November Issue

Shaping Ourselves


The meeting started on time with an opening address by Tang Chee Yik, TM. Toastmaster of the Evening was TM Lee Siang Yin. She brought us throughout an energetic and exciting meeting with title “Shaping Ourselves”.

The word of the day “constructive” was introduced by our language evaluator, Festus Jaya and was widely used by almost all the speakers throughout the meeting.

Table Topic Master Foo Mei Lee, TM started table topic session by using calendar with some pictures on it. This is to test the awareness of the speakers to speak in 2 minutes by relate the picture in the calendar. This was very challenging and all the speakers spoke pretty well on that day.

Table topic evaluator, Chew Siew Lei, TM gave good comments to all the table topic speakers. Stuart Chan, TM with his speech ‘International Baccalurate: A course for intelligent person’, explained an alternative pre-u course for student after form 5 and parents who plan where to send their children for further studies. Chua Siang Yin, TM delivered her speech with title “marry a rich man?” attracted audience attention, especially ladies audience by gave some informative tips to all ladies how to ‘hook’ a rich man and she also gave some tips to beware of those rich guys.

Soh Fong Wai ACS, ALB as general evaluator has gave us very detail evaluation from the beginning of the meeting, meeting agenda, and role players. He illustrated members as the water in a cup. If the water filled till half cup, there are spaces of improvement. If the cup is empty it means there are still plenty of spaces for improvement and also lack of confidence. If the cup is full with water, it does not means there is no room for improvement but then we might over confident or ego unwilling to accept people’s suggestion. Therefore, we need to ‘filter’. Willingness to learn and share ideas is the best solution to improve ourselves.
The meeting end on time with a closing address by Ivy Cherng, CC, CL. She gave some meaningful point how to shape ourselves by applying the toastmaster to improve ourselves. She also mentioned we have to take initiative to improve ourselves and do not depend upon others.
The meeting adjourned on time.




知足常乐

第三十九次例常活动的司仪是邱宜山胜任讲员出任。 他说凡事不要太执着， 应以知足心态面对。然而，在学习的路上应以孜孜不倦的心态进修。

出任语言评论员的张玉莲特地挑选人人常犯错的成语~心广体胖。胖在此不念‘胖’（第四声），　念‘盘’（第二声）。总会友恍然大悟，　玉莲，谢谢你！由于每日一词和主题谋和，会友们在运用方面都不成问题。　

心灵小品主持陈月莉会友以崭新的方式呈现。她用一支笔在眼前移动，寓意着当我们的视野狭窄，盲点出现导致眼前的事物都看不清楚。相反地，如果视野像看远距离的笔宽阔，就看得一清二楚。会友们都从笔的移动来体会月莉会友心灵小品的意义。

即席主持李湘莹会友以电影的名字出题。当晚除了有初级备稿作业，会长庄倩云胜任讲员也交出她的高级作业。会友越洁敏胜任讲员首次担任总评论员带来惊喜。
当晚的最佳即席演说有苏鸿伟高级银牌讲员、高级铜牌领导胜出。最佳备稿演说和最佳评论分别由郑月琴和陈启育会友胜出。



‘气球之可以高飞并非因为外形和颜色，而在于它内的氢气。’摘自《黑色的气球》


张玉莲会友说：我常在代课时将这则故事讲给同学们听， 希望他们听了以后会像故事里的牧师一样，相信自己，勇敢开创属于自己的人生。
个黑人小孩呆在公园的一个角落，看着一群白人小孩在玩气球。 他们手中的气球五彩缤纷，有红、黄、青、 紫、蓝、橙。


黑色的气球


突然，他们齐声喊道：‘一、二、三！’同时将手中的气球一放， 五颜六色的气球徐徐升上天空， 在晴空之下悠游地飘扬着，构成一幅美丽的图画。

当这些白人小孩越走越远后，黑人小孩站了起来，畏畏缩缩的走向卖气球的老伯， 小声地对他说：‘我……我……我要买一个红色的气球。’卖气球的老伯面有难色地说：‘对不起，我没有红色的气球可以卖给你。’黑人小孩听了，便说：‘哪 就给我一个蓝色的气球吧！’卖气球的老伯抱歉地说：‘真抱歉，蓝色、黄色、青色等的气球都卖完了。’黑人小孩一听，露出相当沮丧的神情。卖气球老伯看到黑人小孩如此失望，就赶紧跟着说：‘你等等，虽然五颜六色的气球卖完了，但我还有一个黑色的气球，我送你好了。’卖气球老伯就黑气球充气后，并将气球绑上长线交到黑人小孩手中。
黑人小孩怯生生地接过了黑气球，带着怀疑的神情望着黑气球，心想：‘这黑气球能飞得上吗？刚才天空中飘扬着的可没一个是黑气球啊！’

他缓缓地放开手中的线，想让气球缓缓地高飞到空中。说实在的，黑人小孩心里可不是很兴奋，他认为这黒气球是不可能会高飞的。此时他忽然发觉原来黑气球也可以和其他颜色的气球一样飞上广阔的晴天。

他高兴地叫起来：‘原来黑气球也可以高飞！黑气球也可以高飞！’看着黑人小孩如此兴奋，卖气球老伯也不禁笑了起来。他缓缓地走过去，将他大大的手掌放在黑人小孩的肩膀上，柔声地对他说：‘小朋友，你要紧记一件事，气球之可以高飞并非因为外形和颜色，而在于它内的氢气。’

这黑人小孩长大后当了牧师。他在短短的三个月筹募了五百万美元，并启建一座专门医治重症的婴孩和幼童的医院。当记者问他凭借什么能力，完成这个几乎是不可能的任务时，他只微微一笑说：‘因为我相信我自己。’这位牧师在访问时，铿锵有力地说了一句话：‘相信你自己， 沉睡在你心中的英雄便会苏醒。’

在日常生活中有些人就像那个黑人小孩一般，手中明明握有可以飞上晴空的气球，但却因为心中的迷惘，而对自身产生怀疑，让那个原可高飞的气球，硬生生地留在手中，不敢让它飞向灿烂的晴空。没错，在每个人的心中都住着一位伟大的英雄。只要你愿意相信自己，他将带领你完成任何美好的目标。