A Memorable Icebreaker, Evaluation Contest and Returning Travelers, all in a day's meeting

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

Our Icebreaker Speech Evaluation Contest happily witnessed the return of our wandering Toastmasters Mary Helen, Chris and Jim.  Welcome back, friends!

 

Our newest Toastmaster, Lois, shared part of her life in a speech entitled “Who is Lois?”  which encapsulated her brio and zest.  Every morning is The Best Day Of Her Life!  Go Lois!

 

And we had outstanding Evaluation Contestants which made for a tight competition:

 

• TM Marie commended Super Woman TM Lois for interweaving her survival skills throughout the various phases of her life.  She Won Third Place.
• TM Jeff’s initial worries proved unfounded as TM Lois transitioned smoothly between segments; he suggested she work on the camera angle and her lighting, and pointed out that the speaker simply acknowledges the person who introduced her.   He Won First Place.
• TM Paolo remarked that vincit qui patitur – he who endures, overcomes.  Or, as simply said by Caesar, inventor of the salad, “Veni, vidi, vici” – translation: no anchovies, please.  He Won Second Place.

 

While votes were scrutinized for hanging chads, then counted and recounted, we engaged on some Table Topics led by Contest Master Kip:

 

• TM Chris likes to work behind the scenes (where she expertly runs everything) instead of competing.  Like Vince Lombardi, she does not for the life of her understand why scores have to be kept.at the
• TM Tom thought he was at a Tall Tales Contest and told us about his great-grandfather, who killed Bill Clanton (great grandfather  of Hillary’s husband with a different vowel) and Frank McLaury at the Not-So-Okay Corral in Tombstone Territory.   He Won Best Table Topics Award, hands down.
• TM Aleta recently had a F2F picnic for all ages on her back yard for her Western Pennsylvania Toastmasters Club.  Word has spread and today she had Jim and Chris show up on her driveway.
• I, Ana, have not been in a gunfight but have imagined killing a few as in death by stabbing.
• DTM Mary Helen had a critical husband and Presto! He was quickly converted into an ex….

 

DTM Kip handled the nuances of a Zoom contest with utmost finesse and knelt  in prayer every so often – it worked!  The Breakout Room entry/exit situation went without a hitch!

Chief Judge Carmine reminded us of the Code of Ethics and urged derelicts to send in the signed Judge Eligibility Forms.  He kept us on track!

 

TM Jose pondered how EarlyBirds feels different at 7 am than at 1 pm when he joins from the other side of the pond….  Ah, that pesky time travel!

 

We had 3 of Lois’s good friends who joined to support her and were asked to return for a regular meeting – Zoom contests can be a little confusing….

 

Here is the Link for YouTube recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LabvkR1LTbo

 

Ahhh.  It feels just like old times!

 

Dates to Remember:  Sept 9 – Humorous Speech Contest

 

See you next week!  Arrivederci….

 

Ana

Recap Writer

 

 

Positive Leadership and Successful Investing - a Beguiling EarlyBird Meeting

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

In a wildly unprecedented induction with a beguiling and elusive Breakout Room, we welcomed our very own Toastmaster Lois.  Greetings, TM Lois!!

 

TM Carmine led us in Andy Rooney quotes for table topics.  We then learned that….

 

• TM Pam compares love to those beguiling puppy eyes when you first meet, then 40 years later when you question your choice, and then 20 years after that when you rejoice in your choice, if only you could figure out who is that other person with the beguiling puppy eyes you’ve spent your life with.
• TM Jose, zooming in from Fort Lauderdale, stated that every child comes with a loaf of bread under their arm… until the age of 12, when they become beguiling demanding monsters, which led him to get a Bank of Dad Is Now Closed T-shirt that he wears on his roughest days.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Paolo informed us that sitting at the peak of the mountain is not only uncomfortable but also lonely.  The climbing is more fun although then you must inevitably hike down from the pike.
• TM Lois stated that she definitely improves her look inexpensively with a smile; in fact, she always smiles – even when it hurts.

 

 

In the prepared speeches….

 

• TM Marie reminded us that optimistic people work more, while pessimistic people worry more and at the end, it all boils down to 2 questions:  can I trust you?  Do you care about me?  Ah… therein lies the dilemma…. Until you find out, develop GRIT and look around with those beguiling puppy eyes….
• TM Jeff convinced me to implement new daily behaviors:   From now, I will resist market dips and swings, work on my risk tolerance, study the regulations of FINRA and SEC, manage volatility, give up trying  to outperform markets, remember that less friction yields better performance (also a good marriage formula) and will memorize the attached smart diversification prior to our next meeting.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

 

And along came evaluations…

 

• TM Randolph posed a critical question to TM Marie:  bullet points or pointed bullets?  The answer indicates whether her hand gestures were adequate.
• TM Aleta praised TM Jeff’s sincerity and credibility; however, some of us are not astute financial foxes, so please break down your speech into at least 10 individual speeches to help us accept and embrace the collective wisdom.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

BEGUILING, adj.

