WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR OCTOBER 2018

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  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,706 Member
    exermom wrote: »
    M – can you tell me more about Toastmasters? You can even PM me. Is there a fee at the meetings? Are you given certain speeches? Do you do other things besides giving speeches? Like what? How long do the meetings usually last?

    This is the Toastmaster's International website:
    https://www.toastmasters.org/

    Under "How to Join", it talks about the fees, and also says "Each club has its own culture, so feel free to visit more than one to find the one that’s right for you." and that's true. There are many different clubs with different cultures. Some are business lunch clubs, some are after work clubs, some cater to certain groups, and they are all different sizes ...

    https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/how-to-join

    When I was a member of a club in Winnipeg, they had a series of books you would go through. The first was an introduction book of 10 speeches that you would do in the first year, and when you completed that, you got a badge or certificate or something. Then you could choose two books from several at an intermediate level. The books had different topics like "storytelling" or "speaking for business" or whatever. Each book had 5 speeches, so you selected two books and had 10 speeches to do for the next year.

    I think that has changed a little bit now and it looks like there are more options, but I think the traditional approach (under the Education link) is similar to what I did.

    Each meeting was about 1 hour once a week, and in my meetings, we made sure to follow the Robert's Rules of Order (so we learned business meeting skills). In the first half hour we would do activities like: Word of the Day (where one member would present the word of the day and track who used it and how many times each person used it during the meeting), Grammar Tip (another member would present a grammar tip), Humorist (another member would tell a joke or funny story) or Timekeeper (making sure all the speeches stay within their time limit. And Impromptu speaking!! I was terrified of this at first, but then came to love it.

    The Impromptu Speaking leader would come up with three topics which he/she would introduce ... like maybe: "Imagine that you suddenly remember you agreed to go to your best friend's birthday party, but the only thing open was a convenience store ... what would you buy for your friend and why?" Then the person would turn to someone and say, "Michelle, would you like to tell us?" And you'd have 1-2 minutes to answer the question.
    Sometimes the questions were out of the news or something technical or something kind of left-field. Something different every time.

    The speeches had to have an introduction, body and conclusion and had to be 1-2 minutes long. You could answer the question or if you really had no idea, and you were clever, you could segue into a topic of your own.

    Those speeches helped me immensely when it came to job hunting later. The interviewer would ask me something and I'd answer with an introduction, body and conclusion in 1-2 minutes. :grin:

    Then in the second half of the meeting, people would do their prepared speeches. Usually there were at least 2 or 3. Those were longer (3-10 minutes, depending on the speech) and there was usually at least one person designated at the reviewer who would watch for certain things, and would review the speech after.

    I found it really beneficial, and now that I'm talking about it ... I miss it!! But I don't have time at the moment. However, at some point, I would like to join again. :)


    M in Oz

  • LisaInAR
    LisaInAR Posts: 2,020 Member
    At the airport - 3:45 a.m. my time. Event was successful. Usual drama beforehand, gritted my teeth and smiled and stayed professional. I'll be home by early afternoon my time... Five-hour layover in Dallas... and while I could literally have been home about the same time if I drove, I'll be VERY glad to sleep while in the air this morning. This airport is so small that the security checkpoint doesn't even open up until 4 a.m., one hour prior to the first flight (the one I'm on). Unfortunately, elevator AND escalator are broken, so I'm looking at a flight of stairs going up to security that makes me flinch. And a whole bunch of burly oilfield guys that believe if they are the first to go through the security line, they'll be ahead of the game when it gets to sitting in their assigned seats on the plane. Which, in my experience, still leaves at the same time, with everyone else on board that was behind them in line.

    Funny. To me, anyway.

    Young Asian man to my left used an electric razor, sitting in his seat here in the main terminal, for at least 15 minutes. Trying not to find that odd, and failing miserably.

    Have read everything, and wish I could remember a tenth of what I read, but the only thing that stuck was Heather's pink gloves, which make me inexplicably happy.

    Love y'all,
    Lisa - tired, but only a few hours left in Texas
  • 1948Peachy
    1948Peachy Posts: 1,511 Member
    Janet ~ You are up early! We are too because the stress of no frig has us in a frenzy.

    Carol in GA
  • grandmallie
    grandmallie Posts: 9,638 Member
    Morning Ladies
    Had nasty storms go through last night so didn't sleep great.and I turn on the morning news and Alfie barks at all the commercials,so I have to turn it off so he won't wake the neighbor upstairs..going to hop in the shower in a bit...
  • klanders30
    klanders30 Posts: 2,569 Member
    Hi ladies! Nice to have company this early in the a.m. didn’t sleep well, a loud storm passed over us last night that woke me and couldn’t really settle back.

    My school has a delayed opening (trees down I guess) which gives me 2 found hours! No, I won’t go back to bed, I will keep to my schedule but head to the gym before going to work—I love found time—kind of like finding a $20 bill on the ground—rare but makes me giddy!

    Facing a lousy faculty meeting this afternoon so I’m flipping my attitude—It’s going to be a productive and engaging one hour of my life :p;)

    NYKAREN
  • grandmallie
    grandmallie Posts: 9,638 Member
    Heather ~just lovely you'll look smashing xoxox
  • okiewoman510
    okiewoman510 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Morning Ladies -

    Sue in Wa - I hope you are able to peacefully make it to the the Dr's appt. I agree that if they want you to wait 3 weeks it must not be too bad.

    JanetR - I'm sorry your daughter hurt your feelings.

    NYKaren - Yeah for found hours!

