Jessica

Jessica designed, created and realized this evening dress.

She came to me asking to take photos of the dress and her. We took 36 different ones, most outside, and some inside. The dress and the girl and even the surroundings are beautiful, adding all to one other, and most of the photos came out quite well.

My performance too.

In general, it confirmed that I can handle an audience, even when with a very strong light stright in my face, I do not see them, and even if there are not hundreds of them. It also taught me, to cut out all dead weight, kill my children, cherished creations if they do not add to the laughter or reactions.

Not a stellar performance but an adequate one from me, a great one for some other pals from the class, less from others, but we all did better then at rehearsal.

In May, we all learned, improved, understood.

StandUp and Deliver at Walkabout with me...

Amused Moose Covent Garden where I will perform today, 

showcase from 7 30 meeting at 7 00 at
Walkabout, DownUnder Bar, at the back of the venue
11 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8PS
Tube: Covent Garden, Leicester Square or Charing Cross/Embankment.
Mainline: Charing Cross

Come to see me, kill or die, that is the language of Stand Up comedy,

telling that if you get laughter and cheering, you have 'killed' the audience

if no one reacts or boo you out, most time just no reaction, the performer dies.

Of course, no one realy dies but to get no laugh at all only stares is very unpleasant, I had it once at one of my first tries to speak about myself at my first comedy school, never at the Stand Up and Deliver Workshop of Logan, where he created a very friendly atmosphere. And I had great pals, half performs this evening in Camden Blackheart, half of us tomorrow at Covent Garden.

I decided on Covent Garden, a challenge in plus for me, to do it in an unknown place.

Another background

To come to like better, sometimes another background is the answer.

Another light on a story, knowing how to begin and where to end, what is 'the most important thing' of it, this time.

Lipman in his boog, Better Storytelling, sais that the MIT can change for each telling, or from time to time, but it illuminates the story each time.

Most often, the MIT is not told out loud, you do not "make a point" you tell a story. But what you tell and how and what you leave out or put in each time, speaks for itself, makes a different experience for the listener.

The listener is let to draw his own conclusion which becomes his own experience and is even more absorbed thus that if we tell it in a 'speach' like manner.

they open one by one

One can have so much joy in life for so many different things.

I found unopened poppies near my place and took some inside, in a small Evian bottle, they open one by one.

I love that I find more easy humour in my life, and yes, more it goes black more it is easy to make other laugh of it and then even me look at it differently

For example : "you are not generous, give me space/"

I was very generous, but three month ago, even there was not much space between his fists suddenly into my face, Almost. There was very little space then.

I'll give more space now.

A lot more, in fact time, not space. I only wanted a space for us, space, not time.

Find humour in all! More and more I can and also learn to play  with words, The money for my two Standup comedy workshops was very well spend. I see my life now as a naterial for comedy.

Poppies home

Photo 2007

This is from 2007 and France, but I have taken a few two days ago home again, and today they begin to open up.

New photos in perspective.

But this one, had a special equilibrium in it.

It was one of the many many pictures I have taken during two weeks of the opening one after other of those poppy flowers near my white wall.

Discovery of the nature and opening and aging in living room, admiring the nature closely.

Today Speak Easy centre London at noon. Organized by Berkeley Square Speakers.

Magnifique sunrise

Yesterday, I woke at 4 30 and went to sleep after 23, 11 pm.

After the Meridian meeting, I read two chapters from a very good book I just received, still about Stand Up comedy.

More I go, more I understand how much one can learn for general Public Speaking and Toastmasters but also for Storytelling, from the Stand Up Comedy.

I succeeded yesterday to write down my future performance, to print it, now I have simply to learn it...

French window in Argenteuil

Just a year ago, going back for a few days.

Measuring the time, I can hardly believe that just a year passed from that day in July 2010, when I photogrpahed that French window.

Of course, very longtime, I did not know, you can have any other kind of window... also there were also other ways to darken the room, in the city, from inside.

So much happened in my life in the last year! It seems that a lot more then ten month went away so full they were.

