Bad News 04.27.11

I just got home from a wonderful evening at New Beginnings to news which has totally deflated me.  Bill's younger brother, Kevin, suffered a stroke this afternoon.  I spoke to Shelley, one of his sisters, and she reported that, as of 8:45pm CT, he is doing okay.  He was still in the ER but they were getting ready to move him to ICU. 
Strokes suck; big time.  I watched, first hand, as my Dad suffered from varying severity of strokes for six years.  I pray that Kevin recovers quickly, and without side effects.  He, apparently, lost the use of his right side but it was already back when I spoke to Shelley.  A quick recovery of the loss of use, like that, is a good sign.  I will keep praying for more good signs.

Toastmasters 04.26.11

"Toastmasters is the best and least expensive personal improvement class you can go to"

is one of my favorite quotes; offered up by Linda Lingle, the seventeenth Governor of Hawaii and Toastmaster.  I couldn't agree more with Ms. Lingle.  I have been a Toastmaster for almost three years and truely do not understand why anyone, and everyone, doesn't want to get in on what some people call "the best kept secret" public organization.  Most people join Toastmasters because they have a fear of public speaking and either want, or need, to get over that dreaded fear.  I pride myself on not being normal, or "most people" and proudly, loudly, love to proclaim why I invest an annual $60 and my precious free time in this fabulous, fun, weekly gathering.  I, have no fear of public speaking.  I, was looking for an audience.  And, I, found one.  And so much more...
Along with the lessons I am meant to learn in the Toastmaster experience (the speaking skills, listening and leadership lessons etc), I have also been educated on different cultures and perspectives.  My club is extemely diverse; Ali is from Iran, Hyun Jung hails from South Korea, Fred is German, and of course, there is me, I am from England.  Other than the four of us, many of our members are well travelled and can relate experiences of living in Holland, Spain, Kuwait, Mexico, Greece, Portugal, and New Zealand.  Work experience includes teaching, construction, entrepreneurship, law, ministry, government, aviation, military; and our ages range from early twenties to mid eighties with a representative from every decade in between.  And our total membership is only 25.  Can you imagine what speeches can come from this mix of experience and personalities and perspectives?  It's an educational haven!  And we have a sense of humor.  I leave our hour and a half long weekly meetings anxious to return the next week.  I feel fulfilled, educated, enlightened, encouraged, motivated and light-headed from laughter.  What more would I need to say to encourage you to check out a meeting?