Salsa, Salsa, Salsa, Evaluations and Labor Day - a fun contest at Early Birds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We had our Evaluations Contest today! What a huge success! 

Our Test Speaker, TM Yolanda, delighted us with a fun, upbeat speech about her passionate love affair... with SALSA!  ("The rythm is going to get you, the rythm is going to get you!) (sung to the tune of Gloria Estefan's Rythm is Going To Get You... 

She followed her friend's father's wise adage "If you don't swing the bat, you won't hit the ball!" and she swung the bat and hit the ball all right!  Inspired by the movie "Dance with me" she began as a shy observer and progressed to Salsa Casino, Salsa Club, Salsa Congress, Salsa Competition...

By the end of her speech, we all wanted to sign up for Salsa lessons.

And then came the evaluations...

* TM Pam praised TM Yolanda for the connection between love affairs and dancing.

* TM Jose was enthralled with TM Yolanda's self-assurance and her evolution from bystander to salsa expert.  He Won Third Place.

* TM Christine so related to the light hearted tone of the speech and TM Yolanda's ebullient nature.

* TM BeckyJo was inspired by TM Yolanda's zest for best and vows to create an EarlyBird Salsa Contest at our old Denny's.  We will fly the non-locals in.  She Won First Place

* TM David thoroughly enjoyed the essence of the speech and praised TM Yolanda for overcoming her initial insecurity with an intrepid salsa spirit.

* TM Marie admired TM Yolanda's strong start and non-glare glasses as well as her joyful disposition.  She Won Second Place.

While the votes were being tallied, we had Table Topics about the upcoming Labor Day...

* TM David firmly declared that he will wear white or any color he chooses after Labor Day.   So there!

* TM Jorge lived in South Beach for a while and did not go to any Labor Day Beach Bash parties, thank you very much!

* TM Christine is torn between a backyard barbeque and a picnic because she loves both soooo much.

* TM Yolanda has gone to the beach plenty of times but has not engaged in water sports, boating or swmming.  She prefers to watch the waves from the shore...

Reminder frrom TM Marie, our Treasurer:

Dues are due!  Please go to toastmasters.org and follow clear instructions.  Thank you!

Next week, September 4, will be a standard Early Birds meeting.  The Humorous Speech Contest has been pushed back until further notice.

Next week, September 4, we will have a brief business meeting right after our regular meeting to discuss items of interest.  Club Officers need to be there but everyone is welcome to stay!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/JUV4SqUHT8Q?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Musical Metaphors, Icebreaker and Cuba - then and now; a reverberating morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Randolph pushed our melomaniac (passionate, sometimes obsessive, love for music) genes.  We soon found out that...

* TM Jose is a Professor Emeritus on Led Zeppelin and The Forbidden from the University of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.    He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Christine S. is sometimes a firework, sometimes the guest who wonders if her pyromaniac friends will set their back yard ablaze to light up the night sky...

* Guest Beatriz name-dropped her park bench acquaintance with Queens native Art of  Simon & Garfunkel fame gazing at a bridge over troubled waters...

* TM BeckyJo is a complete unknown and thankful for having sowed her wild oats pre-computer and pre-iphone and pre-social media.  No proof exists!

* TM Veronica, a boombox melomaniac, obsessively played and replayed Eminem songs to memorize what turned out to be garbled lyrics.

* Guest Kristian is frankly way too young to catch a grenade for anyone, with places to visit, people to meet all while listening to Bruno Mars' s three-octave tenor vocal range.

* Guest Alissa recognizes that John Legend is indeed a R&B and Soul blender legend but certainly not in her time.   He's 48 years OLD OLD OLD...!

Along came our newest member's ICEBREAKER..

* TM Christina revealed she shares her hometown Newmarket, Canada with none other than  celebrities John Candy and Jim Carrey.  An aerospace designer by trade, she and her gourmet chef husband sailed on a yacht "From Capri to Amsterdam, Honolulu to Siam...."  She Won Best Speaker Award.  Go Christina!

Followed by a reading about Cuba:  Then and Now..

* TM Jose flawlessly read the tragic history of Cuba, the island that meant to have a political revolt to overthrow Batista's dictatorship and got cheated into a social revolution which plummeted  the island from the top of the tier to the bottom of the barrel... and counting.  Let this horror story reverberate to others ....

Along came evaluations...

* TM BeckyJo had some practical tips for TM Christina and suggested she not screenshare her points in a slide but work on using PowerPoint for future speeches.  She congratulated Christina for marrying a handsome man who cooks.  That fact alone outranks those rocketship designs... She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Mary Helen was surprised that TM Jose dispensed of his now-famous PowerPoint presentations and was glad that he read the speech in his melodious voice.

TM Veronica handled her tasks as SAA and Pollmaker seamlessly.  Good job, Veronica!

The Word of the Day was

REVERBERATE, adj

Repetition of an echo

Repeated sound

Example:  The woman's shrill laughter reverberated throughout the movie theater.

Here's the link to the recording...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvKZB80uATA

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

First liners, Core Strength and Influencers - a curated meeting of Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM BeckyJo gave us intriguing literary first liners.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Gail is living in the best of times and the worst of times but through it all we need to help and serve each other.

* DTM Mary Helen wishes her benign, frail grandmother had exploded and been a stronger role model in her life...

