Your Favorite Things, Driving-Italian style and A Feline Farewell - a conciliatory morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

First-timer TM Veronica led us with an inspiring invocation - go TM Veronica!

TM Aleta presented choices of some of our favorite things ...

* TM Christine got caught dancing in the rain in Poland, where nobody knows her and she did not care what anyone thought of her.

* TM Veronica goes on vacation to tropical places during rainy season - less expensive and less crowded - and she gets caught in the rain quite often.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jorge once rode a Tennessee horse which was described as a compliant, obedient horse and turned out to have a will and a gallop of his own!

* TM David was not familiar with schnitzel - although thanks to Mr. Google, we are all now experts in schnitzel - and likes to go swimming in his pool when it's raining.  No lightning or thunder, please!

* TM The Tom avoids blue satin sashes lest they get in his eyelashes, so he guesses but no messes with girls in white dresses.

* I, Ana, have not been bitten by a dog - mostly because I avoid them- or stung by a bee although they proliferate in swimming pools in Madrid.

And then came our prepared speeches...

* TM BeckyJo revisited her near-death experience as a passenger in Simonetta's reckless driving to Miami, to Naples and almost to the next world...  Ah la bella Italia!!

* TM Marie shared a heart-rendering visual story of Sammy Miami, who lived a privileged life and crossed the rainbow arch leaving loving memories behind.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Jorge loved TM BeckyJo's speech, her energy, the way she acts her speech and he suggested that next time, she face the camera and her audience.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom, a cat person himself,  was deeply touched by TM Marie's experience parting with a beloved pet.

TM Christina excelled as a first-time Toastmaster - go TM Christina!

The Word of the Day was

CONCILIATORY, adj.

Intended to gain goodwill or favor or to reduce hostility.

Example: It is more conciliatory to catch flies with lemonade than with pure bitter lemons.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zPelKb9heg

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Prevarication, lies and untruths - a morning of embellishment at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam inspired us with an embellished invocation.

We then proceeded to hear Tall Tales, Untruths and Other Prevarications from our group.

* TM Aleta finds old coins, arrowheads and other antique relics when excavating her back yard and told the tale of Sugarfoot, who was murdered by Tom Quinn, who buried the money and never found the money because TM Aleta has it.

* TM BeckyJo, aka Queen Marley, is a redheaded Royal Hawaiian, a descendant of the Goddess Pele of the Volcano who has flashes of temper from time to time, just like she does....

* TM Christina saved Space Camp Canada when the simulator crashed and they lost power to Quebec - she won the ribbon for such accomplishments.

* TM Pam kayaked with her pet alligator, Eleanor, and eventually got rid of the pet and invented standing paddle board on a gator.  She Won Best Tall Tales Speaker Award.

* I, Ana, resorted to a psychic in Madrid who transformed my ex into a pigeon which flew back to Bolivia in the wings of a 747 with a pigeonesque logo tatooed on his forehead.

* TM Randolph, radiotransmitting today from Australia, had no car and no job on his first date and a mother who won the Lotto.  He had to buy his date a new car after drowning her car in Slushies.  And only then she agreed to marry him...

* TM Veronica lived a gothic soap opera in a French Chateau surrounded by bats, liver pate and duck during  a hideously dehydrating weekend.  No fromage in sight....

* TM The Tom had his first legal case in Homestead (aka Dysfunction Junction) in the 60s where the charges were dismissed due to the Judge's hilarity attack.

* TM Jose drove his Harley up a mountain, met up with Pedro, the insomniac chef of a 2-star Michelin restaurant who donated Bon Am to Jose, who has now enlisted all of EarlyBirds to fly his private jet and go run the restaurant with him.  We're all headed to Fort Lauderdale airport as we speak!

The Word of the Day was

EMBELLISHMENT, noun

A detail, especially one that is not true, added to a statement or story to make it more interesting or entertaining.

Example:  At EarlyBirds today, we did not let pesky facts get in the way of our embellishments.

Here's the link to our recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ8CODQHK8c

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Late Night Show, And In the End.... What Can I Say? - a display of tenacity at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Due to last-minute absences, we scrambled with tenacity to fetch our multiple hats from our respective hall closet and ... we made it!

