Seats were filled early with excited members and guests in our last meeting, as everyone eagerly anticipated the 3 speeches of the evening! Our Toastmaster of the Evening, TM Heidi Rahman, need not fuel the audience further with energy, but she did anyway!
She started with sharing a story. Recently, she was given the opportunity to lead a team. Initially, she had a narrow-view of her role and ended up getting stuck at her tasks. Once she started to see things from a different angle and shifted her mindset, she became more positive and more confident. “If you think you can’t change it, change the way you look at it.”
Role players for the evening.
As grammarian, TM Kelvin Lai introduced the following terms.
Word of the Day: Arresting
Meaning – Catches one’s attention
Synonyms – Captivating, eye-catching, striking, astonishing,
Rhetorical Device of the Day: Onomatopoeia.
It is the use of imitative and naturally suggestive words for rhetorical, dramatic, or poetic effect.
As Timer, TM Dalton Lim shared his Tip of the Day. He said, “I’m a chronic procrastinator and I’m recovering from it. Start your tasks early.”
TM Macalister Mak attempted his CC7 “Research your topic” by telling us a biography of Elisha Otis, an American industrialist, founder of the Otis Elevator Company, and inventor of a safety device that prevents elevators from falling if the hoisting cable fails. Elisha Otis’ journey to success was full of hardship, failures and stress, but he did not give up and continued to experiment and invent new technology. Macalister noticed that many people turned to smoking because of stress. Using Elisha Otis as an example, Macalister wanted to inspire us with the message “a gentle reminder. Take a step back and enjoy the world” rather than being succumbed to stress.
In line with her speech title “It’s a long story”, Derby Teo, CC, set the stage by telling us that, sometimes, people use the phrase “It’s a long story” to avoid answering questions that they do not want to answer, or are tired of answering repeatedly. A few months ago, Derby had to wear a cast on her leg because a guy accidently stepped on her feet and got her injured. Using humor and effective body language, she entertained us by recounting the funny, awkward and annoying moments she had from the experience, once and for all. In the end, she left us with the message, “What is life without falling? Learn to find the brighter side. Learn to see the bright side of things and laugh it off.” It’s a long story, so the next time you see Derby, don’t ask her to repeat her misfortune again.
Playing with his vocal variety, and characterization, Allen Ang, ACS, ALS, brought history to life by accounting a short biography of King George VI of the United Kingdom. He narrated the story of how King George VI struggled and overcame speech stammering with the help of an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue, who refused to address him as a King but as a patient. The account described his therapy journey until he was crowned as the King and was expected to give a war speech during World War Two, a speech that moved millions. That leaves us with the message, you are able do greater things than you thought you could. Congratulations, Allen, for finishing your 40th speech and achieving Advanced Communicator Gold title.
After the break, TM Maudena Hamid, entertained us with a unique Table Topic theme: Product Expo! In her session, chosen speakers were to act as inventors of the many ‘hi-tech products’ in her canvas bag of secrets. The first inventor was Gerald Goh, CL, who introduced to us his well-thought-of creation that could render ironing a thing of the past! Simply hang your clothes with it for a week and voila! Not only that, it could also serve a dual function as a disciplinary tool. It is a product that, according to him, one must always have in the car.
Tired of spending money on frequent haircuts? Brendan Ti, CC, ALB, has just the solution for you! With his invention, made from sticky liquid processed into rubber, you will have no need for salons. And never ever will you confuse the identity of your girls. With his humorous speech, Brendan earned himself a Best Table Topic and a nickname: ‘Rubber Man’.
Want an item that can ‘ca’tch ‘me’mories so it can ‘la’st? Then TM Supatra Lee has just what you yearn for and more! With wireless capabilities and an added bonus of being manufactured in Japan, it is an item not to be missed!
Would you like to rewind that? You can, with TM Sumardi Hedus’s fine invention. With it, you have ultimate control over everything, from your lights, fans, TV, doors, curtains – you name it! And all that for just $9.99!
Evaluators for the evening
With so many tall tales told in the meeting, our evaluators shared a worthwhile advice: pause, compose and remember your points. If you can incorporate all that without looking lost, then you are a storyteller! Many congratulations as well to our Best Evaluator for the evening, Rahul Breh, CC.
Returning guest pleased with the welcoming atmosphere of Brunei Speakers’ Club
Let’s look forward to the next chapter of our story!
Co-Written By:
TM Supatra Lee & TM Rahmat Tarsat
Photography By:
TM Nabil Kadir