* TM Randolph really envisioned his imaginary twin children meeting up with dragons in the vegetable garden.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM David segued impeccably from getting the willies to living in the best of times and the worst of times.  Well done, TM David!

* TM Jorge agrees that families are not uniformly unhappy and parents are responsible for making a positive or negative impact on their kids.

* I, Ana, knew that my topic came from a bright cold day somewhere in Europe because it used the ever-confusing military time.

We had (2) outstanding prepared speeches...

* TM Jose educated us about Pilates, formerly known as contrology but too controlling of a term to prevail and reform the core of your inner sanctum.

* TM Marie talked about the fleeting fame of influencers and the lasting community of true world restoration.  She Won Best Speaker Award.  Note: Her story is from The Birthday of the World by Rachel Naomi Remen.

Along came evaluations...

* TM David praised TM Jose for his educational, masterful speech delivered in a smooth soothing voice.  TM David may heed the call to action and sign up for concentration, control and breathing.  Go Pilates!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph admitted TM Marie's speech captivated him from the start and this will be a praiseful evaluation, and he kept his word!

The Word of the Day was

CURATE, verb

To select the best or most appropriate for presentation.

Example:  It is wise to curate our clutter  when we are planning to move.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FHTN4B6m2I

See you next week!

Ana I

Curated Recap Writer

One or the other, Exotically Ordinary and The Lights Went Out, a cardinal meeting in the Early Birds' Conclave

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Gail led us with a heartfelt Mother's Day invocation, and TM Jorge brilliantly displayed the US flag for our Pledge of Allegiance.  Thank you, Jorge!

TM The Tom introduced us to Table Topics' quandaries:

* Singer or Writer? I, Ana, love both of these activities and although not a gifted singer, I choose to write while I sing when I'm not in the shower.

* Blimp or Hot Air Balloon?  TM Beckyjo loves riding in both - and has actually sailed the friendly skies on more than one occasion, enjoying the scenery below!

* Rancher or farmer?  TM Aleta faces a dilemma, but ultimately chooses to grow tomatoes over being a cattle rancher in Western Pennsylvania.

* Soggy cereal or crunchy cake?  Another dilemma for Frenchman David, forever bound to soggy cereal prepared by himself with chocolate milk while watching tv as a youngster.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Sightseeing in Africa or shopping in Milan? DTM Mary Helen will go shopping in Milan en route to a sightseeing tour of Africa.  She wants the best of both worlds.

* Raise cows or sheep?  TM Jorge chose raising sheep because he can use their fleece to make himself a jacket.

* Hang gliding or sky diving?  TM Marie says "Not today, thanks, I've got a headache".   Instead she'll  lovingly prepare a healthy oat bar for her husband's birthday.

We had a great Icebreaker today...

* TM Veronica delighted us with her topsy-turvy world of exotic vs ordinary and took us down a travelogue of various parts of the world.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

And we had a power outage reality check of a speech...

* TM Jose recounted the painful experience of having  "Lights Out!" not to the entire college dorm, but to the entire country.  Yikes!  After several near misses, he was able to emerge unscathed but alert to potential repeats.

And then came the evaluations:

* TM David enjoyed TM Veronica's speech and completely related to her trainhopping, a national passtime in France.  

* TM Pam enjoyed TM Jose's Tales of Dark Days in a Green Country and made a call to action for him to masterfully use slides as prior to today.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

CARDINAL, adjective

Of prime importance, principal

Example:  It is  cardinal that the sequestered Cardinals elect the next Pope while there's still wood to be burned in the Conclave.

The link to today's recording is here:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

VP Education

March topics, Thailand-Part II and a Loving Tribute - a mesmeric EarlyBirds meeting

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM The Tom moved us with a very loving invocation inspired on our late DTM Jim D.

I, Ana, presented assorted topics pertinent to the month of March.  We discovered that....

* TM Jorge is not quite sure whether he likes Daylight Saving Time or not - sometimes he does, other times he doesn't.  Overall, he'd probably rather live without changing the time.  Or perhaps he would like to get darker later, but then you have to wake up when it's dark.  What a dilemma....You're with 50% of the world's population, Jorge!

* TM Paolo has nominated his wife as Good Samaritan of the Day and Year, because it takes a Good Samaritan to deal with a rowdy bunch of young kids, especially bright and early in the morning.  He can't wait to have some peace and quiet, even in the midst of rush hour traffic.

* TM The Tom reminded us that nothing, nada, niente, compares to the joyful boisterousness and mesmeric routines of St Patty's Day for a Fightin Irish like himself.  The Equinox can go find a four-leaf clover for all he cares....

* TM Marie shared EarlyBird shenanigans - she blatantly misled and mesmerized her innocent husband by bringing him a cookbook authored and personally autographed for him by none other than Sofia Loren at the Toastmasters Contest - in authentic Italian provided by our very own TM Paolo.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo disputed the discovery date of Pluto - Pluto was discovered after Mickey and before Uranus - although Pluto is not a planet anymore, Pluto will always be a standup dog.  That's all folks!

We had one mesmeric speech....

