Meeting No: 153

Theme: Expecting the unexpected

Word of the day: Startled

Things often go out of expectation. The rain, the red hot sun, the water shortage…

This trait of life had yet again been highlighted by CC Wei Chin’s car-breaking-down experience. Perhaps she should have expected that it needs constant check-up and maintenance. In another words, do expect the unexpected..

CC Wei Chin sharing her car-breaking-down experience

After a round of cries of disappointment, or in certain cases, joy over the unexpected, came the Table Topic Session.

What is TM Jacky became a mad scientist one day? Nothing bad would happen as Jacky’s latest invention was a transformer technology readily to be incorporated into the modern modes of transports. Problem of traffic jam would have been solved. What’s next, not-so-mad and ethical scientist?

What if one day lion is not the fierce creature that you are impressed upon but a lion that preaches good deeds?

Given a choice, CC,CL Fatima would choose to become the king of the Jungle as it symbolizes great personality  and character.

Table Topic speaker CC,CL Fatima.

Next, Jing Yi cheekily shared how one can become a millionaire and be declared bankrupt just in one day. Tip: Just go to any country that has small currency notes and let economic reality shows you how one can literally transform from numerous zeroes behind the figure to mere nil.

Table Topic Speaker Jing Yi

Pencil, to CC Rishi, is not merely a pencil but also something to be tossed, a good source of ideas and good appettizer if only you are willing to make the first bite. TM Jacky, the first project speaker introduced something novel by talking on Graphtology. In layman terms, it was about how your signature was intricately linked with your personality. One literally understands himself or herself better after listening to his speech!

First Project Speaker TM Jacky introduced the concept of Graphtology

TM Jacky's  speech topic, what your signature says about you.

Ever wonder how does the hype of selfie all come about? CC Rishi led all of us to probe its history and the psychology behind the selfie. Coming into being in 2012, the word “selfie” was later ranked as word of the year and even secured a place in Oxford Dictionary 2013. Besides, CC Rishi also shared with the audience tips to take a nice selfie.

Project Speaker CC Rishi explained about Selfie.

This session was ended by CC Fatima’s sharing of how a slight change in attitude and the manner of discourse can make a drastic difference in relationships. All it takes is awareness and sensitizing yourself to another’s feeling. It is a simple yet profound gesture that can light up the whole world.

Team of Evaluators 

TM Jacky winner of Project Speech

Table Topics winner CC Rishi

A round of fruitful evaluation came as a nice wrap-up of the meeting. Not to forget the nice food served during the refreshment which never failed to be a feature of the club!

Food served during the refreshment 

Meeting No: 152

Theme: What If

Word of the day: Envisage

At times, life can be dull. 

In the war between dream and reality, idealistic human beings are the one who suffer the most.

Some choose to surrender themselves to the gritty realism while some continue to wage the battle to achieve the utopia they crave.

Whatever category one is in, occasional spice-up of things in life is a must. In this aspect, the words ‘What If’ are a game changer. Let’s envisage no further than UMTMC.

ACB, CL Joseph, a much helpful guest from TARC Toastmaster Club joined the meeting as a Table Topic Master. 

TM Nicholas was the first challenger that rose up to the Table Topic Session and got a question which invoked a poignant memory. Conceding that he didn't fare well in Biology during secondary school’s times, currently Nicholas envisages not a single failure in his tertiary education.

Failure can be frustrating. What if you could turn the clock back and be given a chance to re-choose the path? TM Jacky firmly turned down such potentially life-changing opportunity and vowed he would stay put with the path chosen. A great chemical engineer is in the making!

What would CC, CL Wei Chin do had her got a windfall which made her a millionaire? Having been agonized by the disruption of water supply, Wei Chin promised to invest heavily in water supply facility so that this God-given asset can reach every part of the world which needs it.

What would Aaron, a guest do if he was alone with Mr. Obama in an elevator? Being a person who is concerned with the planet he resides, he would ask the president questions about world issues. Having said that, it might take a technical failure of the elevator to get those questions satisfied!

The next topic was interesting. Any unusual turnout or slip up might be considered as overstepping the boundaries of educational topics. Take this. What if one day you woke up to find CC Yik Ming, the president lying just beside you? Well, TM Pei San said nothing unusual happened. This marked the end of the session.

As for project speeches, TM Jacky gave his debut speech with the title One Step Closer. After participating several meetings by UMTMC, Jacky gradually did away with the initial prejudice towards Toastmasters Club. Now he envisages a future with this club.

TM Nicholas shared his authentic experience with the native people in a rural area called Pantos, Pahang . His sharing drove home a clear message, that all of us should always be grateful.

CC Chen Long illustrated a story which reminded everyone something – that Mother’s Day is just around the corner! Well, pretend to be a good kid if all this while being a true one is too much for you!

Next, it was the much awaited refreshment session. With the variety of the good food, one would often lament that 10 minutes were never enough.

Then came the great pantheon of evaluators led by ACS, ALB Eric. Dr. Tilah offered valuable advice on Nicholas’s speech while DTM Dr. Devi took either pain or pleasure in amending the crude expressions made throughout the meeting. It was true that in ACS, ALB Jing Yi’s words that Jacky didn't look in anyway like a first-timer throughout his speech.

