Autism and Toastmasters

Busy at the very tastefully renovated Memphis this morning, my trio of regulars, Tom, Gloria and Anita, all have a coffee with me as I prepare for an important day at Toastmasters, my first 'Evaluation Day'.

 It went relatively well, although I was in strange territory being thrown in the deep end as I was the General Evaluator - I still have lots to learn about Toastmasters' techniques and whakapapa

Gideon at the new bar....

Eddie looking at new floor....

Such is one person's obsession.. Ghetto blasters!

Now a madman in Japan stuns the Japanese killing fifteen in a nursing home.

Russians are very unpopular in Rio since their 'blanket ban' was lifted.

Another great documentary at the fab film festival called 'Life - animated' using Disney cartoons to unlease the speech of this young autistic 23 yo Owen Suskind. Owen is the miracle product of two loving parents seeing only possibilities and no defeat, and the important documentary maker who accidentally made Owen into a celebrity is US director Roger Ross Williams.  The movie was fascinating and all the moe interesting as Roger came over from New York to talk about it after the showing. 

All Americans love to visit New Zealand, and tonight at my Wednesday night HU song we had another New Yorker, Rodney Jones, with his daughter Laura, who were both here for the Eckankar Seminar this weekend.  They were typically warm and unpretentious, Rodney being a professor of music at Juilliard School in NYC. I'm looking forward to hearing Rodney speak at the Seminar.

Below a distant unlit shot of director Roger Ross Williams at the Q and A after his film was loudly greeted and greatly appreciated.