Done IS Better than Perfect!

"Done is Better than Perfect" !!
2001, WCPS, Darren LaCroix

OK here it is...about to be launched...and it may not be DONE....and it may not be PERFECT but as Darren says "DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT"!! It has taken me a year to launch my new website. I bought the domain name "Find Your Platform" at the Get Paid to Speak (GP2S)Champ Boot Camp in Phoenix - Aug 2007.

Next friday on August 8, 2008 I will board a plane headed for Calgary, Alberta, Canada to attend GP2S Champ Camp again and I will be able to announce that I completed one of the many committments that I wrote on paper. I am finally going to have a website to help me promote myself as a speaker!

I am seeking any and all feedback and I am sure the site will evolve but it can;t evolve unless I start somewhere. At least I can cross this "to do" task off my list!

To be launched any day now my new website address is

www.findyourplatform.com

Have YOU completed any tasks or committments during the past year?

If not are you getting closer to YOUR goal/s?

If not what is stopping YOU from "Done Is Better Than Perfect"?

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FACTS

DONE
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/done

1. Having been carried out or accomplished; finished: a done deed.
2. Cooked adequately.
3. Socially acceptable: Spitting on the street is just not done in polite society.
4. Informal Totally worn out; exhausted.

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PERFECT

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/perfect

1. Lacking nothing essential to the whole; complete of its nature or kind.
2. Being without defect or blemish: a perfect specimen.
3. Thoroughly skilled or talented in a certain field or area; proficient.
4. Completely suited for a particular purpose or situation: She was the perfect actress for the part.
5.
a. Completely corresponding to a description, standard, or type: a perfect circle; a perfect gentleman.
b. Accurately reproducing an original: a perfect copy of the painting.
6. Complete; thorough; utter: a perfect fool.
7. Pure; undiluted; unmixed: perfect red.
8. Excellent and delightful in all respects: a perfect day.
9. Botany Having both stamens and pistils in the same flower; monoclinous.
10. Grammar Of, relating to, or constituting a verb form expressing action completed prior to a fixed point of reference in time.
11. Music Designating the three basic intervals of the octave, fourth, and fifth.

My Mission Statement?

>...."whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth." ...."And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream, Page: 22, 23

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_statement

A mission statement is a brief statement of the purpose of a company, religious group or organization. Companies sometimes use their mission statement as an advertising slogan, but the intention of a mission statement is to keep members and users aware of the organization's purpose. In the case of public commercial companies, the primary purpose must always be to uphold the interests of shareholders, whatever the mission statement.

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

I am on a MISSION to find my very own “MISSION STATEMENT” and usually I would post the meaning at the end of my BLOG but today I am posting it here thank you to my fellow Edge Member and E-friend and Michael Cortes, Michael Cortes, Presentation Coach & Speaker http://www.michaelcortes.com www.youcanpresent.com

I have been looking at other websites and trying to get ideas for my OWN MISSION Statement because I am about to launch my very own “FIND YOUR PLATFORM” website!! Yeah, I know, it’s about time (!) I bought the domain name a year ago in August when I was attending the “Get Paid to Speak” Champ Book Camp. One of my goals and accountability was to have the site up and running before now but I just may make the deadline before I head to Calgary on August 8, 2008. LUCKLY I found a VERY handy webmaster who has offered to help !!




My journey into finding my mission statement is a lot harder than I thought it would be – I need to reflect what it is I DO, what it is I WANT TO DO and what it is I will do with what I do.

So now I am asking the question that Darren LaCroix has asked me – WHY ME? Why would the meeting planners hire ME? What is it that I have to offer others and why would they want to listen to me?

Well Michael Cortes broke it down for me like this he writes - “I want to inspire others” I want to raise awareness by sharing setbacks” “ I want to raise awareness by sharing my ”. And you want to share your success

Ellen Witt Clark mentioned I should add my humor as a coping mechanism

Rich Hopkins said – “Mission statements can be overrated, and often limit our scope. Try a value statement instead, keeping every action in line with your core values”. “Kind of like a speech - rip away everything that doesn't push your message forward”.

Edge member, toastmaster and E-friend Bob (Mongo) Jensen writes -
"Enriching ordinary people's lives by helping them become extraordinary public speakers".

