Interesting topics, The Three Magi and The Tricky Durability of FB - neuroplasticy in EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Chris led us in thought-provoking topics.  We discovered that....

* I, Ana, think every age has a different charm and is ideal to meet the ups and downs of life.

* TM Pam would like to circumvent the world in a hot air balloon but for now will limit herself to the Gulf of Mexico, the Washington Tulip Show or The DownUnder.

* TM The Tom, a true Irishman, is funny, smart and athletic and adds liquidity to neuroplasticity with lotsa Irish coffees.

* TM Gail most resembles her grandmother, born in 1890, who was very close to her and very inspirational in her life.

* TM Aleta only blocked one longtime friend on FB for siding with a third friend who nastily refuted Aleta's point of view.  

* TM Marie's most rewarding work was teaching swimming to infants and toddlers and watch them transform from terrified screechers to little mermen and mermaids. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

And then came the prepared speeches...

*TM Jose delighted us with the inside scoop on The Three Magi, Melchior, Gaspar and Baltazar, scholars from Persia and Babylon, who brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to Baby Jesus.  This feast is highly commemorated on the night of Jan 5 - 6 in Spain and Latin American countries.  

* DTM Mary Helen, undeterred by Central Time, shared the emotions the Season brings and the many uses of FB which keeps friendships and relationships alive through the veil of time, distance and transit to the other side.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations...

* TM The Tom highly praised TM Jose for his excellent opening with a powerful backdrop, for his Spanish pronunciation and for revealing the true story of the Three Magi.  He suggested TM Jose avoid reading to add power to the speech and asked him to shorten his trip to Thailand for the sake of EarlyBirds.

* TM Aleta appreciated DTM Mary Helen's emotive speech about the many facets of FB which keeps memories alive and deceased people alive in our hearts and minds.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

NEUROPLASTICITY, noun

The brain's capacity to continue growing and evolving in response to life experiences.

Example:  Attending EarlyBirds meetings is a good way to keep our neuroplasticity up and running.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb1ZjNF0hk4

Neuroplastically submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Christmas Topics, "Tis The Season and The Night Before Christmas - a sparkling azzure morning at Early Birds!



Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta dazzled us with Christmas topics.  Who knew that...

* TM Chris is feeling Christmas more than ever trimming Christmas trees on a residential cruise currently in Paname.

* TM Terri's best thing that happened since last Christmas is the recovery of her sons which is truly miraculous.

* TM Jose has given back incorrect change in his favor to skeptical cashiers and received a random act of kindness that has led him to a much more geographically desirable ophthalmologist.

* TM BeckyJo (hereinafter to be known as BeckyJoy) aspires to learn to unmute and being on time to Toastmasters, and experienced the first miracle last night when she was 3 minutes early to pick up friends to attend the Days' Christmas Bash.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Mary Helen's favorite way to serve others in Christmas is to do the polls in EarlyBirds and to say errs and ummms with reckless abandon.

* TM Gail ranks #1 in the Geeks' Fan Club and is determined to create a Geeks on Tour International Holiday when dense members can finally learn to find their own photos, for Pete's sake.

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Marie recounted when John The Baptists, who lived off locusts and honey in 1 B.C. (Before Christmas) baptized people in the Jordan River and told them to Repent, nowadays a philosophy of "want what you have rather than getting what you want" or as Steven Stills  put it "Love the one you're with"... She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jim G. lived up to our annual tradition with a rendition of "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore, outfitted with a Panamanian Santa Claus jacket and displaying a prodigious memory.

Regarding the evaluations...

* TM Gail praised TM Marie for reminding us what the Season is really all about and her examplary use of vocal variety, eye contact and not wasting precious time.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM BeckyJoy loved TM Jim G's adherence to tradition and challenged him to channel the characters, list the raindeer with more gusto and for Saint Nicholas' sake, wear a hat!

The Word of the Day was

AZZURE, noun, verb, adjective - multifaceted word all right

Example:  In October 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean azzure.

The link to the recording will be sent separately.

Merry Christmas to all

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

Change and Mentoring - a cognitively rich contest at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

The recording captured a lively discussion of Jim and Chris G.'s plan to literally embark on an Oddysey and navigate the oceans on a semi-permanent world cruise.  Never a dull moment with the Geeks! More to follow...

The Table Topics Contest Topic was CHANGE.

* DTM Mary Helen wistfully reflected that change is inevitable, scary but at the same time exciting and she hopes to stay in the river of change.

* TM Paolo follows Darwin's discovery that only those who adapt to change survive - and he practices by moving his numerous offspring from one side of the pond to the next.  He Won Second Place.

* TM Chris is breaking free from the forcefield of routine to enhance her cognitive skills aboard the Odyssey (see above).  She Won First Place.

We had a wonderful Level 2 speech from TM Gail, which will propel EarlyBirds on its Gafor Distinguished of the Distinguished Clubs - thank you Gail! - and we also found out that...

* Her first mentor was her Mother, who taught her the (now) useless skills of back then - sewing, crocheting, darning - but instilled in her a passion for learning which led her to (2) PHDs and the road to her Master Mentors, Chris and Jim G., and ultimately embarking on Toastmasters' Pathways journey.  It's come full circle!  You're a great asset to our Club, TM Gail!

TM Paolo evaluated TM Gail's speech....

* He suggested she does not have to thank the audience - the audience ought to thank her! She conveyed powerfully the strong link she has to her Master Mentors and the audience was fully engaged and inspired by her speech.

The Word of the Day was

COGNITIVE, adjective

Related to thinking, learning, understanding.

Italians have difficulty saying cognitive because in Italian, cg is pronounced nye.  Signore, Signora, Signorina.  Vooolare, ooooh, Cantaaaare, Ohhhohhohh

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqfkWfHr3hE

See you next week!

Loopily submitted (I think they gave me liquid Valium for the procedure, for real)

AI (absent intelligence) or 

IA (In absentia)

EarlyBird Evaluation Contest - What's Your Passion and Winter Activities

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Contest Chair Marie and Chief Judge Pam proved to be a dynamic contest duo and led us smoothly into the morning...

Test Speaker TM Dori discovered that touching people is her forte, and she put on her own glass slipper with crocheted socks, no Prince required, thankyouverymuch.  Thank you, TM Dori, for inspiring us to take up crochet...

We had some powerful evaluators:

* TM Chris fully related to the speech as she, too, discovered her true passion and made a career out of it (in between cruises).  She Won Second Place Evaluator.

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Dori for having found her passion and asserting herself in compliance with workplace safety.

* TM Paolo encouraged TM Dori to be more energetic and passionate delivering her passion with excellent pace, pitch and projection and please skip mentioning intro and conclusion.  He Won First Place Evaluator.  Congratulations, Paolo!

* TM Randolph was completely inspired by TM Dori's phrase "Your passion is fundable" and is adding it to his lists of motivational quotes.

I, Ana, led the group in Winter Wonderland table topics.  Who knew that....

* TM Jose classifies his New Year's Eve Celebrations in ascending order by wildest, wilder, wild, barely make it to midnight to eat the grapes.

* TM Terri will be roasting eggplant in her chimney, courtesy of her son The Chef.  EarlyBirds are coming over to partake, for sure!

* TM Gail, a native Floridian, has not had a snowball fight or even dreamed of one, but a brief stint in Albany has made her a Florida heat fan.

* TM Dori went once to the Christmas Boat Parade but did not engage in any bruhaha, although she and her friend were driven home as a precaution.

* TM Chris's idea of a Christmas Spectacular is kayaking down the Fort Lauderdale canals singing Christmas Carols.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Mary Helen loves substituting ice cream for lack of snowflakes and had a memorable Sober New Year's Eve Party when the moon was in the seventh house and Jupiter lined with Mars.

