Time to say adieu to 2009

Greetings!

We are nearing the end of the year and it’s time to reflect on the progress we have made, and think about what we want to achieve in the year ahead.

Before we bid farewell to this wonderful year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a happy new year and successful 2010. Take some time off to re-energise and let’s return refreshed in January to make it another great year!

I wish you all the very best for this holiday season. Thank you again for 2009 and I wish you and your families a Happy New Year.

Victor

Toasting Tips

http://www.toastmasters.org/MainMenuCategories/FreeResources/NeedHelpGivingaSpeech/SpecialOccasions/ToastingTips.aspx

Toasting Tips

May all your toasts be received in the spirit they are proposed

Interested in a few tips on how to propose a good toast? These days, the tradition of toasting is as rare as place cards – useful for a few formal events, but rarely executed well.

Should you find yourself at a wedding and asked to offer a toast, you want to be prepared with something wittier than “May you be happy.” To make sure you put your best foot forward – and not in your mouth – here are some tips from someone who should know: Toastmasters International President Gary Schmidt.

A toast should be “brief, personal and customized to the occasion,” he says. “Most of all, it should be heartfelt.” So don’t try to copy an existing toast, but pick a topic that is personal but appropriate.

You don’t drink alcohol? No problem; you can still offer a toast with sparkling juice. Never refuse to participate in a toast. It’s more polite to participate with an empty glass or a glass of water than not to participate at all. Here’s how:

• Keep it short – no more than a couple of minutes. Brevity is the soul of wit.
• Practice. Think about what you want to say, and practice the toast in advance. Use friends as sounding boards beforehand.
• Speak slowly, clearly and loudly (if no microphone is available).
• Be positive. This is not the time to recite the groom’s college pranks.
• Stay sober. Being coherent helps.
• Dress your best. If you look good, you’ll feel more confident.
• Use humor – but keep it clean. Don’t refer to “inside jokes” only a few people will understand.
• In summary – End on a bright note. Be sincere, be brief, be seated.
• If you are on the receiving end of the toast, stay seated and don’t drink the toast to yourself. At the end of the toasts, it’s your turn to make some comments.

At a formal event, it is recommended the person offering the toast stand, get the guests’ attention, lift glass by the stem and say “I propose a toast.” Allow time for the guests to fill and lift their glasses and shift their attention toward you. Then offer your comments, take a sip, and inviting others to do the same. At small dinner parties, however, there is no need to stand for the toast. Just lift your glass by the stem, speak and touch the glass of the person or persons involved.

Consider one of the most famous toasts of all: Humphrey Bogart’s words to Ingrid Bergman – “Here’s looking at you, kid” – in the legendary 1941 film Casablanca. Now trade “kid” for another endearment. No big deal? Maybe. But Bogie probably would have achieved another kind of immortality if he’d raised his glass to Bergman and said, “Here’s looking at you … babycakes!”

Metro Toastmasters International Kuala Lumpur

Go to the Demo Meeting page on our website www.metrotoastmasters.com to see more photos...

Toastmasters Demo Meeting 2nd Dec 2009

A special demo meeting was conducted on 2^nd December 2009. About 60 people from other Toastmasters clubs and members of the public attended this event, which was a showcase of what Toastmasters is all about.

“The meeting was very exciting, vibrant, and stimulating. It opens my eyes to the world of Toastmastering and how I can improve my communication skills through this organisation”, said one participant.

About Toastmasters

Toastmasters Club is a non-profit organization that helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking – vital skills that promote self-actualiation, enhance leadership potential, foster human understanding and contribute to the betterment of mankind.

Members have opportunities to:

• Learn and practice techniques of effective public speaking.
• Prepare and deliver formal speeches on subjects of their own choosing.
• Give impromptu talks on assigned topics.
• Gain speaking experience that relates to specific career needs.
• Sharpen their listening/evaluation skills.
• Learn proper parliamentary procedure.
• Preside as a meeting chairman.
• Gain valuable leadership management experience.
• Gain personal confidence that will help when speaking to one person or one thousand.
• Enter Toastmasters International’s Annual Speech Contest, “The World Championship of Public Speaking.”