TM BeckyJo led us in Johnny Carson-themed table topics, inserting gems along the way.  For example, did you know that he and Ed McMahon originally brainstormed the show at the Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale while sipping rum drinks with tiny umbrellas???

Besides that, we soon discovered that...

* TM Jose decided to launch a space rocket while dining lightly-battered squid  and paella at a local restaurant in Javea.    Because "In the end... the  spacewalk we make is equal to the moonwalk we take.... (sung to the tune of The Love We Take is Equal To The Love We Make) by the Beatles.

* TM Veronica discusses business while drinking sparkly non-alcoholic beverages so she can remember the discussion and not have to pay for the joy in the morning...

* TM Randolph knows for a fact that when his kids are gone, he will get a female rottweiler (familiarly known as rottie) because he bonds with that breed and gender.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Aleta would let Carson start the conversation and take it from there.  Otherwise, what are all her years doing Table Topics for??? She watches hilarious clips of interviews with Robin Williams and other crazy funny guests.

* TM Pam's favorite comedian is Gallagher because he uses clever word play while busting watermelons on stage.  No late night comedy for her, though.

* I, Ana would show off my non-existent knowledge of Latin and impress Johnny in order to watch his priceless silent expression of shock and hilarity.

Along came (2) pilgrimage speeches today...

* TM Jose led us down the last 100 kilometers of the Camino, which took him, his wife and (2) Texan friends to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, along with the swaying of the gigantic butafumeiro (incense urn).  Where's Waldo?   Errr. Where's Saint James???

* I, Ana, related my life of 75 years into highlights and lowlights as a journey splashed with blind curves, topsy turvy hills and serenely serene plateaus.  I Won Best Speaker Award.

Lastly, we had great evaluations...

* TM BeckyJo's feet hurt; she commended TM Jose for his visuals and suggested he insert a dissonant jazz voice in his melifluous, smooth contralto.  And where's the Camino bathroom please??  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Pam recommended that I use more hand gestures within the tiny Zoom square and praised me for avoiding the tedium of explaining the banality of my birth on a cold and rainy night.  

The Word of the Day was

TENACITY, noun

The quality or fact of being determined, no matter the obstacles or setbacks.

Origin: the latin tenacitas.

Example:  It takes tenacity to walk the 600 + miles of El Camino without even acquiring a blister.  Go Peregrino!

Here's the link to the recording...

:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3RuBXni-vY

Next week, EMBELLISH, LIE, PREVARICATE Is the incontrovertible  theme of the day.  Tall Tales Meeting.  Everyone is expected (but not required)  to give a 4-6 minutes Table Topics.  As DTM Kip said and Randolph continues to say:  "Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story!"

See you then,

Ana 

VP Education

Wingspan, Rhythm & Rap, Rise and Shine - a convivial morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Schrimsher inspired us with the Equinox-themed invocation.

She then brought us  Aviary-themed Table Topics.  Did you know that 320 MILLION birds will fly over Florida tonight??  That statistic is simply dizzying....

We found out that...

* TM Marc is a Monopoly ace, closely followed by Fish, Solitaire and other card games.  He knows when to hold 'em, knows when to fold 'em and knows when to walk away...

* TM Christine un-Christianly cheated in Connect 4, Uno, Checkers and Yahtsee with an unsuspecting and convivial 15-year-old....

* TM Aleta would migrate someplace warm to meet other birds because even one-time encounters are often memorable...

* TM Jorge would be a yellow parakeet who flew away and landed in TM Pam's back patio, and TM Jorge's young son is adept at tweeting now.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, like my longtime friends as much as I like recent ones who have also brought lots of tweeting to my life.

* TM Marie revealed her insatiable appetite for fruit and has solemnly declared herself a Megachiroptera, commonly known as a Fruit Bat.  Tutti frutti, all rutti!!

We had (2) convivial prepared speeches...

* TM Veronica connected us, the audience, to her affinity for poetry lines in rap, roses growing through concrete and family of origin fantabulous "Asado" (Argentine bar-b-q) in the Pampas.... She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM BeckyJo described how she has been plagued by chirpy tweeting early risers, human and feline, and has not yet accomplished her dream of sleeping in... at least till 6:30 am!!

