Summertime Simmer at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters!

Tuesday night we returned to our normally scheduled in person Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting. Last time, we couldn’t get our normal meet spot due to the room being unavailable. No worries though as the meeting was a success.

We heard about the International Convention from our Program Quality Director. Sharon was our backup speaker and her speech covered some of the changes that will be taking place in the next Toastmasters year.

I gave a speech from the Presentation Mastery path. It was an elective from Level 4 and the project was right up my alley. For my “Write A Compelling Blog” project, I celebrated 25 years (to the exact day) since moving into my dorm room at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. I shared the reason why I started my academic journey there and not at Westmoreland County Community College. The title of my speech was “Climbing the Mountain”. In it, I referred to college as a mountain that we climb. The top of the peak is the goal we want to achieve, I.e. graduating with a degree. I also cited the drive to the school as part of the climb, as we drove up through the Laurel Ridge on PA 271.

The theme for our meeting was “Summertime Simmer”. It was appropriate as the season is starting to wind down and we look ahead to (or dread) the Fall season.

We had a guest in attendance at our meeting, Josh, whom new member Will invited to the meeting.

I welcomed the Fall-like temperatures on Tuesday. Go figure as three months earlier, I wondered if we’d ever see warm weather and sunshine as the second half of May saw a damp and cool weather pattern. I would have even preferred snow flurries and 30’s. At the end of August, I’m enjoying this September-like stretch. After a mild start to the new month, cooler weather may be back for the start of the NFL season.

My speech got some rave reviews from some of the members as well as our guest. I also wrote a blog about “Climbing the Mountain”, which was my 100th blog post for 2025. Currently, I’m putting the finishing touches on #101. The blog post is more detailed than the speech I gave Tuesday night. It’s pretty impressive that I can recall some of the things I did during my first semester of college in the Fall of 2000.

Our next three meetings are scheduled for September 9, September 23, and October 14. That last date I will not be there as I will en route to Johnstown to visit their Toastmasters meeting in person. I signedeup to evaluate a speech at the September 9 meeting. That Thursday (September 11), I will be attending the Western Maryland Toastmasters meeting online.

Climbing the Mountain: Invocation or Speech?

I’m working on this blog as I’ve already attended my meeting for the week. At the time though, I wasn’t sure whether or not to make this my speech or invocation.

August 26 is a special day for me. On this day 25 years ago, my family and I were on our way to Johnstown. The purpose was to move me into my dorm room at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. My aunt and sister drove to Ames just down the road at the Westwood Plaza to pick up hangers for my closet. After getting me moved in,  we ate dinner at Ryan’s next to the Johnstown Galleria. Ryan’s is long gone and the Galleria has really changed as malls have been on the way out. I’m really dating myself, but Richland Mall was still around in 2000. The mall itself was closed but the K-Mart and Ames remained open. 

That weekend was a changing of the guard as I would be away from home for the first time in my life. I’d still come home on weekends for the first couple of months. Eventually, I’d gain enough courage to stay on Saturdays and Sundays. During the week I’d live in one of the dorm rooms and take my classes at the school. It was hard for both my mother and me as we parted ways that Sunday. We were both dealing with a new season in our lives. I would be home for the Labor Day holiday weekend that Friday. 

It didn’t have to happen, and I was more than qualified to attend the local community college. I couldn’t leave this out of the speech but my mom thought it was better for me to attend and live at HGA so I could learn to be independent. It was a decision that has shaped me into who I am today. I like to joke that while Slippery Rock was a great experience, HGA has the upper hand. 

When I came up with the title for this speech, “Climbing the Mountain”, it related to the drive up there. We took US 30 to Ligonier and after going through town, eventually hit PA 271 which went up the mountain to a beautiful suburb called Westmont. It also related to the hilltop the school is on, and fittingly enough the school district there is named Westmont Hilltop. Third, college itself is its own mountain. We climb that mountain with a goal of reaching the top (which can be defined as achieving our diploma or degree). 

Some of my most fond memories being at the Hiram G. Andrews Center include: 

Taking part in recreational activities after classes let out for the day. The school had a nice rec hall where you could do lots of things. Going to dances a couple of nights a week and taking part in bowling at Richland Lanes were two of my favorite activities. 

Learning the public transportation system around Westmont, which would benefit me later on in time there. The first time I took part in riding the bus, I got a free trip to the Galleria Mall. 

Having family nearby while I was attending the school. My relatives were in Somerset and Berlin and my cousin was living in Johnstown. We got together a few times while I was at school. 

Just that first semester alone brought many memories of my time there. Having my cousin give me a grand tour of Johnstown early in my first semester; purchasing some nice things from the student store; going with my aunt on a Saturday morning to a craft show and then having lunch at Eat’n Park. We also went to the Galleria a few times to have lunch and go Christmas shopping.

My classes helped me ease into college life. When I started at HGA, I didn’t have a major like everyone else. I was listed as a Pre-Baccalaureate major and my plan was to transfer in the Spring. I wouldn’t be going far though. Like every place I’ve been, there was drama. Being a new student, there was a chance that I could get taken advantage of. As a matter of fact, that did happen to me a few times at the school.

I only took classes at the school for one semester, as stated in my original plans. I transferred to the local community college, which had a branch at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. I continued to live in the dorms while taking classes there.

HGAC was a stepping stone in my academic career. In a future blog, I want to discuss what it meant to climb the mountain along with what obstacles I had to face along the way. That and dealing with anxiety and nervous ticks while in college and as a young adult.

Is It Fall Yet?: Invocation or Speech?

I’ve been flip-flopping on what to do about Tuesday night at Laurel Highlands. Am I still going to speak? Yes, and I also signed up to give the invocation as well. I have two great ideas for what I want to talk about and either of them will be great as an invocation or prepared speech. At least in my opinion, they do. 

All week, I’ve been practicing my speech that looks forward to Fall. With the forecast this week trending toward cooler weather, this speech may be appropriate. But it’s a lot of content in just two or three (or even five) minutes, therefore this may be my invocation. 

I have another idea for a speech that can fit in the allotted time frame, though. With Tuesday being a memorable day for me, I may go with that for my speech. 

Here is my speech looking forward to Fall: 

This summer has been a great one for me. I enjoyed a nice week off where I did a lot of fun activities, enjoyed the Fourth of July, and worked a lot. Our summer’s days are numbered and soon enough we’ll be “Welcoming The ‘Ber Months”

September’s Leaves: Summer resorts and amusement parks close for the season and the kids are in their back to school routine. Football begins to pique our interests. It can still feel like summer but eventually the cooler weather wins out.  September is a time of transition, when we begin to plan hayrides and pick apples. I’m looking forward to a nice Pumpkin Spice Latte or Hot Apple Cider. 

October’s Glow:  The best month of all if you love fall but you’ll be busy with those home projects . For me, it’s a time to celebrate and I have a lot planned for this coming October. 

November’s Warmth: Fall back as you gain that extra hour of sleep. The reds, oranges and yellows are past their peak and soon the trees will be bare. Town squares start to look festive for the holidays and the malls are beginning to look like Christmas. You start to prepare your spread for your Thanksgiving feast. 

Finally, we experience the magic of the holiday season

December’s Magic: You’re decorating the tree and watching the first snowflakes fall. Working hard on Christmas cookies and makying your house look good for all the guests you’ll have at your holiday party. Is your Christmas shopping done or are you a last minute shopper? 

A splash of color, plenty of glow, a spoonful of warmth and a little magic, and a whole lot of Brr!

“Happy SRU Weekend!”

Twenty two years and half my life ago. That’s how long it’s been since I continued my academic journey at Slippery Rock University. The Slippery Rock season gets lost in the shuffle sometimes because my Hiram G. Andrews Center season carries a lot more weight. 

I had just graduated from the community college in May with my Associates and was on to the next chapter in my life. Out of all the brochures I looked at on Transfer Day that prior October, the Rock was the school that was calling my name. IUP and Edinboro were my second and third choices. 

That Friday morning (August 22), a team of volunteers helped me with the stuff I was bringing into my dorm room, making for a stress-free move in. We stopped off in Grove City for lunch and some time at the Outlets before I said my goodbyes. There were some tears, but they were short-lived. I had my first dinner that night in Weisenfluh, made some new friends, and met a few more in one of the off-campus residence halls. The first night is in the books. A new era is set to begin. 

My first semester would be quite an adjustment from what I was used to. I had to get my running shoes on to get to some of my classes. To be fair though, I did have to commute from the Hiram G. Andrews Center to Richland or Downtown plenty of times. It wasn’t bad to walk the campus on sunny days. On days with rain, snow, or freezing rain, it was a much different story. 

It was a new adventure on a campus much bigger than I had been used to. It was expected to have growing pains as I let HGA and Johnstown go and begin to embrace Slippery Rock. I crushed on a girl and when she turned me down, let me with a broken heart. To be fair, she had three years on campus while I was just getting established. I dealt with the pain and moved on, realizing that rejection is just a part of life.

We had fun on Saturday morning as we were introduced to the campus and university life. Under the stars, we enjoyed Bruce Almighty and some good tunes. Looking back, Pirates of the Caribbean might have been a better choice. When I think about it, Bruce Almighty was my introduction to Michael Scott.

The real test would come Monday morning. Some of my classes would chew me up and spit me out.

I was introduced to a great book in my management class. The subject was on change. The book was titled, “Who Moved My Cheese”. This fall, I plan to revisit that book and reread it the week that I am off.

In October, I attended a retreat at Camp Sequanota, a place that’s near and dear to my cousins as they spent many summers there. I tried to deal with my mental health issues the best I could during that first semester. When it was all said and done, my final grade point average for the Fall 2003 semester was a 2.6. It was far from where I wanted to be, but I survived nonetheless.

Clearly, I had some work to do.

Wearing Many Hats at Greensburg Toastmasters!

We had our biweekly Greensburg Toastmasters meeting on Wednesday night. Our President was representing our club and the District in Philadelphia at the International Convention. Our trio was in attendance as well, and I’m sure they’ll all have a lot to share at their home clubs this week. If so, Mike will share his experiences with us at Greensburg, and Sharon will do the same this coming week at Laurel Highlands and Western Maryland. I’ll report it to my blogs later this week.

We had six in attendance, so improvisation was key! Some of us doubled and tripled up our roles. I served as General Evaluator, Timer, and Speech Evaluator. We heard the continuation of previous speeches from a few weeks ago, and a new speech from Greg. All of the speeches had something to do with either exercise or surgery. Table Topics had us learning about some of the questions that are asked of us at job interviews. This tied into our Topicsmaster’s experiences working in HR. It’s always nice to attend the in person meetings at the courthouse.

Despite a few hiccups on the technical side, we had a good time at our meeting. Our next three meetings are September 3, September 17, and October 1. The ‘ber months are knocking on the doorstep!

Today would have been a good day to visit a local coffee shop that I’ve never been to. It also would have been a great opportunity to attend a session on improving club membership. What got in the way, you ask? Bickering with myself about how to go about my day. I was going to check out a coffee shop in the Allegheny Valley and then look for some Fall finds at Market District. Then I changed my plans and was going to go to Target. I scrapped that idea and decided to go for a walk at Irwin Park.

At least I got some exercise. But I just need to keep things local. I have the month of September to look for some good Fall treats, and I need to stop trying to be like the Pittsburgh food influencers. I’ll save the Latte Lane stop for my trip to the Zoo if I go.

A night market stop may be in the cards next Thursday too. I’ll try not to eat too much at Olive Garden so I can save room for the Cutie Cart. We shall see.

Is It Fall Yet?

Tuesday night at our Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting, our word of the day was “sabbatical”. The meaning of the word is a rest or break from work; “an extended period of time intentionally spent on something that’s not your routine job.” I learned of the word when I was in school, as teachers would sometimes take a sabbatical of one year. 

While at the meeting, I thought of my own sabbaticals that I’ve taken from work. It may not have been an entire year, but just a week. Regardless, it was a period of time for me to recharge. After being off, I would soon be ready to get back into my routine. On Friday, my niece will be going back to school to begin seventh grade after a nice, long summer break. 

My most recent vacation took place at the end of June. During that time, I went to Bites and Pints at Kennywood, while having one of my experiences there since the pandemic. The next day I had Summer TLI at WCCC and had a great time there while learning and networking with other Toastmasters. I wowed everyone with my outfit as well. The summer break for me was a time of relaxation, celebration, and reflection on days gone by. It was the success of finishing President’s Distinguished at Laurel Highlands or celebrating a newly chartered Toastmasters club in Morgantown. It was a drive up to Slippery Rock University to reflect on my time there. This fall marks 20 years since I graduated college. While Homecoming used to be a regular event for me, I took some time off in 2019 just as we were about to go into lockdown mode during COVID a year later. This visit will be a good one for me and I’m able to go since it’s during my vacation week. October looks to be a busy time for me and I’ll get into that as we go through this blog.

