When one looks back at May, they could say that it came in like a Lion 🦁 and came out like a lamb 🐑. Some even saw a little snow.
It was election season so Greensburg Toastmasters had to meet online for both May meetings. I spoke at the second meeting, giving a eulogy about Mister Rogers. I also stepped up at the Laurel Highlands meeting and gave a speech as Ryan had no speakers scheduled. Volunteering to give a speech with two hours or less to prepare was a great way for me to set an example for the club. Maybe one day I’ll pull that off at Greensburg too.
I saw the Billy Porter exhibit at Phipps Conservatory on May 19. The floral designs were very neat and the photos I took really told the story. Billy is a Pittsburgh icon and you might remember him from such shows as the Masked Singer. My aunt and I ended the day by driving around Oakland and then eating dinner at a cool Primanti’s five minutes from the hospital.
Benny came home on Friday and that felt like a red letter day for us. We celebrated his homecoming on Memorial Day with sandwiches and a picnic outside. We’re hoping he’s out of the woods. He seemed very happy Monday while we visited.
Changes are coming in June as I begin to declutter and downsize (more the former than the latter contrary to what I said on Monday). I’m taking an hour a day on it but I’m convinced this may be its own summer project. I’m trying to turn over a new leaf as I turn 42 at the end of the month.
It’s a big month for Toastmasters (for me at least). My home club will be hosting an open house on Wednesday, June 7 and we are hoping for a nice turnout. We are in line to finish Select Distinguished in Greensburg. The open house will be hybrid, meaning it will be held online and in person. You can live in eastern PA and still attend the event through Zoom.
A few weeks later will be District 13’s Club Officer Training, or Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) which will also be hybrid. This event is held twice a year (usually in June and December, sometimes later) to train new club officers to be the best at their officer roles for the new Toastmasters year.
There’s general learning sessions followed by club officer “breakouts” where you meet with others who are also serving in the same officer role as you. Here you can pick up tips on how do your job effectively and apply those at your upcoming meetings. I have some good ideas on how I want to run the Greensburg Club and I plan to lead us to Presidents Distinguished status in 2023-24.
We’ll have lunch provided to us and have one more session before adjourning for the day. For those who are serving the District, there will be a council meeting following the event.
District 13 TLI will be held on June 24 at Westmoreland County Community College and online from 8am to 2:30pm.
While today (June 1) begins Pride Month 🏳️🌈, the end of the month signals another year around the sun for me. Mr. Clougherty and I will celebrate my birthday on June 29 at Burgatory in Murrysville (tentative) as part of our Eating Out series. The rest of the schedule is now set through October. This will be my fourth trip to the hip burger joint and shake shack and they never fail to disappoint.
My food adventures will take me to Burgatory at the end of the month but also French Express and maybe Ligonier’s The Kitchen on Main if I make it to Night Market on July 15.
I had hoped to be planning for our vacation trip to Delaware next week but things changed earlier this year so that will have to wait until 2024. My vacation will be in September so instead of spending time on the beach, I’ll be looking at the leaves as they start to change.
Happy first day of June everyone. Hard to believe the year is almost half over.
Stylish 🍒 