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

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

Connections, Back To The Future, Travel The World and The Seven Seas - Acronyms in EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie gave us FFT (food for thought) with certain ideas....

* TM Randolph practices more understanding of simple gestures and states that smiles dress us up.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam, loves hand-written notes and recently found 3 misplaced and unsent written thank you cards from her 1900s wedding.  Ohwell....

* TM Paolo admits that the pillars of old, sincere friendships are unmovable and enhance reconnecting.

* TM Marc reflected that having a sense of belonging is not instantaneous and must be built up. Tricky, not easy but well worth it!

* DTM Mary Helen collects notebooks as powerful reminders of who she used to be, her feelings, goals, dates, musings.

* TM Aleta first joined EarlyBirds in 1980 and some of its pioneer members made a deep impact on her and lift her soul, week after week.

We heard (2) powerful speeches...

* TM The Tom talked about Gatsby's Dilemma ,,, "and so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."  Old Gatsby, Old Sport.

* TM Thoroughly Modern Chris suggested we get a Google account and visit mymaps.google.com to place markers (oh ever so easy) on past trips, future trips, present trips, imagined trips, color coded, with infrared insights, while Thoroughly Old Fashioned Chris disposed of 4 old papers in a treasure trunk.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding the evaluations...

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM The Tom for a well-organized speech that was relatable whenever she undertakes a task and ends up reading an old book, dragging a sack of ash behind her.

* TM Paolo was so enthusiastic about The G's future many times around the world cruise that he almost jumped out of his Zoom square and became an in-person evaluator in front of our very eyes!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

ACRONYM, noun

Abbreviation formed by taking initial letters of words in a phrase and creating a new word that is pronounceable.

For example:  SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus); NASA (National Aeronautical & Space Administration); RADAR (Radio Detection & Ranging); YOLO (You Only Live Once), FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).

Attention Please!! Acronyms are not to be confused with Initialisms - here are some Senior Citizen Texting Codes: ATD (At The Doctors), BFF (Best Friend Fell), BTW (Bring The Wheelchair), BYOT (Bring Your Own Teeth), FWIW (Forgot Where I Was), GGPMBL (Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low), GHA (Got Heartburn Again), IMHO (Is My Hearing Aid On?), LMDO (Laughing My Dentures Out), OMMR (On My Massage Recliner), ROFLACGU (Rolling On Floor Laughing And Can't Get Up)

Our International Speech Club Contest will be held on January 23, 2025.

Here's the link to today's recording:

 https://www.youtube.com/live/gsc1vQl6kZ0?si=jTK5z5Kw2ctpChdo

See you next week!

Ana I.

JADE  (no need to Justify, Argue, Defend or Explain)

Recap Writer

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

Dear Members, Guests, and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Regarding prepared speeches....

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

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

As far as evaluations go...

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

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

The Word of the Day was

EXTRICATE, verb

To free or remove yourself from an entanglement or difficulty.

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

The link for today's recording is

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

See you next week!

Ana I

Recap Extricator 

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Along came the prepared speeches...

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

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

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

And then came the evaluations...

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

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

The Word of the Day was

PANACHE, noun

Confident, flamboyant, dresses with style

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

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

The link to the recording is:

https://youtube.com/live/yPOKVwfkt10

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

* 

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Along came prepared speeches...

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

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

Regarding the evaluations...

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

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

The Word of the Day was

FRATERNIZE, verb

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

Origin of the word is latin FRATER (brother)

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

Here's the link for the recording

https://youtu.be/UHPtIdlVcBQ

See you next week!

Ana Illsen

VP Education

Fraternal Recap Writer

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

Dear Members, Guests, and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Along came (3) prepared speeches...

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

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

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

And then came the evaluations...

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

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

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

The Word of the Day was

MOXIE, noun

= Courage and determination

_ Enery and pep

- Know-how

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

Here's the link to the recording:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Vacations, Bahiamar and Bitcoin - a lucrative morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta inspired us with enlightening thoughts from President Theodore Roosevelt.

TM Marie led us with fun, lighthearted topics.  We found out that...

* TM Emmanuel's daughter's recurring dream is to go see lanterns in China. Let's go! Let's go! Let's Go!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo packs her entire worldly belongings in case winter, summer, spring, fall, thirst, hunger happen in her 5-hour road trip. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam is the only person in America who has not been fingerprinted so if she starts a life of crime she will not easily be tracked down.  She votes for security screening MRIs at the airport.

