My feature presentation will begin shortly, but I want to start off this blog by mentioning the reboot of King of the Hill. The show was on FOX for many years and came to an end in 2010. There was talk of reviving the show (just like everything else that gets brought back). I watched the first two episodes the day it premiered on HULU and was happy with the product. Now some characters aren’t coming back for obvious reasons but there’s a story behind their departure. I won’t spoil the show for anyone but six episodes in, I like what I’ve seen and hope there’s a second season in the works. I’m not a binge person and only watch a few episodes a day, and plan to finish the season by the end of the month. Now onto my recap of last night’s Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting.
Our Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting on Tuesday ended up being a virtual meeting. It wasn’t a weather related call, despite the excessive heat, but it was because our meeting room wasn’t available. I served as General Evaluator (signing up at the eleventh hour). In my report, I praised our President for getting the word out about the meeting being 100% online and doing it on very short notice.
We had a great agenda planned, once we filled all the roles. We also moved some roles around. Our word of the day was sabbatical, and the theme was “Need a Vacation?”. I learned that a vacation is more than a trip and has many different meanings. I’ll be taking my next sabbatical in October.
Our three speakers prepared great speeches for us to hear and our evaluators to give feedback on. I learned some life lessons and the importance of “Failing Forward” from Cosmas. “The Space Between”, from our VP Membership Helene, taught me that waiting isn’t always a bad thing. The fact that you don’t see progress doesn’t mean that growth isn’t happening. Our last speaker was our newest member, Will, and he gave his ice breaker and talked about “The Will to Lead”. Three things he talked about was growing up in the trucking industry (third generation), fatherhood, and getting back up after falling down. Each of us have a purpose of which we are all worthy.
Props to VP Education Cosmas for putting some great insight in the chat. One thing he mentioned in “Failing Forward” was about our club and how Laurel Highlands is going for Smedley Distinguished in 2025-2026. We need 17 for Distinguished and our Club Success Plan has been sent in. We need 25 members and all ten goals to reach the mountaintop. We’ll get there.
I love our area and how it’s tri-state with Laurel Highlands, Western Maryland, and Country Roads forming a Triangle. But you can’t forget about Achievers, either. Autumn, the area 23 Director, is doing a great job leading her club and her area contest will be August 30. I can’t promise I’ll be there in person but I’ll be in Spirit. It will be in Morgantown, home of the new Country Roads Toastmasters club. It has some great contestants so far.
Even though I’ve been gone from WIS since 2021, I still have good memories of all the places we traveled to. That includes places like Connellsville, Morgantown, and even LaVale and Cumberland, home to this trio of amazing Toastmasters clubs.
Our Table Topics were centered around vacation, and we had full participation. Our Topicsmaster Sharon came up with some great questions related to vacation. My question was, “If you had to take a vacation right now and everything was taken care of, where would you go?” I answered with Cape May. It’s been several years since I visited the Jersey Shore and I’m due to go to the beach sometime soon. I might be considering Delaware next summer, spending time at Bethany Beach.
We wrapped up the meeting on time, planning the agenda for our next meeting on August 26. I gave a thorough evaluation, and called for the timer and grammarian/ah counter report. Three speakers are lined up, myself included. Since this is an anniversary for me, my speech will be about the day that I checked into my college dorm at the Hiram G. Andrews Center in Westmont, a suburb of Johnstown. That Tuesday marks 25 years exactly. If there’s time, I may also talk about my first semester.Â
Stylish 🍒 