Choices, Master Chef and Pathways Culmination - an educational program at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Returning TM Emmanuel inspired us with an uplifting invocation. Welcome back, Manny!

I, Ana, led Table Topics about CHOICES.

* TM Emmanuel looooves cold weather, so much so that he moved to Wisconsin for a few years; however, for vacations he prefers the Caribbean.

* TM BeckyJo likes cappuccino and crumpets - or better yet, cappuccino, cappuccino, cappuccino.

* DTM Jim D. is retired and spends his days dreaming of Death by Chocolate desserts oozing fudge and chocolate syrup.

* TM Jose likes the best of both - soccer and football.  It just depends which side of the pond he's on... A man for all continents!.

* DTM Mary Helen is currently a city bumpkin and enjoys watching the reservoir near her home and pretending she is a country girl.

* TM Pam is undecided whether to fly or cruise amid the invasion of iguanas that have proliferated in South Florida.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Chris likes blackjack, blackjack, blackjack and reminisces about the days when $20 could last a whole day in a Lake Tahoe casino - today a quotidian recipe for financial disaster.

Regarding the prepared speeches...

* TM Marie donned an apron and exposed us to her failed recipe for SALTIBARSCIAI (Lithuanian Cold Beet Soup) and Mrs. T's pierogis, a booming business started by Marie's  great uncle's neighbor's au pair.   She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Aleta traced her adventures in Pathways, including 17 icebreakers, where she finds that self-motivation is more challenging than encouraging others.  She's currently working on her 11th - and last existing - Pathway.  Editors at HQ are busy inventing more Pathways....  We love ALL your speeches, please keep them coming!

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Paolo likes 'barbabietole' (beets in Italian) and praised TM Marie for her vocal variety, tone, projection, pitch.  He gave some flora decorating tips and asked her to wear a colorful chef hat, perhaps to match the beet soup color.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Mary Helen was inspired by TM Aleta's motto 'keep on keepin' on' in spite of her non-quotidian self-doubts and praised TM Aleta's cleverness in titling her speeches to then take us in another direction and averting potential strife.

The Word of the Day was

QUOTIDIAN, adjective

Occurs every day or routinely.

We learned it in 3 languages - cotidiano (Spanish), quotidien (French) quotidiano (Italian).  Step aside, Babbel!!

Example:  E un evento quotidiano;  Es un evento cotidiano;  C'est un evenement quotidien.  TM BeckyJo is a quotidian because she quotes a lot.  So there!.

Here's the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzbYpWO3YTQ

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

What the Dickens, A Purpose-Filled Life - A Vivacious Evaluation Contest at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our Test Speaker, TM Bianca, delighted us with a purpose-filled speech about a purpose-filled life.  The answer?  Love, joy and be a go-giver.  Go-getters please abstain from signing up to be Test Speakers!

Our participating evaluators exceeded all expectations:

* TM Paolo praised TM Bianca's elegance, eloquence and confidence and asked her to step back and redirect the angle of the camera to inspire us more.  He Won First Place.

* TM The Tom asked TM Bianca to show the HOW to attain those goals and talk more about regrets, if any, while standing back from the camera.  The camera distance seems to be a recurring male thing.

* TM Terri liked the logical progression of achievements and the emphasis on spiritual principles that guide us coupled with TM Bianca's vivacious gestures.  She Won Third Place.

* TM Marie highlighted TM Bianca's enriching questions aimed at the audience, suggested she stand up to enhance vivacious gestures and avoid 'gonnas" and the like. She Won Second Place.

While we waited for the Contest Judge to count and recount the hanging chads and votes,  TM Aleta woke us all up with classical quotes from The Second Bard (aka Charlie Dickens) and we were to discover that...

* TM Chris rightly believes that attitude is what makes us perceive the same event either negatively or positively.

* TM Bianca has been bent, broken, reinvented, reshaped, flexed and remolded and the result was a vivacious person who focuses on what she can do.

* TM Terri believes giving is better than receiving and it is our sacred duty to give to the homeless and the poor, but make sure it's an honest charitable organization!

* TM Tom sees the world through the filter he was taught as a boy and agrees that no one is useless if they can lighten someone's load.

* TM BeckyJo shed some copious tears in her life, on the front pew at church, where no one intruded in her tears, and thus she made space for God's grace.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, stated that the trifles of life make the spice of life but the best is not to sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff anyway!

* TM Pam confessed that she is at a mashed potatoes level, not at an ethereal level, and that's the best thing she's ever done.

* TM Marie likes mutual respect when dealing with those who share her blood and those who give and receive her blood.

* TM Paolo could not fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship and pass the rosy wine because he's still recovering from transatlantic mid-aiir imbibing of a good rose on an Alitalia flight.

The Contest was conducted rather smoothly in spite of a few pesky technical glitches, handled seamlessly by our Chief Judge TM Pam S. 

The Word of the Day was

VIVACIOUS, adjective

Happy and lively in an appealing way.

Example:  EarlyBirds Toastmaster is certainly a vivacious group of Thursday morning early risers.

Below is the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZCyaO_8N5g

See you next week!

Ana I.

Vivacious Recap Writer

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

C L A R I T Y !!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Word of the Day was

LIBERTARIAN, noun

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

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

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

Here's the link to the recording:

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

With a libertarian flavor,

Ana I.

Recap Writer

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

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Terri led us in a heartfelt, uplifting invocation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Along came the prepared speeches...

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

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

As far as evaluations are concerned..

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

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

The Word of the Day was

VERTIGINOUS, adjective

Causing vertigo, especially by being extremely high or stepp

Relating to or affected by vertigo

Rapid ascent or descent

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

Here is the link to the recording:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Vertiginous Recap Writer

New Year, Breakfast of Kings, Boxing and Betrayal for bumfuzzled EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

TM Marie inspired us to be a blessing to others in 2024.

TM Chris got us thinking about New Year's Eve-related topics, and we soon realized that...

* TM Terri's marriage began -like many of ours-  one enchanted evening with champagne and strawberries... and ended with "See you in court!"

* I, Ana, have been blessed with a challenging and rewarding 2023 during which life has been fully in session.

* TM Pam concludes that life goes faster and faster, so 2024 is bound to pass with breaknecking speed as she unclutters.   She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Ricardo will spend New Year's Eve in Villa Paramacito, where there's nothing to do except maybe jump in the river.  His sisters and he will surely take the town by storm!

* TM Jim G. avoids New Year resolutions because they have never, ever, ever, even once, come to fruition.  He's planning to celebrate a 2-month wet birthday in January and February!

* TM BeckyJo is a fiery person who grew up in Canada thinking the fireworks on July 1st were specifically dedicated to her birthday.  Ah... sweet bird of innocence...

* TM Marie reminisced about Guy Lombardo's rendition of Auld Lang Syne which, to her, means let bygones be bygones and move on, people!

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Aleta likened Toastmasters with a healthy nutrition plan: breakfast of kings, lunch of princes, dinner of paupers.  It helps us navigate the complexities of bumfuzzled simplicity  and marks a beginning where there's an end.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Tom brought us into the world of boxing, where scarface Teddy Atlas was betrayed by Mike Tyson and fired by Cus D'Amato  in the Catskills of NY where Dirty Dancing proved that without fear we can't be brave.

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM Marie was awed by TM Aleta's remarkable capacity to make a teambuilding speech entertaining and... teambuilding!

* TM Jim G. marveled at the fact that TM Tom explained clearly -and facing the camera-  how Teddy Atlas's throat scar is a symbol of a bumfuzzled childhood but Teddy was clearheaded when it came to 15-year-old Tyson's sexual advances to Teddy's 11-year-old niece.  Jim won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

BUMFUZZLE, verb

Confuse, perplex, fluster

Example:  Teddy Atlas was not bumfuzzled when it came to 15-year-old Tyson's sexual advances to Teddy's 11-year-old niece and put a gun to his temple, pure and simple.  

Here's a link to the recording:

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8Tp6xcoqkE

See you next week!

Ana I.

Bumfuzzled Recap Writer

Profound revelations, Ephemeral Life and A Visit from St Nicholas - an elaborate morning at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Returning TM Paula led us with elaborate but not shallow, frivolous Table Topics.  We slowly discovered that...

Alonso del Rio, Andean medicine music man, inhaled a lot of funny things while elaborating theories for Table Topic use, such as Pachamama and Pachakamaq, spirit and matter, the invisible path and absolute and relative unity.  Get it, people???  Alll joking aside, Paula did a great job at Table Topics and stirred our brains into motion.

* TM Chris listens to her mind so as to avoid wrecking her body, dreams of running without a bum knee.

* TM Jose has transcended from material cares to spiritual cares but mostly has become a paella foodie.

* TM Emmanuel (Manny) firmly states that habits are the great teachers of the heart so he's elaborating new habits for 2024.

* TM Aleta has enrolled in Psychotherapy to discern why They Call the Wind Mariah. The wind - both beautiful and whistling with destruction in its path.

* TM Jim G. reminisced of old days when he heard My Peace I Give You, My Peace I Take From You in the House of the Rising Sun.

* I, Ana, am still trying to elaborate who I was, who I am, who I will be, when I will find that last object I lost and be able to improve my daily puzzle ..ment.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

The last one was Wisdom Costs Flesh and Heart but we were ... saved by the bell!  Pfiiuuuu.....!  

As far as prepared speeches go...

* TM Ricardo reminded us of the ephemeral quality of life when flying around in a home-made motorized lawn chair and a striped awning.  Thank God he's now improved the ultralight trike by using a sturdier beach chair and a polkadot awning.

* TM Jim G. gave us his annual rendition of A Visit from St. Nicholas, of questionable authorship but with Jim G. copyrighted superb, timeless multifaceted backdrops.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

And then came the awaited evaluations....

* DTM Mary Helen praised TM Ricardo for speech technique experimentation and for surprising the audience with exciting adventures.  She can only anticipate the next speech will be Snow Skiing Ahead of an Avalanche in Kilimanjaro".  We can't wait!

* TM Terri appreciated TM Jim G. (aka St Nick) for his enthusiasm, his baritone voice and for bringing a timeless poem to life in front of our very eyes.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

ELABORATE, verb or adjective

Verb:  to develop or present an idea in detail.  Example:  She planned an elaborate wedding celebration and now is planning an elaborate divorce commemoration.   

Adjective:  involving many carefully arranged parts or details.  Example:  The elaborate Edible Arrangement was devoured in an instant.

Below is the link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8m9hVWgbOs

Merry Christmas!  Feliz Navidad!  Joyeux Noel!  Buon Natale! S Rozhdestvom! (for our missing Russian guests)

See you next week!

Ana I.

Elaborate Recap Writer (methinks)

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 

Would You Rather... Fort Liquordale and The Inner Cheerleader - a morning with rizz at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

After an inspired Invocation by TM Terri M. and a hilarious un-Hallmark joke by TM Aleta, TM Jim G. launched us on a thought-provoking Would You Rather Train of Thought.  We discovered that...

* TM Marie would rather meet her Lithuanian great-grandparents than her future great-grandchildren as she would give them unsolicited advice and it would not go well.

* TM Emmanuel would rather have World Peace than End Hunger although sadly the UN, the WHO, Unicef and the rest of them have failed miserably at it.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Pam would rather be stuck in a ski lift than in an elevator with some people deserving to receive the un-Hallmark cards.

* TM Tom would not like to either rewind life (and have to do it all over again) or pause life (and prolong it). It's definitely a no-win in his eyes!

* TM Terri would rather have a salad than soup because she's not a soup connoisseur and associates soup with the sniffles.  TM Terri had the spontaneous phrase of the day pre-meeting by asking "Where Have The Days Gone?"

We then got to prepared speech(es)...

*I, Ana, having lived in a cave for 41 years, just recently found out that the Fort Liquordale name originated during Prohibition, not during Spring Break.  Who knew?? I Won Best Speaker Award in a highly contested race.

* TM Jocelyn Tyson, 2023 TM World Champion, regaled us with her journey to a Triathalon, and asked us Would You Rather be a self-critic or a self-cheerleader?

As far as the evaluation goes...

* TM Chris learned the true origin of Fort Liquordale rumrunners and suggested I stand up to give speeches so I can get rid of my Mafia Files.

The Word of the Day was

RIZZ, noun

Generation Z slang that means style, charm or attractive to plain or romantic relationships.  Presumably derives from charisma, but in the world of Generation Z, or maybe Alpha, who knows.

Example:  Authenticity is the key to having rizz - and playful, flirty banter too!

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/eKUaUIsOisA

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer with Rizz

Table Topics Contest Fondest and Silver Linings - a plethoric euphoric day at EarlyBirds!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

An exciting Table Topics Contest at EarlyBirds brought a plethora of new perspectives.  Our beloved SAA, DTM Mary Helen, suffered a temporary bout of Psychosis Susceptibility Syndrome, but quickly recovered after a second cup of Java and getting those other voices to agree with her.

A couple of contestants experienced premature ejection from the Breakout Room but were nonetheless able to pretend innocence in front of the Judges. Hear ye! Hear ye! The Court's in session, the Court's in session- here comes the Judge! Here comes the Judge!  (First rap song by Shorty Long in 1968)

Our Contest Master, TM Aleta, and Chief Judge, TM Jim G., aided by his own SELF  and TM Chris as Tech Cohorts, got the contest under way.

The theme was "Now or Never" 

It's now or never

Come hold me tight

Kiss me my darlingw

Be mine tonight

Tomorrow will be too late

It's now or never

My love won't wait

Just like a willow

We would cry an ocean

If we lost true love

And sweet devotion

(sung to the tune of "It's Now Or Never", but I digress)...

We found out that 

* TM BeckyJo exercised her choice of Now or Never... and chose Never.  So there.  She Won Third Place Award.

* TM Marie waxed philosophical about "Regrets - I've had a few... but then again... too few too mention..."  (sung to the tune of My Way by Ol' Blue Eyes). She Won First Place Award.

* TM Jose declared that he is NOW, unequivocally, going to an Asian restaurant for lunch, smack in the middle of the Mediterranean Paradise known as Javea, Spain.

* I, Ana, definitely choose NEVER to engage in thrilling sports such as paragliding, jumping our of airplanes and the like.  Videomatography is where it's at for me.

* DTM Jim D. is laser-focused on travel, travel, travel after retirement.  The time is NOW!

* TM The Tom is a man of action and will take action to be involved in action-packed adventures for the duration of the next coffee break.

* TM Paolo will jump at the chance to do now that which can otherwise never be done.  The decision to move to Italy?  Wait for the Sequel Speech in a few more years.  He Won Second Place Award.

And along came our prepared speech by our newest Toastmaster, Terri M.  Based on a true story...

* After breaking a leg in the mountains of New Mexico, she made it home to Miami where an array of friends, neighbors, sons, acquaintances, bakers, butchers, grocers and strangers equipped her, transported her, fed her, entertained her and made sure she never missed her daily "CORTADITO" (Cuban Cafe Con Leche, which resuscitates the dead, according to Calle Ocho lore).  She Won Best Speaker Award (as well as new member fastest  to hop on the Pathways track).

* She was evaluated by TM Marie, who thoroughly enjoyed Terri's  motivational speech and has already signed up for a Cuban Cantina (weekly meal plan) to be delivered right to her door, including CORTADITO.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

PLETHORA, noun

A large or excess amount of something.

Example: Some EarlyBird members joyfully take on a plethora of roles for the successful completion of the agenda.

Here's the link to the recording: 

https://youtu.be/NTngZ_W2L0k

See you next week!

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

Generators, Canal Cruises and Cliches - no siree, no inertia for EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Terri started us off with a beautiful Invocation in the Christian tradition.

TM Aleta juggled our morning inertia by starting us on loose but interwoven topics. We soon discovered that...

* TM Jose is still waiting for the governmental subsidy for solar batteries for power outages.  Keep those candles handy!

* I, Ana, saw my generator-acquisition husband transform from an idiot to a visionary in a matter of 24 hours before Wilma.

