We were glad to welcome three guests among us: Don Ham, Sally White, and Patricia Abergel. Sally decided during the meeting to join the club, and she’s a very welcome addition. (I have high hopes for Don and Patricia too….). We started by going around the circle and sharing what’s on our minds. So guess what, for very many of us, is at the top of our minds? Well, there’s a new resident at a certain House on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. This ‘gentleman’ has been taking over news headlines around the world — and especially here in Canada — for reasons that make us both uncomfortable and disturbed. In fact, it quickly became apparent that he occupies an alarming amount of our collective mental real estate. It’s not for nothing that he prides himself on his (supposed) skills as a real estate tycoon; and now that includes our headspace as well. Perhaps Sally had the right attitude when she informed us calmly that she stays away from following the news because she has better things to think about. Maybe the rest of us do as well.

Mario Keriakedes followed with a practice run of his TM International Contest speech, which he’ll be presenting in just a few days. He titled it “Give Peace a Chance” and it couldn’t have been better timed to get us into a more hopeful mood. A key element of his speech was the recounting of a terrifying incident he lived through a number of years ago when flying from Tampa to Chicago. First the starboard engine of the airplane gave out and then the port engine gave out as well. Panic ensued among the passengers, as can well be imagined. (Spoiler: the plane didn’t crash and burn, but was able to safely make an emergency landing.) Mario tied the incident into the theme of his speech; that we’re all on this big round airplane called the Earth together and that we need to support each other on the ride. Peace is better than turmoil. Good luck with the contest, Mario!

After the break — thanks for the muffins, Don — it was time for a little diversion. We took turns flicking a spinner on a cardboard wheel; printed on the wheel was a series of ten random numbers, 5 being the smallest going up to 80, the largest. Whichever number your spin landed on, well, you had to talk about who you were and what you were doing at that age. It’s a great way to get to know your friends a little better. We learned some interesting and surprising things about everyone around the table; we’ve lived all over the world and we’ve had an amazing variety of jobs and adventures. There were some poignant moments too, because, in truth, we all have memories of hard times in the past; we were fortunate enough to have some of those shared with us as well.

Next, we were privileged to have Nabil Danial share with us a detailed update on the current state of the real estate market here in the GTA. Briefly, he says that we’re headed towards a more balanced market than has been the case in the recent past, with prices that are only slightly increased from last year. Here’s a link to his presentation for those who missed it or who have a particular interest in this area. Please note his contact info on the last slide for those who want to know more or who would like to have a free consultation.

The meeting ended with a preview of the club’s new website and social media pages, which are still very much in the building phase. Many thanks go to Vasu Desikachary for having done a lot of heavy lifting to get this project off the ground; we owe you one, Vasu. Here’s a link to the website, so go there and check it out yourself. You may notice that while the structure is starting to be put in place, the site is missing content; it’s missing photos, and articles of interest, and news of both past and coming events. In short, neither Heart nor Soul are there yet. That’s where the rest of us come in, because it’s our job to fill out that part. My strong hope is that we will start to generate a series of special interest groups, each with a focus on promoting participation by smaller circles of both members and non-members. The possibilities are quite endless, limited only by our imaginations and our willingness to show leadership. I envision a photography group, a book club, a finances group, a group interested in exploring the possibilities of AI; anything, really. It’s up to all of us, collectively and individually. How far are we willing to take this thing we’ve started….

I’ve gone on at length; forgive me. Mark your calendars now for our next meeting on Saturday, March 29th. I hope to see you there!