* TM The Tom fondly reminisced about unforgettable road trips with 4 young 'uns one year apart constantly asking "Are we there yet?" and fortuitously finding a drill sargeant to tell them they're not there yet.

* TM Jim G. has mastered phone photography from the best phone lens by urging people to say "Sex" instead of "Cheese" which expands their smiles to unforeseen limits.

As far as prepared speeches go...

* I, self-appointed sagacious reporter on the Broward Beat, revealed the lucrative deals happening downtown concerning our former landmark soon to be demolished, Bahia Mar.  I Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Chris revealed her BitCoin seed phrase so let's take advantage of the blockchain interconnected public ledgers and trace her cryptocurrency wallet to make a lucrative digital transfer.

Along came evaluations...

* TM Pam was dismayed to hear what city hotshots do with our tax dollars but at least she did not see my notes anywhere so that's a relief.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

*TM The Tom’s evaluation of TM Chris Bitcoin.  He has converted and is moving to El Salvador, where Bitcoin is Legal Tender.  He’s tired of worthless and bulky wads of dollar bills lining his pockets….

The Word of the Day was

LUCRATIVE, adj. 

producing a lot of money; especially of a business, job or activity.

Video games are one of the most lucrative industries on Planet Earth.

Here is the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/1tahS5hFFhc?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Prevaricators, Equivocators and Quibblers - nothing but embellished truths at EarlyBird Toastmasters

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We inducted our newest member, TM Gail.  Welcome aboard!  

Without wasting any time, we showed off our unequivocal truthtelling skills....

* TM Aleta's ex, ironically named "Spike" was a lineman for the county and built her a 3-story treehouse on a Pennsylvania Sequoia, where Aleta currently resides and breeds frequent flyer snakes.

* TM Chris panned for gold in the Yukon, befriended a pet porcupine and bonded with a Sasquatch Bigfoot Yeti with magical powers who returned her to her gold-digging parents.  She Won Best Tall Tales  Award.

* TM Tom owned a bar for immigrants called Ellis Island smack in downtown Casablanca and sold the movie rights to the producer of Grand Hotel.

* DTM Mary Helen is not sure which language she's learning but Babel Live has brought her BFF Ghanan poligamist Prince Money Moody Gumbo while DTM Jim ponders it all...

* DTM Jim D. is a self-proclaimed word -and scotch - massager who wants to fly again on Aeropol Pot #13 with VIP Xerob and Chairman SplashScotchIfThere'sNo Vodka.

* I, Ana, am volting for the Man From Paris, who is currently running for Woke Mayor of Miami Beach for the proliferation of black beans and platanitos.

*  TM Jose traveled to hallowed sites like Benghazi and Tripoli, Libya, where oil sprinklers abound and now that Gaddafi is RIP, are converted into Olive Oil for Caesar Salads.

Because the order .does not alter the product (or so said my Math teacher back in the day), we then had Table Tropics, led by TM Aleta.  We soon learned that....

* TM Pam is having margaritas and singing La Cucaracha in honor of Mexico's Patron Saint, San Patricio.  Viva Chimichanga!

* TM Marie will spend Easter being Holy and gobbling down the perfect marriage - chocolate bunny ears combined with peanut butter.  Or what's a heaven for???

* TM Randolph is spending Spring Break searching for food at a Broward Fairground just a block away from home with his foodie kids.  No Elbo Room for him, no sireeee!

* TM Ricardo is planning a Toastmasters 100-year celebration in a Pacific deserted island.  All we need is a grammarian and Ah Counter.

* TM Gail West is hiring a computer savage maid to do her spring cleaning while she luxuriously sits in a hotel balcony overlooking the ocean.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo mostly watches her garden keenly and intently and she looooves weeds, which provide food for bees and thus she supports the Nature Channel.

General Evaluator TM BeckyJo read Yoodlie (Artificial Intelligence, better than Natural Stupidity)'s Ah Counter report:  Everyone scored 25 Ahs or more, 35 Errrs or more and 40 You knows in the course of the meeting.  She marveled at our group's capacity to tell the truth, the complete truth and nothing but the truth - so don't help us God!

The Word of the Day was

PREVARICATOR, noun

A person who speaks falsely; a liar

A person who avoids precise truths, a quibbler, an equivocator.

Example:  TM Pam is in direct competition with her prevaricator Rain Bird sprinkler timer for internet stability.  Rain Bird prevails, most of the time.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/hXpv4ZHP_Yk

Equivocally submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Fibber

National Days, Progress Not Perfection, Find Your Voice, Let's March! A libertarian meeting of EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our International Speech Contest took off with a great invocation by TM Terri about 

C L A R I T Y !!!