* TM Terri chickened out from getting a generator because many generator owners in South Florida end up six feet under from the emanations.

* TM Marie, essential employee, became even more essential during Wilma with the help of  handsome and essential military guys who gave her essential assistance.

* DTM Jim got a complete generator... right after Wilma.  That's why he's honing his timing skills in Toastmasters very often.

* TM Aleta has a generator in SW Pennsylvania but doesn't use it because she sleeps best in dark, quiet and secluded environments, while ignoring the falling 100-ft trees!

* TM Tom looks at the moon and the stars in awe and wonder while everyone frets during hurricanes.  He Won Best Table Topic Award.

Then we had 2 prepared speeches...

* TM Ricardo streamlined his Cruise de Midi speech, eliminated verbiage and added a map which helped us sail through 30 of the 64 locks in the canal.  Good job Ricardo!

* I, Ana, reviewed a few gazillion cliches and touched on some malaphors (wrong blend of cliches) - not to be confused with malapropism (wrong usage of a word or term).  Too many chefs in too many pies!  I Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go....

* TM Paolo sailed the Midi Cruise himself "All Aboard"  "All Aboard" with Captain Ricardo.  Good inertia in motion!   He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM The Tom enjoyed my speech but suggested I use Spanish cliches next time so I can roll the rrrrrs as I pronounce them.  That's his favorite!

The Word of the Day was

INERTIA, noun

To do nothing or remain unchanged

Example:  I lean forward in the car by inertia when the brakes are applied suddenly.  

Here's the link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/VbxrnpMriyg

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Fwd: Great topics, Google in London, Part I and Part II - no phubbing at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

TM Tom started us off with a deep, heartfelt invocation.

TM Jose got us thinking with great Table Topics.  As we soon learned...

* TM Marie spends her day playing with Silly Putty to improve her mobility and to be able to do The Camino.

* DTM Jim D. forces himself to be inquisitive because his friends who are not end up 6 ft under after a year of retirement.

* TM Aleta agreed that yes, yes, yes, she lies without even saying a word and will spend the rest of today thinking about it.

* TM BeckyJo stated unequivocally that WHEN IS TUESDAY, the day of action, come ready to go, Monday is a slump, Wednesday is a hump, Thursday is the peak, Friday is weekend anticipation.  The rest is phubbing, no more, no less. She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* I, Ana, smile about a lot of things because I'm gifted with finding the humor in the absurdities of daily life.

* TM Pam would like high schoolers to read anything as we are facing a completely illiterate next generation.  What was she talking about anyway???

* TM Terri dons a Thanksgiving-themed orange leg cast, an orange knee scooter, lounges like Cleopatra and wears orange garbage bags to shower. That's different for sure!

Along came the impromptu prepared speeches - thank you, Geeks, for bailing us out today!

* TM Chris, PES (Product Expert Summiter) introduced us to a real-life Siri.  Now we're waiting to meet Alexa for Seniors, who responds to any similar name - Adessa, Annetta, Coretta, Axeta, Loretta, Alphonsa.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Jim G., London Tour Guide par excellence, toured us through Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and its tenants, pubs that served gringos haddock and french fries, and took us on the London Eye with a champagne flute while reciting Churchill quotes. Quintessential London!!

As far as evaluations are concerned...

* TM Randolph is signing up, as we speak, to become a Product Expert for LonCroogle and take the hop-on hop-off bus wherever the next summit is.

* TM Pam praised TM Jim G. for his calm demeanor while missing the wild parties at the summit.  Raise the vocal passion or join Madame Tussaud's!!  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Tom evaluated TM Pam's evaluation and sincerely commended her for not phubbing the audience during the rendition.

The Word of the Day was

PHUBBING, noun

Ignoring who you're with and giving your undivided attention to your phone.

Example:  Phubbing has become an art form for the masses.  To think Iphones did not even exist 15 years ago!!

Here is a link to the recording:

https://youtu.be/mjXXkUoJUkI

Here is a link to the Geeks' summit photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PHadcMgb8CxLTUKfA

See you next week, phubbers!

Ana I.

Recap Writer