Charming or enchanting, often in a deceptive way.

 

Example:  Beguiling Samantha of the TV series “Bewitched” moved heaven and earth with a simple wiggle of her nose.  Ah…. Life was so much simpler then!

 

Dates to Remember:

 

• Our Evaluation Contest will be held next Thursday, August 12, Breakout Rooms permitting.  TM Lois will double up as Test Speaker and Icebreaker Speaker.

 

• The Humorous Speech Contest will be held on Thursday September 16 so Kip can explain us the hows and whys of the contest after returning from a 2-week visit to a Breakout Room.

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer

 

 

 

 

Leaders are Well Groomed and Well Traveled - an intriguing morning at EarlyBirds!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

First-time Invocator and new TM Lois said a beautiful morning prayer and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, waving her own flag.  Great job, TM Lois!

 

TM Marie led us in inspirational quotes on Leadership.  We found out that…

 

• TM BeckyJo believes that trust is not deserved; it’s earned – by behavior and example.  Dignity is man’s best asset.   She was one of the Table Topics Trifecta Winners.
• TM Carmine’s consciousness evolves by currently reading from the Buddha and he’s achieving wholeness and harmony.
• I, Ana, create connections by inviting people to activities I enjoy and benefit me – Toastmasters is at the top of my list.
• TM Lois muffles the crazy noise in her head by attending Toastmasters and sharpening her listening skills.  She was one of the Table Topic Trifecta Winners.
• TM Randolph likes words of affirmation and expressions of personal admiration from others which reinforce his own self worth.
• TM Aleta pursues excellence and has fun while following the rules.
• TM Pam stopped the bickering between her daughters and achieved a clean house in the process although she did get some “I hate you”s along the way – a clear sign of mothering success.  She was one of the Table Topic Trifecta Winners.

The theme for today’s prepared speeches was “Well groomed, well travelled”….

 

• Impeccably dressed TM Paolo told us how to dress for success:  emphasize assets, conceal shortcomings.  Project confidence, assurance, success, sexiness before even opening your mouth.  A well-fitting man’s suit is to a woman what lingerie is to a man….    Stay stylish, my friends!  He Won Best Speaker Award.
• DTM Kip gave us a visual travelog of his recent trip to Alaska, aplenty with reindeer (caribou in the wild), eagles, napping otters, muskox, rugged individuals, waterfalls, dumb moose locking horns symbolizing male stupidity and most importantly, glacieritas galore – margaritas with a touch of glacier.

 

As far as evaluations go…

 

• TM Pam stated that TM Paolo gets the sale simply by looking the part.   He just looks dang good!  She Won Best Evaluator Award.
• TM Carmine praised DTM Kip for poetically teaching us not to spit in Alaska in the winter or we’ll crack the pavement. 

 

TM BeckyJo stepped in to be General Evaluator and made keen observations of the entire meeting.  She suggested we put the Word of the Day in the chat for those who arrive late and for those of us who arrive early and are forgetful.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

ACCLIMATE, verb

To become accustomed to a new climate or to new conditions.

 

Example:  We can quickly acclimate to drink glacieritas instead of margaritas near Alaskan waterfalls, surrounded by male (moose) stupidity.

 

The only correct plural of moose is moose. Sometimes, people add an S to moose, but that is incorrect. Moose derives from Algonquian, a Native American language. . My favorite animals are mooses and octopuses.

 

Dates to Remember:

 

Speech Evaluation Contest:  August 12

Humorous Speech Contest:  September 2

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer

 

 

 

 

Obscure adages, Pathways Trajectory and Socialism - an omniscient morning at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

TM Tom started us off with some of his favorite adages, from the likes of Macbeth and McMuffin.  We learned that….

 

• TM Carmine has been pricked in the thumb, in the toes and other parts he cares not to mention and witches inflict negativity.
• TM Pam likes the non-native Whooper Swans found in Lake Eola and feeds them Australian Melba Toast.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Aleta transported herself to the Garden of Eden where she and Adam hung out by a big ole fig tree in full fig.
• I looked up the meaning (to give someone the screaming abdabs (or habdabs) is a British expression for inducing an attack of extreme anxiety or irritation in someone) ... The modern British meaning is presumably a softening of the idea of delirium tremens.  No wonder TM Jeff  suffered from abdabs in college!
• I, Ana, put my head on the block whenever I take a risk or dive into the unknown.  Everything I’ve ever done is because I thought it was a pretty good idea at the time….
• TM Guest Lois will look up the word fettle because no one, except the Topic Master, has ever heard of this word before.  Keep us posted on your findings, Lois!
• DTM Kip thinks the guilt has been taken off the gingerbread and like the Great Gatsby used to say, we need to have some good ole fashioned guilt back.

 

Along came the prepared speeches…

 

• TM Aleta took us down the carrousel of her trajectory in Persuasive Influence in Pathways, from her surveillance video on a complex legal case to her McDonald’s hat, which prompted DTM Kip ipso facto, to book a flight to Southwestern Rural Pennsylvania with a wifi hotspot.  She Won Best Speaker Award.
• I, TM Ana, told about my life as a Cuban exile and hopefully inspired my audience to not fall for the siren song of insidious socialist demagogues who are keeping their guava pastries all to themselves.

 

And then we had evaluations…

 

• DTM Kip praised TM Aleta’s persuasive influence on her evaluators because he, Kip, had to wine and dine his evaluators before they consented to evaluate him.  This project is not a culmination but a starting point.
• TM Jeff appreciated the dissemination of information to Americans about the real situation in Cuba.  He encouraged me to use more visuals and props.  There will be a sequel!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

DTM Kip kept us entertained with a variety of virtual backgrounds – from his college dorm room to his elementary school dining room to the NYC skyline with bats straight from the Wuhan Lab flying around.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

OMNISCIENT, adj.

Knowing everything; having infinite awareness, understanding and insight.

Ex.  We are not omniscient; we are fallible human beings.

 

Dates to Remember:

August 12 – Speech Evaluation Contest

September 2 – Humorous Speech Contest

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer

Travel Adventures, Analytical Initiatives and Unexpected Evaluations - another successful meeting of EarlyBird Toastmasters!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

Another successful meeting was started by Topic Master Marie, who took us on journeys to faraway lands.   We heard that…

 

• TM Tom reenacted his favorite movie, Romancing The Boulder, by dining with his wife in the same restaurant in Cartagena de Indias.  He kept calling his wife Kathleen throughout the evening, and she became his ex-wife soon thereafter.
• TM Carmine accomplished his goal to reach the tallest peak in Yosemite in spite of the 10,000 ft altitude by reducing his huffing and puffing to manageable levels.  Just Do It!
• TM Aleta thinks a trip to Publix is her dream vacation at this point in time, only second to her childhood family vacations in a Volkswagen bus along with her many siblings and The Parentals.
• Soon-to-be TM Lois perfected the art of the pivot by describing her greatest adventure while figuring out her lights when zooming into the meeting this morning. Way to go, Lois!  Everyone forgot the question.
• TM Jeff ‘fessed that he gets lost .8 times a day and cannot find his car.  This is a genetic trait directly – and inevitably – traceable to his Mother.   He Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Paolo confirmed that discovering everything new is the point of travelling in the first place.  Smell the flowers, taste the flavors.  Otherwise, just stay home, per favore!
• TM Jose now travels with his pillow and although it’s good to get away, it’s also good to get back.  The secret is in the transportability of the pillow.
• I, Ana, prefer to travel by plane because planes get you there faster – if you don’t count the extra security measures we endure since 2001.  I’m just realizing that what I believe is a complete myth.

 

In the prepared speeches…

 

• TM Randolph is an innovative musician who punctiliously plans to be spontaneous and whose wife thinks he’s too wordy.
• TM Pam comes from the Fine Family and has realized that she and her husband may not get older if they persist with the nonsense of denying reality.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

 

As for evaluations….

 

• In an unprecedented 25-minute evaluation, TM Carmine wondered why Mrs. Bastein thinks Randolph is wordy.
• TM Jeff praised TM Pam for her skillful combination of metaphors and stories, which she consolidates eloquently and punctiliously.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

PUNCTILIOUS, adj.

Marked by or concerned about precise details of codes or conditions.

Example:  He was punctilious in the amenities provided to his guests.

 

First-time Grammarian TM Jose gave a punctilious report of outstanding expressions and flowery phrases.  Good job, Jose!

 

Ah Counter TM Tom only heard one Ah throughout the entire meeting.  Are we definitely avoiding crutch words and fillers?  Or was he still daydreaming about Kathleen and the Cartagena Romance?

 

Zoom Master:  TM Paolo gave us a very detailed visual demo of the equipment he uses for optimal Zoom performance:  a director’s high chair, a classic virtual background, 2 cameras – both at eye level when standing or -barely- leaning on the director’s chair.  Unrestricted chest capacity allows for better breathing and best voice projection.   Thank you, TM Paolo!