Voting was a real challenge because all our contestants were fabulous!!

* DTM Mary Helen focused on New Year's Resolutions, after concluding that growing up she was a Rebel Without A Clue.... and she still writes grocery lists while riding Uber to the airport.  She Won Third Place.

* TM Chris became a lawyer in flower power Berkeley, handled divorces in Haight-Ashbury and finally found her passion in computer teaching and soulmate TM Jim G.  She teaches while singing a capella.  She Won Second Place.

* TM Paolo related to Roman Cicero and especially the Greek Demostenes, who overcame stuttering and commanded the masses to march into war while eating moussaka and gyros.  He Won First Place and will represent our Club in the February 24 Area Contest.  Congratulations Paolo!!!

While the votes were being counted and recounted (after all, some of us are in Florida), TM Marie delighted us with some National Day table topics.  We discovered that...

* DTM Jim D. reminisces about Vernors' Ginger Ale, Sanders'  Ice Cream and Hot Fudge, but Detroit is waaay too snowy, icy, frosty and coldy for him.  Hello, Florida!  Bye Bye Michigan!!  

* TM Jose thoroughly practiced Know Your Customer while in Sales, but now he's become a Libertarian who hangs up on telemarketers while feeling lots of compassion for them.  Ahhh the joys of retirement!!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, a self-designated wordsmith, have a neurotically keen eye for detecting typos and misspellings (except my own) and will emulate TM Marie in reading segments of Roget's Thesaurus every night before bedtime while using one of Roget's slide rules.

* TM Terri likes Dunkin Donuts coffee, not only on National Gourmet Coffee Day but every day - although she is switching to tea for medicinal... oops. meditative purposes.  Her new motto is "It's tea for me!"

* TM Aleta credits her avoidance of yo-yo weight gain/loss to her intensive woodchopping, brush clearing, timber logging, bonfire building, mulch distributing... while doing jumping jacks and cartwheels on her property.  It works!

* TM Ricardo's motto for 2024 is "Avoid Procrastination" and he plans to get started... some time... later... much later.

Our next TLI (Toastmasters Learning Institute) is scheduled online for:  Saturday February 3 in the morning hours.  Login details to be forthcoming.

The Word of the Day was

LIBERTARIAN, noun

Someone who is more culturally liberal than a Democrat, and more fiscally conservative than a Republican.  Methinks.  They believe in a limited role of government.

Example:  Rand Paul and John Stossel are well-known Libertarians who resist the expanding, all-encompassing role of Big Brother in our lives and other aromatic by-products.

The Contest ran very smoothly, the ballot submissions were flawless and our Club moves forward.... Let's March!!!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuP0CReLG8g

With a libertarian flavor,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Christmas Trivia, Arti General Intelli, Find Your Passion - an authentic morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

As we began self-introductions, TM The Tom puzzled me with a tale of Athena and her daughter Telemarketer.   We also found out that joining our meeting was Yoodli (pronouned "Yodeling (by the side of the lake), Toastmasters' Artificial Intelligence and vying for the job of Recap Writer. 

We proceeded to Table Topics, and I, Ana, stimulated thoughts about the non-conventional side of Christmas.  We soon learned that:

* TM Randolph indulges in guilty pleasures and totally ignores healthy foods over Christmas.  We're all with you, TM Randolph!

* TM Ricardo likes his ex-wife and would give her a Poinsettia, but his ex-girlfriend... that's another story and besides, she's in an undisclosed location.  No Poinsettias for her!

* TM Jose once shorted his entire neighborhood stringing up Christmas lights and is now trying again with LEDs... good luck, Javea!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Paula created the line of "Weird" Barbie from her grandma's gift - she chopped the hair, dyed it, permed it and maimed the doll for posterity.

* TM BeckyJo refuses to name female Rudolph "Rudolpha" but will wokely agree to use she/her/they for all the raindeer.

* Guest Millie does NOT agree to combine Halloween and Christmas, no siree - two parties are better than one!

Along came two fantastic speeches...

* TM Pam left us in awe of AGI (not to be confused with Adjusted Gross Income) but Artificial General Intelligence which allows us to draw vertical lines while acquiring "Bette Davis' Eyes'. Buckle up, everybody, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

* TM Chris found her passion in technology but is currently auditioning to be a sultry singer at a local night club for the technologically advanced.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

With regards to evaluations...