And then came the evaluations...

* TM David commended TM Veronica for her speech and asked her to give us some more beat to the beat of rap.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom thoroughly enjoyed TM BeckyJo's speech and related to the singing father role, while pointing out the rotating ceiling fan that lends an air of spirituality.

The Word of the Day was

CONVIVIAL, adj.

Pleasant, friendly, lively

Example:  The air was convivial at the crack-of-dawn in the Farmers' Market.

Here's the link to the recording....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlvaahSzjSE

See you next week!

Ana I

Recap Writer

Fairy Tales, Life Lessons and Fountain Pens - a delicious morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta inspired us to sing whenever there's a song with a "Just Do It" invocation.

TM Christina brought back childhood memories of fairy tales of yore....

* TM Veronica took the example from The Lion King - has no worries as everything she needs is within her.

* TM The Tom rubbed Aladin's lamp and got his wish that we would all help each other because we learn from challenges. 

* TM Gail is looking forward to exploring Japan for the kindness of their people - and she will do it as a brand new Gail!!

* TM David does not emulate Cinderella and all he wants to do is be PRESENT at the stroke of midnight.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam is not a friend of the Evil Disney Rat but she does consult her own conscience, Jiminy Cricket, once in a while.

* TM Aleta loves Belle of Beauty and the Beast fame  and recapped all prior Disney tales with astonishing precision.

* TM BeckyJo's favorite Disney job was checking for unwelcome overnighters at Pleasure Island while watching the sunset surrounded by peacocks.

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Marie shared her memories of Mimi, her maternal grandma, who worked in a factory as a child in Europe and taught Marie to get up and get going for the day.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM The Tom described the amazing technology of fountain pens from the Waterman Ink Co. in NY which is today located in France.  He's a fan of handwritten fountain pen notes and many deeply appreciate it!

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM Pam praised TM Marie's recollections of "Foundations at Five" and encouraged her to reposition her camera to eliminate the distracting vertical line in the background.

* TM Aleta enjoyed TM The Tom's speech about the olden days of fountain pens and also advised him to reposition his camera to facilitate viewing his product exhibits.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

DELICIOUS, adj.

Highly pleasant to the taste; delightful

Example:  Life sometimes offers delicious ironies for us to ponder.

The link to the recording is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fuxW24IB2U

See you next week!

Ana

Delicious Recaps Inc.

Uncovered Gems, Intentions & Flow, My Way - a farewell to a gem at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

With deep gratitude and heavy hearts, we said our Farewells to our Club Founder and lasting friend, DTM Mary Helen, who has chosen to pursue other life paths.

TM Marie recently had the urge to purge and led us in uncovered gems found in her closet:

* TM Gail evoked the days of cursive writing and hopes, like many of us, that it will come back.  In the interim, we can write anything and know youngsters will not understand a word - known as 'under cover of cursive."

* TM Aleta always visualizes her giving a speech and most importantly, foresees a successful outcome.  And... it never fails!

* TM Christine's first and longer-lasting mentor was her 4th grade teacher, who believed in her, trusted her, and holds a special place in her life even today.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Christina has always aimed for self-control ever since Parent Open Houses in elementary school.  She's persistent and opinionated and it has served her well in many respects.

* TM BeckyJo displayed a classic Mary Helen pivot  into fascinating her audience by pondering about the essence of life, and who is she now anyway???

* TM The Tom despises passwords and lives in password chaos ad infinitum.  He much more enjoys cursive logos such as Coca Cola and Ford.

* TM Jorge looks at his child straight in the eyes and sees gratitude and questioning.  He vows to support his son in any life script his son chooses to pursue.

* I, Ana, do believe in Love - which is, as we all know, a many-splendored thing and manifests in many different forms.  

We had (2) outstanding prepared speeches...

* TM Randolph polished his earlier speech about Intentions and Flow into a steak with lots of marbling and juicy tidbits.  He will because he wants.

* TM Jose showed his own brand of leadership in walking the Camino in his own way - for health, spirituality and great food.  800 kilometers to hug St. James.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

Along came evaluations...

