Blog, Blog, Blog, and Blog Again

I started my blog on March 1st. This is blog # 10, and I am still getting my feet wet. I sure don't know everything a blogger could know in order to get the most out of a blog, but I do know it is a lot of work.

Trying to come up with noteworthy stuff to write about doesn't come easy. When I began, I figured I'd write about things in my life, and it wouldn't be so hard. Not. There is always the learning curve. I needed to learn how to insert a picture, position the picture in my blog, embed a video, change the font, create links to sites or maybe an address to help my readers locate an event that is occurring.

But wait. There's more. Gadgets. I added a page view gadget and learned I had 81 views. One viewer lives in China and another in Russia. How great is that? Now I have a poll and a link for readers to get my blog without coming to my site.
I expect I will add more gadgets and hope to learn how they can make my site more visible.

Let the fun begin.

Garden Clubs and Butterflies and Bullfrogs

I am currently a member of Hawthorn Garden Club in Hales Corners, Wisconsin which makes me a member of the Milwaukee District Garden Clubs (MDGC), which makes me a member of the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation (WGCF) , which makes me a member of the Central Region which makes me a member of the National Garden Clubs (NGC).

My club is one of 6,218 National Garden Clubs which has 198,595 members located in the U.S. plus 149 National Affiliate Members and 447 International Affiliate Members which carrying out projects in our communities. The National Garden Clubs enables members to meet other gardeners, to exchange ideas and to compete for awards and grants that make a difference in our neighborhoods.

The Milwaukee District has 21 clubs in southeastern Wisconsin and and will host this year's WGCF Annual Convention. Members from Wisconsin’s eight districts, including Indianhead, St. Croix, Coulee, Wisconsin Valley, Fox River Valley, Sheboygan, Madison and Milwaukee, will be introduced to our next NGC President Shirley Nicolai (2011-2013).

If you are a gardener, I invite your to join us at the convention and learn how you can become a valued members of this national organization.



The Wisconsin Garden Club Federation Annual Convention will be held May 1-3, 2011 at the Milwaukee Mariott West in Waukesha, WI.

This year's theme is "Bullfrogs and Butterflies".
WGCF is a not-for-profit educational organization focused on promoting and sharing the love of gardening, floral design, civic and environmental responsibility.

Wisconsin has eight garden club districts in the state including: Indianhead: St. Croix: Coulee; Wisconsin Valley; Fox River Valley; Sheboygan; Madison and Milwaukee. WGCF belongs to the Central Region of the National Garden Clubs. This spring we will invite NGC’s 2011-2013 President Shirley Nicolai.

This year’s state convention will include the “Spring into a Small World” Flower Show, a tour of the Boerner Botanical Gardens and feature local and international speakers.

Climate Change, Insurance and Tornadoes

There are those who listen to the nay-sayers about climate change. Some say that scientist are mistaken, and what they call climate change is nothing more than sun spots. Besides, it isn't good for business to be concerned with something that really does not exist.

Well, tell that to the insurance industry. Recent climate changes have caused more natural disasters with greater frequency than in our history, and the insurance industry is paying attention.

Earlier this year, I encouraged everyone I know to attend MATC's Green Energy Summit. If you didn't go, you missed some really interesting topics. Lindene Patton, Zurich Financial Services, was a keynote speaker on Thursday morning. (Zurich Financial Services is a reinsurance business that insures insurance companies. You may have heard about them since the tsunami that destroyed northern Japan.) Later in an afternoon session, Patton shared the results of a test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.

I learned that IBHS conducted a study where two identical homes were built with the exception that one was reinforced. The "reinforced" home had reinforcement of the roofing tiles, metal straps securing the roof structure to the inside walls, and the outside doors opened out not in. Next, they transported the homes indoors for a 100 mph wind tunnel test. The results of the test are in the video below.

Institute for Business & Home Safety Research Center from IBHS on Vimeo.

The home that was not reinforced was blown off its foundation. Not satisfied with the results, IBHS built ten more test homes in Galveston, Texas. After a hurricane, only six remained standing. The remaining four homes were damaged by buildings that were not reinforced.

Wow. So why don't we reinforce every home threatened by tornadoes and hurricanes? It costs money, and builders do not want the additional cost which is about 1% of the total cost of building the home. Building a $400,000 home would require an additional $4,000 using these techniques. So it is worth it? Maybe we should ask the families in New Berlin who were gathering their personal effects from neighbors miles away after the tornado in 1990.

According to homefacts.com, the largest Tornado in the New-Berlin Area was an F5 in 1990 that caused 350 injuries and 29 deaths. New-Berlin, Wisconsin has potential risk of tornadoes.

The good news is that these techniques can be applied to existing homes as well as new homes. April 11-15, 2011, is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin. What can you do about it? Plenty.

The IRS and You

Did you know that the dealine for filing your taxes for 2011 is April 18th?

The April 15th deadline for tax reporting has been extended for 2011. This year if you file by April 18th, you won't be late. The tax filing deadline for 2010 Tax Returns and extension requests has been extended due to the observation of Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia.

Did you know that if you do not owe any taxes, you have up to three years to file and get your refund?

If the government owes you a refund, you have up to three years to get a refund. So if you did not file for 2008 and are due a refund, your last chance to file is April 18, 2011.

Did you know the Internal Revenue Service is trying to locate nearly 1,000 Wisconsin residents who are owed federal tax refunds totaling almost $1 million?

The refund checks were put in the mail, but were returned to the IRS as undeliverable, the agency says. The IRS publishes an annual list of undeliverable tax refunds.