Our Test Speaker TM Dori introduced us to the Word of the Day

BRUHAHA, noun

Noisy, disorderly confusion

Example:  Ice skating in a frozen lake may lead to cracks in the ice and lots of unnecessary bruhaha.  We Floridians prefer artificial rinks.

Date to Remember:

Next week, December 12, is our Club Table Topics Contest.

DTMs Mary Helen and Jim D. are hosting a Christmas Spectacular at their home on December 18 from 5 to 9 pm.  More details to follow.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zfzc_XMTK4

Constantly contestantly submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Festive topics, Ships Ahoy and Herding Cats - a benevolent morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie launched us off with festive single or two-worded topics.

We soon discovered that....

* TM Roslyn likes people to experience joy and have a good time so she displays benevolence and hospitality all year round - but it can be somewhat taxing. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam explained that Columbus set the example for confusion and we are also confused when determining East from West and limiting Native Americans to one single stereotype when there's variety a-plenty

* I, Ana, had my mouth watering at the thought of all the food that is headed in my direction with all the festivities coming ahead - but hey, festivities are not a requirement.

* TM Terri has had a year of miracles in that she and her loved ones have shed several addictions, including overeating in front of guests and she has a lot for which to be thankful.

* TM Paolo's family is in transition mode back to the USA and they will miss the widespread festivities held with extended family in the home country but will make benevolence prevail. 

First-time Toastmaster of the Day Gail effectively and smoothly introduced us to the prepared speeches.  Good job Gail!

* TM Jim G. had us daydreaming of embarking on a residential cruise of undetermined duration and displayed nautical backgrounds and comparative charts to whet our appetities.  Good job!

* TM Aleta is undertaking domestication of her cat condo as she is a benevolent -albeit involuntary- condo commando of the feral HOA.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

After a bit of benevolent confusion, we came to our trusted evaluations...

* TM Pam has last been seen booking her tickets on a residential cruise ship to sail away in the voyage "Around the World in Undetermined Days" and praised TM Jim G.'s chart prowess.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Paolo praised TM Aleta's vocal variety when meaowing and body gestures when mimicking felines as she effectively used Toastmaster tools to describe her colony of ninjas with whiskers.

The Word of the Day was

BENEVOLENCE, noun

A disposition to do good

Synonyms:  kindness, decency

Example:  The Police Benevolent Association will benevolently send you a car sticker when you use benevolence to make a donation to their union.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

* There will be no meeting next week due to Thanksgiving.  Gobble, gobble!

* Table Topics Group Contest:  December 5

* Evaluations Group Contest:   December 12

* International Speech Group Contest:  January 9, 2025

Contest Master  Marie R.

Chief Judge: Pam S.

Timer:  Jim D.

Polls:  Pam S.

Here is the link to today's recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxgIIFRc57c

See you on December 5th!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Food topics, Family National Holidays and Forbidden Apples - a raddling morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Jim D. had us reminiscing about food memories....

* TM Gail loooooves ice cream, eats the small cups by the half dozen but for health purposes has restricted herself to ONLY vanilla.

* TM Aleta absolutely positively resolutely determinedly makes no food restriction New Year's resolutions.  She's nuts about chocolate... with nuts.

* TM Paolo has regressed from being a good cook to throwing together cold cuts and bread strictly under duress, the rest of the time he's just thankful for a loving good cook wife.

* I, Ana, had my unseasoned unsalted filet mignon blatantly stolen from my plate by a rogue canine during a family barbeque.  I was definitely not thankful!

* TM Chris' favorite restaurant is Cooper's Hawk, they have joined the Wine Club and have wonderful dining and wining experiences there.

* TM Jose almost ate chop snake salad during a business trip to Taiwan but, as often in his life, was saved by the snake's raddle.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Terrt can remember a few badly prepared marital meals but fortunately her ex is no longer around and her sons are both good cooks.

Regarding the prepared icebreakers we had today...

* TM Pam interwove (3) November holidays - Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving and her birthday into a tale of family gatherings, memories and reminiscens.  Happy Birthday Pam!

* TM Marie has spent most of her life trying to force outcomes with futility and no longer becomes raddled as she is now Laissez Faire Marie, letting events unfold as they will and cheerfully eating a crunchy unknowledgeable apple.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Jose praised TM Pam for her clarity, and her sighing technique and suggested she may add some hand gestures to her delivery.  

* TM Paolo hailed TM Marie's speech as a masterpiece and asked that she work on her right angle lighting and try Gala apples instead of Granny Smith's.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the DAy was

RADDLED, adj

Broken down, worn

Confused, upset

Example: Grammar nerds were raddled by the spelling of what they thought was spelled rattled, which started being used in the 1900s versus raddled from the 1690s.  Raddled saves you having to mentally cross the t's.  

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0ft9ejL2qk

See you next week!

Ana I.

Raddled, Skedaddled and Befuddled

Recap Writer

Random questions, Wuthering Heights and Panama Crossing - an intricate extricate EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests, and Friends,

I, Ana, started us off with random questions.  We realized that...

* TM Pam is on a strict vegetarian regimen building up to December 1 cookies, cake and ice cream  

* TM Marie is going to save, spend and mostly give away her $5 million - she wants to be charitable while having fun, fun, fun!... She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jim G.'s favorite movie is a composite of Finding Nemo, The Graduate and Forrest Gump.  Life is certainly like a box of chocolates or salt-water taffies and sexy older women.

* TM Chris wants to be known for having a good time - she and TM Jim G. are big fish in a small pond - she's been seen signing autographs for thankful alumni.

* TM Jose is most thankful for our health, the group's health and his ability to fly across the pond and to other destinations to enjoy new adventures and visit family.

Regarding prepared speeches....

* I, Ana, recounted my woes as a bullied tall person growing up in the land of vertically-challenged people.

* TM Chris recently went kayaking and snorkeling amidst the locks, chambers, Lakes of the Panama Canal, with plenty of mimosas on hand.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Jim G. officially named me the group's resident giraffe and suggested I will end up in Hell... but surrounded by boys, boys, boys.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Pam asked TM Chris to please find a book (300 pages, tops) about snorkeling in the Panama Canal.

The Word of the Day was

EXTRICATE, verb

To free or remove yourself from an entanglement or difficulty.

Example:  It is virtually impossible to extricate oneself from a submerged car.

The link for today's recording is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsnU8V0fBX8

See you next week!

Ana I

Recap Extricator 

Spirits, Killers and Sanhain (pronounced Sawein), a ghoulish morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Ghosts, Ghouls, Goblins and Gretins,

TM Pam ghosted us with Table Topic apparitions.  We intuited that...

* TM Skull Jose, who has lost considerable weight and looks definitely skeletal, crushes the spirit that tries to penetrate his skull - he will not succumb to a good ole spirit.

* TM Madhatter Marie's flesh is weak when it comes to chocolate, which she learned to evulliently steal from her father's gift boxes.

* TM Queen Roslyn is moved by the spirit of church music on weekdays.- why wait for Sundays?

* TM Cat Terri has heard that on Spirit Airlines it's likely they will fly you to the netherworld but hey, the price is right.

* DTM Mary Helen Cleopatra would go to Mexico for Day of the Dead to partake in the cemetery rituals and have a graveyard smash with lotsa tequila.

* I, Glenda Witch Ana, will reminisce about my days as Cruella De Ville on Halloween Puerto Rican style by downing a cauldron of rum-laced coquitos.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

We had (2) spooky speeches...

