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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then came the prepared speeches...

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

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

Then we had some great evaluations...

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

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

The Word of the Day was

ATTUNED, verb

make receptive or aware

Example:  The interests of TM members are highly attuned.

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

One-word topics, Food is Critical and Scam Alert - EarlyBirds are flourishing!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM BeckyJo is preparing us for Table Topics contests with one-word topics. We discovered that...

* TM Gail proliferates in her use of thingamajig, a catch-all descriptive word to find anything, reach for anything, drop anything or use anything.

* TM Veronica does not worry about chinhair YET - wait till age catches up with her!

* TM Jorge is reminded of leprechauns and pots of gold when he envisions a rainbow.

* TM David gets a dose of vitamin C and positive energy when he eats an orange.

* TM Cory got out of the box and delivered a speech in front of 100 team members while thinking of us last Thursday.  Go TM Cory!

* TM Aleta does not diet per se but keeps a healthy body by dividing her food intake into liquids for one week, fruits and veggies another and light protein the third.  On the fourth week she flourishes....

* I, Ana, make a distinction between joy and happiness and gave a non-sequitur recap of the House of Orange festivities in The Netherlands.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

Along came (2) outstanding prepared speeches...

* TM David revealed that he loves to eat and cook healthy food - ater discovering that fast food stays one minute on your lips, forever in your hips- and healthy cooking is a spiritual experience.  We the local EarlyBirds are going to his home for an exquisite meal SANS CROISSANTS.... He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Gail got scammed by AI impersonation and shared very helpful tips to avoid being victimized.  Think about this:  1.3 BILLION personal records were compromised last year in the U.S.of A.  Thank you for raising awareness among the potentially scammable crowd, TM Gail!

Regarding the evaluations...

*TM The Tom thoroughly enjoyed TM David's speech and encouraged him to repeat it again incorporating a few gourmet recipes for added spirituality!

* DTM Mary Helen thanked TM Gail for her helpful practices to make us aware of the cunning sophistication of Scammers Unlimited flourishing in the world.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

FLOURISH, verb

To grow luxuriantly, to thrive

To achieve success

Example:  Those of us with a fear of public speaking thrive and flourish in Toastmasters.

Note: Due to technical difficulties, today's recording will be made available soon - maybe.   Stay tuned!

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

One or the other, Exotically Ordinary and The Lights Went Out, a cardinal meeting in the Early Birds' Conclave

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Gail led us with a heartfelt Mother's Day invocation, and TM Jorge brilliantly displayed the US flag for our Pledge of Allegiance.  Thank you, Jorge!

TM The Tom introduced us to Table Topics' quandaries:

* Singer or Writer? I, Ana, love both of these activities and although not a gifted singer, I choose to write while I sing when I'm not in the shower.

* Blimp or Hot Air Balloon?  TM Beckyjo loves riding in both - and has actually sailed the friendly skies on more than one occasion, enjoying the scenery below!

* Rancher or farmer?  TM Aleta faces a dilemma, but ultimately chooses to grow tomatoes over being a cattle rancher in Western Pennsylvania.

* Soggy cereal or crunchy cake?  Another dilemma for Frenchman David, forever bound to soggy cereal prepared by himself with chocolate milk while watching tv as a youngster.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Sightseeing in Africa or shopping in Milan? DTM Mary Helen will go shopping in Milan en route to a sightseeing tour of Africa.  She wants the best of both worlds.

* Raise cows or sheep?  TM Jorge chose raising sheep because he can use their fleece to make himself a jacket.

* Hang gliding or sky diving?  TM Marie says "Not today, thanks, I've got a headache".   Instead she'll  lovingly prepare a healthy oat bar for her husband's birthday.

We had a great Icebreaker today...

* TM Veronica delighted us with her topsy-turvy world of exotic vs ordinary and took us down a travelogue of various parts of the world.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

And we had a power outage reality check of a speech...

* TM Jose recounted the painful experience of having  "Lights Out!" not to the entire college dorm, but to the entire country.  Yikes!  After several near misses, he was able to emerge unscathed but alert to potential repeats.

And then came the evaluations:

* TM David enjoyed TM Veronica's speech and completely related to her trainhopping, a national passtime in France.  

* TM Pam enjoyed TM Jose's Tales of Dark Days in a Green Country and made a call to action for him to masterfully use slides as prior to today.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

CARDINAL, adjective

Of prime importance, principal

Example:  It is  cardinal that the sequestered Cardinals elect the next Pope while there's still wood to be burned in the Conclave.

The link to today's recording is here:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

VP Education

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

--No Video Available--

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We formally inducted our returning Toastmaster Veronica.  Welcome aboard!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We had (2) excellent prepared speeches...

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

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

Along came evaluations...

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

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

The Word of the Day was

NOLENS VOLENS, noun

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

(Can be used either/or Nilly-Willy)

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

Here's the link to the recording:

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

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

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education

Farewell, Bon Voyage, Hasta La Vista, Aloha Nui - a pelagic meeting at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our Special Farewell Bon Voyage meeting got off to a good start!

TM Marie inspired us with novel ideas...

* Starting on time: I, Ana, am supercilious about punctuality.  I annoy myself!

* Adventure: TM David is so inspired by TM Jim and TM Chris' trip he is looking forward to hearing about their adventure.

* Lifelong learning:  TM Gail is ever so grateful for her lifelong learning from her lifelong friends, TM Jim and TM Chris.

* Exploring new cultures:  TM Cory grew up sheltered and has discovered the excitement of exploring new cultures.

* Scuba diving:  TM Jose has been inspired through TM Jim and TM Chris's scuba adventures in restarting scuba diving again!

* Old Friends:  TM Pam clarified that when young, we have old friends; when old, we have longtime friends.  Mark the difference!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* My Life in Photos:  TM Jorge reviewed old baby and younger day pictures when his hair had a tinge of auburn, much like his son's does now.

* Appreciating nature: TM Terri admires TM Jim and TM Chris for living out an adventurous life.  Terri will ask her genie in a bottle to hop her on a cruise while Gloria Estefan's rhythm is gonna get her.

* Home:  TM The Tom waxed poetic about sapphire blue waters in sunlight and green in rain with waves cresting pelagically.

And then came the long-awaited Villa Vie Odyssey Tour, led by TM Chris....

We saw the Bow (off-bounds  in most non-residential ships), and the Stern - the Gym, the Outdoor Cafe, the Restaurant with its Buffet Paradise,  the Business Center, the Living Room, the Promenade Deck, the Coral Club.  Along the way, we met  the Chef and some of the very friendly staff.  Even the pool area - currently under renovation - offers a serene environment with chaise lounges and umbrellas to enjoy a good read or take a mid-afternoon siesta.  No cabin fever in this floating condo full of amenities, no sireee! TM Jim ended the tour from the cabin and took our many questions.  No tipping required; housekeeping practices, unlimited gym access... and it's all included in the monthly fee!  Stops of 2 days or more at every port allowing for on-shore activities.  One of his favorite stops on the horizon - Catalina Island.  TM Chris and TM Jim Won Best Speaker and Best Tour Guides Awards.

Please be sure to follow the Gulds' adventures at  geeksontour.com/cruising.    We, EarlyBirds, want the movie rights!

Our Evaluator, TM David, offered TM Chris some practical tips for her (perhaps) soon-to-be regular tours of the Odyssey Villa Vie:  center your camera, center your face so audience sees all of it, avoid jittery movements.  Note:  Totally disregard all of the above in rough seas and reach for the Dramamine!!!   He Won Best Evaluator Award.

TM Cory did a great job as General Evaluator of this pelagic meeting.

Led by our Hilarious, Adventurous RoastMaster TM BeckyJo, several members offered (mostly) poetic - in honor of April, Poetry Month - and at times trilingual (English, Spanish, Hawaiian) farewells.  

The previously-unheard-of Word of the Day was

PELAGIC, noun

Inhabiting the upper layers of the open sea

Relating to the open sea

Example:  Thanks to our favorite Influencers, TM Jim and TM Chris, we are now a collectively pelagic,  in-training ducklings and future technology wizzards who will make our parents, TM Jim and TM Chris, technologically proud.

The link to the recording is here:

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

It's Debatable, Procrastination, A Gem Among Concrete - EarlyBirds is definitely not soporific!

 

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Chris brilliantly led us in table topics up for debate.

We learned that....

* TM Gail is pro clearing up a house for sale so that new owners get a better idea of how they can make it look.  

* TM Terri took the same side and also believes in clearing up a house for sale because an empty house looks bigger and unleashes the creativity of prospects.

* TM Veronica is pro legalizing casinos - they bring a lot of revenue and boost the local economy, and in Florida they benefit the native american tribe who owns the largest one.  It's also a great venue for concerts.

* TM David is against legalizing casinos because he worked for an online gaming company and he saw how the addictive behavior got people hospitalized.

* TM The Tom is pro school uniforms because it fosters equality and eliminates competition for Best Dressed, students focus on academics instead of fluff and frill.

* TM Aleta is against school uniforms because they stifle creativity and growth - and students end up customizing their uniforms to look different anyway!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

We had (2) prepared speeches...

* TM David told us about his struggles with procrastination, especially in things he most likes.  Taking action is the antidote!  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* I, Ana, told the history of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the beach diving capital of America, and its humble beginnings which have kept it a gem among towering giants.

Next came the fabulous evaluations...

* TM Marie praised TM David for his organization, confidence, display of leadership and persuasion.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* DTM Mary Helen applauded the fact that I did not read my speech and encouraged me to continue to improve and to stop crunching land crabs while at it!

The Word of the Day was

SOPORIFIC, 

Causes sleep (noun)

Induces sleep (adjective)

Example:  A glass of warm milk and a monotonous tv series are the best soporifics known to man.

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtt9L5WeV74

See you next week for our special FAREWELL to our friends The Gulds!  SNIFF....

Ana I.

Humorous Recap Writer

(that's debatable!)

Joy & Happiness, Working Together - a nimble morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We had a few First Timers fulfilling roles today, and it all worked out well...

First-timer Toastmaster of the Day TM Gail ran a smooth effortless meeting.  Good job, Gail!

First-timer TM David led us in very uplifting Table Topics.  We learned that...

* TM Gail finds happiness in memories of shared times with friends and family and watching the swans glide by in a nearby lake.

* TM Aleta expands her boundless energy with efficient time management of her virtues, Peppy and Happy.

* I, Ana, am adept at rearranging priorities to allow time for amenities.

* TM Chris is semi-retired but hangs on to her beloved technology demos and kayak diving with her diving partner.

* TM Randolph finds pure happiness in the magic of his IPhone's self-generated memories, for which he is very grateful!

* TM Jim G. describes happiness as a globe which is generated from the inside.

* TM Cory's cat, his partner and their foodie experiences and a feeling of gratitude are the top (3) happiness generators in his life.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM The Tom finds happiness in the internal process of the little things, of which gratitude is an essential element.

* Area Director Marc finds that happiness is definitely a choice, which only a nimble mind can make over chance.

* TM Jorge stated that happiness prevails over stress by showing gratitude, meditating and calming his thoughts.

We had one panel speech entitled Working Together, facilitated by TM Aleta...

* After sharing her Toastmasters background and how much she has benefited from serving as President of the Club, TM Aleta proceded to ask questions of the officers who were present:

* Sargeant-at-Arms and Immediate Past President, TM Jim G. described his (mostly) behind-the-scenes role, which he is thoroughly enjoying, and would gladly continue if only he were not embarking on a worldwide cruising lifetime adventure.

