Rotary Meeting of March 7, 2013 “Podium Poachers Take Over” by Gary Wilson, Bulletin Editor

Visitors

Kevin introduced Mark Hammil(sp) a visitor who is a Financial Advisor and his father was a Rotarian.  Looking for opportunities to get involved in the community.

Chuck Perlis “visited”.  This visitor attends much more than some of our members.

Jack introduced Derick King who visited from from a local Aircraft company here in town.   His father was here a few weeks ago and they seem to be interested in a company sponsorship.  Derick was really a good sport and participated willingly and freely with the group.  He volunteered to be a member of one of Joe and Elyses sample groups that frequently are made to look foolish.  Tom is there Supreme Commander.

Recognition (Joe did some “finin”) and the business part of the meeting.

Dick Van Vranken (who is on the Board of the Herald Publication in town) was told that the front page of the paper had a photo taken by him (Joe), yet credit was given to another.  Dick, who doesn’t read his paper and certainly doesn’t proof it, said he would have a big article in next week’s paper giving the credit where it belongs.  My guess is that won’t happen.

Laura got recognized vicariously because her sons’ picture was in the paper.

Elyse got recognized for going to a Hockey game, and ran into Joe in the lobby.  “What’s the odds of that”.  Her favorite part of the hockey is the fights.  It figures.

Julie S.  brought the raffle prizes.  Thanks

Melissa told the joke.  Thanks

Dean and Tom went to the Chamber Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the El Segundo Athletic Club

Julie accepted a stipend for the Little League.  There are 365 kids in the league along with the Challenger Team of special needs kids.   

Clair was the sponsor of the Challenger team in the past, but because of her special circumstances she is unable to continue that.  Kevin decided to take over that responsibility.  Thanks to Clair for all she was able to do for 4 years and thanks to Kevin for what he is about to do by taking over.  (Rotarians at work helping others to a better life)

The Program

This was about RYLA.  The program is for kids(and Rotarians) to learn leadership skills and to get out of your comfort zone..  Joe and Elyse have been doing this for a long time and they “beam” when they do it together.  Lead that is.  However a problem did occur that they solved even before the meeting started.

Question:  When you have two Podium Poachers who want to speak, how many Podiums do you need?  Answer of course is 2.  And that is what they did.  One of our other Podium Poachers (Julia) tried to make it a Troika but couldn't pull it off.  Joe and Elyse decided to have each of them on each end of the room, and for the most part they did not talk over each other.  Nice job.  It was like watching a Tennis Match.  All love.

They taught us a number of very valuable things but I am not sure what they are.  Here are a few.

First we learned how to make a Peanut Butter Sandwich.  I would let you know how this was done, but there were many version of the technique.  After reading 5 recipes there was a question and Joe wanted to know “what is missing here”?  

Like a deer in headlights we all looked at each other and came up with some stupid answers (there are no stupid answers right, well we might have to rethink that).  The hidden message is that when you communicate questions or instructions to someone; give them enough specific information about what needs to be done so there would be no misunderstanding. 

We were also given a pencil and paper.  Then, we were given the assignment to draw a picture of a “Triangalope”.  Elsye barked instructions like “has body like a triangle”, “has 4 large holes, and 4 small holes”, “has a tail with fur on it”, “feet with 3 toes” etc. etc.  We all drew our Triangalope pictures separately from the same instructions and for the most part they were all different.  

Dick kept looking over my shoulder at my Trianleope and pretty much copied mine.  He was still working on his Peanut Butter and Jellie Sandwich which looked like a banana taco.  Tom's picture looked like a Banana chasing a Doughnut.  Freud would have a lot of fun with that Supreme Commander.

I had the best Triangleope in the building that day.  It looked like Tom without the hair on the tail, otherwise…  Dick’s looked exactly like mine and I saw it for sale on Ebay yesterday.  That should fetch quite a bit.

We had some other exercises where we had to do a task but could not talk to each other.  No spoken language  We never thought that you could write messages...same things just slower.  Think outside the box, or there is no box as Joe likes to say.    The task had something to do with our birth dates and you had to line up according to your age.  Shannon jumped in front, Claire jumped right behind her.  If they were the only two in line then that would have worked both forwards and backwards, but unfortunately there were 4 others no knowing what to do because they couldn't talk.  Kevin took out his drivers license (or maybe it was his Fire Badge) to show it to the others.  I hope that is what he was doing.  Our good sport Visitor Derick was kinda thinking “what the hell I am doing here.  My father really set me up”. 

Fundamentally it was all about “communications” and “leadership”.  Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow, sometimes you are bewildered, and sometimes you are a Rotarian and do them all....and laugh.  And laugh we did.  

We heard little from our President Elect as we floundered through our tasks and he shook his head and no doubt was thinking that next year is going to be a very tough year.  He is looking for Leadership and he gets peanut butter.   He needed to reach out to Derick and make sure he did not get a way  Perhaps Derick is smart.  The man with one eye is king in the valley of the blind.

Well, my time is up and we just got a new Pope.   It is time to make a Peanut Butter and Trianglealope Sandwich.  Very tasty, but tough.  I think it would be good in the slow cooker first and perhaps Joe could have it on the menu for our next meeting.

Parting Thoughts

EXTRA:  We have a new Pope, his chose name is Francis.

Question:  Who is higher, the Supreme Commander or the Pope.  Tom will answer that at the next meeting.  Tom is a Catholic, or at least he goes to the Catholic Church here in town to watch me stand up and sit down a dozen or so times.  Mary takes me there from time to time on the condition that I can’t tell anyone that I am her husband.  I like going to church, I feel better afterward.  God is a good thing.