* TM McDonald's Aleta met a rich cook at a logging camp near her house who got murdered by an envious diabolical Irish hunter and TM Aleta found the cook's moneybelt on her property.... We won't tell....

* TM Gail revealed that Celts started Sahmain (pronounced Sawein) by carving ghoulish faces on turnips till vampires realized they would not bleed and resorted to human hemoglobin.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Graduate The Tom praised TM Aleta's use of a hunter's hat and an ex to recount a tale from the crypt in her back yard.

* TM Barbie's Father Uomo Elegante Paolo marvels at the sinister trajectory of a pagan holiday into a multi-billion consumer industry.  He recommended that Gail wear camouflage next time.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

DTM Jim D. kept track of the witching hour every step of the way.

TM Party Pooper BeckyJo did manage to disappear on us.  She was last seen flying away on an Electric Mop.

The Word of the Day was

EBULLIENT, adjective

This seemingly innocuous word raised a passionate discussion about its pronunciation, first syllable?  second syllable?  Midwestern accent? Miami Cuban accent?  Pick your choice or alternate.

It means effervescent, appealingly lively and enthusiastic.

Example:  If you drink a carbonated drink, it will transform you into an ebullient soul.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQBendGM8wE

See you next week!

Ana Illsen

VP Education

Strategic Topics, Six Degrees of Separation and The Bible Tells Me So - an intransigent meeting of EarlyBirds - NOT!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie led us in relationship explorations.  We were led to believe that...

* TM Roslyn's ability to be flexible and adaptable professionally is working well for her as she launched a singing career and health and wellness for seniors.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Mary Helen is an extroverted introvert who needs alone time with no distractions and thinks solitary confinement AT WILL would work well for her.

* TM Gail's strongest sense is her sight - she is a photographer of the animal kingdom and injects some good humor into her art.

* TM Paolo is adapting to change right now, having moved his  numerous offspring back to the US and they are all having to give up intransigence for teenage survival of the smart i-phoneless.

* I, Ana, have realized that I am not the center of anyone's universe because guess what? they are the center of their own universe.  Who knew???

* TM Jose is most confident about what he doesn't know, trivial facts that he pulls out of a mysterious compartment in his brain called improvisation...

* TM Terri treads carefully in the next chapter of her life while having fun with Humphrey (Bogart) her new guard dog in tow.

Along came two interesting prepared speeches...

* TM The Tom presented Part II of his speech about a psycho aviation board member who became his hospital roommate and life infused the former psycho intravenously with a dose of humble pie.

* .TM Aleta told us a biblical story about Elimelech. Naomi, Boaz the Intransigent Law Follower, Ovid, Jesse, David (pre Goliath) who lived in Moab (currently Jordan) and taught us that those who trust, head straight for the buffet dessert table.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

And lastly, we had excellent evaluations...

* TM Paolo called TM The Tom the Michelangelo of Speakers and reminded him to look at the camera instead of the multiple Zoom squares.

* DTM Mary Helen enjoyed TM Aleta's biblical story "A Different Kind of Love" which was not too racy but involved a land parcel which became a highrise condo as the years went slowly by.... and which we can apply to our modern lives.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

INTRANSIGENT, adjective

A person who refuses to compromise or abandon an often extreme position or attitude.

Example:  A person's intransigence may be another person's extravagance, but it is always riddled with insolence.   Huh???

The link to the recording is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJa2y4FQpXg

See you next week at the Graveyard Smash!  

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Idioms, Meditation and Being Heckled - a fugacious morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta inspired us with popular idioms about body parts.  We were surprised to learn that...

* TM Tom triumpantly reported the EMS personnel who were there in his time of need were a truly a sight for sore eyes.  Welcome back to our effervescent joy, Tom!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, took a wild guess that using elbow grease refers to car mechanics deciphering the labyrinth of car parts in the engine and getting their elbows dirty.

* DTM Jim D. highly recommends that chickens and turkeys avoid sticking their neck out, especially around Thanksgiving.  Otherwise their lives will truly be fugacious!

* TM Gail is tired of all the politicians who speak with forked tongues and cannot wait for them to speak with knived tongues so they can chop their own tongues off, once and for all!

* TM Paolo has often had something on the tip of his tongue but it's ready to be spoken in Italian and he doesn't say it because his listener is monolingual (in English).

* TM Terri's father was a good man but very pessimistic so she keeps her chin up, especially about chocolate, which, as the old saying goes,"a minute in the lips, forever in the hips".

And then came the prepared speeches...

* TM Roslyn invited us to start our day by dropping - even if fugaciously - into meditation, to refresh and replenish our cluttered minds.

* TM Pam masterfully dealt with a disruptive audience - an interrupter, a chatterer, an arguer, a talker, an electronic device enthusiast, compulsively commenting in the chat. We had a great time and TM Pam humorously dealt with it.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding evaluations....

* TM Paolo praised TM Roslyn for her effective pace to allow us to discern, digest, process, metabolize and refresh, recharge and restart.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Marie praised EarlyBirds for being the best hecklers on Planet Earth and also praised TM Pam for her effort to practice, practice, practice, putting up with us.

The Word of the Day was

FUGACIOUS, adjective

Lasting a very short time; ephemeral; short-lived, transient

Example:  Love's fugacious radiance wanes into a more stable companionship.

Dates to Consider:

Club Level Contests (to be conducted by January 14, 2024)

Tall Tales

Humorous Speech

District Level Contests 

Table Topics

Evaluations

International Speech - must have completed Level I and Level II in Pathways

Here's the link to the recording:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS7QII_AH9g

See you next week!

Ana I.

Sagacious and Perspecacious  but not Fugacious Recap Writer

Disasters, Old Siam and Wild Obsessions - an amply sufficient morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Jim  D. skyrocketed us into disaster topics...  We found out that.

..

* TM Jim G. puts outdoor furniture inside but mostly fixates on the omnipresent Cone of Uncertainty, hoping to send rain up to fill up TM Aleta's crick.

* TM BeckyJo has become overly cautious after Hurricane Wilma caught her off guard and she ended up kayaking through her neighborhood at the behest of Weatherman Bryan Norcross.

* TM Marie deals with the hurricane that forms in her mind when she realizes thoughts are spiraling like tornadoes. There is always calm at the center of toilet paper hoarding.She Won Best Table Topics. Award.

* TM Roslyn goes into the inner space of her windowless laundry room at the sound of tornado sirens.  No curiosity whatsoever to peek outside.

* TM Aleta's then-husband was The Lineman of the County ( to the tune of Wichita Lineman by Glenn Campbell) but restored his own power last.

* TM Chris has experienced earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes in her RV , and she prefers earthquakes rather than watching Jim watch the Cone of Uncertainty.

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Jose took us down a fascinating tour of his future trip to Thailand, where he will visit Chung Rai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and last but not least, the PeePee Islands , where he will snorkel to watch Thai fish and attend a Black Thai gala where he will enjoy a Sukkhotai dinner.  We can't wait for the apres ski... errr, apres-tour.

* I, TM Ana, shared my adventures as a City Slicker surrounded by wildly obsessive bear fans in a visit to Big Sky Glacier Park.  I Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Paolo praised TM Jose for the clarity of his speech, so much so that TM Paolo is booking travel to Siam as we speak.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM BeckyJo corroborated my status as a City Slicker and encouraged me to stop reading my darned speeches and display imprompty tongue-in-cheek humor, once and for all.

TM Terri did a superb job as First Time Poll Maker.  Go, Terri!

The Word of the Day was

SUFFICIENT, adj

Enough to meet the needs of a situation

Example:  Sometimes I forget that I must have sufficient funds in the bank to go a-splurging.

