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

Idioms & Proverbs, Leadership Styles and Unsung Heroes - a peopled meeting at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

In honor of our late TM Carmine, TM Randolph led us in idioms and proverbs.  We soon learned that...

* TM The Tom usually bites more than he can chew and tries to make sense of it  while speaking Gaelic.

* TM Veronica recalled this was one of her Dad's favorite expressions but if you enjoy something, do it often instead of once in a blue moon!

* TM Gail has counted her chickens before they hatched plenty of times and learned that it only leads to broken plans and disappointments.  Life is what happens while we're busy making other plans, as John Lennon used to say...

* TM David's grandpa used to say be happy with what you have instead of wishing for what you don't - bird in hand is better than 2 birds in the bush.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Christina's Dutch ancestry makes her avoid beating around the bush and she is very direct even if it's hard on the other person, but her Canadian side softens it up.

* TM Jorge ate plenty of pasta while spending time in Rome and doing as the Romans do....

* I, Ana, mused that words are empty when not backed by loud actions....

* TM Cory thinks he will build muscle by buying books on bodybuilding and stacking them neatly on his bookshelf.  Don't we all wish...

We had (2) excellent speeches...

* TM Pam described several leadership styles - coaching, innovative, authoritative (her favorite) and democratic while cajoling her youngest daughter to learn how to ride a bike in Long Key State Park.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Aleta inspired us with the kindness of strangers who helped her untangle the chaos produced by an Act of Nature.

Along came evaluations...

* First-time evaluator TM Christina loved TM Pam's speech and as a child growing up in a helmetless world, she related to Pam's daughter...  Great job, Christina!

* TM David loved TM Aleta's phrase "Hope is never washed away" because perfect strangers become friends when disaster strikes.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was 

PEOPLED, verb

To populate, inhabit

PEOPLED, adjective

To be filled with people

Example:  It is people who are peopled by constantly peopling those peopled.

We had a plesantly surprising visit from TM Chris and TM Jim all the way from Japan, where cities are densely peopled!  Great to see you, friends!

Next week we will receive the visit of our Area Director.  

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukDITWQ86bM  

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Idioms, Interdependence and Independence - a liminal day at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Today was a liminal day at EarlyBirds:  We thanked our Immediate Past President and former Officers for their work; we installed our new Officers in their new roles and we inducted our newest member, TM Christina.  Welcome to EarlyBirds, everyone!

TM Veronica did a superb job as first-time Sargeant-at-Arms.  TM BeckyJo took the baton from our Immediate Past President, and was particularly helpful in informing and welcoming our newest member and our guest, Kristian, and reporting to all of us the good news about TM Aleta who is thankfully overcoming a natural disaster suffered by her home.  We missed you TM Aleta, and hope you return soon....

DTM Mary Helen led us with very thought-provoking idioms.  We found out that...

* TM Gail is counting her chickens before they're hatched but hopefully this 3rd time is a charm and she will be boarding her cruise in Roma, Citta Eterna (per parlare della sua natura infinita).

* Returning TM Jarrett gave his wife a surprise  anniversary trip to the Keys including a loggerhead turtle and a Goliath grouper in their scubadiving.  Actions speak louder than words!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jorge is happy he joined EarlyBirds when he did because it's definitely better late than never!

* TM Jose always chased the grass that was greener on the other side of the fence and found out that it was on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean!

* TM Veronica likes to look before she leaps but sometimes looking turns into staring and she wants to learn to shorten the observation stage.

* TM Christina believes that honesty is the best policy because frankly, she's a bad liar and she always gets caught...

* TM Cory is risk-averse and prefers a bird in hand than two in the bush.

* TM BeckyJo knows the early bird catches the worm because worms are out early morning before it gets too hot and besides, her neighbor's grass IS always greener than hers - or most of the year anyway.

* TM David knows that when in Rome you must do as the Romans do, or as our guest Kristian would say "when in Milan, have a veal milanese."

We had two fabulous speeches today...

* TM Pam related the history of EarlyBirds and how our interdependence has gotten us through liminal moments to how we are thriving today.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM The Tom gave a suspenseful speech about Gouverneur Morris, who hand-wrote The Preamble and the Constitution, created the street grid of Lower Manhattan and was homesteaded in a certain Gettysburg Address.

And then came the evaluations..

