Uncovered Gems, Intentions & Flow, My Way - a farewell to a gem at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

With deep gratitude and heavy hearts, we said our Farewells to our Club Founder and lasting friend, DTM Mary Helen, who has chosen to pursue other life paths.

TM Marie recently had the urge to purge and led us in uncovered gems found in her closet:

* TM Gail evoked the days of cursive writing and hopes, like many of us, that it will come back.  In the interim, we can write anything and know youngsters will not understand a word - known as 'under cover of cursive."

* TM Aleta always visualizes her giving a speech and most importantly, foresees a successful outcome.  And... it never fails!

* TM Christine's first and longer-lasting mentor was her 4th grade teacher, who believed in her, trusted her, and holds a special place in her life even today.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Christina has always aimed for self-control ever since Parent Open Houses in elementary school.  She's persistent and opinionated and it has served her well in many respects.

* TM BeckyJo displayed a classic Mary Helen pivot  into fascinating her audience by pondering about the essence of life, and who is she now anyway???

* TM The Tom despises passwords and lives in password chaos ad infinitum.  He much more enjoys cursive logos such as Coca Cola and Ford.

* TM Jorge looks at his child straight in the eyes and sees gratitude and questioning.  He vows to support his son in any life script his son chooses to pursue.

* I, Ana, do believe in Love - which is, as we all know, a many-splendored thing and manifests in many different forms.  

We had (2) outstanding prepared speeches...

* TM Randolph polished his earlier speech about Intentions and Flow into a steak with lots of marbling and juicy tidbits.  He will because he wants.

* TM Jose showed his own brand of leadership in walking the Camino in his own way - for health, spirituality and great food.  800 kilometers to hug St. James.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

Along came evaluations...

* TM The Tom praised TM Randolph for his amalgamation of info into a more cohesive, well-developed speech.  Now a steak, next a roast beef.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Aleta admired TM Jose's emblematic smooth voice and she encourages him to add more vocal variety, especially in the delicious food slides.  

The Word of the Day was

MARY HELEN, noun 

An adventurous, committed multilingual fan who is an example to her peers.

Example:  EarlyBirds has many Mary Helen wannabes in its midst.  

MARY HELEN, adjective

Emulating the qualities of DTM Mary Helen.

Example:  TM Aleta's speech Mary Helened in unsuspected ways.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWK1kXTh714

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer

What's in the H?, Am I Alone In This? What Happened Along The Way - a non-putative meeting of EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our new Sergeant-at-Arms, TM Veronica, has her role down pat by now. 

Our Invocator, TM Jose, led us in a very timely invocation.

We were visited by our new Area Director, TM Rachel!  Very honored...

TM Gail introduced various H words for our consideration as Table Topics.   We discovered that...

* TM Pam described a whirlwind of alternatives to Hurricanes - Georgia Tech, Gators, Seminoles, UCF.... and handy, convenient t-shirt gifts aplenty.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Randolph's hobby is music because he considers cooking a survival skill rather than a hobby and he's now thinking of taking up gardening.  Go for it!

* TM Veronica so loved her Asian honeymoon that she is firmly intending to renew her vows every year in order to orchestrate a party and an exotic trip to follow.

* TM Christine had a good habit of studying which led her to her aerospace engineering career - and she's now working on taking it easier as the other side of  being driven by habits.

* Area Director TM Rachel is a putative night owl but made a firm commitment to do a 'crack-of-dawner' in order to join us this morning, on her birthday.  She's a firm believer in horoscopes.  We hope you come back!

* Guest Alissa has had many heroes in life and is looking forward to becoming someone's hero which will make her feel very self-realized.

We had (2) excellent speeches today...

* TM Christine delighted us with a very humorous speech about the trials and dilemmas of those dreaded Security Questions we face in order to gain Access to our finances, travels, medical records, and the like.  You're not alone, TM Christine, in pondering whether Chunky Monkey is one word or 2 in Password World.

