Greetings, everyone!
Right from the start, our Toastmaster of the Evening, Ong Yin, Competent Leader, set us thinking; positing that we are like a ship in the middle of the ocean with unpredictable currents. Sometimes there is no wind at all and we are unable to move no matter how much we adjust our sails. But as opportunities only come to those who are ready to receive it, Ong Yin urged us to be prepared, don’t take down our sails, and never give up.
Ong Yin. our Toastmaster of the Evening
Echoing the Thought of the Day, our Timer & Tip Toastmaster, Jordan Yau, advised us to take the first 30 minutes of our day to schedule the rest of it. This is remarkably practical because it applies not only to Toastmasters but also to everyday life as preparation is crucial regardless of our goals.
Our ever-conscientious Grammarian, Toastmaster Rahul Breh, instated “affluence” as the Word of the Day. The Latin word pronounced as “ah-floo-uh-ns” meant having a profusion of or an abundance of supply. His affluence of dedication as the Grammarian to even present the origin of the word is aptly noted.
Dalton Lim showing the right soles
The first speaker of the night, Toastmaster Dalton Lim, attempted his third project from the Competent Communicator Manual. He informed the audience on how to “Maintain Safety with Basketball Shoes” by enlightening us on the ergonomics of different types of basketball shoes. He outlined the benefits and drawbacks of high-top and low-top shoes so we would choose carefully and hence prevent ourselves from sustaining injuries. Dalton advises everyone to play safe with the right soles; because while shoes may be expensive, so are injuries.
Reuben Chin encourages everyone to stand for election
With every rising sun, we inch nearer to a new term of our Toastmaster journey and soon it will be time to elect the new executive committee. With this in mind, Reuben Chin, Advanced Communicator Silver, Advanced Leader Bronze delivered a speech from the Advanced Communicator Manual: “Club Succession Planning”, outlining the roles and responsibilities of each and every club officer. He stressed on how every single committee member is essential and indispensable in the making of a successful club. A leader himself, Reuben dispelled the common concept of equating a leader to a dominator, but set forth the ideology of “servant leadership” where leaders do not command, but serve. He entreats us to take a step and take a chance.
Our first-time Table Topic Master, Toastmaster Pooja Shivanand, enraptured us with an affluence of “Would You Rather” questions.
Ruey inspires everyone
Ruey shared a humourous recount of herself having jitters which resulted in a minute mishap on a professional stage. She believes that whether we are a spectacular failure or a small success, what is truly important is that whenever we fail, we can climb up, brush up and try again. Toastmaster Chris recalled that he loved Superman as a child, but found that Spiderman was much more relatable as he is as human as the rest of us, developing skills as we get bitten and attaining knowledge as we grow older. Akin to the superhuman theme, Siang surprised the audience by opting for infinite power over infinite intelligence on the grounds that he would be physically safe even if the enemy outwits him.
Ing Siang showing his power
The session turned from supernatural to sentimental when the bold yet warm hearted guest Shauki volunteered and said that he would rather have one sincere soulmate instead of many untrue friends. Following suit, Grace, a small town girl in a big city, leaned on living in a beautiful village instead of the centre of a city because the meadows may be warmer than a cold city man’s heart. Last but not least, Toastmaster Tan didn’t fancy being very famous and die at the age of 40, but instead chose to be lesser known and live up to 90. This is due to the fact that frivolous fame that will never win over what is truly important to him: spending time with his family and friends.
Tan, the best Table Topic speaker! Congratulations!
Toastmaster Tan’s touching speech resonated with the audience as he emerges as the best table topic speaker. In relation to his speech, Tan reveals another incentive to live to a ripe age – to achieve his goal of becoming a Competent Communicator. All the best, Tan!
Members of the evening
As we are near the end of our meeting, Immediate Past President, Advanced Communicator Bronze, Advanced Leader Bronze, Stuart Lee, accentuated on the significance of participating in the next election. This rings true to the fact that the success of a club is not dependent on singularities but instead it is based on individuals working together as a team.
The meeting wrapped up as the Vice President of Education, Allen Ang, Advanced Communicator Bronze, Advanced Leader Bronze took the stage for closing remarks. Allen explained that Toastmasters is a platform for us to learn and prepare ourselves for the outside world, not only as a speaker but also a leader. Hence he encouraged us to take the chance and keep on going because practice does not make perfect; but it makes permanence and progress.
Writer’s Remark: When all is said and done, everything comes down to whether or not we take that one more step. May we all prepare ourselves to the best of our abilities to seize the chance when it comes as success is when preparation meets opportunity. Many thanks to everyone who played a part in the success of the club as well as the meeting; both on stage and off-stage. We hope that each meeting will be special in its very own way. See you in the next meeting!
Written By
TM Derby Teo
Photography By
Gerald Goh