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