Congratulations? Be aware of it (bis)

Again, this comes up. Alas.

“The Basecamp does Congratulate me that I finished, yet it does not recognises I did.”

"The VPE verified my Level : Transcript told her my level is not finished as one of my three projects is not closed yet."

Till we do not get this, the comparison between Assess your skills Before and After, like this, (and all before could be 0 if that was not answered, no problem) the end of a project is not recognized by the Basecamp. 

That would be less a problem if any project last page would not end by a Congratulations you finished (see the last picture in this post). Alas, we can get to the congratulation, even when the Project is viewed as unfinished by BC. 

Attention! when you come back to the Project after the tasks are finished, come with Launch clicked not use View Training Details (that should not have been there).

When we go back after a speech and getting evaluation, go through Open Curriculum, to the Level you are working, we have to make sure we do Launch the Project we just Completed, and not click on View Training Details. Not like this bellow. 

This does not bring us into our Project but to the informations about it. It counts alas for nothing, but confuses many. 

Again: we should not be able to arrive at this last page of every project, you see bellow, unless Base cam does recognize that we indeed finished it! Alas, there are many ways to arrive there. I signaled this more then a year ago already.

"But I finished, they even congratulated me!" wrote again and again a new toastmaster. With her first Level, she was helped, perhaps even done for her or with her, but at Level 2 the VPE believed that now, she knows, understands.

First Pathways Panel 2019

Organized by Michelle Alba-Lim, administrator of Pathways Discussion Forum, 7 panelists gathered, we had a respectable audience. 

The hour begun, after midnight my time, with Michelle showing a similar short bio image, for all seven of us. This one was for presenting me. At the bottom, are the Paths finished and the path I begun. Perhaps, one is missing, but we get the image in fact only when finished: I did finish only 5 so far, but am on different levels on others.

I begun Pathways because the Virtue of Patience not mine.

I continued first because I have the Value of Persistence. 

I titled my story "up close and personal" and tried to give it a funny slant.

My daily blog and moderating the Pathways discussion forum, now 8000 members, help each other as I got inspiration from questions posed there, read it almost all as a moderator, and write in this blog daily answers and impressions. 

Learned from other panelists. All very different. All speaking of some part of what they do. All active! Not easy in maximum 5 minutes with slides showing for some. 

Some expressions: 

"break down the barriers"; "crack the outside shell"; "been there seen that".

Once inside, and learned the "outside", most love what is in there. Some have problems I never encountered, as the video coming to slowly. As Basecamp disappearing : it must be the window hiding! 

I do hope, it does go better for you. Comment to ask questions here, or come to the facebook group and ask them. I am always happy to be "pathways detective" and discover, solve any problem that arrises. 

Julie 3 minutes Table Topics answer "all changed"

Svetlana asked and I answered to unexpected question

at Witty Storytellers Online meeting

yesterday early morning

--- "all ends well when the end is" ---

most difficult the climb, more the relief or surprise becomes bigger

End of fiscal year, how to pay?

Of course, most of clubs Treasurer did already pay for all its members who renewed : the possibility opened towards middle January. Some committee members paid for themselves, as the possibility to pay for ourselves, even it was voted in August, did not yet open for all members.

All is "simple" when we know how to. And yes, there are also explained, animated help now. But how all begins? One has to be logged in.  Then Choose Leadership Central.

After login, as club officer, one can to through Leadership Central, --> to Club Central. 

Then open the club, you want to pay for. I am in three club committees, so first I have to choose for which club I want to pay.

Before payment, I usually verify for the last time the Club Roster. It can be sorted by payment. All who paid will then be together, and all who did not together. Of course, TMI also sends at the end a letter of payment processed to you, relatively soon, in a few minutes after the payment is processed.

After going back, I decide for whom I want to pay now, and open the Submit Payment.

From all whose payment was not yet submitted till September (this time) as six month we pay at a time, I did chose a member who already paid for the club and for whom I want to pay this time. His name comes down (or many others too if we pay for many) in the Membership Cart. Then I have to click to Continue to payment submission and verify and add the payment details from my card.

After entering all the Credit Card details, that I do not show you filled up, for obvious reasons here.

A last verification of one or all payments (eventually the total if more then one) and going back to Roster to verify: the member for whom we paid is already changed in the club roaster! Date 6 month more.

Seems easy to me, as I have done it many times for many in September last year, this year for myself, and now to demonstrate. For all who need to understand. Must have skipped a step of two, but the proceeder is clear. What I did not remember, that one has to go down the window, to see the payment after we asked.

So many important things we can see in the Club Roster beside payments. Also all who are already "in" Pathways having at least chosen a Path and who did not.

This club, all committee members, all new members, and some of the seasoned members are "in" and we have more "in pathways" then those not yet, in my advanced online club we are 100% on pathways, even if some are finishing roles to get "all in Pathways DTM" or "their first not yet pathways DTM".

Today, at Witty Storytellers Online, we had a CC speech, it was given by a very good DTM speaker, and a Embracing Humor Level 4 required, answering to two last minute chosen Table Topics, in a very creative way.

Different perspectives

You can look at Pathways Education systems gloomy,from afar,  all seems then black.  Nothing usual. Nothing friendly. Wishing nothing changed.

Forgetting, that over the years, a lot changed, many times. Even if the change did not seem so radical. 

For me, personally the biggest change was not when the Competent Communicator Manual went from 15 projects to 10, but when someone added to it an awfully written and badly conceived Leadership Manual. As VPE and as Mentor, I had to spend hours figuring out how to report from it and what. 

We can also look at it after we have already begun in Basecamp as difficult steps to go up to, as I looked yesterday, coming back from the garden between our buildings, the one behind where I live. 

The steps seemed so high, so difficult to climb! 

But as I begun thinking about how I will use the photos I take and decide what angle to use to express what I think, the difficulty thrinked, and I found myself suddenly at the first level, then second and third.

I was before my door, one last big breathe and inside.

Of course, then I have to sit down and send my almost sixty pictures from iPhone to Macintosh laptop, from download to a special Tuesday folder, give all pictures a title, and send them to my Flickr album specially created for them. Spring outings. Then tryhow to send a link to my Facebook page and wether or not show some in my blog. 

Hour passed, without me noticing it. Happy times, no more full of worries. Happy times, as the difficulty was behind me. Here just one of sixty.

So much depends how we look at it!

I have begun Pathways, 2 years ago, day by day, with a huge bomb. 

Did not know, it just was the day all the District 27 launched, and it was not because the Navigator! Let me admit now, for many weeks I did not go near the Navigator any more. 

The Assessment, did not bomb, when a few hours later, I tried again. Three path were proposed to me, the Visionary Communication, the Presentation Mastery, and... another. Thinking, my passion for Personal Storytelling which was my first vision, was just fulfilled by the Witty Storytellers Online club I created, and as, too many of us, "I do not want to learn about Leadership, I want mostly speak and tell stories, I choose first Presentation Mastery. First, Web based, later changed to Printed.

Alas, I also thought that I have to Print everything, the Navigator PDF, that I could download finally, a lot of pages, and the Projects. Well, I was at Icebreaker. But already, my family had enough to print for me and bring me the pages. In plus, we do not leave so near each other then we used to: they moved three times since we arrived in London. So, I decided, to transform my path in Manual Path, it was not yet past one month since I joined. I had to pay 45 dollars, but instead of PM I got my second choice, Visionary Communication. 

So I had from the very beginning two path. Good and bad choices. Good choice was to get a second, web based path! Bad choice was my manual path: a lot of special mixup, and I did not get my first two manuals till June! But I had Visionary Communication of web. 

I went to the Check Configuration, and did everything I was asked. Disabled my "popup blocker" in the Safari, I use, and added Java and Java Script as asked. So I prepared my computer as well as I could. And finally, I even did buy a printer. Wonderful HP printer working from afar, fast, nice print. Very expensive inks! Of course, at the beginning, they give it to you with the printer. 

All was well, till I did not find myself inside the Icebreaker, but did not know how to get out of it. Plus, whenever I opened a link, my computer (browser in fact) send me back to my path, not the level or Project I was. Learning how to use tabs instead window, took me a visit from my son. For him, it was evident. My life become easier after that. I was less angry at Base Camp, when I realized, so much in fact was my computer, my browser and later, Adobe doing, not coming from Toastmasters.

But arriving to Congratulations, thinking I finished, not knowing how to get out from it, was the USER Interface problem. Now, all project description finishes with "Answer the Auto assessment - After questions. But still there are some who do not know about it. I wrote yesterday, so I will not repeat here. Just let me add, that Matthew entered my computer in London from Toronto, to my surprise and fast showed me how to go through Before and then After Assessment Questions. He worked so fast, I had difficulty following, but finally I did understand: instead of continuing with the big arrow right, we have to use the Next Next as many times as they are round circles. Such a dum decision, to change ways to advance! And finish with this answers given instead of asking "Finished"? Yes / No.