* TM David complimented TM Pam for her well-presented history of EarlyBirds and finding out about the Creator of the Peak of the Week.  

* TM Christine praised TM The Tom for keeping the main character of his speech as a Mystery Man with an unusual French name and, as Tom predicted, nobody had heard of him before.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

LIMINAL, adj.

Occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

Relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process.

Example:  TM Jorge hit the bullseye choosing this Word of the Day as our EarlyBirds Club is in a liminal stage.  Good job, Jorge!

Here is the link to the recording....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUhsR-R2wNA

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

Looking back, The Model Prayer and Let It Go - a gallant morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM David launched us off by having us take a look at our past....

* TM Gail would tell her younger self to take the job she turned down, although in hindsight, it turned out to be the right choice!

* TM The Tom made a turning point decision to write down his memoir for his children to enjoy.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest Kimberly would not compare herself to others if she could change one thing about her life.  She would focus on her own life!

* TM BeckyJo took longer to learn math, which she thought was irrelevant, and it turned out to be present everywhere in her life.  2 + 2 = 4

* TM Jorge regrets having dropped out of high school although he later made out all right!

* TM Veronica's most valuable lesson has been not to get distracted by distractions and focus on being herself.

* DTM Mary Helen wishes she had learned to ski as a girl, learned a musical instrument, although she became a professional astrologer  while playing the ukelele and signing German songs.

* I, Ana, would have chosen to study a career instead of wasting my time figuring out how to buy myself trendy clothes.

Then we listened to prepared speeches...

* TM Aleta presented a detailed description of The Lord's Prayer, where we pour out our hearts to God instead of using it as a private wish factory.

* TM Pam redid her Let It Go speech about purging holy family relics by storing them in Nostalgia Plastic Bins.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding our evaluations....

* TM BeckyJo commended TM Aleta for speaking at a moment's notice and urged her to watch prolific speakers to improve her vocal variety.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom praised TM Pam's ability to purge her belongings while singing Let It Go in B-minor and assigning her husband one storage drawer in the entire household.  

The Word of the Day was

GALLANT, adj

brave, heroic

Example:  At EarlyBirds we learn to be gallant while improvising different tasks.

The link to the recording is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5j-t_WEPM4

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

The Wild Wild West, Do You Hear Me? Tree chainsaw massacres - a Nolens Volens morning at Early Birds

--No Video Available--

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We formally inducted our returning Toastmaster Veronica.  Welcome aboard!

TM Randolph led us in Nolens Volens Table Topics.  We were soon to discover that...

* TM BeckyJo keenly watches her cat while she also watches British, Swedish, German and French crime dramas.  American crime dramas are just too preachy!

* TM The Tom frequents Mom's Kitchen, a family joint where the longtime waitresses are good flirts and the food is second to none.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Marie's faith is her bedrock, gives her courage and trust to face any challenges she encounters while doing mental acrobatics about Polls. Great job, Marie!

* TM Veronica enjoys life being lived in the moment and has found the way to be happy while working toward future goals.

* TM Jorge has learned to never say never and finds more joys than frustrations in being a software engineer.

* TM David's big ego tells him he's the smartest in the room but he's aiming to be the funniest in order to release tension in his environment.

* TM Pam was thinking of AI this morning regarding microbes and cancer-sniffing beagles who will just have to return to being pets.

* TM Jose had great athletic talents in his early days but tore his meniscus and now simply walks 700 kilometers of the Camino like he eats a piece of cake!

We had (2) excellent prepared speeches...

* TM David explored his communication style - his forte being direct, which has caused him some family tensions, so now he practices supportive, which is much more conducive to happy endings.

* TM Pam taught us how to avoid tree-trimming scams by requesting the permit to solicit, the ISA certification and thus avoid neighborhood chainsaw massacres.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Along came evaluations...

* TM Randolph praised TM David for his organization and encouraged him to add more personal stories next time he gives this speech.

* TM The Tom, evaluating from a closet, pointed out that TM Pam's speech was well-knit and she urged us to avoid falling willy-nilly for tree scams.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

NOLENS VOLENS, noun

Something that happens whether a person wants it or likes it or not.

(Can be used either/or Nilly-Willy)

Example:  The dog was dragged, nolens volens, to the groomer for a much-needed wash.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfmZEyUOg-Q

We overcame temporary and longer absences, rose to the occasion and had a great meeting as always!  Thanks everyone for the teamwork!

