D84 Conference: EBO Gift Basket Under the Big Top

A huge thank you to all of the Early Bird Toastmasters who donated items for our conference basket.  James will be delivering a basket full of circus type goodies:  Peanuts, Cracker Jacks, Cotton Candy and more.  A basket full of tasty treats to delight just about anyone.  Caw, Caw!

No Pressure: Learn to Write A Speech in Five Minutes

Have you ever been asked unexpectantly to deliver a speech? This morning, Colette shared some tips and tricks behind writing a speech in five minutes. Not only did the Toastmasters write a speech in five minutes; six of the nineteen in attendance delivered their speech. To boot, there was even breakfast served buffet style.  Early Bird Ocala holds an annual workshop on "How to Write a Speech in 5 -minutes".  Perhaps, YOU, will be at the next one. Caw-Caw!!

The Power You Are Supplying is Electrifying

Every once in a while a bundle of high-powered energy crosses our path and I am not talking about lightening bolts!!  Meet Gina H. an all-around grounded individual who loves life and experiences it to the fullest. She is electrifying!

Gina hails from Washington state. She paints her state as one “When the sun shines there is no more beautiful place on the planet.  It is so blue it’ll hurt your eyes, and when it’s overcast and the sun is low on the horizon and slanting underneath the clouds the light is a pearly impressionists dream”.  Oh, so true Gina!  Not only did she live in Washington state, she has also spent time in California, Arizona, Nevada, Virginia and now Florida. 

So how in the world did this west coast gal end up in sunny Florida?  "Have you ever drawn a smile across the bottom of a [U.S.] map and set up a list of criteria": - that is what she and her husband did and guess what, Florida ticked all the boxes: "cheap, warm, lots to do, airport, and good restaurants". Internationally, Gina hopes to travel to other counties - like ALL OF THEM. With her tenacity and determination, I bet she will to!

Not only is Gina a go-getter, she is a go-giver.  She loves to help people uncover their greatness and wisdom that is within themselves and through this process help them achieve their goals. She believes, "the world would be an amazing place if everyone understood who they really are”. When I asked her what she was passionate about she said, “pretty much everything but beets. Beets are gross.” She continued on, I  like “real people the best; unreal people freak [her] out on some level - like who’s under there?” Her hunger for life is catching. Her goal in five years, besides being five years older, is “infecting the world with wisdom, peace and whole-ness. Passing along the legacy of road monkey to [her] grandkids. Looking for loopholes and marveling at the stars.” 

I suppose that is why Gina does not have a bucket list, but rather a tea-cup list.  When her and the hubs wants to do something, they just do it!! No moss growing on the souls of their shoes! Moreover, she wants to positively affect one million people. She believes, “the average person [will] know approximately one thousand people in their lifetime.  If we positively impact everyone we meet, and they do the same, that’s one million” individuals. 

Based on what we have learned about Gina, it is no surprise that she is a coach.  When she is not coaching others she is  an author and story-teller. One of her favorite quotes is from Rory Miller, who asked, “Why is a caterpillar wrapped in silk while it changes into a butterfly?  So, the other caterpillars can’t hear the screams. Change hurts.”  

There is so much more to share about Gina; so instead of regurgitating all that she has shared with me, be sure to pull her aside at the next Toastmasters meeting and invite her out for a cup of coffee – this woman's love for life is outrageous and contagious! 

One last item of business before I close.  I asked Gina, Why Toastmasters?  Why Early Bird Ocala?  When asked how she found Early Bird Ocala  she stated as a matter of fact, "Google, Baby!" Gina was looking for a club that would help her grow through “love, honesty, grace, wisdom and feedback.” Gina said, “she LOVES it HERE”.  The Toastmasters are “serious about [their] craft, but completely tempered with love and grace… We have room to grow and improve in a safe place.  All the opportunity lies in a Who, not a What or a How. Early Bird Ocala is the right Who." 

Leveling Up!!