As vacation began to wind down, I treated myself to some retail therapy at South Hills Village. I bought some summer scented hand soap at Bath and Body Works as well as some reading material from Barnes and Noble (that I’ll likely get to read this Fall). I also checked out some cool stores like Miniso, which we also have at our mall, and of course Old Navy. I settled for comfort food at Eat’n Park which was fine, but could have improved the end of my visit by eating at a new place like Noodles and Company or Condado Tacos. Nothing major, just food for thought. 

Lord, I pray that You grant me patience over the next couple of months, so I don’t burn out on all the things I’m looking forward to or set myself up for disappointment. It’s hard to wait sometimes though. Next vacation is coming in just under two months, but there’s a lot to look forward to between now and October. 

During this week off, I’ll celebrate Annabelle’s ascent into her teen years and spend quality time with family at Laurel Hill. I’ll also attend some Toastmasters clubs in person or online (Johnstown and Greensburg in person, Cranberry High Noon and the new Country Roads club online). I’m planning to visit a museum in Pittsburgh (I’m trending towards going to the Warhol). To wrap up the week off, I’ll be driving up to Slippery Rock for homecoming and commemorate 20 years since I graduated college. 

Next Tuesday marks 25 years since I moved into my dormitory at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. The weekend that I moved into the school I watched a special episode of Daria on MTV called, “Is It Fall Yet?”

Before Fall begins and October gets here, there’s still plenty to look forward to, like the launch of the new Fall menu at Cutie’s in a couple of weeks. I have to hit up Market District for some Fall flavors. I’m also looking forward to the start of the college football and NFL seasons as well. Hey, there is September in between all this excitement as well and, I hope to attend some speech contests during this time before the Fall Symposium takes place on October 25.

It’s still Summer, but Fall and Pumpkin Spice is coming!

Need a Vacation at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters?

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. 

Sharing our Stories at Cutie’s Bible Study!

Last August, I began my magnificent speaking streak in my Toastmasters meetings. It was good therapy for me as I shared my story as it began to elevate my mood, which had been down for most of the year and the first month of Summer. During the summer of 2024, I also began to attend a new Bible Study at the newest coffee shop in town. That place has become my go-to place for great coffee though I love to go anywhere in Greensburg. 

Monday night, at the latest edition of Cutie’s Bible Study, I hoped to restart my magnificent walk with God like I did my speech streak. I walked away from the church a few years ago as I needed time to heal and find myself. 

On social media last week, I read a post on the Cutie’s Bible Study page. This Monday’s meeting would be different from the others. For me, it brought back memories of my college days, when I began to attend Bible Study while living at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. I’ll be talking about the school in my August 26 speech at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters as I celebrate 25 years since checking into the school and beginning my ascent into higher learning. 

From HGAC and the local community college, it was onto Slippery Rock University where I planned to achieve my Bachelor’s Degree. While at “The Rock”, I attended many Campus Crusade meetings and participated in events through the organization. Hearing everyone share their stories brought back memories of when we shared our faith in the inner city part of DC. It also made me think of doing the same thing trying to win souls on the beach at Panama City Beach during Big Break in the mid-2000’s. I enjoyed everyone that went into those events, and didn’t know what to do when college came to an end. Just as I found my stride, it was time to graduate. But I digress as this is starting to veer off course. 

I like to joke that if Campus Crusade meetings were their own major, then I might have graduated Magna Cum Laude. I’ve been following God since 2000, giving my life to God the first time in 2001 at a function held at Pitt-Johnstown. But my walk hasn’t really been my own. In all my years, I feel like I’ve gone through the motions. My walk with God has felt like a standard Steelers season with ore than a dash of Tomlin Specials. Monday night had me feeling hopeful that I could start something with God again. I took a break in 2021 when I walked away from the church after a falling out. I was at the onset of major changes occurring in my life. I stayed away for a few years to heal from those hurts (as I just posted at the beginning). I’ve gone back a few times but nothing has stuck. Perhaps, I enjoy licking my wounds. 

Keys to victory in getting back into my walk with God include the need to be true to myself, just as I’ve been doing in my gender nonconforming journey. Does that still exist? Yes, it does but another story for another time. I also need to remember to love unconditionally. I think politics has been a major factor in me being away as I’ve felt afraid and even ostracized. I have to beat that urge to change for anyone to please them. Also, I need to keep tabs on my own behavior. 