Toastmaster of the Evening

Speech Evaluator

Speech Evaluator

Speech Evaluator

Project Speaker TM Nicolas 

Project Speaker CC Chen Long

Nice job, Aaron!

Winners

Deliciously nice!

Group photo

What if you had the opportunity to emerge as a great speaker by joining Toastmasters?

Meeting No: 149

Theme: Challenges

Word of the day: Fascinating

One of the many ways to relish challenges in life (instead of shying away from them) is to attend any Toastmaster meetings.

Not only will you learn that challenges are merely a thing of mental perception of obstacles which can be easily overcome by positive thinking, you will realize that challenges represent opportunities too.

After the arrival of guests, it was the usual routine of introduction of guests and members. Indeed, we were proud to have ACB, CL Yeow Honn acting as the General Evaluator of the meeting.

Next, it was the Table Topic Session which had seen the surge of several ready-and-up-to-challenges-members to speak off the cuff. It was indeed a fascinating sight.

Then, came the project speeches. TM Nicholas led the session by presenting a profound topic with the title ‘Go Beyond Politics’. Instead of being carried away by the negative words spewed out by the politicians, people should always first resort to reasoning and always value peace that does not come easy.

Next, it was CC, CL Yew Yi’ time to uplift the spirit of the room. With the title – Just Do It, Yew Yi gave an encouraging speech on overcoming one’s fear in Public Speaking. Novices would find that public speaking does bot really deserve that much of fear.

The session was ended by CC, CL Fatimah’s speech. The book lover shared her affair with a book which had greatly inspired her. The profound inspiration was translated in her speech which, in turn, enlightened the crowd.

After a rather hearty enlightenment, came the evaluation session led by ACB, CL Yeow Honn.

Throughout the session, not only the General Evaluator was generous with his compliments, he, too, proffered some valuable suggestions for improvement.

Audience was all ears during the meeting

Members of UMTMC were enjoying themselves in the refreshment

Yeow Honn was sharing with the crowd his tokens of advice for improvement.

Jacky was voted as Best Table Topic Speaker. Keep it up!

Yew Yi appeared as the Best Speaker for Project Speech.

“Happiness is not the absence of problems; it's the ability to deal with them.”

― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Meeting No: 148

Theme: Haze

Word of the day: Shrouded

The past week has been a hazy one. However, it didn't quite affect the UMTMC’s member, (I mean)  in terms of their collective goal – to improve their communication skills.

As usual, a brief round of introduction was conducted to set the tone of the meeting, followed by the Table Topic Session to condition everyone’s mind which had just been blunted by the wear and tear of daily routines.

For regular guest Yahya, it was a question of living in the past or future. Apparently, the more appropriate take seems to be treasuring the presence.

Asked if he had met any celebrity before, for an avid fan of badminton like TM Nicholas, you definitely don’t expect the likes of Tom Cruise, Adele etc. You know what the default answers are.

Asked if which celebrity she would wish to bump upon, being a follower of TVB Dramas, CC, CL Ing Ting’s reply wasn’t out of blue.

As for CC Sara, the question jolted her back to her childhood in Pakistan, where she once grabbed the crown in a beauty pageant contest held in her school. Her speech could have been enhanced with some model-like swagger.

Next, it was time to listen to the Project Speeches. 

TM Chern Kern, being the first speaker, sent a strong reminder to the audience that time is so precious, with a rather reprimanding title – “What are you doing?”

Then, the next speech with the title “Social Contract” took the philosophy out of CC Wei Chin. 

Still, laughter to her was a universal and flexible element despite the presence of John Locke in the topic that demanded some seriousness.

The session was ended with CC,CL Ing Ting's presentation of how a club can emerge as a distinguished club. Plenty of take-home advice was there.

After a hearty refreshment, the evaluation session began, with CL Abner Francis steering the wheel. Being a visitor from other club, Abner Francis had opened the minds of UMTMC members to new perspective and exposure. Indeed, his presence was the highlight of the day in view of his eloquence and helpfulness.

Last but not least, the winner goes to ….

..
..
..



TM Sara, the Best Table-Topic Speaker.

Meeting No: 146

Theme: Think out of the box

Word of the day: Divergent

When was the last time you thought out of the box?

It is easy for one’s mind to be framed and restricted by the daily, mundane routine, be it at work or dealing with the tiresome household chores.

Upon realizing the stress one might easily have, UMTMC rolled out its meeting with the theme ‘Think out of the box’, to fix the light bulb in the mind which had long been out of action.

What could be the better litmus test other than the table topic shockers?


What kind of traffic sign you would like to be? Yet-to-be-member Yahya, with his usual eloquence and humour ,coupled with his spontaneous imagination chose roundabout. What a choice!


As for TM Shafinas, it was her personal story from sorry to glory. Keep it up!

