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

Palantine's, Remix Part II, The Next Chapter - a gallant morning in EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We officially inducted our newest member, TM Cory, into our Club.  Welcome!

TM Gail started us off with Palantine's, Gallantine's and Love Your Pet Day topics..  We were about to discover that ..

* DTM Mary Helen's palantines are her Argentine friend and our loyal (absentee) member Ellie - they all share good times together, on Palantine's Day and any day, for that matter.

* I, Ana, reminisced about a memorable Valentine's Day on the eve of my middle daughter's wedding in Miami, surrounded by transatlantic and multistate friends from various stages of life.  And, after the wedding.... the marriage began!! (They are still married today).

* TM Cory and his partner will go to a new restaurant and celebrate with many surprises - balloons, candy and lots of online purchases.  TM Gail and several other Club members have signed up to be his Valentines too.

* TM BeckyJo has an ungrateful cat who only comes to her for food - lavishes all other feline endearments to BeckyJo's roommate.  Such is life, even on Love Your Ungrateful Pet Day!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

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

* TM Aleta regaled us with her Music Remix - Take 2 - an improved musicalized crescendo of her life and adventures.  She, too, did it her way!

* TM Jim summarized his and TM Chris' life in various chapters and described the new world marine adventure upon which they are embarking.  Then he had a vibrant Q&A session and told us about digitizing memories to addressing potential health concerns to handling temporary visitors to the cost of room and board.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM BeckyJo praised TM Aleta for heeding the evaluator's feedback and enhancing her musical lifestory.  Put Nowhere Man in Penny Lane and there's your New Kid in Town....

* DTM Mary Helen was thoroughly impressed (as were the rest of us) with TM Jim G's visual aid mastery, seamlessly transporting us from their RV to the high seas on the good ship lollipop.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

GALLANT, adj.

Courageous, brave

Polite and respectful to women

Example:  Women are flattered by gallant men.

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycv6hPoV6bc

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Christmas Topics, "Tis The Season and The Night Before Christmas - a sparkling azzure morning at Early Birds!



Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta dazzled us with Christmas topics.  Who knew that...

* TM Chris is feeling Christmas more than ever trimming Christmas trees on a residential cruise currently in Paname.

* TM Terri's best thing that happened since last Christmas is the recovery of her sons which is truly miraculous.

* TM Jose has given back incorrect change in his favor to skeptical cashiers and received a random act of kindness that has led him to a much more geographically desirable ophthalmologist.

* TM BeckyJo (hereinafter to be known as BeckyJoy) aspires to learn to unmute and being on time to Toastmasters, and experienced the first miracle last night when she was 3 minutes early to pick up friends to attend the Days' Christmas Bash.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Mary Helen's favorite way to serve others in Christmas is to do the polls in EarlyBirds and to say errs and ummms with reckless abandon.

* TM Gail ranks #1 in the Geeks' Fan Club and is determined to create a Geeks on Tour International Holiday when dense members can finally learn to find their own photos, for Pete's sake.

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Marie recounted when John The Baptists, who lived off locusts and honey in 1 B.C. (Before Christmas) baptized people in the Jordan River and told them to Repent, nowadays a philosophy of "want what you have rather than getting what you want" or as Steven Stills  put it "Love the one you're with"... She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jim G. lived up to our annual tradition with a rendition of "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore, outfitted with a Panamanian Santa Claus jacket and displaying a prodigious memory.

Regarding the evaluations...

* TM Gail praised TM Marie for reminding us what the Season is really all about and her examplary use of vocal variety, eye contact and not wasting precious time.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM BeckyJoy loved TM Jim G's adherence to tradition and challenged him to channel the characters, list the raindeer with more gusto and for Saint Nicholas' sake, wear a hat!

The Word of the Day was

AZZURE, noun, verb, adjective - multifaceted word all right

Example:  In October 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean azzure.

The link to the recording will be sent separately.

Merry Christmas to all

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

Festive topics, Ships Ahoy and Herding Cats - a benevolent morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie launched us off with festive single or two-worded topics.

We soon discovered that....

* TM Roslyn likes people to experience joy and have a good time so she displays benevolence and hospitality all year round - but it can be somewhat taxing. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam explained that Columbus set the example for confusion and we are also confused when determining East from West and limiting Native Americans to one single stereotype when there's variety a-plenty

* I, Ana, had my mouth watering at the thought of all the food that is headed in my direction with all the festivities coming ahead - but hey, festivities are not a requirement.

* TM Terri has had a year of miracles in that she and her loved ones have shed several addictions, including overeating in front of guests and she has a lot for which to be thankful.

* TM Paolo's family is in transition mode back to the USA and they will miss the widespread festivities held with extended family in the home country but will make benevolence prevail. 

First-time Toastmaster of the Day Gail effectively and smoothly introduced us to the prepared speeches.  Good job Gail!

* TM Jim G. had us daydreaming of embarking on a residential cruise of undetermined duration and displayed nautical backgrounds and comparative charts to whet our appetities.  Good job!

* TM Aleta is undertaking domestication of her cat condo as she is a benevolent -albeit involuntary- condo commando of the feral HOA.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

After a bit of benevolent confusion, we came to our trusted evaluations...

