Hi ,funny, if trees could talk I am sure they would laugh and joke when they watch us religously sweeping up leaves underneath them! I particularly hate trying to sweep a leaf that is lying shiny side up as the broom slips across the top, I get ratty and tired with those ! Funny what you think about when you are doing this monotonous yet semi- enjoyable weekly task. I remember one of my first jobs involved sweeping leaves in autumn from under the giant oak trees lining the streets of Devonport. On a windy day there were more leaves falling than I could ever hope to sweep, nearly killed me trying to keep up….must have looked hilarious to the locals who all stopped to admire my desperate efforts. All that aside our yard briefly looks nice after it is swept although probably to the total amusement of the big Pohutukawa on our boundary. Funny also how good having a swept yard can make you feel along with other simple stuff like walking the dog, planting vegies and sowing a new lawn,rigging a new clothesline,cleaning out chest of draws and wardrobes or hanging a favorite picture . These were all things we managed to get done this weekend after promising ourselves to do so for a few weeks. Most satisfying and rewarding to sit back and admire some honest toil around the homestead.Funny again how it is the simple things that don’t cost you millions of dollars or too much time yet give you the most simple joy in life. Funny how easy it is to lose sight of that sometimes as we all seem to be moving so fast these days, slow down sweep some leaves, watch the new grass and plants grow and soak up some of lifes simple pleasures see how much better you will feel…….funny that!
I hope you had a relaxing weekend achieving something you have been meaning to do too with family and friends. Have a great week, cheers Jonesey!
Harry the hound loves his new lawn and is doing his bit to landscape and fertilize it!
“Our job is to avoid the pitfalls, seize the opportunities and be home by six oclock”
Woody Allen
I am the official timer at our next Toastmasters meeting. It has been a while since I was the timer and it is a timely (excuse the pun) reminder of not only the importance of the role but for me the importance of staying on time generally. The role of timer is as it suggests is to keep the meeting on track and ensure that every role in the meeting is timed and stays to the agreed time. One of the great things about Toastmasters is that everything has a time allocated to it. This assists members to prepare material that fits with the time allocated to each particular task. I am looking forward to the role and to organizing myself to be able to do the best job possible in assisting the ‘Toastmaster’ run another effective and powerful meeting.
So that is the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the Toastmasters role, now what about me as an individual?? A different story, as I mentioned recently about my driving habits, I have a bad habit of not allowing enough time to get to meetings and always have to rush meaning I am invariably late…..not a good look ! Have you noticed when you are running late you get every red light and end up behind every grandparent heading to the local housie or RSA meeting (sorry Mum and Dad!) but its true ! What is it with that? Or…..I will leave it until the last minute to prepare a presentation, tender document or quote after in some cases having had weeks to do so ! And then I will rush around panicing to get the thing done on time unsettleing everyone in my wake and ending up with a rushed job and often placing the business at risk. A former manager once said to me “CJ you have all the time there is and no one can give you anymore” How true that is, “like the hour glass of time, these are the days of our lives.”So my advice to you in true Toastmasters timer fashion, two key things;1)You live in Auckland,always allow extra time to get where you are going and get there early and 2) Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today!
“Next week there cant be any crisis. My schedule is already full.” Henry Kissinger
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