Aside, it was nice to begin the night with an old school worship song by Matt Redman, thus coming back to “The Heart of Worship”. 

I had hopes that Monday night was the lift that I needed to start my walk with God again. The seeds have been planted and it’s up to me to make sure that harvest is a success. 

Bible Study with a Twist!

On Monday night at Cutie’s, it’s another Bible Study meeting and the weather is looking good. Though it will be humid outside, it’s looking dry. The forecast doesn’t call for rain until midweek. While it will be the usual meeting agenda, there will be a time for those attending to share something with the group. 

If we have a testimony, revelation, a passage from the Bible that is on our hearts, a word of encouragement or a gift to share, we have an opportunity to share it with the group Monday night. A portion of the study Monday night, we will have the floor (or parking lot) to share what’s on our hearts. 

Speaking in front of a group and sharing my story? I do that in Toastmasters, so in a way this will help me show off my skills. Ministering to others? This brings me back to past Campus Crusade events like Christmas Conference and Big Break. It’s a step of faith, but I was able to share my story with some inner city people in DC and students on Spring Break at Panama City Beach.

It’s led me to think about my spiritual journey over time, as I near 25 years having been a believer in Christ. When I went off to college is when it started. I started going to church when I was a student (I attended two churches in Johnstown over the three years that I was there). I continued my walk with God when I came to Slippery Rock in the Fall of 2003. 

While I’ve been a believer for a long time, I’ve had my flaws and I haven’t made it my own journey. Not wanting to go into detail, I do things a little bit differently. I left the church in 2021 after a difference in opinion over how I was dressing. This was a couple of months before I got hired at Giant Eagle. The events are unrelated. I shouldn’t have left over something so stupid, and I do need to drop past events that happened years ago.

When I read about this upcoming Bible Study and sharing something with the group, it opened something in me that’s been nonexistent for a long time. While I don’t expect a miracle, I should pray about Monday night and hope this is the lift that I need to get back into a relationship with God and back into the church.

My First Raising Cane’s Visit!

On Monday, my mother went to Trader Joe’s in East Liberty as well as Raising Cane’s for lunch. Hearing this, I had to try it out for myself and I did so Friday.

Raising Cane’s recently opened in North Versailles a couple of years ago. Other locations in the Pittsburgh area include Bridgeville, Oakland, and Pleasant Hills. The first Raising Cane’s opened on August 28, 1996. That’s the day after I started high school and, I’m getting close to publishing my 828th blog. Look for that sometime this Fall.

At one time, a Fifth Third Bank occupied the space (briefly followed by First National Bank). It was abandoned for a few years before Raising Cane’s went up. Many years ago, the space was occupied by KFC and Long John Silver’s. The Goodwill that’s next to Raising Cane’s was a former Ames and before that, Hills. There’s a lot of history to be had in this area. You can’t forget about the Greater Pittburgh Drive-In which stood for many years. That old drive-in became a Wal-Mart in the late 1990’s. Inside the Raising Cane’s was a sign from the old drive-in. The back story on how the chain started is interesting too. Check out the website to learn more.

I ordered the Three Finger Combo, which comes with crinkle-cut fries and Texas Toast and a fountain drink. Crinkle-cut fries are my second favorite french fry with steak fries placing number one. Red Robin’s steak fries rock, especially with the seasoning salt. Cane’s has plenty of outdoor seating perfect for warm weather days, and shade as well to keep you cool. I took advantage of the amenities and watched the world go by. The food was pretty good, and they give you plenty of fries. You get the most for your money. Over a 4.5/5. Maybe I’ll check out one of the other locations another time, either Pleasant Hills or Bridgeville.

I made it an afternoon and spent some time at White Oak Park. On the way down, I drove past the Amazon facilities (where Eastland Mall once was). Next to Cane’s is an old Ponderosa that has been abandoned for a long time. There was a time when I made this commute almost every day when I worked for WIS and drove out to the other side of Pittsburgh. Those days are over.

As for White Oak Park, it’s a nice little park located just off US 48. It has a playground and a pavilion. I walked over to the crick and wanted to make sure I didn’t see any snakes. I took some time to get some sun and write this blog, so it was a nice way to spend my Friday afternoon.