[slideshow]
Kotobian Tadau Tagazo Do Kaamatan! 
Happy Harvest Festival to all our fellow members celebrating this season! I trust you are all enjoying the long weekend and festive season only the state of Sabah can enjoy:)
We had a festive training meeting led by our Harvest Festival King, Paul Mathew, CTM:) The meeting started off with a very hyped and excited report of the District 51 Convention just held in Miri 21 – 23rd May 2010. (See separate Post for full report and video compiled by Melissa Jilimin, CC – or if you have facebook – it’s flooded with photos from Toastmasters Spray musical performed by KKTMC and many more photos from the convention).
I then invited our newly elected LGM – Lieutenant Governor Marketing Richard A. Gontusan, DTM to share with us some inspirational words after winning the hotly contested LGM post for newly formed District 87 at his 4th try:) Richard epitomises the phrase ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!’ Thank you Richard for inspiring us with your indomitable never give up spirit! It is high time Division K was represented at the top of the District!
Harvest Festival King Paul then opened the meeting with a very appropriate sumazau procession, accompanied by members wearing the traditional kadazan costume. It was a beautiful opening and got us all up and dancing (which seems to be part of KKTMC now!) as a warm up.
Paul then headed straight for the 4 speeches as we had to cut out the table topics (yes, everyone was extremely disappointed;)) due to the AGM to be held after the break:
1) Sophia Hong CC4 “Home Sweet Home” evaluated by Kevin Lim, ACB
Our WWF environmentalist became Sabah Tourism’s undiscovered advertiser as she revealed the wonders of Sabah through her research. Did you know they have found 120 new species on the island of Borneo just in the last year or so? Amazing! We look forward to hearing of a new species named ‘Opisthostoma Sophia-sophia’J As Kevin your evaluator has noted, perhaps you could have practiced it more so that you can include the photo montage you prepared but didn’t get a chance to show us due to time limitJ Perhaps you could show it to us in your next speech?
2) Mohd. Hanif CC1 “Opening Doors” evaluated by Jamie Chieng, CC
The audience was in for a treat of beautifully chosen words and metaphors as Mohd. Hanif shared the doors he has opened in his life. From opening his first door of life and entering naked into the world and the many doors of life he has opened since then – including the door of failure – when his SPM grades weren’t as expected. The first to open the door in his family of 2 other siblings – he says they devoted their lives to making each other miserableJ What a beautifully woven speech and so meaningful! He ended by stating that his life has been a series of opening doors. Here is his opening quotation:
It was Lawrence Clark Powell who said, “My life has been a series of opening doors into wonderful new rooms – wonder, but not without fear, pain, and sorrow, and always with the voice of the Lord reminding me that nothing is free and must be paid for by service to others…”
And ended with: So through this all, life has taught me something very important: To open that very door, you must find your own key towards it.
Thank you Hanif ! It was so pleasing to the ear to listen to such beautiful woven words! I can’t wait to hear your next speech!
3) Bernie Chan, CC3 ‘How did I survive in a Call Centre’ evaluated by Shahar Banon, CC
‘Hello, may I help you?’ Bernie entertained us with amusing experiences of working in a call centre in New Zealand and at the same time gave us her 5 Survival tips should you ever find yourself working in a call centre!
a) Learn your product and be familiar with it
b) Speak slowly and clearly
c) No personal apology unless it is directly your fault. Say “I’m sorry about the situation….”
d) Make sure your HOLD button is on if you need to check on anything (or let out frustrated cries and curses no one else is supposed to hear;))
e) Do not take any abusive calls and threaten to hang up if they continue using abusive words.
So there you have it! Bernie’s very own Survival kitJ Thanks Bernie and as Shahar your evaluator noted, perhaps next time just focus on 3 survival points and elaborate on them to ensure a clearer and smoother flow of your speech.
4) Christopher Shaw, CC3 ‘Smart Saving Tips for Better Living’ evaluated by Abu Bakar Sheriff, DTM
Smart Chris gave us up to 9 saving tips on how to save our dollars and cents especially when out shopping! From making a list of what you need, not what you want (to the dismay of the shopaholics in the audience), to planting your own vegetables. His prompter Wesley was excellent in mouthing and sometimes saying the words out loud so that Chris could continue without notesJ Excellent job Wesley! And well done Christopher! That’s how we train ourselves to do without notes and courageously face the musicJ Abu Bakar as his evaluator rightly pointed out that perhaps Chris could have categorized the points and focus on 3 main points and elaborate on them. It’ll help make the speech more focused and will be easier to internalize as well.
*President’s Note: The CC3 speech objective is Get to the Point – so to all future members tackling this speech project, try as much as possible to have the maximum of 3 points, then elaborate those 3 points with a personal story or an example to bring home that point. With 5 – 9 points in a speech, it is difficult for the audience to follow you and remember all the points J
General Evaluator TC Lim, DTM spent minimum time as we were running behind time. He evaluated most of the speeches again in his usual nurturing and teaching style and gave valid points for improvement as always. Grammarian Florence Majanil-Liau, CTM was sharp to rejoice in Mohd. Hanif’s many beautiful phrases and Ah Counter Constantine Chong, CTM was meticulous to catch everyone’s pause fillers. Invocator Stanley Joibi, DTM who was recently awarded the DTM medallion from District Governor Ritchie Chong, DTM at the convention of course shared the significance of harvest festival and stand in ASAA/Timer Melissa Betsy Jilimin, CC was quick to take over Veronica’s role when Veronica called in saying she would be coming in late. Thanks Melissa for showing why Toastmasters should always be ready to step in when needed!
My Take Home Magic of the evening was definitely by our newest members Mohd. Hanif’s speech : ‘if you want to open the doors of your life, you need to earn your key to it.’
We then quickly reorganised ourselves and conducted the AGM 2010 within the estimated 1hour – 9:40pm – 10:40pm. Great time keeping fellow Toastmasters! A detailed report and minutes of the AGM will be emailed to all but I’m proud to say that we have made a handsome profit this year, even with the decision to write-off a few old and lost assets from way back when.
See you at the 2nd last meeting of the term 8th June 2010(Tue) – it’ll be Bring Out the Magic T-shirt day so please wear your T-shirts with pride.
Yours in Toastmasters,
Jasmine
