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

Theme: What's in a name

Word of the day: Allusion 

Ever wonder why people address you by your name or why you were named in such a way… your name?

The past meeting explored on this perplexing issue with the theme “What is in a name”. Accordingly, everyone in the Introduction Session was to share or guess the meaning behind their name. Some were profoundly enlightening and some were cheeky. As a whole, the session was an eye-opener.

 Next, the Table Topic Session took an unexpected twist. As requested by the innovator – TM Chen Long, each person was to write an adjective about himself or herself on a piece of paper, which would be the topic for the table topic speakers. The speaker was to pick out the person who wrote the adjective and of course, with justifications. Needless to say, the speaker’s imagination and thinking capacity would have to be stretched to nowhere without any investigation. It was fun. Kudos to Chen Long.
 

During the session of Project Speech, CC Yik Ming presented on peculiar facts about our body in which we had often taken for granted. You might never realized that the speed of sneezing can reach the mind-boggling 165km/h and the metabolic waste-urine possesses healing effects until listening to Yik Ming’s well-crafted speech. You definitely never thought your fragile strands of hair, when numbered to 150000, can support the weight of 2 elephants!

Fatimah was on song.

CC Wei Chin was
 presenting on the vexing social issue.

 

 Next, CC Wei Chin shed lights on   teenage abortion- a social issue   that have been long lurking yet remains unresolved while CC Fatimah gave us a picture about her High School’s Farewell Party in Pakistan. Such is the beauty of Toastmaster. People get to expose themselves to diverse opinions and culture.

Delicious food with nice chit-chat

As always, the refreshment lived up to its expectation, probably beyond that. Generous spread of delicious cakes on the table was simply mouth-watering and appetite-seducing. Million thanks, Fatimah!

The satisfying refreshment was followed by fruitful evaluation with CC Yew Choong taking helm as a General Evaluator.

TM Chern Ken was taking the role as
Toastmasters of the Evening.

Everyone was engrossed in Yik Ming's presentation.

Keep your mind open and you shall be enlightened. Wisdom comes when we start to appreciate everything in life, be it good or bad, be it big or small. Toastmasters, as a sharing stage, provide just that.

Theme : Halloween 

Word of the day : Nyctophobia 

On safe land!

Though it was Halloween, there was no sight of ghastly – looking beings. Thank God. All were safe from the deadly bite of the Walking Dead.

             

   The meeting was started off with a brief round of introduction, with each and every one sharing their experience of Nyctophobia (Word of the Day). Instead of letting the fear to rule the day, the joy and laughter had the last say.

                                                                           

Character aside, Wei Chin's attire was too
 powered by Pocahontas.

        As for the Table Topic Session, we learnt that the most torturous prank one can ever play on another is to wake somebody up in the middle of the night for no reason. Indeed, this prank was the most annoying of its kind. (Sorry to know that you have been through this before TM Yahya!)

        Next, CC Wei Chin portrayed how her favourite cartoon character –Pocahontas inspired her triumphs over the men. 

        Lastly, when asked which types of ghosts scared her most, TM Shafinas shared with us her real-life supernatural encounter in a jungle during a camping trip. Immediately, the room plunged into a pin-drop silence. That was the first time that the atmosphere dipped below zero-degree Celsius since the audience had learnt the theme of the meeting. Lesson learnt. Never fool around in places like jungle.

                

Nicholas. A caring lad.

             For the project speech, TM Pei San surged to the stage and shared with us her first-time cooking experience. Being inspired by her boyfriend who could handle household chores well, Pei San decided to make the very first step into the kitchen and come out with something edible. Despite those botched attempt (i.e. fish slipping away from hand, egg turning into a charred scrap), she never stopped grabbing the chance to improve herself. Finally, she got the long-awaited admiration and praises from her loved one. Currently, she is available for consultation over cooking matters.

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              Next, TM Nicholas highlighted the plight of stray animals. Being moved by their piteous state, Nicholas spoke with conviction, urging all to consider giving those poor creatures a chance while one does have a choice of s splashing lavishly on those fine breeds.

          

Kevin. The family guy. 

         Attempting his tenth speech, TM Kevin shared with us the strong bonding with her mom after having gone through various hard times together. It was glad to know Kevin’s mother made it through the cancerous illness after much heart-wrenching moments. Though Kevin’s speech was subsequently failed by Dr. Devi given that what was at stake, still, the speech wasn't short of a compassionate and a value-laden one. Good try and keep trying!

              

          Lastly, CC Fatimah educated the audience about the making of the leather. Interestingly, she even shared with us ways to remove the offending odour of newly bought leather-made products.

                After an energizing refreshments with delicious cakes, came the fruitful evaluation driven by the General Evaluator- CC Malcome, the ever energetic lad. Notably, CC Yik Ming presented a detailed grammarian report that benefitted the audience.  

Malcome, the Handsome.

Syafinas on supernatural encounter

Dr. Devi, the Devil's advocate in the Evaluation Session.

Yahya, the pranked.