Dates to Remember:  Thursday October 31 we will have a Monster Mash Halloween-themed meeting.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/6WMX513hgoU

See you next week!

Ana I.

Incomparable, intolerable, honorable, comfortable Recap Writer

Pink, Scuba Cuba and Taking Yourself - a morning with panache at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We were delighted to be visited again by our Area Director, TM Marc, as well as (2) guests, Ann and Suzette.  And returning TM Manny regaled us with a heartfelt invocation...

TM Marie led us pink-themed topics.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Pam was a blonde girl and traumatized for life for having to wear lame faded pastel pink.  Pink does not  even exist in her wardrobe color palette. So there!

* Guest Ann, like most of us, knows women who have suffered from breast cancer, and  the pink bow logo inspires her to think positively.

* Guest Suzette likes Pink's old songs but no longer moves mountains by whispering to them, she only hums....

* TM Paolo has moved the wife and all the bambini to South Florida and wants to live fully before he dies or he'll die before he lives, as wisely stated by Inspector Clouseau.of Pink Panther fame.

* *TM Jose;s favorite band is Pink Floyd, censored in Franco's Spain - note from author: way before social media adopted the practice of censorship - and was Comfortably Numb with Just Another Brick in the Wall....  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Christine adored the virgin reef off Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen) where the Cuban sharks, Cuban groupers, Cuban moray eels sip Cuban cafecitos and guava pastries at the Cuban Reef Bar as they await their fake $150 visas  to exile themselves in Miami - so close and yet so far! 

* TM Mary Helen witnessed a half marathon in Hamburg, the cradle of our beloved hamburgers, and instead of running has started walking and meeting her neighbors, establishing connections and ensuring a long happy connected life.

Both speakers showed wanton disregard for the timing requirements but hey, it was well worth it for the rest of us.

And then came the evaluations...

* TM Terri praised TM Christine's good organization and panache in her yoga outfit to pet her new Cuban best buddy, the Mooray Eel (la Morena).  .  And blessed be the silence of technological disconnection!

* TM BeckyJo loved DTM Mary Helen's vocal variety and enjoyed the neighborhood connections in an environs where everything - and everyone?- loosk the same. She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

PANACHE, noun

Confident, flamboyant, dresses with style

A tuft or plume of feathers to be worn in a hat, helmet or headdress.

Example:  Runway models and fashionistas exude panache from every pore of their body and every seam in their attire.

The link to the recording is:

https://youtube.com/live/yPOKVwfkt10

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

* 

Word Ruses, PR for a Better Life and 37 Strangers - a great morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta baited and rused us with unusual words.  We learned that...

* TM Gail is convinced that Barbie has strong core muscles of the rippled variety strictly because she overdoses on pink outfits.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Chris practices circular fashion by dancing the hula hoop while wearing bell bottoms.

* TM Randolph doesn't like greedflation which presents  the ruse of lower prices by smaller packaging and diminished product contents.  

* TM Roslyn explained that skiplagging is, for example, flying from New York to Cayman Islands by first stopping in Fresno, California.  All for a cheaper fare!

* TM Jim G. meditates in his bathtub with music, which makes life worth living, and induces him into a soundbath trance.

* TM Beckyjo stated that prebiotic is when AI converts her salt mill into a cat and furthermore,  prebiotic leads to neurotic - and that's all, folks!

We had one prepared speech today...

* TM Marie gracefully overcame technicalities and  informed us that she is hype-saturated and no longer seeks shadow comfort in hollow echo chambers.

* By video we watched TM Luisa, winner of the 2024 international speech contest, who revealed that her 6-minute death episode provided the best sleep she's had in hears.  Forget Ambien!

Regarding our evaluation...

* Third time evaluator TM Gail found TM Marie's speech exemplary, exemplary and lastly, exemplary.  Gail will personally implement a morning thanksgiving exam.  

We had round robin feedback.about the International champion speaker:

* TM Gail liked learning that St. Peter has an IPad.

* TM Aleta pointed out that the final speech was very different than the original one.  She demands a recount! 

* TM Randolph likes humor to be interjected with tragedy.  He likes to laugh and cry at the same time.

* I, TM Ana, played Skeptic Sally.  Was the wheelchair a prop?  Can speakers tell their tales of personal tragedy and be on a level playing field with other speakers?  More will be revealed (maybe).

The Word of the Day was

RUSE (pronounced ROOZ) noun

Action intended to deceive

Example:  New couples are on best behavior as a ruse to seduce...

Due to other techniculties, the link to the recording will be sent out later on today.  Be on alert!  It's not a ruse!

See you next week,

Ana Illsen

Recap Writer

Moments in Time, Hidden Treasures and Count DeMonay - persistence is the name of the game at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our persistent group showed grit and determination to overcome technological glitches and reduced attendance - today we were few  but mighty nevertheless!

TM Marie led us with fun topics about moments in time.  We thus realized that...

* TM Gail is a leaf-peeper and adores the turning of the leaves up North.  She substitutes in Florida by admiring her croton plants all year long.

* TM Aleta is affected by shorter days and longer nights while pondering about the arriival of spring in Western Pennslvania.

* TM BeckyJo uses chocolate to counteract sadness, and ginormous Dandee Donuts to appease anger.  The Club is offering her a box of Dundees as a gift.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Terri welcomes snowbirds in Miami but shudders at the onslaught of traffic - she departs one hour early for a trip to the corner grocery store.  

* DTM Mary Helen is flexible with family celebrations except the major ones which fall on a specific date, when she insists and persists they must be held on exactly the right phase of the moon.

* DTM Jim reminisced about Women's Day in Russia, which had to be observed by EVERYONE. or else, if you're male, risk execution on Baltic Unity Day, which encompasses the countries of Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Poland.

Along came speeches...

* I, Ana, told the tale of  South Florida's rich history of bucaneers, pirates, treasure divers and other colorful characters that are displayed in Museums but do not seem to appear in city plaques. I Won Best Speaker Award.

*DTM Jim prepared a speech in under 2 minutes flat and told us about his duties as a Treasurer.  The main requirement is persistence to deal with dormant bank accounts and slow renewing members.  He keeps us as financial Distinguished President's Club.  Thank you Jim!

And along came the evaluations....

* TM Terri appreciated  me putting South Florida's history on the map but was mesmerized by the blinding light beaming up from my skull in a recreation of an intergalactic adventure.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Gail lauded DTM Jim for explaining his duties as Treasurer and has started a movement to have other club officers explain their duties to achieve cross training.  Great idea, Gail!

The Word of the Day was

PERSISTENCE, noun

 Firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulties or opposition.

The link to the recording will be available next week.  Thanks!

See you next week,

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Celebrations, Salt or No Salt and the Courage of Robert Smalls - a fraternal EarlyBirds meeting

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our TM Gail led us in intriguing Table Topics.  We discovered that...

* TM BeckyJo defies Superstition Defying Day by not practicing any superstition. on ANY day.  As a kid, she stepped on cracks which didn't breat her mother's back -which was good,  since she loved her mother anyway (most of the time).

* DTM Mary Helen is determined to master the neutral gender of the German language so she can fraternize with Fraus, Frauleins and Herrs who speak back in impeccable English.

* Guest Nysir has learned a lot online and is currently taking a Christianity History online calls. Go Nysir!

* TM Jim G.'s favorite wife and favority diving partner since 1993 has stated that she will dive Mexican cenotes (water-filled sinkholes) in the Yucatan peninsula for her 80th. Jim reminded us that everyday is Wife Appreciation Day!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM The Tom is his own favorite barber - ever since he was in the military - but everyone was left wondering how he cuts the back of his hair.  We need a lesson, please, as we all want to save some money too!