* TM Jose dazzled us with his Thailand - Part II, mainly about the Thai archipelago - Koh Tao - Nguyen Islands and coral reefs Twin Peaks and Japanese Gardens, Krabi - Railay Beach - get there by boat only and rent a chaise/umbrella combo for $2/day, visit Chinatown in Bangkok to see a REAL Chinatown and learn to cook Thai food in the city within the city.  November 23  2026 - we're all coming to visit the Gulds on their cruise stopover in Thailand!!  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM The Tom evaluated this second part of TM Jose's Thailand adventure and... The Tom wants MORE, MORE, MORE.  He suggested TM Jose expand his speech into a 12-15 minute more detailed description of island-hopping, scuba dives and dining experiences.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Chris put together a moving, mesmeric tribute of our late DTM Jim D.  Categorized by various aspects of his personality, we were reminded of our loss of a friend and valuable member of our Club.  Thank you TM Chris for this extraordinary remembrance.

Our newest Toastmaster and first-time Ah Counter TM Jorge, did an outstanding job of listening for Ahs, Ehrs, You Knows, Ummms and other fillers.  Way to go, TM Jorge!

The Word of the Day was

MESMERIC, adj

Hypnotic induction held to involve animal magnetism

Hypnotic appeal

Our EarlyBird meetings have a mesmeric quality to them.

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfAb_aU4N18

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

* 

Moving, Thai Paradise and What Now? A scintilla of a meeting at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Chris, shaker and mover, got us moving in various directions.  We found out that...

* TM Terri does not have moving in her genes but treasures her childhood pictures which miraculously made it out of Hersheytown, Cuba.

* TM Aleta's longest moves were back and forth between Pennsylvania and Florida, with lots of uncluttering along the way.

* TM Cory's shortest move was at age 20 when he moved 2 blocks from his Mom who visited every day, till he springboarded to Portland, Oregon.

* TM Paolo just went through a harrowing transatlantic flight with 6 bambini in tow so he wants to stay put for a while.

* Guest Jean's easiest move was from Europe to Florida.  His father helped and besides, he had beaucoup des francs a depenser (translation: quite a bunch of French francs to convert to dollars).

* I, Ana, do NOT like to move - miscellaneous objects live in perpetuity in my home so the Gulds are bringing their rnadoms and extras over.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

Then came the outstanding prepared speeches...

* TM Jose took us on a scintillating trip aided by seamless visual/audio aids  to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (coloquially known as Thailand) and a few of the islands they visited - they had 1400 to choose from, as well as near-passing trains.  TM Jose and the entire Club is planning to visit the Gulds' Cruise in Phuket in November 2026.  Jose won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Marie expertly showed us ways to turn our energy from negative to positive, ignore the external narcissism and find the silver lining in every storm cloud.

Regarding the evaluations...

* The Tom Quinn praised TM Jose's presentation skills as simply magic.  He wants MORE, MORE, MORE!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* First-time Evaluator TM Cory admired TM Marie's self-confidence, great energy, audience engagement and the ability to pose serious questions in a very gentle tone.  Great job, Cory!

ALERT FOR TM BECKYJO:  The Oxford Dictionary has officially recognized -and listed- the formerly slangy GONNA. 

The Word of the Day was

SCINTILLA, noun

Very small amount of something

Spark, flash

Example: EarlyBirds has way more than a scintilla of humor and joy to start us right on any given Thursday morning.

Here's the link to the recording:

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

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

Interesting topics, The Three Magi and The Tricky Durability of FB - neuroplasticy in EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Chris led us in thought-provoking topics.  We discovered that....

* I, Ana, think every age has a different charm and is ideal to meet the ups and downs of life.

* TM Pam would like to circumvent the world in a hot air balloon but for now will limit herself to the Gulf of Mexico, the Washington Tulip Show or The DownUnder.

* TM The Tom, a true Irishman, is funny, smart and athletic and adds liquidity to neuroplasticity with lotsa Irish coffees.

* TM Gail most resembles her grandmother, born in 1890, who was very close to her and very inspirational in her life.

* TM Aleta only blocked one longtime friend on FB for siding with a third friend who nastily refuted Aleta's point of view.  

* TM Marie's most rewarding work was teaching swimming to infants and toddlers and watch them transform from terrified screechers to little mermen and mermaids. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

And then came the prepared speeches...

*TM Jose delighted us with the inside scoop on The Three Magi, Melchior, Gaspar and Baltazar, scholars from Persia and Babylon, who brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to Baby Jesus.  This feast is highly commemorated on the night of Jan 5 - 6 in Spain and Latin American countries.  

* DTM Mary Helen, undeterred by Central Time, shared the emotions the Season brings and the many uses of FB which keeps friendships and relationships alive through the veil of time, distance and transit to the other side.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations...

* TM The Tom highly praised TM Jose for his excellent opening with a powerful backdrop, for his Spanish pronunciation and for revealing the true story of the Three Magi.  He suggested TM Jose avoid reading to add power to the speech and asked him to shorten his trip to Thailand for the sake of EarlyBirds.

* TM Aleta appreciated DTM Mary Helen's emotive speech about the many facets of FB which keeps memories alive and deceased people alive in our hearts and minds.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

NEUROPLASTICITY, noun

The brain's capacity to continue growing and evolving in response to life experiences.

Example:  Attending EarlyBirds meetings is a good way to keep our neuroplasticity up and running.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb1ZjNF0hk4

Neuroplastically submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Disasters, Old Siam and Wild Obsessions - an amply sufficient morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Jim  D. skyrocketed us into disaster topics...  We found out that.

..

