What Could Have Been, June is in the Air and Remember When? (No...)- Bitcoins at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We nominated and elected the new slate of officers effective July 1 as follows:

Sargeant-at-Arms:  Jim G.

President - Aleta R.

VP Ed - Ana I.

Treasurer - Jim D.

VP Membership - Mary Helen D.

VP Public Relations - Beckyjo B.

Secretary - Terri M.

TM Jim G. led us in Table Topics and got us thinking about what could have been... We found out that...

*DTM Jim D. would have been an instant expert in contract law, conducting analysis, evaluations, comparisons, projections, alignments, estimates.... to save failing companies.

* I, Ana, have had some fantastic meals of Cuban food, bar none, and dislike exotic nouvelle cuisine undercooked in Michelin=star restaurants.

* TM Chris treaded carefully as her hubby is the family cook, and she made it clear that she dislikes siracha and put-together found in the fridge sardines and condensed milk.

* TM Emmanuel loves animals that talk and thinks the funniest are dogs, goats and lambs - they are humble and humorous.

* TM Jose would wave a magic wand and get rid of the current autocratic ruling goverment and bring back the country to its constitutional state.  Those who don't like it, adios amigo!  

* TM BeckyJo likes free will, she wants her mistakes to be of her own doing.  Unpounded alligator was her worst meal, ever.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest James D.'s favorite family tradition is Little League Opening Night, where he lives his childhood vicariously through his children, amidst the fireworks!

We had 2 excellent speeches...

* TM Gail challenged us to think outside the box and engage in June activities, graduations, weddings, hurricanes, flipping a coin, trail hikes, protecting the reef. She Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Mary Helen finally remembered that she experiences transience, absentmindedness, blocking, misattribution in the space of a New York minute.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Marie praised TM Gail's vocal variety and encouraged her to pause to bring up more gusto when she relatedly calls on group members.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Paolo couldn't remember what he was supposed to do but at last remembered that DTM Mary Helen delivered her speech with elegance and humor.

The Word of the Day was

BITCOIN, noun

Form of digital currency that eliminates need for central authorities such as banks or governments.  Uses blockchain technology.

Example:  Getting Rich with Bitcoin - a story called "That Ship Has Sailed".

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

https://youtube.com/live/qOk3kc0-FQ0?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Heartfelt Tribute, No Memory Recall, Toastmaster Family Feud - not a morning for ragamuffins at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Gail started us with a beautiful invocation in the Christian tradition.

TM Marie introduced us to various aspects of Memorial Day Observed tributes.  We learned that...

* TM BeckyJo's father was a Pearl Harbor survivor; her veteran uncle spent the rest of his life keeping the Pearl Harbor memory alive.  Patriotism is paramount. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Jim D. observes flag protocols and Memorial Day is a very emotional time for him.

* TM Zanya uses 3-day weekends to connect with friends and family and indulge in midnight chocolate binges.

* I, TM Ana, recalled a very moving ceremony in Fort Lauderdale Cemetery where our former TM Jerry Newcombe delivered a moving speech (in 100 degree weather on the shady bleachers)!!

* TM Pam revealed that her father was also a Pearl Harbor survivor and her grandfather was a Rough Rider with Teddy Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War and is buried in Arcadia, Florida, just because he happened to die there!

* TM Randolph strongly believes it's our duty to honor those who fought for our country and to observe a moment of silence at 3 pm on Memorial Day Observed.

* TM The Tom observed that we enjoy privileges won by men who died so we could have them, and movingly recalled a good marine who died in VietNam

Regarding prepared speeches...

* DTM Mary Helen shared with us that as we age, memories become more precious and one of the 7 ways to preserve them is to share them with other people, hence our tendency to repeat ourselves.

* TM Paolo described the ultimate Toastmaster Family Feud he and his wife engaged in which had a happy ending in 2 different Districts and told us the difference between a presentation and persuasion, ie Cicero of Rome who got accolades and Demostenes of Greece, who overcame stuttering to lead multitudes to battle.  Let's march!

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM The Tom praised DTM Mary Helen for her clear presentation which was interrupted by an internet power out and asked her to please stop dancing the rumba when she speaks.

* TM Jose noticed that TM Paolo wore casual clothes to differentiate with his speech contest video where he was dressed to the hilt - as he usually is - and how he tied historic orators to the benefits of Toastmasters to overcome fear of public speaking.. in dry pants!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

RAGAMUFFIN, noun

a person, typically a child, in dirty scruffy clothes.

Example:  Celebrities and influencers expensively dress as ragamuffins.

Here is the link to the recording

https://youtube.com/live/izZpn9jSKus?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

True Grit, Board Bullies and Travelogs - an endearing morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta led us with True Grit in Table Topics.  We found out that...

* TM Gail got rewarded for her efforts to not let  life interfere with her goal to acquire super duper higher education.

* TM Marie has a cowboy husband and all she wants is to declutter the closet from cowboy accoutrements.  Sheesh....

* TM Jarrett steps forward first in order to back up properly, and mostly thanks the inventor of backup cameras in cars.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo heard the best fairy tale for adults from a storyteller who only used a bandana as a prop.  Goes to show that less is more....

* I, Ana, shun activities that are injuries waiting to happen and focus on being content with my mostly sedentary daily life.

* TM Paolo looks back, depending on what he's looking at - the past is gone and done, the future is not here yet.  Welcome back, TM Paolo!

* TM Randolph doesn't keep a specific tool handy but is respectful of people's time and thus just keeps his entire toolbox handy at all times, as a precaution.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM The Tom made TM skills real by telling us how he spoke publicly in a cogent, cohesive, coherent way (where are you , TM Carmine, when your favorite alliterations are used?).  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Jim D. took us to Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, back to Bonn and ending up eating Black Forest Cake in the Black Forest.  All because of a single solitary travel brochure!