* TM Pam has last been seen booking her tickets on a residential cruise ship to sail away in the voyage "Around the World in Undetermined Days" and praised TM Jim G.'s chart prowess.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Paolo praised TM Aleta's vocal variety when meaowing and body gestures when mimicking felines as she effectively used Toastmaster tools to describe her colony of ninjas with whiskers.

The Word of the Day was

BENEVOLENCE, noun

A disposition to do good

Synonyms:  kindness, decency

Example:  The Police Benevolent Association will benevolently send you a car sticker when you use benevolence to make a donation to their union.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

* There will be no meeting next week due to Thanksgiving.  Gobble, gobble!

* Table Topics Group Contest:  December 5

* Evaluations Group Contest:   December 12

* International Speech Group Contest:  January 9, 2025

Contest Master  Marie R.

Chief Judge: Pam S.

Timer:  Jim D.

Polls:  Pam S.

Here is the link to today's recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxgIIFRc57c

See you on December 5th!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

4th of July, 4th of July and Leadership - an interdependent Independence morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Jose led us with a propos 4th of July table topics.  We found out that...

* TM Chris celebrates the day with double fireworks as it is also her wedding anniversary.

* TM Terri's favorite food for the day are low-sodium hotdogs with sauerkraut, no salt added chips and diet soda.  Yummm

* TM Manny prefers a beach picnic to reminisce about the sea salt processing from his birthplace but now enjoys backyard barbeque to avoid the invasion of sharks.

* DTM Jim D. recognizes the depth of the celebration and prefers to repair than to discard, mostly his appliances.

* TM Ricardo admitted he's a pyromaniac since childhood and almost blew his fingers off with homemade explosives as his family keenly watched.

* Guest Jason's choice city for a 4th of July celebration is his native Chicago, where food is top notch and freedom is of paramount importance.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

Regarding prepared speeches...

* TM Jim G. delighted us with a humorous tale of how we fired King George III in 1776, wrote the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, invented the light bulb, the telephone, the internet (Al Gore), blue jeans, basketball, baseball and adore "no hitters". Go America!!! He Won Best Speaker Award.

*  TM Aleta told us about efficient leaders, who wear a cape and hand out gold stars and are charismatic - not bureaucratic- superheros.

As far as evaluations go...

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Jim G. for his amazingly patriotic, chock-full of details speech and his musical rendition which earned him an A+ in her scorebook.

* TM BeckyJo encouraged TM Aleta to bring back her speech, edit it, film it, add humor to it and try contact lenses to avoid the glare.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

INTERDEPENDENCE, noun

The dependence of two or more people or things on each other.

Example:  Melodie Beatty is working on her new book "Interdependence outsmarts codependence".  Soon available for purchase!

The link to today's recording is:

https://youtu.be/UHPtIdlVcBQ

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Visuals, Humor and Zoom Faux Pas: an accentuated morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Jarrett was formally inducted into our Club - and immediately voluntold to evaluate one of our speakers.  Not a moment to waste.  Welcome TM Jarrett!

TM Chris accentuated that a picture is worth a thousand words and we soon learned that...

* TM Tom likes Hawaiian pink frangipani (plumeria to horticulturalists) but his all-time favorite hereditary inclination are orchids, bar none (daytime drinking not accentuated).

* I, Ana, can't for the life of me tell the difference between an unpink flamingo, a gray swan and a anhinga (known to Floridians as a snake bird) waiting to wade in propane gas heated waters.

* TM Jarrett is highly allergic to cats who eat almonds but enjoys seeing funny memes of felines climbing on oak trees.

* TM Paolo lives in the heel of the Italian boot so he's closer to Fort Lauderdale, the Venice of America, than to Venice, the Fort Lauderdale of Italy.  He Won Best Table Topics Award..

* TM Ellie is a devoted fan of  Ken - of Ken and Barbie - after seeing Ryan Gosling at the academy awards.

* TM Gail is advertising TM Chris and TM Jim's photoshopping classes which focus on realistic appendages.  She urges the Princess of Wales to sign up for their course.

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Ricardo shared the gross medieval origin of humor stemming from black cholera and bubonic plague fluids and then had us in stitches - no medical analogy- with jokes from hither and thither.

* TM Jim G. accentuated jokes and zoom faux pas from the days when the most overused expressions were  "Can you hear me?" and "You're muted!" (even when you weren't and we could hear the unhearable).  He Won Best Speaker Award.

We had two fabulous evaluations...

* TM Jose praised TM Ricardo's international joke repertoire and suggested he lower his eyeglasses to the tip of his nose to avoid camera glare and adopt a more academic jokemaster image.  

* TM Jarrett accentuated TM Jim's gestures and suggested he take off his wedding ring to avoid sending secret signals to his other half, which she ignores anyway.   He Won Best Evaluator Award.

.The Word of the Day was

ACCENTUATE, verb

Make more noticeable or prominent

Focus attention on

Bring, call, draw attention to

Example: Ecologic dishwashing liquids accentuate the need to thoroughly pre-rinse dishware and glassware while you sing

You got to accentuate the positive

Eliminate the negative

And latch on to the affirmative

Don't mess with Mr. In-Between....

(Sung to the tune of Bing Crosby's 1945 hit)

Accentuate the Positive!