* TM Jim G. puts outdoor furniture inside but mostly fixates on the omnipresent Cone of Uncertainty, hoping to send rain up to fill up TM Aleta's crick.

* TM BeckyJo has become overly cautious after Hurricane Wilma caught her off guard and she ended up kayaking through her neighborhood at the behest of Weatherman Bryan Norcross.

* TM Marie deals with the hurricane that forms in her mind when she realizes thoughts are spiraling like tornadoes. There is always calm at the center of toilet paper hoarding.She Won Best Table Topics. Award.

* TM Roslyn goes into the inner space of her windowless laundry room at the sound of tornado sirens.  No curiosity whatsoever to peek outside.

* TM Aleta's then-husband was The Lineman of the County ( to the tune of Wichita Lineman by Glenn Campbell) but restored his own power last.

* TM Chris has experienced earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes in her RV , and she prefers earthquakes rather than watching Jim watch the Cone of Uncertainty.

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Jose took us down a fascinating tour of his future trip to Thailand, where he will visit Chung Rai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and last but not least, the PeePee Islands , where he will snorkel to watch Thai fish and attend a Black Thai gala where he will enjoy a Sukkhotai dinner.  We can't wait for the apres ski... errr, apres-tour.

* I, TM Ana, shared my adventures as a City Slicker surrounded by wildly obsessive bear fans in a visit to Big Sky Glacier Park.  I Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Paolo praised TM Jose for the clarity of his speech, so much so that TM Paolo is booking travel to Siam as we speak.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM BeckyJo corroborated my status as a City Slicker and encouraged me to stop reading my darned speeches and display imprompty tongue-in-cheek humor, once and for all.

TM Terri did a superb job as First Time Poll Maker.  Go, Terri!

The Word of the Day was

SUFFICIENT, adj

Enough to meet the needs of a situation

Example:  Sometimes I forget that I must have sufficient funds in the bank to go a-splurging.

Dates to Remember:  Thursday October 31 we will have a Monster Mash Halloween-themed meeting.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/6WMX513hgoU

See you next week!

Ana I.

Incomparable, intolerable, honorable, comfortable 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

Trips, Spanish Fiesta and Maniacal Party Planning - a noetic morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam inspired us with a Unitarian Universalist invocation this morning.

TM Ricardo then activated our brain cells by having us reminisce about different aspects of travel....

* DTM Jim D's 2 best trips were a transatlantic cruise where he and his beloved tied the knot at 20 knots in the high seas, and a Danube River cruise - both accompanied by the best travel companion ...

* DTM Mary Helen's cruise tips is don't buy the drink package or you'll get chronically tipsy and resign yourself to a weight gain of 5 to 10 lbs.  It's just a must with cruises...

* TM The Tom enjoyed hiking mountain passes in Colorado and narrowly avoided addiction to the brisk pine mountain air.

* I, Ana, had a special feeling in Gdansk, the cradle of Solidarity, the movement started by Lech Walesa which marked the crumbling of Communism.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo went whitewater rafting in Alaska and got pulled over and across the frigid river on a puny stirrup, risking death by hypothermia.  Definitely not on her list of repeats!

* TM Pam thanks her lucky stars that her granddaughter's first tooth fell noisily on the hardwood floor or her stay in California would have been indefinitely extended till it showed up!

* TM Randolph and his wife had a memorable time in the Florida Keys, renting beach cruisers and scooters and acting like kids when they were vacationing without kids!

We had two colorful prepared speeches...

* TM Jose gave a great musical rendition of a Spanish song inviting us to go to Pamplona and run with the bulls, those 1,000 lb creatures that can be deterred by smacking them in the nose with a rolled newspaper - yeah, right!!  He Won Best Speaker and Best Singer Award.

* TM Aleta rewrote her leadership style speech and portrayed herself as a maniacal psycho drill sargeant who throws terrific family reunion parties.  It's all worth it!

 As far as evaluations go...

* TM Marie praised TM Jose for his outstanding descriptive language and for reinforcing her determination to altogether avoid Pamplona in July at all costs!  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom thoroughly enjoyed TM Aleta's authoritarian style because he agrees it's the only way to get things done with passive, disorganized family members.

TM Ricardo announced that he will be on a cruise next week and contrary to DTM Mary Helen's suggestion, he  bought the drinking package so let's prepare to give him a list of meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous - and the Keto diet - when he returns.  

The Word of the Day was

NOETIC, adj

Of or relating to the mind

Example:  Today's meeting explored noetic concepts we had never noetted about before.

Here is the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1AIvUpA3UA

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

Likes, Nomads and Poetry in Motion - the EarlyBirds meeting was not vexing!!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We had a heartfelt invocation in the Christian tradition by TM Manny.

TM Jim G. thanked the outgoing panel of officers for their service and formally welcomed the new panel of officers:

President - TM Aleta

VP Ed - TM Ana

Treasurer - DTM Jim D.

VP Membership - DTM Mary Helen 

VP Public Relations - TM BeckyJo

Secretary - TM Terri

Sargeant - at - Arms - TM Jim G.

TM Chris led us in personal table topics about our likes.  We found out that...

* TM Terri played Old Maid as a child but much, much prefers dancing salsa and bachata to her heart's delight.