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Jose made clear the difference between fresh water chlorinated pools and salt water pools.  Advantages are lower annual pool maintenance costs and great savings in body lotion to offset brittle skin from chlorine.

* TM Chris told a fascinating tale of courage of Robert Smalls, born to slavery, rented out and put to work in docks, who ingeneously managed to escape slavery, eventually bought back the plantation and allowed his slaveowner's widow to live in it till she died.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding the evaluations...

* TM Jim G. was riveted by TM Jose's speech because he, TM Jim G., is riveted by salt-water pools and the internet of things.  He encouraged TM Jose to use a couple of pictures for illustration or show a selfie video swimming in the salt water pool.

* TM BeckyJo asked TM Chris to avoid Spoiler Alerts and keep us guessing if the hero will survive till the end. Also, please stimulate our senses with vivid imagery (the crashing of the waves, the deafening explosion of the cannos, the swaying sails of surrender.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

FRATERNIZE, verb

To be friendly or spend time with someone in a friendly way.

Origin of the word is latin FRATER (brother)

Example: To keep my friends close, and my  enemies closer, I need to fraternize with all of  them.

Here's the link for the recording

https://youtu.be/UHPtIdlVcBQ

See you next week!

Ana Illsen

VP Education

Fraternal Recap Writer

Olympics, Accidental Singer and Pogue Mahone - meritocracy rules at Early Birds!

Dear <e,bers. Guests and Friends,

TM BeckyJo led us in well-documented topics.  We discovered that...

* TM Jose displayed great courage in moving to the US from Spain and 25 years later moving from the US to Spain, break dancing across the pond and eating lots of Tiramisu.

* TM Marie would add a sport for courage to the Olympic refugee team who have no homes to return to.  

* TM Marc was confronted about the Brazilian torpedo who swims without arms by revealing that he was a snake handler and contrary to popular belief, snakes are not slippery unless wet.

* TM Paolo said "Porca miseria!" "Im incredible" when he gave his speech at a District Toastmaster Contest and placed third.  He's seeking that adrenalin rush again and will repeat the speech.  Grazie mille!

* DTM Mary Helen declared that Al-Anon and astrology have helped her realize that she was blind but now can see.  Like the Olympic break dancer, she focuses on joy.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

^ TN Terri focuses on spirituality and also in Al-Anon learned she is powerless over people, places and things, but there's been joy even in the hardships.

We moved on to prepared speeches...

* TM Roslyn gave an amazing icebreaker where she revealed she was an accidental singer who is now a conduit for healing and whose voice is her superpower.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM The Tom talked about his family of origin who said the quintessential Irish expression Pogue Mahone - not apt for children - but sadly was a world apart from 40% of today's families.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Marc praised TM Roslyn for her well-organized icebreaker and is a fellow fan of Ella Fitzgerald, Lady of Scat,

* TM Marie enjoyed the tale of TM The Tom's unpredictable family of origin, which includes cowboys, shooters, Irish blessings and suggested a softer way to connect it to today's topsy-turvy world.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

MERITOCRACY, noun

A social system, society or organization where people are successful or have power because of their abilities, not their money or social position.

Example:  Toastmasters is truly a meritocracy.  Its synonym is Pathways....

Here's the link to the recording...

https://youtube.com/live/-QlokiS905c

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Hard Topics, Communication Styles and Living in a Tree - a penchant for adventure at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We inducted our newest member, TM Roslyn - Welcome aboard!

TM The Tom gave us a choice between hard topics and easy peasy topics, and guess what we picked...

* I, Ana, am grateful of the alphabet A to J and fully cognizant of the easy peasy life that I enjoy.

* DTM Mary Helen overcame her reluctance to physical activity and became a runner and is now a walker.

* TM Jose asserts people can change on their time, not anyone else's.  He quit smoking, moved to Spain and regained spirituality - not necessarily in that order.

* TM Jim G. has a fantastic wife and hence also has a fantastic life.  The secret is Stayin' Alive (sung to the tune of Stayin' Alive by the Gree Gees)

* TM Roslyn worked hard to chase the close - money, property, prestige.  Now she has slowed down and finds time to smell the flowers.

* TM Marie has nothing to stop her from getting what she wants and she's grateful for unplanned blessings of yesterday - dancing impromptu with husband Guy right in front of the dinner casserole bubbling on the stovetop.  She Won Best TAble Topics Award.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Gail used multiple communication styles while discharging her duties as a Catholic Diocese High School Principal - addressing the elephant in the room - how to pronounce plural diocesiseseses....  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM BeckyJo, consummate storyteller, who is self-banned from bookstores, lived an adventure read in a book while at Hanahau'oli School in Makiki Street, Honolulu, and leading 3 classmates to learn to live in a tree in the Makatuki Mountains while hitchhiking in the opposite direction and running into Principal Gail West. She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM Randolph is fascinated by TM Gail's rich life while dancing at a Salsa Party with her Cuban guidance counselor and would recommend more vocal variety while singing "My Hips Don't Lie"...

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM BeckyJo's passionate, creative tale of escapism in the jungles of Hawaii and suggested BeckyJo play around with her camera so she can make eye contact with her audience during storytelling.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

PENCHANT, noun

Strongly marked taste in a person or an irresistible attraction in the objection

Example:  Wolves have a penchant for howling at the full moon.

Here is the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNViqvL-7Ek

See you next week!

Ana Illsen

Recap Writer

Fwd: Assorted topics, Parenting and Public Relations - a prolific morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Jim D. led us in assorted table topics.  We discovered that...

* I, Ana, have occasionally ventured out to other grocery stores, but inevitably I circle back to the old familiar aisles of my closest Publix.  Floridian to the core!

* TM The Tom conveniently gets gas at a station behind his favorite Publix store.  A full tank lasts him about six months from all the driving he does!

* TM Gail ran her family's restaurant at the tender age of 6 - hostessing, managing the cash register and making sure the business got repeat customers who returned in awe of her. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jim G. has driven his RV to all 50 states (except Hawaii, since it was not amphibious) and his favorite is Florida, while his least favorite is the Rio Grande Valley, epicenter of  the sci-fi  film Chaos for the Hoarder.

* TM Marie has no cities or airports to avoid because her philosophy is to go with the flow and turn adversities into blessings.

* TM Preeti praised LL Bean for their outstanding customer service- they take 1-year-old returns without blinking and you actually get a live person when you call in - imagine that!!!

* TM Chris's best customer service was the divemaster in Cayman Islands who dove into the depths of the ocean to retrieve Chris' prescription diving mask.  That's impressive!

* TM BeckyJo looooves Cherry Garcia, Cherry Garcia, Cherry Garcia - whiichever size she gets, she eats!  She's in a predicament when pints are buy one get one free..

Along came the prepared speeches....

* TM Randolph was voluntold by a certain DTM for this speech to tell the story of how different we are as parents with our firstborn and our baby.  We can't help but remember that insanity is hereditary - we get it from our kids!

* TM Aleta reinforced that trust and credibility are the foundation for any good Public Relations plan - and toss aside the by-laws if possible before you read them!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

In terms of the evaluations...

* TM Terri praised TM Randolph's parenting skills in finding a balance between having dreams for our kids and pushing those dreams on our kids.  Big difference!

* TM BeckyJo praised TM Aleta's spot-on facial expressions and her commitment to excellence.  She was left pondering how many coffees has Aleta had beore she signs on to EarlyBirds?? She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

PROLIFIC, adjective

Producing or able to produce large amounts

Example: When we join Toastmasters, most of us are prolific users of Umms Errs and other fillers.

