Memorables, Marriage, Cuban Style and Blink And You Missed It - we espoused the EarlyBird meeting

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM The Tom launched us off on fun table topics...

* TM Christina's favorites are software innovations but she wishes for more manufacturing inventions.

* I, Ana, travelled to a small town in Baja California and had a drink at a Hotel where you can check out any time you want, but you can never leave....

* TM Veronica would not block anyone from social media but she does not take new friends, either.

* TM Aleta can never have a Harvey Wallbanger (vodka, orange juice and a float of Galliano liqueur) because she can't afford to recarpet her entire house.

* TM Gail's celebrity couple that males no sense is Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey although she wishes them well in their espousing each other.

* TM Jose's hardest learned life lesson is that you can't force solutions, although sometimes he tries... while attempting to have others espouse his cause!

* TM Marie's friend's 5-yr-old dressed up as Santa for Halloween and ended up winning first prize! Moral of the story, be true to yourself even if others mock you. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

Along came prepared speeches....

* I, Ana, told the tale of love and betrayal of Margarita Conchita Josefa and Juan Manuel Roberto Gonzalez, who espoused Santeria and bolstered the Botanicas business in Miami and mutually espoused the marriage commitment.  I Won Best Speaker Award - (for fear of retaliation?)

* TM Aleta alerted us that if we blinked, we missed it.  2025 went by like a movie played at double speed and flew by like a speeding train, leaving little time for negotiation.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM BeckyJo got so captivated by Love Potion # None that she forgot to evaluate, but she found the speech very entertaining and a full reflection of reality.

* TM Jose asked TM Aleta to expound on the 4 styles of negotiation while reminiscing about Mutiny on the Bounty and The World According to Aleta.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

ESPOUSE, verb

Adopt or support a cause, belief or way of life

Marry

Example:  The members of EarlyBirds espouse the value of public speaking and leadership while having fun.

The link to the recording is

https://youtube.com/live/UQASD1yxE1c?feature=share

Feliz Navidad y Prospero 2026!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Joyeux Noel 

Mele Kalikimaka

See you on January 8th!

Ana

Recap Writer

The Grinch, Advanced Manufacturing and Marriage Encounters - an illuminating meeting at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM David, first-time Invocator, inspired us with thoughts about powerful communications.

TM Veronica was first-time timer - excuse the redundancy.

TM La Presidenta BeckyJo illuminated us about the lyrics of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Pam sees nothing wrong with charming eels and black banana peels, in fact, they are her favorite.  Eels are a delicacy in Spain, seriously.

* TM David loves ail (garlic in French, pronounced EYE) and cannot for the life of him comprehend why people run away when he's eaten plenty of it!

* TM Christina commiserates with seasick crocodiles because she suffers from it and likes to say "See you later, alligator; in a while, crocodile." 

* TM Jose sees himself as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a coat of slightly green bananas instead of a sauerkraut with arsenic sauce triple decker.

* TM Aleta has driven off crooked horses quite frequently and mostly connects with loners and then drives them crazy with incessant chatter.

* TM Gail has always loved to swim but has found it hard to sink, sank, sunk due to chronic interference from pool enclosures, senior aerobics and such.

* I, Ana, wanted to buy a bottle of Citronella from the liquor store instead of Lemoncello and The Grinch lyrics are news to me.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

Regarding our prepared speeches...

* TM Christina, our resident rocket scientist, illuminated us with a byzantine circumlocution with esoteric, fatuous, inchoate references to metal powder, titanium plate nozzles and pressure sections which do not admit tergiversation.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Pam displayed masterful conflict resolution skills learned at Close Encounters of the Third Kind (aka Marriage) while becoming an adaptive adult with wise child tendencies.

And then came our evaluations...

* TM David praised TM Christina for her mastery of an intractable topic for most mortals and encouraged the power of the metered arc in tomorrow's industries.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Aleta admired TM Pam's elocution and show of intellect while specializing in marriage obfuscation and pulchritudinousness.  

The Word of the Day was

ILLUMINATE, verb

Help to clarify or explain

Light up

Example:  The glitter bomb will illuminate the prank victim's face with pure chaos.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X73Vx1uJv5I

See you next week!

Ana

Illuminated Recap Writer

Rock Around the Clock, Spain's Passport and the Toastmasters' Promise - a day of advent in EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie led us in a thoughtful invocation, followed by timely Table Topics.

We soon found out that...

* TM David makes time to be happy, take care of his wife and son and watch his favorite tv series, Landman.

* TM Pam does not make dinner, and gladly announced it to her then-retiring husband who was hoping to be the Dinner Planning Contriubutor and has become the Full-Fledged Cook.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Veronica practiced making up stories and adventures as a little girl and has continued her practice into adulthood, so... never a dull moment for her!

* TM BeckyJo could not make magic by clicking the unmute button.

* TM Christine makes a wish that her Mom will bring pizza, or she will find a special present under the tree.  Her husband is also a Full Time Cook.

* TM Gail is forever grateful for her new host of friends in Church and in EarlyBirds which keep her from getting bored and isolating.

*I, Ana, learned to ask God to remove my resentments so I can make peace with myself and my fellows.

Next came our prepared speeches...

* TM Jose presented us with a mouth-watering array of Spanish culinary delights, from Jamon Iberico which lowers cholesterol to Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Frittatta) and on to the ineffable Paella.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Aleta educated us on the promises of Toastmasters, which can be fulfilled if we participate, participate, participate.

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM Christina showed surprising knowledge of Spanish history, mentioning King Juan Carlos I as a fan of Spanish gourmet food.  Christina  was last seen mixing the ingredients for a flourless Spanish Tortilla.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Gail praised TM Aleta for excellence built over the years and asked her to make a video for new members on how to embark on Pathways.  

The Word of the Day was

ADVENT, noun

The beginning of an event, invention of something or the arrival of a person.In lowercase.

In Christianity, the 4 weeks before Christmas.  In uppercase.

Example, The advent of the Gregorian calendar marked the start of Advent for Christians everywhere, including calendars and other rites.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1C7ugWdg38

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Giving thanks, Death of a Penny and Contemplative Prayer - a grateful meeting of EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie started us with an invocation of gratefulness.

I, Ana, introduced Thanksgiving-related topics.  We learned that...

* TM Aleta is grateful for the current local weather and for too many things to list in 2 to 3 minutes with a 30-second deviation only at the end to qualify.

* TM Christina has (2) Thanksgivings, Canada and US, her parents are coming and she's accomplished great things at work this past year.

* TM Pam ran the Marine Corps marathon with an untrained friend and her feet, totally compliant during trials, started to hurt for no good reason. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo would invite Tiny Tim to her Thanksgiving Dinner as he could probably keep the crazies in line.

* Our guest, Naomi, would like to learn the skill of patience in the next year.  Go Naomi!

* TM Jose dropped a screwdriver owned by the dockmaster to the bottom of the ocean, who will try to retrieve it with a long line and a magnet attached to it.

* TM Randolph is looking with great hope to take a family trip this coming year, possibly to Orlando but still to be confirmed.

We had (2) outstanding speeches today...

* TM Gail memorialized our recently defunct US penny - although there are still 300 billion of them in circulation, so it will be a while before they disappear and go back to heaven, where they originally came from to be worn in penny loafers.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Marie is setting the groundwork for peaceful holidays by practicing Centering Prayer, using heartfulness vs mindfulness, inhaling acceptance, exhaling surrender and letting go of unpleasant memories with overbearing family members.

Regarding our evaluations..

* TM Christine praised TM Gail's speech for its rich history, Bing Crosby songs, penny earned is a penny saved, lucky pennies, and the rich tapestry of our legendary penny which now costs 3 cents to produce and had to be discontinued.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM BeckyJo admires TM Marie's calm delivery of a speech on serenity and peace, the open loving of God, and for being the essence of calmness herself.

The Word of the Day was

GRATEFUL, adj.

To be pleased about something

Example:  I left our EarlyBirds meeting today unexpectedly moved, deeply grateful and with a sense of privilege for having been there.

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF82nMBkeps

See you in TWO WEEKS, on December 4 

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Engaging storytelling, Diffusiophoresis, Vaya Con Dios - a fantasticated morning at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie led us in fantasticated topics...

* TM Jose transported us dreamily into owning his (and our) first car, when we were in awe of our newly-found autonomy and wanted to sleep in the car.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo captivates her audience when she embellishes and that's why she had a hard time telling the truth as a child.  Right, good excuse!

* TM Gail likes our local comedians, ie Beckyjo and Christine, but emulated her humor after Victor Borge's phonetic punctuation which got her kicked out of class.

* TM Christine recently broke into Auschwitz concentration camp and blended into a non-English speaking tourist tour group  to see everything first hand.

* TM Randolph credits Toastmasters for not interrupting others and making good use of pauses.  He's got a lot more friends now!

* TM David reminisced about after-dinner talks with family when growing up, and recalled when someone said Jesus was buried in their back yard....

Along came two great fantasticated speeches...

* TM Pam revealed that pelagic means living in the open sea, whether you're an albatross, a sardine or a large tuna, and diffusiophoresis is when things go from concentrates to equilibrium, for example, dishwasher detergent.  Do your research, people, instead of relying on TikTok!

* TM Aleta found a fork in her road as she sang "There she was just walking down the street, singing du-wa-di-di-di-di-dum-di-di-du, and she has applied BeckyJo's mantra "Go With God or don't go" to all her choices, decisions, losses, as well as her fantasticated Cheshire cat.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations...

* TM David praised TM Pam's great setup of visual aids and suggested more gestures and pauses.  Why?  Because....  we're emotional people who like to fantasticate...

* TM Christine was riveted by TM Aleta's speech for attaining her goal of connecting with her audience.  It will be a fantasticated church sermon.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

FANTASTICATE, verb

to make or render fantastic

Example:  In Toastmasters we learn to fantasticate - instead of obfuscate or prevaricate - our speaking skills.

Here's the link to the recording...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcCb84z48Fs  

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

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

Idioms & Proverbs, Leadership Styles and Unsung Heroes - a peopled meeting at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

In honor of our late TM Carmine, TM Randolph led us in idioms and proverbs.  We soon learned that...

* TM The Tom usually bites more than he can chew and tries to make sense of it  while speaking Gaelic.

* TM Veronica recalled this was one of her Dad's favorite expressions but if you enjoy something, do it often instead of once in a blue moon!

* TM Gail has counted her chickens before they hatched plenty of times and learned that it only leads to broken plans and disappointments.  Life is what happens while we're busy making other plans, as John Lennon used to say...

* TM David's grandpa used to say be happy with what you have instead of wishing for what you don't - bird in hand is better than 2 birds in the bush.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Christina's Dutch ancestry makes her avoid beating around the bush and she is very direct even if it's hard on the other person, but her Canadian side softens it up.

* TM Jorge ate plenty of pasta while spending time in Rome and doing as the Romans do....

* I, Ana, mused that words are empty when not backed by loud actions....

* TM Cory thinks he will build muscle by buying books on bodybuilding and stacking them neatly on his bookshelf.  Don't we all wish...

We had (2) excellent speeches...

* TM Pam described several leadership styles - coaching, innovative, authoritative (her favorite) and democratic while cajoling her youngest daughter to learn how to ride a bike in Long Key State Park.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Aleta inspired us with the kindness of strangers who helped her untangle the chaos produced by an Act of Nature.

Along came evaluations...

* First-time evaluator TM Christina loved TM Pam's speech and as a child growing up in a helmetless world, she related to Pam's daughter...  Great job, Christina!

* TM David loved TM Aleta's phrase "Hope is never washed away" because perfect strangers become friends when disaster strikes.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was 

PEOPLED, verb

To populate, inhabit

PEOPLED, adjective

To be filled with people

Example:  It is people who are peopled by constantly peopling those peopled.

We had a plesantly surprising visit from TM Chris and TM Jim all the way from Japan, where cities are densely peopled!  Great to see you, friends!

Next week we will receive the visit of our Area Director.  

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukDITWQ86bM  

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Choices, Race to Space and Blue Bicycles - a moment to linger at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

TM The Tom led us in Table Topics and took some flak for (perceived) goofy choices... (they seemed very logical to The Tom)...

* TM Christina hates both massages - waste of time and money- and mani-pedis, since as a technician-pleaser she has walked around for 2 weeks with green nailpolish and not saying a word.

* TM Pam stays away from being too good at anything or she gets stuck being asked by slackers.  She's a self-described mediocre watercolor painter but by golly, she enjoys it and who knows, her art may someday be displayed at MOMA.

* TM Veronica hates to be tickled and would much rather be pinched for 3 minutes; however she prefers gentle Swedish massages and lets her husband be contorted into a pretzel by vicious Thai masseuses. 

* DTM Mary Helen will get a barking cat because she needs her house to be guarded and a meowing dog is a non-guardian freak of nature.

* TM Aleta avoids quacking like a duck and much prefers to chirp like a canary... or even better, she sings like a canary - but definitely not in a coal mine!

* TM Jose recalled the days of strobe lights and dry ice smoke in discoteques but is unfamiliar with foam parties or whipped cream (aka shaving cream) baths.  He's looking into buying a bathtub and will report back.

We had (2) outstanding prepared speeches today.

* TM Cory explained that the Race to Space is back on full force - Space X preparing trips to Mars and NASA preparing a lunar base.  There's collaboration rather than competition and the benefits have included GPS, hurricane tracking, robotic surgery, water filtration and potential new friends in other galaxies.

* TM BeckyJo painted a picture of blue bikes representing community in war-torn anti-semitic Holland during WWII, when her friend Wilhelmina (Ellie) lived in an armoire of kind Allied collaborators until they won.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

First-time General Evaluator TM David did an outstanding job... And as far as evaluations go...

* TM Randolph asked TM Cory to focus on captivating an audience who may not be so interested in space travel by using specific examples and more vivid stories.

* TM Pam praised TM BeckyJo for her storytelling skills and asked her to focus on looking straight at the camera instead of the little squares that fill the scrreen.  A challenging feat while in Zoomland.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

LINGER, verb

Slow in parting or quitting something

Still present but waning in strength

Example:  To understand Scots, you need to hurkle durkle and get your ears acclimated to their wee vocal variety.  Aye!

The link to the recording is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpUtJpigKB8

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

Administrator Console, But For a Small Twist of Fate, Protecting Girls' Sports - a morning of great impetus at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam introduced us to different facets of the Administrator's Console in our EarlyBirds website.  We realized that...

* TM Randolph understands that, although an annoyance, he needs a secondary email so when he drifts away from our group, we can reach out to him and reel him back in!!

* TM Marie joined EarlyBirds on a Mad Hatter day when our late DTM Kip was at his funniest and she just couldn't resist and joined on the spot.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Christina started FB while in college but doesn't use it anymore.  She uses - and recommends - Instagram, Instagram, Instagram.

* TM BeckyJo recommends that your pubic bio best include why you joined TM, why you stay.  If you have a colorful, intriguing life, describe it.  And keep your old picture in there!

Along came (2) longer-than-usual speeches...

* I, TM Ana, shared with the audience my personal recollections of leaving Communist Cuba in 1960 and shared some factual data about pre-Castro Cuba.  I Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Aleta regaled us with a speech about her Protect Girls' Sports presentation in BPW (Business Professional Women),  which was arbitrarily handled outside of her presence and betrayed her, but primarily betrayed young girls and women.  We hope there is more action to be taken by you, TM Aleta!

As far as evaluations...

* TM Gail praised my father's impetus in taking the family out of an increasingly perilous situation and suggested I allow more time for audience questions next time.

* TM Jose lauded TM Aleta's courage, empathized with her feelings of having been betrayed, liked her appropriately sober virtual background and suggested she give us a better sense of BPW's structure and a stronger ending for our "Big Comeback Toastmaster"...  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

IMPETUS, noun

Force that makes something happen or happen more quickly.

Example:  The discovery of a hidden stash of cookies was the impetus for a sugar-fueled adventure that ended with a sugar crash and a smile on my face.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OywF7Dy1LIo

See you next week!

Ana 

VP Education

Musical Metaphors, Icebreaker and Cuba - then and now; a reverberating morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Randolph pushed our melomaniac (passionate, sometimes obsessive, love for music) genes.  We soon found out that...

* TM Jose is a Professor Emeritus on Led Zeppelin and The Forbidden from the University of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.    He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Christine S. is sometimes a firework, sometimes the guest who wonders if her pyromaniac friends will set their back yard ablaze to light up the night sky...

* Guest Beatriz name-dropped her park bench acquaintance with Queens native Art of  Simon & Garfunkel fame gazing at a bridge over troubled waters...

* TM BeckyJo is a complete unknown and thankful for having sowed her wild oats pre-computer and pre-iphone and pre-social media.  No proof exists!

* TM Veronica, a boombox melomaniac, obsessively played and replayed Eminem songs to memorize what turned out to be garbled lyrics.

* Guest Kristian is frankly way too young to catch a grenade for anyone, with places to visit, people to meet all while listening to Bruno Mars' s three-octave tenor vocal range.

* Guest Alissa recognizes that John Legend is indeed a R&B and Soul blender legend but certainly not in her time.   He's 48 years OLD OLD OLD...!

Along came our newest member's ICEBREAKER..

* TM Christina revealed she shares her hometown Newmarket, Canada with none other than  celebrities John Candy and Jim Carrey.  An aerospace designer by trade, she and her gourmet chef husband sailed on a yacht "From Capri to Amsterdam, Honolulu to Siam...."  She Won Best Speaker Award.  Go Christina!

Followed by a reading about Cuba:  Then and Now..

* TM Jose flawlessly read the tragic history of Cuba, the island that meant to have a political revolt to overthrow Batista's dictatorship and got cheated into a social revolution which plummeted  the island from the top of the tier to the bottom of the barrel... and counting.  Let this horror story reverberate to others ....

Along came evaluations...

* TM BeckyJo had some practical tips for TM Christina and suggested she not screenshare her points in a slide but work on using PowerPoint for future speeches.  She congratulated Christina for marrying a handsome man who cooks.  That fact alone outranks those rocketship designs... She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Mary Helen was surprised that TM Jose dispensed of his now-famous PowerPoint presentations and was glad that he read the speech in his melodious voice.

TM Veronica handled her tasks as SAA and Pollmaker seamlessly.  Good job, Veronica!

The Word of the Day was

REVERBERATE, adj

Repetition of an echo

Repeated sound

Example:  The woman's shrill laughter reverberated throughout the movie theater.

Here's the link to the recording...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvKZB80uATA

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

What's in the H?, Am I Alone In This? What Happened Along The Way - a non-putative meeting of EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our new Sergeant-at-Arms, TM Veronica, has her role down pat by now. 

Our Invocator, TM Jose, led us in a very timely invocation.

We were visited by our new Area Director, TM Rachel!  Very honored...

TM Gail introduced various H words for our consideration as Table Topics.   We discovered that...

* TM Pam described a whirlwind of alternatives to Hurricanes - Georgia Tech, Gators, Seminoles, UCF.... and handy, convenient t-shirt gifts aplenty.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Randolph's hobby is music because he considers cooking a survival skill rather than a hobby and he's now thinking of taking up gardening.  Go for it!

* TM Veronica so loved her Asian honeymoon that she is firmly intending to renew her vows every year in order to orchestrate a party and an exotic trip to follow.

* TM Christine had a good habit of studying which led her to her aerospace engineering career - and she's now working on taking it easier as the other side of  being driven by habits.

* Area Director TM Rachel is a putative night owl but made a firm commitment to do a 'crack-of-dawner' in order to join us this morning, on her birthday.  She's a firm believer in horoscopes.  We hope you come back!

* Guest Alissa has had many heroes in life and is looking forward to becoming someone's hero which will make her feel very self-realized.

We had (2) excellent speeches today...

* TM Christine delighted us with a very humorous speech about the trials and dilemmas of those dreaded Security Questions we face in order to gain Access to our finances, travels, medical records, and the like.  You're not alone, TM Christine, in pondering whether Chunky Monkey is one word or 2 in Password World.

* DTM Mary Helen shared a heartfelt family loss intertwined with learning in TM to be a good listener, which comes in handy when you're surrounded by compulsive talkers!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Jose praised TM Christine for her very funny speech which was well structured, engaged the audience and reaffirmed that we're all in this together, inaccesible passwords and What's Our Favorite Anything - who can remember anymore?  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM BeckyJo admires DTM Mary Helen's voice modulation, security and confidence, and prowess as a powerful communicator.  We usually don't realize what happens along the way until we look in the rearview mirror...

The Word of the Day was

PUTATIVE, adj

A state of being assumed or believed, rather than definitely established.

Example:  The putative father was, in reality, her stepfather.

Here's the link to today's recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzl9wJ_SjyA

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Idioms, Interdependence and Independence - a liminal day at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Today was a liminal day at EarlyBirds:  We thanked our Immediate Past President and former Officers for their work; we installed our new Officers in their new roles and we inducted our newest member, TM Christina.  Welcome to EarlyBirds, everyone!

TM Veronica did a superb job as first-time Sargeant-at-Arms.  TM BeckyJo took the baton from our Immediate Past President, and was particularly helpful in informing and welcoming our newest member and our guest, Kristian, and reporting to all of us the good news about TM Aleta who is thankfully overcoming a natural disaster suffered by her home.  We missed you TM Aleta, and hope you return soon....

DTM Mary Helen led us with very thought-provoking idioms.  We found out that...

* TM Gail is counting her chickens before they're hatched but hopefully this 3rd time is a charm and she will be boarding her cruise in Roma, Citta Eterna (per parlare della sua natura infinita).

* Returning TM Jarrett gave his wife a surprise  anniversary trip to the Keys including a loggerhead turtle and a Goliath grouper in their scubadiving.  Actions speak louder than words!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jorge is happy he joined EarlyBirds when he did because it's definitely better late than never!

* TM Jose always chased the grass that was greener on the other side of the fence and found out that it was on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean!

* TM Veronica likes to look before she leaps but sometimes looking turns into staring and she wants to learn to shorten the observation stage.

* TM Christina believes that honesty is the best policy because frankly, she's a bad liar and she always gets caught...

* TM Cory is risk-averse and prefers a bird in hand than two in the bush.

* TM BeckyJo knows the early bird catches the worm because worms are out early morning before it gets too hot and besides, her neighbor's grass IS always greener than hers - or most of the year anyway.

* TM David knows that when in Rome you must do as the Romans do, or as our guest Kristian would say "when in Milan, have a veal milanese."

We had two fabulous speeches today...

* TM Pam related the history of EarlyBirds and how our interdependence has gotten us through liminal moments to how we are thriving today.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM The Tom gave a suspenseful speech about Gouverneur Morris, who hand-wrote The Preamble and the Constitution, created the street grid of Lower Manhattan and was homesteaded in a certain Gettysburg Address.

And then came the evaluations..

* TM David complimented TM Pam for her well-presented history of EarlyBirds and finding out about the Creator of the Peak of the Week.  

* TM Christine praised TM The Tom for keeping the main character of his speech as a Mystery Man with an unusual French name and, as Tom predicted, nobody had heard of him before.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

LIMINAL, adj.

Occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

Relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process.

Example:  TM Jorge hit the bullseye choosing this Word of the Day as our EarlyBirds Club is in a liminal stage.  Good job, Jorge!

Here is the link to the recording....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUhsR-R2wNA

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

Resilience, Glory of God and What's in a name? a morning of glimmer at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We inducted our returning TM Christine formally into our Club.  Welcome back, Christine!

TM Marie launched us on a glimmer of resilience.  We discovered that...

* TM Christine's heroic effort consisted of getting a degree in Oxford at midlife while doing standup comedy with a British accent.

* TN The Tom is "the comeback kid" - overcame a health hardship and turned into a fish in a glimmering pond.

* TM Aleta overcomes adversity day by day, step by step, shovel by shovel, while anticipating a visit from the glimmering Samaritan's Purse.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Cory is mastering rising above it, talking when the mind goes blank while envisioning TM Jorge's AH, ER, YOU KNOW screen flashing in his mind's eye.

* Guest Christina converts triggers into glimmers of the day and her family, work and trip to Fairfax and Toronto rank in top relevancy.

* TM Randolph's faith gets him through the challenges of daily life with an unwavering moral code.

* TM Jose likens his life to a chu-chu train with different stops for different folks and is managing the Reservations Desk for visiting friends at his home in Javea, Spain.

Along came our prepared speeches...

* TM BeckyJo regaled us with a sailor's tale of triumph over adversity while proclaiming The Glory of God.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* I, Ana, revealed the little-known story of the origin of our city's name, tracing it back to wee William Wallace, aka Braveheart, aka Mel Gibson,  glimmering hero of the Scots.

TM Jose performed as first-time General Evaluator and glimmered steadily throughout...

* TM Cory asked TM BeckyJo to clarify if Boston Whaler and Laser is a marine mammal with a Boston accent and having laser cataract surgery.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph asked that for the love of Scots, I repeat the speech with a wee bit of humor added to it.

The Word of the Day was

GLIMMER,

noun - a faint or unsteady light

verb - shine faintly or unsteadily

Example: To identify your glimmers, pay attention to your senses, notice what brings you a sense of peace or joy, and reflect on activities that make you feel energized and alive.   So there....

Here is the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmMBSIjcL5U

See you next week at Inauguration!  Dress code:  pyjama pants and a chic top will do!

Ana 

VP Education

First liners, Core Strength and Influencers - a curated meeting of Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM BeckyJo gave us intriguing literary first liners.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Gail is living in the best of times and the worst of times but through it all we need to help and serve each other.

* DTM Mary Helen wishes her benign, frail grandmother had exploded and been a stronger role model in her life...

* TM Randolph really envisioned his imaginary twin children meeting up with dragons in the vegetable garden.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM David segued impeccably from getting the willies to living in the best of times and the worst of times.  Well done, TM David!

* TM Jorge agrees that families are not uniformly unhappy and parents are responsible for making a positive or negative impact on their kids.

* I, Ana, knew that my topic came from a bright cold day somewhere in Europe because it used the ever-confusing military time.

We had (2) outstanding prepared speeches...

* TM Jose educated us about Pilates, formerly known as contrology but too controlling of a term to prevail and reform the core of your inner sanctum.

* TM Marie talked about the fleeting fame of influencers and the lasting community of true world restoration.  She Won Best Speaker Award.  Note: Her story is from The Birthday of the World by Rachel Naomi Remen.

Along came evaluations...

* TM David praised TM Jose for his educational, masterful speech delivered in a smooth soothing voice.  TM David may heed the call to action and sign up for concentration, control and breathing.  Go Pilates!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph admitted TM Marie's speech captivated him from the start and this will be a praiseful evaluation, and he kept his word!

The Word of the Day was

CURATE, verb

To select the best or most appropriate for presentation.

Example:  It is wise to curate our clutter  when we are planning to move.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FHTN4B6m2I

See you next week!

Ana I

Curated Recap Writer

Father's Day, Small Claims Case and Dad Collection - no minutia at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

I started us off on Father's Day-related Table Topics....

* TM Marie will accommodate her wonderful husband's request for Father's Day by gifting him a day of peace and quiet1

* TM Jose declared himself the Great White Hunter of pesky mosquitoes on Spain's Father's Day (also his Saint's Day), and US Father's Day.  He enjoys every celebration!

* TM David reminisced about his own father, an intelligent, clever, compassionate, old-school Father who was born in Martinique.

* TM Randolph cannot pinpoint a memorable Father's Day because they are all memorable - and he has learned not to treat his children's problems as minutiae.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

We then had prepared speeches...

* TM David recounted a landlord-renter small claims case he is currently experiencing where he wants to establish fairness, clarity and justice.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Christine shared her Dad Collection - men who were father figures to her in assorted ways - by answering her questions "Do I have value?" and "Am I loved?" 

As far as evaluations went...

* TM BeckyJo gave very helpful tips to TM David about Florida laws and how to masterfully present his case to the judge.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph praised TM Christine for her touching speech and encouraged her to make more eye contact with her audience.

The Word of the Day was

MINUTIA, noun

A small or minor detail

Example  The important things in life are usually mistakenly considered minutae.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OdYHshjJOw

Our new officers will be installed in early July by the incoming Area Director.

Sargeant-at-Arms:  Veronica

President: BeckyJo 

Immediate Past President: Aleta

VP Education: Ana

Treasurer: Marie 

Secretary: The Tom

VP Membership: Cory

VP Public Relations: David

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer