"Helping YOU Take Center Stage"!

"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 duri...

>...."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 t...

“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 Gel...

"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...

“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 immediate...

"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 spons...

“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 calle...

“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 S...

“ 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 cl...

"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 celebrat...

"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 a...

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 !!