Saturday, January 23, 2010

Kuching Toastmasters Club

I was on holiday in Kuching from 16 to 18 January 2010.  It so happened that the Kuching Toastmasters Club meets at the hotel we were staying at.  This being the International Speech Contest season, Kuching TMC was having their club level contest on that Sunday.  I didn't want to miss it, so I skipped dinner with my family members who were with me there to attend this contest.

 
 

The contest chairman, Stephen Chee CTM, CL, who is also the Vice-President Education of the club, taking charge of the contest.


All role players are at their assigned positions.
 


The trophies, certificates and tokens of appreciation are all ready.
 


The contestants and audience are waiting.

As the rules do not allow photographs being taken when contestants are delivering their speeches, lest they be distracted, I refrained from taking photos during the contest.

There was a slide presentation between the contests.


 
 
I must say that I was a little envious that we have not done anything like this at our club.
 

This speech would have been more appropriate in KL rather than Kuching, especially with reference to Pavilion and Sungai Wang.
 

The man whose dream it was to hold a meeting on the summit, Mike Lim.


Presentation of Certificates to participants.  There were 9 participants for the International Speech contest and 7 participants for Table Topics.  A total of 11 members took part.  I know 9 + 7 is more than 11, some took part in both contests.


Certificates were also presented to role-players.
 

These ladies made sure the correct certificates and trophies were handed out.
 

The second runner-up for the International Speech contest, Ms Grace Tan.
 

The runner-up was Mr Sahil Singh Dev.
 

The Kuching Toastmasters Club International Speech Champion for the period 2009/2010, Mr Colin Wong.
 

The second runner-up for the Table Topics contest was Mr Lawrence Tay.
 

The runner-up was Mr Felix Kho.
 

The Table Topic champion was, once again, Mr Colin Wong.


The President, Stanley Ngu CTM, CL making his closing address and inviting everyone present to supper.
 

 
 
  
Lawrence is a Money & You graduate from 1992.  He did his M&Y in Singapore.  The President, Stanley is a graduate from 2001 in Kuala Lumpur.
 

 

I must admit that I had a great time and made new friends. 

Mike has volunteered to take me around the next time I visit Kuching.  I'm sure that offer is open to all Toastmasters.

 
 

 

 

Monday, January 4, 2010

Question of Perspective

I went to Penang and Kulim recently with my brother to send/visit his daughters.  As it was a day trip, there were not many opportunities to stop for photographs.

I had my camera with me and I was not going to let a little thing like that to stop me from enjoying myself.

These are some of my shots of plants that I normally will not take:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Its only a question of perspective and everyday plants look like a million.