* DTM Mary Helen shared a heartfelt family loss intertwined with learning in TM to be a good listener, which comes in handy when you're surrounded by compulsive talkers!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Jose praised TM Christine for her very funny speech which was well structured, engaged the audience and reaffirmed that we're all in this together, inaccesible passwords and What's Our Favorite Anything - who can remember anymore?  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM BeckyJo admires DTM Mary Helen's voice modulation, security and confidence, and prowess as a powerful communicator.  We usually don't realize what happens along the way until we look in the rearview mirror...

The Word of the Day was

PUTATIVE, adj

A state of being assumed or believed, rather than definitely established.

Example:  The putative father was, in reality, her stepfather.

Here's the link to today's recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzl9wJ_SjyA

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Inside Out, Outside In, Busland in Broward - Attuned (?) at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We have a slate of officers for the new Toastmasters year beginning on July 1.  Our President, TM Aleta, wil make the announcement at the right time.  Thank you for everyone who stepped up to fill a role.

Several in the group announced they were short of sleep due to jet lag or plain insomnia.  Nonetheless, they all showed up.  Bravo!!!

TM Cory led us in Table Topics based on the movie Inside Out and its 11-year-old star Reilly's assortment of emotions. 

* TM Pam is not a theme park person but a tree person and combined both by admiring native plants in Universal.  She's looking for a weeping wipon holly. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Veronica does not like to feel disgusted and only felt it when there were no Florida panthers at Flamingo Park.  Sniffff.

* TM Christine suffered embarassment when her underwear's crotch got eaten by her dog during a tennis match.  Game set.

* TM Jorge suffers frustration as a formerly lunatic driver who now drives among lunatic Miami drivers.

* TM Aleta has carried guilt for years because someone got blamed for a nasty incident Aleta started at her high school cafeteria.  True confessions!

* TM David is not a fan of surprises but got pleasantly surprised when his sister showed up at his doorstep on a visit from France.

Then came the prepared speeches...

* TM Christine rehearsed a humorous speech to be presented at a church in Wisconsin while eating a slab of Wisconsiin cheese.

* DTM Mary Helen showed her zest for adventure while exploring Broward County's bus service which led her to walk across half the city for lack of a better bus.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Then we had some great evaluations...

* TM Jose gave some helpful tips to TM Christine and commended her for standing up in front of the camera.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom earnestly urged DTM Mary Helen to take an uber home from the car mechanic next time.

The Word of the Day was

ATTUNED, verb

make receptive or aware

Example:  The interests of TM members are highly attuned.

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

Sports Idioms, Downsizing and Blinding Love - the opposite of obtuse at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

Our new TM Cory dove right into the program and led us with an inspirational invocation followed by The Pledge of Allegiance.

We inducted our newest member, Jorge (George). Welcome to EarlyBirds, TM George!

TM Aleta led us with very creative graphic slides of sports idioms.  We found out that...

* TM Chris is looking forward to a spectacular kickoff in her new fantasy life.

* TM BeckyJo was a slam drunk in younger years and now has tiny little toes and is an anomaly as a short person.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Randolph is into the latest hockey hoopla and will definitely not drop the gloves.

* TM Cory says tackling Table Topics is par for the course regarding public speaking.

* TM Jorge definitely does not jump the gun to resolve an issue.  He'd much rather use the synonym - get ahead of himself.

* TM The Tom is a devout front runner, much like his Alma Mater, Notre Dame, was, is and will forever continue to be...

* TM Terri's father was a boxing fan and although she finds it gross, she is also a fan who will not throw in the towel except to clean the blood.

We had, again, two fabulous speeches....

* TM Pam gave a rendition of Let It Go and stated categorically that her family are not hoarders, simply people with lots of hobbies and a big garage. She Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Mary Helen gave us some valuable tips for finding "the one" in a banquet of "the many", ignoring information overload.

And then came the evaluations...

* TM Paolo praised TM Pam for being a bird singing in the early morning and for her abundance of humor.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom was inspired by DTM Mary Helen's tips for virtuosity in others - kindness, respect and money in the bank for expensive dinners.

The Word of the Day was

OBTUSE, adj.

Someone who can't understand something clearly.

Example:  I was obtuse when it came to obtuse angles in Geometry.  Do the math....

Here is the link to the recording...