* TM The Tom displayed a stopwatch and alerted TM Pam that they are to be used, not ignored.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph praised TM Chris' hand gestures and asked for her autograph for her rendition of Auld Lang Syne.

TM Terri was our first-time General Evaluator and handled the role with grace and authenticity.

The Word of the Day was

AUTHENTIC, adj.

real, actual, not false or imitation

True to one's personality, with no pretensions

Example:  To be authentic, one must learn to draw intersecting diagonal lines to form a cross or signify "The X Files".  

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/_ifFAm5xV74

See you next week!

Authentically yours,

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Fwd: Great topics, Google in London, Part I and Part II - no phubbing at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

TM Tom started us off with a deep, heartfelt invocation.

TM Jose got us thinking with great Table Topics.  As we soon learned...

* TM Marie spends her day playing with Silly Putty to improve her mobility and to be able to do The Camino.

* DTM Jim D. forces himself to be inquisitive because his friends who are not end up 6 ft under after a year of retirement.

* TM Aleta agreed that yes, yes, yes, she lies without even saying a word and will spend the rest of today thinking about it.

* TM BeckyJo stated unequivocally that WHEN IS TUESDAY, the day of action, come ready to go, Monday is a slump, Wednesday is a hump, Thursday is the peak, Friday is weekend anticipation.  The rest is phubbing, no more, no less. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, smile about a lot of things because I'm gifted with finding the humor in the absurdities of daily life.

* TM Pam would like high schoolers to read anything as we are facing a completely illiterate next generation.  What was she talking about anyway???

* TM Terri dons a Thanksgiving-themed orange leg cast, an orange knee scooter, lounges like Cleopatra and wears orange garbage bags to shower. That's different for sure!

Along came the impromptu prepared speeches - thank you, Geeks, for bailing us out today!

* TM Chris, PES (Product Expert Summiter) introduced us to a real-life Siri.  Now we're waiting to meet Alexa for Seniors, who responds to any similar name - Adessa, Annetta, Coretta, Axeta, Loretta, Alphonsa.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jim G., London Tour Guide par excellence, toured us through Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and its tenants, pubs that served gringos haddock and french fries, and took us on the London Eye with a champagne flute while reciting Churchill quotes. Quintessential London!!

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM Randolph is signing up, as we speak, to become a Product Expert for LonCroogle and take the hop-on hop-off bus wherever the next summit is.

* TM Pam praised TM Jim G. for his calm demeanor while missing the wild parties at the summit.  Raise the vocal passion or join Madame Tussaud's!!  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Tom evaluated TM Pam's evaluation and sincerely commended her for not phubbing the audience during the rendition.

The Word of the Day was

PHUBBING, noun

Ignoring who you're with and giving your undivided attention to your phone.

Example:  Phubbing has become an art form for the masses.  To think Iphones did not even exist 15 years ago!!

Here is a link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/mjXXkUoJUkI

Here is a link to the Geeks' summit photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PHadcMgb8CxLTUKfA

See you next week, phubbers!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Pondering, What Does That Button Do and Communication Styles - aficionado morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We were led in a thought-provoking invocation by TM The Tom about listening rather than talking.

First-time Table Topics Master Jose had us thinking even deeper... We soon found out that...

* TM Jim G., like his fellow adult males around the planet, trembles in fear at the sound of 4 words from his wife "We need to talk".  It led to 25 years of married bliss.

* TM The Tom thinks what he believes is right but recognizes that others may not be in agreement.

* TM Marie chops onions vigorously and continuously to keep her tear ducts duly irrigated.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo differentiates living - grabbing life - versus existing - no joie de vivre, no raison d'etre, and other Frenchisms - while bending down to tie your shoes.

* TM Pam gets lost in reading books but lives versus exists by devouring boxes upon boxes of chocolates.  La visible difference!!

* I, Ana, believe that it's best to try and fail than never to try at all - one of the many childhood myths I had to unlearn.

* TM Aleta's best years were her mid thirties, when she stayed out of trouble but managed to have fun, fun, fun!!

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Chris reminded us that life began in 2007, with the advent of the first I-Phone.  You can talk on it, play solitaire, share location, track your wandering husband, and fulfill a stalker's delight.  The trick is to STAY CURIOUS, friends!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* A posthumous video of DTM Kip's speech was shown where he evolved from a dictatorial communication style in 2018 to a mellow, supportive, non-analytical style in 2021.  It worked much better to inspire EArlyBirds to do Pathways!  He Won Best Posthumous Speaker Award.