I will share more – but I have to go and pick Sabrina up from Camp Christopher and then we are gett’n our hair DID – yesterday we got our nails DID!!

"Swan Lake" - Chinese Style

“Dance is so joyous”. Graeme Murphy

Some times I see some performances and I become SPEECHLESS! I am not a trained dancer, but I have taken some dance courses including jazz, tap and ballet from Salem State College, Emerson College, Jeanette Neill in Boston, MA http://www.jndance.com/index.html and Joe Tremaine’s in North Hollywood, CA. http://www.tremainedance.com/

I want to share this link of “Swan Lake” by the Great Chinese Circus. So much beauty, rhythm, grace, creativity and incredible stamina that it left me SPEECHLESS!

http://www.sonnyradio.com/swanlake_0001.swf


“And dance is wonderful because dance is so immediate”.

Graeme Murphy


What types of performances make you become speechless?

FACTS

Swan Lake

http://www.answers.com/topic/swan-lake

Swan Lake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Lake

Swan Lake (Russian: Лебединое Озеро, Lebedinoye Ozero) is a ballet, first presented in four acts, Opus 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The scenario was worked out by Vladimir Begichev and Vasiliy Geltser, fashioned from Russian folk tales[1] and an ancient German legend, which tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse.

The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger to the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (opus 20), composed 1875-1876. The ballet received its premiere on February 27, 1877 at the Bolshoy Theatre in Moscow as The Lake of the Swans. Although it is presented in many different versions, most ballet companies base their stagings both choreographically and musically on the 1895 revival of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, first staged for the Imperial Ballet on January 15, 1895 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. For this revival, Tchaikovsky's score was revised by the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatre's chief conductor and composer Riccardo Drigo.

“PUNCH BUGGY”!! “NO PUNCH BACKS” !!

"It is good to have an end to journey towards,
but it is the journey that matters in the end."

Ursula K. LeGuin

Wow this is a game that brings back memories when the Old(er) Volkswagen Rabbit (VWR) was around when I was in High School a few decades ago. In fact, my dream was to buy one, drive it from Boston across the United States to the Hollywood Hills – YEAH RIGHT !

Although I would NEVER want to own an old VWR today - I do confess I REALLY like the new VW Rabbit!! It looks modern, roomy and the windows offer a great view. But I am NOT complaining. I love my little 2004 Cobalt Blue, Aveo Chevrolet especially since I drove Blue Berry (that’s what we call her) right off the lot when they first started selling them – now they are everywhere. It too is modern looking, roomy with great window view. It has a five door hatch back, came with a built in MP3 Player and as the dealer said the price was (not cheap) but “affordable”. ANd as we say here in Boston that is “WICKED KWEL” !!

OK back to the story - I am driving down different roads and approaching the highway in my Aveo (Blue Berry) enwrapped in my own thoughts and then suddenly I hear the words: “PUNCH BUGGY… BLUE… NO PUNCH BACKS” while I feel a light tap on my arm. It is my daughter Sabrina reminding me that she is beside me. Opps time for me to abandon my thoughts and keep alert and get my head in the game.

I am eagerly trying to find new VWR so that I can tap her arm back and say “PUNCH BUGGY… NO PUNCH BACKS” but I am quickly reminded in Sabrina's authoritative voice “you better say the COLOR with no punch backs or it doesn’t count! (!!)

Do YOU have any "Punch Buggy No Punch Back" memories? Or car games that keep you connected during your journey together?

Part of advertising is to take the same (old) product and change it to make it look new, different, more appealing. I enjoy having an old game with old memories of MY childhood become a new game with new memories that include MY daughter Sabrina’s childhood.

Friends I have decided to make this topic a new Toastmasters speech. I began my research on the VWR "Bug" or "Beetle" to get started. Here are some interesting facts.