As far as evaluations go....

* TM Randolph honed in on the brief tidbits of TM The Tom's life.  He highly encourages TM Tom to sing us the song "In The Navy" by the Village People.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Paolo praised DTM Jim D. for his pace, pitch, projection (again, TM Carmine?) and asked him to please look at the camera instead of at the next travel brochure.

The Word of the Day was

ENDEARING, adjective

Arousing feelings of affection or admiration

Displaying a charming attitude.

Example:  Our camaraderie at EarlyBirds is highly endearing

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxVIZnzg62s

See you next week!

Ana I.

Endearing Recap Writer (methinks)

Mother's Day, Seagulls and Life Mentors - an inspiring day at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We formally inducted TM Christine into our Club! Welcome again, Christine!

First timer Table Topics Master Jarrett (great job!) led us with Mother's Day-related  topics.  We were soon to discover that...

* DTM Mary Helen loooves having her sons cook her a scrumptious and made-with-love meal of their choice on Mother's Day and any other day, frankly.

* TM Gail's role model was her grandmother, who owned many acres of farmland and inspired her to be a hard worker in academia.

* TM Christine and her sister toiled hard to make a Mother's Day meal of runny grits and overdone eggs but at least they forgot to butter the toast.  Their mother appeared to be impressed!

* TM Aleta, one among 6 girls and a tomboy by nature learned how to be a lady from her mother - even when changing a dead battery on a lawn mower.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Chris, her mother and grandmother were 3 peas in a pod who passed for triplets.  Her mother taught her how to live a good, fun life.  She revealed -even to her husband- that she can sew!  Oh oh... loose buttons, here they come!

Regarding the prepared speeches...

* I, Ana, spoke about becoming a Spanish seagull, "Juan Sebastian Gaviota" and flying over the VERY crowded beaches of Spain looking for lost flashy metal objects and gold jewelry.

* TM Randolph, self-proclaimed Protege of Many, Master of None, listed his many mentors - including two dear Aunties- who taught him to seek the truth, stand up for himself, love of family, live according to his beliefs and speak well of his wife...  He Won Best Speaker Award.

And then came evaluations...

* TM Tom praised me for not letting my notes hide me from the camera but he really wishes I could work on inserting MORE Spanish names into my speech, por el amor de Dios!

* TM Chris loved TM Randolph's heartfelt, inspiring speech, its creative title and asked him to continue to inspire us like he did today.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

EXASPERATED, adj.

Having or showing strong feelings of irritation

Example:  When life's script does not match my own - most of the time- I become exasperated!

EXASPERATE, verb

Irritates intentionally

Example:  Some people have a special skill to exasperate others.  Just look around and you'll find them!

Here's the link to the recording:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Mint Juleps, Sun and Moon Signs and Experiments in Democracy - machtnichts at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam transported us in equine motorcoaches to the Derby, hat and all.  We discovered that...

* TM BeckyJo wants to be a catalyst - causing reactions and explosions - but come to think of it, she's created some of those and perhaps she'd rather be an inhibitor.

* TM Chris said macht nichts, just take the trophy and run.  Also the jockeys' silks although they are so tiny but again mach nichts!!

* TM Jarrett reminisced about his epic ride to Space Mountain in DisneyWorld, where up became down, side became front, front became back and his world has never been the same!

* I, Ana, came to a point where I realized that I had to change if I didn't want things to go on endlessly, again and again, repeatedly, consistently, predictably and .... endlessly.  On the other hand, macht nichts!

* DTM Mary Helen had a stronghold on the bars of her cart at a Worse Than Space Mountain ride in DisneyWorld, and then kept a stronghold in her stomach to prevent you know what....

* TM The Tom repeated "Merciful Heavens" "Merciful Heavens" "Merciful Heavens" , I'm old and female which revealed that he's a woke Society Man without even knowning it!

* TM Aleta visualized the powerful muscles of Fierceness galloping by and we need to gallop through life and keep our muscles toned to address the horse jumping obstacles of life.

* TM Marie's favorite horse is named Honor Marie, and this Saturday she will be on herself that she will be a support to her family, friends, acquaintances while wearing a pastel colored wide Derby hat.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

As far as formal speeches go, we learned some very interesting facts today...

* TM Gail informed us about the Western and the Chinese Zodiac, and it was revealed that members of EarlyBirds rely heavily on these for choice of careers, choice of partners, choice of tv miniseries and all sorts of important patterns in the intricacies of life.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jose presented Part II of Experiments in Democracy and gave us a first-hand look of a distorted campaign motto "President, We Can't Live Without You" - when everyone knows that what Spaniards TRULY can't live without is PAELLA....

Along came evaluations...

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Gail for being neutral about astology and helping us to connect with the universe in less than 7 minutes.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Marie called Jose "Man in the News" for his direct, informative and neutral reporting that Generalissimo Franco came out of the grave, defying Chevy Chase's prediction that "Generalissimo Franco is STILL dead".  It's all about corruption and influence peddling....

The Word of the Day was

MACHT NICHTS, noun

Pronounced MOX NIX by the unDeutsche

Originated with American soldiers in Deutschland after World War II. It means "It Doesn't Matter" or "That's OK", or "It's Not Important".

Give us EarlyBirds a foreign word and we run with it, using Macht Nichts indiscriminately throughout the entire meeting.  Mox Nix, except for Oktoberfest!

We are the first group in our Area (formerly 21, currently 20) in District 47, to achieve President's Super Duper Extra Distinguished Award!  Go EarlyBirds!!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KYTiW60P7c

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer