GUEST ON MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW?

IMAGINE ME…ON TV??

Well, I am on TV every month when I join Fellow Toastmaster, Past District 31 Governor, Victor Carbone, (Uncle Vic), who is the Host and Producer of “Toastmaster the Television Show” at the Local Cable Station in Revere, Massachusetts. You too can be a Toastmaster guest with Victor Carbone - send him an email at VACINC60@aol.com

There are many benefits to “Toastmasters The Television Show”. Just to name a few; I am getting valuable experience in front of the Camera, learning how to deliver different manual speeches for credit, receiving verbal and written evaluations from Uncle Vic, incorporating the “word of the Day” into the show, improving my impromptu speaking skills with Table Topics, getting a free copy of the episode along with a certificate, enjoying some laughs in the studio with Uncle Vic, MA (Vic’s mother), other guests and of course the cameramen, Rick and Joe. What’s even better is I feel like a local celebrity when people in my surrounding North Shore communities mention they saw me on “That Toastmasters Television Show”! Imagine Me…On TV??
I enjoy Television! I took a Performance for Television Class with Instructor, Rex Trailer when I attended Emerson College. http://www.emerson.edu/ I learned ALL aspects of running a television show both in front of and behind the camera. I loved it. I also worked as an Intern at Entertainment Tonight as a Production Assistant in California when I attended Emerson’s Los Angeles Program for my last semester of school. It is amazing to see how many tapes from many episodes are located in the tape vault.


I am writing this because I am leading up to an e-mail invitation that I received this Friday September 21, 007 to be on the Montel Williams Television Show from the director of HAWC - Help For Abused Woman and their Children http://www.helpabusedwomen.org/

Samantha from the Montel Show called HAWC which is a Battered Woman’s Shelter for women who are fleeing from domestic violence. (Yes, I lived there briefly in 1997). Turns out the Montel Show was interested in Survivors of Domestic Violence. I was ready to hop on the next flight to New York until I got a call from Samantha who said, “Things change rapidly and we need to put this topic on hold”.

The good news is I am ready when they are – so thanks Rex Trailer my Performance for Television Instructor from Emerson. Thanks Uncle Vic from, Toastmasters The Television Show!!Guest on The Montel Williams Show?...I thought to myself… Imagine Me… On TV??

==================================================

http://www.district31.org/

http://www.worldchampionsedge.com/edge/index.cfm?affiliateid=936

Don't Rain On My Parade!!

Don't Rain On My Parade!!

DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE !! Like a great speech all Parades must have a Beginning, Middle and End! While I was watching the Wakefield "Forth of July Parade" that my daughter's 4-H Float was in I began comparing the parade to writing and delivering a speech. I was realizing how important it is to have a beginning, a middle and an end and following through (!).

BEGINNING - OPENING

The Forth of July Parade DID deliver a great beginning!! - The police cars lead the way with their flashing blue lights, followed by the large, red fire trucks with their loud sirens from MANY surrounding north shore towns and cities, the middle aged town selectman waving and smiling to the crowd as they were praying for more votes and of course the grand marshals gallopping by while riding on their gorgeous clydesdale horses.

BODY - CONTENT

The Forth of July Parade did deliver a great body!! As the parade progresses and you have your body - your content - the bands, the floats, the entertainment, the politicians, (looking for more votes), the local businesses and their banners, the neighoring towns local sports teams, the militrary heros, the clowns performing their tricks and any other interested parties who enjoy marching down MAIN STREET even in the rain (yes - it really did rain for brief periods of time)!

THE END - CONCLUSION

The Forth of July Parade did not deliver a great ending! The parade is getting ready to wrap up but it needs to go out the way it began with a BANG. The conclusion - your ending - with some surprises - I have to admit I laughed and I clapped when I saw Rex Trailer on a horse - he was my "Performance of Television" Instructor at Emerson College, Boston - Wow that really brought back memories.

But the parade was not yet over - it did fall short. It left me wanting more - because it did NOT follow through with the ending . Some of the parade acts just stopped short of their conclusions!! Once they reached the "judges table", which was about fifty feet from the real ending of the parade route on Main Street they simply "dropped it like it's hot" !

Image watching an Olympic Skater who jumped but did not extend her arms to complete the move? Someone should have told those parade performers that the parade is not over until it passes by the "entire" audience on Main Street.

For some reason - not known to me or other spectators (audience members), the performers were only interested in ending and concluding their entertainment for the judges - once they passed the judges - they took off their shirts, got out of formation, and broke off into discussion groups - it was as if the people AFTER the judges did not exist.

Since I was seated AFTER the judges table - I thought about it and I asked myself - if I too ever "RAINED ON SOMEONES PARADE" after I gave a speech and simply did not follow through?