A place to meet to rest to speak

For me the inside of the Royal Festival Hall is always a place I return with pleasure.

First, I went there, as I arrived in London three years ago, each Monday for a Meetup with the the;e The Artis Way. Based on a book by Julia Cameron,

I learned not only to write 3 pages as I wake up, to eliminate all negative thoughts from my mind, to go weekly on an Artists Discovery, a spectacle a walk in the park or a visit to a shop full of things, all that can fill me with new ides.

I learned that I do not have to be a famous painter or musician to be an Artist, I am an artist because I like to create new things.

I also learned there, that the Royal Festival Hall has many corners were you can meet, sit. speak together.

It is a wonderful and quiet place in the middle of the city.

Kolozsvar 2004

a very interesting link discovered this morning - a radio interview of Andre Deszo living in New York, given in Hungarian.

She livend at Kolozsvar from age of 10 till she went to Budapest to be able to study farther.

I did not have her luck, was not allowed to study after 18 either, but had to do it later while working, then was forbidden to finish when I arrived so near my goal.

Then, it took me 17 years to be able to get, finally a diplome, a pHd in Chemistry.

This is the home of Gabor Dezso, and I slept at my cousin's living room surrounded by all those books for a few days in 2004. Only memories remain now from the books and my cousin, who died too early.

Books are around me even now, books are the presents of my life, more important then flowers or any other gifts. Books are not paper and typo, not heros and their struggle, books are for me how their author and me reach each other.

Sit down and rest

I could, should, now, sit down and rest for a moment.

Just got the Advanced Communicator Silver award, and the next level is already well on the way as I have two manuals I have begun and not finished, yet. Four more speeches to go only in them in all. And, of course, a seminar to hold.

I just got elected next period President, and I have given my VP Education role already to the next one who is now doing the bulk of work I did for a year, day by day. And she is someone I can really trust and is doing it already very well.

Soon, I will give my second stand up and it seems less sqeary then the first one. I already know what I want to say and have more days to practice until end of the month, home and also at the Stand Up and deliver workshop.

My next story at the Canal Cafe Theatre is only in June, but I figured it already out, now I have only to chop it down, make it leaner.

I could sit down. Rest. Be happy.

If new urgent problems were not arrising, and soon asking my attention. They always come! Finding a nice place to meet in the future is not easy. I hoped I will have all the time, it is not the case.

Still, I will sit down on the bench a bit. Smell the roses, listen to the birds, look at the blue sky.

Philip

Thank you Philip.

This photo dates.

It was taken two years ago by my son when he assisted to a Humorous Contest of the Toastmaster Area.

Philip was Club President and Chair of the Contest then, and is Area Governor now.

I did not won that Area contest, but as he told then, we have all won - experience, and also having tried.

Thanks Philip!

Yesterday, he send me a note that I have now become "Advanced Communicator Silver" just one more step in speaking skills.

I tap myself on the shoulder and say "Julie well done!" and offer myself this rose's photo.

Then, I begin to think how to get now to the Gold... some more speeches and Interpretative Readings and a Seminar on how to listen to be held.

It is already decided, once I am there, I will begin all at the beginning, repeat again the basic manual. The bases are very important and the second time I will understand them even better, creating good reflexes and, perhaps, giving some good example to others too.

Soon, I will be able to stand in the place Philip stood in 2009 fall, as president of the club from July, even if not with so much dignity as he did, but each of us has its own style. But with the same enthusiasm and good will. It will be my time now to encourage others and repeat what he said then: you gained just by trying.

I would trde to be able to say that I would be as thin again as I was then, in this photo.

I gained awards but also two stones in the last two years. I still do not want to go back to what was and trade in my experience.

Thanks Philip for your enthusiasm and courage without fail.

Lewisham Speakers Club

Soon we will have this on our wall, or the wall of a new place, at least b efore the meetings.

There were for the second time, and it is not at all finished, a group of young women dancing on a high level Roch and Roll with two amplys, while we spoke and tried to be heard.