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

https://www.youtube.com/live/uBjqUSIytAU

See you next week!

Ana Illsen

VP Education

A morning encumbered with praise for Toastmasters, deck-building and motorcycle riding

 

We hope to have our dear Ana back next week, meanwhile, please bear with me as I try to follow Ana's method of recapping our weekly meeting. Chris G.

We started on time after Mary Helen snapped Jim out of his techno-induced coma, and Tom Quinn was voluntold to deliver the invocation. Well-done Tom!

Pam Schrimsher led us in Table Topics with an end in mind. She wants to collect pieces of these mini-speeches this morning to make a promotional video about our wonderful club. She asked that we come up with one word that sums up. We learned that:

• Randolph Bastein just can't quit us. He joined Earlybirds when he needed to get better at speaking for his work. When he got busier at work he figured he could not continue in Earlybirds, but Kip Barkley told him, "Just do what you can." That was 4 years ago and Randolph is a treasured member of our club still today. Inspired.
• Terri Montealegre was hooked by all of the members of Earlybirds but especially Ana, our membership-recruiter-in-chief. Joining Earlybirds has reawakened her early memories - that train really does exist. Fantastic.
• Chris Guld is so happy to have an audience for her stories. It's what gets her up so early in the morning. By the time the meeting is over she is wide awake and Enriched with the Variety of the meeting.
• BeckyJo Bean is looking for a fight, but she's been disappointed. Of all the diversity of opinions and thought represented by the members of Earlybirds we remain surprisingly civil. Even when we met for breakfast - no food fights broke out. Surprising Friendships. 
• Tom Quinn misses the in person meetings but is so happy that he doesn't have to brush his teeth or wear pants when he meets with us in our little boxes. He likes us, he really likes us! He says we are the Greatest.
• Roslyn Parker, filling out the membership application as she spoke, has been in and out of Toastmasters for years. After visiting Earlybirds once, she is ready to be committed. She won Best Table Topics award.

Then came the prepared speeches.

DTM Jim Day endures being membership chair for his Harley motorcycle club and he told us how his clubs members are Olympic champions in riding motorcycles from Florida to Homer Alaska without GPS, or motels. We all listened in horror as he showed pictures of people sleeping next to their bikes for only 2 hours as they rode for 22. We're so glad he was telling us about the other people who did this .. not him.

Aleta Richmond decked her co-worker with a 12 foot board as the saw broke the board apart and turned it into a see-saw. Not to worry, the removal of the board revealed a pot of honey worked by a swarm of bees. Not to worry, she had plenty of benadryl and ice for the bee stings. We learned that hex-head construction screws can be removed to allow recycling of the boards to another part of the deck, and leftover railings can be modified and you can save a lot of money by building a deck yourself as long as you are a very talented woman. She won Best Speaker award.

Then came evaluations.

Randolph Bastein lamented the 15 seconds overtime that disqualified DTM (don't time me) Jim Day because he liked this speech so much. Hoka Hey - tell us more. He won Best Evaluator award.

Chris Guld praised Aleta for standing up and putting her whole body into her language and we would never have noticed that we couldn't see her deck if she hadn't said "Sorry." 

The word of the day was Encumbered: to be held back, weighed down, overburdened.

It's all about Toastmasters, sandwiches, and bed-wetting, a Transformational morning at Earlybirds

This recap is -sadly- prepared by Chris Guld in the absence of our invaluable Ana Illsen. Her husband , Alex, passed away on Saturday, August 3, 2024. There will not be a funeral service; however, donations can be made to Life Essentials in memory of Alex Illsen and sent to Life Essentials, 7680 Stirling Bridge Blvd, Delray Beach, FL 33446 or online www.lifeessentialsprogram.com. Take care of yourself Ana, we look forward to welcoming you back when you're ready.

The meeting started on-time with an invocation and a joke by Terri Montealegre.

• We couldn't tell that Randolph Bastein was unprepared for the TopicMaster role as he led us in a variety of fun and thought-provoking topics. 
• We learned:Terri Montealegre uses YouTube calming music videos to train her new, energetic puppy.
• Jim Guld likes to reverse-sear his steaks, but his most majestic meal is a sandwich because he is the sandwich king.
• Mary Helen Day would invite Shonda Rhimes to her late night talk show to discuss Gray's Anatomy as long as she made sure to laugh a lot.
• Gail West likes dancing but only when she's in a happy mood and has a line dance routine led by Chris Guld.
• Aleta Richmond uses her chocolate-induced hyperness to do many things, including how to breathe and be serene with Tai Chi.
• Chris Guld needs an imaginary friend from history, but they would need to be a dancer who would join her in dancing to Polk Salad Annie.
• Pam Schrimsher would be both the funniest and the smartest in any room as long as everyone else was infected with brain worms.
• Jim Day is working hard to waste time on the Internet but he keeps getting distracted by the need to fix all those airplanes so they won't lose their doors.
• Randolph Bastein is scoflaw who calls on himself to speak but we didn't dare correct him as we don't want to wet our beds. He won Best Table Topics Award

Next we had one prepared speech and then a report about the recent TLI (Toastmasters Learning Institute)

Mary-Helen, the vice president of membership of Early Bird Toastmasters, inspired us with challenges and rewards of recruiting new members and retaining current ones. She emphasized the importance of expanding the group's social networks and attracting younger members to sustain the group for the next decades. She encouraged the members to be proactive in inviting new people and to see themselves as ambassadors for the group. We look forward to a "Family Day" in a future Earlybird meeting.

Chris and Jim Guld also sang the praises of Toastmasters as an organization and how much they enjoyed attending a face-to-face meeting at the Florida Atlantic University campus in Davie this past weekend. Chris reviewed information on the "Moments of Truth" breakout session and Jim enjoyed the "Evaluate to Motivate" session which emphasized the sandwich approach much to Jim's delight. We should expect both of these topics to be revisited in future Earlybird meetings.

 
For evaluations, TM Randolph put on his 3d hat of the morning and evaluated Mary Helen's speech, saying it was so good that he wanted to become a member again! (We need to capture clips from both Mary Helen's speech and Randolph's evaluation to create a promo video for Earlybirds!)

The word of the day was
Transformation, noun
a marked change in form, nature, or appearance
The caterpillar's transformation into a butterfly is a beautiful example of metamorphosis.

The YouTube recording is at: https://www.youtube.com/live/nN78DAZFM6k
OR - you can see it on our Earlybird Blog: https://earlybirdtm.blogspot.com/

Summer, Frisella of Puglia, Eulogy and A Life Well Lived - a morning with moxie in EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests, and Friends,

We received the visit of our new Area Director, TM Marc Flanagan.  Welcome TM Flanagan!

The Tom Quinn started us with a self-composed inspirational invocation.  This was followed by very a propos Table Topics about Summer, led by TM Jarrett.

* TM Marc has foggy recollections of summer camps where he learned that he would not become a professional tennis player or polo player.

* TM Terri will soon regale us with Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

* TM The Tom recited a poem about summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowin' through the jasmine in my mind....   He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Randolph marveled at the moxie required to participate in the Summer Olympics, which were sparked by a nefarious Munich 1938 Nazi olympics.

* TM Gail is busy researching the meaning of dog days of summer.  Keep us posted, please!

* TM Jim G.'s summer school consisted of the School of Hard Knocks, where he learned a trade or the family business.

* DTM Jim D. has had summers of fun and sun - Hurricane Andrew was definitely not fun, but riding his Harley is and what tops it is his recent trip to Germany with DTM Mary Helen.

Along came (3) prepared speeches...

