Meeting Review (Dec 30th, 2008)

THEME:		Bye 2008, Welcome 2009
WORD OF THE DAY:		USHER

Attendees
MEMBERS		ROLE
Aishah Ayub
Ananthan Sanggar		GRAMMARIAN
Chandran V	CTM	Induction
Huegesh Marimuthu
Lakhmichand, M.A.	ATMB, CL	TME
Lim Mooi Kheng
Lourdes Chandramohan	DTM	GE
Mary Barton	ACB, CL	INVOCATION
Maureen Ong	CC
Michelle Ong	CC
Muhendaran	DTM
Ranjani, V	CC
Ranjit Singh	ACB, CL	Welcome
Renu Dayalal
Sethuraman		Opening
Shanmugam	CTM	AH
Syamala		TIMER
GUESTS
Ellie Moey
Patricia Kolandai

SPEECHES
Aishah Ayub
Basic C&L # 4
Making Good New Year's Resolutions!
Lim Mooi Kheng	BEST
Basic C&L # 5
My 2009 Ambitions
Ananthan Sanggar
Basic C&L # 6
Recession
Mary Barton, ACB, CL
Speciality Speeches
Read Out Loud
Barack Obama - The Audacity of Hope
SPEECH EVALUATORS
Ranjani, V, CC
Ranjit Singh, ACB, CL
Chandran V, CTM	BEST
Muhendaran, DTM

Induction:
Member		Mentor
Sethuraman M		Muhendaran, DTM
Syamala Murigah		Shanmugam, CTM
Renu Dayalal		Rema Paul, ACG
Aishah Ayub		Lucky, ATMB, CL
Lim Mooi Kheng		Lucky, ATMB, CL
Ranjani V, CC		Chandran, V, CTM

Programme
06.45 pm -	Arrival of Guests / Members
07.00 pm -	Opening…
07.05 pm -	Welcome…
07.15 pm -	INVOCATION / Toast!
07.20 pm -	Induction of New Members!
07.35 pm -	Dinner / Socialise
08.00 pm -	Speeches/General Evaluation
09.00 pm -	Entertainment / Activities.
09.45 pm -	Bye... See You in 2009

This was a special evening - our last meeting for 2008!
A much awaited event! It was time to bid farewell to 2008, and usher 2009 with great enthusiasm!

Being end-of-year, many members could not be present! The attendance was just 50%! It was a tightly packed programme. We wanted to end early so that those who had other plans for the evening could continue the night with their other pre-planned activities!

The Table Topics session gave way to INDUCTION of NEW members, who had not been inducted for a while!

In keeping with our tradition of starting punctually, VPPR, Sethuraman called the meeting to order. Welcomed everyone and led us all in the reciting of Toastmasters Promise, which we do at every meeting! That's a MUST!

IPP, Ranjit Singh, ACB, CL, played the host, on behalf of the president, welcomed everyone, and a formal introduction of members to our guests was executed smoothly.

VPM, Chandran V, CTM, was the INDUCTING Officer! Very professionally conducted the 'affair', ensuring NEW members were introduced to their Mentors. Both, the mentors and the mentees pledged to work together, with support from the rest of BANGSAR Toastmasters. The NEW members were each given a certificate.

Dinner followed...

We settled to listen to some great speeches!

While Aishah, Mooi & Ananthan did their Basic C&L assignments, our President, Mary Barton, ACB, CL, decided to step into the shoes of US Prez Elect, Barack Obama! To ensure we didnt get bored she read out loud, as the assignment from Advanced Manual, Specialty Speeches, requires. "The Audacity of Hope" was well presented... according to her evaluator, Muhendaran DTM!

Like always, it was a pleasure to listen to seasoned Toastmasters, Chandran & Ranjit Singh evaluating speeches by Mooi & Ananthan. I must say it was refreshing too to listen to our latest addition to CCs, Ranjani, who evaluated Aisha's "Making Good New Year's Resolutions!"