* TM The Tom praised TM Randolph for his amalgamation of info into a more cohesive, well-developed speech.  Now a steak, next a roast beef.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Aleta admired TM Jose's emblematic smooth voice and she encourages him to add more vocal variety, especially in the delicious food slides.  

The Word of the Day was

MARY HELEN, noun 

An adventurous, committed multilingual fan who is an example to her peers.

Example:  EarlyBirds has many Mary Helen wannabes in its midst.  

MARY HELEN, adjective

Emulating the qualities of DTM Mary Helen.

Example:  TM Aleta's speech Mary Helened in unsuspected ways.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWK1kXTh714

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer

Visuals, Innovation and Mutual Help - a morning of symmetry at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Battling the forces of nature in search of WiFi, the indomitable TM Aleta led us in visual Table Topics with assorted stunning pictures.  We learned that...

* TM Christine S. has the World Trade Center workers planting the flag among the ruins of 9/11 etched in her mind.

* DTM Mary Helen is awed by the heroic water landing of a United flight on the Hudson River and everyone miraculously  survived.

* TM The Tom nearly identified hanging out at a Publix in the midst of a treacherous snow storm in 2014.

* TM Christina K. had Niagara Falls as her backyard and took family friends to visit during all seasons; this winter picture portrayed them frozen and angry.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jorge was reminded of Russians doing feats in high buildings by workers having lunch with no personal protection on a 69th floor.

* TM Veronica is impressed by the daunting picture of Earth as seen from the Moon and is reminded of our human vulnerabilities.

* I, Ana, recognized the picture of the blimp ablaze but could not clearly remember its Hindenburg name.

We had (2) excellent prepared speeches...

* TM David presented a professional speech identifying his credentials as an IT innovator who is working on the democratization of orders for his company.

* TM Pam took us back to the Stone Ages where mothers helped each other much like fellow Toastmasters help each other today.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Along came evaluations...

* TM Jose praised TM David for his clear, concise slides, well-focused speech and suggested if aimed at the general public, please simplify and explain the terminology for better clarity of IDEAS.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom thanked TM Pam for taking us back to the land before I-Phones and reminding us that even with our current technology, breast feeding is limited to women only.

First-time General Evaluator TM Christina K. did a fantabulous job and seemed as comfortable as a pro.

The Word of the Day was

SYMMETRY, noun

The quality of having parts that match each other, especially in a pleasing or attractive way.  Similarity of shape or contents.

Example:  The symmetry of a person's face contributes to our perceptions of beauty and trustworthiness.

Here's the link to the recording:

LINK:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a13JOcX-v8g

See you next week!

Ana I.

Asymmetrical Recap Writer

Fwd: YOUTUBE LINK:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5QodhK81Tg

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

On this memorable day of The Tom's Birthday, we send hearty congratulations and best wishes to our good member.

TM Pam launched us on a centennial remembrance...

* TM Aleta has not read The Great Gatsby but indeed watched the movie and swooned over the late Robert Redford.  Old Gatsby, Old Sport!

* TM Gail sang onstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and silently hoped Dolly showed her boobs and her songs with her.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Marie missed the Goodyear Blimp ride, tried helicoptering to a dogsled ride in Alaska and missed it due to low visibility.  A lunar landing may be next....

* TM Randolph is secretly hoping his wife will not get one of the latest TVs where the screen image is realer than real - he prefers the ventriloguist dummy of 1925's first tv image.

* TM BeckyJo cleaned up the beach in Boca Raton as a teenager and chased the garbage dumpers with their garbage in hand.

* TM Jorge can't recall marching in a parade but will call 1-800-Goodyear Blimp to reserve a spot and fly over Fort Lauderdale Beach.

* TM Veronica loved doing book reports and science projects in trifled boards and those fun times brought a smile to her face.

We had (2) fantastic prepared speeches...

* TM David regaled us with "To Become", based on a quote by French feminist Simone de Beauvoir (precursor of second-wave gringo feminists Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan) and we become women based on culture, tradition, stories and the legenday Edith Piaf (the little sparrow).  He sang a bit of Padam Padam for us.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jose took us on a personal tour of his own 70 cycles around his star, where life accelerated more and more as the years rolled fastly by and he found his perfect life of abundance and gratitude which continues to swoon him.

And then came evaluations...

* TM Christine timely realized that evaluations are about delivery, not content; the evaluator stays neutral and opinionless regarding the nature of the speech.  She suggested TM David to insert English sub-titles in his PowerPoint slides until she masters French Duo Lingo.

* DTM Mary Helen was totally engaged with the topic of TM Jose's speech and praised his organization, his pauses and his reminiscences of life by decades in such a masterful way.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

SWOON, verb

Faint from extreme emotion

A state of bewilderment or ecstasy

Example:  The Heavenly Angels will swoon when Robert Sundance Kid Redford shows up at the Pearly Gates.

Clarification:  Adither exists.  It's a word that describes a state of confusion, excitement, or anxiety, often combined with a sense of expectancy.  Example:  I was adither going hither and thither.

Here's the link to the recording:

YOUTUBE LINK:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5QodhK81Tg

Ana I.

Recap Writer by virtue of Recording Accuracy

Emergency situations; Aviation Pioneer and A Frenchman in New York - a nuanced meeting at EarlyBirds

 

Dear Members,

Invocator TM Pam opened our meeting with a thoughtful and reflective invocation, setting the tone for an inspiring session.

TM Marie then launched us into action with table topic questions that kept us on our toes — this time focused on emergency scenarios. Members were asked to think fast, get creative, and share their rescue strategies on the spot....

 

 *TM Gail won Best Table Topics Award, by making light of a serious medical situation.

 * TM Aleta lost her extensive shoe collection in the reconstruction of her home but she has her good LL Bean boots!

 *TM Randolph no longer trusts the round back patio trampolines aka bone crushers in the making!

*TM Pam unabashedly revealed her favorable bias for big dogs.

*TM Jose confided that he was once young and reckless and 911 in Spain is 122.

*DTM Mary Helen wore a helmet and took siestas in the back of Jim's motorcycle.

*TM Jorge kept us all engaged and became the official "King of the Pause"

 

Then came our prepared speeches, where inspiration really took flight:

*TM Christina took us on a journey with aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, reminding us of the courage and curiosity that fueled the golden age of exploration — long before satellites mapped the skies.

*TM David had us all feeling très Français as he shared his NYC experience — how living in the city shaped his identity and his language. It was the other version of "An American In Paris".... He walked away with the Best Speaker Award for his heartfelt delivery.

When it came to evaluations:

*TM Beckyjo commended TM Christina for her strong vocal variety and engaging eye contact, while suggesting she reposition her notes - and get into the space program soon!

*TM THE Tom was so moved by TM David's speech that he said he wants to hear it again — just so he can evaluate it one more time! No surprise he won Best Evaluator Award.

 

The Word of the Day was

NUANCE, noun

a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound.

"the nuances of facial expression and body language"

 

And of course, we all missed our master of multitasking Ana, who has been in the hospital but is now well on her way to recovery and normalcy. We can't wait to have her energy back at our meetings! 

It was a meeting full of intention, action, and thoughtful reflection — true to our EarlyBirds spirit.

 

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/Ndde3YOQiu8?feature=share

Things to Ponder, Bring Back The Tomboys, Intentions vs Actions - an impetuous meeting at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests, and Friends,

FIrst-time Invocator TM Christina started our meeting with a thoughtful invocation. 

TM Cory launched us with deep, thought-provoking table topics...

* DTM Mary Helen has had many moments that changed her life - Al-Anon, Toastmasters, having children, astrology... and more to come!  

* TM Gail was chosen as a student from many schools for a noteworthy cause and this was a day she would gladly relive, over and over again.

* TM BeckyJo would change the day she got married and that would in turn, eliminate her flawed belief that if she became perfect, her husband would love her! She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Christina has experienced many moments of personal growth in different stages of her life, with different mentors, and she's still always changing.

* TM Jorge faced a challenge of getting injured when first being initiated in technology that turned into a blessing in disguise - he became self-taught and moved ahead.

