Jargon

When I undertook the role of Jokemaster at a recent Toastmasters’ meeting I hadn’t realized it was going to be such a difficult job. Especially when the theme is Jargon – I thought I might be downsized by the chair, let go, uninstalled, derecruited, and invited to seek other opportunities outside my role. I realized I had to think big and outside the box. I had to push the envelope, raise the bar, take things to the next level, and indulge in some blue sky thinking. Telling a joke is a two-way street and I had to do it without going postal. It was tempting to pick the low hanging fruit which may or may not be cherries. I needed a gilt-edged, copper-bottomed, member-facing joke that I could run up the flagpole and everyone would salute it. I’d really want 360-degree feedback too. Anyway, I should park my thinking offline. This is a finely balanced situation, weighted heavily towards the members. So, I should touch base with you and keep you in the loop because we need to be on the same page and singing from the same hymn sheet – it’s important there are no disconnects so that we are sending and receiving mixed messages.

Here are some new words for your vocabulary:

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Fairtrade

A famous idiom in the English language is that mighty oaks from little acorns grow.  Each of you may think to yourself at some point – can I make a difference to the world, how can one person make a difference?

If you ever doubt that this can happen then let me yell you about Bruce Crowther.

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This Strange Sky

By Val Parks

This strange sky…
The moon eclipsed,
Its corona
Of pale orange light
Appears dust filled.

So primitive man
saw an angry god,
and so instilled with guilt,
He fell upon his knees
And wept, and prayed.

The blackened orb
Gave way to silver light,
And so confirmed his guilt
And his redemption.

‘Tears Fall’ by Tabatha Visutskie

Your tears fall within seconds
What is the emotion now?
Desert storms create hallucinations
Sacred land
Knowledge from the laws
Greater wisdom comes from life
Why repeat what has been repeated
Old and new tell the story
Tragedy or destiny
Born to inspire
One to speak
As light enters
Waste not your existence
Suffering is self inflicted
Pain is transparent
Be forgiven
Drop what destroys you
Let healing in
Take your gloves off
Give blood to your veins
Uneasy energy
Are your tears for nothing?
Or do they cry for peace?
A warrior weeps
Then comes the calm

November 4. 2009