* TM Paolo likes driving if he has good sales results and while transporting a carload of screaming children in the Italian countryside.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Manny will do any chore in the house except cooking - but he definitely signs up for tasting and eating the end result!!

* TM Gail loooves to sing since she was a child and once sang a solo in front of Rev. Billy Graham and a congregation of 2,000.

* TM Jarrett likes to have house guests, except when they make loud clanging noises as his current one does but he's looking forward to his Mom joining in the external firework noises for the 4th of July.

* TM Aleta has grown to like giving speeches, inspired by our buddy Kip and mapping every speech to a specific project.  She is a woman on a Pathways mission!

Along came two excellent prepared speeches...

* TM Jose inspired some of us to become nomads like him and select travel destinations where food is of the essence (ie Basque Country in the Spanish Pyrenees).  

* TM Marie awed us with her very descriptive language of love expressed to her little granddaughter while riding the ocean waves. She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Aleta praised TM Jose for his professional slides, his listenable voice and his ability to inspire us to become travel gourmet nomads.  

* TM Jarrett was exhilarated with TM Marie's wealth of descriptive language and heartfelt command as a wordsmith.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

TM BeckyJo General Evaluated the meeting with outstanding powers of improvisation while keeping track of gonnas.

The Word of the Day was

VEX, verb or adjective

To annoy or worry someone, usually over something relatively trivial.

Example:  Most of us are blessed to have vexing problems of an affluent lifestyle.  

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/Un8NAUoJTaE?feature=share

See you next week on Independence Day!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Mint Juleps, Sun and Moon Signs and Experiments in Democracy - machtnichts at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam transported us in equine motorcoaches to the Derby, hat and all.  We discovered that...

* TM BeckyJo wants to be a catalyst - causing reactions and explosions - but come to think of it, she's created some of those and perhaps she'd rather be an inhibitor.

* TM Chris said macht nichts, just take the trophy and run.  Also the jockeys' silks although they are so tiny but again mach nichts!!

* TM Jarrett reminisced about his epic ride to Space Mountain in DisneyWorld, where up became down, side became front, front became back and his world has never been the same!

* I, Ana, came to a point where I realized that I had to change if I didn't want things to go on endlessly, again and again, repeatedly, consistently, predictably and .... endlessly.  On the other hand, macht nichts!

* DTM Mary Helen had a stronghold on the bars of her cart at a Worse Than Space Mountain ride in DisneyWorld, and then kept a stronghold in her stomach to prevent you know what....

* TM The Tom repeated "Merciful Heavens" "Merciful Heavens" "Merciful Heavens" , I'm old and female which revealed that he's a woke Society Man without even knowning it!

* TM Aleta visualized the powerful muscles of Fierceness galloping by and we need to gallop through life and keep our muscles toned to address the horse jumping obstacles of life.

* TM Marie's favorite horse is named Honor Marie, and this Saturday she will be on herself that she will be a support to her family, friends, acquaintances while wearing a pastel colored wide Derby hat.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

As far as formal speeches go, we learned some very interesting facts today...

* TM Gail informed us about the Western and the Chinese Zodiac, and it was revealed that members of EarlyBirds rely heavily on these for choice of careers, choice of partners, choice of tv miniseries and all sorts of important patterns in the intricacies of life.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jose presented Part II of Experiments in Democracy and gave us a first-hand look of a distorted campaign motto "President, We Can't Live Without You" - when everyone knows that what Spaniards TRULY can't live without is PAELLA....

Along came evaluations...

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Gail for being neutral about astology and helping us to connect with the universe in less than 7 minutes.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Marie called Jose "Man in the News" for his direct, informative and neutral reporting that Generalissimo Franco came out of the grave, defying Chevy Chase's prediction that "Generalissimo Franco is STILL dead".  It's all about corruption and influence peddling....

The Word of the Day was

MACHT NICHTS, noun

Pronounced MOX NIX by the unDeutsche

Originated with American soldiers in Deutschland after World War II. It means "It Doesn't Matter" or "That's OK", or "It's Not Important".

Give us EarlyBirds a foreign word and we run with it, using Macht Nichts indiscriminately throughout the entire meeting.  Mox Nix, except for Oktoberfest!

We are the first group in our Area (formerly 21, currently 20) in District 47, to achieve President's Super Duper Extra Distinguished Award!  Go EarlyBirds!!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KYTiW60P7c

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

National Days, But For A Twist of Fate, Conflict Resolution - a non-brusque day at Early Birds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

I, Ana, brought up Table Topics commemorated on April 18.  We soon learned that...

* TM Jim G. fondly reminisces about his magic clothes hamper which came to a brusque end when he moved to college and the hamper was magic no more...

* TM Gail is avidly planning her Jurassic Park party catered by Velociraptor Food - the entree will consist of dinosaur chicken nuggets. We are all invited!

* TM BeckyJo agrees that candy rules and is a non-sequitur, told us that she hits her neighbor's bullseye in the shooting range - stay away from her!

* DTM Jim D admires the power of the electric linemen and gave us a heartfelt rendition of Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell, searching for overloads.

* TM Aleta looooves to high five everyone she crosses in her day-to-day chores - neighbors, friends, relatives, acquaintances, strangers.  Long live joviality!

* TM The Tom finds inexcusable to try to compare alphabet soup to the mighty classic animal crackers.  Heaven forbid!

