Monday, June 25, 2007

Club Meeting - 25 June 2007

Speakers Dream Toastmasters Club presents the final meeting of the term 2006/2007 with the theme “The Best” on 25 June 2007.

Despite the wet and gloomy weather lingering around Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, we managed to start the meeting with 10 members at 7.30 pm. With last minute changes in the meeting agenda, VPE Robert Hue was able to get the co-operation of new and senior members to take the roles at the twelveth hour. Elizabeth, our guest for the evening commended she enjoyed the whole meeting and did not notice the changes as it was carried out smoothly. The meeting progressed well and ended by 9.25 pm as indicated in the meeting agenda. After taking into account the feedback by past General Evaluators on keeping tab on the time management, our club has made it by ensuring the meeting ended on time.

The meeting started off with our Club President Gwendoline with her final Presidential Speech on being ‘The Best.’ Table Topics took the next slot with new and old members participating with enthusiasm.

The meeting progressed with 3 new members presenting their speech assignments. Lee Mun Wai presented his icebreaker’s speech where he spoke from the heart. No notes was seen, he was delighted to share with us his wonderful journey on planet. His title of his speech was “Nomad” where he had the opportunity to travel and live in various parts of the Malaysia and United Kingdom.

The second speaker was Leo Koo, where he reminded us on the keeping fit. He gave his version on owning a ‘prosperous body’ at one time of his life due entertaining his clients with constant nasi lemak. He reviewed his expenses and found out he needed to cater for new clothes to meet his new development of his body growing sideways. He took charge of the situation and made his decision to keep fit and maintain his expenses. Finally he succeeded and cautioned the audience to try to stay fit for the sake of better health.

Our third speaker Loretta spoke on the principles of shopping where our timekeeper Puspa almost missed her timing in switching on and off the timer lights as she got engrossed in Loretta’s interesting speech. One of the principles of shopping is you need to shop twice ie pre window shopping and on the day shopping to grab your goodies on the sale day. This idea was certainly a familiar tactic I use to shop in Isetan Member sale where I could shop during lunch time ie half an hour to grab the goodies.

The meeting ended with winners for :-

Best Table Topic Speaker – Caryl Hean

Best Assignment Speaker – Lee Mun Wai

Best Assignment Evaluator – Gwendoline Gwee, CL

The meeting ended on time as planned.

Kudos to Speakers Dream Toastmasters Club as we strive to improve our meetings for the benefit of our members.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

In-coming Club EXCO 2007-2008

Dear Esteem Members,

11 June 2007 is not just another ordinary club meeting. It was also the 10th Annual General Meeting for Speakers' Dream Toastmasters Club. We had a smooth sailing AGM with the election of the new Executive Committee Members 2007/2008. Let us welcome our Incoming EXCO 2007/2008:-

President : Robert Hue Voon, CTM, CL (Middle, reference to photo above)
VP Education : Chow Mun Yuen, CTM, CL (Right-4)
VP Membership : Ismail Md Yusof Fahmy, CTM (Right-3)
VP Public Relation : Pushpa Menon, TM
Secretary : Mei Han Yap TM
Treasurer : Choo Yew Fai TM (Left-4)
SAA : Keat Fu Alfred Koh, ACB (Left-3)

Comm Members : Ong Siew Chien, DTM (Right-1)
Mok Soo Pon , ACB (Right-2)
Choo Kheng Ong, TM
Yu Foong Sin, TM
.

To the In-coming Team of Executive Committee 2007/2008, my heartiest congratulation to you. I am confident that you will serve the club with P.R.I.D.E. - Personal Responsiblity In Developing Excellence.

I wish you a fantastic year ahead.

Toastmasters - Simply Amazing

By Gwen Gwee
Club President
SDTMC 2006/2007

Presidential Address - 11 June 2007

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very warm welcome to all members and especially our guests to our Special meeting tonight with the Theme – PRIDE.

What is this PRIDE to me and to all of you. If you take pride in what you do, you would want to excel, to do well and to put in a lot of effort. If you take pride in being a Toastmasters, you will attend meetings, participate in the meetings, prepare your assignment, practice it and to give a good delivery.

Just like our Division Champion DTM Shanker from Penang, for him to win in the District Contest and come out Champion he practices his speech 60 times.

If you take pride in being an EXCO member of the club, you will attend meetings, contribute your ideas, be creative in execution of your duties.

So friends are you taking PRIDE in what you do?

Let me share with you a poem.


"All roads lead to Rome.
Choose a method that works best for you.
Identify what you can control and let go what you can't.
The world is changing so very fast and so MUST you.
If there is any one who comes to your rescue, it will be YOU.
Keep yourself motivated.
Set your goals.
Approach your life with PRIDE.

Personal Responsibility In Developing Excellence."


Yesterday we have a fantastic workshop – The Art of Chinese Painting conducted by two Masters and two of his assistants. The event was attended by 4 children, 5 youths and 18 adults.

Even our ex-member Sabapathy came to support us, he stayed for half day. We have an enjoyable and fruitful day. The proof of the pudding as you can see from what we did from all the paintings on the wall.

I would like to extend my special thanks to the Club Executive Committee for organizing this event and CTM Alfred Koh for being the co-coordinator of the event.

By Gwen Gwee
Club President
SDTMC 2006/2007

Sunday, June 10, 2007

The Art of Chinese Painting - 10 June 2007

Speakers Dream Toastmasters Club fulfills the wishes of our members with The Chinese Art of Painting. It started off with our member CC Alfred who displays his passion for Chinese painting in his speech presentation. Members were mesmerized by the stroke of the paint brush where it can bring a meaningful picture to the audience.

CC Alfred with his enthusiasm brought two masters of the Chinese Painting to share with us the techniques. Master Hoo shared with us the secrets of holding the paint brush to produce the different strokes for a meaningful and beautiful piece of work. Master Chan was in her seventies, who does 4 hours of painting everyday. This lady has demonstrated to us that in our twilight years, there is a skill you can pick up to past your time. It certainly enhances the mind and exercises the hands.
With much emphasis on the movements of the hands, if you have ‘stiff’ hands, this is one art you can pick to improve your hand gestures.


We had 27 participants comprising of children and adults who were eager to learn and of course discover their ‘hidden’ talents. The session proceeded on with demonstration and hands-on training. Everyone were either impressed or surprised with their masterpieces where they learn within 5 hours. Our members were proud to display their masterpieces in the club meeting on 11 June 2007.


CC Alfred surprised us by inviting another young and talented artist who specializes in painting mirrors. Master Kiek gave his modern version of Chinese painting. We could see the difference in the skillful strokes of the Chinese paint brush from the modern and conventional Chinese art.



Everyone had the opportunity to learn pictures of the flying sparrows, resting prawn, bamboo fence, bouquet of flowers and etc. The age group of this workshop ranges from 8 years to 58 years. Surprisingly, despite the difference in age gap, Master Hoo could conduct the class with no confusion and fuss.
I was impressed by method of tearing paper into various sizes. You need to fold the paper into half and use the wet paint brush and ‘paint over’ the folded edge. The paper was torn effortlessly into half equally.

The session concluded with demonstration of the masters displaying their skills in the Chinese Art of Painting.

All members and non members enjoyed the session and some have made arrangements with the masters to continue their interest in the art.


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