    Heather - Love the pink. I have purple, magenta and of course red gloves that I wear for a pop of color.

    Lisa - Safe travels. I have a 5:30 AM flight next week to visit my mother. Too early, but I booked it so I can only blame myself.

    Have a great day ladies!

    Okie in the TX Hill Country
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,411 Member
    edited October 2018
    Meg Khan Academy for nursing students! I had no idea. Barbara Yes I think Khan Academy would be sorta fun for you, too! It's sorta fun for me! Once my grandson gets started on it, he sticks with it for a long time. I think he likes the instant feedback/reward system with the pleasant "ding" when he answers questions correctly.

    Machka Yay for comfortable cheap shoes! I wear Crocs. To me, they are like walking on a cloud. I throw them away when my knees or feet start hurting. Every night the pair I am wearing goes into the washing machine. I work in a medical environment, so everything goes in the washer after work.

    Barbie Friends rave about the Good Feet Store here. The store where you buy your shoes sounds similar. Those SAS shoes look very sturdy and comfortable. p.s. that was quite a wind storm you had!

    Sue That's a long time to wait for an abnormal test to be addressed. :/

    DrKatie That flooring is beautiful. Your laundry room looks great & functional.

    NYKAREN Yesterday I realized I didn't have to work. That made me giddy. :) I hope your meeting really is productive. :#

    Janetr (((Hugs))) Lots of us here have distorted body images. We understand.

    Lisa You're funny about the burly oilfield guys lifting off the ground in their assigned seats at the same time as everybody else. And I've been meaning to ask you - what drama? You've mentioned this before but I don't remember what the drama is about.

    Carol My utmost empathy over the refrigerator. It's been less than a month since we went through the same thing and lost our entire refrigerator full of food. We got through it with humor & resolve & teamwork.

    Heather Oh such pretty pink stuff. That photo is a lovely start to my day.

    Nettie Welcome. Do you have Asperger's syndrome? Is that the same as HFA? In any case, this is a perfect group for you. We are welcoming and not judgmental. Many of us are introverts.

    Karen in Virginia, heading out to home-school my grandson soon



    p.s. Margaret This is for you:



  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,706 Member
    Machka Yay for comfortable cheap shoes! I wear Crocs. To me, they are like walking on a cloud. I throw them away when my knees or feet start hurting. Every night the pair I am wearing goes into the washing machine. I work in a medical environment, so everything goes in the washer after work.

    My mother and someone who works with podiatrists both suggested Crocs to me, but I find them way too wide. I can't keep them on my feet.

    Unless there's a narrow version of them I'm haven't tried ... :)


    M in Oz

  • 1948Peachy
    1948Peachy Posts: 1,511 Member
    Went to Lowes and purchased a new refrigerator (Frigidaire) with French doors and a 3rd drawer. Will be delivered tomorrow. Right now we have 4 coolers filled with food and ice. Don't know how much we will have to throw out. Just thankful that we are blessed and have the ability to deal with these things that just happen if you own a home.

    Just purchased a pair of Crocs on Amazon. Hoping they will fit!

    6tdrt8yuj349.jpg

    Carol in GA


  • 1948Peachy
    1948Peachy Posts: 1,511 Member
    Shoes: I have short fat feet so do hope these will fit.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,706 Member
    edited October 2018
    1948Peachy wrote: »
    Went to Lowes and purchased a new refrigerator (Frigidaire) with French doors and a 3rd drawer. Will be delivered tomorrow. Right now we have 4 coolers filled with food and ice. Don't know how much we will have to throw out. Just thankful that we are blessed and have the ability to deal with these things that just happen if you own a home.

    Just purchased a pair of Crocs on Amazon. Hoping they will fit!

    6tdrt8yuj349.jpg

    Carol in GA


    Those are Crocs? The only ones I've ever seen look like this:

    c71rpdr0nrtu.png



    M in Oz
  • teklawa1
    teklawa1 Posts: 675 Member
    Carol, I love the picture of your Crocs. Hope they fit you. I love Crocs. My feet are so hard to work with...bunions and hammertoes and bones that stick out on top. Love the looks of your Crocs...
    Betsy NW WA
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,706 Member
    barbiecat wrote: »
    :) I wore high heels to work for years and one day made a change in my wardrobe and bought a pair of Mary Jane's to wear with my dresses and got rid of all the high heels. I put them in the "dress up" center in my first grade classroom and enjoyed watching children wearing them for fun with the prom dresses I bought at thrift shops.

    I used to wear 4-5" heels all the time. I wore them to classes and to work. I'd even jog between classes in them!!

    But I got rid of most of them just before I moved to Australia, and now anything over about 2" feels like my feet are going to shatter into 1000 pieces.


    M in Oz

  • langman22
    langman22 Posts: 786 Member
    Hi ladies, I'm back - again. A lot going on here in Vermont. Leaves are quickly changing and I'm not ready. Finally got my cast off, transitioned to the boot, and now I'm in sneakers and doing PT twice a week. Foot feels pretty good. Now it's my husband's time for health issues. Insomnia (sleeps about 4 hours with a strong sleeping pill) and heart issues. He may need a pacemaker. He did have a monitor put in to record what was going on. We've had a few emergency room visits. Another dr's visit on Monday and we are hoping to get some answers then.

    My eating is out of control again and I've gained 10 of the 30lbs I lost. This is adding to my stress. I'm going to try to keep checking in with the group as I need all the support I can get.

    When I get a minute, I'll read the current posts to see what you all have been up to.

    Terry, trying to hold it together in VT