The link to the recording is below

https://www.youtube.com/live/CSFkL7QJcco?si=7rq1sbFrHIRNp13P

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Accentuator

Black History Month Quotes, Corporate Secrecy and AI - an audacious morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie launched us off with some thought-provoking topics by or about blacks.

We discovered that...

* TM Terri is grateful that as a 6-year-old she was sent alone to the US from her native Cuba because it made her the audacious person that she is today.  She's proud to be an American, where at least she knows she's free (sung to the tune of "God Bless America")

* TM Jose reminded us that character equals to face adversity and overcome fear, a shining example being the US military ground troops. He's proud to be an American, where at least he knows he's free (sung to the tune of "God Bless America").   He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM The Tom knew of baseball legend Jackie Robinson who had to face racial discrimination with a great display of character.

* Guest Jarrett wants to live a poetic life and is following the dreams set forth by renowned poet Kahlil Gibran.

* I, Ana, was a chronic complainer but, unlike my late mother-in-law, I was able to find enough music in musicals.

* TM Chris found that humanity is everywhere - the uppity French were kind to her on 9/11 and urged Jim and her to brush up on their French by reading Le Monde, parbleu!

* TM Aleta looks back at her achievements and is able to overcome her fleeting moments of feeling inept and irrelevant.

* TM BeckyJo remarked that words are powerful- they can create or they can destroy.  MLK Jr. chose love and was audaciously inspirational!  And she has officially notified us that she will use AI for her next Table Topic reply.

Along came "The Dueling Jims" with their prepared speeches...

* DTM Jim D. revealed the mystery behind Liggett Corp in NC and Moscow, hidden behind attorney-client privilege, which was broken by Ben, the Marlboro Man, and whereby bodyguards were offered and declined while the ugly truth was revealed.  Now half the planet is strictly on doobies.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jim G. prefers Artificial Intelligence over Natural Stupidity to prepare Toastmaster speeches.  By golly, you can write your speech while you idly wait to get your tooth extracted at the dentist.  

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Pam reconfirmed to herself that money buys silence and praised DTM Jim D. for revealing the dirty secrets of corporate America and encouraged him to channel TM Paolo - wild hand gestures, use of graphics, extremely Italian vocal variety.  .

* TM Paolo lauded TM Jim G. for an educational speech and asked him PER FAVORE not to start the speech by announcing the speech since the Toastmaster already did that.  And, conclude the speech with THUNDER.  GRAZIE GENTILMENTE.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

AUDACIOUS, adj.

confident, daring, bold and surprising

Example:  It's pretty audacious for a modern-day politician to pretend they're very honest and transparent.  Puaffff!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/KqFAZiO3TXg

See you next week!

Ana I.

Audacious Recap Writer

Profound revelations, Ephemeral Life and A Visit from St Nicholas - an elaborate morning at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Returning TM Paula led us with elaborate but not shallow, frivolous Table Topics.  We slowly discovered that...

Alonso del Rio, Andean medicine music man, inhaled a lot of funny things while elaborating theories for Table Topic use, such as Pachamama and Pachakamaq, spirit and matter, the invisible path and absolute and relative unity.  Get it, people???  Alll joking aside, Paula did a great job at Table Topics and stirred our brains into motion.

* TM Chris listens to her mind so as to avoid wrecking her body, dreams of running without a bum knee.

* TM Jose has transcended from material cares to spiritual cares but mostly has become a paella foodie.

* TM Emmanuel (Manny) firmly states that habits are the great teachers of the heart so he's elaborating new habits for 2024.

* TM Aleta has enrolled in Psychotherapy to discern why They Call the Wind Mariah. The wind - both beautiful and whistling with destruction in its path.

* TM Jim G. reminisced of old days when he heard My Peace I Give You, My Peace I Take From You in the House of the Rising Sun.

* I, Ana, am still trying to elaborate who I was, who I am, who I will be, when I will find that last object I lost and be able to improve my daily puzzle ..ment.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

The last one was Wisdom Costs Flesh and Heart but we were ... saved by the bell!  Pfiiuuuu.....!  

As far as prepared speeches go...

* TM Ricardo reminded us of the ephemeral quality of life when flying around in a home-made motorized lawn chair and a striped awning.  Thank God he's now improved the ultralight trike by using a sturdier beach chair and a polkadot awning.

* TM Jim G. gave us his annual rendition of A Visit from St. Nicholas, of questionable authorship but with Jim G. copyrighted superb, timeless multifaceted backdrops.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

And then came the awaited evaluations....

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Ricardo for speech technique experimentation and for surprising the audience with exciting adventures.  She can only anticipate the next speech will be Snow Skiing Ahead of an Avalanche in Kilimanjaro".  We can't wait!

* TM Terri appreciated TM Jim G. (aka St Nick) for his enthusiasm, his baritone voice and for bringing a timeless poem to life in front of our very eyes.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

ELABORATE, verb or adjective

Verb:  to develop or present an idea in detail.  Example:  She planned an elaborate wedding celebration and now is planning an elaborate divorce commemoration.   

Adjective:  involving many carefully arranged parts or details.  Example:  The elaborate Edible Arrangement was devoured in an instant.

