Review of Meeting (20th December 2005)

Bangsar Toastmasters Club had their last meeting for the year 2005 on the 20th of December.

As usual, this meeting was fun, enjoyable, interesting and a real learning experience - hey, that's the least you can expect from the Bangsar Toastmasters bunch. This meeting also happens to be our last at the BIS venue in Bangsar - our first meeting for the brand new year will be in a brand new place. Details shall follow, soon after we figure out how to get there - just kidding, it is near our current place so it won't take us too long to figure out directions, so check back soon.

A total of 13 members and 3 guests attended the meeting. Members who attended the meeting were A.C. Fong, Audrey, Muhendaran, Lakhmichand, Lourdes, Pratap, Ranjit, Rengan, Shandini, Shanmugam, Subendran and Thiru.

The guests were Bhawani, Sunita, (both non-Toastmasters) and Sharifah Zetti from MAS Toastmasters Club.

The Roleplayers during this meeting were as follows:

Assistant Sargeant-at-arms - TM Pratap
Toastmaster of the Evening - ATMB Lakhmichand
Table Topics Master - DTM Lourdes
Table Topics Evaluator - CTM Rengan
Ah Counter - TM Shanmugan
Grammarian - CTM Thiru
Timer - TM Pratap
General Evaluator - CTM Subendran

The toastmaster of the evening, ATMB Lakhmichand did a wonderful job, making sure the meeting went well. So did the General Evaluator, CTM Subendran, who happened to be doing this role for the first time.

The word of the day was "Joyous". The table topics were based on the word of the day and had some connection with joy and its opposite, hate. There were 6 table topics speakers.

CTM Ranjit received the topic "I have a girlfriend named Joy but she only brings me misery" and he spoke about his interest in a girl named "Joy", things he did to gain her attention and wrapped up saying the only joy he is interested in right now is the joy he can find in God. I wonder what happened to "Joy"?

CTM Ivan Fong received the topic "Mondays are a joy to me because" and he disagreed completely with the topic and saying that hopefully he will be able to find joys on Mondays. If you happen to read this on a Monday, please call up Ivan and bring a little joy into his Monday.

TM Shandini received the topic "I'd rather dislike someone than hate him" and she spoke about how she never hates anyone, even someone who hurt her once. Now, don't you wish you were there to hear the complete story.

Guest Bhawani received the topic " I want to jump for joy right now because ...." and she spoke about how wonderful the year had been and all the joy she has had. Nope, she did not jump right then - not sure if she did later.

Guest Sunita received the topic " I hate Toastmasters because" and she agreed with the topic saying that she hated Toastmasters because of the lack of publicity Toastmasters had received and how Toastmasters should get more attention. Sounds like love to me.

TM Sharifah received the topic "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" and she spoke about beauty being more internal than external. Now, I can look at myself in the mirror and know for sure that I am beautiful - at least inside.


We had four prepared speeches - 3 basic and 1 advanced.

TM Shanmugam did his speech no. 5 from the Basic Communication & leadership manual. The title of his speech was "The Midas Touch". His speech was about how important touching is in a relationship and he shared a touching story about his father. He was evaluated by TM Pratap, who was doing speech evaluations for the first time and he did a great job for a first timer.

TM Shandini did her speech no. 6 from the Basic Communication & leadership manual. The title of her speech was "Deadlines". She spoke about deadlines and their impact in her daily life. Her evaluator was ATMS Muhendaran.

TM Sharifah did her speech no. 6 from the Basic Communication & leadership manual. The title of her speech was "Book Smart vs Street Smart". She spoke about how people who don't have a college education can be even more successful than people with a college education. Her evaluator was CTM Renggan

CTM Audrey did her Advanced Speech, module no. 1, "Conversing with Ease" from the Interpersonal Speeches manual. The title of her speech was "Unleash Your Tongue". She gave us ideas on how we can easily initiate and carry on a conversation with people that we have just met. Her evaluator was CTM Ivan Fong.


As is the tradition in the club, awards were given to the best speakers and evaluators.
The best table topic speaker was Sunita.
The best prepared speech was delivered by TM Sharifah.
The best speech evaluator was TM Pratap.
Congratulations to all the award winners.

Now for the extremely good news - both the guests, Sunita and Bhawani signed up as our newest members.
Welcome Sunita and Bhawani to the Bangsar Toastmasters family.
Both of them will be formally inducted into our club in the next meeting.
That brings our membership to 20.

The President, ATMS Muhendaran, announced that we will be moving to our new venue the next meeting and details will be provided soon. The president suggested that our 5th anniversary celebration be postphoned to March 2006 and members voted to postphone it. The organising committee has 2 more members, namely Ranjit and Lourdes, besides the original 3 - Audrey, Shandini and Shanmugam. The President also mentioned that as of now, the club has achieved 5 out of 10 DCP points, putting us on track to receive the President's Distinguished Club Award.

The next meeting will be held on the 3rd of January 2006.

Make sure you you do not miss it.


by Lourdes, DTM