* TM Paolo delighted us with a local dish from Puglia called La Frisella - dry bread moistened in water, cherry tomatoes, basil, goat cheese and extra virgin olive oil.  This was paired up with an exquisite rose wine.  We are all preparing the recipe right now!

* TM Pam gave a eulogy for a family member whose vocation was to study bats, mice, critters hidden in black creeks - not glamorous but her absolute favorite!

* TM Chris gave us a hodgepodge of her life served with a smile - from huskies in Alaska to bi-coastal living to meeting her hero and travelling cross-country in a RV for 15 years.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

And then came the evaluations...

* TM Randolph admires TM Paolo's qualities as showman extraordinaire and has become a devoted rose wine connoiseur.

* TM Aleta liked TM Pam's eulogy and suggested maybe she add a little subtle humor to it to lighten it up.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Jim D. was blown away by TM Chris' visual aids and was most impressed with TM Chris saving an injured pelican while kayaking off the coast of California.

The Word of the Day was

MOXIE, noun

= Courage and determination

_ Enery and pep

- Know-how

Example:  It takes a lot of moxie to circumvent life's curves.

Here's the link to the recording:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Unusual words, Chocolate Trains and Murder & Mayhem - a pedantic morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests, Friends,

TM Gail, back in full force, led us with a soothing Buddhist invocation.

TM Aleta researched Merriam-Webster and threw some unusual words at us for interpretation.  We thus soon found out some unusual details...

* TM Jarrett converts bum to fun and his favorite weekend activity is shooting the breeze with pals while sipping from a beer fuzzle.

* I, Ana, am convinced that cattywumpus is the state of mind of feline owners after a connecting attempt with their disdainful pets.

* TM Paolo gave a masterful display of Toastmasterly impromptu cluelessness by even making rapscallion soup.

* TM The Tom would gladly collaborate in rapscallion cooking while reminiscing with funbuzzling and tomfoolery.

* TM Gail's car wavers between quag and mire by acting up and failing intermittently at local traffic stops.

* TM Pam researched teradiddle, a board game played asiduously by teradactile dynasaurs.  She Won Best Table Topics Awards.

* TM Jim G. likes to take brisk walks with bald professors, in what he knows as balderdashing.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Terri reminisced about her childhood and a fantasy chocolate electric train that turned out to be real and took her back and forth to the Hershey factory in Cuba (known to locals as Central Heeersi) She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM BeckyJo relived the fun she had the night she murdered TM Christine (ahem, never to be seen again) and a few other recalcitrant husbands in a night of mayhem.

And then came the evaluations...

* TM Marie praised TM Terri for rekindling Marie's taste for Hershey's Kisses and for having the honor of being the first exiled Cuban to tell a happy Cuban story, for once!  

* TM Chris loved TM BeckyJo's storytelling skills and begged her to use a real gun next time so she can kill a few more husbands next time.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

PEDANTIC, adjective

One who gives too much attention to formal rules or details; or emphasizes his or her own expertise, especially about trite and boring topics.

Example:  Pedantics are typically pompous know-it-alls, talking about topics of no interest to others.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/live/04BmgbMZMUo?si=40EVwO90b9XeQMw8

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Food, Transtrees and Trains - a harbinger of things to come at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Jim D. got our taste buds in action with food-related topics...  We soon discovered that...

* TM Aleta waits to read restaurant reviews before trying them, but it mostly depends on who's picking up the tab!!

* I, Ana, am a creature of habit and on rare visits to restaurants always choose the same menu item.  Booooringggg....

* TM Marie has a wild array of eateries near her but her choices mostly depend on how hungry she is....

* TM BeckyJo once spilled onion soup on an unsuspecting customer who took it graciously and scooped it off her dress onto her mouth.

* TM Terri's favorite cuisine is Middle Eastern Platter - tabouli, hummus, falafel, babaganoush, baklava, kebobs r'more.- all smothered in olive oil.

* TM The Tom goes for casual or formal - his date calls the restaurant rating.

* TM Randolph now is of the opinion that QR codes to download the menu beat getting sick from the rampant germs on a paper menu, yukkkk!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

We had two interesting speeches today...

* TM Pam totally threw us for a loop with a transtitled speech "The Trees" which evolved into several roads less traveled - universal unitarianism, gratuitous media fearmongering, and the political divide that is the current harbinger of who knows what.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Mary Helen shared slides of a train ride from Poland to Berlin where they made lifelong friends before being booted from the wrong compartment.  She was in full exercise of her DTM cause d'etre (don't time me).

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Gail was dazed and confused by the multiple plot switches in TM Pam's speech and suggested she take a course in "Proper Titles for Polithemed Speeches."  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Terri praised DTM Mary Helen's vocal variety, clarity and her capacity to miss trains and reunite with her travel partner without missing a beat.

The Word of the Day was

HARBINGER, noun

A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.

Example:  

Take courage, for the worst is a harbinger of the best.

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

https://youtube.com/live/An03sWX2-Ck?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Trips, Spanish Fiesta and Maniacal Party Planning - a noetic morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam inspired us with a Unitarian Universalist invocation this morning.

TM Ricardo then activated our brain cells by having us reminisce about different aspects of travel....

* DTM Jim D's 2 best trips were a transatlantic cruise where he and his beloved tied the knot at 20 knots in the high seas, and a Danube River cruise - both accompanied by the best travel companion ...

* DTM Mary Helen's cruise tips is don't buy the drink package or you'll get chronically tipsy and resign yourself to a weight gain of 5 to 10 lbs.  It's just a must with cruises...

* TM The Tom enjoyed hiking mountain passes in Colorado and narrowly avoided addiction to the brisk pine mountain air.

* I, Ana, had a special feeling in Gdansk, the cradle of Solidarity, the movement started by Lech Walesa which marked the crumbling of Communism.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo went whitewater rafting in Alaska and got pulled over and across the frigid river on a puny stirrup, risking death by hypothermia.  Definitely not on her list of repeats!

* TM Pam thanks her lucky stars that her granddaughter's first tooth fell noisily on the hardwood floor or her stay in California would have been indefinitely extended till it showed up!

* TM Randolph and his wife had a memorable time in the Florida Keys, renting beach cruisers and scooters and acting like kids when they were vacationing without kids!

We had two colorful prepared speeches...

* TM Jose gave a great musical rendition of a Spanish song inviting us to go to Pamplona and run with the bulls, those 1,000 lb creatures that can be deterred by smacking them in the nose with a rolled newspaper - yeah, right!!  He Won Best Speaker and Best Singer Award.

* TM Aleta rewrote her leadership style speech and portrayed herself as a maniacal psycho drill sargeant who throws terrific family reunion parties.  It's all worth it!

 As far as evaluations go...

* TM Marie praised TM Jose for his outstanding descriptive language and for reinforcing her determination to altogether avoid Pamplona in July at all costs!  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom thoroughly enjoyed TM Aleta's authoritarian style because he agrees it's the only way to get things done with passive, disorganized family members.

TM Ricardo announced that he will be on a cruise next week and contrary to DTM Mary Helen's suggestion, he  bought the drinking package so let's prepare to give him a list of meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous - and the Keto diet - when he returns.  

The Word of the Day was

NOETIC, adj

Of or relating to the mind

Example:  Today's meeting explored noetic concepts we had never noetted about before.

Here is the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1AIvUpA3UA

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

4th of July, 4th of July and Leadership - an interdependent Independence morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Jose led us with a propos 4th of July table topics.  We found out that...

* TM Chris celebrates the day with double fireworks as it is also her wedding anniversary.

* TM Terri's favorite food for the day are low-sodium hotdogs with sauerkraut, no salt added chips and diet soda.  Yummm

* TM Manny prefers a beach picnic to reminisce about the sea salt processing from his birthplace but now enjoys backyard barbeque to avoid the invasion of sharks.