At the end of an era and before a new, someone has to take charge and make decisions, I think, but of course I know that all transitions are difficult.

Speak Out Challenge in Greenwich

From 9 schools, after a day of instruction and some other speeches, they had to choose two for this regional Final.

Ore Ogungbayi coordinates the Speak Out Challenge in Greenwich, and she is also Toastmaster. What a work! She goes and teaches public speaking in nine schools and has to choose two kids from each at the end for this challenge.

Later, the winner goes farther, and farther.

I met her at Meridian Speakers. I volonteered to help and she named me Chief Judge yesterday. The other judges were from very different background, I was the only "Toastmaster" between them.

Many jobs need the speaking skills.


20 young children from 14 to 17, from 9 schools spoke for two and half minutes each. Eight very different judges had a difficult task to choose between them the best.

There were many I will remember!

Here is the family of one who spoke.

He did not win, but the family was proud of him, all women, where is the man of the family? That is not my worry.

Some came alone, and not having won was more difficult to take, I tried to explain on the bus coming back that he participated and spoke out! It was not time enough to really relate. Perhaps another time. He was from a school near where I live. Perhaps another time.

Je lève mon chapeau

I raise my hat for the !masterclass! and its organisator and inventor,
and also for our creativity teacher Haint, who challenged me, and many others
to go beyond our normal self and pictures and all the other teachers
who tought me something beyond the usual, pushed me think more.

This one, with a wig and a hat, is after I already did 60 autoportraits with my newly shortly cut hair, but as I found it fun, it shows on my face.

Not long after that, the masterclass closed and instead I opened Afterclass who month after month, now in its 6th years, each month with another theme and another teacher, continues the teaching and learning. 
________________

Photo taken in my "youth"in October 2005, I was barely 71 then...

This is now here for thank you for your visites - my photostream just went through

3 million views from beginning of 2005 when I joined flickr or from the time flickr counted
Difficult to believe even this number but day by day, old and new pictures are looked at.
I would never have imained such a wide and world wide communication.

I feel owerhelmed. So this time, five years later the Chapeau is for you, my dear viewers.

Some more time had passed but I still feel like that: thanks my viewers and readers! 
Flickr pretends that I had by now 3,428,525 viewwers, true or not I do not care, but I am happy I do not put all my photos in a drawe and show them, offer them to all who are interested.

StandUp & Deliver

Logan Murray does deliver indeed, a great workshop!

Four times now, seven hours!

I can not even list, all the things I did learn already, and how much better I understand what means: "the comedian answer to that is..."

There is a "normal" way, everyday answer, and then there is the clown way, his expression and point of view.

To make understand better what is under the surface, to surprise and make laugh.

Inversions, for example. Sudden relief or sudden tragedy makes both laugh.

We finished yesterday, telling one after other: "I dream, wish to..." then "I would settle to..." and finishing with "I got..." the more specific the better it works. And also the farther from the beginning.

In my case, it was: I dream to become the oldest (Hungarian) stand-up star of London. I'll settle to be able to make some of my audience laugh, from time to time. I die in the Comedy Class.

Of course, here dying means no one laugh as I try to be funny. But t when I read that out, they did!

My classmates are nice people! All.

Stand Up Pals

Good interaction, between each other and a great professor.

Seven hours, took all my energy out of me, almost, but I learned so much! I am learning how bad news can make laugh as well as good news - as long as it comes inexpected.

I learned also a method to deal with those having a problem to look and how much 'graitas' is important, too.

Happy also I felt I could stand my place and make laugh, and also that yes, I have still lot to improve.

Freedom to write.

These freedom to write poems were written by those who came to England because they did not have the freedom to write. These letters with poems on them are exposed near the Royal Festival Hall.

Today, Londonist published my photography, on his page Extra, extra;

And yes, by putting my photo in their group, I gave them the right to do so, if they put my name and flickr account under it. On the web, it also bounces back to my photo page, as here, Londonist and "extra, extra" goes back to theirs..