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Obtuse Recap Writer 

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

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Along came the prepared speeches...

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

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

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

And then came the evaluations...

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

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

The Word of the Day was

PANACHE, noun

Confident, flamboyant, dresses with style

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

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

The link to the recording is:

https://youtube.com/live/yPOKVwfkt10

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

* 

It's all about Toastmasters, sandwiches, and bed-wetting, a Transformational morning at Earlybirds

This recap is -sadly- prepared by Chris Guld in the absence of our invaluable Ana Illsen. Her husband , Alex, passed away on Saturday, August 3, 2024. There will not be a funeral service; however, donations can be made to Life Essentials in memory of Alex Illsen and sent to Life Essentials, 7680 Stirling Bridge Blvd, Delray Beach, FL 33446 or online www.lifeessentialsprogram.com. Take care of yourself Ana, we look forward to welcoming you back when you're ready.

The meeting started on-time with an invocation and a joke by Terri Montealegre.

• We couldn't tell that Randolph Bastein was unprepared for the TopicMaster role as he led us in a variety of fun and thought-provoking topics. 
• We learned:Terri Montealegre uses YouTube calming music videos to train her new, energetic puppy.
• Jim Guld likes to reverse-sear his steaks, but his most majestic meal is a sandwich because he is the sandwich king.
• Mary Helen Day would invite Shonda Rhimes to her late night talk show to discuss Gray's Anatomy as long as she made sure to laugh a lot.
• Gail West likes dancing but only when she's in a happy mood and has a line dance routine led by Chris Guld.
• Aleta Richmond uses her chocolate-induced hyperness to do many things, including how to breathe and be serene with Tai Chi.
• Chris Guld needs an imaginary friend from history, but they would need to be a dancer who would join her in dancing to Polk Salad Annie.
• Pam Schrimsher would be both the funniest and the smartest in any room as long as everyone else was infected with brain worms.
• Jim Day is working hard to waste time on the Internet but he keeps getting distracted by the need to fix all those airplanes so they won't lose their doors.
• Randolph Bastein is scoflaw who calls on himself to speak but we didn't dare correct him as we don't want to wet our beds. He won Best Table Topics Award

Next we had one prepared speech and then a report about the recent TLI (Toastmasters Learning Institute)

Mary-Helen, the vice president of membership of Early Bird Toastmasters, inspired us with challenges and rewards of recruiting new members and retaining current ones. She emphasized the importance of expanding the group's social networks and attracting younger members to sustain the group for the next decades. She encouraged the members to be proactive in inviting new people and to see themselves as ambassadors for the group. We look forward to a "Family Day" in a future Earlybird meeting.

Chris and Jim Guld also sang the praises of Toastmasters as an organization and how much they enjoyed attending a face-to-face meeting at the Florida Atlantic University campus in Davie this past weekend. Chris reviewed information on the "Moments of Truth" breakout session and Jim enjoyed the "Evaluate to Motivate" session which emphasized the sandwich approach much to Jim's delight. We should expect both of these topics to be revisited in future Earlybird meetings.

 
For evaluations, TM Randolph put on his 3d hat of the morning and evaluated Mary Helen's speech, saying it was so good that he wanted to become a member again! (We need to capture clips from both Mary Helen's speech and Randolph's evaluation to create a promo video for Earlybirds!)

The word of the day was
Transformation, noun
a marked change in form, nature, or appearance
The caterpillar's transformation into a butterfly is a beautiful example of metamorphosis.

The YouTube recording is at: https://www.youtube.com/live/nN78DAZFM6k
OR - you can see it on our Earlybird Blog: https://earlybirdtm.blogspot.com/

Food, Transtrees and Trains - a harbinger of things to come at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Jim D. got our taste buds in action with food-related topics...  We soon discovered that...

* TM Aleta waits to read restaurant reviews before trying them, but it mostly depends on who's picking up the tab!!

* I, Ana, am a creature of habit and on rare visits to restaurants always choose the same menu item.  Booooringggg....

* TM Marie has a wild array of eateries near her but her choices mostly depend on how hungry she is....

* TM BeckyJo once spilled onion soup on an unsuspecting customer who took it graciously and scooped it off her dress onto her mouth.

* TM Terri's favorite cuisine is Middle Eastern Platter - tabouli, hummus, falafel, babaganoush, baklava, kebobs r'more.- all smothered in olive oil.

* TM The Tom goes for casual or formal - his date calls the restaurant rating.

* TM Randolph now is of the opinion that QR codes to download the menu beat getting sick from the rampant germs on a paper menu, yukkkk!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

We had two interesting speeches today...

* TM Pam totally threw us for a loop with a transtitled speech "The Trees" which evolved into several roads less traveled - universal unitarianism, gratuitous media fearmongering, and the political divide that is the current harbinger of who knows what.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Mary Helen shared slides of a train ride from Poland to Berlin where they made lifelong friends before being booted from the wrong compartment.  She was in full exercise of her DTM cause d'etre (don't time me).

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Gail was dazed and confused by the multiple plot switches in TM Pam's speech and suggested she take a course in "Proper Titles for Polithemed Speeches."  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Terri praised DTM Mary Helen's vocal variety, clarity and her capacity to miss trains and reunite with her travel partner without missing a beat.

The Word of the Day was

HARBINGER, noun

A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.

Example:  

Take courage, for the worst is a harbinger of the best.

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

https://youtube.com/live/An03sWX2-Ck?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

What Could Have Been, June is in the Air and Remember When? (No...)- Bitcoins at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We nominated and elected the new slate of officers effective July 1 as follows:

Sargeant-at-Arms:  Jim G.

President - Aleta R.

VP Ed - Ana I.

Treasurer - Jim D.

VP Membership - Mary Helen D.

VP Public Relations - Beckyjo B.

Secretary - Terri M.

TM Jim G. led us in Table Topics and got us thinking about what could have been... We found out that...

*DTM Jim D. would have been an instant expert in contract law, conducting analysis, evaluations, comparisons, projections, alignments, estimates.... to save failing companies.

* I, Ana, have had some fantastic meals of Cuban food, bar none, and dislike exotic nouvelle cuisine undercooked in Michelin=star restaurants.

* TM Chris treaded carefully as her hubby is the family cook, and she made it clear that she dislikes siracha and put-together found in the fridge sardines and condensed milk.

* TM Emmanuel loves animals that talk and thinks the funniest are dogs, goats and lambs - they are humble and humorous.

* TM Jose would wave a magic wand and get rid of the current autocratic ruling goverment and bring back the country to its constitutional state.  Those who don't like it, adios amigo!  

* TM BeckyJo likes free will, she wants her mistakes to be of her own doing.  Unpounded alligator was her worst meal, ever.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest James D.'s favorite family tradition is Little League Opening Night, where he lives his childhood vicariously through his children, amidst the fireworks!

We had 2 excellent speeches...

* TM Gail challenged us to think outside the box and engage in June activities, graduations, weddings, hurricanes, flipping a coin, trail hikes, protecting the reef. She Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Mary Helen finally remembered that she experiences transience, absentmindedness, blocking, misattribution in the space of a New York minute.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Marie praised TM Gail's vocal variety and encouraged her to pause to bring up more gusto when she relatedly calls on group members.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Paolo couldn't remember what he was supposed to do but at last remembered that DTM Mary Helen delivered her speech with elegance and humor.

The Word of the Day was

BITCOIN, noun

Form of digital currency that eliminates need for central authorities such as banks or governments.  Uses blockchain technology.

Example:  Getting Rich with Bitcoin - a story called "That Ship Has Sailed".

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

https://youtube.com/live/qOk3kc0-FQ0?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Heartfelt Tribute, No Memory Recall, Toastmaster Family Feud - not a morning for ragamuffins at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Gail started us with a beautiful invocation in the Christian tradition.

TM Marie introduced us to various aspects of Memorial Day Observed tributes.  We learned that...

* TM BeckyJo's father was a Pearl Harbor survivor; her veteran uncle spent the rest of his life keeping the Pearl Harbor memory alive.  Patriotism is paramount. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Jim D. observes flag protocols and Memorial Day is a very emotional time for him.

* TM Zanya uses 3-day weekends to connect with friends and family and indulge in midnight chocolate binges.

* I, TM Ana, recalled a very moving ceremony in Fort Lauderdale Cemetery where our former TM Jerry Newcombe delivered a moving speech (in 100 degree weather on the shady bleachers)!!

* TM Pam revealed that her father was also a Pearl Harbor survivor and her grandfather was a Rough Rider with Teddy Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War and is buried in Arcadia, Florida, just because he happened to die there!

* TM Randolph strongly believes it's our duty to honor those who fought for our country and to observe a moment of silence at 3 pm on Memorial Day Observed.

* TM The Tom observed that we enjoy privileges won by men who died so we could have them, and movingly recalled a good marine who died in VietNam

Regarding prepared speeches...

* DTM Mary Helen shared with us that as we age, memories become more precious and one of the 7 ways to preserve them is to share them with other people, hence our tendency to repeat ourselves.

* TM Paolo described the ultimate Toastmaster Family Feud he and his wife engaged in which had a happy ending in 2 different Districts and told us the difference between a presentation and persuasion, ie Cicero of Rome who got accolades and Demostenes of Greece, who overcame stuttering to lead multitudes to battle.  Let's march!

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM The Tom praised DTM Mary Helen for her clear presentation which was interrupted by an internet power out and asked her to please stop dancing the rumba when she speaks.

* TM Jose noticed that TM Paolo wore casual clothes to differentiate with his speech contest video where he was dressed to the hilt - as he usually is - and how he tied historic orators to the benefits of Toastmasters to overcome fear of public speaking.. in dry pants!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

RAGAMUFFIN, noun

a person, typically a child, in dirty scruffy clothes.

Example:  Celebrities and influencers expensively dress as ragamuffins.

Here is the link to the recording

https://youtube.com/live/izZpn9jSKus?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Fwd: One Word Topics, The Tower of Babbel and Lady MacBeth - a tendentious morning at EarlyBirds!



Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Self-described Lazy Topic Master Chris led us on monothematic topics.  We found out that....

* TM Ricardo smiles with his grandkids but finds it hard to smile at the local Chicago temperature.  Yikes!

* TM BeckyJo has discovered a fountain of potential plagiarism which she hopes will lead her to become The Queen of Remarkable Language Gems.

* TM Jim started out as a tv cameraman and is now mostly a Zoom cameraman.  He simply cannot forget flashbulbs and Instamatics. Those were the days, my friend....(sung to the tune of Those Were the Days My Friend)

* Guest Roslyn stated that as everyone knows, a frown is a smile upside down and proceeded to use the Word of the Day which left us all in awe of her talent.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Emmanuel (Manny) likes relaxation but relaxation eludes him.  He then went into an echo chamber where he proceeded to relax in peace.  Good job, Manny!

* I, Ana, love comedy and the camera topic reminded me of a tragicomic incident as a teenager where I carelessly disposed of my father's expensive camera lens.  Those were the days, my friend ... (see topic #2.)

Along came two fantabulous prepared speeches...

* DTM Mary Helen said GutenMorgenGutenTagGutenAbend for starters and told us about her adventures in the Tower of Babbel. She ended with Queridosmiosesunafabulosaformadehaceramigosenotrosidiomas. Next she will start on Russian - she likes the simple ones.

* TM Aleta told us about the Scottish Curse - which is also the Scottish Purse - where soliloquies are not to be confused with monologues and theatrical superstition is to be contended with incomprehensible Old English English Leather cologne.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

And then we had some great evaluations...

* TM Pam loved DTM Mary Helen's speech but asked her to use more vocal variety in German since it's such a monotone of a language.

* First time evaluator TM Gail asked TM Aleta to record her speech on UTube and TM Gail wants the movie rights.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

TENDENTIOUS, adj.

Formal word used disapprovingly to describe someone or something biased, partial or predisposed.

Example:  Expressing or supporting a particular opinion that many others disagree with is definitely tendentious.

Here's a link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU_zvlFGTk8

See you next week!

Tendentiously recapped

Ana

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Word of the Day was

PREVARICATOR, noun

A person who speaks falsely; a liar

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

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

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/hXpv4ZHP_Yk

Equivocally submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Fibber

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

C L A R I T Y !!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Word of the Day was

LIBERTARIAN, noun

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

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

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

Here's the link to the recording:

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

With a libertarian flavor,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Ethics, A Beautiful Smile and Resolutions - a vertiginous morning in EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Terri led us in a heartfelt, uplifting invocation.

TM Aleta had us wear our thinking caps  with thought-provoking topics on various aspects of ETHICS:

* While flying in a helicopter, DTM Jim D. realized that ethical behavior begins at the top, way above bank and tax fraud, amidst the pristine clouds.

* TM Terri refused to be part of a made-up, inflated teacher roster to fake teacher-student ratios in the public school system.

* TM The Tom was that rare specimen, an ethical lawyer, who taught his clients to explore the benefits/burdens of their choices.

* TM Paolo, speaking from his Italian Man Cave, has enough diversity and inclusion with his 6 children, as diverse as they come and insisting on being included!

* TM Ricardo stated that ethical technology is a tricky thing, due to so many unclear workarounds, as witnessed at his last consulting job.

* TM Jose pondered on the consumer changes our children will face in our vertiginous society in order to create nuclear fission with the approval of OPEC after taking a quantum leap.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* I, Ana, researched and expounded on the beautiful smiles of gringos, due to outstanding dentistry..  We have come a long way from the ivory and gold teeth of our first President George Washington!  Brush, slush, gargle, floss - to get rid of the moss.   I Won Best Speaker Award.

*, DTM Mary Helen reconfirmed the challenges of following New Year's Resolutions.  She has a list of 72 foods to avoid and I personally think if she alphabetizes her list, she'll be able to adhere to her resolutions.  Therein lies the solution.

As far as evaluations are concerned..

* DTM Jim enjoyed my speech but asked me, for the umpteenth time, to stop flailing my notes in front of the camera! I just don't listen.

* TM Paolo praised DTM Mary Helen for making an art of preparing for the unprepared and asked her to put more drama into the salutation.  He Won Best Evaluator Award..

The Word of the Day was

VERTIGINOUS, adjective

Causing vertigo, especially by being extremely high or stepp

Relating to or affected by vertigo

Rapid ascent or descent

Example:  As we age, life goes by at vertiginous speed.  Like the trite and vulgar saying goes, "like when you're reaching the end of a roll of toilet paper".

Here is the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox7LS4_eMYU

See you next week!

Ana I.

Vertiginous Recap Writer

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And then came the Evaluations...

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

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

The Word of the Day was

HARBINGER, noun

An indication of things to come

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

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

Here's the link to the recording:

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

See you soon!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

End of summer, An Unlikely Journey and Ice Cream - a mercurial morning at EarlyBirds!



Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We inducted our newest Member, TM Terri.  Welcome to EarlyBirds, Terri!

TM Chris visually took us to end-of-summer pictures which were worth 1,000 words... We discovered that...

* DTM Jim D. reminisced about his times in le gay Pareee, having croissants and baguettes at the foot of the Tourrrr (guttural 'r')  Eiffel...

* TM Emmanuel didn't realize that Anhingas (aka snakebird, water darter, water turkey) are secretly scuba divers!

* TM Ricardo chases time zones worldwide so he can experience 6 summers per year.  He encourages us to try it - Argentina, Cascais, Denia, here we come!

* Guest Margalee lived in California, a country of its own, and greatly enjoyed the view from the Golden Gate Bridge into Alcatraz, Sausalito and Tiburon!!!

* TM BeckyJo lives in the Venice of America and her former Italian employer rowed a gondola on the Intracoastal for the Boat Parade party.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest Nett was last spotted after the meeting headed for a nearby fish market to buy king crab... for breakfast!!

* I, Ana, had to be lifelined about Mt Rushmore and its view from the Canadian side...  Research it, please, you'll see.

We had a fabulous icebreaker speech today...

