Rocky J Squirrel Presents Gems+h: The Stories That Bind Us

09/08/2026

From a 18th-century orchard in Roxbury, Massachusetts, to the orchards of southern Ohio—how does a single apple variety trace the story of the American Revolution? 🍎

Join me tonight for a Toastmasters presentation exploring "The Seed of a Nation: How a Roxbury Apple Shaped Ohio." We’ll look at the tragic origins of Dr. Joseph Warren’s family farm, the journey of grafted scions down the Ohio River, and how pioneer nurseries shaped one of Ohio's most famous apples.

📍 MidPointe Library, West Chester, OH

⏰ Tonight, Sept. 8 at 6:30 PM

🎟️ Free & open to all guests!

08/28/2026

Sometimes the best speeches are the ones you never planned to give.

Yesterday, I was asked in the parking lot to give the program at the Hamilton High Twelve meeting.

No speech. No notes. No PowerPoint.

So, I did what Toastmasters has taught me to do: I told a story.

I told the story of how Masonic stamp collecting has opened doors to history, friendships, opportunities—and some pretty unexpected adventures.

“Masonic Stamp Collecting Opens Doors”

A story born in a parking lot.
A speech that wasn't planned.
And a hobby that continues to take me places I never expected.

08/25/2026

Come tonight to hear Where Do Our Words Go?

🗣️ Where Do Our Words Go?

Tomorrow night, I'll be exploring that question through three stories about stamps, unexpected connections, and the surprising places our words can lead.

My communication-style assessment says I'm analytical—which doesn't surprise me. But I've discovered something more important:

Information is what I collect.

Stories are what I communicate.

Connections are what I'm really trying to create.

Tomorrow night, I'm going to try a little experiment to find out where my words have gone.

📅 Tuesday, August 25

🕡 6:30 PM

📍 MidPointe Library — West Chester

🐿️ Rocky J. Squirrel Presents GEMS+H: The Stories That Bind Us

Come help me find out where our words go.

08/25/2026

08/25/2026

173 wins. 108 knockouts. 1 legendary Brother. 🥊📐Sugar Ray Robinson didn’t just dominate the ring with a mythical 108 KOs—he mastered himself outside of it. As a Prince Hall Freemason (Joppa Lodge No. 55), his greatest strength wasn't his lethal left hook, but his commitment to relief and truth. He fought for titles in the ring and for humanity outside it.The greatest to ever do it, by every measure.

08/25/2026

Leroy "Gordo" Cooper Jr. was flying his family's plane by age eight and went on to pilot the longest Mercury spaceflight before commanding Gemini 5 in 1965.

A Master Mason and member of Luther B. Turner Lodge No. 732 right here in Columbus, Ohio, Cooper carried a Scottish Rite banner with him into space.

From Shawnee, Oklahoma to Earth orbit, Brother Cooper's story is a reminder that Masons show up in every corner, even among the stars.

In honor of National Aviation Day, we're celebrating Brother Cooper's legacy.

Read more on our blog at the link in the comments.

08/25/2026

🗣️ Where Do Our Words Go?

Tomorrow night, I'll be exploring that question through three stories about stamps, unexpected connections, and the surprising places our words can lead.

My communication-style assessment says I'm analytical—which doesn't surprise me. But I've discovered something more important:

Information is what I collect.

Stories are what I communicate.

Connections are what I'm really trying to create.

Tomorrow night, I'm going to try a little experiment to find out where my words have gone.

📅 Tuesday, August 25

🕡 6:30 PM

📍 MidPointe Library — West Chester

🐿️ Rocky J. Squirrel Presents GEMS+H: The Stories That Bind Us

Come help me find out where our words go.

08/22/2026

Last day to come see my new Masonic stamp exhibit!

Robert Hutchinson, President of the 3rd Masonic District, stopped by yesterday to see the exhibit—and was absolutely blown away that you could tell the story of Freemasonry through stamps!

Come be blown away like Robert was!

📍 Emerge Center, Xenia
🕙 Today, 10 AM–3 PM
🎟️ Admission is FREE!

Come see the exhibit, discover some of the stories hidden in these stamps, and see how philately can reveal the history and story of Freemasonry.

📬 What can stamps reveal about Freemasonry?

Every exhibit begins with a question.

Mine began with a simple one: Could stamps tell the story of Freemasonry—and its connections to the people, events, and ideas that shaped our history?

That question led me on a journey through history, philately, Freemasonry, research, and some unexpected connections along the way.

That journey eventually led to my newest exhibit—an exciting two-frame journey into the stories, symbols, and connections of Freemasonry:

Freemasonry: More Than Meets the Eye

I’ll be exhibiting at AIRPEX 2026, where I hope you’ll take a closer look—not just at the stamps, but at the stories they tell.

📅 Friday, August 21, Noon-6PM

📅 Saturday, August 22, 10AM-4PM

📍 The Emerge Center, 2960 W. Enon Rd., Xenia, OH 45385

Come see what you discover.

Every stamp has a story. Sometimes, you just have to ask the right question.

01/28/2026

A Day in the Life of a Teacher was presented at the January 13 meeting of Tri-County Toastmasters #870, held at the Mid-Pointe Library. This humorous speech offered a rapid-fire snapshot of classroom reality—where students interrupt lessons to hand over money but forget the stuffed animal, others bring the stuffed animal but no money for the sleepover, and a teacher somehow ends up in trouble for sending too many genuinely injured students to the nurse after recess. The highlight of the day came courtesy of a distraught student convinced his mother had “ruined everything” by choosing the wrong pizza for lunch—prompting a phone call home, a rescue lunch delivery… and the ultimate twist: the menu had changed, and it was his pizza all along. A relatable and laughter-filled reminder that in teaching, no two minutes are ever the same.