Yes, I am always happy when someone likes my picture, appreciate and is interested by what I have seen.  There is always, almost always, something interesting going on inside or just outside the Royal Festival Hall! And such a joy to sit down there and speak to each other quietly.

We went out the balcony on the third floor, what a view!

This time, what I observed first, where the small houses even prettier looking down at them, along the Thames.

but after it, I was in ave of a young man who sit near a desk on a chair out to the balcony and was using his I-Pad there, a dream we had at the begining of the 1980th. Also that was "under a tree", but of course, even that can be done, today
.

Fears can become true, but dreams too, sometimes!

And even if yesterday, our blog notes were destroyed, for seven years, day by day, I could write, whatever I wanted to!

One more leaf

Yesterday I added one more leaf to my achievements, giving the last required Educational Speech for becoming what is called at Toastmasters, Advanced Leader Bronze.

That is the last I am doing in the leadership track, the rest requires politics and holding a "post" on higher level, which does not specially interest me, anyway.

But now, soon, I will work to finish my Communication "Track" as far as possible, and I am not sooooo far of it, already, and then, as I decided, I will begin again my Basic Manual to concentrate with a new awerness on the basic public speaking skills.

In fact, that will be a great joy, to begin all from the scratch, or almost.

Composition

Learning, one step at a time.

Progressing slowly but steadily. Yesterday, I measured the two years road I made during or after the Meridian Speakers meeting.

I hope, tonight I could do the same between Excalibur Speakers, also it will be more difficult as they are such a really advanced speakers.

I work a lot to advance and learn to do better, and i is not vain to tell that I have joy when I succeed. I do better and better evaluations (feedback) of a speaker. It is not easy and I struggled with it a lot. I did improve, understanding what F/. Daniels taught us.

I was also happy to find a new talented Toastmaster asking me to Mentor him. It is such a joy to be able to help someone and to be asked!

Spring Odyssey

The Spring Odyssey, in Windsor is over.

I could go only for one afternoon, Friday, but even just a few hours were great occasions to mingle and met Toastmasters from other parts.

I met him first in York, where we introduced the first Workshop together. In fact, he introduced me then I introduced the Irish Workshop leader.

Meeting again, it felt as if I met an old friend.

Sometimes, we meet more, the networking is important everywhere! Helping each other out when needed, returning the favor whenever possible.

But even more, I feel exactly as our international president Pat said. one of the TRIBE.

I always felt out of all Tribes or Groupes, now I have one.

Keep Going

This was taken in the Area Competition; but I have heard it before in the Club, too and now he is going, yes, keep going, to Las Vegas.

I think the message is strong.

But they have to change the speech, how much? at the last stage why?

So Malachi will have to find something else? or the same message told differently?

I also keep going in my life, even if from time to time it seems stagnant as great obstacle come in my way to realise my dreams.

All dreams do not come true, but many come and persistence does help, as a huge dose of stuborness perhaps too, added to it.

The black heart

This is the pub where I spend almost seven hours yesterday.

I would have hardly believe, but yes, we get a lot for our money.

Not only the hours spend for us, the energy, good teaching and also good company.

I love those whom participate together with me in the StandUp and Deliver workshop, and of course, when one spends so much time, so many hours twice a week, it is important to feel well between those who are there.

And, of course, Logan Murray is an excellent professor - and what a good actor too. He is also someone laughing so often and laud when something funny comes his way, it was a pleasure to hear him.

Hope, one day, he will laugh on my performance too.

Spring Odyssey

Friday afternoon, the Spring Odyssey of English and Irish Toastmasters opened with a social gathering.

Here is the President of our D71 as it is officially colled, the "outgoing" one, as we change every year end of June all our officers.

As Patt, the International President, also there from USA told: "it takes almost a year to learn how to be a president."

I will have occasion to learn it from July on, in my club. "You will do well! told me yesterday Chris, also on the same photo here.

And here are some other portraits taken yesterday at Windsor.

Those taken outside of course cam he out better, but also my heart warms at their smiles.

Today, Camden and 'stand up and deliver" class for me. Not a contest, not a conference: learning.