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

Iffy Situations, Sensical Numbers and Seeking Help - an opulent morning at Early Birds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Mary Helen started us off with iffy situations we encountered in life.  We found out that...

* TM Jose tried to steal a vinyl (formerly known as LP) as a budding teen, got caught and learned his lesson - wait 6 months for the coveted LPs to reach the Spanish market.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, was usually the one to get others in trouble to cover up for lying to my unsuspecting parents.

* TM Gail the pilot learned to make flight plans and adhere to the ETA, except this morning when she broke her lifetime rule - but made it anyway!

* TM Christine prayed over a newly-minted police officer and ended up being hauled away in handcuffs.  The twists and turns of life...

* Guest David's first car was a Honda Civic and remains forever in his heart, especially the coveted sunroof.

* TM Jorge took a wrong direction by stealing school supplies as a youngster but quickly corrected course at the sight of his father's timely appearance.

* TM BeckyJo saw her ex-partner's theft in the books and sadly what was seen cannot be unseen so her goal for 2025 is to pursue legal action and get her money back!

We had an outstanding ICEBREAKER today...

* TM Cory engaged the audience with TM questions and as a data analyst encouraged us all to join one of 182 lifetime La Vie cruises that will accommodate 56% of female Toastmasters and 44% of male Toastmasters.  The data analysis conclusion is 0% privacy for the Gulds.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Pam backed with data the fact that she's smart, educated, charming, creative and she comes from a long line of educated, charming, creative and smart family members.  From doing it her way she transformed into leaning onto others to make life easier.  

Then came evaluations...

* TM Chris praised TM Cory for his creative Icebreaker which, truthfully impressed everyone with his personalized statistics.  She Won Best Evauator Award.

* TM The Tom related to TM Pam's opulent arrogance as a boss but age has a way of humbling us.

The Word of the Day was

OPULENT, adj.

Rich, luxurious, lavish

We at EarlyBirds like opulent - and succulent - lunches and dinners! 

First-time Grammarian TM Jorge brought us a fantastic Word of the Day and captured the rich language used by our members.  Way to go, TM Jorge!

For tips on Poll-Making and other important tidbits, please visit  earlybirdtm.blogspot.com

The link to today's recording is 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFjciETtJ2Q

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

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 

Idioms, It’s Not Them and Musical Remix - a segue into other realms at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

I, Ana, started us off with Table Topics...

* TM Chris is proof positive that no pain, no gain is a truism and she is soon-to-be prouncing and hopping around on her brand new knee! 

* TM Marc finds that it's always darkest before the dawn in an astronomical sense, especially when he does a crack-of-dawner to join EarlyBirds!

* TM Randolph is unsure when to throw caution to the wind and when to act with prudence, he is going to google it.

* TM Gail admires the Gulds for throwing caution to the wind, embarking on a seafaring adventure and spilling the beans about it!

* TM Marie thinks ladders are an endangered species, soon to be replaced by drones.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo's off-her-rocker teenager was brought back to the recliner by her off-her-rocker Mom.

* DTM Mary Helen thinks well begun is half done, expecially when making banana cupcakes.

We then segued into our prepared speeches...

* TM Pam firmly believes in random acts of kindness to them/they/she/her/him and especially to her frenemy husband, in a striking evolutionary move ahead of neanderpoliticals.

* TM Aleta, our very own version of Casey Kasem's Top 40s, succumbed to DTM Mary Helen's 35-year pleas and after wishing she could turn back time, decided to update her Spotify playlist.  See attached link for your musical enjoyment.  She Won Best Speaker/Singer Award.  (Here is the spreadsheet of all her songs.) 

Along came evaluations....

* In a topsy-turvy turn of events through no fault of her own TM BeckyJo praised TM Pam's timeless speech, delivered with smooth transitions, easy flow and vocal variety, evoking BeckyJo's cousin who thinks she's off her rocker.

* TM The Tom admired TM Aleta's way of connecting music to her life and making great pauses from one title to another.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

SEGUE, verb

To proceed to what follows without pause or hesitation.