Congratulations to Carmen and Gina for completing levels in their paths. Carmen completed Level 1 - Presentation Mastery, while Gina completed Level 2 - Visionary Communications.  Keep moving forward!

gniteeM sdrawkcaB A ?tahW

No fooling here!  This morning, Early Bird Ocala held their traditional 'gniteeM sdrawkcaB' aka our Backwards Meeting.  This is a time when we all Come together and run the meeting in reverse order.  Has your club ever tried this?  If you haven't, you are missing out. A mind is a powerful tool, but boy can you mess with it when you change the order of things!  The ability to adapt and overcome is challenging, but the laughter that ensues is worth the work.

Our Toastmaster of the Day also brought us a challenge on the use of 'backwards' and 'backward'.  It appears that if you are British you will tend to use the 's' to words like backwards, forwards, upwards and downwards.  Their American counterpart drops the 's' and tend to use the words backward, forward, upward and downward.  Backward can either be used an as adverb or adjective.  As an adjective it is used to indicate something or someone as underdeveloped, less progressed or regressive.  Used as an adverb the word means the opposite way, or  direction behind someone.  The bottom line is both versions are correct and have the same meaning but the usage depends on where you live.

Now you know, and knowledge is power!

Source:  https://capitalizemytitle.com/backward-or-backwards-whats-the-difference/

Cruis'n Carmen

If you are having a bad day, all you need to do is spend five minutes with Carmen. Carmen is a Cuban American and was born in California. She moved to Florida when she was just two months old.

When Carmen was little she remembers watching the Love Boat and Fantasy Island wishing that was her.  Her mother introduced her to cruising at the age of fifteen.  What a great way to take a vacation - inexpensive, fun, and oh the places she has seen.

Not only does Carmen like to cruise but she loves life.  She is passionate about helping others, making a difference, and leading by example. One of the greatest pieces of advice her mom ever gave her was "get a large bottle of Vaseline and rub it on and just let all the bad stuff slide!"  Carmen has had her share of trials, but you wouldn't know it because she wants to make every moment count.

A few fun facts about Carmen:  1) She loves the singer Pink, 2) she would love to be an actress or performer on the Carol Burnett [Show] or Saturday Night Live and 3) she would love to become a keynote speaker and travel!  Yay! Travel and get paid for it! 

Carmen has a bucket list of destinations she would like to do, but adventures that require air, speed, or roller coasters are not for her - "nope, no thanks", she said.

When asked how she found Toastmasters she quipped, " I researched public speaking or becoming a keynote speaker and Toastmasters came up." Then, she found Early Bird Ocala on Facebook.  She further stated, "I wanted to regain my voice and polish my communication skills.  I was happy when I saw pictures of [the] club members and all the smiles.  She wanted to be part of that. What surprised her the most was that [the] club members were very friendly and super encouraging." 

Carmen all we can say is, WE ARE SO GLAD YOU FOUND US!  You are a bright spot in our morning and show us through your example how to live in every moment.  Thank you for your transparency and willingness to open up your heart and share your stories.  We truly are the ones blessed. 

Visitors are like a Pot of Gold!

Not sure if this is the luck of the Irish or not, but we are delighted to have Edwin and Mark visit the nest this morning.  Caw, Caw! 

Power of Culture

Early Bird Ocala very rarely has a dull meeting and today was no exception!   Latasha H. was our Toastmaster of the Day and her theme was the Power of Culture.  Her content and delivery were inspiring and noteworthy! To boot, we had a first-time visitor who joined on the spot!   Why?  Because she saw an opportunity to grow in an environment that is not threatening!  Why not come out and meet us and see what this club is all about.  We meet every Saturday at 8am (gavel down at 8:15am) and we have fun! Caw-Caw!

Kudos to our Area 71 Contest Winners

Contests can be nerve-wracking and exciting all at the same time. Two of our seasoned members represented Early Bird Ocala Toastmasters at the Area Level in February - Colette Smith and Steve Vaughn.  Congratulations on your wins; we are so proud of your efforts. Colette will move forward to the Division level representing our club in the Tall Tales Contest, which should take place online on March 25 from 4:30pm-6:00pm.  Again kudos to you both and thank you for representing our club so well!

Pathway Achievements: Leaps and Bounds

"Every great accomplishment starts with the decision to try. - Gail Devers 

Look at these SMILES!!

Pictured above is Latasha H. and below is Charles B. 

Both are receiving Pathway certificates of completion 

from our VP Education, Steve Vaughn, DTM. 

Congratulations!

Spotlighting Member Achievement

Did you know if you complete three levels in your path during the club year you can earn the Triple Crown award from District 84?  Pictured here is Early Bird Ocala's VP Education awarding Melissa a certificate for completing Level 3 in her Dynamic Leadership Path.  Way to go Melissa!! 

Future Topics

What topics would you like to read about on this blog? Please post your suggestions in the comment box below.

District 84 January Announcements

14 Jan 23 - Train the Trainer

10 Jan 23 and 15 Jan 23 - PathwayTraining 

Now Open - Conference Registration

Jan. and Feb. - Area Contests begin

February - TLI (Club Officer Training)

 

Registration for D84 Annual Conference - Now Open

 

Check your email that arrived in your inbox on 28 Dec 22 for District 84's - 'What's Happening in January?' update.  The JOT form to register for the conference is embedded in that notification. The Full conference rate is $169 and the VIP conference rate is $195.  Space is limited so register early: the last day to register is 12 Apr 23. 

Save the Date

If you have never attended District 84's Annual Conference then you have missed out.  This year's conference theme is "Under the Big Top". Be on the lookout for more information about the biggest event of the year.  More information from the district should come to you by email and tickets will be on sale soon!  If your email gets bogged down like mine, then be sure to follow this blog for up-to-date details, other great information, and topics of interest.

Behind His Spectacles

There are many reasons I love being a Toastmaster, but one unassuming benefit is meeting others and learning about their life experiences. Behind his spectacles, is a man whose journey, in part, is much different than many of us have ever experienced.

In September 2022, Charles Beauregard joined Early Bird Ocala, but Toastmasters was not his intended target. Charles went to the social media platform ‘Meet-Up’ in search of a meditation group; looking for more social interactions.  But, instead, he found Early Bird Ocala Toastmasters.  He told me “he liked the picture, [the] description and figured [he’d] give it a try.” It didn't take long before Charles joined the rest of us birds; since Charles is not much of a morning person he must be getting up for our club's morning call, 'Caw, Caw - Caw, Caw"!  Kidding aside, Charles finds Toastmasters cool and knows it will "only help [him] be more comfortable with new people, events and speaking".

Charles has lived abroad for the majority of his life primarily in Melbourne, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand,  One of the perks of living in that region of the world is being close to Asia. This gave him the opportunity to make trips to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Korea. Moreover, Charles hopes to visit the Philippines, England, France, Ireland, and Scotland during his lifetime. I asked Charles if he had any life or cultural lessons, he would like to share from his time overseas? He said, “if you can, don’t bring up where you are from or how it is different”.  “People will judge your actions for being a foreigner, and accuse you of your country’s decisions”.  Charles went on to say that we should “accentuate the positive and don’t focus on what irks you. There is good in whatever place you find yourself; you just have to choose to see it.”  This is good advice right here folks; whether you are overseas or not – grow where you are planted.

When Charles is not dreaming about traveling you may find him engulfed in a favorite movie such as A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi, to name a few.  He is also an avid reader and has a few authors he is particularly fond of:  Phillip K. Dick, Neil Gaiman, Yasmine Galenorn, Lilith Saintcore, Chloe Neill, and more.  His favorite book is Idoru by William Gibson.

There is so much more I want to share with you about Charles, but let me leave you with two more interesting tidbits.  First, Charles is married to his wife Lucy of 24 years.  They have two children – Julian who is 19 and James who is 15.  They have no fur babies of their own, but he is known to “spoil, borrow and pay attention to everyone else’s pets when [he] visits”. Second, if there is one thing Charles would like to cross off his bucket list it would be getting his motorcycle endorsement. He would like to purchase a “Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 (not yet released), and bike around Florida and maybe even try some motorbike camping”.  Well, Charles, you are in the right state to make that happen. May next year bring you this joy.

It was a week before Christmas Eve 2022

It was a week before Christmas Eve when the birdies of Early Bird Ocala Toastmasters gathered together outside the nest.  This year our Christmas party was chaired by Carmen Cruz. A big thank you to Carmen for putting together a wonderfully organized party, but also a huge thank you to Mac Nicdergeses and her grandma for opening up their house for us to gather.  Each Toastmaster brought a side dish and true to fashion there was more food to eat than our stomachs could endure. After dinner, we sat in a circle and played 'Sue the Santa' (exchanged gifts) and then learned a new murder mystery game brought to us by our very own Mac, Morgan, and Tyler.  It was a good night!
 

Meet Colette 'Colly' Smith - Current EBOT President

When EBOT chartered, the club was mostly made up of married couples.  Over the last five years though, the club has morphed from married couples to an international flare with members from all over the world. Today, I would like to introduce to you our current club president, Colette Smith. 

Colette is originally from Calgary Alberto Canada.  She lived in Colorado and most recently, moved to Florida where she joined EBOT.  Colette is married to her husband Doug, aka Doodles, and they are celebrating their twentieth wedding anniversary this year in December.  When I asked Colette to share something about her main squeeze she said that "Doodles has more patience than [she has] ever seen in anyone else - lucky [her]!" 

Doodles and Colette moved to Florida because they wanted the opportunity to scuba dive more, which is one of her passions.  She is also passionate about her family and friends.  Moreover, Colette is a published author and hopes to finish writing the children's book she has been working on. 

Traveling to England, Scotland and Ireland is something she would like to do in the future with Doug. Perhaps this journey can become a reality within five years since she hopes to retire or go into semi-retirement.

When asked how she would describe herself Colette exclaimed, "I am high energy and like to keep busy.  [She] is a doer and [is] service-oriented by nature. [She] is also known to talk A LOT which can get [her] into a bit of trouble." She sounds like the perfect Toastmaster!

Speaking about Toastmasters, Colette originally joined Toastmasters because she found herself shy and tongue-tied, which made it difficult for her to meet new people. Toastmasters has given her the confidence she needed and has taught her about servant leadership.  She continues to be a member of Toastmasters because she likes the new educational track and she loves EBOT and watching new members learn and grow.  Her goal moving forward is to continue to serve and enjoy her club.  In addition, she would like the opportunity to continue competing in speech contests and to step up her ability in delivering great content in an impactful and memorable way.  If you have not seen Colette compete, then you need to make it a point to do so. She shares some of the most amazing Tall Tales, is a competent Evaluator and her true-life experiences take on a whole story of their own.

Flocking to the Nest

Look at these SMILES! In the last few months, our club has had many visitors; some have even joined. Folks have found us through Meet-Up, students making up missed assignments, and Toastmasters inviting their friends and family to a meeting.  The education, experience, and ethnicity of our visitors have enhanced and energized our meetings and for that we thank you! We are so glad you stopped by. 

                         

 

Early Bird Ocala 2022 International Contest

We had one of the most exciting club contests this club has experienced since its inception.  Our room was packed with Toastmasters so much so every seat in the room was occupied. 

Our International Contest Master was John Morrow, DTM, our Chief Judge was Sabrina Malloy, DTM and our Contest Chair was Sherri Vaughn, DTM.  But a contest is not a contest ladies and gentlemen unless you have contestants!  Saturday's contestants worked the room as they delivered their 5-7 minute speeches. Both Colette Smith and Gina Hanson brought powerful speeches with deep meaning and conviction.  Thank you, ladies, for making this one of our club's most memorable contests.  Colette will be moving forward to the Area Contest which is scheduled for February 25, 2022.  Thank you to all of our functionaries who helped make this contest run smoothly: Stephen Small, Xavier Moreno, James Wallace, Janine Moreno, Sean Walsh, and of course, our anonymous judges! Kudos to all!!