Business Meeting

Jim Akers presiding

Toatmaster Ulrich Leinhase requested that all members take their schedule sheets home with them at the end of each meeting, pointing out that the five-week schedule sheet includes member telephone numbers.

Regular Club Meeting

Toastmaster

Shauib Karim

Word of the Day

vim  (noun)

exuberant vitality and energy (as in vim and vigor)

Ribbon for best use to Jim Domenico

Table Topics

Fushan Zhang (The Christmas Season)

Jim Domenico

Deliver the Opening Remarks at a Christmas Party (1:56) (Best)

Milo Holt

Share a Personal Christmas Story with Us (2:25)

Roy Kenski

How Do You Explain to Your Children When They Ask if Santa Claus is Real? (1:41)

Ulrich Leinhase

Is Christmas too Commercial? (2:10)

Jackie Pease

Tell Us About Your Family's Christmas Traditions (1:35)

Speakers

Nandu Shah

Modern Engineering Wonder (The Leaning Tower of Pisa, an Engineering Marvel)(PowerPoint) (12:10) (Best)

David Rafanowicz

Taking Things for Granted (The Miracles of Everyday Life Often Seem Routine in Our Great Nation) (7:06)

Betty Gambill

Have an Attitude of Gratitude (Have You Ever Stopped to Think About Just How Great Things Really Are?) (9:41)

Millie Tannen

Searching for Meaning in Mid-Air (A Jefferson Airplane Experience at 30,000 Feet)(7:17)

Evalumaster

Jim Akers

Evaluators

Ulrich Leinhase (3:14)

Danny Pritchard (2:27)

Jackie Pease (3:11) (Best)

Milo Holt (3:53)

Educational

No Educational Speech   

Miscellaneous

Guest Comments

No guests present

Joke Meister(s)

Shauib Karim – Get Up for School Young Man

& Jim Akers – The Jigsaw  Puzzled

A mother called out to her son several times, “Get up! It’s time for school.” But her son didn’t respond and just stayed in bed.

Frustrated, the mother charged upstairs to his room and knocked very loudly on his door. “Get up out of that bed, young man,” she implored, “you’ll be late for school again.”

“But mom,” he pleaded, “I hate school. The teachers don’t like me; the students call me names; They all think I’m a jerk. Do I have to go?”

“Oh course you have to go,” she scolded, “You’re the principal.”

---

I received an urgent sounding telephone call from a young young lady the other day. It was immediately apparent that she was very frustrated. 

“What’s the problem?” I asked.

“Well,” she exlpained, “I’m working on this jigsaw puzzle and I havn’t been able to get any of the pieces together after a half hour of work. It’s a very difficult puzzle. I need help.”

“What’s it a picture of?” I asked; to which she replied, “a tiger.”

Knowing how difficult a tiger puzzle can be to assemble, I told her I’d be right over and would help her put it together. When I arrived, she said she still hadn’t matched even two pieces.

I took a quick look and advised, “Sweetheart, you won’t be able to complete that puzzle in the next decade, no matter how hard you try.”

“How come?” she asked, with a puzzled look on her face.

“Welll, first let’s put the cornflakes back in the box and then I’ll explain it.”

Announcements

Congratulations to  Betty Gambill and Millie Tannen for achieving their CTMs Today.  Go Betty and Millie!

President Akers announced that Dave Jackson was recovering well after a recent operation to install a pacemaker. Jim asked that members e-mail Dave at davejackson@toastofjax.org to wish him a speedy recovery.

Toastmaster Milo Holt advised the Dave Jackson is working on a club history and has requested old rosters or other information that may help in  the effort.

Toastmaster David Rafanowicz suggested that we shoot for record turnout at next week’s holiday meeting. Let’s celebrate Toast of Jax and have a family get together among our Toastmaster friends.

Attendance   16 members and no guests (lowest since 01/12/02 )

Presiding Officer Jim Akers adjourned the meeting with a decidedly Presidential flourish at precisely 9:15 a.m.

Another great meeting and a good time was had by all!

Danny Pritchard reporting

David J. Rafanowicz, Editor