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table Topic Extravaganza!! A fun morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

TM Randolph introduced some intriguing Table Topics Extravaganza Part I,  which helped us learn that…

 

• TM Paolo is inspired by his even-tempered wife who keeps calm in the midst of an offspring extravaganza…
• TM BeckyJo wonders about the secrets kept in the homeless community and would like to be homeless for a day… maybe.
• TM Aleta met her best friend in church by inviting him to visit her private paradise….
• I, Ana, am by nature a cowardly person and I overcome my fear to do it anyway….
• TM Pam, unfiltered, has no hidden talents, especially graciousness and patience, and has the attention span of a gnat….
• TM Carmine self censored things he did and would not do again due to audience rating….
• TM Jose would not change anything but would correct some things and repeat others that served him well.  Ah…  hindsight, hindsight…..
• Guest Lois equates summer with 3 words:  bright, warm and fun!
• Future TM Sofia has lots of fun summer memories, mostly the absence of school and homework, pool and playing with friends…

 

For Table Topics Extravaganza, Part II, TM Pam introduced one-word topics….

 

• “Low” - TM Aleta is reminded of crawling under something, visiting caverns with stalactities and stalacmites and her fear of heights.
• “Shower” – TM BeckyJo likes showers of praise, respect, and mostly  June showers which bring June orchids – she graced us with a visual tour.
• “Inversion” – TM Carmine launched into a merry-go-round of inversion conversion and revision derision.   He won Best Extravagant Table Topics Award.
• “Prognosis” – TM Randolph confiscated his daughter’s phone for 3 days as a consequence for her sins of omission.
• “Cyclone” – I, Ana, was unsure of the difference between cyclone and typhoon and in any case, I prefer just your average tropical summer storm.
• “High Pressure” – Guest Lois thrives under high pressure, it motivates her, and inspires her to say “Hocus Pocus, Where’s My Focus?”
• “Lightning” – TM Paolo believes that the speaker sets the tone by appearing at the lectern like a bolt of lightning.
• “Rain” – Guest Sofia likes heavy clouds that pour down rain so the ducks near her home can finally take good showers.

 

TM Carmine non-lugubriously evaluated our entire meeting and asked the functionaries to give their reports. 

 

• Ah Counter – Double duty done by Timer TM Jose, who, as described by TM Aleta, was AWE-some!
• Grammarian – TM Randolph reported noteworthy expressions, many of which are reported in this recap.  See above. His favorite was TM Carmine’s SALUBRIOUS.   Look it up.
• Zoom Master – I, Ana, expertly opine that we are all becoming experts at muting and unmuting ourselves.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

LUGUBRIOUS – adj.

Looking or sounding sad or dismal

 

Example:  Our Table Topics Extravaganza was everything but lugubrious.

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer

 

 

 

 

Oldies but goodies, Bloodsucking (poli)tics and Outliers - a great morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

I, Ana, led us down musical memory lane…

 

• DTM Jim D. reminisced about N’Orleans and NOT being born on the bayou….
• TM Jose’s favorite song is The House of the Rising Sun, which during adolescence he interpreted as partying all night and going home to play the guitar while watching the rising sun. He Won Best Table Topics Award.
• Youngster TM Randolph was intrigued by the idea that “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad”, and will definitely look up the song when he arrives at The House of The Rising Sun.
• Returning TM Pam agrees Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and marveled that her grandson has not even heard about The Beatles* (not to be confused with Ticks)
• Guest Lois (aka Louisa) likes Dancing In the Streets – it makes her feel joyous, alive and full of energy.   Glad you came back, Louisa!
• If TM Paolo could choose a way to die, it would be singing Killing Me Softly With This Song – he enlisted some talented backup singers from the audience, too!

 

As far as prepared speeches….

 

• TM Aleta warned us about bloodsucking bulls-eye rash politicians (Borrelia burgdorferi) to be extracted from our skin with eyebrow tweezers and carefully right-sized into an alcoholic Ziplock bag where they can sip on their Corona with lyme.  These critters are otherwise known as ticks.
• DTM Mary Helen beckoned us to become outliers - an outlier is a truly exceptional individual who, in his or her field of expertise, is so superior that he defines his own category of success – to move to Rosetto, PA and to get rid of electronics to prevent our premature demise from technological frustration.  She Won Best Speaker Award.    After hearing her speech, TM Paolo is booking travel to relocate his family to Risotto, Italy, to enjoy the rice.

 

And then came the evaluations…

 

• TM Tom praised TM Aleta for her dynamite story and powerful introduction which allowed him to be an outlier evaluator in spite of a cardinal technical glitch.
• TM Pam was intrigued by DTM Mary Helen’s idea of being mentored by books and suggested that she circle back to the idea – of cardinal importance to the speech.   She is also out-and-out joining the Outliers Book Club.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

Zoom Master Report by me:

 

• Everyone is perfectly centered in their respective squares. 
• We beat the record of active Co-Hosts in EarlyBirds’ Zoom history (“when the cat’s away, the mice play….”).
• Today’s recording is up in the Cloud, somewhere.  For real.

 

We were all very happy to see TM Carmine back in the fold and signing up for a role next week. 

 

The Word of The Day was

 

CARDINAL, adjective

Of great importance

 

Example:  A recording of this meeting is cardinal to provide a good laugh to our absent members.

 

Note: The adjective is not to be confused with the noun versions –  can gringos please empathize with English-as-a-Second-Languagers in the room?   The Cardinals (Arizona football team), a galero (plural: galeri; from Latin: galerum) a red, broad-brimmed hat with tasselated strings worn by Cardinals (also known as Princes) in the Catholic Church, or Cardinalis cardinalis, popularly known as cardinal the red bird.

 

Next week we will have a TABLE TOPICS EXTRAVAGANZA!!! Come join us

 

Ana

Recap Writer

Spanish Phrases, Espresso Yourself and Unlikely Friendships - an international morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 Outgoing President Jeff thanked the outgoing officers and officially installed the new officers for this coming year:

• TM Paolo, President
• DTM Jim D., Treasurer
• TM Tom, Secretary
• TM Chris, VP Public Relations
• DTM Mary Helen, VP Membership
• DTM Kip, VP Ed
• TM Randolph, Sargeant-at-Arms

 Welcome on board! Looking forward to an exciting year!

 DTM Mary Helen led us in Table Topics translated from Spanish expressions:

• DTM Jim D. emphatically questioned “can you ask the question?  Why this question? Why here?  Why now?”  More will be revealed….
• TM Tom wisely stated that wisdom comes from not answering the question so commitment to evidence is avoided.  Translation:  “My mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts”.
• I, Ana, will indeed take it the wrong way, depending on how cranky I am when you hurl out your direct criticism under the veiled guise of humor.
• TM Jose does not really want to talk about it, mainly because he’s losing his mind on an empty stomach while creating polls, keeping time and stressing out.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Randolph thanked imaginary people for letting him know that dinner was at 7 after he showed up at 8, and for announcing that he was having mayo-less sandwiches for lunch so he could bring his own mayo.
• TM Jeff often says I’ve heard enough because ever since he was a teenager, he’s had strong opinions and is definitely not a nuanced person.
• Guest Lois thanked the Topic Master for calling on her so she can learn to process her thinking and avoid going on and on.  Good job, Lois!
• DTM Kip’s wife has helped him shape his lips to say “I’m sorry” even though internally he knows he did NOT make a mistake.  Apologizing is such a bother…
• TM Marie practiced being a locavore when growing up,  as her father showed up with cases upon cases of strawberries and her mother was forced to make cases upon cases of little jars of strawberry jam.  Botulism was simply not permitted.

 

And then came the prepared speeches…

• TM Paolo espressoed himself with a live demo of a palate massage with fragrant, creamy home-made espresso.  When visiting Italy, try a small town espresso bar and order either lungo, correcto, macchiato, ristretto, doppio and drink it standing at the counter while engaging in elaborate conversations with friendly Italian locals.   Never, never, never order Capuccino after 11 am… unless you’re a gringo tourist.  Then, anything goes.  He Won Best Speaker Award.
• TM BeckyJo told us about her unlikely friendship with Ellie, a Dutch-born Holocaust survivor who, through the kindness of angels put in her path, managed to escape death and became a fashion designer for high-end large U.S. retail giants in the Sixties. 

 

As for the evaluations…. 

• TM Jeff was so inspired by TM Paolo that he compared him to his all-time favorite soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo, an avid espresso drinker himself.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.
• DTM Kip praised TM BeckyJo’s storytelling skills and encouraged her to next time raise the camera so we can see something other than her forehead.

 

TM Marie Toastmastered us smoothly and humorously; TM Aleta General Evaluated us accurately and admiringly; TM Jose timed us, polled us and somehow managed to smile through it all; DTM Kip Tech Evaluated us flawlessly and can’t wait to hightail it to Alaska.   We’ll hold the EarlyBird fort, Kip! 

The Word of the Day was

LOCAVORE, noun

A person who eats only locally-grown produce or food.

Ex.: During mango season, I am definitely a mangovore locavore.

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer

Profound revelations, CRT, Moments of Grace and Possibilities - an inspired morning at Early Birds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

First-time TopicMaster TM Randolph led us with some profound quotes that generated great responses:

• DTM Kip is convinced it’s all about him…. And then he gets home and he’s told it is NOT all about him.  Secretly, he still believes it, though.
• Returning TM BeckyJo was inspired by a terminally ill fabulous singer to not wait until everything is okay to be happy.  Be happy right here, right now.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Marie reflected that being in touch with SELF keeps us from being victims of… whatever.  She likes classic fashion instead of fickle fads.
• Guest Matt has a positive mindset as he starts each day which he’s convinced leads to the best outcomes.  Thanks for participating, Matt!
• TM Aleta states that doubt and fear can be defeated.  As Henry Ford said, “If you say you can, you’re right. If you say you can’t, you’re right.” 
• TM Jose reminisced about friends who come into our life for a purpose and fall out when that purpose is accomplished.  Friends or angels? He’s working it out and will keep us posted.

 We had some outstanding speeches today.

• TM Tom recently heard outraged parents in his Alma Mater, Loyola Academy, whose children are being taught CRT – based on his studies,  a program based on fear and aiming to tear down our Founding Documents.  We need to remember we are a nation based on hard work, not biology or ethnicity.   Several of us want to hear more speeches on this very important topic.
• TM Marie wished moments of grace to all of us – those times when we are willing to show up authentically and be present, to ourselves and to our loved ones.  She Won Best Speaker Award.
• DTM Kip asked us to consider the possibilities if we attempt to do one thing new.  Hmmmm…. how about being the Sargeant-at-Arms while TM Jim is out yonder in the Wild, Wild West and he, Kip, is spotting bears and whales in Alaska?  Consider the possibilities….

As far as evaluations….

• TM Chris praised TM Tom for his ever-educational speeches; suggested he position his camera eye level and tell us how his dog really feels about CRT.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.
• TM Jim blew us away with his emulation of “Las Meninas” by Velazquez of TM Marie 3-D  in his evaluator background.  We will miss you and Chris!

 

• TM Joe highly appreciates DTM Kip and his certainly unique way of interpreting the world.  They are both dropping Spanish and picking up a new “Learn German in 30 years and 5 easy lessons” virtual program.

 

The Word of the Day was

BIPARTISAN, adjective

Representing, characterized by or including members from 2 parties or factions.

Ex.: TM BeckyJo is mypartisan.  Husbands are bipartisan – which means their wife is always the right faction.

TM Paolo conducted the meeting smoothly and engagingly. 

Next week we will induct our new slate of officers, you don’t want to miss this bipartisan event.

Link for the recording - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb2dfCJBhIE

 

The registration for officer training on the 19th is here: https://toastmastersd47.org/cot/

 

See you next week!

 

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Team Players, A Toast to Early Birds, Mr. Olive Oil and a Eulogy - a fabulous Early Bird meeting!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Catching us totally off base, TM Marie raised baseball legend David Ross’s points about good teamplayers.  We discovered that…

• TM Randolph stays present and fully engaged by actually listening to his wife.   What a rare and precious gift!
• TM Jose is being a good teamplayer by assisting his attorney non-techie friend to reinstall WhatsApp which is critical for business in Spain.
• TM Joe stated that being a non-blaming problem-solver is the story of his life.  He is drawn to problems like a fly to the light.
• TM Chris stays positive, mainly because she doesn’t use FB too much.  She stated that No Whining Allowed is her motto, as TM Jim cleared his throat…
• I, Ana, build relationships with challenging, combative, cantankerous people by focusing on the commonalities and ignoring the rest.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Tom explained that he is like a bee – attracted to the honey in flowers, not to vinegar in a salad – and he is fun and approachable himself.

We had some fabulous speeches today…

• Outgoing President TM Jeff gave a beautiful tribute to our EarlyBird club, mentioning each of us by name and listing our individual contributions for the good of the Club.  Where is the wizard?  As a true wizard, he came and went – maybe into the wardrobe? Thank you, Jeff.  You have been a great President!
• Master Chef TM Paolo gave a delicious demonstration of Genie in a Bottle, creating a symphony of flavors and a carnival in the mouth.  It’s called Mr. Olive Oil – and is soon to be available as an intravenous drip to dissolve pesky arterial plaque created by Denny’s Skillets.  He Won Best Speaker Award.
• TM Aleta delivered a heartfelt, emotional and humorous eulogy of a woman who could be called many names but not be called late for dinner. She had many sisters, nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and lived a good life, leaving others enriched.  In a new career move, Aleta is now Eulogizer For Hire.  Free estimates, moderate prices.

The evaluations….

• TM Tom praised TM Jeff for parceling out a well-crafted toast in a very short time and for his tenure as Prez of our Club.  Jeff served us well during a challenging transition from pre-virtual to virtual reality, and he did it all with a button-down shirt.  Great job, Jeff!  Early Bird Club thanks you!
• DTM Kip loved TM Paolo’s speech which he entitled “The Quest of the Holy Grail” and pointed out that (Mr.) Olive Oil is a male.  By Kip’s  own admission, as a gringo he can’t help but automatically focus on the gender of inanimate objects.
• TM Chris was inspired by TM Aleta’s humorous eulogy which lightened the mood and was chock-full of details in spite of not having personally known the decedent.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.   

The Word of the Day was

NARNIA, noun

Fictitious and magical land

Example: Russian witches sing Ochichornia (Black Eyes) when they fly on their brooms to Narnia to buy a new wardrobe for their pet lions.

Link to the recording - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6BY9bl4xTQ

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Obscure idioms, Women's Zoom Lib, Blockchain and Positivity - a truly hybrid morning at EarlyBirds!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 Thanks to the SALIENT tech acuity of TM Chris, TM Jim and DTM Skillet Kip, we pulled off a successful HYBRID meeting today.  Several members and lots of equipment showed up at our old haunts, Denny’s Back Room, and the rest – wokely said - , is theirstory!   Others of us – near and far – connected from our cozy little black squares.

 TM Tom started us with more obscure idioms….

• TM Carbonprint Carmine has tempered his unkindness when he spots unkindness in others and is a venter who vents his spleen.
• TM Eyes Bigger Than Stomach Aleta is still recovering from a Mexican fiesta of Nachos Grande, pico de gallo, salsa and guac. 
• TM Chris has been sleeplessly going back to the drawing board to cover up EarlyBird election fraud via hybrid polls.
• I, TM Ana, have learned from experience that it’s best to leave things well enough alone instead of trying to convince anyone of anything.
• DTM Kip finds it more interesting to separate the girls from the ladies.   He stays away from the boys and the men, who are usually one and the same.
• TM Marie recalled the 80s Ladies’Nights – you had to try to stay sober to avoid getting off on the wrong foot (on the wrong everything!) She Won Best Table Topics Award.
• TM Jeff’s advice is to walk away when others go off half-cocked.  Intoxication is an indication of inevitable confrontation.

 

We enjoyed one virtual speech and two speeches delivered from the lectern today….

• TM Aleta reminded us that anything worth doing is worth overdoing! The Business and Professional Women pulled off a successful virtual Board meeting and are now headed for a virtual Convention next week.   Like Dora The Explorer, they jubilantly shouted “We Did It!”
• TM Chris introduced us to medical blockchain  - a growing list of records, called blocks, that are linked together using cryptography.^[1][2][3][4] Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, a timestamp, and transaction data (generally represented as a Merkle tree).   I just knew Meghan and Harry were behind this.  Estonians (not to be confused with Aberdonians from Aberdeen) live in a blockchain world.  She Won Best Speaker Award.
• DTM Mary Helen said that because nothing in original in life, we must all positively steal from each other – the trick is to steal from the best!

 

As far as evaluations….

 

• TM Jeff praised TM Aleta for staying on brand – a perfect combo of comedy, wit and substance.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.
• First-time evaluator TM Randolph enjoyed TM Chris’s delivery, good pronunciation and educational speech.  Good job, Randolph!
• TM Jose commended DTM Mary Helen’s playful interactions with both live and virtual audiences and the humor she finds in life’s lessons.

 

The Word of the Day was

 SALIENT, adjective

Most notable, conspicuous

 Ex: the most salient aspect of today’s hybrid meeting is the fact that it merged two parallel universes. 

 Recording the meeting - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCKIRvgt3TY

 See you next week!

 Ana I.

Recap Writer

Phobias, Counterphobias and Other Habits - Just another day at EarlyBirds Toastmasters

Dear Members, Guests and Friends:

 

As TopicMaster, I started us off with some phobias and it soon became confusingly clear that some people have a phobia of the phobia:

 

• TM Jose suffers from a phobia of arachibutyrophobia (the fear of peanut butter) since his basic diet consists of peanut butter and pancakes, backed by heavy doses of statins.
• TM Jim resists ataxophobia (the fear of disorder) – by filing his taxes in a very orderly fashion and he is now on a first-name basis with his IRS auditor.
• TM Paolo has the onset of ephebiphobia (fear of teenagers) which is the #1 phobia worldwide for anyone who is not a teenager.  “Dio me salve!”, he implores of fate and the universe.
• TM Aleta avoids octophobia (fear of figure 8) but suffers from chapodiphobia (fear of octopi) especially in their male human version.  All those arms… with suckers, to boot!
• TM Carmine overcame allodoxaphobia (fear of opinions) by sharing several existential opinions with us within the 2-minute time limit. Open casket or closed casket? It all depends on the state of the teeth.  “A man’s reach is greater than his grasp – or what’s a heaven for?”  But I digress.
• TM Joe fears having to pronounce atychiphobia (fear of failure) which tailspinned us like a wheel within a wheel, never ending or beginning on an ever-spinning reel.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.
• DTM Mary Helen conquered her gamophobia (fear of marriage) by running into a humorous Toastmaster being served Italian wedding soup at a local diner on her wedding day.  Astrology is the name of the game.

 

We had an icebreaker today….

 

• TM Marie guided us through her daily routine which begins promptly at the time most of us retire for the evening.   Centering Prayer has eliminated the jargon from her inner dialogue and her body now actually whispers back to her to please hit the Snooze button.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

 

We then had an evaluation…

 

• TM Pam praised TM Marie for the flow and continuity of her speech and for challenging all of us to send a poll to our bodies and listen to the feedback.  She knows her own body is waiting to hear that she, Pam, will start taking care of it, oh, any day now.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

Zoom Master Report:

 

• TM Paolo, unknowingly suffering from atelophobia (fear of imperfection) praised DTM Kip’s suspenders against the background of the unseen but imagined Jasper, Georgia mountain range and remarked that TM Marie was perfectly well centered to explain Centering Prayer, which could only be topped by wearing a white linen blouse in the pristine tropical beach backdrop.

 

 

The Word of the Day was

 

FLOTILLA, noun

(Mispronounced FLOTILA phonetically – it’s FLOTIYA phonetically)

1. A fleet of ships or boats; 2 or more squadrons of small warships (such as the Dunkirk evacuation, the retaking of the Falkland Islands, or the Mariel boatlift more recently)

2. An indefinitely large number.

 

We conducted our annual Club Elections and after a very intense,  highly competitive campaign, the results are finally in:

 

President – TM Paolo

VP Education – DTM Kip , per secula seculorum

Treasurer – DTM Jim D.

Secretary – TM Tom

VP Membership – DTM Mary Helen

VP Public Relations – TM Chris

Sargeant-at-Arms – TM Randolph

Immediate Past President – TM Jeff

 

Inauguration Ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 24 at 7 am.   The new officers will officially begin their term on July 1.

 

Next week we will have a Hybrid Meeting – DTM Kip, DTM Mary Helen, TM Jim G., TM Chris will be transmitting from the Back Room in our old Denny’s on Powerline and Oakland Park Blvd.  Denny’s has managed to maintain its ambiance throughout this time and is avidly waiting to serve their legendary Skillets.

 

For the rest of us, see you Zoom!  Same login applies.

 

Video link for today’s meeting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_kNuTetANw

 

Respectfully submitted,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

 

 

 

Captain Grammar, Acceptance and Memories - fun confusion at EarlyBirds

 

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

 

TM Aleta started us off with popcorn-style eulogies at the funeral of Captain Grammar, lying lifelessly before our very eyes. 

 

• TM Pam reminisced about her favorite hero – Sleeping Beauty, who had to deal with Seven Dwarfs.  All Pam’s granddaughter wants to know is why can’t Granma cook?
• DTM Kip embarked on a dissertation of daily deficiencies as a husband which ultimately took the life of the dearly departed Captain.
• TM Tom pointed out that the Captain called his ex-wives Plaintiffs since he has forgotten all their names.  There’s just too much bourbon in Kentucky.
• TM Jeff is planning his bachelor party in St. Augustine where the Fountain of Youth recently gushes out bourbon.
• TM Jim G. does not imbibe bourbon and is Captain Grammar himself, alive and well.
• DTM Jim D. realized Captain Grammar died because he couldn’t follow Table Topic instructions, moved to Las Vegas and got heavily into debt.  DTM Jim pondered if Captain Grammar was assisted by another in his demise – as he was unable to pay his EarlyBird dues…
• DTM Mary Helen was appalled at the emotionally frozen paid mourners at this wake, and stated that Captain Grammar died because of the current state of the grammar lexicon.   She Won Best Table Topics Award.

 

Along came prepared speeches…

 

• TM Jeff accepted the Presidency of another Club where he wants to emulate a polifacetic member.  He Won Best Speaker Award.
• In a tandem ride, TM Jose and TM Ana took us down their memory lane, back to high school in the ketchup-deficient, Wonderless Bread, ice-cube averse, free-flowing beer tap miniskirt universe that was Madrid in the 60s.

 

Regarding evaluations….

 

• DTM Kip encouraged TM Jeff to rally the troops to support him since they’re a captive audience anyway.
• DTM Mary Helen praised TM Jose’s presentation skills and how they evoked her own shared memories of miniskirts, long haired musicians, drugs and rock & roll.  Tudo Bem, Tudo Bom, as they say in Portuguese.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.
• TM Tom missed the sex part in drugs and rock & roll in today’s speech but is looking forward to enjoying the sprinkles on a chocolate frosted doughnut while listening  to the sequel.

 

 

To add to the confusion, The Word of the Day was

 

LIE

As opposed to LAY, LIED, LAIN

 

Lay is a verb that commonly means “to put or set (something) down.” Lie is a verb that commonly means “to be in or to assume a horizontal position” (or “to make an untrue statement,” but we’ll focus on the first definition). In other words, lay takes a direct object, and lie does not. As for the misconceptions, well, when you look at the two verbs next to each other in different tenses, it becomes a bit more obvious where the confusion is.

 

Example:  We hereby officially declare childhood nursery rhyme “As I lay me down to sleep” and myriads of songs such as  “Lay, Lady, Lay” “As I lay down” FORMALLY CANCELLED.

 

Elections are next week!  You must be present to decline.  Just sayin’…..

 

link to recording:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VINws3Jxso

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer