Odd Idioms and Loving Tributes - Love is EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

I, Ana, got us thinking about idioms.  We came to learn that...

* TM Jim G., zooming in from Bexhill-on-Sea, UK, right next to Stratford-upon-Avon and north of Surrey-on-Thames, cannot for the life of him jolly well figure out what a dime a dozen means, since a dime is 10 and a dozen is apparently 12.

* TM Chris stays away from rotting kettles of fish because the smell takes her breath away in a very fishy way.   She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Randolph pondered that a caboodle is something with wheels and the whole kit must be the wheel of fortune.

* DTM Mary Helen has no idea of the price of onions but it's brutally impacting their budget because she cooks them every single day.  Onion allergy sufferers need not visit.

* TM Marie reflected that people need to be responsible for the animal in their life (may include -but not necessarily- their spouse) to avoid barking up the wrong tree.

* DTM Jim D. is considering that a blowtorch may help straighten out a Spanish bull's horns.

Along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Tom reminisced about the days of yellow hip huggers in MIami Springs until he got trapped into loving ownership of a camouflaged Shih Tzu, purely descended from a Lhasa Apso and in reality a loving tiger.

* TM BeckyJo lovingly recounted the many adventures of her creative Dad, including building a silver Taj Mahal in their front yard,  and the counterinsurgency measures of her Code Enforcement whistleblower Mom.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go....

* TM Marie praised TM Tom's story within a story, with vivid language, varied vocal variety, deep vulnerability and a reminder of the importance of Cracker Barrell.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.  

* DTM Jim D. was impressed with TM BeckyJo's vocal clarity, perfect diction and her uncanny ability to make us reflect about taking the long and winding road to start a rolling food truck business.

The Word of the Day was

LOVE, noun 

An intense feeling of deep affection ; a great interest and pleasure in something.

LOVE, verb

Feel deep emotion for someone or something

Example:  Falling in love with love is a curious thing - sung to the tune of The Power Of Love. by Huey Lewis and The News.

Here's the link to the recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igfcO2KQAzk

Stay tuned for more!  See you next week

Ana

Recap Writer

Zany Table Topics, Speech Preparation and a 5 to 7 minute life story - a resilient morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Friends and Guests:

TM Aleta led us in very original, zany "What Else Could This Be" visual table topics.  We corroborated that some of our members are quite sadistic.

* TM BeckyJo sees a harmless chair as a torture device to off the elderly under the guise of Yoga, Pilates and the like. If you're over 80, don't move to Oregon with BeckyJo!  Just sayin....  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Val uses umbrellas as rain collectors and disappears in the upside down virtual world.

* TM Tom uses golf tees to pick his teeth, clean his ears and shove it up his grandkids' noses to get their attention.

* TM Marie uses paper clips to pop locks and get into her yoga class clandestinely.  Everything to become a serene yogi.  Yeah, right.

* TM Pam's grown sons haul their drunk friends around in wheelbarrows, in a game of bar hopping USA.

* TM Chris removes the base from a lalique lamp and uses it as a hat at the Kentucky Derby on Easter Sunday, while trying to find an electric socket to light it up.

* TM Randolph's kids convert melon ballers into an ice cream scooper for dolls, a helicopter ride and other multifaceted uses - all within several minutes.

* DTM Mary Helen uses her gazillion trophies as mosquito collectors to drive away the possums and raccoons partying in her back yard.

* TM Jim G. uses the sands of time as an arcane celebration to move antique furniture.

* I, Ana, used fishing hooks to ensnare boyfriends, later husbands and exercise a catch and release program.

Then came prepared speeches...

* TM Pam was a captive audience to an unprepared, boring, incoherent public speaker.and signed him up for Toastmasters on the spot.

* I, Ana, recapped my life within 5 to 7 minutes and removed my virtual background to avoid disappearing like Val did.   I Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding evaluations....

* TM Tom praised TM Pam for her well organized, well crafted speech and recommended throat lozenges to avoid a raspy throat.   He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph enjoyed my personal storytelling while wearing a scarf that for once matched my blouse.  

The Word of the Day was

RESILIENT, adj.

Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions; to bounce back.

Example:

EarlyBirds are resilient; we join on Thursdays from any corner of Panet Earth.

See you next week!

Resiliently submitted,

Ana I.

Resilient Recap Writer

Movie Quotes, Answering The Call and Long Tall Ana, a NON-trivial EarlyBird Meeting

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

TM Randolph evoked the tricky durability of 80s films by way of memorable quotes.  We soon found out that...

* TM Jose brought us back to maverick crotch rockets and F18 hornets, and eternal youth acquired via devilish pacts.

* TM Aleta recited "How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Grains of Sand" (from E.A. Poe's "A Dream Within A Dream"). She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Marie pined over the song "Stand By Me" and spoke about the incredible commitment that it entails, which is sometimes downright Goofy.

* TM Chris had trouble buying tickets at a post-apocalyptic metro station,  but was rescued by Crocodile Dundee, here in South Florida known as Iguana Dundee.

* TM BeckyJo thinks "First Blood" must be a vampire movie and if arrested and thrown  in a Mexican jail, her friends would definitely smuggle in some chimichangas to her.

* DTM Jim D. missed some movies while climbing the aviation corporate ladder but in case of emergency, he'd wear a back sign saying "Follow Me".

* TM Jim G. talked about "I'll have what she's having" and stated unequivocally that when chemistry happens between 2 people, noise ensues.

We had two prepared speeches...

* TM Tom has childhood memories as a coal miner's grandson and sang John Pine's "Paradise" with guitar strumming punctual DTM Kip.

* I, Ana, told a speech about being "Long Tall Ana" by Chiquito Ricardo, and disappeared into the virtual ether in a game of "Where's Ana?" instead of "Where's Waldo?" I Won Best Disappearing Speaker Award.

And along came the DAYS' evaluations....

* DTM Jim D. praised TM Tom's tribute to DTM Kip, who fortuitously knew the comeback line to most classic songs and had a keen eye to select our EarlyBird Club Secretary. in perpetuity.

* DTM Mary Helen D. liked my ability to turn tall negatives into tall positives and at the height of it all, she evaluated it up to me.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

In loving tribute to DTM Kip, we watched his speech on Mentoring in Toastmasters.  Thank you, TM Chris, for queuing up these speeches for us to learn while keeping his memory alive in the group!

The Word of the Day was

TRIVIAL, adj.

Of little value or importance.

Example:  Huge fines were imposed on those who engaged in trivial pursuits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPaykVd1Gw4

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer 

Either/or

Either/Or, Then/Now, Never/Always - an impeccable day at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,  

Impeccable as ever, TM Jim G. led us down a world of either/or.  We found out that...

* TM Marie believes that " What the World Needs Now, Is Love Sweet Love" (sung to the tune of What The World Needs Now Is Love Sweet Love) to end hunger.

* I, Ana, would much rather dangle frozen in a broken skilift than hover in a sardine can of a broken elevator.

* Ever the fashionista, TM Paolo would rather be Uomo Ragno because the outfit is very colorful and cheerful and he likes climbing up vines.

* TM Val would rather lose her keys than her un-backedup cellphone.  She has now signed up for a Geek tutorial on backups.  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Ever the rebel when given 2 choices, TM BeckyJo must pick a third - not x-ray vision, not hear-plus, but invisibility- to do both.

*TM Aleta did not consider being blinded by the light when spontaneously looking straight into the inexorability of the sunrise. 

We had two outstanding speeches from impeccable speakers...

* TM Chris calmly and serenely taught us how to make our pictures depict a world of sharp contrasts, bright colors and eternal youth. It's called ambiance, ambiance, ambiance and adds je ne sais quoi to wrinkles.

* DTM Mary Helen made a public announcement that appearances can be deceiving so always choose heaven no matter what, and are we going to overcome our deep loss and tweet on as the impeccable EarlyBirds that we are?  Yes, we are!!!  She Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go....

* TM Pam praised TM Chris for her seamless, impeccable, sparkling Toastmaster speech  and Pam is now undertaking a beautifying project from her grandfather's archaeological photo treasures.

* TM Randolph thoroughly enjoyed DTM Mary Helen's heaven and hell example - which went along the lines of his earlier joke of the day.  He also liked her expressiveness, hand gestures and awesome pauses. And mostly her pink lipstick.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

In loving tribute, we played a video of the late DTM Kip giving an impeccable icebreaker about coming to terms with uncluttering.

The Word of the Day was 

IMPECCABLE, adj.

(said of behavior, performance, appearance) in accordance with the highest standard of propriety.

Example:  EarlyBird members display impeccable Zoom etiquette at all times.

Here's a link to today's recording.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taw3-1SJJu8

And here's a link on how to make yourself look 30 years old in photos,  especially if you are 30 years old.

Here's a whole 45 minute Geeks YouTube show: https://geeksontour.com/2022/02/228-how-to-beautify-your-photos-with-the-free-snapseed-app-for-ios-and-android/login

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

Lottery, Kid Mindfulness and Men Caves - an accentuated morning at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam had us consider what we would do if we won a billion dollar in the lottery.  We found out that...

* TM Aleta has never been motivated by money but heck, she's now running to the store to buy a ticket, just in case...

* TM Chris won the lottery the day she was born to a loving, caring mother who taught her everything there is to know and more!

* TM Val is stopped by nothing in doing what she wants - learning, serving, inquiring.  Quilting, line dancing, writing - Zoom is the way to go!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Tom is masterful at shortcuts although time and again he's shown that they don't work.  He is opening a Lost & Found Department in his own home.

* TM Randolph would definitely share 8 Million Pounds Sterling with a British gentleman but his motto, like Buddha's,  is "trust but verify".

* I, Ana, have no idea how financing the government with the lottery works, except I know such financing would get corrupted, just like everything the government touches.  My motto for the day is "accentuate the negative".

And then came the prepared speeches...

* TM Marie demonstrated a mind-blowing bubbles excercise that alters our Hippocampus (the name of a Madrid discotheque in the 70s), and Amygdala so that children end up with less gray matter and finally start behaving.

* DTM Jim Day used lotsa wine, roses, chocolates, ice cream and countless cruises to build an Extended Stay Man Cave in 7 years.  He Won Best Speaker Award.

As far as evaluations go....

* TM Chris accentuated TM Marie's impeccable multi-tech-tasking in one meeting, mission accomplished!  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Randolph is starting to build himself a man cave and has hired DTM Jim D. as his general contractor.

First-time AH Counter TM Val caught all  AH and UM offenders and reported them.   As a first-time JokeMaster, she taught us how to break traffic laws and get away with it.  Good job, TM Val! 

Tech Tip of the Day:  TM Chris showed us how to move the gallery view from one side to the other when screen sharing is taking place, how to eliminate the gallery view altogether or how to just leave the speaker in plain sight.

The Word of the Day was

ACCENTUATE, verb

1. make more noticeable or prominent

2. focus attention on

3. call attention to

Example:  In the midst of turbulence, it's wise to be a contrarian and accentuate peace.

Here's the link to the recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4MdKbW2bZ0

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Profound Revelations, A Moment In Time and Using Art In Personal Ways - moments of lucidity at EarlyBirds

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Mary Helen gave a Quechuan invocation (mostly in English).  Note of interest:  Bolivian Quechua speakers range from 2.3 to 2.8 million, making it the most indigenous language in Bolivia, slightly greater than Aymara, with roughly 2 million speakers in Bolivia.  They live in the Andean highlands (Altiplano).

TM Tom led us with profound quotes eliciting profound revelations...

* DTM Jim D. pondered about when the witching hour happens in Alaska when they have 24-hour daylight. Hmmmm. They save it for January, when they have 24-hour darkness.

* I, Ana, have had many 'wobblies' during the witching hour when my children were growing up which led me to lots of wobbly hangovers.  I Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jose stated that just as all storm clouds have silver linings, all thorns have a rose and his arms bled profusely as he mowed the lawn back in days of yore.

* TM Jim G. avoids counterfeits in distilleries, he lucidly looks for the jug labeled "The Real McCoy".

* TM BeckyJo spent the 50s in a stream of consciousness followed by the 60s being influenced and stays on track to avoid wobblies while changing horses in midstream.

* TM Pam avoids a dying duck in a thunderstorm because she instinctively knows that golfers holding metal clubs are sitting ducks for a bolt out of the blue.

* DTM Mary Helen passed the buck to TM Chris who warned us to avoid dark horses which are very fast and will undoubtedly win the race.

We went on to our prepared speeches....

* TM Val's outstanding icebreaker told us about pivotal moments in her life when she followed a feather trail at the Atlanta Olympics and filled in ancestry gaps a month ago in Ghana.  She Won Best Speaker Award.   Val is the author of Following a Feather Trail, Valeria V. Cordi Cray, https://a.co/d/6RiB2Ds.   

* TM Pam started off with weird art, followed by pulled hamstrings from a stationary kayak and ending up with a claustrophobic magnetic resonance imaging of very weird art.

As far as evaluations go....

* DTM Jim D. praised TM Val for her lucidity, her self-confidence, her poise and her impeccable timing.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.  

* I, Ana, commended TM Pam for speaking comfortably as if she's sitting in her living room, which she is.  She also mastered screensharing images.

TM Aleta lucidly kept us on time while ironically she has a wall clock background which reflects the local time in New Zealand.  Just to keep us on our toes.

Technical Tip:  Look up old speeches in the EarlyBirds blog and send them to TM Jim G. or TM Chris. who will replay them when we end early.

The Word of the Day was

LUCIDITY, noun

1. Clarity of expression, intelligibility

2. Ability to think clearly, especially in intervals between confusion and insanity.

3. Bright, luminous

Example:  TM Jim G. experienced moments of lucidity while dwelling with chaotic Italian cows.

Here is the link to the recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gJY5Mmbb8g

See you next week!

Ana

Recap Writer

Bucket Lists, Eastbound Travel and Vapid Cliches - a commemorative morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Our President, TM Randolph, introduced the meeting with a heartfelt commemoration of the late DTM Kip, former mentor and lasting friend.  We Will Go On!!

First time Invocator TM Val inspired us with a moving invocation.

TM BeckyJo brought thought-provoking topics based on the movie The Lid.  We soon learned that....

* TM Val is visiting every continent and moving to Bali within the next year.  She will Zoom in every Thursday while sipping a frozen Bali Colada.

* DTM Jim D. was a paper route assistant at age 6 and has retired 9 times so far, and counting.  Next stop, Dubai in September.

* TM Tom declared he's good although he didn't die young and pondered how he fits into the Bubble telescope within the limitless universe.   He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Chris firmly believes in a life spent, not saved.  She plans to slide down that final ramp used up, worn out and having the time of her life into the beyond.

* TM Jim G. is focused on what will outlast his life - a legacy of goodness rather than a legacy of horror.

* TM Aleta is a cheap date, she'll eat anything - except for slimy cooked okra, which triggers her gag reflex big time.

Next came our prepared speeches....

*  TM Jose, who moved West as a young man (Montana) has now moved East as an unyoung man (Javea, Spain) where he has become a digital nomad while driving a small 4-wheel drive.  The entire EarlyBirds Club wants one of those toys too!

* I, TM Ana, dwelled into the land of vapid cliches and murky bath waters chock-full of happy clams and cool cucumbers.  I Won Best Speaker Award.

Regarding evaluations...

* TM Jim praised TM Jose for his entertaining and informative speech, hand gestures, and gave some helpful tips to counter Voom glitches.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Tom would like me to say the cliche 'raining cats and dogs' with a Spanish accent, Margarita.

We then lovingly watched a video of the late DTM Kip explaining how to eat a pizza with courage (from the front edge, not the sides) and bombarding it with anchovies to keep pizza predators away.  Quintessential Kip.

The Word of the Day was

COMMEMORATE, verb

To show honor to the memory of a special person.

Example:  Today we commemorate the memory of our dear DTM Kip, VP of Education Emeritus for EarlyBirds Toastmasters Club.

Here's the link to the recording:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSfk4eXzHgk

See you next week!

Ana 

Recap Writer

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