Now I can clearly see that it is important to stay in character when I give a speech even after I pass the "judges table" - I will continue to march down MAIN STREET and make sure that all of my audience members count - not just the ones BEFORE the judges table but even the ones AFTER - because they too are "judging me" and I want to make sure that I "FOLLOW THROUGH" with a "BEGINNING", "MIDDLE", and "END" !

I do not want any one saying to me -"DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE" !!

Respectfully Submitted Sherri Raftery, M. Ed.

THE "4-H CLUB" - Head, Heart, Hands, Health

THE 4H CLUB !!

http://www.mass4h.org/index.html

The 4 H's are the Pledge, Creed, and Motto

I Pledge...My Head to clearer thinking, My Heart to greater loyalty, My Hands to larger service, and, My Health for better living, for My Club, my Community, my Country, and my World.

My daughter Sabrina is a member of the 4-H Club - "In 4-H, youth learn life skills that they need to be successful, both as children and as adults. These skills include communication, decision-making, problem solving, sharing and conflict resolution skills".

I first learned about 4-H when I was invited to be a judge for the youth visual presentations because I am a member of the District 31 Toastmasters International and I have exprience and writing, delivering and giving speeches.

http://www.toastmasters.org/ http://www.district31.org/

I really appreciate that the 4-H children are involved in community service and have public speaking opportunities. Sabrina is in the 4-H "Massachusetts Maniacs" Club. The Maniacs and the parents helped to decorate a small float for the annual Forth of July Parade" in Wakfield, MA. The Kids marched down Main Street and won in the small float division with it's "BIG" theme "Operation Military Kids" - "Hero Packs Program".

"Operation Military Kids" is a program for military families. The "Hero Back Packs" Program is specifically for children of deployed parent(s). 4-H members fill the "Hero Back Packs" with items for the Military children to let them know that 4-H kids care about them too - while their parents are oversees.

The Massachusetts 4-H Program is the outreach program of UMass Extension and the USDA with local support from state and federal funding and the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation".

To find out more about Operation Military Kids -

http://www.operationmilitarykids.org/public/home.aspx

Taking My Own "MOM ADVICE"

LESSONS I LEARN JUST FROM BEING SABRINA’S MOM...

Now why is it that I can’t take my OWN “MOM ADVICE”? The giving advice NOT the getting advice. The advice that I give as a "MOM" to my nine-year-old daughter Sabrina Denise Raftery.

Sabrina came in the house very upset from playing outside with her little buddy Ashley. Sabrina and Ashley are both entering fourth grade (different schools Sabrina attends a private Catholic School), same age, same body types - thin and tall, same long brown hair, same brown eyes (although Sabrina’s eyes change to green in the light), same clothing styles, and they even like the same boys - well twin boys – Sabrina likes Jacob (Jake) and Ashley likes Noah.

Sabrina disappointedly announces “ASHLEY DOESN’T LIKE ME ANYMORE” (!) as if this was the end of her world – well for her it was - at that moment...

In my mind I am half gritting my teeth and half chuckling while I am saying to myself “Oh, here we go again”. I’ve heard this many times before and I began to I offer advice in my motherly voice. “OK…What Happened”? “Well”…Sabrina reluctantly begins with her eyes looking down to describe what happened...of course it has to do with Ashley and the Twins.

I try to be supportive as I explain to Sabrina that she needs to “SHAKE these incidents off”. Then I add, “Don’t worry about who you CAN’T hang out with FOCUS on who you CAN hang out with”.

She thinks about this and looks out the window as she is holding our cat Soccer (yes Soccer is black and white) and moments later we hear another friend of hers Joshua calling up to our third floor window. “Sabrina can you come out and play”?

That is all Sabrina needs to hear ... life begins again...Off Sabrina goes...after kissing Soccer and leaving her on the window sill...But not before I remind her to “Take the trash with her and toss it in the dumpster”.

Then as I am in the kitchen preparing Sabrina’s favorite dinner (pasta) and a few frozen chocolate chip cookies…it hits me. I chuckle out loud and say to Soccer who is now at my feet - “Why couldn’t I have taken my OWN “MOM ADVICE” last week after seeing a guy that I like holding another woman’s hand”?

Hmmm all those opportunities I missed. I would have saved myself sooo much grief if I was not so worried about who I COULDN’T hang out with instead of FOCUSING on who I could hang out with.

Imagine...I too thought it was the "end of the world"...well for me...at that moment it was (!)…

Thanks Sabrina for helping me learn "LIFE’S LESSONS" from just being your MOM !!

(Now if only I too had another gentleman calling for me at my window ! wink)