Toastmaster Magazine Reading Gathering in December

The more we read, the faster we read. From the beginning, it took golden ladies more than two hours to complete reading three assigned articles in a magazine, then one and a half, then one hour. It took them less than 30 minutes to finish reading three articles in November issue this afternoon. I conclude there are three reasons. Golden ladies study the magazine hard at home in advance. Golden ladies synchronize one another in thinking. Golden ladies have something else on their minds.

I invited golden ladies to come visit my secret garden where the camellia was in full blossom on a sunny and warm winter afternoon. As the hostess, I opened the reading gathering by sharing my listening to the interviews of the authors on talkingtoastmasters. I encouraged golden ladies to follow Kristen Johnson's steps to plant a shill in the audience to create a theatrical effect for prepared speeches or party shows. Linda liked Dana LaMon's "Making the Moment Meaningful" particularly. Kate studied beyond three articles and recommended us to read Darcy Keith's "From Tragedy to Triumph". Her niece had the same experience recovering from a severe car accident. Lydia came late, but claimed she had looked up every new word in the magazine in the dictionary. We took turns giving her a vocabulary test and she passed with honor.

At Page 30, the last page of November issue, we saw our flag standing on the stage behind the board of directors in action at the International Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, in August. George Yen looked smart and handsome in green jacket and yellow tie. Golden ladied yelled aloud, "We love you, George!" in unison.

After reading the magazine, we finalized the roles for Hairspray we are about to perform at Division C Christmas Party, Saturday afternoon, the 22nd of December. Each lady has a role and we need to get together more often to rehearse the group dancing. Thanks to Irene for preparing the CDs and lyrics, so that golden ladies can work on their own, shake the body and dub the song in front of the mirror at home. December is a month of synchronization, a month of total presentation, and a month of joy and bliss.

PS:It was the first time golden ladies had the monthly reading gathering photo taken without the magazines in hands.