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

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

Word Ruses, PR for a Better Life and 37 Strangers - a great morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta baited and rused us with unusual words.  We learned that...

* TM Gail is convinced that Barbie has strong core muscles of the rippled variety strictly because she overdoses on pink outfits.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Chris practices circular fashion by dancing the hula hoop while wearing bell bottoms.

* TM Randolph doesn't like greedflation which presents  the ruse of lower prices by smaller packaging and diminished product contents.  

* TM Roslyn explained that skiplagging is, for example, flying from New York to Cayman Islands by first stopping in Fresno, California.  All for a cheaper fare!

* TM Jim G. meditates in his bathtub with music, which makes life worth living, and induces him into a soundbath trance.

* TM Beckyjo stated that prebiotic is when AI converts her salt mill into a cat and furthermore,  prebiotic leads to neurotic - and that's all, folks!

We had one prepared speech today...

* TM Marie gracefully overcame technicalities and  informed us that she is hype-saturated and no longer seeks shadow comfort in hollow echo chambers.

* By video we watched TM Luisa, winner of the 2024 international speech contest, who revealed that her 6-minute death episode provided the best sleep she's had in hears.  Forget Ambien!

Regarding our evaluation...

* Third time evaluator TM Gail found TM Marie's speech exemplary, exemplary and lastly, exemplary.  Gail will personally implement a morning thanksgiving exam.  

We had round robin feedback.about the International champion speaker:

* TM Gail liked learning that St. Peter has an IPad.

* TM Aleta pointed out that the final speech was very different than the original one.  She demands a recount! 

* TM Randolph likes humor to be interjected with tragedy.  He likes to laugh and cry at the same time.

* I, TM Ana, played Skeptic Sally.  Was the wheelchair a prop?  Can speakers tell their tales of personal tragedy and be on a level playing field with other speakers?  More will be revealed (maybe).

The Word of the Day was

RUSE (pronounced ROOZ) noun

Action intended to deceive

Example:  New couples are on best behavior as a ruse to seduce...

Due to other techniculties, the link to the recording will be sent out later on today.  Be on alert!  It's not a ruse!

See you next week,

Ana Illsen

Recap Writer

Weather music, Sparkles, Righting Writing and Yuletide Hero - a sanguine morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie did a thoughtful invocation based on yogi tea bags. 

DTM Mary Helen - before ziplining across the Honduran Mexican border-  led us in weather-related musical topics.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Marie can no longer howl at the full moon from her back yard because it's blocked by all the newly-erected tall buildings.  She now howls from her front sidewalk.

* TM Pam's back yard is suffering from a sprinkler crisis, hoses, tubes and craziness - and it's being paved with $5 bills.

* Guest Barry avoids the perfect storm by staying in the sun which puts a smile on his face while he oversees 15 miles of Prague from his very own balcony.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Chris has seen fire and has seen rain, and the sunny days that she though would never end, and she firmly believes that rain is the stuff of life.

* TM Jose lives in Javea, Spain - aka Drought City - and prays nightly for rainfall between 11 pm and 6 am so he can go boating with straight sunshine from 11 am to 5 pm every day.  Listen up, God of Rain!

Along came three prepared speeches...

* TM Terri took us on an enchanted outing in the Enchanted Island where she became a bioluminescent fairy who struggled to get back on the kayak - all in the name of son-bonding.

* TM Tom shared that he transfers his myopic mind's sorrows onto a piece of paper with Palmer-style cursive.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* Guest Speaker TM Dana taught us how to diffuse a Yuletide Family Feud by becoming a Yuletide Superhero, while competing with National Lampoon's Christmas decorations.

As far as evaluations....

* TM Pam asked TM Terri to consider dumping the powerpoint and concentrating on avoiding aquatic creatures in dark waters, no matter how much they sparkle.

* TM Chris applauded TM Tom for being proof positive that cursive handwriting once existed and oxblood red ink is cathartic to get rid of emotional baggage.

* TM BeckyJo praised TM Dana's capacity to navigate that most difficult family conflict which centers around creating a Winter Wonderland in the middle of the Oklahoma desert.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

SANGUINE, adj.

Optimistic or positive in an apparently bad situation.

Example:

True Confessions:  TM BeckyJo did declare that she is sanguine AND choleric, meaning she doesn't know where she's going but she's definitely inflexible about it.

Here's the link to the recording:

Link to the recording https://youtube.com/live/z9opXzU06ng

See you next week!

Sanguinely submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Writer. .

This and That, Cats & Dogs, What's Going On In the District? A nuanced meeting at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

TM Aleta started us off with an inspirational invocation from Charles Swindall titled "Attitude", which set a beautiful mood for the meeting.

 

I, Ana, led us in Table Topics regarding "This and That"...  We soon learned that...

* TM Ricardo is a fearless daredevil whose next adventures will include climbing a mountain, swimming across the Mediterranean from Denia to Ibiza - all in one week!

* DTM Christine is finally discarding her 1970s granny dresses and settling for hot pants and fluorescent eyeshadow!

* TM Jose is a music legend in his own mind and enlisted EArlyBird members to be his groupies at his home music studio playing the Top Forty Hits. He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Aleta, whose motto is "If It's To Be, It's Up To Thee", states that her favorite old-time saying is "Right on, Brother"

* TM Emmanuel does not remember the strangest dream he ever had but he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was indeed strange.

* Guest Miki finds that Japan's national motto needs to be "Smile - It won't kill you" because her compatriots are annoyingly serious and suspicious of those who smile, like Miki!  The Imperial Royal Family has been notified of her campaign instructions.

* TM Jim has no guilty pleasures, just a lot of pleasures that are not guilty - no nuances there!

We had 2 fantabulous guest speakers today:

*TM Giyora taught us that countries may be enemies, governments may be hostile to each other, but individuals are much the same and can co-exist peacefully, much like cats and dogs - sometimes.   Good luck in the contest!  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Lois, our District Director, told us about our District and where do we belong.  She inspired us to lead and introduced us to the Bahamas Convention Contest Master, a happy loggerhead turtle swimming in her virtual background. She Won Best Speaker Award, too!

And then came evaluations...

* TM Tom absolutely loved TM Giyora's universal message of brotherhood among cats and dogs and is suggesting an Urban Outfitters casual top for the contest.

* TM Marie thinks DTM Lois needs to go into the construction business and make grand experiments with test balloons.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

NUANCE, noun or verb

A subtle difference of shade or meaning

Give nuance to...

The effect of a word is nuanced by the tone of voice.

DTM Lois commended EarlyBirds for having won President's Distinguished Club for 59 consecutive years, and then she executed her LLL 3 (listen, learn and leave), as preparations are underway to celebrate a Hybrid 60th Club Anniversary on September 16.  Check our website for more information and to sign up to participate!

Safe travels, TM Chris and Jim G., as you represent us at the Reef Convention By Proxy next week.  

Here's the link to the recording

https://youtube.com/live/cNIG_16C2eQ

See you next Thursday!

Ana I.

Nuanced (methinks) 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

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