Hello, fellow Toastmasters and dear guests!
The first month of 2015 has passed but Toastmasters meetings have never failed to keep me afflated.
‘Afflated’, the word of the day, is an adjective that means inspired, or having inspiration. Thank you, A’aqiil, our Grammarian, for setting the tone of the meeting in a high note with this energising word.
A’aqil speaking in style
Life is not always a smooth roller coaster ride, but inspiration and positive thinking can be the hidden power that helps us overcome obstacles. Jordan, outstanding Toastmaster of the Evening, , said “Always stay positive, although you have nothing to stay optimistic about.”
Jordan showing us the two manuals
Whenever we are nervous, we are always haunted by the butterflies in our stomach. Take a deep breath, count to three, and breathe out slowly. Thank you, Tan, for sharing with us a practical Tip of the Day.
Rahul and Pooja, our newest couple members, impressed us with their captivating life stories during their Ice Breaker speeches.
Pooja wows us with her first speech
According to Pooja, her life is shaped by the people around her – her father, her mother, and of course, her ever-loving husband, Rahul. Without their love and guidance, Pooja would not have become the person whom she is today. With great passion in the leading field of Bio-engineering, and the chance to work with brilliant minds, Pooja was inspired to change the world. Despite her academic achievement, her father advised her to “stay grounded whilst reaching for the stars.” Pooja’s speech reminds us to stay humble in the glorious world we aim for, and do not let success prevent us from appreciating the happiness that originates from the simple, little things in life.
Rahul feeling excited in his speech
Rahul summed his existence in three words; he believes in ‘creativity, boldness and speed’. “Creativity has magic”; after spending the first decade of his life drawing cartoons, his adult years brought more success with his illustrations and marriage to his very own ‘Winnie the Pooh’, Pooja. He faced his fears and challenges with a “lion’s heart and an elephant’s presence.” His advice is simple: Don’t be afraid to try. Fight for what you want. Be bold. Be determined. In following this mantra, Rahul has gone from drawing cartoons as a child to being a successful developer and his ambition doesn’t end there…
Well down, Pooja and Rahul, on your Ice Breaker speeches. We look forward to more fascinating stories from both of you..
Rahul and Pooja with their speech evaluators
Gerald attempted his third project from the Competent Communication Manual, ‘Get to the Point’. Paperless technology is environmentally friendly, economically viable and highly efficient. Using the example of electronic medical records, and statistics from various sources, the merit of paperless technology was delivered convincingly. Save paper. Save trees. Save our world. Well done, Gerald!
Gerald sharing his love for technology
For Table Topics, Jason the philosopher gave us a chance to ponder the ‘meaning of life’.
Jason, a member of OTTERS Toastmasters Club
What is life? Life, to Reuben, is to be surrounded by aspiring and big-hearted people who would selflessly give you a hand when you need it. Now, he is afflated to be the helping-hand to those who need him. Chen Ling’s happiest moment was going on a vacation to Singapore with her friend after a busy year studying for exams. Your animated delivery entertained us greatly, Chen Ling. Good luck in your upcoming journey and we hope to see you again in the future.
Chen Ling, one of our guests
If only you could make a difference, what would it be? Kevin informed us that the 19th of February is not the first day of Chinese New Year that most of us believed to be, it is in fact the beginning of the new Zodiac calendar. Thank you, Kevin, you made a difference by correcting the misconception we had.
Kevin in action
What are the three things you wish to change in your life? As much as Phebe dislikes speaking in the public, she had taken on the challenge and delivered her first Table Topics courageously. Great job, Phebe! Although we cannot grant your wish of having more time, we can help you to grant your wish of becoming a better speaker here at Toastmasters.
Phebe’s first attempt
Life is full of surprises that you cannot control. Stuart encouraged us to stay determined and not be afraid to fail. Make those surprises pleasant ones. Be happy with what you have and move on.
Congratulations, Stuart, for winning the best Table Topics!
Contest season is upon us once more, fellow members! The Brunei Speakers’ Club will be holding its Table Topics and International Speech contests on the 24th of February 2015. UBD Toastmasters club and OTTERS Toastmasters club will be holding their contests on the 22nd of February 2015 and 25th of February 2015 respectively.
Hazwan, our beloved president, said “We don’t care about winning; what we care is that we all have fun!” Any member keen on competing, or helping our club and other Toastmaster clubs run the contests, please contact Hazwan, Allen, or Reuben. Aspired by Rahul’s motto of having the “heart of a lion and presence of an elephant”, President Hazwan inspired us by saying that no matter what we do in life, just get in, do it, and push ourselves beyond our boundaries. We never know how much we could achieve until we tried.
Stay inspired, everyone!
Written By
TM Supatra Lee
Photography By
TM Chang Seng Yee