Below is the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8m9hVWgbOs

Merry Christmas!  Feliz Navidad!  Joyeux Noel!  Buon Natale! S Rozhdestvom! (for our missing Russian guests)

See you next week!

Ana I.

Elaborate Recap Writer (methinks)

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

A benevolent morning at Earlybirds

Dear members,

We are all wishing both Ana Illsen and Terry Montealegre speedy recoveries from their respective surgeries. We had several vacancies this morning, but with a large dose of benevolence and a few cloned members, here's how it went ... please be benevolent when I butcher this as I try to channel Ana's humor - Chris

We welcomed Carmine Tuozzo from Corpus Christi to our meeting, but he had the good sense to leave before we called on him for Table Topics. Good to see you Carmine - come back any time! Also joining us as a guest/past member was Terry Scheckwitz. We promised to keep them on the maillist in hopes of seeing them again.

In a newly minted segment called "An Educational Minute" TM Chris vowed to help us all navigat pathways and she succeeded in making her point (over many minutes) that it is confusing by getting totally lost.

Then TM Chris led us in Table Topics continuing on the theme of the 60s. We learned that

• TM Aleta listened to Creedence Clearwater Revival whenever she needed to find the bathroom - she won best Table Topics
• TM Randolph had to make up stuff about the British Invasion and the war of the bands
• TM BeckyJo remembers exactly where she was when Kennedy was shot. 
• TM Tom Quinn also remembers exactly where BeckyJo was when Kennedy was shot
• TM Terry Sheckwitz saw with her own eyes when a man walked on the moon, contrary to those that think it was a video created by Artificial Intelligence

Then came the prepared speeches:

• TM Marie Rock crawled her way out of the covid era to teach us how to crawl into our own silent space to counteract the noise all around us
• TM Jim Guld showed us how to tame an unruly audience as he showed us how Toastmasters taught Lionel Messi to be a leader. He won Best Speaker

For Evaluations

• TM Chris thought Marie was being very brave to stand up for the camera after crawling to get there. She won Best Evaluator
• TM Randolph wanted to see Jim's face as he slayed the unruly mob while giving a serious speech.

Here's the link to the YouTube recording. 

See you next week,

Chris Guld - acting recap writer

Forest Gump Quotes, TM Hierarchy and Round Robin - a loquacious morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Randolph got our minds working with memorable Forest Gump quotes.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Aleta had a profound revelation that only we can determine what our destiny is, forget the chocolates and unsolicited parental advice.

* TM Chris thoroughly enjoyed Bubba Gump Shrimp where stupid is as stupid does and where eating speaks louder than yapping.

* I, Ana, am in the eternal dilemma of which chocolate to daintily pick when in polite company rather than gobbling them all down sequentially.

* TM Pam realizes that hot cocoa is C-A-L-I-E-N-T-E and she doesn't want normal, she wants variety - and what's normal anyway?  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Marie strives to do the best with what God gave her because growing up she had a loquacious sister who took up everyone's talking space.

* TM Tom explained loquaciousness versus clarity and thinks he can explain to his grown kids in a way they definitely will not understand.

*TM Jim G. explained to us the until-now mysterious, enigmatic Toastmasters International structure in his Inaugural Address.  We found out that there are actually Grand Poobahs filling in positions at the District, Division and Area Level who in the past have visited our club without actually having been there.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Chris G. led us in a Round Robin Sequential Story, where we determined that

- Kids are irresponsible wannabe puppy owners

- They are much better off with robotic ones who are self-supporting

- Robotic puppies are rambunctious, playful furniture destroyers

- Puppy technicians learn how to build robotic semi-human puppies

- Robotic puppies are taking over the world

* TM Tom was amazed that there is actually Toastmasters life beyond the Club level and praised our President for his calm, centered, purposeful, charismatic gravitas.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

LOQUACIOUS, adj

Known to talk a lot, verbose.

We learn how to be loquacious but time-constrained in Toastmasters.

And so it was that our out-of-the-norm meeting came to an end.  We had a good time!

This is the link to the recording 

https://youtu.be/xO38p-WLcGI

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Memorable June Days, the Irish in America and Flag Day - a pliant morning at EarlyBirds!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta had us wondering about special June days.  We discovered that...

* DTM Jim D. favors banana splits with bacon so that he covers all the food groups in one fell swoop.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jim G.'s aunt was a certain Norma Jean of world notoriety who drew Jim to her bosom and he certainly liked it hot!

* TM BeckyJo played tennis in Stanley Park, Vancouver, with a cuuuuute instructor who almost created a pickle between her parents and that's how pickle ball was born.

* TM Tom wants flags to be disposed of with respect but meanwhile can't get TM Jim G.'s aunt out of his mind.

* TM Marie has filed a petition in Court to have owners of tattered flags be fined and possibly thrown in prison and taught how to preserve flags in good condition.

* DTM Mary Helen is fascinated to this day by the movie career of TM Jim G's aunt, eospecially after her movies were adapted for the small screen.

* TM Randolph thinks there's a lot in a name and all his children have been conscienciously named because names are not to be taken lightly, in case you run into trademark/copyright issues and have to become "the person formerly known as xxx"

In the prepared speeches...

* TM Tom educated us about the daring and brave Irish, Germans, Italians who built the bridges in New York and dug the Erie Canal.  We eat fruit from a tree we did not plant, for sure!  