* DTM Mary Helen has motherly conversations with a recalcitrant raccoon that has moved into her back yard and is making good progress in raccoonworld.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

TM Terri ran a very smooth program as first-time Toastmaster of the Day.

As far as prepared speeches go...

* I, Ana, on the anniversary of the fated Bay of Pigs failed invasion of Cuba, recalled my harrowing childhood experience of missing by a small twist of fate - having to grow up in repression, terror and poverty.  Yikes!   I Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jose told us that conflict is inevitable but disagreements are a good way to escape insanity - doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result - by doing something different: sticking to the subject and admitting to yourself, SILENTLY, that you are absolutely right!

As far as evlauations are concerned...

* TM Randolph thanked me, Ana, for the content of my speech because he has heard many ways of spelling Cuba but never as brusquely as I did today.  He's looking forward to more harsh interpretations of the same repression.

* TM Christine praised TM Jose for a well-organized speech and enjoyed the closeups of his very attractive face.  If he's available.... match.com is the word!  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

BRUSQUE, adj.

Blunt in manner or speech to the point of ungracious harshness.

Example:  Is he/she being brusque or is it an inability to suffer fools?  That, my friends, is the harsh question....

Here's the link to the recording:

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

See you next week!

Brusquely and yet abruptly

Very seldom do I often repeat myself

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

Fallonette Thankyous, Together We Stand and a Tree-a-thon, a non-profligate morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie rocketed us into a grateful state of mind with topics for thank yous.  We realized that...

* TM The Tom preferred GE, made-in-the-USA lightbulbs but then China took over and he must change lightbulbs profligately.

* TM Jim G. went from novice to connoisseur of microbrewery beers thanks to a Brit friend who turned him on to the Funky Buddha.  He Won Best Table topics Award.

* Guest Millie waxed poetic about the pronouns of roses in this woke day and age.

* DTM Jim D. leaves Christmas decorations up to his other half, although in her absence he admitted that she sometimes goes a little profligate.

* TM Ricardo is thankful to even be alive, what with all the chaos and turmoil going on in oh so many fronts, but he still likes to be gifted strange, exotic chocolates.

* TM Aleta avoids profligation by avoiding FaceNook, a humongous time sucker if there was ever one.  It's about avoiding people we know but wish we didn't.

* TM Terri has learned to navigate through pesky Pop-Up Ads and has un-profligately learned the basics of Pathways.  Go Terri!

Along came our prepared speeches and we were in for 2 treats...

* TM Jose brought us up to date with the Current Chaos and Confusion proliferating in Spain thanks to a selfish, power-hungry, corrupt individual who is allied with soon-to-be-amnestied criminals and seccessionists.   The population has taken to the streets to demand a unified democratic Spain.  Together We Stand! is the motto, but corruption has penetrated the 3 branches of government and the outcome looks bleak.  *Note:  Breaking News:  The corrupt Pedro Sanchez has just been officially 'crowned'  as ongoing Dictatorial Ruler of Spain.  God help them!

* TM Pam's direct communication style almost caused a heart attack and several syncopes, which required a citrus-infused air diffuser to revive them. In order to reduce casualties, Pam has since changed her communication style from direct to semi-direct.    She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations...

* TM Paolo praised TM Jose for his excellent narration skills sprinkled with humor and educational content.  He suggested reducing the history slides and increasing the pictures of protests with Spaniards eating paella while draped in the Spanish flag and being tear gassed by police.  He Won Best Evaluation Award.

* TM Terri loooved the Tree-A-Thon informative speech about her beloved state of Citrus Florida.  Up to now, she always thought Mangoes were the Florida Indigenous Fruit - who knew?

The Word of the Day was

PROFLIGATE, adjective

Spending money or using something wastefully and not wisely.

Example:  We EarlyBirds avoid being profligate by measuring and timing our words and our fillers.  Yes sireeee!

Dates to Remember:

NO MEETING NEXT WEEK, NOVEMBER 23, DUE TO THANKSGIVING.  GOBBLE GOBBLE.....  

Table Topics Club Contest:  November 30

Evaluation and International Speech Contest:  January 18 and January 25

Note for newer members:  International Speech contest consists of a (usually) motivational speech.  It does not mean the topic has to be international.  It simply means that the winner will go on to compete at Area, District, up the Toastmasters Ladder, till they reach the International Contest with members from everywhere.  Methinks.....

Here is the link to today's recording...

https://youtu.be/CxEwEtc0hj4

See you on November 30!  

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Self-created Table Topics, Magical History Tour and Caterpillars and Larvae - variety is the name of the game!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our meeting was all about flexibility, improvisation, omissions and spontaneity today. 

We skipped the Invocation and the Joke but we enthusiastically recited The Pledge of Allegiance, yes siree, we did!!

Our Topic Master, Tom, had spent inordinate amounts of time preparing a topic and then decided, last minute, to leave all the work to the participants.  We had to pick our own Topic!

We thus found out that...

* DTM Jim D. couldn't hurkle-durkle on his last trip as he had to catch one crack-of-dawner flight after another!

* I, Ana, am reading Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba as I hurkle-durkle with a Rum & Coke (aka as The Lie, formerly Cuba Libre) while flipping the pages.

* TM Jose told us about a remarkably humble musician named Rodriguez who made it big in South Africa and remained in construction to hurkle-durkle instead of rewriting his employment history.

* TM Ricardo used the theory behind Eat, Pray, Travel to reconnect with his 3 sisters, who taught him how to understand complicated females without even trying!

* TM Marie today celebrates her anniversary to a creative Rock who designed a fairytale wedding and whose marriage has succeeded mostly thanks to the precipitation levels of rain  in Fort Lauderdale.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam recently found out that wasp larvaes are carnivore, not vegan.  Attention everyone - more will be revealed in Part II.

* TM Aleta thinks she lives in Dull City, USA, a minuscule section of the large cosmos, where she sits on various Boards, is a labor mediator, a John Deere tractor troubleshooter, a brush-cutting, tree-chopping, fireplace stoker, and other 'minutae'. 

And then came the terrific prepared speeches...

* TM Jose took us on a Magical History Tour of the Principality of Andorra, a tax haven for influencers under 25 years of age who like to golf at high altitudes and pledge allegiance to France's Emmanuel Macron and the Bishop of Urgell (a third cousin twice removed of Richard the Lionheart and his illegitimate son Philip of Cognac).  

* TM Pam gave vivid comparisons of her own life metamorphoses versus Kafka's charming roach story and is ever so grateful that her soul is timeless and although her hands tell a weathered story, her spirit is still a teenager's, so she's been practicing the Limbo Rock - how low can you gooooo???   She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Tom praised TM Jose's spiritual message of his golden labradoodle riding on a cable car barking at the lowly cows below.  Jose's impressive library collection so impressed him that he suggested Jose blurs it next time.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Mary Helen unequivocally stated that TM Pam's speeches render her, MH, speechless and that it's a good thing hummingbirds have not been able to eat us due to a challenging size discrepancy between our two species.

The Word of the Day was

HURKLE-DURKLE, noun

200-year-old Scottish word meaning to lie in bed or linger about when one should be up doing things.

Example:  Hurkle-Durkle is the reason the Scots's expertise focuses on time-travel tv series versus working on improving their accent so everyone besides other Scots can understand them.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5PGV7dJ5yo

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer 

Hurkle-Durkle not for now

Memorable Movies, Let's Take a Look and Experiments with Democracy - a biotic morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We were honored with the presence of our Area Director, DTM Tim M., who alerted us to multiple TMI acronyms, proved to be a keen Ah Counter and finally taught us to which  Division and Area our Club belongs. It's only taken a few decades! Thank you, DTM Tim!

TM Jim G. will vote by proxy for our Club at the contest in The Bahamas - while scuba diving from the reef.

Getting back to our own biota, TM BeckyJo led us with memorable quotes from memorable movies.  You didn't have to name the movie but she was giving extra credit if you did....

* TM Pam ponders which speech she will give next and how to save the micro and macrobiota.  Other than that, frankly my dear, she doesn't give a you know what.

* DTM Jim D. met some flavorful characters in Detroit but then in Moscow, he met some Czechians that made the Detroitians look like Little Red Riding Hood. They all made him offers he couldn't refuse!

* TM Chris loves baseball movies although this has nothing to do with getting critters off her lawn as she alerts them to go ahead and make her day.  Her RV days taught her that Arizona equals cacti, jabalies equals Big Bend of Texas, and Florida curly-tailed lizards.  Great biota!!

* TM Marie is mad at the biopa but has decided to take it anyway because she can't move to Pennsylvania, where the grass is always greener on the other side.

* TM Jim G. met a very weird character who was always asking "Are you talking to me?" and naturally named him Best Man at his first wedding held at a deli in the Jersey Shore.

* TM Randolph watches animaniacs cartoons and knows for a fact that if you build it, they will come.  He's going to switch to Yakko's World.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Tim said that frankly, my dear, he doesn't give a you know what that Houston has a problem.

* TM Aleta wistfully reminisced about the days of femme fatales who get murdered and wishes someone would come up to see her sometime.in her wild biota which has survived knocked-over sycamores and tornado-blasted bouganvillas.

In the prepared speeches...  

*DTM Mary Helen took a look at our club and likened it to a brothel frequented by Russians, Finns and Himalayans whose brains pop, sparkle and fizz.  Invite guests, people! Anyone with a pulse will do.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jose took a look at Democracy turned Autocracy in Spain and explained that the country is sadly divided between Tapas-Devouring Conservatives and Paella-Gobbling Leftists.  The menu will be decided on July 23.  Stay tuned with a vino tinto.and a fried calamari (calamar frito).

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Aleta praised DTM Mary Helen for her analogy of a restaurant where word-of-mouth is instrumental in building the biota with any critter that happens by.

* TM Randolph thinks TM Jose is a cool, smooth teacher who shares too much information in a few minutes.  We need a Part Two (to be continued after the July 23 election).  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

BIOTA, noun

The flora and fauna of a region (desert, ocean, backyard)

Example:  Sometimes my aorta doesn't care an iota about the biota.

Save the Date:  

August 8 from 12 to 1

via Zoom

TLI

Here's the link to the recording!

https://www.youtube.com/live/NM4w91Ch8qw?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

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

Choices, DeNile and Acronyms - an opportune morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Chris had us make some importune choices.  We found out that..,

* DTM Jim D. prefers planes over trains, especially since Wilbur and Orville are no longer flying them and in spite of no leg room in the middle seat.

* TM Randolph chooses action movies with a touch of comedy because he likes to... escape to the movies!

* TM Marie chooses a one piece bathing suit because she is a very serious swimmer and definitely categorically emphatically robustly persistently NOT an exhibitionist.

* TM Tom prefers phone calls because they are more meaning and most importantly, non-evidentiary.  It's he said/he said or he said/she said.

* TM BeckyJo avoids TikTok because the Chinese are spying on us although she does not really know what they're spying on but it must be how often she eats Peking Duck.

* TM Jim G. definitely prefers glamping, hooking up the camper fridge to get his beer and wine at precisely exactly correctly the right temperature.

* DTM Mary Helen has always been a sandal girl but on her latest trip she went for tennis shoes to climb any mountain, scale every tree, scrape any terrain and bathe in the sea.

* TM Emmanuel plays it safe at restaurants and always orders salmon to avoid any unpleasant surprises.  Predictability  is the name of the culinary game..

* TM Pam reminisced about days of yore when harassment in the workplace included mandatory dress code of skirts and nylons - and now her brown-haired daughter does not even know what nylons are....  She Won Best TAble Topics Award.

Having explored all our choices, we moved on to our prepared speeches...

* Inveterate world traveler TM Jose inspired us to move to Cairo, a city of 23 million with no traffic lights, and start up Bob's Barricades (to be renamed Habibi Barricades in Cairo) as a lucrative, life-preserver venture.

* TM Aleta explained euphemisms and acronyms, otherwise known as unintelligible jargon that no one understands.  Would you rather experience a revenue enhancement or suffer a tax hike???  Ah my friends, that is the question! She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Marie praised TM Jose's inspiring travelogue and encouraged more gusto to describe the powerful Egyptian Queen who built her own Mortuary Temple to spite the male Pharaohs from the other side.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph loved TM Aleta's outfit and begged her to create a Book of Acronyms as a handout because he's still dizzy - and that's only from the ATM variations.

The Word of the Day was

IMPORTUNE, verb

to bother, pester, annoy.  TO press another with troublesome persistence.

(Note: In TM Aleta's unabashed dictionary, it means to approach someone for sexual favors.  Ahem).

Example:  It's importune to be inopportune - and also quite confusing. 

We received an invitation to join Chris and Jim on a Hawaiian cruise in January 2024 and to join Jose (in groups of 3) on his 18-foot dinghy in Javea,  Spain, to sail to a nearby cove - dog permitting.

Here's the link to the recording:
https://www.youtube.com/live/uUx7yYiKKt4?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Volte face, High Speed AVE, Starting Over - a self-debating kind of morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta led us In a volte face, volta faccia, voltio radical Table Topics with a Twist,  We proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that we are nothing but a bunch of flip-floppers.

* TM Randolph loves kitties, dislikes kitties, loves kitties once again, all within a minute and a half.

* TM Paula cherishes chocolate, dislikes cream-filled chocolates, adores warming up with a cup of hot chocolate.

* TM Astrid loves Walmart, despises Walmart's employer abuses of employees, loves to shop for ANYTHING at the supercenter.

* TM Paolo looooves to have breakfast at Denny's at 3 am surrounded by distinguished diners, is appalled even driving in front of Denny's, only ending up fine dining at the nearest one.  Mood swings are his forte.

* I, Ana, love a vase of flowers, am grossed out by having the change the putrid water from the vase after a few days, love the flowers again except when petals land on the floor and must be swept away.

* DTM Jim D's favorite activity is a red wine degustation, although sometimes too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing, and one must pay for the joy in the morning, but drink up is the motto for today.

* DTM Mary Helen loves green, especially the color of money, fantasizes of flashing a wad of $1 covered up by one single $100 bill for effect and decides not to be greedy and showoffish all within the allotted time.

* TM Tom recognizes that public speaking is a fearful activity but when overcome it brings us closer to others although open mics have gotten more than one in trouble.

* TM Marie praises runners for enjoying the outdoors although she prognosticates hip and knee replacements before the age of 40 and a successful runner is one who avoids being mugged on the path.

* TM Jose recommends eating Big Macs 3 times a day for 365 days in a row as a weight reduction plan although it must be downed with a good glass of wine or beer mug to melt away arterial clogging and taste is the same at any establishment in the world.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

Along came the prepared speeches....

* TM Jose educated us about the speed-train system in Spain where you can get anywhere real fast - if the train fits through the teeny tiny tunnels.  

* TM Aleta has honed her success story speech about being  Dropped Like a Hot Potato/Rebound Like A Triumphant Irish Rose to unimaginable levels.  If only we could find a contest for her to participate in!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations...

* TM Tom praised TM Jose for his mastery in organizing a speech where we all learn something and incorporating the fact that sometimes trains just don't fit (and then you must acquit?)  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Jim D.assured TM Aleta that if she goes through it, she will grow through it.  Even if it's an Intergalactic Contest, by golly she will participate!

The Word of the Day was

VOLTE FACE, noun

VOLTA FACCIA, noun in Italian

VOLTIO RADICAL, noun in quasi-Spanish

Turning around, to face opposite direction.  Abrupt and complete reversal of attitude, opinion or position.

Example:  

I had a volta faccia in Stromboli, where the volcano erupted and the dish was created - not to be confused with a calzone.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/

See you next week, U-turners!!

Ana I.

Recap Volte Face