* DTM Jim D. recognizes the depth of the celebration and prefers to repair than to discard, mostly his appliances.

* TM Ricardo admitted he's a pyromaniac since childhood and almost blew his fingers off with homemade explosives as his family keenly watched.

* Guest Jason's choice city for a 4th of July celebration is his native Chicago, where food is top notch and freedom is of paramount importance.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

Regarding prepared speeches...

* TM Jim G. delighted us with a humorous tale of how we fired King George III in 1776, wrote the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, invented the light bulb, the telephone, the internet (Al Gore), blue jeans, basketball, baseball and adore "no hitters". Go America!!! He Won Best Speaker Award.

*  TM Aleta told us about efficient leaders, who wear a cape and hand out gold stars and are charismatic - not bureaucratic- superheros.

As far as evaluations go...

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Jim G. for his amazingly patriotic, chock-full of details speech and his musical rendition which earned him an A+ in her scorebook.

* TM BeckyJo encouraged TM Aleta to bring back her speech, edit it, film it, add humor to it and try contact lenses to avoid the glare.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

INTERDEPENDENCE, noun

The dependence of two or more people or things on each other.

Example:  Melodie Beatty is working on her new book "Interdependence outsmarts codependence".  Soon available for purchase!

The link to today's recording is:

https://youtu.be/UHPtIdlVcBQ

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Likes, Nomads and Poetry in Motion - the EarlyBirds meeting was not vexing!!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We had a heartfelt invocation in the Christian tradition by TM Manny.

TM Jim G. thanked the outgoing panel of officers for their service and formally welcomed the new panel of officers:

President - TM Aleta

VP Ed - TM Ana

Treasurer - DTM Jim D.

VP Membership - DTM Mary Helen 

VP Public Relations - TM BeckyJo

Secretary - TM Terri

Sargeant - at - Arms - TM Jim G.

TM Chris led us in personal table topics about our likes.  We found out that...

* TM Terri played Old Maid as a child but much, much prefers dancing salsa and bachata to her heart's delight.

* TM Paolo likes driving if he has good sales results and while transporting a carload of screaming children in the Italian countryside.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Manny will do any chore in the house except cooking - but he definitely signs up for tasting and eating the end result!!

* TM Gail loooves to sing since she was a child and once sang a solo in front of Rev. Billy Graham and a congregation of 2,000.

* TM Jarrett likes to have house guests, except when they make loud clanging noises as his current one does but he's looking forward to his Mom joining in the external firework noises for the 4th of July.

* TM Aleta has grown to like giving speeches, inspired by our buddy Kip and mapping every speech to a specific project.  She is a woman on a Pathways mission!

Along came two excellent prepared speeches...

* TM Jose inspired some of us to become nomads like him and select travel destinations where food is of the essence (ie Basque Country in the Spanish Pyrenees).  

* TM Marie awed us with her very descriptive language of love expressed to her little granddaughter while riding the ocean waves. She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Aleta praised TM Jose for his professional slides, his listenable voice and his ability to inspire us to become travel gourmet nomads.  

* TM Jarrett was exhilarated with TM Marie's wealth of descriptive language and heartfelt command as a wordsmith.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

TM BeckyJo General Evaluated the meeting with outstanding powers of improvisation while keeping track of gonnas.

The Word of the Day was

VEX, verb or adjective

To annoy or worry someone, usually over something relatively trivial.

Example:  Most of us are blessed to have vexing problems of an affluent lifestyle.  

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/Un8NAUoJTaE?feature=share

See you next week on Independence Day!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Summertime, Milei and Letter to My Son - no fake news at EarlyBirds today!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam's Solstice Invocation in memory of DTM Kip started us off.

I, Ana, led with summer-themed table topics.  We realized that...

* TM Paolo's favorite summer activity as a teenager was chasing girls, and his favorite summer activity as a father of teenagers is watching the teenagers without blinking.

* TM Marie was spat upon by a large fish in Universal theme park which grossed her out but managed to keep her cool.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Tim loves all food but his favorite summer food is eating watermelon near the Ohio River and having seed-spitting competitions with his brother.

* TM Jose's favorite summer song is Alice Cooper's School's Out, school's out for the summer, school's out forever, I'm bored to pieces - and then he chased the girls....

* TM Aleta wore a skimpy itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polkadot bikini... and in the water, she wanted to stay...One, Two, Three, Four, Tell the People What She Wore!

* TM The Tom's favorite summer childhood memory was staying cool with the Maid of the MIst waterfall in Niagara Falls.  Oh what a summer that was!

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Ricardo shared the sad decline of Argentina as the top country in the world to the 70th - or 140th by some accounts - due to generations of widespread corruption and how the current President, Javier Milei, is attempting to right that ship of state.  Viva la Libertad, Carajo!!

* TM Randolph read us a heartfelt letter to his son, where Randolph now has allowed space for his son's dreams to play into his son's life, and he, Randolph, is just a loving father.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding the evaluations...

* TM Aleta praised TM Ricardo for the educational nature of his speech where we learned that a President's hair does not need to be coiffed to decrease inflation and eliminate corruption.

* TM The Tom totally related to TM Randolph's letter to his son and agreed that parenting does not come with a User's Manual.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

FAKE NEWS, noun

False stories that appear as news, spread on internet and other media, and are created to influence political views or intended as a joke.

Example:  In this day and age of instant communication and Artificial Intelligence, everything is technically fake news.  That's the story - and we're sticking to it!

Here's the link to the recording

https://youtube.com/live/q3b2zhgUjpY?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Eclectic topics, Musical Gasps, Tales of the South Pacific - an undiscombobulated morning at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests, Friends:

TM The Tom led us with eclectic topics, from whence we gathered that...

* TM Terri would invent "Rest Your Bones Day" as a national holiday, when you simply do nothing, nada, niente, or if you're really dynamic, you take yourself to the beach.

* TM BeckyJo would fly around Epcot with a drunken space alien and ride Space Mountain, again and again.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Ricardo was petrified - and made the rest of us petrified by association - by reading the bathroom scene in The Shining, second only to the bathroom scene in Psycho.

* DTM Mary Helen, calling in from Babylon Berlin, is no longer a mere lurker in FB Aldi's Aisle of Shame but a full fledged participant.

* TM Marie faced the majestic ocean in Atlantic City after spending days at her father's quarry in her rural home - and her life has just never been the same again.

* TM Paolo would become Domenico Modugno or preferably Rodolfo Valentino (both Apulia's favorite sons) if he could be the Master of Disguise.  For now, he's flying back to meet Chair Giorgia Meloni at the G7 summit.

We had 2 prepared speeches...

* TM Pam took us all down memory lane in a humorous speech about becoming concert singer groupies in the chapter of our lives called The Last Gasp... of our octogenarian favorite bands.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* I, Ana, shared how overwater bungalows in French Polynesia came into existence and how Tahitian television has spread to Jamaica, Maldives, Mexico, hither and thither.

And along came evaluations....

* TM Randolph praised TM Pam for her funny, funnier, funniest speech about old musical glories that are literally taking their last gasps.

* TM Jose enjoyed learning the history of overwater bungalows and was glad there were no shark encounters - especially since there were 3 attacks in the Florida Panhandle in knee-deep water over the last week.  Yikes!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

DISCOMBOBULATED, adj.

Confused, disconcerted.

Example:  Discombobulated is the natural state - most of the time - of some of our EarlyBird members, who shall remain nameless....

Here's the link to the recording

https://youtube.com/live/376Btvobelo?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer