Farewell, Bon Voyage, Hasta La Vista, Aloha Nui - a pelagic meeting at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our Special Farewell Bon Voyage meeting got off to a good start!

TM Marie inspired us with novel ideas...

* Starting on time: I, Ana, am supercilious about punctuality.  I annoy myself!

* Adventure: TM David is so inspired by TM Jim and TM Chris' trip he is looking forward to hearing about their adventure.

* Lifelong learning:  TM Gail is ever so grateful for her lifelong learning from her lifelong friends, TM Jim and TM Chris.

* Exploring new cultures:  TM Cory grew up sheltered and has discovered the excitement of exploring new cultures.

* Scuba diving:  TM Jose has been inspired through TM Jim and TM Chris's scuba adventures in restarting scuba diving again!

* Old Friends:  TM Pam clarified that when young, we have old friends; when old, we have longtime friends.  Mark the difference!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* My Life in Photos:  TM Jorge reviewed old baby and younger day pictures when his hair had a tinge of auburn, much like his son's does now.

* Appreciating nature: TM Terri admires TM Jim and TM Chris for living out an adventurous life.  Terri will ask her genie in a bottle to hop her on a cruise while Gloria Estefan's rhythm is gonna get her.

* Home:  TM The Tom waxed poetic about sapphire blue waters in sunlight and green in rain with waves cresting pelagically.

And then came the long-awaited Villa Vie Odyssey Tour, led by TM Chris....

We saw the Bow (off-bounds  in most non-residential ships), and the Stern - the Gym, the Outdoor Cafe, the Restaurant with its Buffet Paradise,  the Business Center, the Living Room, the Promenade Deck, the Coral Club.  Along the way, we met  the Chef and some of the very friendly staff.  Even the pool area - currently under renovation - offers a serene environment with chaise lounges and umbrellas to enjoy a good read or take a mid-afternoon siesta.  No cabin fever in this floating condo full of amenities, no sireee! TM Jim ended the tour from the cabin and took our many questions.  No tipping required; housekeeping practices, unlimited gym access... and it's all included in the monthly fee!  Stops of 2 days or more at every port allowing for on-shore activities.  One of his favorite stops on the horizon - Catalina Island.  TM Chris and TM Jim Won Best Speaker and Best Tour Guides Awards.

Please be sure to follow the Gulds' adventures at  geeksontour.com/cruising.    We, EarlyBirds, want the movie rights!

Our Evaluator, TM David, offered TM Chris some practical tips for her (perhaps) soon-to-be regular tours of the Odyssey Villa Vie:  center your camera, center your face so audience sees all of it, avoid jittery movements.  Note:  Totally disregard all of the above in rough seas and reach for the Dramamine!!!   He Won Best Evaluator Award.

TM Cory did a great job as General Evaluator of this pelagic meeting.

Led by our Hilarious, Adventurous RoastMaster TM BeckyJo, several members offered (mostly) poetic - in honor of April, Poetry Month - and at times trilingual (English, Spanish, Hawaiian) farewells.  

The previously-unheard-of Word of the Day was

PELAGIC, noun

Inhabiting the upper layers of the open sea

Relating to the open sea

Example:  Thanks to our favorite Influencers, TM Jim and TM Chris, we are now a collectively pelagic,  in-training ducklings and future technology wizzards who will make our parents, TM Jim and TM Chris, technologically proud.

The link to the recording is here:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

It's Debatable, Procrastination, A Gem Among Concrete - EarlyBirds is definitely not soporific!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Chris brilliantly led us in table topics up for debate.

We learned that....

* TM Gail is pro clearing up a house for sale so that new owners get a better idea of how they can make it look.  

* TM Terri took the same side and also believes in clearing up a house for sale because an empty house looks bigger and unleashes the creativity of prospects.

* TM Veronica is pro legalizing casinos - they bring a lot of revenue and boost the local economy, and in Florida they benefit the native american tribe who owns the largest one.  It's also a great venue for concerts.

* TM David is against legalizing casinos because he worked for an online gaming company and he saw how the addictive behavior got people hospitalized.

* TM The Tom is pro school uniforms because it fosters equality and eliminates competition for Best Dressed, students focus on academics instead of fluff and frill.

* TM Aleta is against school uniforms because they stifle creativity and growth - and students end up customizing their uniforms to look different anyway!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

We had (2) prepared speeches...

* TM David told us about his struggles with procrastination, especially in things he most likes.  Taking action is the antidote!  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* I, Ana, told the history of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the beach diving capital of America, and its humble beginnings which have kept it a gem among towering giants.

Next came the fabulous evaluations...

* TM Marie praised TM David for his organization, confidence, display of leadership and persuasion.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Mary Helen applauded the fact that I did not read my speech and encouraged me to continue to improve and to stop crunching land crabs while at it!

The Word of the Day was

SOPORIFIC, 

Causes sleep (noun)

Induces sleep (adjective)

Example:  A glass of warm milk and a monotonous tv series are the best soporifics known to man.

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtt9L5WeV74

See you next week for our special FAREWELL to our friends The Gulds!  SNIFF....

Ana I.

Humorous Recap Writer

(that's debatable!)

Joy & Happiness, Working Together - a nimble morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We had a few First Timers fulfilling roles today, and it all worked out well...