EarlyBirds is a fun way to segue into the rest of our Thursday.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/live/_QPpMvuYa_w?si=oFAfDfIe9tSwa2YT

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer 

Single Words, Happiness and Resolutions - a potpourri of a meeting at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Jim G. led us in single-word topics.  And as we now know...

* DTM Mary Helen practices gratitude every day of her life - especially considering  how privileged our lives are.

* TM Marie admires our adventurous fellow Toastmasters and wonders if she will have the courage to be who she truly is in 2025. Yes, Marie, you will!

* TM Terri believes that travel equals discovery, inspiration, innovation and renovation.  An inward interior design of transformation!

* TM Randolph achieves growth through self-evaluation, for which he uses the Pathways evaluation forms.

* Guest Debbi concluded that as she gets older, her potential becomes more obvious and she reaches out to grab it!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

Along came prepared speeches...

* I, Ana, elaborated on various definitions of happiness versus joy versus delight versus musical renditions.  Conclusion: "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (to the tune of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" .  I Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Pam decided to get rid of bad habits by decluttering "a box a week is not for the meek" and she is not joining Quitters Day, no sireee....

Regarding evaluations...

* TM Jose stood up for the occasion and challenged me to look at the camera, not at the squares, and to stand up to improve gestures.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Aleta praised TM Pam's sincerity and challenged her to work some more on the pesky technology of sharing screens and other mysteries of zoom.

The Word of the Day was

POT-POURRI (noun)

- A mix of dried flower petals, leaves and spices to create a scent.

- A collection of various things.

Example:  Pot-pourri elicits a highly controversial pronunciation challenge between green-gos, who correctly pronounce it POW-POURRI,  Hispanics, who incorrectly pronounce it POT-PUREE and the clueless, who pronounce it OLLA PODRIDA.

Our Club International Speech Contest will be held on January 23, 2025.  Dust off your speeches, locals!

Here is the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/WTf_nQ_lT-k

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Food topics, Family National Holidays and Forbidden Apples - a raddling morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Jim D. had us reminiscing about food memories....

* TM Gail loooooves ice cream, eats the small cups by the half dozen but for health purposes has restricted herself to ONLY vanilla.

* TM Aleta absolutely positively resolutely determinedly makes no food restriction New Year's resolutions.  She's nuts about chocolate... with nuts.

* TM Paolo has regressed from being a good cook to throwing together cold cuts and bread strictly under duress, the rest of the time he's just thankful for a loving good cook wife.

* I, Ana, had my unseasoned unsalted filet mignon blatantly stolen from my plate by a rogue canine during a family barbeque.  I was definitely not thankful!

* TM Chris' favorite restaurant is Cooper's Hawk, they have joined the Wine Club and have wonderful dining and wining experiences there.

* TM Jose almost ate chop snake salad during a business trip to Taiwan but, as often in his life, was saved by the snake's raddle.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Terrt can remember a few badly prepared marital meals but fortunately her ex is no longer around and her sons are both good cooks.

Regarding the prepared icebreakers we had today...

* TM Pam interwove (3) November holidays - Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving and her birthday into a tale of family gatherings, memories and reminiscens.  Happy Birthday Pam!

* TM Marie has spent most of her life trying to force outcomes with futility and no longer becomes raddled as she is now Laissez Faire Marie, letting events unfold as they will and cheerfully eating a crunchy unknowledgeable apple.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Jose praised TM Pam for her clarity, and her sighing technique and suggested she may add some hand gestures to her delivery.  

* TM Paolo hailed TM Marie's speech as a masterpiece and asked that she work on her right angle lighting and try Gala apples instead of Granny Smith's.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the DAy was

RADDLED, adj

Broken down, worn

Confused, upset

Example: Grammar nerds were raddled by the spelling of what they thought was spelled rattled, which started being used in the 1900s versus raddled from the 1690s.  Raddled saves you having to mentally cross the t's.  

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0ft9ejL2qk

See you next week!

Ana I.

Raddled, Skedaddled and Befuddled

Recap Writer

Idioms, Meditation and Being Heckled - a fugacious morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta inspired us with popular idioms about body parts.  We were surprised to learn that...

* TM Tom triumpantly reported the EMS personnel who were there in his time of need were a truly a sight for sore eyes.  Welcome back to our effervescent joy, Tom!  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, took a wild guess that using elbow grease refers to car mechanics deciphering the labyrinth of car parts in the engine and getting their elbows dirty.

* DTM Jim D. highly recommends that chickens and turkeys avoid sticking their neck out, especially around Thanksgiving.  Otherwise their lives will truly be fugacious!

* TM Gail is tired of all the politicians who speak with forked tongues and cannot wait for them to speak with knived tongues so they can chop their own tongues off, once and for all!

* TM Paolo has often had something on the tip of his tongue but it's ready to be spoken in Italian and he doesn't say it because his listener is monolingual (in English).

* TM Terri's father was a good man but very pessimistic so she keeps her chin up, especially about chocolate, which, as the old saying goes,"a minute in the lips, forever in the hips".

And then came the prepared speeches...

* TM Roslyn invited us to start our day by dropping - even if fugaciously - into meditation, to refresh and replenish our cluttered minds.

* TM Pam masterfully dealt with a disruptive audience - an interrupter, a chatterer, an arguer, a talker, an electronic device enthusiast, compulsively commenting in the chat. We had a great time and TM Pam humorously dealt with it.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding evaluations....

* TM Paolo praised TM Roslyn for her effective pace to allow us to discern, digest, process, metabolize and refresh, recharge and restart.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Marie praised EarlyBirds for being the best hecklers on Planet Earth and also praised TM Pam for her effort to practice, practice, practice, putting up with us.

The Word of the Day was

FUGACIOUS, adjective

Lasting a very short time; ephemeral; short-lived, transient

Example:  Love's fugacious radiance wanes into a more stable companionship.

Dates to Consider:

Club Level Contests (to be conducted by January 14, 2024)

Tall Tales

Humorous Speech

District Level Contests 

Table Topics

Evaluations

International Speech - must have completed Level I and Level II in Pathways

Here's the link to the recording:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS7QII_AH9g

See you next week!

Ana I.

Sagacious and Perspecacious  but not Fugacious Recap Writer

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

Dear Members, Guests, and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Along came (3) prepared speeches...

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

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

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

And then came the evaluations...

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

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

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

The Word of the Day was

MOXIE, noun

= Courage and determination

_ Enery and pep

- Know-how

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

Here's the link to the recording:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

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 

Eclectic topics, Musical Gasps, Tales of the South Pacific - an undiscombobulated morning at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests, Friends:

TM The Tom led us with eclectic topics, from whence we gathered that...

* TM Terri would invent "Rest Your Bones Day" as a national holiday, when you simply do nothing, nada, niente, or if you're really dynamic, you take yourself to the beach.

* TM BeckyJo would fly around Epcot with a drunken space alien and ride Space Mountain, again and again.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Ricardo was petrified - and made the rest of us petrified by association - by reading the bathroom scene in The Shining, second only to the bathroom scene in Psycho.

* DTM Mary Helen, calling in from Babylon Berlin, is no longer a mere lurker in FB Aldi's Aisle of Shame but a full fledged participant.

* TM Marie faced the majestic ocean in Atlantic City after spending days at her father's quarry in her rural home - and her life has just never been the same again.

* TM Paolo would become Domenico Modugno or preferably Rodolfo Valentino (both Apulia's favorite sons) if he could be the Master of Disguise.  For now, he's flying back to meet Chair Giorgia Meloni at the G7 summit.

We had 2 prepared speeches...

* TM Pam took us all down memory lane in a humorous speech about becoming concert singer groupies in the chapter of our lives called The Last Gasp... of our octogenarian favorite bands.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* I, Ana, shared how overwater bungalows in French Polynesia came into existence and how Tahitian television has spread to Jamaica, Maldives, Mexico, hither and thither.

And along came evaluations....

* TM Randolph praised TM Pam for her funny, funnier, funniest speech about old musical glories that are literally taking their last gasps.

* TM Jose enjoyed learning the history of overwater bungalows and was glad there were no shark encounters - especially since there were 3 attacks in the Florida Panhandle in knee-deep water over the last week.  Yikes!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

DISCOMBOBULATED, adj.

Confused, disconcerted.

Example:  Discombobulated is the natural state - most of the time - of some of our EarlyBird members, who shall remain nameless....

Here's the link to the recording

https://youtube.com/live/376Btvobelo?feature=share

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

If We Had Power to Change The Past, Fun in Dysfunctional and INaturalist - a morning full of conjectures at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Mary Helen launched us into the land of conjectures.  We soon learned that...

* TM Marie has concluded that DTM Jim D.'s piercing eyes follows our every move and we later found out he's a KGB agent!

* TM Randolph would turn back time and delve into stocks and trades - with a little insider conjectures turned to facts, to be on the winning side of that roulette game.

* TM Gail would have had a front row in JFK's snowy Inauguration - when he was a promising young President and now he's mostly an airport.

* TM BeckyJo has a special talent for following DTM Jim's sleuth cat at all times.  Spy vs Spy.

* TM Tom's cherished childhood memory led to present-day blind obedience to his feline best friend.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Aleta got her best piece of advice from former boss and lasting friend, Bob, who taught her to be diplomatic.

As far as prepared speeches go...

* Returning TM Christine bared her childhood soul and showed us how to turn life into a humorously cathartic physical likeness to Jesus, courtesy of Polaroid Foogle Photos.  Welcome back, Christine!

* TM Pam urged us - and her botanical society - to become citizen  scientists and easily identify troglodytes aedon, lepidoptera, odonates, beggarticks, coriopsis laneolata and other aromatic herbs from her back yard.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

We had some great evaluations...

* TM BeckyJo praised TM Christine's proficient and improvised use of multimedia and encouraged her to kinda sorta maybe prepare her speech a few minutes before delivering it, if she wants to relinquish her title of Professional Fuzzer.   She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Aleta already got the INaturalist App, the IMarlin for Birds and Wizards, the SnailMobile for escargots, the IFishteroids for... you guessed it!  - that's how well TM Pam's Persuasive Influence Pathways worked!

First-time Grammarian TM Gail picked a great Word of the Day:

CONJECTURE, verb

To form an idea without sufficient evidence.

Example:   TM Gail wiped away any conjectures about her sharp listening Grammarian skills.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/NTngZ_W2L0k

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Manipulating Time, Accentuate the Positive and Publicity Squad - an incipiently fun morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We received the Club Inspection visit of our Area Director, DTM Tim M.  Our hefty bribes paid off - we passed with flying colors!

I, Ana, started us off by confronting the starkly incipient advent of Daylight Savings Time.  At the end, the process became clear as mud...

* DTM Mary Helen doesn't even need kids and pets who can't tell time because she's got a permanent menagerie in her mind.

* DTM Tim is precise like a Swiss watch to set his clocks on military time.

* Incipient TM Gail is not a morning person, so being at EarlyBirds is as productive as her Daylight Savings Time will ever get.

* TM BeckyJo has learned to change all her clocks, use AI, install software, traverse computer systems and is joining The Geeks Squadron.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Incipient TM Barry has offered to give DTM Tim a crash course on understanding military time.

* TM Randolph is leading  an activist movement to start Daylight Savings Time  on Friday at 4 pm.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Pam has guts, grits and werewithal to acctivate her confidence gene, which is sometimes on a dimmer switch.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Aleta claims doing Evaluations has enabled her to hear a pin drop in a thunderstorm.  For real.

As far as evaluations.go...

* TM The Tom praised TM Pam for not succumbing to her recalcitrant water pump which  almost modified her planned tombstone epitaph.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Terri applauded TM Aleta's use of pompons as realia (objects and materials from everyday life, used as teaching aids) and was last seen headed to a sports outlet to buy some.

The Word of the Day was

INCIPIENT, adj.

Beginning to come into existence or to become apparent.

Example:  The funnel clouds signaled the arrival of a nasty tornado.  Run for it!

Next week the theme is TALL TALES - where everything goes.... except the truth!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtube.com/live/z_KoSNoOEio

See you next week!

Ana I.

Incipient recalcitrant indomitable Recap Writer

Match Game, Arboretum Botanicus, Sequential Magic Carpet Ride - a non-enervating morning at Toastmasters!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

What a fantastically fun meeting!  TM Aleta brought us back to the days of Family Feud, with a Table Topics Match Game.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Chris gets all sugary around her sugarbabe while degustating sugar cubes - out with artificial sweeteners!

* TM BeckyJo actually worked for the mouse, although she thought he was a strange dude.  Minnie was ok but oh boy his friend Goofy.... and then they put her to drive a tram so she decided she better get a college degree.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Marie stated otherwise, but she knew far too well how to fake sounding sick to make us believe she never called in sick to work.  Cough, cough, sniffle, sniffle.  Hummm.....

* TM Terri keeps everything in her car - and we mean everything- so her home is actually minimalist and she parks in her own living room.

* I, Ana, had plenty of runs in my pantyhouse but shattered the puritan heritage of the descendants of pilgrims who were aghast when I displayed bare legs in summer.

* DTM Mary Helen likes all musical things but her favorite is to dance to shake and rattle with her DTM counterpart, in the midst of a rolling earthquake.

And then we heard a prepared speech....

*TM Pam lives in a 9B/10A Zone and recommends planting Quercus Virginiana, Cupressus (with Rogaine hair growth to overcome baldness), Prunus Caroliniana, Carya Illinoimensis and Bursera Simaruba to support pollinators and rejuvenate Ground Zero in Old Town Hall.  She Won Best Latin Speaker Award.

* We heard a replay of Kip's Sequential Story from May, 2022, in which those present participated to ride a magic carpet while all smoking funny things and getting the munchies at 7 am Eastern Standard Time.  It's truly worth watching the video today because it's like the Sixties.... you know the rest of that saying.

As far as our evaluation...

* TM Emmanuel praised TM Pam for her agrarian forestry rejuvenation schemes and suggested pausing and varying the Toner to allow the age-defying invigorating humidifiers to penetrate the epidermis.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Jim D. simply said "LET'S DO ONE AGAIN" about the highly sensical sequential Table Topics 

The Word of the Day was

ENERVATE, verb

To sap someone or something of physical or mental vigor, vitality or strength.

Example:  Toastmasters protects us from becoming enervated by helping us release our otherwise pent-up self-expression.  Clear as mud....

The recording for today's meeting is here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCsh1yEYPJE

See you next week!

Ana I., Recap Writer

Fwd: AARP Topics, The King and I and Mentoring - an assiduous morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Mary Helen got us thinking about a variety of topics, and we found out that...

* I, Ana, left behind the disease of "more" and as I've aged, I look for satisfaction in things money can't buy....

* TM Terri pursued a banking career and fate had her professional life detour into a rewarding career teaching inner city kids.

* TM Ricardo asked governments to stop printing money to drive down inflation.  Argentina's government is trying to do just that!  We're praying for success.

* TM Marie puts love into every situation.  She tries to love the unloveable - such as the 70 year old celebrating in the Playboy Mansion South vapid theme.  P u h l e e e a s e !

* TM Pam urged us to call now or request calls.  It is a Limited Time Offer for real.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Paolo asks the experts (us) every week, and it's what the Topic Master is doing right now.  We have the best communication skills of all the clubs he knows.

* TM Aleta asks herself very often why did that get so expensive?  She tries to deflect that sad truth by looking at the big picture.

* TM BeckyJo proposes investing 1/1000 of nothing into nothing because it is so cheap! Hop on the bandwagon, people, and be done with it.  Make the bitcoin millionaires, billionaires.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM BeckyJo had us in for a surprise as she recounted rolling down Suicide Hill with a ball of humidity in her DJ hand, to honor the passing of The King, the most prolific musician of the universe.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Pam likened inducing childbirth in her pool by feasting on mangoes to mentoring others in Toastmasters by teaching them how to take the Pathway of La Leche Dynamic Presentation.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Terri was totally surprised to learn that Elvis was the real King of Siam.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Paolo enjoyed TM Pam's ride to a time when there was no internet, no cells, no texting, no tweeting.  How did we ever manage?

TM Ricardo was first-time Ah Counter and beat humankind's male record of accomplishing 2 things at the same time.  Go Ricardo!!

The Word of the Day was

ASSIDUOUS, adjective

Showing great care and perseverance

Synonyms:  diligent, industrious

Example: Politicians are NOT very assiduous in searching for facts and figures.

Next week is our International Speech Contest.  Come one, come all !!

Below is the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIdRRG7D1Ds

See you next week!

Ana I.

Assiduous Recap Writer

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Along came two fantastic speeches...

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

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

With regards to evaluations...

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

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

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

The Word of the Day was

AUTHENTIC, adj.

real, actual, not false or imitation

True to one's personality, with no pretensions

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

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/_ifFAm5xV74

See you next week!

Authentically yours,

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

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