Project Speaker TM Shafinas

Upon reflecting on her past, DTM Dr. Devi revealed that her greatest success was the formation of UMTMC that has been grooming many students to become a better speaker. Being a living legacy from Dr. Devi, UMTMC shall continue to serve its role relentlessly – producing competent leaders and speakers.

Who knows what’s next? CC Sylvia Tan, the former member of UMTMC, who had to deal with the shock of finding an elephant in the backyard upon waking up. Suggestion: Had you ever found yourself in this dilemma, first thing first -  give yourself two slaps on the face -  to check whether it was a dream. If not, anymore slap is undesirable for the brain to grind out a solution.

As for Project Speeches, TM Pei San shared with us about 'What’s wrong with our food system?'. It was a question that we rarely ponder upon though we are used to eating.

Project Speaker TM Pei San 

Next, came the 3^rd year student from Faculty of Law, CC Wei Chin who conducted a spooky post mortem of a horrendous crime which took place decades ago in America.  The speech title ‘Ken & Barbie’ was enough to give anyone (who had watched a movie about dolls could kill before) shivers down the spine.

Fortunately, this session wasn’t ended with the horror note. CC Fatima shared with us an inspiring story titled 'Rescuer of the World's Children' about a man who refused to copyright the vaccine he had worked tooth and nail for in order for it to be available at a lower price.

After some light refreshment, came the feedback session to which CC Sylvia Tan, the General Evaluator of the Day, took charge.

And the Best Table Topic Speaker goes to DTM Dr. Devi..

The chance belongs to the one who seize it.

International Speech and Table Topic Contests

                                                     Theme: Habit                                            

Word of the day: Value

As the dust of CNY break settles down, it’s time to get serious with the usual speaking business in UMTMC.

Being fresh from the one-month long break, there was nothing fancy.  The theme – “Habits” was simple enough to reveal the manifold details of one’s life and character. Credits to TM Shafinas.

After a brief round of introduction, it was time for Table Topics. TM Pei San reminded everyone that one’s bad habit’s might be due to inheritance. The take-home message? You don’t have to take all the blame!

While being asked what were the 3 things she would need while being chased by the blood-craving zombie, ACS, CL Jing Yi took the audience by surprise. Apparently, being a marathon runner herself, a pair of good running shoes was enough. What a clever forfeiture. Having too many choices might not be good sometimes.

Next, it was CC, CL Ing Ting who attempted the topic given with motivational and inspirational words.
Perhaps the most thought-provoking question was one attempted by CC Yik Ming. If you were to choose between gift and reward, what would it be? Think.

 For Project Speech Session, CC, CL Jing Xian took up the challenge by attempting the project Speak Off the Cuff. This is no joke. The speaker is required to provide the evaluator with 5 possible topics. The evaluator will then select one at random. In the end, Jing Xian gave all of us a lecture about women rights in Malaysia and its potential room for improvement. Next, CC Fatimah presented an old tale which came with ancient intelligence and time-enduring values.

 Last but not least, it is an honour to witness ACB Suthaharan leading the panel of evaluation and offerring tips and advice for the improvement of the meetings.

Perhaps the user-friendly, affordable platform for you to make public speaking a habit is Toastmaster, particularly UMTMC who passionately advocates “the stage is always yours if you want it”.

            Theme: Reminiscence                                                         
              Word of the day: Perky


Do you still remember those good old days? They might be days which saw off events which made you squirmed with embarrassment upon realization of your own innocence and naivety. They might be moments when you mischievously chased after the wandering flock of chickens with your mighty water gun.            


 These were childhood times in which you have long been hankering for upon stepping into the adulthood full of doubts and uncertainties. Reminiscence has had the better of us and this meeting came as a much-needed outlet for those pangs of nostalgia.

                The urge to turn back the clock back to childhood times surged with the Table Topics Session invoking our memories of the favourite Disney movies, the coyness exhibited in the maiden confession and the self-made cards dedicated to our parents with strokes of crayons and colour pencils.


                Aptly, all the assignment speeches presented seemed to remind us to always revisit the roots and basic tenets of the life.


It was kick-started with a brilliant sharing by CC Fatimah about the Secrets of Happiness. Its relevance couldn't be anymore emphasized given that we are in an era shaped by complexities and intricacies.
 “Happiness isn't a destination but a journey.”








In times where sleep is often considered as a time-consuming luxury, it was Sara’s speech which reminded us the importance of sleep.
"Lack of sleep causes mood swing and overall tiredness"








Lastly, Yew Yi gave his take on moderation with the speech titled as The Best of Both World.



"Moderation gives you an unrivalled perspective on things in times of conflicts."










 As usual, refreshment is the session which you can always rest your expectation upon. Words and compliments can hardly do justice to those cakes except churning it mindfully with silent appreciation.


Then, we had CC Dr. Tilla all the way from KL Tamil Toastmaster Club who played the role as a General Evaluator. She was thorough, helpful, perceptive and notably graceful in her delivery.
Besides, the meeting was also attended by guests: Yee Yuen and Zhi Soung who shared with us their insights on several matters.

 Things viewed from different lens are in fact needed for the club to grow from strength to strength. 

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” 
― Søren Kierkegaard