Regarding evaluations...

* TM Pam reminisced about the scary early days of computers and praised TM Chris for modeling excellent TM behavior.  Pam is poised to become DTM -Don't Time Me - in the blink of an eye.

* First time Evaluator TM Terri admired DTM Kip's exercise in introspection and it was a great learning experience for her.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.  Good job, Terri!

The Word of the Day was

AFICIONADO, noun

A devotee who likes or knows a lot about a subject.

Example:  Bulls are definitely not bullfight aficionados.

The link to the recording will be provided later on.

PS In this glitchy technological day, my GMail's underlining capability has disappeared into the void.  

See you next week,

Ana I.

Recap Aficionado

Then and Now, Now and Then, and Then and Now - a day of reminiscing at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Newly inducted TM Terri led us on a beautiful invocation in the Christian tradition.

That started us off on a very special and unusual meeting, commemorating our Club's 60th anniversary!

TM Pam led us in Table Topics referring to THEN and NOW.  We soon found out that...

* Guest Miki is searching for a job in Kumamoto, Japan, and implored us to recite  "Hire Miki, Hire Miki" across the miles to help her find a great job!

* TM Terri 'fessed up that she was a goody two-shoes on the outside THEN, but she was trying different things and she was smoking funny things.  More will be revealed in future speeches!

* TM Marie missed a lot of special moments with loving people because she was too busy making grocery lists.  Now she orders online.

* TM Randolph was the dude who spoke to his firstborn in utero pre-birth and dressed up in a tux to make a good impression upon the baby's arrival. He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jim G. wistfully reminisced that music was better in the 60s and 70s - Steely Dan, The Eagles, Chicago, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and the band before Wings.  A playlist is in the works for Saturday!

* TM Jose likes now better than then because he's retired and doing what he likes, and he appreciates the good use of G{S technology, which allows us to find our destination without those pesky printed maps.

We had two extraordinary speeches by 3 speakers today.  All of them said "Frankly my dear, I don't give a ..... " to the Timer and it was well worth it!

* TM Chris has been in TM since birth in a Club appropriately called the Alaska Gnomes and has finally gotten on the Pathways track to set a good example to the rest of us.  Just pick Dynamic Leadership and get on with it, people!

* DTM Mary Helen and TM Aleta, aka The EarlyBird In Its Infancy members, reminisced about our late founders, Virginia Hettinger, Neil McLaren and Kip Barkley - gone but not forgotten!  What it was like, then and now.  The Ahs were still counted and dinged. The camaraderie was present, and the Grand Slams were the icing on the skillet, if you will.  .  

We received the surprise visit of our one of early members, TM Carmine, zooming in from Texas and immediately putting the Timer on Standby Alert.  Great to see you, Carmine!

And then came the Evaluations...

* TM Randolph was awed by TM Chris's teaching skills while giving us a birdseye view from 1,000 ft above straight onto Pathways.

* TM Jim G. reminisced about his first days at Denny's, and did not give out his secret recipe for corned ham.  You must be present to eat!!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

HARBINGER, noun

An indication of things to come

Example:  The corned ham TM Jim G. is preparing is a harbinger that the party will be well attended!  

Have fun at the party!  Some of us will Zoom in - same login as the weekly one.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_u1S7FpJY4

See you soon!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Labor Day Memoirs, Let's Win, How to Sleep Productively - lots of denouements at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests, and Friends,

TM Marie launched us off with denouements around Labor Day.

We discovered that...

* TM Randolph is searching for the balance between sacrifice and priorities - now that Back to School is in full swing.

* Guest Miki is looking for her dream job in Japan - torn and confused between food and drinks, IT or school management.  What will be the denouement?

* TM BeckyJo's work advice is "Show Up, Be on Time, Put Your Stuff Away and the only wrong question is the one you don't ask.

* TM Ricardo's first work experience led to his penchant for the French words which bring about happy denouements.

* TM Jose changed industries several times and in all of them made long and lasting friendships from all walks of life.

* TM Tom developed the brilliant skill of keeping his mouth shut.  That was a result of common sense and situational awareness. He Won Best Tasble Topics Award.

* TM Pam's 2023 Summer Highlight is in the works, includes ripping out torpedo grass in her yard and the EarlyBirds 60th anniversary.

* DTM Jim D will ride his bike on Labor Day and work (for free) on his Honey Do List.

And then came the prepared speeches...

* TM Aleta has joined Area 13, 14, 15, 16 as Contest Master and Area Director and is determined to win this thing together - first by organizing the contest in 2024, in direct contrast to disorganized contests of years past.

* TM Chris showed us how to make money while we sleep.  All we need to do is create a website, training videos, YouTube programs, write Books and start blogs, learn HTML, Dream Weaver, Cold Fusion, infusions, Profusions and Delusions,  Wordpress and we're all set! Piece of cake!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations....

* DTM Jim disappeared at midpoint into the ethernet and in true team fashion, the eval was concluded by TM Tom.  They both agreed TM Aleta has great clarity, which will greatly assist TMI's lack thereof.

* TM Randolph totally enjoyed the superb sound effects of the speech and wishes all teachers used them to convey the message, not the mess.   He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

DENOUEMENT, noun

The outcome of a situation, when something is decided or made clear.  

Example:  I waited for the denouement of the story before drawing erroneous conclusions.

By courtesy of our Proxy Voters, the Gs, we watched the First Place speaker at the International Convention.  She demonstrated, once again, that you can participate in a Triathalon even if you don't know how to swim or bike by simply focusing on the running portion of it and gesticulating a lot when you tell the Tall Tale.  Thanks Jim and Chris!

Our first-time Grammarian, TM Ricardo,  came up with the Best Grammar Trophy to TM Tom for most flowery language symbolized by the phrase "I learned to shut my mouth."  Ah, the irony of it all!..... Great job, Ricardo!!

Here is the link to the recording....

https://youtube.com/live/3MMINWvEn1I?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Proverbs, Yodeling with Yoodli (him/her) and Worried Warriors - an outlandish morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We officially met the criteria for President's Distinguished Club!  Hooray!!

TM Aleta launched rockets of Proverbs.  We realized that...

* TM Emmanuel asserted that just as the path is made by walking, the Ahs are counted by listening.

* I, Ana, know first hand that those who are deaf have selective listening and I, too, suffer from that at times.  Closed Captioning is the way to go.   I Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jose gave a rendition of Walk Like an Egyptian and time never got tired of running during his recent trip to the Egyptian Pyramids.

* TM Jim G. stated that big fish are going away and all that are left are midsizes and compacts.  So hurry up and rent yours today!

* DTM Jim D. gave us the Cow Drones Industrial Average for today 34,347.43 0.00 (0.00%); which rallied 300 points on cool CPI inflation Data.  It's all about infrastructure. Just sayin'....

In the area of prepared speeches...

* TM Chris awed us with the new TMI Yoodli (him/her) which, among other things, is the new woke  Ah Counter.  Today's human Ah Counter, TM Emmanuel, vehemently rejected this artificially intelligent competitor.

* Guest speaker, International Contest Semi-Finalist, Kiwi TM Giyora delighted us with his family's 25andMe Worrier Warrior Genealogical Chart and in the last 25 seconds urged us to Just Say No To Worry and Just Be Happy, for Pete's sake! It's just that simple.   He Won Best Speaker Award.

And then we proceeded to an unprecedented and outlandish duel of DTM dual Evaluations...

* DTM Jim D. advised TM Chris to avoid the extra and focus on the random.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Giyora for staying up past his bedtime to polish his multigenerational warrior worrier public speaking skills and find out where exactly the Bahamas are located.  

The Word of the Day was

OUTLANDISH, adjective

Strikingly strange or unusual

Claims or rumors beyond reasonable limits or bounds.

Example:  Eating spaghetti with pineapple sauce while riding as a passenger in a golf cart in downtown Manhattan is rather outlandish, would you say?

Dates to Remember:

August 10 - Our District Director, Lois M. and our Guest today, TM Giyora, will speak at our club.  Make sure to be here!

August 15 - 19 - Hybrid contest in Bahamas.  

The link to the recording will be available under separate cover, as the old saying went.

See you next week!

Ana I.

Outlandish Recap Writer

Dual choices, Humorous Paths and Tell-As-You-Go Humor, a flibbergibbit morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT:  EarlyBirds is President's Distinguished Club!  Thanks to everyone for your participation in achieving this goal and to soon-to-be-inducted TM Ricardo for becoming our 20th member.

Remember to auto pay before July 31 for $45, instead of $60 after August 1. Instructions will follow.

TM BeckyJo propelled us into a world of vehement dualities.  We discovered that...

* TM Emmanuel, my kindred soul regarding animals, respectfully acknowledges other people's therapeutic need for pets, but he keeps his distance, thank you very much.

* TM Chris prefers live theater but needs close captioning to even understand the title of the play.

* DTM Jim D. asserts that salad indicates that food is coming, so definitely steak for him and let kale go to hale.

* I, Ana, impersonated Nancy Tunatra Boots in a moment of flibbergibbetry.  I Won Best TAble Topics Award.

* TM Jim G. uses planes, trains, automobiles, camels, RVs, elephants as his common means of transportation... to go grocery shopping.

* TM Aleta uses gonna instead of going to because she's close to the border of West Virginia, so she's legally exempt from correct grammar.

* TM Randolph is stage managing a comedic murder mystery with his kids, unbeknownst to them.  Insanity is hereditary - we get it from our kids.

As far as prepared speeches...

* TM Pam used tried and tested parenting skills - which we all share- of doing as I say, not as I do, and emphasized that listening to your evaluators will teach you how to get the chicken to reach Level 5 of Pathways.

* TM Chris impromptued a couple of mini speeches about men and women tackling raging forest fires.  Vive la Difference!  Alexa is now formally the family's adopted French daughter.  Vive l' Intelligence Artificiele!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding evaluations...

* TM Jose praised TM Pam for her hand gestures and suggested that she find another humorous chicken to be framed within the square.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Tom lauded TM Chris's continued home runs and quarterback short pass, long pass, through pass and back to hitting it out of the park.

The Word of the Day was

FLIBBERGIBBIT, noun

A frivolous, flighty or excessively talkative (onomatopoeic) person.

There were lots of flibbergibbits in The Throes of the Volcano.  

There is no link to the meeting recording.  Today, let's practice self-service by logging in to the blog.

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

June, Flying on Asphalt and Barging on a French River - everything but an obscure morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie led us with Table Topics about Juno, the goddess of marriage and childbirth. Fun Fact: Juno Beach, FL becomes a weekend destination for many couples in distress and at least they get a nice tan.

* TM Paolo's first born bambina has just turned 13 and the fun is just about to start! Ma preparati....

* TM BeckyJo's pearl of wisdom is to keep it simple and not complicate things. You want to live a long life?  Just don't die...As simple as that.

* I, Ana, pray for patience to say something nice to one particular person who shall remain in obscurity for the purposes of this dialogue.

* TM Pam is considering putting a lingerie bag to wash her cat in the washing machine.  She would use the 'gentle' cycle, though, cat lover that she is...

* TM Aleta met her best friend over healthy fried chicken and waffles just prior to a serene and peaceful yoga class.

* DTM Jim D. loooves coffee almond mocha ice cream and limits himself to a conservative 1/2 gallon a day.

* TM Jim D's footloose and fancyfree attitude has propelled him to make most major life decisions by flipping a coin and ending up in Moscow... Idaho.

* DTM Mary Helen stated that effective communication stems from being genuine, such as the orphan kid from America's Got Talent who had the judges in tears. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

Along came the prepared speeches, both of which plunged into timeless disqualified obscurity...

* TM Jose gave us vertigo by taking us on a virtual ride on an Aston Martin Formula 1 KERS with carbon fiber, traction control and great camaraderie with the Red Bull team at 300 miles per hour.

* TM Chris taught us how to roll French "R"s by holding a #2 lead pencil in our mouth and pursing our lips just so while eating lots of mustard on baguette and plenty of vin in Dijon prior to boarding the barge at the ecluse.  Merci.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Paolo praised TM Jose's good pace, excellent pitch and broke his own tradition by lauding his use of headsets.  Formula I virtual background a must for the next speech!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Mary Helen gave TM Chris an "A" for her ability to sing Sur Le Pont D'Avignon l'on y danse, l'on y danse, sur le pont d'Avignon, l'on y danse tous en rond while eating fromage in front of the Mona Lisa (Gioconda for TM Paolo).

-The KERS Hybrid Brunch at the Gulds' on June 17 has been postponed till further notice. due to a TMI Learning Institute taking place that same day.  Hold the mimosas!

-Next week, June 8, we will hold officer elections at our meeting.  As DTM Kip used to say:  "Vote early and vote often!" (Just like in our political elections).

-TM Aleta justified and attributed her abundant double clutches today to her double vision. Ahem....

The Word of the Day was

OBSCURE, adj.

Not discovered or known about; uncertain

OBSCURE, verb

Keep from being seen, conceal

Example:  The Dark Ages must have certainly been obscure.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/Y2faQ6vyrdk

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer Extraobscure

Random topics, Youth and IPhones and SCUBA - manifest morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Jim D made us manifest our true feelings about random topics.  We soon learned that...

*   TM Emmanuel's Dad is his model and reference and allows him to blatantly ignore Ancestry and its maze of connecting dots.

*   TM Pam does not want to impose her historical beliefs on produce and finally figured out that a carrot is nothing other than a loquacious speaker!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo once practiced vehicular airlifting to pickup a distracted friend's airline ticket in time to get the friend on the flight, once and for all time!

* TM Aleta admits that pigs have good lung capacity to oinc and she tried to put lipstick on a pig - her ex husband(s) but you know how that ended.

* TM Tom accepts little white lies if he's the little white liar but condemns them if he is the one being little white lied to.  

* I, Ana, would put Sixties Top 40s hits as a ringtone on my phone if only I had the manifest capacity to be techie savvy.

* TM Randolph thinks Fort Lauderdale is the ultimate tourist attraction and alas! a Gazillion Manifest Spring Breakers heard him.  As I see them chugging beer, I ask myself why should I pay for their student loans - do you ask yourself that question too????

Along came the prepared speeches...  We had a special treat today with a Guest Speaker all the way from Italy...

* TM Marilena delighted us with the eternal manifest dilemma of parents worldwide - succumbing to pressure from adolescent kids or accepting that insanity is hereditary: we get it from our kids.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Chris told us about flying, floating, meditating, exploring new worlds and seeing elephant fish in tutus, weightless and stressless.

And then came the evaluations...

* TM Tom praised TM Marilena for starting with a question, the call to action and the fact that alone we are a drop but together we are an ocean.  Overwhelmed parents of the world, unite!!

* TM BeckyJo enjoyed TM Chris for her masterful skill, her engaging style and her expertise with visual aids.   Long live Nemo!!  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

MANIFEST, adj or verb

adj - clear or obvious to the eye or mind

verb - display or show by one's acts or appearance

Example:  It's not always manifest whether manifest is an adjective or a verb.  It's simply manifest!

Manifestly submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Remarkable phrases, a drifter fish and artificial speechwriting - all in a day's work at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

First-time Topic Master Paula adroitly gave us plenty of food for thought.  We were to discover that...

* TM Aleta indeed chose to let it go after removing the me from blame which left her with only bla bla bla and then building a life beyond her wildest imagination!

* TM Chris misses RV travel where she exercised her superpower - doing nothing without having to exert herself as air travel forces her to do.

* TM Paolo made the best decision by joining EarlyBirds two years ago because he loves it loves it loves.  Ti voglio bene! E amore!

*TM Tom dazzled us with his je veux etre habile dans ma tache avec la commission municipale alons enfants de la patrie le jour de gloire est arrive.

* TM BeckyJo's funny duckling streak was inherited from her odd duck mother and partly circumstantial - breaking her patella while unadroitly training the house cleaner.

* I, Ana, spent my whole senior day yesterday unsmiling and trying to get senior verification with a Malaysia-located non-English speaking call center verification team member of a certain telephone service provider.  I Won Best Table Topics Award for most confusing Table Topic.

* TM Emmanuel got such a long topic that he could not tell the beginning from the end and had to refer us to his earlier invocation about love.

And then came prepared speeches...

* Our guest speaker, TM Joshua, told a tale about a fishspeaking kayaker and his maladjusted friend fish who got eaten up by jonathan livingston seagull and had an awakening about acceptance of life on the reef.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Chris's artificial intelligence-created speech took us on a 46-hour journey to the most pristine diving on Planet Earth and we all now invoke our superpower of doing nothing from sheer teletransport exhaustion.

As far as evaluations go....

* TM Jim G. praised TM Josh for his good command of fish language.  Jim adroitly lobbied for votes and...you guessed it.    He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Tom was surprised, like the rest of us, at the sudden twist of events and finding out that a certain Chat GPT wrote TM Chris's speech!

General Evaluator TM Paolo - inveterate  and professional maniaco de la moda - adroitly counseled  TM Joshua to sexily slightly open the top buttons of his camicia for the contest and... he's got it made!  As effective as lobbying for votes.

The Word of the Day was

ADROIT, adj.

Clever or skillful in using the hands or mind; having or showing skill and cleverness in handling situations.

Example:  Our collective goal as US citizens is to adroitly avoid paying taxes through the roof while simultaneously adroitly avoiding legal consequences for our adroitivity.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXCAg0IlIVQ

See you next week!

Ana

Adroit Recap Writer

Next Best Thing After Chat GPT