First-timer Toastmaster of the Day TM Gail ran a smooth effortless meeting.  Good job, Gail!

First-timer TM David led us in very uplifting Table Topics.  We learned that...

* TM Gail finds happiness in memories of shared times with friends and family and watching the swans glide by in a nearby lake.

* TM Aleta expands her boundless energy with efficient time management of her virtues, Peppy and Happy.

* I, Ana, am adept at rearranging priorities to allow time for amenities.

* TM Chris is semi-retired but hangs on to her beloved technology demos and kayak diving with her diving partner.

* TM Randolph finds pure happiness in the magic of his IPhone's self-generated memories, for which he is very grateful!

* TM Jim G. describes happiness as a globe which is generated from the inside.

* TM Cory's cat, his partner and their foodie experiences and a feeling of gratitude are the top (3) happiness generators in his life.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM The Tom finds happiness in the internal process of the little things, of which gratitude is an essential element.

* Area Director Marc finds that happiness is definitely a choice, which only a nimble mind can make over chance.

* TM Jorge stated that happiness prevails over stress by showing gratitude, meditating and calming his thoughts.

We had one panel speech entitled Working Together, facilitated by TM Aleta...

* After sharing her Toastmasters background and how much she has benefited from serving as President of the Club, TM Aleta proceded to ask questions of the officers who were present:

* Sargeant-at-Arms and Immediate Past President, TM Jim G. described his (mostly) behind-the-scenes role, which he is thoroughly enjoying, and would gladly continue if only he were not embarking on a worldwide cruising lifetime adventure.

* DTM Mary Helen reminisced about being Treasurer many years ago in another Club, where she gave an approximate figure for the Treasury Report.  She is now being our Treasurer till the end of this Panel- and doing a mighty fine job!  Besides being VP of Membership and officially registering and  welcoming our new Members.  

* I, Ana, talked about the role of the VP Education, which I am enjoying doing so that we have a fun program every week.

* Our Secretary and our VP Public Outreach were absent today due to illness but would definitely be available for questions any time.

Next, we fielded some questions from the audience, who asked where to find job descriptions for the various officer roles and how long should a member wait until they take on an officer position.  Both questions were addressed.

Excellent informative speech, TM Aleta!

Then we moved on to our Evaluation/General Evaluation...

* TM The Tom praised TM Aleta for presenting us with a plethora of information disguised as plates of spaghetti - carbonara and bolognese - which were impossible to refuse and hence be enticed to take on a role for the next Panel starting in July (Elections will be held in June).  We support each other, we encourage each other, and this is a very SAFE place to try different roles to keep our minds nimble and our sense of humor intact!

The Word of the Day was

NIMBLE, adj.

Quick and light in movement, agile

Quick to understand

Example: Jack, be nimble, Jack, be agile, Jack, jump over the box marked "Fragile"; Jack, be nimble, Jack, good luck, Jack, jump over the ice cream truck..."  (sung to the tune of "Jack Be Nimble")

Here's the link to the recording...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vpxA0UgaF0

See you next week!

Ana I

VP Education

Mono-themed topics, Icebreaker and Lead the Followers - no snarks at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie led us with an inspirational invocation and dove right in to mono-themed Table Topics.  We found out that...

* TM Gail has found creativity in EarlyBirds, with its varied assortment of characters, nationalities, accents, and travel experiences.

* Guest Chantal talked about honesty resulting from the lessons learned, lessons earned and from a firm foundation while growing up.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest Jean-Marc stated that gratitude is so very important, to count our blessings and start our days off  thankful for even things we're not aware we have.

* TM Jose reminisced about his curiosity as a child breaking valuable toys to find out what made them tick and his inability to reassemble them, which almost got him killed by the Big Cats.

* Our cowboy-at-large, TM The Tom, revealed that humor is the essential breath of fresh air that keeps him alive.

* TM Chris explained the Ps of a successful small business: Perseverance, Passion, Poverty and Partner.  Maybe we could add Prayer?

* TM Christine aspires to openness as a virtuous trait - to stay teachable.  That's a quality she seeks for herself.

We had (2) excellent prepared speeches today...

* TM David gave an excellent Icebreaker where he shared a part of his story with us and how he has achieved his dream of living in the land of the free and the home of the brave - in Florida weather!  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Aleta explained with great vitality what the role of President of EarlyBird entails - team building, leading, conflict resolution, meeting facilitation.  More to come in next week's panel speech.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Christine praised TM David's courage in presenting such a powerful Icebreaker and the variety of experiences he has gathered from living in different parts of the United States.  She encouraged him to look straight at the camera to emulate eye contact when speaking in person to a group.

* TM Gail stated that TM Aleta personifies dynamic leadership, hence the Pathways she has embarked on.  Her vocal variety and hand gestures are second to none; however, work on not using notes.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

SNARK, noun

An expression of mocking irreverence and sarcasm.  

Example:  A snark is a cross between a snake and a shark, as expressed by our President.  The case rests.

TM Cory did an impeccable job as Timer.  Go Cory!

For the local members: 

The Division Contest is this Saturday April 5 from 10 am to 1 pm at:

Liberty Life Center

6800 SW 21st Ct

Davie, FL

Let's go and support our contestants!

Here's a link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgrdktVn2_U

See you next week!

Ana 

VP Education