* TM Jim G. displayed the US's manifest destiny from sea to shining sea in the progression of our flag, especially influenced by the pliancy of a certain mustached Tafty Taft.   He Won Best Speaker Award.

And then came the evaluations...

* TM BeckyJo loved TM Tom's speech and asked him to contextualize it to an often geographically-clueless audience, and to bring sensory images to word pictures, such as the waves crashing against the pilons of the Erie Canal.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Jim G. for his expert display of visual aids on the flag at a time of year when we feel patriotic and for transmitting his warmth to the audience so flawlessly.

The Word of the DAy was

PLIANT, adj.

Able to bend without breaking; flexible

Too easily influenced or controlled by other people

Example: Palm trees are famous for being pliant to hurricane strength winds - except when they land on top of the house roof!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/jqBWZ02zP8c

See you next week!

Ana I.

Temporarily voiceless Recap Writer

--

Prominent Women Quotes, Water and More Water - a fluid morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie inspired us with famous quotes by notable women.  We quickly found out that...

* TM BeckyJo is afraid of us, the rowdy, unpredictable, wild, ubiquitous EarlyBirds.  She'd much rather be burnt alive like Joan of Arc - ok, not quite.

* DTM Jim D. had a schoolteacher who was ubiquitous - both a blessing and a lesson all rolled up into one!  She trained him to, later in life, be able to serve 500 pancakes in a recordbreaking 6.5 minutes...

* TM Aleta lives her own life with great love - no small deed, indeed!

* TM Chris regrets not having found out more about her Mother's life and particularly about her Mother's jewelry.   She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Mary Helen realizes that hindsight is intelligent and still has lots of things to understand and not fear....  Hey, it is what it is....

* TM Pam loves her family very deeply and would just like to have a quick meal with Helen Keller to borrow some child rearing techniques.

* TM Paolo understands that victory is waking up, walking outside and enjoying life itself.  Things don't happen to you - they happen for you!

* I, Ana, try to display generosity toward others starting at home, although I don't always succeed.  Did Amelia Erhart wear Depends on her solo flights?  That is the real question.

* TM Randolph removed his Dad coat and became a kid while on a wild ride in Thrill Park, Orlandoland.

Regarding our prepared speeches...

* TM Tom startled us with the statistic that we humans are 60% water and soon we will be drinking canceriferous water taken right out of the underground aquifer.  Insider tip:  Buy shares of Evian... straight from the canceriferous Alps!!  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jim G. introduced us to Muck Diving, aka Goo/Sediment dead coral remnants where hairy frog fish, flamboyant cuttle fish, blue ring octopus, decorator crabs and other exotic millimetric critters abound.  Insider tip: buy shares in Nauticam Underwater camera company. 

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Paolo suggested that TM Tom center the camera angle and avoid the confusing winding road of Pathways although it was all said with great vocal variety.  He Won Best Evaluator Award. 

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Jim G. for his astuteness in telling us that the popular Muck Diving is available in Riviera Beach, Florida, which will save all of us thousands of dollars flying the unfriendly skies. .  Insider tip:  Buy shares in magnifying lens companies.

The Word of the Day was

UBIQUITOUS, adj.

Yoo-Bik-Wi-Tuhs

Existing or being everywhere, especially at the same time.  Omnipresent.

Example:  Humor is ubiquitous at EarlyBird meetings.

Here is the link to the recording:  

https://youtu.be/jR0AuBVwWq8

See you next week!

Ana

Ubiquitous Recap Writer 

Holidays, Time and Old St Nick, a meeting imbued with the festive season

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam inspired us with holiday-related quotes.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Marie's commemorates Kwanzaa with gratitude for the building of all the bridges in downtown Fort Lauderdale, aka the Venice of America.

* TM Tom gave his Mother a (Cuban?) Christmas Angel he bought in Doral Fables and she later bequeathed it back to him.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, am convinced that as they teach in Findergarten, sharing is caring.

* TM Chris has loved the stars so fondly that she has been led to frugal tentless camping in mosquito-free zones.

* DTM Mary Helen fills her tree with pictorial ornaments of all her family members because only love can overcome hate.

* TM Paolo stated that whether the night is more alive and richly colored than the day,  totally depends on the day.

* TM Val has discovered her invincible summer by asking herself, in the middle of a challenge, what is the gift here?  And then proceeding to unwrap it.

* DTM Jim D., raised in chilly Syrafuse, NY, always borrows money in winter, where repayment is due in spring, which in his hometown falls on a Tuesday in August.

* TM Aleta always saves Santa the trip by being naughty in winter, summer, spring and fall.  Also, since the advent of Zoom, she hasn't combed her hair in the back.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Manny Metayer reminded us not to let our potential fade in the inertia of time, which is of the presence essence.

* TM Jim G., in full regalia and intelligently assisted by Superficial Sistelligence,  had us reminisce about prior visits from St. Nick.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

We had outstanding evaluations....

* TM Paolo  praised TM Manny for his powerful low pitch, well-timed pauses and clarity.  Add Carpe Diem for more power to the speech.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Tom appreciates the timeless poem which brings joy to our hearts and who cares? Was it authored by Clement Moore, or Dr Livingston - I presume?

Soon-to-be-inducted TM Maria was a first-time timer and did a mighty fine job of timing this time.

The Word of the Day was

IMBUE, verb

To cause someone or something to be deeply affected by a feeling or to have a certain quality.

For example

Enthusiasm will always imbue an endeavor with high-level energy.

Link to the recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhhtPSBuOzU

Happy Holiday Season!!

See you next week for the last meeting of 2022.

Imbued with timeless gratitude,

Ana 

Recap Writer

Halloween, Bat Crazy and Raven Galore - an eerie meeting at EarlyBird Ghostmasters!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Offshore ever more, TM Jose launched us down eerie pathways....(pun intended).  Aghast, we soon learned that...

* TM Aleta (aka Bugsy Malone irredemption) stuffed herself with pillows and overdosed on sugar while dressed as an innocent tramp in her rural childhood.

* TM Paolo's childhood was Halloween-deprived but he had 100 times more fun than the Halloween a'plenty childhood of today's kids.  Long live tiramisu!

* TM Val depletes the candy shelves of her local stores so her tree-filled brick-facade home will not be toilet papered and egged.

* DTM Mary Helen became a candy hoarder early on in childhood and could care less about political or celebrity costume lookalikes.

* TM Tom's sugar high is provided by sexy revealing dream girl, Elvira.

* TM Emmanuel is scared of carved pumpkins, eerie costumes, skeletons, spiderwebs and candy, but Halloween's one redeeming quality is pumpkin soup.

* I, Ana, no longer decorate my home as there are no kids in my neighborhood but spent my childhood years in Havana dressed up as a zebra for Halloween.

* TM BeckyJo,  in cognito, is scared of driving in the dark.  We all ought to be scared of her driving in the dark. Her favorite costume is as an Italian dinner.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Chris revealed that her scary creature of the night is none other than her husband- and the raven that follows them everywhere in the RV.

Along came the prepared speeches and we were to learn that...

* TM Marie was hell-bent on dispeling our fears of bats, on International Bat Week.  Only .333333% of bats drink blood - but boy, are they thirsty.  They have bellybuttons and have good vision.  But they're eerily crazy for sure. She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jim G. delighted us with a rendition of Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven.  Leonore, Leonore, to the core and nothing more, except for the raven with psychedelic eyes.

Along came evaluations...

* TM Tom confessed that after hearing TM Marie's speech, his new heroes are bats, those cuddly self-grooming mammals with opposable thumbs.

* TM Paolo loved the delivery of The Raven although he asked for subtitles next time.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

TM BeckyJo evaluated the entire meeting and gave it a gold star but would not reveal where COGNITO is.  More will be revealed.

The Word of the Day was

EERIE, adj.

Strange and frightening

Example " Kid ghosts sit around campfires telling eerie human stories."

Answer to the riddle "Where do deviled eggs come from?"  is:  FROM EVIL HENS!!

Link to the recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLVzQJdo6Bg

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Ghostamzayas Writer

Yellow brick road, Volunteering and Impersonating - a graceful morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta led us in Table Topics based on the counterclassic The Lizard of Roz...

We soon learned that...

* TM Val begins with the end in mind, ends with the beginning in the middle and pauses at the halfway intersection.  It's that simple!

* I, Ana, admitted that brainless people are very talkative and that includes me!

* TM Paolo's Italian/US commute hourglass is almost empty and he's facing the fork on the road - qui o la?  He's considering the road more or less traveled....By general consensus, he is not allowed to leave EarlyBirds.

* TM Randolph would turn back if it were him, and start up if it were him as well. What to do?  Decisions, decisions....

* TM Tom thinks we must face change even when our practical hearts get broken.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Mary Helen concluded that nothing is not useful to her but something is useful to her, thus creating a grammatical labyrinth.

Along came the prepared speeches from our resident Js...

* TM Jim G. led a kayuba (kayak + scuba) team in mangrove garbage pickup and was altruistically graceful in the after eco-party.

* DTM Jim D., as a 17-year-old,  impersonated Senior Management of large company DEARS by wearing a spiffy black suit while his Senior Managers in jeans rearranged the shelves.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

We had great evaluations...

* TM Tom got hypnotized by TM Jim G.'s easy, relaxed delivery and snapped out of the trance with a dash of vocal variety pepper.

* TM Chris was impressed that DTM Jim D. turned a dress code snafu into a lifetime career of turning clothing companies around.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

Our Toastmaster of the Day, DTM Mary Helen, was the calm amidst the storm.  She gracefully thanked our outgoing officers for their outstanding service to the group:

President - TM Paolo

VP Education - DTM Kip

Sargeant-at-Arms - TM Randolph

Secretary - TM Tom

VP Public Relations - TM Chris

VP Membership - DTM Mary Helen

Treasurer - DTM Jim D.

and welcomed our new slate of officers, starting next week:

President - TM Randolph

VP Education - DTM Mary Helen

Sargeant-at-Arms - TM Marie

Secretary - TM Tom

VP Public Relations - TM Ana

VP Membership - DTM Mary Helen

Treasurer - DTM Jim D.

By unanimity, DTM Kip is our Emeritus VP of Education (Emeritus: former holder of an office, having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honor).

General Evaluator TM Pam thanked our Tech Guru, TM Jim G., for his outstanding support of the tech aspects of our meetings, providing audio visual aids and making it all seem effortless and fun.

The Word of the Day was

GRACE, noun or verb

noun:

1. simple elegance or refinement of movement.  Ex. She swam with effortless grace.

2. courteous goodwill. Ex. At least he has the grace to admit his debt to her.

verb:

do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one's presence. Ex.: She bowed out from the sport she has graced for 2 decades.

Link to the YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i3FNlP6H54

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Visuals, Mentors, Proteges and Pledge Drives - a sagacious morning at EarlyBirds!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends:

 

TM Chris started us off with pictures – which are worth 1,000 words….  We thus learned that…

 

• TM Jose likes cats that hang out to dry and used Jazmin the cat as a neckwarmer in frigid Montana in his college days.
• DTM Mary Helen was awed by the memorable rear view of Mt Rushmore:    
• TM Lois was soooo excited that the python snake (?) in the picture was not 1,000 words.  She’s happy to let science take over.
• Returning TM Jeff painfully recalled trying to learn stand up paddle boarding and looking more like a stand up comedian!
• TM Aleta called our Topic Master a stinker and gave a quick rendition of ‘dead skunk in the middle of the road’.
• TM BeckyJo reminisced about the day her father caught the Great Crustacean of the Keys and had the party to end all parties, where clothing was optional.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

 

We had fabulous prepared speeches….

 

• TM Jim G. reminded us that our first mentors and coaches are our own parents – his own Mom’s great breakfast-cooking skills are largely responsible for his happy 20-year marriage, and his Dad taught him perseverance and the ability to take the helm of any floating device – including aircraft carriers if necessary.
• TM Marie waved the flag of surrender, showed her vulnerability and asked for help, and was mentored by a wonderful woman who will be laid to rest this coming weekend, leaving an impressive legacy behind.  She Won Best Speaker Award.
• DTM Kip has some sagacious strategies to increase his congregation’s Annual Pledge Drive – the main one is to talk to people about trivialities before hitting them up for money.

 

And regarding evaluations…

 

• TM Paolo enthusiastically praised TM Jim’s verbal melody and thanked him for taking us on a harmonious melody ride, and to please consider standing up and expanding his chest for  better posture.
• TM Tom was entertained and informed by TM Marie’s speech and moved by the unexpected ending as a memorial to her beloved mentor/sponsor.
• Fundraiser TM Jeff totally feels DTM Kip’s pain and was so inspired by Kip’s new strategies that he may join the pledge without even knowing to which congregation.  The power of a speech!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

SAGACIOUS, adj.

 

Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgement.

 

Ex.:  The VP of Membership in EarlyBirds performs sagacious investigations to determine the whereabouts of meandering members.

 

Below is the link to the recording:

 

Link to recording http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flMo2qWbFwk

 

See you next week!

 

Ana I.

Sagacious Recrap Writer

Solstice, Hannukah and Mentoring - an ethereal morning of EarlyBird Toastmasters!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

TM Jim G. led us in a Solstice Invocation, which marked the way to Solstice-inspired Table Topics by TM Aleta.  We thus discovered that…

 

• TM Chris used to play midnight hopscotch growing up with her friends in Alaska, where solstice is known as an oxymoron.   She Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Paolo used to like Florida’s hot, hotter and hottest seasons but after 20 years he now likes it cold, colder, coldest – but balmy indoors. 
• DTM Kip does his level best to help the sun rise by reveling, partying, carousing and yuletiding – everywhere except in the Mediterranean, where the sun doesn’t need his help.
• I, Ana, agree that guests and fish get smelly after a few days.  This applies specifically to in-laws, and excludes my dear brother.
• TM Marie is convinced that the elf-on-the-shelf is creating a new generation of paranoid humans with delusion of persecution.  Her personal Santa Claus does not keep score.

 

And then came the prepared speeches…

 

• TM Lois told the story of Judah Maccabee, who led the Maccabean Revolt against the Syrians which gave birth to Hannukah, when she and her family have a Secret Maccabee Gift Exchange.  Her gifts were heartwarming this year.
• TM Jim G. delighted us with an excellent rendition of “A Visit From St Nicholas”, a tradition started by late EarlyBird TM Neil many years ago.  He Won Best Speaker Award.
• DTM Kip reminded us that in the world of speaking, laughs are gold.  Call to action:  Consider using a mentor, we don’t know how far we will go.

 

As far as evaluations…

 

• TM Paolo lauded TM Lois for her passion, enthusiasm and excitement and encouraged her to stand up for her next speech to give us a greater range of vision.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.
• TM Marie praised TM Jim G., storyteller extraordinaire, for an almost ethereal impersonation of St. Nicholas, including the hearty laugh and the twinkle in the eye.
• TM Aleta commended DTM Kip for his speech on mentoring.  Kip, mentor of mentors.  Motivational speaker par excellence…

 

The Word of the Day was:

 

ETHEREAL, adj.

Extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.

 

EarlyBirds voted to have another ethereal meeting next week, on the eve of New Year’s Eve.

 

Dates to Remember:

 

Jan 13, 2022 – Table Topics Club Contest

Jan 20, 2022 – International Speech Club Contest

 

Here’s the link to today’s recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1zCediohX8

 

Ethereally submitted,

 

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Halloween Spontaneity, Party Crashers, Ghostly Travelogue and The Raven - a ghoulish morning at EarlyBirds!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

To mark the start of a FUN Halloween meeting, tuxedoed and top-hatted Amazing TM Aleta launched us with very a propos topics.   We discovered that….

 

• TM Marie’s black cats – Puma, Suma and Sammy Miami – are very friendly and bring her good luck, although their noses and their warts protrude at night and they sleep freakingly close to the broom closet….  Just sayin….
• TM Jose plans to take flowers and clean the tomb of departed loved ones and then join millions of Madrid residents in a tumultuously horrendous traffic caravan straight to the nearest beach.  It beats picnicking in a Mexican graveyard!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM BeckyJo positively thinks stealing candy from a trick-or-treater bag is the crime of all crimes.  BeckyJo’s own mother stole candy from her bag when she was 8 years old and BeckyJo is still in therapy to this day.
• TM Chris highly doubts she will meet a vampire or a werewolf because she, Chris, turns into a pumpkin at 7 pm and dreams about the headless horse in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
• TM Jeff is declining the offer of a high salary paid by now-hiring Ghostbusters, Inc. because he’s got too much going on right now getting married and whatnot.
• TM Paolo dearly misses his young daughters’ mischievous trick-or-treating in their outgrown Halloween costumes and will be a candy-hoarding Gondoliere trick-or-treater on All Hallows’ Eve.

 

We then proceeded to prepared speeches….

 

• TM Lois donned a feather mask and, party girl extraordinaire, told us of her memorable costume party where her younger brother exercised his lifelong role as party crasher.
• I, Ana, also donned the same feather mask (Party City special) and took the group on an otherworldy magic carpet ride of weird, weirder and weirdest superstitions.
• TM Jim G. looked the part in a maddeningly horrendous 18^th century night cap and delivered his extraordinary rendition of The Raven.   He Won Best Speaker Award.

 

As far as evaluations….

 

• TM Paolo loved TM Lois’s speech and is definitely counting on being invited to her next party.  Otherwise he’ll crash it.
• DTM Kip liked my speech, word usage and my quick recovery from note-fumbling.  He seriously encourages me to buy a White House-style teleprompter (currently a Best Buy special).
• TM Marie praised TM Jim G.’s delivery of the heart-wrenching story from love to madness, avoiding Raven singsong and making good use of a hoodie.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

HORRENDOUS, adj.

Shockingly dreadful

 

Ex.: Horrendous is a catchy word – everyone used it multiple times during the meeting today.

 

Thank you, Kip, for taking on multiple roles – General Evaluator, Evaluator, Timer.  You are truly an inspiration to our group.

 

Here’s the link for the recording:

 

link https://youtu.be/wYrbSnrLDCI

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer

Humor, Humor and Zoomeranging - an indigenous morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

I, Ana I., started the morning with comedian quotes:

 

• TM Lois is impatiently trying to slow down, a surefire way to achieve fast-acting relief – much like Dalka Peltzer.
• TM Carmine concluded in no uncertain terms that Elvis Pelvis will not be remembered in 100 years – while several in the meeting reported Pelvis sightings as Carmine spoke.
• TM Jeff had a near-meltdown while pondering on the incongruity of the misnomer rush hour.
• TM Chris reflected on her Book of Morning Meditation, The Jokes of Tao, and officially agreed not to pet sweaty stuff anymore.
• TM Marie admired the inherent quality of siblinghood’s life mission – to push buttons and annoy for a lifetime.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Jose is grateful not to live in northern neighborhoods where 22 hours of darkness are spent drinking and eating salmon.  He much prefers eating tapas and drinking vino in 10 hours of light a day!
• DTM Kip compared North Carolinians, where he’s currently vacationing, to truck-driving rats.  He unequivocally stated they are indigenous to the area.

 

And then we heard prepared speeches…

 

• In a move that was clear as mud, TM Aleta divided her speech into 2 parts and went rogue on the first segment.  In the second segment, she avoided giving a sermonette, although she did quote humorous scripture which raised the endorphin levels of the crowd.
• TM Jim described the initially somewhat bumpy road from Denise’s to Zoomland and takes full credit for how we Early Birds have Zoomeranged.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

 

Lastly came the evaluations…

 

• TM Tom praised TM Aleta’s vitality, enthusiasm, engaging talents,  great sense of humor and was recently spotted signing up for Aleta’s  Unconditional Fan Club.
• DTM Kip enjoyed TM Jim’s tale, “The Saga of EarlyBird’s Person-to-Zoom Transition” and has formally applied for the movie rights.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

INDIGENOUS, adj.

 

• Living or occurring natively in a particular region or environment.
• Relating to the earliest known inhabitants of a place, and especially of a place colonized by the now dominant group.
• Opposing Cristoforo Colombo, Cristobal Colon, Christopher Columbus – who sailed west to go east,  didn’t know where he had landed, but somehow managed to get financed -twice- by a woman, known familiarly as Isa.
•  

• YouTube Recording link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXBFzHxfzxk

 

See you next week!

 

Ana I.

Recap Writer