* DTM Mary Helen reminisced about being Treasurer many years ago in another Club, where she gave an approximate figure for the Treasury Report.  She is now being our Treasurer till the end of this Panel- and doing a mighty fine job!  Besides being VP of Membership and officially registering and  welcoming our new Members.  

* I, Ana, talked about the role of the VP Education, which I am enjoying doing so that we have a fun program every week.

* Our Secretary and our VP Public Outreach were absent today due to illness but would definitely be available for questions any time.

Next, we fielded some questions from the audience, who asked where to find job descriptions for the various officer roles and how long should a member wait until they take on an officer position.  Both questions were addressed.

Excellent informative speech, TM Aleta!

Then we moved on to our Evaluation/General Evaluation...

* TM The Tom praised TM Aleta for presenting us with a plethora of information disguised as plates of spaghetti - carbonara and bolognese - which were impossible to refuse and hence be enticed to take on a role for the next Panel starting in July (Elections will be held in June).  We support each other, we encourage each other, and this is a very SAFE place to try different roles to keep our minds nimble and our sense of humor intact!

The Word of the Day was

NIMBLE, adj.

Quick and light in movement, agile

Quick to understand

Example: Jack, be nimble, Jack, be agile, Jack, jump over the box marked "Fragile"; Jack, be nimble, Jack, good luck, Jack, jump over the ice cream truck..."  (sung to the tune of "Jack Be Nimble")

Here's the link to the recording...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vpxA0UgaF0

See you next week!

Ana I

VP Education

Mono-themed topics, Icebreaker and Lead the Followers - no snarks at Early Birds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Marie led us with an inspirational invocation and dove right in to mono-themed Table Topics.  We found out that...

* TM Gail has found creativity in EarlyBirds, with its varied assortment of characters, nationalities, accents, and travel experiences.

* Guest Chantal talked about honesty resulting from the lessons learned, lessons earned and from a firm foundation while growing up.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest Jean-Marc stated that gratitude is so very important, to count our blessings and start our days off  thankful for even things we're not aware we have.

* TM Jose reminisced about his curiosity as a child breaking valuable toys to find out what made them tick and his inability to reassemble them, which almost got him killed by the Big Cats.

* Our cowboy-at-large, TM The Tom, revealed that humor is the essential breath of fresh air that keeps him alive.

* TM Chris explained the Ps of a successful small business: Perseverance, Passion, Poverty and Partner.  Maybe we could add Prayer?

* TM Christine aspires to openness as a virtuous trait - to stay teachable.  That's a quality she seeks for herself.

We had (2) excellent prepared speeches today...

* TM David gave an excellent Icebreaker where he shared a part of his story with us and how he has achieved his dream of living in the land of the free and the home of the brave - in Florida weather!  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Aleta explained with great vitality what the role of President of EarlyBird entails - team building, leading, conflict resolution, meeting facilitation.  More to come in next week's panel speech.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Christine praised TM David's courage in presenting such a powerful Icebreaker and the variety of experiences he has gathered from living in different parts of the United States.  She encouraged him to look straight at the camera to emulate eye contact when speaking in person to a group.

* TM Gail stated that TM Aleta personifies dynamic leadership, hence the Pathways she has embarked on.  Her vocal variety and hand gestures are second to none; however, work on not using notes.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

The Word of the Day was

SNARK, noun

An expression of mocking irreverence and sarcasm.  

Example:  A snark is a cross between a snake and a shark, as expressed by our President.  The case rests.

TM Cory did an impeccable job as Timer.  Go Cory!

For the local members: 

The Division Contest is this Saturday April 5 from 10 am to 1 pm at:

Liberty Life Center

6800 SW 21st Ct

Davie, FL

Let's go and support our contestants!

Here's a link to the recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgrdktVn2_U

See you next week!

Ana 

VP Education

Spring, Buoyant Life and Mile High Makeover - an astute meeting of EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

We had a number of FIRSTS today....

We inducted our new Member, TM David, and he also was an excellent First Time Timer - great job David!

We had a First Time Grammarian, TM Jorge, who astutely provided our WOD and kept track of our grammatical assets and faux pas...

TM Pam inspired us with Spring topics.  We discovered that...

* TM Chris grew up in Alaska, where spring means the rivers crack, the ice melts and the temperature rises to a smoldering 10 degrees Fahrenheit... No tabebuia trees in the vicinity, for sure!

* TM The Tom, originally a land-bearing Yankee (Colonel Tom, says TM Jim G) transformed into a southern drawler at a moment's notice.

* TM Aleta avoids Artesian Wells, where no pump is needed as the sulphuric water gushes out all by itself and has built a non-Artesian well in her back yard.

* TM Gail astutely summarized members' introductions and topic answers to talk about her own March Madness divorce earthquake which made her a proud lone ranger.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jim ignored Blue Devil low spirits and focused on New Jersey, the flying biped who takes blue capsules with barbiturates and scares the living daylights out of unsuspecting New Joisy children.

* TM Cory likes the rebound effect of bouncing back through the air after hitting a hard surface or object and prefers to recover from a setback or frustration.

* TM Jorge knows little about Cinderella except she was ignored by her family until Cinderfella came along and rescued her.

We had (2) outstanding speeches...

* TM Marie asked us to consider seriously how to avoid the vitriol of current events and focus on living a buoyant life by paying attention to the marine buoys that line up the Intracoastal Waterway.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* Returning TM Christine so inspired a former Sephora employee presently flight attendant that Christine got a total makeover while the ignored 120  other female passengers stood hopelessly in line to get an eyelash curler.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Cory did a second evaluation of TM Marie and praised her for looking straight at the camera and only reading the grasshopper poem.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Chris praised TM Christine for coming back to the Club and encouraged her to try other glittering eyeshadows in the flight attendant's  eyeshadow pallette.

The Word of the Day was 

ASTUTE, adjective

Clever, perceptive, quick to understand situations.

Example:   We EarlyBird Toastmasters exemplify astute, buoyant, clever, perceptive, witty humanoids.

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYMMGCKrQf0

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer

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

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We had an outstanding ICEBREAKER today...

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

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

Then came evaluations...

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

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

The Word of the Day was

OPULENT, adj.

Rich, luxurious, lavish

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

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

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

The link to today's recording is 

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

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

March topics, Thailand-Part II and a Loving Tribute - a mesmeric EarlyBirds meeting

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM The Tom moved us with a very loving invocation inspired on our late DTM Jim D.

I, Ana, presented assorted topics pertinent to the month of March.  We discovered that....

* TM Jorge is not quite sure whether he likes Daylight Saving Time or not - sometimes he does, other times he doesn't.  Overall, he'd probably rather live without changing the time.  Or perhaps he would like to get darker later, but then you have to wake up when it's dark.  What a dilemma....You're with 50% of the world's population, Jorge!

* TM Paolo has nominated his wife as Good Samaritan of the Day and Year, because it takes a Good Samaritan to deal with a rowdy bunch of young kids, especially bright and early in the morning.  He can't wait to have some peace and quiet, even in the midst of rush hour traffic.

* TM The Tom reminded us that nothing, nada, niente, compares to the joyful boisterousness and mesmeric routines of St Patty's Day for a Fightin Irish like himself.  The Equinox can go find a four-leaf clover for all he cares....

* TM Marie shared EarlyBird shenanigans - she blatantly misled and mesmerized her innocent husband by bringing him a cookbook authored and personally autographed for him by none other than Sofia Loren at the Toastmasters Contest - in authentic Italian provided by our very own TM Paolo.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM BeckyJo disputed the discovery date of Pluto - Pluto was discovered after Mickey and before Uranus - although Pluto is not a planet anymore, Pluto will always be a standup dog.  That's all folks!

We had one mesmeric speech....

* TM Jose dazzled us with his Thailand - Part II, mainly about the Thai archipelago - Koh Tao - Nguyen Islands and coral reefs Twin Peaks and Japanese Gardens, Krabi - Railay Beach - get there by boat only and rent a chaise/umbrella combo for $2/day, visit Chinatown in Bangkok to see a REAL Chinatown and learn to cook Thai food in the city within the city.  November 23  2026 - we're all coming to visit the Gulds on their cruise stopover in Thailand!!  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM The Tom evaluated this second part of TM Jose's Thailand adventure and... The Tom wants MORE, MORE, MORE.  He suggested TM Jose expand his speech into a 12-15 minute more detailed description of island-hopping, scuba dives and dining experiences.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Chris put together a moving, mesmeric tribute of our late DTM Jim D.  Categorized by various aspects of his personality, we were reminded of our loss of a friend and valuable member of our Club.  Thank you TM Chris for this extraordinary remembrance.

Our newest Toastmaster and first-time Ah Counter TM Jorge, did an outstanding job of listening for Ahs, Ehrs, You Knows, Ummms and other fillers.  Way to go, TM Jorge!

The Word of the Day was

MESMERIC, adj

Hypnotic induction held to involve animal magnetism

Hypnotic appeal

Our EarlyBird meetings have a mesmeric quality to them.

Here's the link to the recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfAb_aU4N18

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

* 

Life is Good Sunday Business Meeting March 9, 2025

To members present at Life is Good Sunday AFG Business Meeting plus Mira and Marla:

Attached are the minutes from yesterday's meeting.

Yours in service,

Ana

Group Member

Moving, Thai Paradise and What Now? A scintilla of a meeting at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Chris, shaker and mover, got us moving in various directions.  We found out that...

* TM Terri does not have moving in her genes but treasures her childhood pictures which miraculously made it out of Hersheytown, Cuba.

* TM Aleta's longest moves were back and forth between Pennsylvania and Florida, with lots of uncluttering along the way.

* TM Cory's shortest move was at age 20 when he moved 2 blocks from his Mom who visited every day, till he springboarded to Portland, Oregon.

* TM Paolo just went through a harrowing transatlantic flight with 6 bambini in tow so he wants to stay put for a while.

* Guest Jean's easiest move was from Europe to Florida.  His father helped and besides, he had beaucoup des francs a depenser (translation: quite a bunch of French francs to convert to dollars).

* I, Ana, do NOT like to move - miscellaneous objects live in perpetuity in my home so the Gulds are bringing their rnadoms and extras over.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

Then came the outstanding prepared speeches...

* TM Jose took us on a scintillating trip aided by seamless visual/audio aids  to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (coloquially known as Thailand) and a few of the islands they visited - they had 1400 to choose from, as well as near-passing trains.  TM Jose and the entire Club is planning to visit the Gulds' Cruise in Phuket in November 2026.  Jose won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Marie expertly showed us ways to turn our energy from negative to positive, ignore the external narcissism and find the silver lining in every storm cloud.

Regarding the evaluations...

* The Tom Quinn praised TM Jose's presentation skills as simply magic.  He wants MORE, MORE, MORE!  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* First-time Evaluator TM Cory admired TM Marie's self-confidence, great energy, audience engagement and the ability to pose serious questions in a very gentle tone.  Great job, Cory!

ALERT FOR TM BECKYJO:  The Oxford Dictionary has officially recognized -and listed- the formerly slangy GONNA. 

The Word of the Day was

SCINTILLA, noun

Very small amount of something

Spark, flash

Example: EarlyBirds has way more than a scintilla of humor and joy to start us right on any given Thursday morning.

Here's the link to the recording:

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

See you next week!

Ana

VP Education