National Something Day, There's Always Two Sides to a Story.... an interesting meeting at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Friends and Guests,

First Time TableTopic Master Val gave us plenty of food for thought...  And we discovered that....

* TM Marie's life is a musical and at all times she breaks into song.  There's no intermission!

* TM Aleta would never, ever, ever, leave herself behind.  She is her own best self-entertainer.

* DTM Jim D. relishes that delish caramel macchiato - make it decaf, please, to keep him at a manageable energy level.

* I, Ana, would rather be a rottweiler than a toy poodle, and I need a dog mirror to ascertain my size compared to those yappy little daring rats.

* TM Chris confessed that she married TM Jim G. mostly because of his 4-letter word last name. Her river rafting stage name is Yoyonoise.

* Returning TM Astrid would target the young in a Register to Vote campaign if only politicians weren't such scofflaws.  You're back in the swing of TM, Astrid!

* TM Jose, aka Mad Max, accepts water as rent payment, in his frequent time travels.  Where's Thunderdome?  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* Guest Emanuel loves all kinds of fruit - except pineapple, which makes him dizzy.  Life is good when you are eating fruit.

* Guest Aziz would put a banana on his sooty chimney and get a monkey with a broom to sweep it squeaky clean.

Great job with Table Topics, TM Val!

We heard two versions of the same speech:

* He Said (DTM Jim D.) He belongs to an eating club with a riding disorder known as Harley D, and had to fly to Dubai to visit the local HD dealership.  "A happy wife is a happy life."  He Won Best Speaker Award.

* She Said (DTM Mary Helen D)  Dubai and Abu Dhabi are like Vegas on steroids and discovered that uncovered toes have no sex appeal in the Emirates.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Chris praised DTM Jim D. for his excellent vocal variety, especially when LOOSELY describing the euphemistic Customer Service.  She Won Best Evaluator.

* TM Marie loved hearing both sides of a story, DTM Mary Helen's being the one with the most joie de vivre, DTM Jim D.'s being the one with the most Harley.

The Word of the Day was 

SCOFFLAW, noun

A person who flouts the law

A person who flouts rules, conventions or accepted practices.

Example:

We at Toastmasters learn how to be well-spoken scofflaws.

Below is the link to the recording

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

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Scofflaw

Autumn, Hear Ye! and Karaokeville - an entertaining morning at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

TM Pam made us think about the autumnal equinox, set to happen precisely tonight at 9:22 pm (give or take).... and now we know that...

* TM Marie doesn't want to say goodbye to the summer (sung to the tune of Cliff Richards' 1965 "I Don't Want To Say Goodbye To the Summer").

* TM Val is set to clean up her back yard, restain the deck and prune the lillies... as soon as next summer arrives on June 22, 2023 at precisely 9:22 pm (give or take).

* TM Chris has been waiting 5 years (as Jim is her witness) to eat caprese salad with homegrown basil in direct defiance of local grocery stores.

* TM Jim G. hibernates on lobster, sprinkled with a few bugs and doused with a generous dose of honey and oats.  Yummmm.

* I, Ana, know for sure it's Fall when the inside temperature of my Igloo remains at a steady below freezing temperature and I must wear two scarves instead of one.

* DTM Jim D. innoculates himself with Dr. Jack Daniels and vintage Dr. Francis Ford Coppola while verifying the different colors of snow bird license plates (Je Me Souviens)  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Aleta used to display Halloween decorations to show off to her friends -  who have since moved to Florida with the others (Je Me Souviens)  She's planning a Zoom video tour to impress us.

* Returning TM Astrid, aka Asteroid, plans to hibernate in Miami Beach.  Enough of those winters in NYC.  (Je Me Souviens).

* Guest Emmanuel hopes to overcome public speaking anxiety in Toastmasters.  We're much better than Lexapro!!

And along came the prepared speeches...

* TM Val pondered whether the hearer hears what they hear here or does the hearer say what the sayer hears?  That, my friends, is the ultimate question.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Chris dances salsa while she cooks (.09% of the time) and she and TM Jim sailed all the way to the UK on a flotation amphibious controlled Recreational Vehicle while Karaoking Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM Jim G. liked TM Val's parables - a heart murmur is cured with a hot mama.  He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Aleta admired TM Chris's talent for multimedia and praised her Johnny Depp-inspired role in the home video of Pirates of the Atlantic.

The Word of the Day was

MONIKER, noun

A nickname for a person.

Example:  Benedict, a monk from the 6th Century, became known as Benedictine Liqueur after a few experiments in the monastery cellar.

Here's the link to the recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUNHn1NXlcY

See you next week!

Ana I.

Moniker Writer

A charismatic meeting

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

DTM Mary Helen inspired us with old sayings from our charismatic younger days.    We found out that...

* TM Pam has till end of September to unpack a mystery out of mind box from 3 moves ago which is no longer out of sight in the southwest corner of her office.  She'll tell us what she finds, possibly a Key Biscayne dissecated half-Cuban iguana.

* TM BeckyJo says all we need is a boys' band in lieu of a pool table to keep the devil away from having a workshop in our idle brain.

* TM Marie plans to be sorry rather than safe by flying to Turkey to have a United Arab Emirates (UAE) triple-decker sandwich.

* DTM Jim D. asserts that money does grow on trees in Oregon, Washington State and Alaska, where sales to lumber companies make lotsa, lotsa money.

* TM Aleta gifted Habanero peppers - and a stomach pump - to her priest prior to Bible study as a demonstration of 'practice what you preach".

* TM Chris modestly stated that she and TM Jim G. think alike with their great minds - for example, they both want seltzer simultaneously - a clear mark of genius.

* I, Ana, related that a picture is indeed worth a thousand words - my indelible picture is multiple plastic bags chock-full of US dollars hanging in Argentinians' backyard trees as a strategy to sidestep out-of-control inflation and banking corruption.

* TM Tom's curious cat has trained him to watch the cat's favorite tv miniseries at night.  He Won Best Table Topics Award.

* TM Jim G. is an early bird every Thursday when he's in town and has yet to find a single worm for appropriation.  Instead, he is now Club President by acclamation....

Along came prepared speeches...

* TM Aleta gave a very touching icebreaker about her late Pops, who taught her many things, for instance, beef and poultry do not originate in  plastic packages at the supermarket but instead, start off as real farm animals.   Who knew???  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* I, Ana, talked about dual realities: every story has many sides and my reality may be real or perceived, but one thing is true, I'm always at different levels of right.

Regarding the evaluations...

* DTM Jim D. encouraged TM Aleta to spread some of her frozen energy to the rest of us while looking straight at the camera and to please wear red for her next speech. He Won Best Evaluator Award.

* TM Tom loved my pronunciation of the Spanish poet RRRAAMMOONN DE CAMPOAMORRR and asked me to kindly get rid of my cheat sheet for next speech, it shows in the camera for goodness sakes!

The Word of the Day was

CHARISMA, noun

Compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.

Example:  The opposite of emotion, devotion and charisma is.... MARISMA!!  (Spanish for swampy areas of the Guadalquivir River)

Recording link for today's meeting - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW7GbJpWBZo

Here's the link to the Gulds'  photo album https://photos.app.goo.gl/zfNy2LyNrErmtRnLA

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

Assorted Table Topics, Fun and Done and Strange Bedfellows - another "peak of the week" at EarlyBirds!

Dear Members, Guests and Friends,

Polifacetic TM Randolph set the tone with impromptu impromptus.  We found out that...

* TM Tom's cat obeys his cat's coup d'oeils and follows instructions from The World According to Cat.

* TM BeckyJo signed a pre-nuptial with her broke soon-to-be-husband so he could collect $50 more as a married man.  Oh to be young and wild and free again!

* TM Aleta misses the afternoon humidity in Fort Lauderdale when she did not have to use facial humidifier lotions.

* TM Val would love to watch her prudish aunts squirm while talking about sex in Family Feud.  

* TM Marie would take a sunscreen spraying booth and her magic Kindle on a deserted island and call it paradise found!

* I, Ana, ask God to guide me during the day when I wake up and then all bets are off as soon as my feet touch the floor.

* DTM Mary Helen sleeps soundly on the back of DTM Jim's Harley, preferably with her own pillow in tow.

* TM Pam's youngest child impersonated cranes, snakes, lobsters and other creatures as a tiny toddler.  Insanity is hereditary - we get it from our kids!!  She Won Best Table Topics Award.

Along came the prepared speeches....

* TM Aleta remarked that timing is of the essence - the speaker must allow for pauses, applauses and guffaws so as not to blow past the alloted time.  She Won Best Speaker Award.

* TM Marie reminisced about some of the strange bedfellows we've had in EarlyBirds - including but not limited to "The Massacre at the Gateway Theater in Fort Lauderdale" while wearing marbelized tie-dyed shirts by one of our former members.

As far as evaluations go...

* TM BeckyJo praised TM Aleta for being so engagingly funny and for taking funny on the road in whatever adventure she's sharing.  She Won Best Evaluator Award.

* First time evaluator TM Val praised TM Marie for helping her, Val, immerse herself in the speech and experience the joy of blowing popcorn with a leaf blower during a cinematic massacre.  Great job, Val!

The Word of the Day was

ANOMALY, noun

Something that deviates from the normal, from what is standard or expected.

Example:  A boring EarlyBirds meeting would certainly be an anomaly.

Here's the link to the recording:

link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc6MQ4_SC1w

See you next week!

Ana I.

Recap Writer

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