank you ever played on someone?
Jim - Well, three of us dumped a bunch of sand crabs down a friends trunks once when we were surfing at Pacifica in California. That was good for a laugh. That's enough of that!

ST - Were you named after anyone?
Jim - My grandfathers (both of them)

ST - What's your favorite hobby or diversion?
Jim - It used to be surfing. Now a good nap is enough excitement.
ST - What's something you know you do differently than most people?
Jim - Well, I think differently than most folks. Right now, I think that's enough questions.