06-15-06 Meeting Summary

Summary – Mutual Voices Meeting Thursday, 6/15

Another Betsy S. was Toastmaster. Betsy’s theme was Fathers, Flags and Fun Summer Activities. Betsy’s opening including the derivation of Father’s Day and the origin of Flag Day.

Attendees were: Mike C., Lori G., Mary Ellen G., Laura G. Laura C., Kathy J., Dan B., Marian J. and Betsy S.

Duty holders were: Timer -- Kathy J.; Wordmaster/Grammarian – Marian J.

Speech # 1 was presented by Dan B. The title was “Watch What You Wish For.”

Dan gave a very amusing speech about how he recently purchased a speed boat. He was the proud owner of a simple fishing boat for many years prior to this extravagant purchase. Dan told us how he loved to fish even though he didn’t like to eat what he caught. He admitted that over the years, the frequency with which he had used his boat for fishing outings was relatively low. Despite this reality, while at his sister’s cabin earlier in the spring, he’d made the rash statement “I have to buy a speed boat.”

From then on he had to follow through, especially when his brother-in-law tracked down a pretty good deal. He was now the co-owner, with his brother-in-law, of a fine looking boat that looked a lot sportier than the earlier more ultilitarian craft. As the title of his speech suggested, he was discovering that speed boat ownership wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Since buying the boat, it seemed as if he’d been obliged to make all kinds of other purchases

Laura C.y was Table Topics Master. She chose Mike C. to answer her first question, “What activity did your father enjoy and what would you like to do with him again if you had the chance?” Mike talked about going fishing with his now-deceased Dad when he was younger. Later on in life he had also bought a boat and one of his father’s favorite pastimes was cleaning the boat for him. According to Mike’s account, on these occasions his Dad seemed to enjoy entertaining his friends in the boat while it sat in his driveway as much as any other activity.

Laura G. answered Table Topics Question # 2, “What traits of her father’s is she most glad that she hasn’t picked up from him?” Laura’s response was that her father is a bit of a hermit, who goes to work, comes home and rarely ventures outside of the house. He also has a “tendency to be a bastard,” one of a long line of men who always feel that they have to be right.

Kathy J. answered Table Topics Question # 3, “What activities would you most like to do when raining?’ Kathy said that if it was raining and she was by herself that she’d do two things: one -- organize her photos into scrapbooks and two -- watch all the DVDs that she’s purchased that are unsuitable viewing for her children.

Betsy S. answered Laura’s fourth question, “What kind of things does she do to show her patriotism on Flag Day. Betsy told a story about how she came up with a way of displaying a flag in front of her house, while still following the association’s strict building codes.

Mike C. provided the inspiration for the day by telling the story of a baseball player with the Twins, Jason Kubel, who was far from being a “natural.” He’d hung in there through career set backs, including a knee injury, and years in the minors. Finally, he’d earned a place on the Twins team and had hit a winning ball in a recent game. As Mike said “not bad for a short, slow kid with a knee injury.”

Wordmaster/Grammarian Marian J. reported that there were some interesting uses of language, including Mike’s “ a smile worth a billion dollars” and Laura Griffith’s word “hermitisation.” Laura C. Dan B., Mike C. Lori G. and Betsy S. all used the word of the day – intrepid.