I am impatient, but I am persistent. One project end is as the others, many things same. Plus, once I learned something, very soon I was the one to help others. All is well what finished well. Soon, after I learned the Pitfalls, I become the Expert, showing my pals how to. It is enough to know just a few things! 

Now I look back, and all problems seems small and forgotten, and just steps to be able to help others. It was, for me all two years ago! I finished 5 path since.

Applies to my life Outside Toastmasters

Can we give the speech or make all the project outside toastmasters? outside the club? 

Already this screen, would answer to the intention of Toastmasters Pathways. Every project finishes with this screen we have to answer, in order to make sure the Base Camp understands that our Project if Finished. I do hope, you know by now. 

Of course, all questions that come before, sometimes only 3 more other times 6 more, have to be answered, in order that we can Save the answers and consider the project done. 

How many projects can we do "outside" Toastmasters? As many as we need or want. There is no more a limit of only 2 as it was before. Of course, still best to speak and tell the VPM so they know about them, but it does not have to be, also can be, a formal approval. 

We do not learn for the club, we grow for our own development. Enjoyment. As Adults.

And the learning does not go only in one direction! Sometimes, we do bring, what we learned to our clubs and club members, use what we learned outside toastmasters. 

As for me, at the beginning, I used a lot what I learned in my toastmasters clubs to go out and tell my stories on stage, and what I learned with audience interactions also helped me later in standup comedy. But then, I did bring what I learned to my club and area, and then even farther to offer free workshops. 

Many Toastmasters around me uses what learned to professional life, rehearse a speech or part of it that has to be given inside the Toastmasters club, others to learn English better, yet others to feel more connected. We personalize our projects, to our needs.

All projects of Level 3

Level 1 has the basics. It can be used and repeated many times.

I love speaking about my life and passions and done it already 9 times. As I go, I am told, it goes better, more interesting. It was the same story told differently three time, then I spoke of my passions.

My research also changed with time, as older ones I discovered better, new things to discover.

As to the feedback and evaluation project, what can beat a « any subject any style » how can anyone complain they cannot speak about anything they want in Pathways ?

Level 2 was never my choice. I do not like jargon nor be put in a box, but I understand now, it’s three Projects are there to show the importance of self reflections. In the last Path, E. Humor, no more jargon ! Both Leadership style and communication style disappeared! Instead we got reflection about our Humor, and an eye opener about differences in audiences.

Then comes the Level 3.

The first time I arrived to Level 3 I felt like a kid in bonbon store. So many to choose from! So many I could taste! Indeed. I activated almost all. Launched and read many. Saved and printed for sure more then two. Spoke using three, even if two was enough. Repeated Voice variety three times with different text, each time the feedback was great. Yet, now after many Level 3 behind me, yesterday I received a feedback about my contest speech “voice Variety could have been better”. Alas, it takes time and many many repeats and attention also to it, to learn a skill.

It was in my 5th path, Motivation Strategy, main theme for me, pictures and also putting pictures in the audience head, that I took a decision: try to do as many electives as I can.

It meant to slow the pace or going through paths, a lot. Going deeper instead, discovering what did not yet. Becoming able to speak about all Projects, at least all electives.

Level 3 Electives? All done now. Finally, I discovered all well worth. Learned something from all of them. Even one or two I did not think at the beginning, was for me. I will no more interview for a new job, but discovering more about what I do well and where I may still progress is for any ages.

Now, at level 4 with its longer projects, some more difficult for me, I am slowed down more. So what? When I want to say something and have a slot to say it, I use another path.

Last contest

There are many beginnings and endings in my life. Today I spoke about an important end, no more going regularly to work.

I was 60 too young and feeling lost.

What to do? What was waiting for me around the corner? Was it anything ?

That was the beginning of my story in today’s contest. I begun to tell and already my time was up. From four contestants, I hoped I will be first, even if others told better, standing up.

I was voted last.


Concluded “contest is not my cup of tea” I decided no more contests for me. As for my “connect with storytelling” Project I got evaluated and the feedback was better then I deserved and got from judges.

A story is best in a limited time and place, and not going through long times and future changes. This speech, many stories in fact, will be interesting in an hour time, not in 5-7 minutes. I have never worked so much and perhaps, even so interesting then when I begun without pay, not as many hours.

From writing to learning about storytelling. From storytelling to discovering photography. From photography to discovery of audience and the joy of telling instead of writing. And then of comedy and it’s techniques and joy of making laugh.

Now, the joy when one after other I am told I helped toastmasters around the word win contests. Achieve Level one or a path. Helping others win is more for me then winning.

Go inside the forest

A toastmaster, very critic of pathways, did not like that I questioned him if he already begun, wrote "I see the forest. You probably cannot see well, because of the trees".Used of someone who is too involved in the details of a problem to look at the situation as a whole. 

Can one SEE and EXPERIENCE the forest from afar? Can one experience Pathways, without having begun, done, went through path and projects? Can one begin to taste, smell, feel the forest without having been inside it?

I suddenly become 5 years old, and was with my father, holding most of the time my hand, in the pin forest up the Carpathian mountains, near the place my grand parents lived. For me it remains a magical time. 

Yes, the small path had lots of trees but also some bushes that I had to avoid. It also had some specially good fruits, that I could taste, and a smell I would never forget. 

All in the forest was not as I was used to, and I had to adapt, to learn how to do things that in our flat would not have posed a problem. Using leaves, instead of paper. And do not mind a few scratches when I went too near some bushes. Go around some patches of water on the road. I come out from the forest, loving it forever. 

And with the memory of how wonderful it is when someone holds your hand.

Looking at the Pathways Education Program from afar, does not help to see it better! One has to go inside the forest, with all the tasty projects and all the perils and experience it. Yes, see the details. Hold each other hands when needed. Come out from time to time, happy and remembering how wonderful it is inside the forest, and enriched with all learned there.

Celebration of 1 year at Lewisham Speakers

Why do I show it again? Login to toastmasters.org? For all the NEW members, who never yet logged in. Too see that if it is the first time, you are asked to tell “forgot my password” so they send you a link to your email from which you do give the password you want to use from now on.

Login to Toastmasters is necessary as it is the gate not only to Pathways but also to the new Navigator, that AFTER login, you can access from Pathways menu, and from almost the bottom of the choices there, THE NAVIGATOR. So much can be learned, from this Navigator!

Between all others, a lot about the possible Paths, all 11 of them, and their specific projects, furthermore all the possible Elective Projects, the projects from which we can choose. But also, as I told yesterday, to 5 new members, can Activate, Launch, Save or Print any of them, even if not speaking this time, in this path using those opened.

After the Lewisham Speakers meeting, my "brick and mortar" club, I come home happy: now ALL Committee members are "in" and the club is in good way of showing Pathways importance.

While before, we did not have enough speakers, yesterday 2 Icebreakers and 1 second speech of Evaluation and Feedback and all eager to sign up soon to give the other speakers, to learn more about Projects and Levels.

First, I was told, I can explain about pathways and show it through the projector the President did bring on his back, black rucksack, instead of one of the speakers. But he did arrive, last minute.

Then, I was told, speak and show during the break. We do have a 15 minute break after the Evaluations and before the Table Topics. There was noise. At the beginning we heard it, then the noise faded. Five eager newcomers around the projector, and as I did not know how to handle the Windows portable, one of them sit down and I just had to point to the wall, tell her what to do.

Even better! When doing, you remember. It was a great demo finally, good questions, and some come back to me also after our meeting, for further questions. One of the guest, joined. Eager new Toastmasters, a great Committee, a great team.

Anniversary of gates opened

Elizabeth so happy with Pathways, soon finishing her second path.

In her blog, today she describes her pathways journey and all to whom she is greatful who helped her. 

Who spoke to her first, inviting her to a Panel Discussion. Whom helped her, before Pathways was available to our Districts, Region, to begin remote access, and encourage her through her journey. 

As you see, and a while ago already, she did buy herself a specially designed, her design, tee shirt.

She opened a blog, for her second Level 4, I do recommended already one, love her voice.

I found today, last year 20 March memories and how happy I was when finally, after almost a year going elsewhere we could access Pathways in our district. We waited, were told it will be afternoon, found it open early morning. Told to each other. 

Most did not get access till Pathways arrived in their region. As to me, I also become immediately Base Camp manager as I was Secretary. And Pathways Ambassador for ten clubs, I went to launch. 

Perhaps, I should visit all again, tell of the new stuff found, arrived since.

Mentor or Manipulator?

We have mostly wonderful people in our Toastmasters Tribe. Helping each other, giving feedback the best they can, Coaching for a special event when needed, Mentoring longer.

Learn from many sources

I am preparing my 9th "Me as protégée" and just got the knowledge of a so called mentor, who in fact, manipulates all his protégées. Installs poison in them, instead of helping, pushing them to spread his twisted ideas and the inverse of love in each. 

I was very lucky with my Mentor, from first weeks, two years ago, continuing, whenever I needed. Alas, not all had similar luck. So be aware who do you choose as Mentor, whom you listen to, learn from. They can help you a lot. 

Some alas, will only push you at the end down by offering bad advices. Learn from many sources, be open to many. Then, listen and use your values to decide.

How long takes a path?

I was very surprised, when someone posted on a Facebook Group, that he finished 11 path in only 1 year! He did tell that he is in many clubs, President of one, VPE of two others, he visited 78 clubs and many countries ! Still, it seems too fast.

Yes, I did at all my time Toastmaster and Pathways for the last two years now, and was also at some time in many clubs. Most of them, Online and only one lately "brick and mortar" near me. 

Yes, I was member in the seven years from 2009 to 2016 December, I got 14 awards in the "old education", went once from CC (first year) to DTM, then again to Advanced communicator Gold. 

Yes, from May 2007 in 2 years only, I got more then 33 Pathways awards, one after other, at the beginning my Remote access clubs declared the awards Great Communicators and DTM Masters and later Yakina Toastmasters, because they were already "IN" pathways, (the forth I attended refused any awards) but I did speak in at least 9 different clubs the first year then in many more, as Pathways Ambassador and then as Pathways Guide. At some time, I was paid member of 7 clubs, too much for my budget. 

I did go down to "only" three clubs paid member, but it is raising again. 

From 1st April, it will be four, paid them already, and soon probably more, because one of clubs I visit ofter is ready to charter. 

It takes a lot of energy, to assist even from home, to online clubs, or remote access clubs, be in the committee, help with tasks of course, not only speak when one of my stories is ready, one of projects completed. 

I finished Visionary Communication path, my first, in 7 month. 

Effective Coaching, begun at almost same time, with it's High Performance Leadership took a year. I am still proud of the High Performance Leadership Project, that first annoyed me, then I was proud of it. I succeeded to have my online club members begin Pathways, 100% before even it arrived to our district. And many of them become Pathways Guides - that one is not my doing, even it knowing more about Path may have helped them.

The fastest path for me was the Leadership Development, in 5 month, as we were preparing a storytelling festival with a team, and the personal storytelling Theme that went through all the path, was very familiar to me already. We had a fixed date, when the festival had to take place, and after, it was the Lessons Learned, and Reflect on only. I did not declare this path, till the Pathways arrived to my London District, a few month later.  

Of course, once you understand how Pathways, Levels, Projects work, it take less time to worry about them. The first steps take more courage and perseverance, and pals to help when needed. Still, even later, each Project is a new discovery, a new experience. 

A new reflexion on what went on, what I learned, and from what went less well, how I can do best next time. Discovery of a project already done takes less, but doing it better, differently does consume not only energy but time.

Rushing them, would take out from their value for me. 

in the Motivation Strategy path in which I decided to do every project, every elective not only the minimum, so I go as slow as this decision asks. Level 3 Electives where interesting, and indeed I did all of them (minus the new one added from February about Humour, where I have to go back to do), but the Level 4 paths do take a lot of time, most of them do now. 

Learning new skills is not enough, one has to "do". One hour long podcast and regular podcasts I let for the moment on the side, after understanding how I could do, they have to be done and energy spend on them, to do them well.

One month long blogging, it is the third time I do this project. I am almost there for this 3rd time, one month blogging in a new blog with pictures, finished tomorrow! Instead of 8 I blogged every day again, so it will be 30 posts. I will not stop, of course, so many more pictures to show and speak about! As they were not looked a lot, I have to discover yet, what social media to use, where to publish about that blog, the shoot and tell stories about the pictures. Where could I find new people to come to my blog. 

That will be of course, also a new Project, about Social Media, about Networking. 

Sometimes, I do feel the rush to go, read, discover, but then comes the awareness, that it takes time to experiment  repeat, learn a new skill. Reflect on the results and act on what discovered. A craft takes patience and time, energy and understanding.

Saint Patrick’s Comedy Icebreaker

Ten years ago, I went the first time in my life to celebrate with the Irish and their descendants, their new immigrants even, young ald Old, Saint Patrick’s day. By taking photos and publishing them on Flickr.

It was my first spring in London.

Two years later, from photography to Toastmasters, to personal storytelling I arrived to the Comedy school, for six Sunday afternoon.

Found myself between ten young men behaving like nasty boys. Almost quit, but I paid already.

Saint Patrick forgotten I waited long for the bus that did not come, because of the Parade. Finally, took the metro and then walked through a long long street, my knee aching more and more. And in my mind, the routine formed. As soon as I arrived, yes, late, I was asked if I still want to tell my three minutes. Well, I told them how I felt. In their own language!

It become my comedy Icebreaker!

For the first time, very surprised, all laughed. And our workshop leader, told me : “I fucking love your shit!” Another lesson, how many ways those two words can be said.

My bits become my usual beginning and at each comedy club, they break the ice between me and the audience. Till, a year later, I found another beginning too. Both break the ice between the old white haired woman and the mostly young audience.

Slowly, I added to it. And sometimes I shuffle around the order in the parts, but mostly the same texts are told and with more and more success. Small new parts added in the middle testing their effectiveness and left or dropped. Trial and error, trial and success is how the routine is becoming longer. More effective. Sharper. Funnier, for certain audience.

Saint Patrick day, remains a sweet memory for me. The waiting for bus, the walking with my knee hurting more and more paid. “The obstacle is the way” so true! The first time, I break the ice between me and those ten young and made them laugh. Made them see me also with somewhat different eyes.

Online, body language?

More then one Project treats with Online Presence, Online meeting and so, how we appear online, not only to local but also international audience alike. In our Online Clubs, we use Zoom Video Conferencing software where we can see audience or only the speaker.

You do not have to sit down, as I do most of the time, more and more, toastmasters find that they can stand up and speak.

When you stand up, more gestures can be made and seen.

At the beginning, we believed we have to show then all from us, but look here, this far is already enough. I looked at television too, they to same.

 He went a bit farther, still enough to show hand and arm gestures, and at the same time, see also the face and the rest.

You can also see, comparing the two, that contrast between the background and tee-shirt, helps to point out more the head and the arms the fingers.

We have to experiment.

More the one way. Most important, is to learn when which to use online. Or even when we speak to a room, how much take in the video we make.

As his expression is so strong, I want to see more of his face, and that I do not see all of his hands does not really mother.

He also used a very contrasting, different background. At the beginning, it attracts attention, but as he took me with his content, I forgot all but what he said. 

And the very varied expressions, that went so well with it.

As usual, and I do change my background but not often, I stay near my computer, my desk, write notes or show slides.

I did try to stand up, but showed all of me, and was too far. Of course, with a proper wireless clicker I my even change slides.

What I have to realize and experiment more, is the "proper" on standing but not too far going, to show just enough from myself so my expression would be still well seen. 

In plus, we have to remember, because of the wavelength, we have to move a bit slower. 

A beautiful background, and going farther can also work wonderfully

New Projects in the Pathways, lets us learn a lot, prepare for being taken video of, or to instruct others how too. "Modern skills, are important" - even for me, at soon 85.

Why not announce small improvements?

Yes, what does it mean Educational Transcript? For many toastmasters, nothing.

Now, under the Education Transcript, finally it is written "Access my Path" 


It is one step in the right direction. But why was this done so discretely?

Till someone from the Pathways discussion Forum did not point it out, I did not even observe it!

In fact, I hope, EDUCATION TRANSCRIPT is left there only for a while, then the tile title will become ACCESS MY PATH.

For me, it would be rather Access my Paths. 

Still to many path open, but at lest I have two paths I could close relatively soon. No harry to finish if it was not confusing. 

Having choices is great and difficult too.

That is what I get when I open it. Still the old title, but the Access your path and track your progress as subtitle. Was that there always or is it also new. What was there is the "select the Open Curriculum" button to access the projects on your path. What? Curriculum is also Path? or it is Projects? 

Anyway, before opening projects, we have to open the Path, then the Level, then one of the Projects. 

As for me, I just finished the project, Level 2 from Strategic Relationship, Cross Cultural Understanding. Now, I am preparing Connect with Storytelling, Level 3 Elective from all Paths, for me now from the E. Humor. 

For another path, I do know that I have to create a Panel. One was offered me to held, but only in May. What else? I am finishing the Lead in Any Situation, in yet another path, I lead yesterday a discussion, that may or not close the Project after more then six month of leading a team in one of my clubs. 

And the difficult project, creating one whole hour of podcast, podcasting regularly, then speaking about it and showing 5 minutes of it, fades for later. I begun then let it hang, wait. But already learned a lot of different ways to podcast, or even create them. Not the same thing as doing it regular times. 

But today, I will finish another, Create a Compelling Blog, as I created a new blog. Yes, only a few hundred (less then 200) looked at it, not 111,000+ like this one, or 500,000 an older blog of mine, but we have to begin to find our "voice". My days are busy. 

And it would be so nice to know from the source, when something is changed!

Background and perception of others

When you meet online using Zoom video conferencing, you can use different backgrounds. 

Background is projected on what is called a "green screen". In many cases a green tissue. 

One can use many images uploaded easy from your desktop, some very complicated, like a garden, flowers or London telephone boots, or a ship. 

With time, we learn, at least some of us do, that simple backgrounds bring out our faces and do not distract the audience while we speak.

Here is my blue background with a blue tea-shirt, my face (and my hands when needed) stand out. And Carole's with black background and black tea-shirt, she just added a red motive near it. 

The background can be also changed and used as Timekeeper devices, using a green an amber and a red background.

Sometimes, simple is better. Even if not always. Some say "do you know, blue on blue does not show?" Of course, that IS the intent!

There is an interesting Project, at Level 2 of Strategic Relationship, called Cross Cultural Understanding. It is the only path where it is present. Tomorrow, I will tell a story of how my own stereotype, the perception of Americans, or some Americans at least, 40 years ago, about Hungarians and French helped me, instead of working against me when I arrived there, as single woman. It took me some time, to understand it !

Humor is a skill: can be learned at any age

Perhaps, I did already publish these books that I found in Kindle when I did my research project for E. Humor Level 1. Yes, I did have some of those already as books, but did not read them for long time. 

The one added here in plus, is a book I discovered not long ago: The Obstacle is the Way. When all goes well, there is nothing to tell about. No one loves someone coming on stage and boasting how great he is! How well he did! Or hearing a tale where all goes well.

Best to finish having got through bad times! Showing, not telling how it happened. 

"What does not kill you makes you stronger!" 

Remember it when complaining next time in the Pathways Discussion Group. Asking questions, finding answers is different. There is always someone there to answer, to discover from where your problems lie. We all have problems, they make up the best storytelling and comedy material. All depends how we look at it and how we use them.

Comedy can be learned. The books are great, and offer useful advice and exercises but nothing replaces practice. 

I was paid for "Pro" Personal Storytelling in Manchester by Grant Whisky company and spend in 2011 all the money I got to pay one after other, three Standup Comedy Workshop. The third workshop was with David Jones, a Toastmaster who won many District Table Topic first price and was a great teacher. 

Here is a link to the Showcase, my third showcase. About 100 Toastmasters in audience. Till I did not listen today, I forgot how wonderful audience they were! After that I went out alone, to one comedy club after other. I become, what is called a "Comedy Virgin". I asked around "how long do we remain virgins?" "For a while."

"Yes, at 77 I am a Virgin, but only of comedy. Men? I stopped counting after three."

In 2012 I begun to go also farther then London. Won a Comedy award in Leicester, and after that it was easier to get a slot, even had my name on some flyers. I stopped counting how many at 77. Only one was a great error: it was a pub of people hating foreigners. They booed me with my accent. The others? Wonderful and divers memories. 

On my facebook page, I succeeded to publish the Showcase and also one of my Workshops that I offered this time, in Tallinn at the invitation of Nordic Toastmasters. Meeting others is always a joy, as is "making them laugh". Not all audience laughs at same things of course, then we have to do as if we did not expect laughter and continue. They may also laugh at something unexpected, and then we add it in our routine. Try it out.

Annoying, as if there were...

While moderating the very interesting Pathways Discussion Forum, currently with over 8000 members, from time to time, but too often the same complaints arrive.

And often from the same max. dozen sources.

They are as annoying for me and seem as automatic also as the so called Robot calls.

All with the same general aim, complain about something, and using the name of “all” from Pathways.

None hurt me more, or let us say, annoy more then complaints about having to repeat the icebreaker again in a new path. I love to speak about myself and my passions.

There is so much more in my life that could not be told in four minutes!

At first three paths, I went into the moment, then into the times when I got to my first ever Toastmaster meeting, then the moment someone told me it is there where I could find... a man. Well, I am still looking for IT but I found my voice, the courage to stand up, and fall in love, instead, with my audience.

Another time, I told the story how I fall into photography. They refused me at a writer conference “your English is not good enough”; go rather to a photograph workshop. With the first street walks, I was in it. Even if fleetingly, it gave me the contact and joys I needed. I finished, showing one of my small printed photo book.

 In my last path, E. Humor, I told the stories how it happened to believe for 70 years I was not funny, and why I begun my first Standup comedy workshop.

In London club, ten years ago I went back to the time during WWII as I was 11 years old, and had to cross the wide Danube river in Budapest. “And the Ice did not Break!” So we survived.

There are more and more stories for different Icebreakers in me!

And for the rest of Level 1 ?

Tell a story, any subject and any style? Then, tell it again, improving on it, learning to give specific feedback as you needed? Never enough times to repeat that one! Even if some feedbacks received are off, many helped me improve and improve.

As did my research projects in new domains I felt I want to discover.

So hearing complaints about Level one repeated and trying not to answer, again and again, begins to make me angry. Sad. Annoyed.

Will that make the robots stop? Alas. Once they started, once they get some reactions, some agreements ev n from each other, alas, stopping is just as wishful as stopping annoying robot calls.

"Inspire" Project video, Engaging Humor L3

I have given an inspiring speech, using a real personal story from my recent life yesterday. Level 3 has the Inspiring Project as one of it's elective. But of course, as it was in the Engaging Humor path, I did try to make it as funny as I could, while still inspiring my audience. 

They where inspired by my message as well by the humor of it, I am sure many will take the path as soon as the can and / or try to speak with more humor. 

I begin to speak in this video at 1 minute (It is a 5 - 7 minute speech). Enjoy! At the end, at least, you will know, what means "Pardon my French", expression that many know, but not all, as I learned.

Presentation "After Icebreaker"

This is not about the Icebreaker, as in this new club, who asked me to tell them what comes after the Icebreaker, almost all did already Broke the Ice in another club then transferred to the village's new club.

I used old pictures, slides and new screen dumps, and Keynote that comes in my Macintosh, to create this special presentation. Gave it yesterday, through Zoom. 

Here is the recording. Around 30 minutes.

Did not cut the beginning, even if some intro of me was too much, not 100%, nor changed in the middle, when suddenly someone was calling me, needing a telephone advice about his contest speech. Alas, I cannot help two different people at the same time! He did call again an hour later, so we did finally speak about his contest speech (he got 2nd place).

I hope, that this video of my presentation could help some other newcomers to Pathways too, explaining mainly the mechanics or eventual problems in Level 1 or as we begun with Base Camp Projects online. 

Completed paths and tasks

I begun with the path that is on the bottom. 

I begun and finished first the Visionary Communication. I learned a lot, most of it a life lesson: wish for what depends on us. Begin to achieve it, step by step. Still on it! Making pathways known and easier to approach to those around me. "Around, is all over the globe".

Presentation Mastery first as Printed material but that one I archived and never finished Level 3 of it, then did buy the WEB path and did finish it on web. I could not get over that in the "Preselected" Projects, they did not clean the paragraphs where the other Elective projects that one can not see or reach when on Printed material, are recommended. 

Leadership Development was the fast I finished, and with most of joy, as it was parallel with Paul E White while we prepared in Collaboration the global Storytelling Festival. So many wonderful memories throughout that path, and many personal stories also to show how important stories are in our life. 

Effective Coaching, took the most of time, as after I begun it, left on "back burner" and took out slowly. Also, coaching online as I tried was not easy. And the High Performance Leadership project took energy and time, but I did succeed to have my club member begun Pathways, 90% - a year before our region (U) entered Pathways. 

Dynamic Leadership, taken because of its Negotiation project. I still find its video worst of all that I encountered, but the text helped me through my own negotiations, in "real life", well, even if my real life was inside a Toastmaster club with a VPE and a President, reluctant to give us time, later enough time to speak about Pathways before launch. At the end we got all the time needed, witch was even extended as many had questions.

My Pathways Guide Tasks where begun and finished later, as I was Guide, after finishing my Ambassador work in another District. In fact, the Ambassador and Guide task never finishes really, I am always ready as most of us are to offer help for whoever, wherever needs it. 

Those are the "finished" paths, always available when needed, but put together on another place or page then the ACTIVE Curriculum. Why on the earth they have been called Curriculum instead of PATH? 

I clicked on the name of the Path, instead of the launch, and got the "Transcript" details. In each levels, the Projects, in which I did not even Activate between the Electives, which I Activated, and those I did Complete. Interesting information. 

On the bottom is a button called Back that takes me back to the "normal" view of Paths. 

Another "view", without details, of what is achieved, can be seen in Badges, e-portofolio.

So far, through 10 Level 1 and 9 Level 2, and 8 Level 3 and the 5 Level 4 as the level 5 not seen, instead there is the name of the path and Proficient. I have "activated" other path and I am as can be seen on different level of them. Projects waiting to be achieved. Skills learned. 

The last one I "activated" is Engaging Humor I enjoy a lot, and already on Level 3... while the other paths wait now for taking them on, taking them back, later. 

Putting fun in each speech is not so easy after all either, but I enjoy the challenge. 

The last book between these Kindle books, "The obstacle is the way" says it all.