New Beetle History - “The Volkswagen Beetle was not Adolph Hitler's idea. But he was involved”…“Hitler became chancellor in 1933 and at 1934's Berlin Motor Show made a speech promoting development of just the sort of car Porsche wanted to build, and afterwards arranged a meeting with Porsche. From that meeting came the general outline for the Beetle and a commitment to build it. Prototypes quickly took shape and in 1938 the cornerstone was laid for a new factory to build the car in the new town of "KdF-Stadt" (called Wolfsburg now).
Read more – – (to read more click on the link below).

http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/newbeetle/history.html


FACTS

Volkswagen

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:Volkswagen&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

Volkswagen AG , or VW AG, is an automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg, Germany. It forms the core of Volkswagen Group, which is the world's ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen
In German, its means "people's wagon",

Volkswagen Beetle The Volkswagen Type 1, more commonly known as the Beetle, is an economy car produced by the German automaker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003. Although the names "Beetle" and "Bug" were quickly adopted by the public, it was not until August of 1967 that VW itself began using the name Beetle in marketing materials. It had previously been known only as either the "Type I" or as the 1200 (twelve-hundred), 1300 (thirteen-hundred) or 1500 (fifteen-hundred), which had been the names under which the vehicle was marketed in Europe prior to 1967; the numbers denoted the vehicle's engine size in cubic centimeters.

In 1998, many years after the original model had been dropped from the lineup in most of the world (it continued in Mexico and a handful of other countries until 2003) VW introduced the "New Beetle" (built on a Volkswagen Golf platform), bearing a cosmetic resemblance to the original.

See more at Wikipedia.org...

This article uses material from Wikipedia® and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_Buggy

Punch buggy (also called punch bug or slug bug) is a car game generally played by young children in which participants hit each other upon sight of a Volkswagen Beetle.

“Effective Immediately”

“Acceptance of one's life has nothing to do with resignation; it does not mean running away from the struggle. On the contrary, it means accepting it as it comes, with all the handicaps of heredity, of suffering, of psychological complexes and injustices”. Paul Tournier

Friends what do you think when you read or hear these two words together?
…..“Effective Immediately”

I received this email notice on Monday July 14, 2008 at 8:21 PM – since it went out to all the current District Officers within the entire Toastmasters World I am sure the exact date and time may varied. http://www.toastmasters.org/

The e-mail sender was Diana Metcalfe, Executive Assistant of Toastmasters International to Donna Groh, who was the Executive Director written on behalf of 2007-2008, International President, Chris Ford, DTM

Dear District Officer:

It is my duty to inform you that today I have accepted the resignation of Ms. Donna Groh, Executive Director to Toastmasters International, effective immediately.

Mr. Daniel Rex is appointed Active Executive Director as of today July 14, 2008 until further notice.

On behalf of Toastmasters International, I have expressed our gratitude to Donna for her seven years of loyal and dedicated service to our organization.

Sincerely

Chris Ford, DTM,
International President 2007-2008

“Shaping Ourselves…Shaping Our World”

http://www.toastmasters.org/Members/News/Announcements/ExecutiveDirector.aspx

Now this letter came as a complete surprise to me (and MANY of us) since we just completed our Region Vii “Top Three” District Officer Training during the Region Vii Conference in Rockville Maryland. The training was given by Donna Groh and Chris Ford, and our Region Vii International Directors, Val Albert and Kristin Nicholson.

But the even BIGGER shocker is that our Toastmasters International Convention begins on August 12, 2008 in Calgary Canada – this is just a few short weeks away when many toastmasters from around the world will unite to celebrate for about a week and Donna Groh was the Chief Executive Officer for our entire organization.

We are all shaking our heads and asking “WHAT HAPPENED”? Yet, we may never know the exact reasons – but friends right now this BIG BUZZ is probably equal to the BIG BUZZ about 2008 Calgary Convention itself…

http://www.toastmasters.org/search.aspx?SearchMode=1&SearchPhrase=conference&wt.oss=conference

Ever have a letter written “Effective Immediately” on YOUR behalf?

One of my favorite Table Topic (impromptu) questions is...

“Please share a time when your setback became your comeback”?

--------------
Facts

Resignation

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:resignation&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

acceptance of despair the act of giving up (a claim or office or possession etc.)
a formal document giving notice of your intention to resign; "he submitted his resignation as of next month" wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

A resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one's office or position. It can also refer to the act of admitting defeat in a game like chess, indicated by the resigning player turning his king on its side. ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resignation
Resignation is the twenty-second episode

Convention
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:convention&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

a large formal assembly; "political convention"

something regarded as a normative example; "the convention of not naming the main character"; "violence is the rule not the exception"; "his formula for impressing visitors"
(diplomacy) an international agreement conventionality: orthodoxy as a consequence of being conventional the act of convening wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated

Home - Honoree Video Interviews

"We are so often caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey, especially the goodness of the people we meet on the way. Appreciation is a wonderful feeling, don't overlook it."

Author Unknown

I wanted to share this post on The Home for Little Wanderers Website http://www.thehome.org/

"More than 900 people were at the Seaport World Trade Center on the evening of May 28, 2008 to celebrate the creative artwork and writing of children served by The Home’s residential programs. In addition to the exhibit, the evening included a silent auction, diamond raffle, dinner and program. As part of our celebration, we honored three alumni of The Home who shared their moving stories with us. It was a wonderful evening, raising nearly $1 million for The Home".

"On behalf of all the children and families we serve, our heartfelt thanks to the corporations, individuals and foundations who made this event such a spectacular success through their sponsorship and support".

Please peek at this link to view the pre-taped interview of Greg, Fred and myself during The Home for Little Wanderers Voices and Visions Annual Fundraiser.

http://www.thehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=events_voices_visions_2008sponsors



http://www.thehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_video_voices_visions_08_honorees



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Appreciation

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:appreciation&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something; "he has a good grasp of accounting practices"

taste: delicate discrimination (especially of aesthetic values); "arrogance and lack of taste contributed to his rapid success"; "to ask at that particular time was the ultimate in bad taste"
an expression of gratitude; "he expressed his appreciation in a short note"

admiration: a favorable judgment; "a small token in admiration of your works"
an increase in price or value; "an appreciation of 30% in the value of real estate" wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn


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Interview

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:interview&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
discuss formally with (somebody) for the purpose of an evaluation; "We interviewed the job candidates" the questioning of a person (or a conversation in which information is elicited); often conducted by journalists; "my interviews with teenagers revealed a weakening of religious bonds"

consultation: a conference (usually with someone important); "he had a consultation with the judge"; "he requested an audience with the king" go for an interview in the hope of being hired;
"The job candidate interviewed everywhere" wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Unsung Neighbors

“A hero is simply someone who rises above his own
human weaknesses, for an hour, a day, a year,
to do something stirring”.
Betty Deramus

Today I signed an “Authorization to Publish” Unsung Neighbors that still gives me exclusive rights to my own story and photos but allows me to be a contributor of this book that is due out by November 2008 - just in time for the Holiday Season!

The book Unsung Neighbors is by Charlotte Endorf who has written four other books and published them by Outskirts Press Inc. www.outskirtspress.com/bytrain Charlotte wanted to feature the many people she met along her travels that she considers to be “unsung neighbors”. I am thrilled to be a one of them during this project and she made it easy for me to write by sending me a “motivational questionnaire”.

I first heard of Charlotte when I was listening to the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking, Darren LaCroix’s http://www.humor411.com/ Get Paid to Speak CD. When Darren said Charlotte wrote a book called Plains Bound Fragile Cargo about the Orphan Trains Movement my ears perked because The Home for Little Wanderers was also part of the Orphan Trains Movement. I knew I had to connect with Charlotte and Darren gave me her contact email. This is my second invite from Charlotte to assist on a project but not the last.

I visited Nebraska and spoke on the Orphan Trains during the 2008 Orphan Train Celebration it is Charlotte's turn to come to Boston, MA along with her family, two of the original Orphans from New York Lela and Lois and a camera crew to visit The Home for Little Wanderers. Fingers Crosses with the help of grant from “Pay It Forward” in the hopes that she will be able to http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/ How exciting is THAT!!?? Sabrina and I can;t wait.

Oh AND we must get them to a BEACH (probably Revere or "Rever;ha" if you're from around the way). Did you know there are NO BEACHES in Nebraska – I didn’t until they told me!! http://www.reverebeach.com/

http://www.reverebeach.com/pm/mccauley-template.htm

“Life, misfortunes, isolation, abandonment, poverty,
are battlefields which have their heroes; obscure heroes,
sometimes, greater than the illustrious heroes”.
Victor Hugo (Les Miserables)

Do YOU know Unsung Neighbors?

Got any "Unsung Neighbor/Hero" Stories YOU want to Share?

Why NOT publish a book too and honor them?

===

FACTS

Unsung

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/unsung
un·sung

1. Not honored or praised; uncelebrated: an unsung hero.
2. Not sung: unsung hymns.

Pay It forward
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward

The expression "pay it forward" is used to describe the concept of third party beneficiary in which a creditor who offers the debtor the option of "paying" the debt forward by lending it to a third person instead of paying it back to the original creditor.

Debt and payments can be monetary or by good deeds. In sociology, this concept is called "generalized reciprocity" or "generalized exchange". A related transaction, which starts with a gift instead of a loan, is alternative giving.

"To Have and To Hold"

“Once In a While in the Middle of an Ordinary Life LOVE Gives us a Fairy Tale”
Taken right from Angie (Flinn) Key’s Blog http://blog.angiekey.com/

They “DID” it – they got “married” – Toastmasters District 50's Past District Governor Angie Flinn, DTM and 2003 World Champion of Public Speaking, Jim Key – got married on Monday June 30, 2008!


http://www.jimandangiewedding.com/ I met Angie and Jim at the 2007 Toastmasters International Convention in Phoenix Arizona and she had on a “promise ring” then. I hope they attend the Toastmasters International Convention in Calgary this August 2008. Although they may not be able to because they are going on a cruise for their honeymoon. But Jim shares with me that if his friends are in the International Speech Contest - they just may show up!

Besides it won;t be as much fun without them at the President;s Dance - they really know how to throw down on the dance floor and here are some photos to prove!! These were taken by my Toastmaster Craig Strachan who was the LGM in S. Africa and is now the LGET(and his wife Lois is the outgoing LGET and the incoming DG!!) http://www.flickr.com/photos/cdstrachan/sets/72157601702989549/

Peek at Angie’s Blog to view the sweet wedding photos and her beautiful dress with the vibrant blue trim, dad walking her down the stairs and little entourage of flower girls!! Angie's http://blog.angiekey.com/ or Jim’s http://blog.jimkey.com/


I bought them a small gift card to Best Buy on June 15th – to contribute towards their “T.V. Fund” - or at least towards a “romantic” D.V.D.
...Now if I can just make my way to the POST OFFICE to mail it to Plano Texas!

OK friends raise your glasses and let’s make a quick toast to Angie and Jim – “TO HAVE AND TO HOLD… hope your Fairy Tale lasts forever!”…

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Facts

Marriage

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=define+marriage&btnG=Google+Search

1 a : the state of being married b : the mutual relation of husband and wife : WEDLOCK c : the institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family

2 : an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected; especially : the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities
3 : an intimate or close union

Excellence in Marketing Award!

“Excellence can be obtained if you:...care more than others think is wise;...risk more than others think is safe;...dream more than others think is practical;...expect more than others think is possible.” Anonymous

Ending the District 31 2007-2008 Toastmasters year with “Excellence in Marketing” award! It was an honor and privilege "TO LEAD and TO SERVE" District 31 as the 2007-2008 Lt. Governor of Marketing!

Friends I want to share that on Friday August 13, 2008 at the Toastmasters International Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada inside the Calgary’s TELUS Convention Centre http://www.calgary-convention.com/ at approximately 1:30 PM during the “Hall of Fame” Ceremony I will receive the “Excellence in Marketing” award from the International President, Chris Ford, DTM!!

“Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve
the quality of what you have to offer”
Perry Paxton

And of course I am excited and thrilled to have met the marketing goals for BOTH club building and membership (per caps) BUT I really accept this award on behalf of the MANY members in District 31 who helped and assisted me with meeting our marketing goals!!

Some of my "STAND OUT" Top Performers are -

My Co-Dues Are Dues Coordinators - Tien Truong and Gary Budiansky,
My seven (A-G) Division Demo Team Leaders from – Ray Gatti, Doug Sheadel, Tom Kirschner, Ben Lappen, Sheila Sullivan, Dale Averill, Ed Skurka.
My Club Coaches - (incoming LGM) Bil Lewis and Judy Artley,
My Membership Building Committee.

And especially the MANY Toastmaster members who invited friends and family members to Club meetings, took a roles at our Demo Meetings, helped with Chartering Paper work, submitted their membership dues “on time” to their club Treasurers, “Shared Their Toastmasters Stories”, Assisted at Toastmasters Booths in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island and helped get the WORD out about TOASTMASTERS!!

Some Nice Testimonials from Members in my District 31

“Sherri, thanks for your leadership, enthusiasm and helping to make this another great year for D31”. Dick Karon, DTM - Rhode Island

“THANK YOU for your willingness to make a difference”! George 'Mr. Nice Guy" Manoogian, Division F Governor

“Thank you Sherri - you did a great job”!! Ellen McCurdy

“Sherri - Great stuff! Keep serving...we need more models of excellence like you”.
Bash Turay, DTM, Past District 31 Governor, Past International Director

“Hi Sherri, Congratulations on achieving the Marketing Goal for this year. This is an awesome achievement and one in which you deserve a lot of credit. I know this was a lot of work on your part and I'm delighted with your success”. “Best wishes for more success as you embark on your journey as LGET”. Ray Gatti, Division B Demo Leader

“Sherri You have been a fantastic and dynamic Lt. Gov. Marketing for the past year! Can't remember ever seeing one so enthusiastic in all my Toastmastering Days, and that's A LOT OF DAYS IN FORTY YEARS” ! “ We will miss your leadership in Marketing but I know you will continue to help the District. Congratulations again” ! Eric Ericson, Past President, UCTC - Cape Cod, MASS

I would NOT have been able to achieve the distict goals without the help of MANY people. I think my friend John Lesko, DTM from District 27 summed it up best!!

“Congratulations, Sherri, “... But as you know, the numbers tell just a small part of the over-all story. ... There's a lot of selfless service and team effort behind any district's success. ... Thank you for sharing your TIPS, HINTS, and LESSONS LEARNED. ... But thank you most of all for your FRIENDSHIP”. See you in Calgary! John Lesko, DTM D27 2007-2008 Lt. Governor of Marketing – Excellence in Marketing, 2008-2009 Lt. Gov. Education & Training.


Are YOU a leader? Have You lead a team to success? Share with me some of the ways you say THANK YOU to those who have been instrumental in achieving a goal together!!


------------------


FACTS

Excellence

Excellence is the state or quality of excelling. It is superiority, or the state of being good to a high degree. Excellence is considered to be a value by many organizations, in particular by schools and other institutions of education, and a goal to be pursued. '

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excellence


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:excellence&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

Susan B. Anthony

"Failure is Impossible"

"Men their rights, and nothing more, women,

their rights, and nothing less"

Susan Bromwell Anthony

I just joined the Humor & Drama Toastmasters Club - meets the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 AM - 12:00Noon at MIT on Mass Ave in Cambridge, Mass. Over the past few years I have tried to visit the club as often as I can - spring & fall soccer sometimes prevent me from attending. I miss seeing the 2007 World Champion of Public Speaking, Vikas Jhingran at these meetings - it is where I watched him develop as a speaker and he often gave me great feedback evaluations - I think he really appreciated my theatrical skills.

For this Saturday July 5, 2008 meeting the newly elected District 31 Lt. Governor of Marketing, Bil Lewis, DTM (who is also the son of the first female District 31 Governor, Bettye Underhill, DTM) and is the incoming Humor & Drama Club President wanted to do an "Historical Speeches" meeting to celebrate the 4th of July. Take a sneak peek at his Patrick Henry Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufE99HB49nA

Other speeches were of Everett Edwards, John Hancock, a poem of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, Fredrick Douglass and I chose to deliver Susan Bromwell Anthony's "Woman's Right to Vote" I borrowed an historical costume from the Saugus High School's Theatre Department. We videoed the speeches and I do hope to post it on this blog. Oh yeah I also sang the National Anthem! Peek at Susan B. Anthony's Speech - Woman;s Right

http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/anthony.htm

This was a fun way for us to start the new Toastmasters year at the H & D Club with a Theme as well as celebrate Independance Day with some of the most important and influential speeches from people had a desire to "SPEAK UP AND CHANGE THE WORLD" (this is our incoming District Governor's theme!).

I am sure glad that we had pioneers who were brave enough to speak out on what they believed in!! Is there an historical speech that YOU would like to give? Why not create a special event and invite others to your club? It is a great way to build up membership, moral and show case your talent. AND Don;t forget to advertise!!


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FACTS and Links

Here is a list of Historical Quotes by Susan Ohanian
http://www.susanohanian.org/quotes.html


http://www.susanohanian.org/quotes.html


http://susanbanthony.net/


http://www.susanbanthony.freewebweb.com/p4_faq.html

19th Ammendment

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/nineteentham.htm

Woman's Suffrage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women

The term women's suffrage refers to the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending suffrage — the right to vote — to women. The movement's origins are usually traced to the United States in the 1820s. New Zealand is often credited with being the first country to give women the vote, but it was not technically a country when it granted women suffrage in 1893, but a mostly self-governing colony.[1] Places with similar status which granted women the vote before New Zealand include Wyoming (1869) and South Australia. Other possible contenders for first country to grant female suffrage include the Corsican Republic, the Isle of Man, the Pitcairn Islands, Franceville and Tavolara, but some of these had brief existences as countries and others were not clearly independent.
Today women's suffrage is considered a right (under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), although a few countries, mainly in the Middle East, continue to deny voting rights to women.

Coaching U12 Soccer

"Make no mistake, as you change your leadership style to one of a coach you will face challenges. There will be times when you question why am I doing this. However, you must at all times keep the long term benefits of being a coach at the forefront of your mind."

Byron & Catherine Pulsifer, from Challenges in Adopting a Coaching Style

I received an email last night from Frank one of the Saugus Youth Soccer Association (SYSA) Board members asking if I would be interested in coaching my daughter Sabrina's U-12 team (!). I REALLY was not expecting this because I really thought that Sabrina would be picked for either the Division A or Division B Travel Teams.

http://www.saugusyouthsoccer.net/SYSA/Home.html

Although I have coached her team two years ago - I would NOT consider myself a know how of the soccer sport - I never played it growing up. I was also the SYSA Equipment Manager for the entire town of Saugus!

I asked Sabrina if she wanted me to coach her new team and she said - "YES MOM" "DO IT" YOU MAKE IT SO FUN"! OK Sabrina WANTS me to coach - well then I will coach.

Today I emailed Andy back and agree to be her coach and asked if I could change the name name (I will let Sabrina pick it - last time she picked THE CHEETAHS.

Andy thanked for "stepping up". And since I have been in Toastmasters I have found that stepping up to leadership roles is as equally important as stepping up to speaking opportunities!

So add this to my arsenal of duties - "Coach Sherri"!!

"Kids don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

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Has YOUR local town or surrounding comminity ever called upon YOU to "step up" and to take on a leadership role? There are MANY leadership opportunities - coach a sport, join the PTO/PTA Board, assist with a church function, charity or fund raiser event. And you don;t even have to wait to be asked...

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FACTS

Soccer

http://www.answers.com/topic/soccer

A game played on a rectangular field with net goals at either end in which two teams of 11 players each try to drive a ball into the other's goal by kicking, heading, or using any part of the body except the arms and hands. The goalie is the only player who may touch or move the ball with the arms or hands.

Coach

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:coach&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

Definitions of coach on the Web:

In sports, a coach or manager is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coach (sport)

* (sports) someone in charge of training an athlete or a team

* a person who gives private instruction (as in singing, acting, etc.)
* passenger car: a railcar where passengers ride
* teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports; "He is training our * * Olympic team"; "She is coaching the crew"
* a carriage pulled by four horses with one driver
* drive a coach
* bus: a vehicle carrying many passengers; used for public transport; "he always rode the bus to work" wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

D31 Incoming LGET

Today is July 1, 2008 - the first day of the Toastmasters Year!

I am officially the 2008-2009 Lt. Governor of Education & Training.

I will learn a whole new leadership skill set. Last night at 11:58 PM the District 31 Leadership Trio - the incoming Lt. Govenror of Marketing, Bil Lewis, DTM and the District Governor Ariela Marshall, DTM and myself started our year off with a positive and motivational conference call. I am looking forward to another serving the district 31 which covers eastern Massachusetts - Worcester and the entire state of Rhode Island !!