If you thought that being the end-of-year means being casual in evaluating, then you were sadly mistaken! The evaluations were THOROUGH! Just to highlight one point - Muhendaran drew attention to our acting Obama's gestures, that the US Prez Elect wouldnt be pointing finger but showing his fist to emphasize! But then if Obama was a Lady, perhaps it wouldnt be ladylike to wave fists! Then again, when you stand on an international platform, you just have to show them who the BOSS is!

Lourdes Chandramohan, DTM led his team of evaluators to share very positive feedback, where necessary, Lourdes himself, injected some very valuable tips.

Lim Mooi Kheng was voted BEST Speaker, while Chandran V, CTM was voted BEST Evaluator!

The President thanked everyone for making it a fun-filled evening, and with the usual New Year greetings, we said good-bye to 2008 and promised to come back on 6th Jan 2009 to continue with the second half of the term 2008-2009!

The ONLY entertaining activity arranged was "BINGO"!

IPP Ranjit, had some rhather inteesting 'crystal' dolphin lights that were given to the winners of BINGO!

Dear Toastmasters, the first half of the term, July - Dec 2008, flew past in a blink! Let us hope we will have enough time to catchup with our goals, resolutions and all the promises we made to ourselves...

It was indeed an inspiring evening/night. Our only two guests signed up for membership!

Allow me to leave you with this meditating thought.

As you Usher 2009, say out loud :

"Laughter is bubbling out of me like effervescence in a soda stream freely, and joyously as I embrace the fullness of life."

Bye... see you all on 6th Jan 2009, our first meeting for 2009!

by Lucky, ATMB,CL

Our FINAL Meeting for 2008!

Meeting Review (Dec 16th, 2008)

THEME:		Evening of MUSIC
WORD OF THE DAY:		MELODY

Attendees
MEMBERS		ROLE
Aishah Ayub		AH
Ananthan Sanggar		TTE
Chandran V	CTM	INVOCATION
Christine Lum
Huegesh Marimuthu
Lakhmichand, M.A.	ATMB, CL	TTM
Lim Mooi Kheng
Loke Kah Sing
Mary Barton	ACB, CL	GRAMMARIAN
Muhendaran	DTM	TME
Parimala Thevi Sundram
Ranjani	CC
Ranjit Singh	ACB, CL	SAA / GE
Renu Dayalal		TIMER
Shanmugam	CTM
GUESTS
Amrit Kaur
Ariff
Dinesh Menon
Lo Soon Hoi
Vaanee S

SPEECHES
Christine Lum
Ice Breaker
Lim Mooi Kheng
Basic C&L # 4
"Credit Card"
Parimala Thevi Sundram	BEST
Basic C&L # 9
"What would you do for a McDonald's…
Ranjani, CC
Special Occasion Speeches
Mastering The Toast
"Toast for My Dad's 60th Birthday!"
SPEECH EVALUATORS
Muhendaran, DTM
Shanmugam, CTM
Chandran V, CTM	BEST
Mary Barton, ACB, CL
TABLE TOPICS SPEAKERS
Huegesh Marimuthu
Ranjit Singh, ACB, CL	BEST
Loke Kah Sing
Muhendaran, DTM
Vaanee

It was a well attended meeting with quite a number of guests who chose to visit the club. The meeting atmosphere was very friendly and fun filled. Even the guests who attended were of the same view.

There were 4 speakers for the day whereby there were 3 speeches from the basic C&L manual and 1 from the advance manual.

It is to be noted that the table topics session was conducted in a very unique manner by Lucky where it was based or revolved around the theme of the day. The table topics speakers certainly found the session challenging but yet interesting.

The GE’s remarks (Ranjit) was very timely and without white washing.

by: Muhendaran, DTM

Next Meeting - 16th December...

Meeting Review (Dec 02nd, 2008)

THEME:		Evening of FASHION
WORD OF THE DAY:		EXQUISITE

Attendees
MEMBERS		ROLE
Aishah Ayub
Ananthan Sanggar
Chandran V	CTM	GE (2nd Half)
Christine Lum
Huegesh Marimuthu		TTM
Lakhmichand, M.A.	ATMB, CL	TTE
Lim Mooi Kheng
Mary Barton	ACB, CL	TME
Muhendaran	DTM
Parimala
Ranjani	CC	HUMOUR
Ranjit Singh	ACB, CL	SAA / TIMER
Rema Paul	ACG	INVOCATION
Renu Dayalal
Sethuraman		AH
Sham Sunder	CC	GRAMMARIAN
Shanmugam	CTM
Syamala		GE (1st Half)
GUESTS
Eileen Crawley
Lo Soon Hoi
Tan Kay Hwa
Suriakumar

SPEECHES
Aishah Ayub
Basic C&L # 3
"Passion For Fashion"
Renu Dayalal
Basic C&L # 3
"Benefit of Essential Oil"
Ananthan Sanggar
Basic C&L # 5
"Wonderful Qualities In Children"
Muhendaran, DTM	BEST
Basic C&L # 7
Social Dialogue on Industrial Harmony
SPEECH EVALUATORS
Shanmugam, CTM
Chandran V, CTM
Parimala
Ranjit Singh, ACB, CL	BEST
TABLE TOPICS SPEAKERS
Suriakumar
Eileen Crawley	BEST
Ananthan Sanggar
Muhendaran, DTM
Tan Kay Hwa

Meeting Review (Nov 18th, 2008)

THEME:		Evening of POETRY & QUOTES
WORD OF THE DAY:		PASSION

Attendees
MEMBERS		ROLE
Aishah Ayub
Ananthan Sanggar
Huegesh Marimuthu
Lakhmichand, M.A.	ATMB, CL	TTM
Loke Kah Sing
Mary Barton	ACB, CL	GRAMMARIAN
Maureen Ong	CC	SAA
Michelle Ong	CC	GE
Parimala		AH
Ranjani	CC	TIMER
Ranjit Singh	ACB, CL	TTE
Rema Paul	ACG
Renu Dayalal
Sham Sunder	CC
Syamala		TME

GUESTS

Amrit Kaur

Audry Fernandez

Christine Lum

Eileen Crawley

Khor See Yimn

Lai Ming Leong

Lo Soon Hoi

Normala Kassim

NoorHajran Mohd Noor

Puspa Devi E

Shanthy M

Talitha Charmaine Fernandez

SPEECHES

Aishah Ayub

Basic C&L # 2

"From Fat to Fit"

Ananthan Sanggar

Basic C&L # 4

"The Power of Thoughts"

Guest Speaker

Audry Fernandex (Speakers Club)

"Sugar & Spice , Naughty & Nice"

SPEECH EVALUATORS

Maureen Ong, CC

Ranjit Singh, ACB, CL

TABLE TOPICS SPEAKERS

(Poem) Rema Paul

(Poem) Sham Sunder

(Poem) Michelle Ong

(Quote) Ranjani

(Quote) Ananthan Sanggar

(Poem) Parimala

(Poem) Eileen Crawley

(Poem) Lo Soon Hoi BEST

Table Topics Speakers were required to either recite a poem or deliver & explain a quote of their own choice...


TTM's Contribution...

A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread - and Thou
--Beside me singing in the Wilderness -
O, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

by Omar Khayyam (1048-1131) - A Persian poet, philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. In his own country, Omar Khayyam was renowned for his scientific achievements, but not as a poet. His rhymes were rediscovered by the English scholar and poet Edward FitzGerald (1809-83) in the mid-nineteenth century.

----


Recited by Sham Sunder -

[ IF ]

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

-- Rudyard Kipling
----


Recited by Michelle


"Desiderata"

-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
----


Recited by Eileen Crawley


Touched by an Angel
Maya Angelou - (1928 - )


We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.
----


Recited by Lo Soon Hoi

(composed by him at the meeting)


A wide tarmac to thread on,
A sharp thorn on the rose,
A tears flows down my cheek,
A reek of garbage to chuck in,
Country last, change prevails,
(refer to US presidential election result)
Peasant cheers, bureaucrats jeers,
The revolution sows its seeds of liberty,
(refer to underrated Republican candidate, Ron Paul)
Love and compassion set me free,
Beyond black and white, good and evil,
There's a shades of grey,
Toastmasters is like the body and temple,
Its members are like the blood and disciple,
This is the right place for me to be,
No regrets, an ocular perspective for me to see.
Am happy, it fills the void into my empty soul,
Good riddance, I've yet to find the passion,
Pardon me, my poetry sucks to the core,
Thanks you, am brutally hones, less and more.

----

Meeting Review (Nov 04th, 2008)

WORD OF THE DAY:		IMPROVE

Attendees
MEMBERS		ROLE
Ananthan Sanggar
Chandran V	CTM	TTE
Huegesh Marimuthu
Lakhmichand, M.A.	ATMB, CL
Loke Kah Sing
Mary Barton	ACB, CL	AH
Maureen Ong	CC	SAA / TME
Michelle Ong	CC	GRAMMARIAN
Parimala		TIMER
Ranjit Singh	ACB, CL
Rema Paul	ACG	TTM
Renu Dayalal
Sai Jyothirmai		INVOCATION
Sham Sunder	CC
Shanmugam	CTM	GE
Syamala
Uma Narayanan
GUESTS	HOSTS
Chan Mun Hup	Rema Paul
Farah Jori	Lucky
Nalini	Chandran
Normala	Lucky
Sheireena	Rema Paul

SPEECHES
Uma Narayanan
Basic C&L # 2
"Why wear what you wear"
Huegesh Marimuthu
Basic C&L # 2
"Effective Sleep"
Mary Barton, ACB, CL
#2 SPECIALITY SPEECHES
"One Life – Do Something"
Sham Sunder, CC	BEST
#3 - Entertaining Speaker
"LAWYERS"
SPEECH EVALUATORS
Ranjit Singh, ACB, CL	BEST
Chandran V, CTM	BEST
Rema Paul, ACG
LUCKY, ATMB, CL
TABLE TOPICS SPEAKERS
Ananthan Sanggar
Loke Kah Sing
Renu Dayalal
Nalini
Sheireena	BEST

SAA Maureen CC called the meeting to order and led us in reciting the Toastmaster’s Promise.


President, Mary Barton, ACB, CL then took control with her welcoming speech & introductions; welcomed guests and members.


Sai Jyothirmai went on to inspire us with her words of wisdom on time management


Rema Paul, ACG, CL challenged us in the Table Topics session. Among the titles table topics speakers had to speak about included “The best and most beautiful things in life cannot be seen or touched but felt by the heart” (Helen Keller), “Is there anything worse than being blind? A man with sight but no vision” (Helen Keller), “To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of existence”, “There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way” and “Make up your mind to be happy – learn to find pleasure in simple things”. The Table Topics session was evaluated by Chandran, CTM. He gave a detailed evaluation.


After the break, the assignment speakers delivered their speeches.


The General Evaluator, Shanmugam CTM and the able team of evaluators did an excellent job of providing feedback with regards to the overall running of the meeting as well as zooming in to specific areas with helpful recommendations.


Before the President gave her closing remarks the awards were presented – our guest Sheireena was the best Table Topics Speaker, Sham Sunder, CTM was named the Best Assignment Speaker and Ranjit ACB, CL and Chandran , CTM were jointly voted as the best Evaluators.

An exciting and fun meeting indeed!.


By Maureen CC

Meeting Review (Oct 21st, 2008)

THEME:		BE KIND, BE HELPFUL
WORD OF THE DAY:		ALTRUISM

Attendees
MEMBERS		ROLE
Aishah Ayub		TIMER
Chandran	CTM
Huegesh Marimuthu
Lakhmichand, M.A.	ATMB, CL
Lourdes Chandramohan	DTM	TTE
Mary Barton	ACB, CL	TTE
Maureen Ong	CC	SAA / GE
Michelle Ong	CC	TME
Muhendaran	DTM	HUMOUR
Ranjit Singh	ACB, CL	AH
Rema Paul	ACG
Sethuraman		GRAMMARIAN
Sham Sunder	CC
Shanmugam	CTM	INVOCATION/TTM

GUESTS	(Hosts)
Jalli	Rema
Jill	Lucky
Priscilla Peh	Lucky
Robert Foo	Lucky
Shakuntala	Sham Sunder

SPEECHES
Muhendaran, DTM
Basic C&L # 6
"Do We Need It?"
Ranjit Singh, ACB, CL
#2 Hum Speaking -
"Sooner or Later"
Rema Paul, ACG
HPL Presentation - Vision / Mission
SPEECH EVALUATORS
Chandran, CTM
Mary Barton, ACB, CL
TABLE TOPICS SPEAKERS
Lakhmichand
Huegesh Marimuthu
Ranjit Singh
Chandran
Robert Foo
Sethuraman
Michelle Ong
Muhendaran
Rema Paul	BEST
Aishah Ayub

As per our normal Bangsar Toastmasters practice, the meeting started at 7.30 p.m. sharp.

We then recited our Toastmasters promise which was led by our Sergeant at arms (SAA) Maureen Ong CC. Then the president Mary Barton took us on a round of self-introduction. Besides telling those present our names, we had to tell them “What makes us smile”.

We were blessed with the presence of 5 new guests. For the benefit of the guests and to remind the members, I gave a brief introduction on the history of Toastmasters and what Toastmasters is all about.

During the invocation, Shanmugam CTM used an inspiring story about how out of two leaders, one was chosen. The leader was chosen not for doing what he knows best but for his ability to discern when to use what he knows.

Shanmugam then “changed hats” to be the Table Topics Master. According to the schedule, ten speakers were allotted time for the table topics section. Eight speakers were identified at the beginning of the meeting by a “committee”. One of the other two slots was taken by a guest and another by another member.

The Table Topics speakers and the speech titles were as follows:

1. Lucky: Give your views on whether the price of petrol should be reduced.
2. Huegesh: Are foreign graduates better than local graduates?
3. Ranjit: Foreign cars are better than local cars.
4. Chandran: Give your views on Malaysians migrating overseas.
5. Guest Robert Foo: Malaysian mentality needs rebranding..
6. Sethu: Voting age should be increased from 18 to 21
7. Michelle: Malaysian education system should be revamped
8. Muhendaran: Sport is good business.
9. Rema: Transgender should be accepted by society.
10. Aishah: What is the best form of investment during the economic crisis?

There were two TT Evaluators – Lourdes, DTM (evaluated odd numbered speakers), & Mary Barton ACB, CL (evaluated even numbered speakers). Both the evaluators gave good pointers on how the speakers could improve.

After the 10 minute-break, the assignment speeches commenced with the following members doing their individual projects:

1. Muhendaran did project #6 on Vocal Variety from the Competent Communication Manual. Title: Do we need it?

2. Ranjit did project #2 from the Humorously speaking manual: Leave them with a smile. Title: Sooner or later

3. Rema Paul did HPL Presentation – Vision/Mission. This is part of the requirement for the Distinguished Toastmaster achievement award.

Our GE, Maureen Ong CC then took us through the evaluation session. We first heard the reports from evaluators of two assignment speeches (Chandran, Evaluator for Muhendaran & Mary, the evaluator for Ranjit ACB). There was no evaluation for Rema’s speech. After that we heard the reports from the various role players. Then the GE gave us her comments on the meeting.

After the business session the meeting concluded on time at 9.30 p.m.

by Michelle Ong, CC