* TM Terri (real name is unpronounceable by Gringos) revealed her heart-wrenching tale of escaping Communism and reaching the shores of freedom!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Mary Helen's sweet delights speech took us down the path of yesteryear (and right now too) with  the ding-a-ling-a-ling of ice cream trucks,  coffee frappes, hot fudge sundaes, and Haagen Dasz 2 for 1 Publix offers we can't resist.

Along came evaluations...

* TM Pam, like the rest of us, was deeply touched by TM Terri's Terrifying Tale of Escaping from Cuba as a 7-year-old, only to fall in the hands of unscrupulous greedy 'foster' parents.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom is coming over to neighbor DTM Mary Helen's freezer to pick up all of her ice cream reserves.  Just mindful of her dietary concerns, you see.

The Word of the Day was

MERCURIAL, adj.

A rapid and unpredictable change of mood.

Example:  Freddy Mercury had a mercurial birthday and is currently orbiting around Planet Mercury playing Mercurial Rhapsody.

We hope the Terri Fan Club will continue to visit us!  Everyone is welcome to our Club's 60th Anniversary Party on September 16th chez DTM Mary Helen and Jim D.'s.   A Zoom alternative will be available for geographically-challenged members and friends.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/live/fC80y8NzKA4?si=TCKN35r7E8kQtup0

See you next week!  

Mercurially submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

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

Of fruits and vegetables, Sharing Your Popcorn and Nothing We Do Is Wasted - a morning of blandishment at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam's inquisitiveness explored our fruit and vegetable patches on full moon.  We soon discovered that she threatens her plants to bloom or be composted.  It works! We also learned that...

* TM Chris picked you guessed what at Cranberry Island in Anchorage, Alaska.

* TM Randolph's favorite fruit are nectarines and peaches, although he can't tell which is which, but they must be juicy and have the right texture.

* TM Jim G., our miracle bionic hippy, would not plant rutabagas (aka Swedish turnips) but would overplant radishes, for which he has a tried and tested green thumb.

* I, Ana, long for the days when peeling an onion made me cry because seedless multicolored watermelons and other genetically commingled produce will definitely cause our early demise.

* DTM Jim D. won the NY State Fair handcrafted item category and started a lucrative business at the ripe age of 12 before his parents got arrested for child forced labor.

* TM Tom's transcat (she/her)'s  favorite dessert is banana cream pie with vanilla wafers and cookie crumbles.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest Ricardo described watching a rising full moon over the ocean in Denia, Spain, while avoiding X-rated details.

* TM Paolo declared himself a morning lark while reporting underwater drinking espresso from a  wifiless spot in Italia.

We had some notable prepared speeches...

* TM Marie focused on the positive and explained how to pour the jelly of life into a Pathways mold and sharing your popcorn without even blinking.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Mary Helen, hereinafter to be known as Two Dollar Mary, has 50-year-old clippers and a barber's cape full of cigarette burns and offers cheap haircuts.  Offer may end soon! Don't miss out!

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Randolph praised TM Marie for her good flow and urged her to speak with her eyes closed so no one can tell she's reading her notes.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Tom commended DTM Mary Helen for her red hair and her red blouse and we are all still looking up his incomprehensible syncopated verbal barrage.

The Word of the Day was

BLANDISHMENT, noun

Something said or done to coax or persuade an individual or a group to do something.  

Example:  It takes blandishment for a group to vote for someone other than the favorite candidate.   I think.

NOTEWORTHY NOTES:

After a tough campaign and extensive blandishment, we have new officers for the 2023-2024 EarlyBirds year:

President       Jim G

Sargeant-at-Arms   Mary Helen D

VP Education  Chris G

VP Membership Ana I

Secretary         Pam S

Treasurer         Jim D

VP Public Relations   Randolph B

Thanks, TM Marie, for your great job as the Nominating Committee!

Date to Remember:

Saturday June 17

TLI Officer Training from 9 am to 10 am EST

https:// toastmastersd47.org

Followed by HYBRID LUNCH AT THE GULDS.  More details to follow.

The link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/D9WcGx-herM

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Potential Choices, Getting Old and The Order, Disorder and Reorder of Today's World

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Jim G. got us pondering about how things might have turned out under other circumstances.  We discovered that...

* TM Tom would be a country & western singer clad in a golf outfit dealing with HOA board meetings with a banjo on his knee.

* TM Marie revealed herself as a daredevil who would whitewater raft, ski and hike any mountain, climb any hill, and return to Cinco Terra in Italy in a heartbeat.

* TM Paolo's best friend was the elementary school bully who became his best friends and they even shared girlfriends (Es Amore!!).  Sadly he died 30 years ago, leaving a huge void in Paolo's life.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam realized that she wants to try exotic foods while scuba diving, no more and no less.  No jumping out of airplanes for her, no siree!!

* TM BeckyJo has finally understood that it takes a mallet to soften a dead alligator into the texture of a filet mignon.  She will not try to cook one again, that's for sure!

We had two great prepared speeches...

* DTM Mary Helen pointed out that symptoms of becoming old are the repetitiveness of life, we can no longer remember the name of our teenage idol, nightsleep is shorter and napping is more frequent.  What keeps us young is starting over - at springtime or on our birthday, not when we're tipsy on New Year's Eve, and while we still have something to say.

* DTM David confirmed our suspicions that, like many other organizations, Toastmasters is very disoriented about rules and regulations for Online, In-Person and Hybrid meetings.  Erratically is the name of the game.  If we stay online-only, we will not be orphaned from District 47, though.

And we had some great evaluations...

* TM Jose, just landed from Spain in the midst of a Florida monsoon, praised DTM Mary Helen for her ease and comfort when delivering a speech, her vocal variety, her hand gestures and connecting with her audience with a universal theme.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Aleta profusely thanked our Guest Speaker DTM David for enlightening us to the fact that Toastmasters International's policy on types of meetings is clear as mud.

The Word of the Day was

SERENDIPITY, noun

Events that happen by chance in a happy and beneficial way.

Example:  It was through serendipity that I ran into my French high school friend - we met in The American School of Madrid - at my parish church  in Fort Lauderdale, 20 years after having lost touch with each other.  Neither of us had any previous connection to Fort Lauderdale.

See you next week!

Serendipituosly yours,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

50s, Icebreaker and Be Delightful - travel at the EarlyBird speed

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam led us with interesting topics revolving around 50, the magic number.  We soon found out that...

* DTM Jim D. wants to keep the $50 bill exactly as it is, with Ulysses S. Grant in full mode time travel.

* TM Emmanuel marvels at couples who make their 50th wedding anniversary - that's what life and love is about!

* TM Jim recently experienced the 50s Golden Age of TV by streaming Sea Hunt with Lloyd Bridges on TM Chris's I-watch.

* TM BeckyJo plans to be a fiery redhead at the tender age of 80, vibrant and minus any pesky grays.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, don't believe in the motto Get Rich Or Die - although I've pretty much lived a comfortable life most of my life, so I'm just spoiled.

* TM Tom is glad he's past 50 because at 50 he didn't know Toastmasters or EarlyBirds and can't fathom life without them.

* TM Aleta voted multiple times for TM Pam to attend her 50th Homecoming College Reunion where everyone will recognize her without having to even wear a name badge.

And then came the prepared speeches...

* TM Paula delighted us with a descriptive self-introduction about her geographic moves and spiritual journey.  Excellent icebreaker, Paula!

* DTM Mary Helen relived her anguish at losing her handbag at the start of The Way (El Camino) but finding it thanks to the benefits of the tourism industry. She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Chris was wowed - as were we all- at TM Paula's vocabulary richness which escapes most native-born gringos.  Paula's speech encapsulated the essence of her being, the yin and yang.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Paolo repeatedly asked DTM Mary Helen why didn't she incorporate pizza and lasagna meals on her tale of the Camino?  What happened to Italy??  Grazie Tutti, Prego!

We were seniorly confused between the (2) Jims and we swapped people's last names, but other than that, the meeting traveled smoothly.

The Word of the Day was

TRAVEL, noun

go from one place to another, over a distance of some length.

An object that moves, typically in a constant and predictable way.

Example:  To travel or to teletransport - Elon, Elon, what musk we do???

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOrYDea8q0g

See you next week!  Spring Forward on Sunday March 12!

Ana I.

Recap Writer