This year's edition includes 964 taxpayers who list addresses in Wisconsin, with checks totaling $951,292, said IRS regional spokesman Christopher Miller. The average check is $987.

Here We Go Again - It's Time for Stand Up!

Toastmaster’s Love of Laughter Comedy Club will hold their annual standup comedy tournament at the Milwaukee Yacht Club on Thursday, May 5th, 2011.

Comedians, Toastmasters & storytellers are invited to register for the tournament by contacting Tom McFarlin, Founder of Love of Laughter Comedy Club, at tmcfa7241@aol.com. The top four contetants will be invited to headline Pitch’s Comedy Club Stage at the 2011 Wisconsin State Fair. Trophies will be awarded to the Grand Champion and 1st Runner-up.

A $5 donation is requested (excluding contestants). Be prepared to see some of the best up-and-coming talent in the Milwaukee-Chicago area. Come join us at 5:30 PM when the doors open for our “Social Hour” and meet our members. The contest and laughter starts at 7:00 PM.

Contest Rules:

~ Each contestant will give a 3-4 minute set and be placed into one of four “pools”.

~ The audience will select their favorite from each pool.

~ The FINAL FOUR will present a second 3-4 minute set.

~ Again, our audience will pick their favorite stand up to be crowned the Grand Champion of Comedy.

~ LOL Toastmasters will evaluate each act based upon originality, delivery and just being funny.

~ (4) Winners will headline at Pitch’s Comedy Stage during the Wisconsin State Fair on August 4-7.

The Milwaukee Yacht Club is located at 1700 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr. in Milwaukee, WI 53202

Love of Laughter meets the 1st & 3rd Thursday from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Goodwill Service Center located at 1400 Nike Dr, Waukesha, WI 53186 (turn left off of Main Street).

Gromme Art for One Dollar?

The Wisconsin Garden Club Federation WGCF) is currently raffling Owen J. Gromme’s “A Long Courtship – Wild Turkeys” which was the last Gromme painting perfected in 1989. The 15” x 20” print is matted and framed to 21” x 26”. This signed and numbered print (number 964 of 9500 prints) is valued at $250.00.


Owen J. Gromme, born in Fond du Lac, was a hunter and outdoorsman. His artwork reflects his great interest in birds which he often painted exactly to scale. As Curator of Birds and Mammals at the Milwaukee Public Museum, he perfected his work while he travelled on expeditions from Alaska to Africa.

Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5, and proceeds will benefit WGCF. Tickets are available from Milwaukee District Garden Club Directors or by contacting Carole Hopp by e-mail at carolehopp@ wi.rr.com.

The drawing will be held at the noon luncheon on May 3, 2011, during the “Butterflies and Bullfrogs” WGCF Convention at the Marriott West, Waukesha.

How do you say that?

Last year, I joined a Toastmaster's specialty club called Love of Laughter Comedy Club. I could have joined a traditional Toastmaster's group, but I like to laugh, and I think I'm funny, so I figured, "Why not?"

After paying my semi-annual dues of $35 plus $20 for my manuals, I received the tools to help me achieve my credentials as a competent communicator (CC) and competent leadership (CL). It was time for my first speech. It was all about me! Easy. I can say anything I want, because who knows me better than me? One down, and nine to go.

For every speech in the manual, Toastmasters challenges you to take another step; i.e. improving your grammar, using humor, telling a story, using voice inflection, and giving presentations. Preparation is the key to your success. Members evaluate your speeches always offering praise for your success and suggestions for improvement.

To date, I have finished 7 of 10 required speeches, and I expect to complete them by June 2011. I am also working on my competent leadership manual which means I help out a meetings, emcee, count laughs (traditional clubs count the number of "ums" and "ahs"), or serve as a mentor to a new member.

Toastmasters wants to make all of us competent communicators and leaders. Members come from a broad cross-section of professionals, students and throughout the world. Currently Wisconsin has 100 clubs. There are 17 clubs just in Milwaukee. And if you happen to travel, say to Poland, you can find 9 clubs. Or how about Japan? They have 106 clubs.

The amazing thing is that as a member you are always learning. Not just by doing, but also by observing. Here are some tips from the website at Toastmasters.org:

Tips for Better Knowing Your Audience

~ Learn about your audience before you speak. Ask questions, meet them informally, use polls, surveys and questionnaires. Google “online survey service” to find companies that will help you set up Web surveys.

~ Meet your audience members on the way into the room. Chat with them one-on-one and in small groups to learn more about them and identify commonalities.

~ Use the technique of “Call and Response” to engage and include your audience. “How many of you have children? (Wait for response.) How many of you are children?” (Wait for laughter!)

~ Include your audience through generous eye contact that shows you see them as individuals.

~ Speak to an audience member in the front, the middle and the back; speak to people on the left, the right and in the center. Vary where you direct your remarks.

~ Remember, the shortest distance between people is often a smile. When you smile at someone, they should smile back.

~ If you’re from out of town, reference something local about the town, region or state.

~ Topical references often connect you with your audience. Reference, for example, the local weather (which we all experience), the traffic jam on the way to the program, a recent event or other common experience. But be careful to reference something that’s truly universal within your audience.

~ Remember, you’re not a speaker without an audience. They are the most valuable people in the room. Speaking is a collaborative experience. Share the spotlight with them and they’ll respond appreciatively!

Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people improve their communication and leadership skills.

The mission of a Toastmasters Club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

Love of Laughter meets the 1st & 3rd Thursday from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Goodwill Service Center located at 1400 Nike Dr, Waukesha, WI 53186 (left off of Main Street).