Jim Key

Jim Key, what a speaker!

Yesterday, I assisted to the Anglo Irish joint Toastmasters meeting, and in just a few hours took away so much from it! It was a phenomenal learning experience.

TM Internation actual Toastmasters International President spoke to us about the "Toastmaster jargon", true and "Toastmaster tribe" true also, I do feel I am no more alone ! Pat gave us a wonderful and modest speech with lots of humour.

We had a "real meeting" only TMI style, with the GE, David Thomson, introducing all Evaluators and calling the Gramarian too, and the TM of the evening, from Norhtern Lights, introducing the speakers. Alas, I could not get a program so I do not have the names of all.

A few hightlights.

The warmup clapping "All those who..."

From our Irish speaker, speaking of the Pilot "As he was communicating, I was evaluating" How true, even I begun to evaluate even the speakers in Parlement, counting even those with lots of uhm or too much movement or not looking in the eye, up from their notes.

Humour also from our Table Topic Master "I rather be here then there answering"

From David "Are you ready for???" and at end "I have decided you have already voted,,," Waw!

Jim Key, told us how useful are in a speech those stories who came for a painful experience, wich time can rendre humourous and useful, and illustrated his great speech throughout with his own personal stories, very strong and very to point to demonstrate what he wanted to convey.

For example on importance of listening; on the things that "always work for us are not the only one that work" and at the end, the master demonstration that can not be forgotten about Service.

Being at the Service of the public when you speak and Service of the Members when you lead.
Yes, to keep in mind and not to forget that very strong message!

Not slap on the hand and not boast but be ready to serve the others.

I prepare for Saturday

All this month of May, six hours Satruday and six Sunday, going to StandUp and Deliver class with Logan.

I hope I will survive this intense training.

It is one thing to read, his book is great and all the others too, another to actually do and mix and spend hours on it weekend after weekend.

This morning my courage is low, but I will be able to write from everything somehow funny. Like yesterday, the loud Rock music as we strugled to speak. "Hecklers, we learn to deal with them" Chris told us.

Indeed, I incited all to clapp and cheer as in a standup, as each speaker come to speak.

Paula with her husband

Today, I will tell three short stories about my great grandmother Paula, born in 1860.

Here is a photo of her with his husband.

Only yesterday I noticed his hand around her and her look at him, and convinced myself that indeed, they did not make their seven children without joy.

Alas, the youngest was but 2 when he died and she was left with 6 children and a distillery.

I was always proud of her, as she did manage well all.

She found a way out of all her problems.

The first story, and it stuck to my memory that she told me, and I see it in my mind eyes as if I was there, is a story I will not tell today. I can not tell all I remember, it would take more then an hour not five minutes!

She was just widowed and people gathered before the burial day, and someone said something funny: all laughed. Exactly then, mere acquaintance entered, late, with a composed face of sadness. And then, revolted hearing the laughter.

"I decided then" my great grandmother told me "never to make believe". To show and be how I feel. Never be hypocrite.

Yes, while other learned from their parents to learn to be nice, sad or smile as the circumstances ask for it, I was taught to be authentic, to remain myself.

And while, with time I learned not to say all I think, I never learned to change my face or my voice or make believe.

That is one of the most important heritage from my great grand mother Paula.

In memory

In memory of all those who died from terror and terrorists, that is a great day.

I was lucky to have waked up very early and at 4 45 in the morning assisted in direct through the television to Barak Obama declaration that the man who initiated the 11 September destructions in USA was killed.

Here is a link to youTube for the speech of Obama, around 12 pm time in Washington;

It is for me more then just what happened ten years ago and more then revenge. Showing determination and achieving this is also a reminder for me for all the victims, all those killed at Auschwitz and other places.Also, one can not any more condemn the Mossad for having tried to find and kill the highest responsible for the Holocaust massacre. "We did what it took and however long it took to punish those responsible for the massacre" said Obama.

A hope, a small hope for better future.

This are a reminder for me not to forget them. Do what possible that others do not forget either.