* TM Veronica is going to write a letter to her future self asking her to be kinder, gentler and more loving to herself, and to reinforce her self-confidence and self-trust.

Along came our prepared speeches...

* TM Christine reminisced about her tomboy childhood which led to some gender ambivalence and has finally brought her full circle to enjoying her femininity and is starting a movement to "Bring Tomboys Back"! She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Randolph plants the seeds of noble intentions which lead to actions that agree with the flow of the divinity and acknowledges God in all ways, at all times.

Regarding the evaluations...

* TM Jose praised TM Christine for her courage in presenting a controversial topic with excellent vocal variety, great eye contact and suggested she limit the gender descriptions for audience understanding.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom thoroughly enjoyed TM Randolph's spiritual speech and encouraged him to present the speech again so he can evaluate it again.

The Word of the Day was

IMPETUOUS, adj.

Characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation; incautious.

or

Marked by violent force or strength

Example:  He slammed the door so impetuously that it came off its hinges.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAuGPcMaY5U

See you next week!

Ana I.

Impetuous Wizard of Ahhhs

Salsa, Salsa, Salsa, Evaluations and Labor Day - a fun contest at Early Birds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We had our Evaluations Contest today! What a huge success! 

Our Test Speaker, TM Yolanda, delighted us with a fun, upbeat speech about her passionate love affair... with SALSA!  ("The rythm is going to get you, the rythm is going to get you!) (sung to the tune of Gloria Estefan's Rythm is Going To Get You... 

She followed her friend's father's wise adage "If you don't swing the bat, you won't hit the ball!" and she swung the bat and hit the ball all right!  Inspired by the movie "Dance with me" she began as a shy observer and progressed to Salsa Casino, Salsa Club, Salsa Congress, Salsa Competition...

By the end of her speech, we all wanted to sign up for Salsa lessons.

And then came the evaluations...

* TM Pam praised TM Yolanda for the connection between love affairs and dancing.

* TM Jose was enthralled with TM Yolanda's self-assurance and her evolution from bystander to salsa expert.  He Won Third Place.

* TM Christine so related to the light hearted tone of the speech and TM Yolanda's ebullient nature.

* TM BeckyJo was inspired by TM Yolanda's zest for best and vows to create an EarlyBird Salsa Contest at our old Denny's.  We will fly the non-locals in.  She Won First Place

* TM David thoroughly enjoyed the essence of the speech and praised TM Yolanda for overcoming her initial insecurity with an intrepid salsa spirit.

* TM Marie admired TM Yolanda's strong start and non-glare glasses as well as her joyful disposition.  She Won Second Place.

While the votes were being tallied, we had Table Topics about the upcoming Labor Day...

* TM David firmly declared that he will wear white or any color he chooses after Labor Day.   So there!

* TM Jorge lived in South Beach for a while and did not go to any Labor Day Beach Bash parties, thank you very much!

* TM Christine is torn between a backyard barbeque and a picnic because she loves both soooo much.

* TM Yolanda has gone to the beach plenty of times but has not engaged in water sports, boating or swmming.  She prefers to watch the waves from the shore...

Reminder frrom TM Marie, our Treasurer:

Dues are due!  Please go to toastmasters.org and follow clear instructions.  Thank you!

Next week, September 4, will be a standard Early Birds meeting.  The Humorous Speech Contest has been pushed back until further notice.

Next week, September 4, we will have a brief business meeting right after our regular meeting to discuss items of interest.  Club Officers need to be there but everyone is welcome to stay!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/JUV4SqUHT8Q?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Idioms, Idioms and Face the Devil - a salient morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

I started us off with idioms....  We discovered that...

* TM Randolph tells his kids to "Boom, run" which is the salient equivalent of making a beeline.

* TM Cory, MBA, recently celebrated in Mexico City and loved it all except he had to chew fat when he ordered a steak.  Heimlich Maneuver, here it comes!

* TM Gail made an approximation of Bill's Your Uncle to Bob's Your Uncle.  There you are...  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Veronica stays cool as a cucumber and prevents eye inflammation with cucumber beauty masks.

