On Wednesday night at our Greensburg Toastmasters meeting, the theme for our Table Topics session was firsts. Our Table Topics master asked us what some of our first things in life were. We all gave great answers to the questions being asked. This table topics session also inspired me to write this next blog coming up. Today, I’ll be highlighting some of the firsts in my life.
What was the first podcast I listened to?
I started listening to podcasts regularly in 2022, and the first one that I listened to was the Office Deep Dive (later known as Off the Beat). It’s not a rewatch podcast, but it has featured stars from The Office and other celebrities as well. The show is hosted by Green Bay Packers fan, chili magnate, and lover of M&M’s, Brian Baumgartner. Fun fact: Brian has written two cookbooks, one on chili and one on barbecue. He also played Kevin Malone on The Office.
Who was the first person I met in college and how did he help me adjust?
It was at HGA in August of 2000. I was greeted by one of the resident assistants and he would get me checked in. We took care of the paperwork and then I was moved in to my first dorm room. Jason helped me feel less homesick and he was there to answer any questions and listen to whatever concerns I had. He really moved up the ranks after I left the school in 2003.
When was the first time I experienced the World Wide Web?
My family got its first computer in the Fall of 1996, a Packard Bell from Montgomery Ward at the long defunct Greengate Mall. Not too long after we got it, we signed on to the internet on America Online. We had a funny way of logging in those early days of having internet, and it was through a Wishbone CD-Rom. The Generation Y kids will remember that show. Nowadays, you have your smartphone to log in to the internet, but back then it was all dial-up. Good luck if someone was on the phone.
Where was my first Toastmasters District Conference?
It was November 2011, a week before Thanksgiving. The conference was at the Doubletree Hotel in Monroeville, located next to the Monroeville Convention Center (also known as the Expo Mart). It soon became a regular attended event for me up through 2019. I had dreams of attending conferences in other states (example, Virginia and North Carolina), that was dashed due to COVID but it’s still possible.
What (and when) was my first real social experience with friends?
After I became manager of the high school swimming team during my sophomore year, I got to attend an invitational at Carnegie Mellon with other members of the team. That evening, we ate dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse in the Strip District. As for my experience, it went very well. Joining the swim team really helped me become less of a wallflower.
What was the first show I binged on either Netflix or Hulu?
On Hulu, I binged Bob’s Burgers up to season 7 or 8, so I haven’t watched the whole series. I’ve also seen a few seasons of Brooklyn Nine Nine on that service On Netflix, the first series I watched all the way through was Gilmore Girls. This was at the end of 2019, so it predated the pandemic. I finished the series in the summer and then watched the four part series based on the show soon after.
Stylish 🍒 