Weekend Getaway: District 38 Toastmasters Spring Conference 2006

Here's a breath of fresh air from all the thought-provoking posts I wrote for the past week. :)

I attended my very first Toastmasters Conference after being a Toastmaster for 1.5 years. And it was absolutely awesome! It was two days of fellowship and fun!


I got really chummy with my entire division especially JJ (from Temple Uni.), Kyle (from Indepence Square, also our Area 30 Governor), Debbie, Grace and Maryellen (all three from Positively Charged). They are such a fun bunch of people to hang out with! I can't imagine I will find so many like-minded friends when I first joined Panorama last year! Check out Aug 4, 2005 entry: I am feeling really high!


And this is THE man!!! I competed against him for the Division C contest. Though he did not win, he is an amazing speaker. Full of charisma and presence! Doug beat us both with his touching speech on 911 and his mum's death. But in the end, both of us coached him for the District contest. And he even gave up his huge room for us! Both JJ and myself were the youngest among the group so we got a lot of special attention (not that we are complaining haha). If only his girlfriend joined us! Oh and we tagged team for the "Whose line is it anyway" improv game. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!


That's my bed!!! Check out the large cushions and pillows that you can sink your head in. After soaking in the jacuzzi and trading pointers on public speaking, we headed to the club to drink and dance. And after that, we slept like pigs. Only 4 hrs of sleep but it felt like 8!!! I need to have this kind of bed when I get back home. Mum, can I?? Please la!!!


After an evening of fun and drinking on Fri, Sat was a full day of conference. And it was sooooooooooo worth the money I paid. They invited famous speakers from around the States to share with us how we can accelerate our speaking skills. And thanks to Chloe (my mac), I recorded every session and diligently took notes.


This speaker is also a magician. And he was sharing with us some leadership skills. But check out his assistant who isn't really happy working for him. (at least it appears so in this pic) How ironic. Haha.

I was so absored in the District 38 International Speech Contest that I did not take any pics. In summary, it should be an International Eulogy Contest coz 4 out of 7 speakers talked about death. They talk about how some of their members died. I thought it was an overkill. Too many deaths for one afternoon. Hence the other three speakers who talked about their dogs, environmental agenda or children were a breath of fresh air for all of us. The theme for the conference was "Shoot for the Stars!". But seriously they should consider changing it to "Ticket to Hell" with all the death speeches. We even have a Grim Reaper who comes up on stage if the speaker speaks overtime. Haha.


The conference ended on a high note! We had a pool side dinner with MORE drinks and great music. Very classy. And the food was finger licking good. I had broiled beef, with asparagus and spiced rice. As for drinks, I had a couple of beers and a Cosmopoilitan. Yummy!


And how can I blog without mentioning my IDOL!!!!!!! Mr Jim Key! He is the 2003 champion speaker with his "It is never too late to dream" speech. Mind you, he started out as an IT guy okie. Haha. Anyway, he was the guy who inspired me to speak. I chanced upon a speech seminar led by Terence (who is now my mentor). And in one of the sessions, he showed us Jim's speech. At that moment, I told myself that I want to be like him! And that was how I started my Toastmaster career in late 2004. When I met him yesterday again, I thanked him.

During his workshop, I asked him how intense was his preparation for the finals? And he replied with "You don't want to know!" Haha. Not surprisingly, he put in hundreds of hours into practicing and writing. But at the end of the day, he told us that it was worth it! This is yet another important moment for me. Now, I am even more resolute to be the FIRST Asian, specifically Chinese, to get into the finals and win of coz! Tough but possible. :)

My experience in the conference was a reaffirmation of my dream (at least one of them). I found a game that is worth my time and effort to play. Have you found yours?