* TM BeckyJo likes all different kettles of fish except Tilapia and in her wild college days used to drink champagne and molusks.

* TM David reasoned that when pigs fly means that something is not bound to happen; however, he enjoys eating pork like his mother used to prepare.

We heard (1) humorous prepared speech and (1) motivational speech:

* TM Christine incited audience participation while introducing popular Americanisms that foreigners do not understand, ie highway robbery becomes daylight robbery in the U.K.

* TM The Tom reminisced about his futile attempt to condense the SS Costa Concordia vessel into 7 minutes and recommended that speakers keep it simple and mentor others who are fishing for minnows.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM David praised TM Christine for her Americanisms and suggested she speak slower so even Americans can understand her American-ness.  LOL!! He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM BeckyJo acknowledged TM The Tom's goal to encourage newer Toastmasters and suggested he condense and reiterate the beginning of his condensation.

The Word of the Day was

SALIENT, adj

Very important or noticeable

Example:  The salient truth is that Americanisms are twelve of one, half a dozen of another.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UblKKKMJh9U

Next week is our Evaluations Contest!!

See you then!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

First Day of School, Undesirable? Living Large, Living Small - let's stipulate it at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM BeckyJo started us off with carefully researched Table Topics about First Day of School customs in various countries....

* TM Gail exercised as School Principal only one year because First Day of School problems between students, faculty, janitors, supervisors, maintenance crew was simply too much and not stipulated in her job description.

* TM Jim, calling in from Japan, thinks an apple is still the best token of appreciation for good teachers/mentors, rather than flowers that wilt.

* Guest and former TM Kit's most precious possession is her wedding ring which came wrapped and enclosed in a $300 leather backpack, customary in Japan.

* Area Director TM Rachel is all for improving the workplace by providing food mindfulness and a siesta after a scrumptious lunch, as they presumably do in schools in France.   She Won Best Table Topics Award.  Note from Recap Writer:  Our French member, TM David, gently insinuated he does not recall 2-hour lunches in his school days in France.  Just sayin'.....

* TM Veronica's symbolic celebration is a dance party and implementing 2-hour leisurely school lunches in the US, much like they do in Spain and Argentina.  

* Guest and former TM Randy will command artificial intelligence  (more artificial than intelligent) to remove visitors' shoes when they enter his cabin.

* TM  Christine fondly recalls her first days of school and embarks on new beginnings with a MIckey Mouse backpack full of candy.

We had two fantabulous prepared speeches today...

* TM Marie led us down our collective path of phone addiction, which originally began in innocent, simpler days of avoiding the Molasses Swamp in Candyland and then we all mentally sang Laura Branigan's hit song Self-Control to relieve anxiety and stress.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Chris entertained us with her skillful presentation of their maritime sojourn since April and guided us into the future with a fantastic slideshow and maps depicting the trajectory of their residence ship, again proving that you can live small and live VERY large simultaneously. How does she create the moving little Villa Vie all over the mappa mundi???  Ah..... the wonder of it all...    Welcome back, TM Chris.

And then came Evaluations...

* TM Jorge (first-time evaluator? great job!) praised TM Marie for her inspirational speech steering us away from scrolling - the new smoking- to get out of our quagmire... and he subtly suggested she wear anti-glare eyeglasses.... 

* TM Randolph was captivated by TM Chris' ability to live in a small cabin within a VERY BIG house and he'd like to know where she got her bed risers for extra storage.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

Our General Evaluator, TM Jose, gave a comprehensive General Evaluation report, stemming from his keen sense of observation.  Good job TM Jose!

Our Area Director, TM Rachel, a self-proclaimed night owl, gave EarlyBirds a raving review and stipulated she will be our Guest Speaker in our Evaluations Contest.  Thank you, TM Rachel!

Dates to Remember:

Club Evaluations Contest:  Thursday August 28

Club Humorous Contest:  Thursday September 4

The Word of the Day was

STIPULATE, verb

To demand or request that something be part of an agreement or a contract between two or several parties.

Example:  Per our friendship agreement, it is stipulated that you will laugh at all my jokes, no matter how bad they are.

Here's the link to the recording....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P4fwXS-0pY

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer