Profound Revelations, Meals and Ordeals - persistence is the name of the game at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

TM Randolph led us with thought-provoking quotes from Neat, Stray and Dove.  We soon discovered that...

* TM Aleta sometimes slams the door before eating a box of bakery or home made cookies.

* DTM Jim D. purposely does not wear glasses when he looks in the mirror because he likes blurry images.

* DTM Mary Helen pondered that "if it is to be, it's up to me" is truly a truism.

* TM BeckyJo has concluded that resentments corrode the resenter and forgiveness heals from the inside out.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jose used to time travel and presently stays in the present and persistently avoids mosquito raids.

* I, Ana, made a commitment to not get any tattooes because they're tough to erase when girth expands.

* TM Pam has no resentments because her mind's doorway has been completely cleared.

* TM Val affirmed that tears heal and cleanse the soul especially while showering.

* TM Jim G. stated that 'dolce far niente' comes very naturally to him and he persistently practices it.

* TM Tom attained a balanced life after several attempts at crawling without balance.

Then came the prepared speeches...

* DTM Jim D. delighted us with his epicurean adventures in a family diner where he hurled 17,000 gallons of batter, 25,000 eggs, 40,000 bacon strips and 30,000 hash browns to feed a crowd of 20.   He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Tom revealed that he carries a dynamite stick in his back pocket when he presides over his Condo Commando board meetings, while persistently taking his blood pressure.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM BeckyJo loooved DTM Jim's hilarious speech, those internal questions we've all asked ourselves and wants to know who cooks breakfast in his household.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph makes spaguetti 'al dente' and instead of pushing or pulling it, he simply hurls it against the kitchen wall.

The Word of the Day was

PERSISTENCE, noun

Firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

Example:  Most notable achievements are a labor of persistence.

Below is the link to today's recording.

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

That's all, folks!  See you next week,

Ana I

Recap Writer

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

We soon learned that...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We had great evaluations...

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

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

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

President - TM Paolo

VP Education - DTM Kip

Sargeant-at-Arms - TM Randolph

Secretary - TM Tom

VP Public Relations - TM Chris

VP Membership - DTM Mary Helen

Treasurer - DTM Jim D.

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

President - TM Randolph

VP Education - DTM Mary Helen

Sargeant-at-Arms - TM Marie

Secretary - TM Tom

VP Public Relations - TM Ana

VP Membership - DTM Mary Helen

Treasurer - DTM Jim D.

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

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

The Word of the Day was

GRACE, noun or verb

noun:

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

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

verb:

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

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

A Loving Tribute to Kip, the Grand Poobah of Quite A Lot - EarlyBirds Meeting

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Ably led by TM Chris and the Master of Visual Effects, TM Jim G., we laser-focused on roasting and toasting DTM Kip, the heart and soul of Early Birds, and whose blood type is admittedly 0+Toastmasters, universal mentor.

We were delighted to see many former members and lasting friends, a.k.a. Kip's Fan Club, even if some were sleepwalking at 4 am their time.

We discovered that....

* Jerry did Kip's first evaluation... and they remained friends all these years!

* Kirsti is a DTM only because of Kip

* Astrid sends Kip besitos, besitos, besitos

* Christine is in the Pole Dancing Olympic Team, all because of Kip

* Charu survived VP of Ed role only thanks to Kip

* Shirley discovered that Kip is really a closet hippy.

* Aleta held on as a remote member for 2 decades because Wizard Kip foresaw that Zoom was coming.

* Mildred had to get married and move to Orlando just to avoid being lifetime group treasurer.

* Jim D. has inherited the title.  Just a fact of life.

* Marie lives in an intergalactic universe of love

* Val thinks Wizard Kip is truly Sean Connery in disguise

* BeckyJo still cannot believe she belongs to a club that meets at 7 am, all thanks to Kip

* Jose is thinking pondering considering contemplating doing Pathways, all because of Kip

* A whole bunch of people in this group are still married only because of Kip's Marriage Encounters of the Third Kind.

* Other marriages broke up anyway but optimistically remarried shortly thereafter to apply the teachings of the seminar and get their money's worth.

* Mary Helen eats magic brownies and goes to Kip's birthday parties one month in advance.

* Chris has the best collection of EarlyBird pictures on Planet Earth.

* Jim G.'s boss, whose name shall remain anonymous, brought him to EarlyBirds.

* Miki found out that Kip likes to eat Japanese chocolate wearing a mask.

* Carmine's heartfelt note to Kip won the Brevity Award.

* I, Ana, am still under Kip's incantation as I write this recap.

If I missed you, please see the recording.  I suffer from intermittent CRS (can't remember squat).

We discovered that the word Kipper means BIG FISH.  There are no coincidences.  

The Word of the Day was

CHIPPER, adj.

Cheerful and lively

Example:  EarlyBird has the power to make us chipper in the wee hours of the morning.  Wanna feel chipper on a Thursday morning, California people?  You know where we are....

Let's just think for a moment how many DTMs (Distinguished Toastmasters), how many Competent Communicators and Competent Leaders (in the olden days of manuals) and how many Level V in one or more of the 11 Paths in Pathways have come through under the tutelage of Kip.  It's truly remarkable.

Thanks, everyone, for making this tribute possible, and thank you, Kip, for being in our lives.  We love you!!

Here's a link to the meeting recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZs3fUzBCB8

See you (or some of you) next week,

Ana I.

Chipper Recapper

Summertime, Va Bene and SB2508 - an evanescent morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

I, Ana, brought up summer activities.   We soon learned that...

* TM Jose much prefers to jump over waves than jump into bonfires as the inebriated locals do for fun and for more free sangria.

* TM Jim G. played Slip 'N Slide on flat terrain and prayed not to trip and crash into surrounding rocks and crevices.  He'd rather go jump in the lake.

* DTM Mary Helen enjoys summer stargazing after she concluded that it's quite darn silly to stargaze in cloudy winter nights.

* DTM Jim D. enjoyed picnics in the park as a rowdy kid where he could cause destruction with no parental retribution.

* TM Aleta's remembers Barf Cans - yes, you read that right- in those glorious summer camp  nights.

* TM Scott's wisdom and heart calcifications have curtailed his former addiction to Fairy Dream Banana Splits.  He Won Best Table Topics Award. 

* TM Randolph's adolescent daughter has suddenly developed a taste for other books after being given a list of parental mandatory summer reading.  Yeah, right.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Chris's speech was a feast of audio and visual imageries while she found her voice in a little town in Tuscany where copious amounts of spaghetti fiorentino are consumed by writing workshoppers to the rythm of Va Bene! Va Bene!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Tom introduced Ralph, his environmentalist cat, who supported the veto of SB 2508 that allows evanescent waters to become effervescent and also bioluminescent.  

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM Aleta recapped TM Chris's trip to Italy as Eat, Write, Love.  Ti voglio bene!!

* TM Scott pondered about the significance of tomato, tomatoh, potato, potatoh in the context of Aquafire.   He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

EVANESCENT, adj.

Vanishes quickly, like vapor

Etymology:  Evanescere, to vanish 

Example: Most people take evanescent to mean effervescence, phosphorescence and the feeling you get after imbibing lotsa sangria and jumping head-on into a firepit.

TM Randolph has given new meaning to the word multitasking.  He successfully morphes into various roles in front of our very eyes - va bene!  

Link for the YouTube today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaewQlYH-WI

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

Reminiscing, Whatever, Mimi's Strategy and Change of Plans - a memorable day at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Aleta took us down memory lane reminiscing about childhood events.  We learned that....

* TM Randolph is impervious to physical pain which requires multiple sutures and a tetanus shot.

* DTM Jim D.'s grandma was a merry widow when she married his merry MYOB (Make Your Own Beer) grandpa.

* TM Jim G.'s wise and worldly teenage sister Debbie at times gave him disconcerting advice.

* I, Ana, spent joyous Christmases in my early days in Havana, followed by a disconcerting decade, to be subsequently recaptured again for my progeny. I Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam's all-time favorite childhood memory is digging clams in the cold Pacific waters after enduring warm Florida waters.

* TM Tom's uncovered family secret is that his great grandpa was involved in a shootout with the Dalton Gang in Coffeeville, Kansas - straight out of a John Wayne movie.

Along came the prepared speeches...

*  DTM Mary Helen overcame being disconcerted by a cheeseless bruschetta (correctly pronounced by her) pizza and got a free cannoli as a prize.

* TM Marie (Mimi) successfully survived germ-carriers and mastered Eat, Pray and Love while living to tell her great grandchildren about the olden days of Zoom.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* DTM Kip showed his grit in overcoming a health challenge and displayed his chipper Southern and Irish core while asking for our unfaltering adoration.

And lastly, we had great evaluations...

* TM Chris was transported back to Roman ruins by DTM Mary Helen's speech and Prego! Prego'd her way to being excavated from them by Moose.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

*  TM Pam praised TM Marie's outstanding vocal variety and Zoom mastery while suggesting she emulate the Royal Family's disconcerting fascinator hats.

* TM Tom highlighted DTM Kip's humor and bravado which are an inspiration to all of us and will inexorably point us to pick a Pathways, once and for all! .

The Word of the Day was

DISCONCERTING, adj.

How we feel when things are not going right.

Example:  Filling in meeting roles at the last minute is no longer disconcerting for EarlyBirds - now it comes naturally.

Next TLI:  June 18.  Look out for more information.

TM Randolph performed the role of Presiding Officer impeccably, giving us a taste of things to come!

Link for the YouTube recording http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo1rxCv889A

To get updates on DTM Kip, please visit www.caringbridge.org and write his name in the search box.

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer

Hurricane Season, Journeys and Inspiration - a sublime morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Scott launched us off on a Hurricane Preparedness Plan.  We soon learned that...

* TM Jose feels like a sirocco whirlwind while sipping New Orleans Hurricanes while a plane drops off ice cubes right on his backyard in Javea, Spain.

* I, Ana, am hosting all EarlyBirds at a sublime and ridiculous after-storm party with a generator that runs the house and mixes fabulous drinks, too!  I won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Mary Helen waits for her namesake storm to protect and defend the perfect shape of her ficus tree.  

* TM Marie will sing Should I Stay or Should I Go during the onslaught of the storm to prevent the hurricane straps from loosening up.

* TM Val waits for the last-minute prep to wait for the angry winds while living in the closet.

* TM Pam knows that herons hunker down with their transmitters and the ibis is the last bird to leave.  That's why she moved to Orlando.

* TM Randolph is quick on prep, long on partying.  Perfect formula for stress management.

* DTM Jim D.'s storm prep consists of stocking up on vintage years of his favorite red wine.

We, as a group, devised the PERFECT Hurricane Preparedness Plan:

- The night before the storm, over to TM Randolph's for partying.

- The day of the storm, over to TM Marie's for some group singing

- The day after the storm, over to Chez Moi (Ana's) for some hot showers.

And then we moved on to our prepared speeches...

* TM Aleta once again delighted us with her pathways whirlwind which led her from Level 3 of Intellectual Property to Level 1 of Engaging Rumors, back to Level 2 of a Freebie Pathways, traversing the Cloud from a stateless McRonald's to a Garage Starclink which resulted in stable audio strength.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* Guest Speaker TM Taylor inspired us all with his Cross-Country Zoomerang, after overcoming intense obstacles and starting a non-profit for other Zoomerangers.

Regarding evaluations....

* TM Tom praised TM Aleta for her zeal, zest and zebralike humor which helps her emote across the screen.  

* DTM Mary Helen commended TM Taylor for his inspirational speech and for never taking no for an answer.  She suggested he extend his speech from 6 to 8 to 15-20 minutes to avoid stressing the Timer.   She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

SUBLIME, adj or noun

Of such excellence, grandeur or beauty as to inspire awe.

Example:  Life itself runs the gamut between the sublime and the ridiculous.

I will include the link to the recording in a subliminal email.

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer

Military Quotes, Bikers & Beer, Tadpole Ralph - a great morning at EarlyBirds

Dear  Members and Friends,

What an exciting morning!  We inducted our new TM Val into the Club.

We held highly contested Club Elections.  After tough campaigns, the following members got elected into the corridors of power:   New term begins July 1.

President - TM Randolph

VP Ed - DTM Kip

Secretary - TM Tom

Treasurer - DTM Jim D.

VP Membership - DTM Mary Helen

VP Public Relations - TM Ana

Sargeant-at-Arms - TM Marie

Commemorating Memorial Day, I (Ana) led Table Topics with military quotes on leadership, teamwork, courage and humor.  We soon discovered that...

* DTM Jim D. rides the thunder in his bike and is very close friends with FHP.

* TM Val firmly believes that motivation derives strictly from a well-delivered sales pitch.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Paolo reminded us that disturbing an erring enemy is like letting fettucini cook in its own water - you stand back and watch.

* TM Marie compared military preparedness to being an Ah Counter.

* TM Randolph expects challenges in the road less travelled from an easy yesterday.

* DTM Kip invoked ceremonial fires as merely advancing in a different direction.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Scott gave us a rubber sided down Part II of his bike ride through Blue Ridge Breweries and liquid loaves of bread.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Tom (aka Zorba the Greek on La Strada) campaigned for Ralph the Tadpole who led us as a bullfrog and confirmed that all change is followed by chaos.

As far as evaluations....

* TM Marie praised TM Scott for exuding enthusiasm, bikes, beer and fun and no cracked ribcages.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Kip marveled at how the Tadpole to BullFrog analogy fits into so many organizations.  

The Word of the Day was

APEX, noun

Peak of something, highest point of something.

Plural:  apexes or apeces

Example:  The Apex of an octopus is to join other octopi and avoid becoming fried calamari.

Here's the link to the recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jmm7yAz4Mo

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Improv, Speech Contests and Brain Freezes - all in a day's work at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Friends and Guests:

Always a master at innovation,  DTM Kip led us with an intro speech about the Rules of Improv.  Who knew there were any??  It turns out improv is as premeditated as it gets...

Then he led us in improv Table Topics.   We found out that...

* DTM Kip's wife gives him a light breakfast which prompts him to head to his favorite grocery store in search of mystery meat to feed his hunger...

* I, Ana, select low salt mystery turkey and head for my car to eat it to gather energy for endless errands to be completed;

* TM Scott overcomes mystery meat indigestion by heading for Costcoooo, where shopping is the REAL pleasure...

* TM Aleta instead heads to Pam's Club where shopping is truly a chimera...

* DTM Jim D. eats tofu in disguise and shoots iguanas, which by the way taste just like chicken...

* TM Jim G. backpacks it down the hill to the Italian market, where road signs are only suggestions and hand gestures prevail.

* TM Paolo says forget big grocery chains in Italy, simply listen to the calls for "Pesce fresco, insalata fresca" and make it a family event...He Won Best Table Topics award.

* Guest Val will start food shopping at the international market, where turkey smells like turkey and not like mystery trypto-cellophane.

* TM Pam became DTM Kip's improv wife who sends him out to float around the universe while she engages in mystery activities at home.

In the prepared speeches...

* TM Paolo reminisced about his off-the-charts adrenalin rush while soaring like an eagle and riding a gondola at the speech contests.

* TM Tom had a brain freeze, was rescued by improv mentors and grew where he was planted.    He Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding Evaluations....

* TM Pam encouraged DTM Kip to re-tell his speech and join Miami City Ballet as an improv primo ballerino.

* TM Scott marveled that TM Paolo's contest prize was transformation into mic checker expertise.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Aleta officially appointed TM Tom name successor of legendary actor John Fayne.  

The Word of the Day was

CHIMERA, noun  (Kye-mee-rah)

An illusion, improbable

Example:  Today's EarlyBird meeting was decidedly a good chimera.

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Tall Tales at EarlyBird

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We dove straight into our Tall Tales, after having vouched that they are 100% true:

* I, Ana, told about the Spanish Avian-fluent orphans who turned out to be heirs to the throne and stopped the Witches' Union from picketing to become Owls.

* DTM Jim D. flew in a psychedelic Alaska Air plane to meet his bike buddies and Gertrude The Moose rode one of the motorcycles while chased by a big brown Alaska bear.

* DTM Mary Helen bought a GPS-driven Magic Carpet in Istanbul after smoking lotsa hooka and flew with her hubby back to the good ole USA. 

*TM Marie confirmed that time is a tall tale, the Sun does not rise and does not set and she is a confirmed shape shifter of the third kind.

* TM Tom's cat has Cuban inclinations and after a brief interlude in Catfish Dewey's flew the Days' Magic Carpet to Tropicana, smack in the heart of Havana.

* TM Aleta knew a homicidal lumberjack named O'Malley who couldn't find the hidden moneybelt of the cook he murdered while being chased by a Pennsylvania black bear.

We then had a sequential Table Topics Magical Mystical Tour,  which sounded like this....

* Hookas open up the appetite and take us to the castle where the queen languishes (Kip) and eats lovingly prepared 800-person paellas  (Jose), eaten with McDonald's fries by a certain wife and kids whose mouths are on saffron-induced fire (Randolph), topped with oozing mozzarella of sexy burrata (Paolo), complemented by black beans, pork chunks and plantains (Ana), landed on a deserted island with hungry shipwrecked survivors (Mary Helen), flown to Havana by a cha-cha dancing cat (Tom) arrived in her backyard with an unstable connection (Aleta), pieced as a family hooka party on both coasts (Val) and joined by a vegetarian moose named Gertrude who instantly became a carnivore (Scott).

Another fun morning at EarlyBirds!

See you next week,

Ana

Recap Writer

Here's the link to the recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-24ugLenLQ

Cinco de Mayo, Last Icebreaker, Leadership and Motorcycles - a varied morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

I started us off with Cinco de Mayo topics.  We found out that....

* TM BeckyJo has every type of hat except a red hat and a purple dress.  She's out buying herself a sombrero right now.

* DTM Mary Helen has multifaceted capes - blankets, pillows, layers- and will acquire a soft Mexican poncho to double up as a bedspread.

* TM Aleta displayed her donkey pinata but will now buy a companion parrot pinata to pay homage to the day.

* DTM Jim D. likes the Arizona cactus flower, a flora variety we now learned thrives in Windermere.

* TM Marie has frequent standoffs with her cat, who has learned to act Mexican and she likes red hot chili peppers to sweat the toxins off.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* DTM Kip eats chili pepper necklace beads that his wife surreptitiously shoves on his chimichanga entree.

In the area of prepared speeches...

* TM Carmine gave a sentimental icebreaker about the various stages of his life's journey - from the asphalt jungle to a soon-to-be Wandering Monk in a travelling van.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Tom described several leadership types - pragmafist, Stuart Loyalist and diplomatic corps, and only made a brief reference to his cat.  He ceded time to DTM Kip to rally the troops for Tall Tales next week.

* TM Scott is descended from a long line of biker dudes and practices self-filming on a motorcycle while swaying in the wind of his Grandfather's Mountain.

As far as evaluations go...

* DTM Kip officially nominated TM Carmine as our Resident Holy Person and made a call to action to zoom in to EarlyBirds to deliver more swan songs.

* TM Carmine encouraged TM Tom to continue honing his skills as a personal, interesting, effective storyteller.  

* TM Marie praised the humor in TM Scott's speech about the Gang of Three Biker  Brothers and wonders how TM Scott's wife finds time to do anything else besides scanning his life insurance policy.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

APHASIA, noun

Loss or impairment, inability to recall words resulting from a brain injury.

Example:  Bruce Willis is suffering from aphasia and may eventually  DIE HARD.

Next week is our Tall Tales meeting!

See you then,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

A refractory morning at Earlybirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Kip started us off on the subject of Leadership.   This is what we learned...

* TM Carmine has been dragged into leadership roles, only to find out that he's not a leader but a facilitator and he thinks we're a bovine nation.

* TM BeckyJo is a non-compliant convicted felon since the age of 5.

* Guest Val thinks leadership is overrated.  Try to explain a mission to 100 people, get 100 different versions of the mission.  People are just refractory!

* TM Tom became a club secretary because of his good legs...He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, TM Ana, equate leading from the rear to reacting from the behind.

Then came our prepared speeches...

*  TM Tom repeated last week's speech incorporating the evaluation - he limited his tribalism examples to a prominent Indian engineer from upstate NY, an overprotected tribalbiden you may have heard about, and a public school teacher in the 1920s who dared to be Catholic.  

* DTM Kip moderated a panel of 3 with Leadership topics.  The panel shared how they landed in EarlyBirds and what they have learned from it.  Club elections are coming up! Get ready to vote early and vote often....   He Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go...

*  TM Jose praised TM Tom for having listened to the prior week's evaluation and sticking to the facts with good enunciation.

*  TM Tom stated that DTM Kip gave a good cogent non-refractory speech and sheperded Carmine's sheep to a good conclusion.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

REFRACTORY, adj.

1. stubborn or unmanageable 

2. resistant to a process or stimulus.

Example:  Being refractory in adolescence often leads a person to the School of Hard Knocks, followed by the University of Adversity.

TM Paolo will represent our Club this Friday April 29 in the Humorous Speech Contest.  Please register to attend and support him!  DTM Kip will send out the registration information subito.

Link to the Gulds' photo album from Maldives: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cc6azyyaB2CvmF3S9

Link to today's recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6nqOSop4kI

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Earth Day, Culinary Delights by Introverts or Extroverts and As Luck Would Have It - a varied day in EarlyBirds!!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

TM Marie launched us off with pertinent topics about Earth Day.  We soon found out that….

 

• TM Aleta’s blossoms include – but are not limited to- azaleas, daffodils, hyacinths (all of which she was wearing on her dress today)…
• TM Paolo makes the most of today by not thinking about the future and that pesky flight to Miami which awaits him on the tarmac.
• TM Scott escapes his tyrannical thoughts by letting them come and letting them glide through…
• I, Ana, am indeed enchanted by the sea and looking forward to a summer as a beach bum…
• TM Tom enjoys walking, especially since walking with a certain someone is what led him to our group.   He Won Best Table Topics Award.
• DTM Kip is on a noble mission to simplify his life by decluttering and letting go of unauspicious accumulation.

 

Along came the prepared speeches…

 

• TM Jose watered our mouths with a visual pictorial of the many facets of paella and other fabulous rices, and paired it off with a delightful taste of good vino!
• TM Carmine kept us on our toes by asking whether several of us were introverts or extroverts – and it turns out most of us are a combination of both!  He Won Best Speaker Award.
• TM Pam put on her Dina Lurner façade and asked us to consider “What’s luck got to do with it?”  Let’s join her Level 5 High Performance Leadership Guidance Committee and find out!

 

As far as evaluations…

 

• TM Randolph already has a paella dish, affirmed that he will no longer (heretically) use it for pizza and is buying calamari, shrimp and short-grain rice as we speak.
• TM Scott commended TM Carmine on his clever strategies to engage the audience and to ask ourselves “Am I extro or intro – or, most likely, bi-extrointro?  He Won Best Evaluator Award.
• TM Tom praised TM Pam for waking him up at the mention of the Mardishianns and their billion-dollar viral derrieres.

 

The Word of the Day was

 

AUSPICIOUS, adjective

 

Showing or suggesting that future success is likely.

 

Example:  Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage was auspicious and morphed into suspicious.

 

Below is the link to this week’s recording.   Attached is the “Grab Your Spanish Passport and Make A Paella” presentation.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B__caA-FabY

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer

Easter, Tribalism and Return to Normal - an interesting EarlyBird meeting, to say the least

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

 

I started us off on Easter peculiarities in other countries.   We discovered that….

 

• Resident Peep Expert TM Pam reminisced about Peeps on the Beach and the Peep Show that runs till the ants come home…
• TM Jose is all set to savor Valencia’s Easter doughnuts which come with a sprinkle of paella.
• TM Paolo is torn between Colomba di Pasqua and Chocolate Dove.   This is known as the Italian Easter Sunday dilemma.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.
• Guest Val would gladly join the Roux, France Easter Monday project – cracking and beating 4,500 eggs to serve an Easter omelette to over 1,000 people.  Who’s going to do the cleanup, though?
• TM Randolph cleverly realized that in Finland, Easter and Halloween had a baby – the witches of Easter-wick.
• TM Carmine declared the Hungarian Easter Sunday tradition of chucking water buckets over folklorically-costumed girls a Boondoggle.
• DTM Kip – currently in a bad marriage with AOL- was intrigued by the Papua, New Guinea Easter Trees decorated with cigarettes.

 

Today we had serious prepared speeches…

 

• TM Tom has a tribal cat who waited 3 years before entering the house.  Is It You, Is It Me, Or Is It Boondoggle?  Tough to condense it in 5 to 7 minutes…
• TM Aleta asked herself – and us- will we EVER return to normal?  We’ve become increasingly disjointed, discombobulated, boondoggled.  Therein lies the question.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

 

As far as evaluations…

 

• Cat-person TM Pam reminded TM Tom that cats are not tribal, they are simply evil.  She encouraged him to give less tribal examples, more comments at the end.
• TM Randolph praised TM Aleta for her fireworks personality and encouraged her to condense the speech in the interest of time.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

 

Multitasker TM Scott was Grammarian, Ah Counter, Joke Master and General Evaluator.  Great job, Scott!

 

The Word of the Day was

 

BOONDOGGLE, noun or verb

n. Work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of importance.

v. Engaging in a pointless activity.

 

Example:  We have lately witnessed lots of boondoggle.

 

See you next week!

 

Ana

Recap Writer