BUTTER N TOAST (BNT) TOAST MASTERS CLUB, ONE OF THE BEST TOASTMASTERS CLUBS IN THE PHILIPPINES

I Heart BnT (Butter n Toast) Toastmasters Club

2012-02-01T18:39:00.000+08:00

It's hearts month! In our next meeting, know the countless reasons why our club members, heart BnT (Butter n Toast) Toastmasters Club...You might have the same reasons for falling in love with our club. Come and join us on February 9, Thursday, 7pm, at the Penthouse of Makati Stock Exchange (MSE), Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T10:05:00.004+08:00

Toasties! Happy New Year! Let 2012 be a year of education, inspiration, and progression! Expand you knowledge and build your skills by attending BnT Toastmasters meetings.--Gege Sugue, VP for Education

The Last Song Syndrome--The Toasties End 2011 on a High Note!

2011-12-05T11:21:00.010+08:00

Inviting old and new Butter N Toast (BNT) Toastmasters Club members for this Christmas party.
This is your time to shine! Come dressed as a musical artist, dead or alive. For once, be like your fave legend superstar or your pop icon.And be ready to sing a song sung by the artist you choose to imitate.

When: Dec 8 (Thursday)
7pm-1130pm
Where:Red Box, Greenbelt 3
Makati City
RSVP: Alvin Abrantes
0922.859.6352

Message from the BNT Toastmasters Club President

2011-12-04T22:27:00.005+08:00

Dear Toasties,

Thank you for your trust and support in choosing me as your club president for TM Year 2011-2012! This term promises to be an exciting journey for all of us with the unveiling of the Toastmasters International rebranding initiative and a lot of educational programs from District 75 and Division B in store for us.

Last TM year was a successful term for our club. We are a President’s Distinguished Club awardee for the 5^th time in a row, we achieved our educational and membership goals, and we consistently conducted fun-filled and informative meetings. Congratulations to all of us!

For our journey this term, the officers and key members had a planning session on August 6, 2011 to revisit our goals and to strategize how we can bring the club to a higher level. We also reaffirmed the club’s vision and mission:

Vision
Butter ‘N Toast Toastmasters is the preferred club of individuals learning together and aiming for personal growth and excellence in a motivational environment of warmth, fun, friendship.

Mission
We are a club that fosters learning by encouraging people to continuously improve their communication and leadership skills.

With these vision and mission guiding our way, we came up with five objectives which will be uncovered through the programs that will be launched in the coming weeks. These are all embodied in this year’s theme–Butter N Toast (BNT) Toastmasters Club: We Build and Nurture Toastmasters.

TOGETHER, we will:

·build our membership engage our members to stay and grow

·mentor our members to develop/enhance their communication and leadership skills

·develop the next pipeline of leaders

·explore venues for advanced leadership development

I believe that this is a beginning of a great year. Let’s continue to commit to our communication and leadership goals and support one another in an environment of fun, warmth and friendship. Let’s strive to set the best examples for other members and for other clubs. Lastly, take pride that you’re part of the club where speakers and leaders are built and nurtured.

Cheers,

Jazz

Joko Magalong wins first place in 6th Achiever's Rookies Invitational Cup

2011-12-04T21:57:00.014+08:00

Butter N Toast (BNT) Toastmaster Club member Joko Magalong won first place in the 6th Achiever's Rookies Invitational Cup last December 3 at the Penthouse, Makati Stock Exchange (MSE), Ayala Ave., Makati City.

Magalong's winning piece titled "I Love Surfing" for the International Prepared Speech Category bested eight contestants from other division clubs.

Shani Tan, bravely gave her witty two-cents worth of the much repeated quote "the road to success is always under construction." She competed against five contestants for the Impromptu Speech Category.

Congratulations Joko and Shani!

BNT Toastmasters Club invites you to 24 Nov Meeting

2011-11-14T16:36:00.001+08:00

7 Things You Missed at Nov 10 Meeting

2011-11-14T11:06:00.014+08:00

Engaging table topics of Ed Ebreo
Heartening icebreaker speech of Kat Go
Captivating story of Joco Magalong
Exciting vocal variety speech of Jess Nemis
Instructive evaluation of Ana Herrera, Jazz Encarnacion, Jeck Maog, & Pat Pascua
Highly enriching evaluation of Gege Sugue
Impressive performance of Owen Cruz as GE-General Evaluator (his debut)

What made this meeting unforgettable? Speakers 'got really personal' with their storytelling, which was perfect for the theme "INTERpersonal Intelligence."

In our next meeting, we feature Howard Gardner's 6th Multiple Intelligence (MI)--
"INTRApersonal Intelligence." And you can't miss it this time! See you at the Butter N Toast (BNT) Toastmasters Club Meeting on November 24, Thursday, 7pm, at the Function Room A of Makati Stock Exchange (MSE), Ayala Avenue, Makati City--Alvin Abrantes, VP for Membership

Sep 8 Meeting--Discover How Spatial You Are in BNT Club

2011-09-05T21:04:00.002+08:00

August 25 BnT Meeting - It's About Multiple Intelligences

2011-08-30T20:19:00.007+08:00

by Tina Marcelino

Happy Holidays, everyone!

In our last BNT meeting, our very talented TM of the PM, Gege Sugue, introduced Multiple Intelligences which will be our theme for the succeeding meetings.

Kudos to the following for their debut night on the CL roles:

TM Bert Guiang -- Table Topics Master
CC Alvin Abrantes -- General Evaluator
TM Jonathan Doringuez -- Table Topics Evaluator
New TM Martin Si -- Timer

We had three wonderful prepared speeches: from TM Jess Nemis' " A Dream," to CC Tisha Timbang's touching story of " Walking in Someone Else's Shoes," and learning from ACS Ed Ebreo on "When the Student is Ready".

Thank you to our two Guest Evaluators: Past Division B Governor Mr. Fred Castro and DTM Jeeves de Veyra.

We had 16 attendees (11 members & 5 guests).

Looking forward to our next meeting on September 8. Same time; same place.

God bless!

TM Tina Marcelino

Secretary, Butter N Toast TMC

Attendance:

Gege Sugue, DTM

Tisha Timbang, CC

Bert Guiang, TM

Alvin Abrantes, CC

Sheila De La Cruz, CC

Jess Nemis, TM

Jonathan Doringuez, TM

Shani Tan (TM to be)

Martin Si, TM

Ed Ebreo, ACS

Tina Marcelino, TM

Guests:

Jerome Landrito, signed up to be a TM

Kathleen Go (TM to be)

Joanna Magalang (TM to be)

Jeeves De Veyra, DTM

Fred Castro, DTM

Ice Breaker Speech: Life is a Box of Chocolates

2011-08-05T22:32:00.000+08:00

LIFE IS A BOX OF CHOCOLATES
(My Life’s Story)
By Bert Guiang

Good Evening fellow Toasties!
Forrest Gump: My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Forest Gump played by Tom Hanks in the movie of the same title while sitting on a bench was telling his life story. In one instance, he said, “My momma always said, Life was like a box of chocolate. You never know what you are gon’na get”.

I must agree with Forest Gump’s momma. Just like a box of chocolates, our lives are full of random experiences and surprising events. They maybe mostly good experiences but perhaps some were unpleasant. No matter how unpleasant they maybe, the fact that we are still alive to experience them, still makes our life story a box of chocolate.

Since I am more than a half a century old, my chocolate box life story is an extra large box. So, in order not to go over my allotted time, I will do a shorter or abridged version. I will just go over the highlights and low lights. But I would like everyone to visualize that every highlight and lowlight meant I picked up a chocolate bar from my chocolate box.

Here’s my chocolate box life story, highlights and milestones:
I was born and raised in Botolan, Zambales. I grew up in my Grandpa’s household. I was his sidekick. I go where he goes. My Auntie Edith was my fourth grade teacher and my Uncle Mado was my teacher in High School. I remembered reading Reader’s Digest, Liwayway and Bulaklak magazines while in grade schools. This environment had a big influence in my life.

My family moved to Mandaluyong, Rizal and I transferred to Plaridel High School, Arellano University in Kalentong where I graduated from high school. During this time Grandpa stayed with us. I believed he was working on getting pensions for his guerilla compatriots from the U S government. My dad was currently working for NWSA at Arrocerros Street. He enrolled me at PNC, which is across his former alma mater the PSAT. Yes, I was going to be a teacher.

One day, while reading his daily newspaper the Manila Times, my Grandpa saw an ad in the by the U S Navy, recruiting Filipinos for enlistment. I was sitting next to him working on a sipa puzzle contest, when out of the blue he asked me if I want to join the U S navy and I promptly replied in the affirmative. That same day, he typed my application which I mailed the next day on the way to PNC.
I was 18 years young when I enlisted in the U S Navy “to see the world“.

After spending 6 months in San Diego, California, for Boot Camp and navy schools, I got my orders to a Destroyer home ported in Norfolk, Virginia. While on board the Vogelsang, I get to visit foreign ports like San Juan, Puerto Rico; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Barcelona, Spain; Naples, Italy; Hongkong; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Honolulu, Hawaii; Guam; Acapulco, Mexico; Valleta, Malta; Athens, Greece; Cochin, India; Izmir, Turkey and Nice, France. I get to cross the Panama Canal in Central America and Suez Canal in Egypt.
After my tour with the Destroyer, I volunteered to go to Vietnam and was transferred to a Patrol Gunboat.
After Vietnam, I transferred to the construction arm of the U S Navy known as the Seabees. I was sent to a three- months long intensive civil engineering school at Port Hueneme, California. My first duty station as a Seabee was at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico.
I got married after 8 years in the Navy. We were blessed with four children. One boy and three girls. I have four grandchildren, all boys. I finally got my Bachelors Degree while in the Navy after 18 years of taking night classes and weekend classes. Made Engineering Aid Chief in 1985. Navy Chiefs are the backbone of the Navy. The Chiefs are considered Second to God in the Navy! Retired from the Navy after 22 years service.
Was hired right after my Navy Retirement as a Construction Inspector/Eng. Associate by a Public Water District in a nearby town. Got re- married in 2008 here in the Philippines and fixing to live here for good.
Retired from the Water and Sewer District after 24 years in 2009. So all together, forty-six (46) years of government service.

Lowlights:
My Grandpa passed away in 1976 while I was in Iceland. I am pretty sure he visited me in my barracks. I got divorced in 1994. My Dad passed away in 1995. I was not very closed with my Dad. Thank God I got to call him from California the Christmas Day before his fatal heart attack. That was my first time to tell him I love him. My Mom passed away in 2009, less than a month before my second retirement, so I was not able to go home as my retirement date with ceremonies was all set.

REGRETS:
My first regret: I wished I was closer to my Dad and had more quality time with him before he passed. I will make it up by getting close to my only son who is now in the Navy. Second was not joining Toastmasters while in the Navy and last was not joining Freemasonry earlier.

CONCLUSION:
The box of chocolates I received was full of pleasant surprises to say the least. I never knew what kind of chocolates I was going to get. Except for a few sad ones, most of my life experiences were pleasant ones. Who would have thought, a very shy and skinny kid from a small town in Zambales be able to experience what I experienced?

Life was good to me and so was my chocolate box. If you noticed my life story revolved around my family, not so much with my relatives and friends. So my advise for everyone is to share your box of chocolates with your family and tell them over and over again that you love them. It is never too often and too much.

Presenting An Award

2011-06-07T07:56:00.002+08:00

Here's the speech I delivered last June 4 (Saturday) at our Toastmasters meeting. Project is from the "Special Occasion Speeches" manual. Speech project was "Presenting an Award".

INTRO by TM of the PM:

It is September 2014… Another Toastmasters year has passed. It is the Toastmasters International Convention in Paris, France, and District 75, the Philippines, is Number 1 in the world.

Presenting the award for DISTRICT GOVERNOR of the YEAR, also from District 75, is TM Sheila dela Cruz.

Ladies and Gentlemen, fellow Toastmasters and friends, welcome to the Toastmasters International Convention. We gather tonight to celebrate achievements, and none more than the highest award that can be given to a Toastmaster.

Our Awardee was only 22 when she joined Toastmasters in 1995. She has relentlessly worked hard to achieve her goals, and her most recent achievement is to take the Philippines, District 75, to the number one spot! And in an organization with 12,500 clubs in 113 countries, to be Number One is no mean feat.

And just what has our Awardee accomplished this past year? As District Governor, she has lead her District to reach President’s Distinguished, and the numbers say it all…

1000 new members
50 new clubs
500 CCs and ACs
500 CLs and DTMs

This award represents not just our Awardee’s achievements for the past year, but the long journey that she has taken to get her where she is today.

Allow me to read some of her notable achivements in communication and leadership :

1st Runner-Up Div. B Evaluation Speech Contest 2006-200
1st Runner-Up Div. A Impromptu Speech Contest 2007-2008 Distinguished Area 2000-2001, Area 16 Governor, Div. B
Talk-Up Award 2008-2009, Butter n’ Toast TMC VP-Membership
District Web Master 2004-2005
Club Mentor/Sponsor to:

Butter n’ Toast TMC
Silver & White TMC
Molave TMC

As President she lead Molave TMC to Select Distinguished Club in 1998-1999
As the Division B Governor (2009-2010), she received the following awards:

President's Distinguished Division from Toastmasters International
Excellence in Marketing Award from past District Governor Nolie Espina

Distinguished Area (Area 16 Governor, 2000-2001)
Founders Award (Area 4 Governor, 1999-2000)
Club President of the Year (President, 1998-1999)
Best Club Program (President, 1998-1999)

Her dedication, relentless conviction, boundless energy, passion and commitment to excellence, and to Toastmasters has made her a role model of a true Toastmasters. She has maximized the TM program to hone her communication and leadership skills, and has inspired countless others to do the same. For leading District 75 to the Number 1 spot, no one deserves this award more than her.

Please give a big round of applause to our DISTRICT GOVERNOR of the YEAR Awardee, none other than DTM KATRINA “ JJ” LETARGO!!!

A Lady Called Summer

2011-05-27T10:19:00.001+08:00

A Lady Called Summer
By: Jess Nemis, TM

I yearned for your coming yet you belatedly came. I’ve wished for you to stay longer yet you cut short your stay. I felt like an abandoned lover, why did you leave too soon, Summer? Was it my doing? Or was it climate’s fault? Whatever it was, next time around I’m begging you, please come sooner and stay a little bit longer.

Indeed, you arrived late this year! When March came, I was looking forward to sunny days with you on the beach, but the month rolled by and there was no sight of you. We got ready for our first outing yet rains continued in April. Then finally you were declared to have officially arrived on the 12th of April, already late in your season.

Yet even when you’ve finally arrived, your days were cloudy and marred with rains and thunderstorms. This was not what I was expecting! I felt deprived of the full-sunny beach weather that I’ve been waiting for. But despite these distractions, you made your presence felt. I felt you in the humid heat and the daylight that lingered through the night. I saw you in the different kinds of the season’s fruits sold along roadside stalls. I heard you through the children’s laughter playing and swimming in the village pool. I could smell your scent from the burst of blooms in their rainbows of colors. You were just irrepressible! Not even climate change could stop you while the people who waited for you basked in your sunny presence, no matter how fleeting. I am truly missing you, Summer.

From seasons past, I have kept many beautiful memories of you. I grew up with you giving me the best adventures of my childhood. Under your bright sun, I learned how to swim, paddled my first boat from river to sea, did my share of farm duties and learned to pull the trigger of a hunter’s rifle. As with any kid growing up in the province with abundant spaces, it was a summer’s playground to explore. We biked, hike, raced and played til daylight’s gone. And then as nights fell, we chased fireflies as they circled from one tree to another. We shared many magical moments back then, and indeed, from those moments lifelong friendships were forged, childhood innocence lost, and between us, a love affair blossomed. I was under your spell. And even as a grown up, we always had fun times in your annual coming even as the activities became varied: beach outings, new places discovered, new adventures tried – you’ve kept me under your spell.

But this year, I could sense some disconnect between us. The beach outings that didn’t push through, planned travels that were cancelled at the last hour, sudden changes in work schedules – we were not in sync.

For your part, you were half-present and your stay was too short! You left me wanting, robbed of the adventures that I’ve planned to do with you around. Where’s my holiday gone? I have not even enjoyed my watermelon yet and just had one serving of halo-halo to date. What happened Summer? Where’s the romance this time? You are supposed to be enjoyed in your full glory. Were you stymied by the changing climate, sprinkling your days with unwelcome cloudiness and rain showers? Clearly it has hindered your presence, making you half-baked and gone too soon. I despair your short stay!

But all is not lost, I’m sure there will be more seasons of you in the future. And when the next season comes, I promise to make amends to my schedule. Stay your course then, give me back those sunny adventures and put me under your spell once again, Summer.

THE TOAST

2011-03-05T16:26:00.001+08:00

By: Sheila dela Cruz

Good evening, everyone! I’d like to thank you for sharing this special occasion with us. In this day and age when everything is instant, marriages that last beyond 20 years are rare. What more, 40 years?! Truly, 40 years of wedded bliss is reason to celebrate.

More than a celebration of the number of years that my parents have been together, I want to celebrate the fact that theirs is a truly happy marriage.

American writer Amy Bloom said, “Love at first sight is easy to understand; it’s when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle.” Don’t you agree?

I’ve learned so many things from my parents and their marriage. A great marriage is something we all dream of! But make no mistake, it takes a lot of work. Much like a chef cooking a masterpiece dish, the secret is in the recipe and it’s ingredients. And I want to share the ingredients of a great marriage with you, as observed from my parents.

The first ingredient is LOVE After 40 years of marriage, my parents are still sweet to each other. They’re affectionate, they always say “I love you”, they hold hands… Whenever I look at my parents, I see in their eyes the love that they have for each other, and I am in awe.

My parents are always together. You’d think that considering the time they spend together, they’d be the type to get on each other’s nerves. But you know, I have never seen them fight. Never in my whole life did I ever hear them shouting at each other in anger.

No fights, no shouting, not even during times when there were problems in the family. Let me give you an example. There was a time when we were growing up that my Dad lost his job, and my Mom had to be our family’s sole breadwinner.

That time, my Dad did all of the household chores. He cooked, cleaned, and took care of us kids when we got home from school, basically everything a housewife is expected to do! No complaints. My Dad explained it this way, since my Mom was working, he had to do his share, and if that meant taking care of the household chores, then he happily did it. He didn’t feel it was a burden. He did all those things because he loved us!

In the same way, I didn’t hear my Mom nag my Dad during the time that he was without a job. She remained the loving, supportive wife who stuck by my Dad through thick and thin. A part of Love is Respect, and again, this was seen in how they never belittled or shouted at one another.

The 2nd ingredient? Laughter! Laughter is a very important ingredient in ANY relationship, much more in a marriage. My parents truly enjoy each other’s company, and they make each other laugh. Whether it’s sharing silly jokes, or poking fun at each other, they always have something to laugh about.

The 3rd ingredient? Their lives are centered on GOD. They live their life in accordance to GOD’s teachings. They’re loving and generous.

They make it a point to always give not just to beggars on the street, but people they meet everyday. Whether it’s the traffic officer, the park-your-car boys, the security guards at their building… all these people have been recipients of food, clothes, shoes, etc. And they always told us, give to those people who cannot afford to give back. Give, without expecting anything in return.

Truly, these are two wonderful people who deserve each other, and who deserve all the blessings they have been receiving. They’re GOD-fearing, loving, and generous. They share their love, not just with each other, but with the people around them.

So again, let me leave you with the ingredients of a great marriage, as taught by my parents, Eli and Vener.

First is LOVE.

Second is LAUGHTER.

And third is LIVING YOUR LIFE CENTER ON GOD.

On behalf of my brother Jon, my kids Paolo and Patrick, we thank you all so much for sharing this wonderful occasion with us. And we ask you to raise your glasses and join us now in a toast to our parents, Eli and Vener.

Mom and Dad, we love you, we thank you for all you’ve taught us. We wish you many more wonderful years ahead. You deserve only good things. In fact, because you are the BEST, we wish you only the best. Forever. CHEERS!

THE ROAST

2011-03-02T21:23:00.001+08:00

THE ROAST

By: Sheila dela Cruz

What can you say about a man who is admired, revered, and loved by everyone? I can start by saying he’s not the subject of my roasting tonight.

In the reality show, “Last Comic Standing”, they said that “You only roast the ones you love”. But in this case, the opposite is true. I'm particularly happy to be delivering this speech because I can now say in public all the things I've been saying behind his back.

It’s payback time, and the object of my wrath is none other than Enrique Salvador Eleazar San Agustin otherwise known as (to the audience) — SAY IT WITH ME-- Boom tarat tarat Boom tarat tarat = tararat tararat BOOM BOOM BOOM!

I distinctly remember the first time Boom attended a Butter N Toast meeting. It was so hot out, and yet, he was in a suit! Probably because he wanted to seem respectable.

On hindsight, we probably shouldn’t have accepted his application for membership. Because now, we’d really prefer someone else to represent our club in contests. We have a reputation and image to protect, you know!

But what can we do?! He’s always volunteering! But credit to Boom -- he’s won a number of awards for evaluation, impromptu and prepared speech. He just loves joining speech contests because he loves to TALK! Besides where else could he find a captive audience who he doesn’t have to pay to listen to him?!

Boom has again ventured into another career, and it seems he’s finally found the career for him! Thank GOD! And it’s about time, what are you, 45?! Late bloomer? No, more like a LATE BOOMER.

Boom’s new career is as a TV talk show host! Boom was born to be in front of an audience. After Boom talks, his audience is in awe! And probably wondering, “what the heck was he just talking about?!” In fact, Boom is the only person I know who can talk for hours about a subject he knows virtually nothing about. We can credit that to his research skills, which all boils down to typing “Google”.

Anyone here know what a “salaguklok” is? It’s an amulet, and legend has it that anyone who has this amulet will not drown, and will never feel full. A lot of Toasties believe that Boom has a “salaguklok”.

We enjoy having Boom with us on our food trips, not because we enjoy his company, but because we hate for good food to go to waste. When Boom is around, not a morsel of food is wasted. It’s as if we have our very own food disposal system.

Though Boom comes off as a respectable person, he can also be petty at times. Now I don’t want to say he’s immature, but what else can you call a grown man who loves to read graphic novels, is a big fan of the Green Lantern, AND calls a 10-year old boy, my son, his archenemy?! TEN! Which also happens to be Boom’s mental age.

Before I end let me just say that being roasted is an honor. When choosing the butt of your roast, pick BIG targets. And Boom is a big target!

I know that Boom is a big enough man to accept my roasting, and who can laugh these off. So Boom, you’re doing well with your TV career, and we hope that no matter how far you go, no matter what heights you reach, you will not forget your friends here at Butter N Toast. We will always be here to support you. You are the image of a true TOASTIE.

Boom’s the Man! He’s an Entrepreneur, Writer, Talk Show Host, good friend and family man, all rolled into one. So in honor of our friend, I’d like you to chant this with me—Boom’s the man, the man… Boom’s the man, the man == tararat tararat BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!!

Good evening!

December 9!

2010-11-26T05:01:00.004+08:00

Block the date: December 9, 2010 is BnT's Christmas party.

Our Christmas party takes the place of our regular meeting of the 2nd Thursday of December.

We will take a long break to allow everyone a chance to rest and be with family and friends.

Our next regular meeting will be on January 13, 2011.

We encourage every Toastie to attend.

Watch out for updates regarding the venue and activities.

RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168029239895335

The Shaper and the Shaped

2010-10-18T18:45:00.006+08:00

Speech No. 3 - Manage and Motivate

Advance Communication Manual - Speeches by Management

Time: 10-12 minutes

The Shaper and the Shaped

by Gege C. Sugue

image from http://www.andthengod.com/?p=35

Because we want our members to develop their skills in a warm, motivating, learning environment, MENTORING is key. And tonight, I want to encourage you all to become mentors.

So, let’s talk about mentoring.

And I’d like to use this thing (showing object) to help me talk about mentoring.

Take a look at this. This is a piece of pottery. It may look rather simple. Pretty perhaps, but the craftsmanship leaves much to be desired. But to me this is a special piece. Why? Because I made this piece. Yes, I took a piece of shapeless clay, flattened it, cut it into an oval, used a real leaf to imprint the veins and details, trimmed the edges and folded them to form this tiny bowl. To me, it’s a work of art. It is something I’m proud of. I shaped this thing myself.

In a pottery workshop in Batangas, I was taught by a master potter to make pottery. The artist’s name is Ugu Bigyan, arguably the best and most renowned potter in the country. His works, though functional, are considered art, and they are used and displayed in many parts of the world.

I have admired his work for many years ever since I visited his home and workshop in Quezon. And one day, I had the chance to learn from him.

And do you know what I discovered in that pottery workshop?

Pottery is hard. It’s horribly hard. I have to admit that it came as a surprise to me. I came into that workshop somehow thinking that it would be a bit like child play. You know, playing with clay like we used to as children. How hard could that be? But as I tried to create shapes, as I tried to translate my artistic vision into beautiful art pieces, I discovered that making shapes out of clay was hard. Play-doh and clay are not the same things. The clay was not responding the way I wanted to. It kept on drying up. And dried up clay cracks, and so when it cracks, you have to throw away that piece of misshapen clay and start anew. It was frustrating.

But eventually, I managed to create this. One whole day in the pottery workshop, and this is what I have to show for it. But I took home more than this piece; I took home a few lessons. Lessons that can apply to the art and skill of mentoring.

I learned that pottery takes time. The same thing goes for mentoring. I was frustrated that I could not create the pottery pieces I wanted to. But I realized that I was trying to rush through the learning. Ugu Bigyan and other potters took years to master their art. They had to take lessons; some took courses in ceramic engineering, then they had to first become apprentices, and then they spent the rest of their lives working to hone their craft.

It takes time. Just like mentoring takes time. One cannot expect a protégé to change overnight. One cannot expect to reap results if one does not invest time teaching, coaching, giving feedback. Working with clay is not about instant gratification. Some projects take days or weeks to complete. To mentor somebody takes months. Toastmasters International recommends that a mentor helps his protégé for at least the first 3 speeches. But in BnT, we recommend you mentor your protégé until he completes his 10 basic speeches, and maybe even beyond. Take the time. Find the time. Spend the time wisely together with your protégé.

Pottery takes skill. Maybe our idea of pottery is what we saw in the movie Ghost with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze. But it’s so much more than that. Pottery is not a sexy thing. It’s dirty, sweaty, back breaking work. A good potter needs to know a variety of techniques. The potter needs to understand the raw materials and processes; he has to have a working knowledge of chemistry and physics. A potter’s hands have to be trained through years of experience how to work with clay and water. To press, pull, squeeze in just the right way so that the clay becomes malleable, so it doesn’t dry up and crack the way my pottery attempts did. It takes skill acquired only through study and experience.

As a mentor you have to have the skill to mentor. And you have to have the skills and knowledge to share with your protégé. To be a mentor in Toastmasters, you must be a skilled communicator and leader. Nobel laureate Romain Rolland said, “If a man is to shed the light of the sun upon other men, he must first of all have it within himself.” How can you mentor somebody on public speaking if you have not delivered speeches? How can you coach somebody to be a leader, when you have not taken officer roles or meeting roles? Pottery, as well as mentorship, does not rely on lucky accidents. It takes skill.

Pottery takes heart. I discovered in that workshop that pottery is not just a mechanical skill. At first, while I was playing with my clay, I was chatting with the people with me, or marveling the sights in the venue. And that wasn’t working. I discovered that in pottery, as your hands shape the clay, you have to be sensitive to it, connect to it, feel it, commune with it, be part of it. At some point, I had to close my eyes, to let the clay speak to me. And I don’t mean that in a new agey, mystical way. I really had to listen to the clay tell me how I can shape it. A potter shapes the clay not just with his hands, but with his heart and soul as well. Same thing with mentorship. A mentor is not there to dictate, to tell, to teach. A mentor is there to listen. To connect. To ask. To learn. To resist the urge to shape somebody according to one’s selfish agenda. A mentor needs empathy. And patience. A mentor needs to suspend judgment and silence the ego and let his protégé lead the process. At some point, when you’ve invested the time and shared the skills, you become friends.

My experience in mentoring here in Toastmasters did not turn out to be the way I expected it to be. I have had the kinds of protégés who have great ideas and the ability to communicate their ideas. There’s Faye, who’s a much better, more experienced writer than I am; she hardly needs to be coached in speech writing. And then there’s April, who has imagination, and can weave words to describe a noche buena feast that had this audience salivating. I felt pretty useless at times, because they didn’t need me to check their speeches. They didn’t need the grammar pulis to add to the perfection of their speeches. So I had to close my eyes and listen to connect, and when I did, I heard Faye tell me she needed mentoring in leadership, and that’s an area where I hope to lead by example, because I’ve been an officer of BnT a number of times now. And for April, we’ve taken mentorship on a different level. For two weeks now, we’ve been working on some marketing plans for ExeQServe. And I had the opportunity to share what I knew about marketing.

And two weeks ago, I agreed to mentor our new member, LJ. New clay. I’m not sure how she will shape up. From what I’ve seen of her feisty personality, I can see that she’s not going to conform to my lazy, easy idea of a pliable protégé. But I’m willing to invest the time. It won’t be easy. I know that mentorship takes time. It takes skill. And it takes heart.

But I keep on talking about what it takes to be a mentor.

That’s just half of the story. The story is about give and take.

Yes, it takes a lot to mentor. But mentoring gives something back. There are rewards. After a frustrating day of shaping clay, I took this home with me. And this now sits on a shelf by my bedside. I use it as a receptacle for earrings or coins or little objects that I set aside when I empty my jeans pockets. And sometimes when I see it, it makes me smile, that this pretty little thing was shaped by my hands, my eyes, my heart.

But this, this is just an inanimate object that gives me joy. It surely does not match with the joy of mentoring a person. To see somebody of flesh and blood develop in front of your eyes. When Jonathan faltered in his speech and gave up on his first try, and then eventually and bravely delivered the full speech again, I was in awe of Jonathan’s transformation. In his speech about the eagle, he soared like an eagle. But I also knew that the mentor beneath his wings was Ed Ebreo, who gave him the encouragement and practical advice he needed to try again.

When I heard the story of Johnson who rescued his mentor Sheila when she had a vehicular accident, I was inspired and made the conclusion that Sheila must be doing something right as a mentor.

Mentoring has its rewards – the satisfaction of knowing you made a difference, the recognition when somebody acknowledges your contribution, the joy of being part of somebody’s transformation.

There's a line from a Persian poem, “Who is the potter, pray, who is the pot?” Allow me to rephrase that in a line that speaks about mentoring: Who is the shaper, and who is the shaped? That day when I was a potter, a potter shaping clay, I learned my lessons -- lessons about patience, fortitude, focus, art, and heart. As I shaped the clay, I, too, was shaped. Changed. Molded. Made better.

So, Toastmasters, I encourage you to be mentors. Be a mentor who takes the time, who develops his own skill as well as the skill of his protege, a mentor who has heart.

Remember that when you mentor. Yes, you are shaping somebody. You are helping somebody be somebody better. But in the process, you, as mentor, are also being shaped. You will find yourself changed. Honed. Made better. Formed. Reformed. Transformed into a wonderful work of art. You, as mentor, the one who shapes, will find yourself shaped.

Toasties on TV

2010-08-23T10:41:00.010+08:00

The formula for excellence can be summed up as:
Passion + Training + Perseverance = Excellence.

Two individuals from Butter 'n Toast have achieved excellence by using the above formula.

Let’s take a look at who these two gentlemen are.

Few individuals have excelled both in enterprise (Outsourcing, Automotive and Online industries) and public speaking but Enrique Salvador San Agustin, or Boom as fondly called by friends, managed to succeed in both. Boom is definitely an Entrepreneur guru. He, together with his team, runs the BisWiz Resources who caters to the needs of the budding entrepreneur. Boom is also into writing and is the man behind "Pen Strokes", a blog at wordpress.com. He is a self confessed comic book geek, chess enthusiast, poker player and air engine advocate. He is a devoted husband, a supportive father and a loving Grandpa. Boom is also a champion speaker; he honed his communication skills at Butter ‘n Toast Toastmasters club. An entrepreneur, blogger, columnist, TV Host and most of all a Toastmaster, what more can you ask for from this multi-media personality?

Dazzling bachelor Alvin Gale Tan is also someone who has used his passion, training and perseverance, to achieve excellence. This bubbly being is a computer expert who found his heart in public speaking. Alvin enjoys photography as his past time and joins several competitions. He is vibrant and animated and brings life to any Toastmaster meeting. He’s very outgoing and known in Toastmaster circles as he club hops a lot. Alvin is an asset to BnT as he is one of the reasons why Butter ‘n Toast gets a lot of guests from other TM clubs.

Two outstanding speakers, two excellent leaders, product of one great club, Butter ‘n Toast Toastmasters Club.

Catch them live every Monday 10:30 to 11:30 at GNN’s SME Forum.

At Butter ‘n Toast, success is just a step away!

Think Like An Eagle

2010-08-06T09:27:00.004+08:00

by Jonathan N. Doringuez
Good Evening, fellow toastmasters!

What comes to your mind when you hear the word Eagle? A large powerful bird swooping down and snatching its prey? Or maybe you imagine a beautiful and noble bird with very likable qualities. Or you may say, eagles are all predators or raptors, they are excellent fliers, and they all have excellent vision. They are birds that have strong backbone, hooked bills and strong grasping feet. Actually, eagles are all of those and more.

Eagles are monogamous. They keep one mate for life and use the same nest each year. They tend to nest in inaccessible places, incubating a small clutch of eggs for six to eight weeks. The young mature slowly, reaching adult plumage in the third or fourth year.

Eagles never flock. They select the tallest trees of the forest, the topmost cliff of the mountain; and pairs live in wilderness, hunting and feeding separately, whenever possible carrying their prey to the nest so that the young may gain strength and experience by tearing at it and feeding themselves.

There are three characteristics that Eagles have that are worth emulating and should serve as our inspiration specially during testing times.

1. Eagles have excellent vision. Eagles have a keen vision. Their eyes are specially designed for long distance focus and clarity.

This reminds me of my younger brother. In 2000, he became a mechanical engineer. He loves his profession. He has a passion for design and mechanical assembly. At the start of his job-hunting he asked me, What questions do recruiters normally ask to a new graduate? I told him, How do you see yourself three to five or even 10 years from now? He answered, 3 years from now I will become a supervisor, and in 10 years, I will be working in the biggest engineering firm in the world. To his excitement, he wrote his answer in a piece of paper and rehearsed it almost every day until he was able to memorize it. On February 2001, three months after his oath-taking as an engineer, he was accepted in JGC (Japan Gas Corporation), one of the top engineering firms in the world with a branch office in Alabang. Three years after, he became a senior engineer and part of his responsibility was to supervise his junior engineers. Six years later, he got married and they had a child. Today, he is working in the US and got his job in one of the biggest oil and gas engineering firm in the world, located in Houston, Texas, USA.

2. Eagles are excellent flyers.

What do eagles do when they experience a storm? They fly above the clouds and glide, seeming to rejoice in their strength of flight and freedom of the upper air until the storm has passed. They use the strong winds to their advantage; and aided by their strong wings and great determination, they overcome whatever storm comes their way.

Last May 2010, my brother lost his job. On the first week, he seems to be okay and relaxed. He enjoyed his time with his family. His savings can make him stay for the next six months. On the second week, he asks us to pray. While talking to him, I learned he never lost his vision. I told him that, like a storm, this season is just temporary. He continues to search for a job, calling his friends asking if there are vacancy in there company. For six weeks, there was no result. He started to worry, knowing that he is paying his bills for his apartment, car and other appliances. Until one came along - his former boss called him, asking if he is willing to work in Illinois. My brother replied with a resounding yes. They talked and negotiated; and they ended up signing a work contract. My brother receives a higher salary than he used to have and because the job is in Illinois, he also receives a daily allowance from his new employer. He is now working in Bechtel Corporation, the largest engineering firm in the US.

3. Eagles have vitality. An eagle is full of life and has the power to endure. By the time an eagle reaches about 30 years, life gets hard. Its physical condition deteriorates to the point where survival is difficult: His feathers molt and fall out. His beak also falls off, as even so his claws and talons do likewise. The eagle retreats to a mountaintop, and over a five-month period, goes through a metamorphosis. This is the most difficult part of the life of an eagle - no food, no hunt and the body is aching. Each stage produces a re-growth of the removed feathers, allowing the eagle to live for another 30–40 years.

Sometimes in life, that difficulty is never meant to destroy you or harm you but to give you strength. Losers focus on the difficulties, but winners focus on how to respond to the situation. Sometimes what we’re going through is simply a stage that tells us we are about to reach our destination.

Today, you may be facing obstacles that look huge, maybe you, too, may have tried and failed. Life makes no promises that the obstacles will get any smaller but there’s one thing I’m sure of - you can get bigger, you have the power to survive the storm. Think like an eagle, have a powerful vision. Be strong, and be determined like a warrior. Believe that you can outlast every adversity that comes your way. I challenge you to go with a fire burning in your heart, become the person you want to be. Whenever you face difficulty, don’t focus on what you’re going through but focus on where you want to be. Good Evening.

- Basic Speech No. 2, Organize Your Speech, Delivered 22 July 2010

A fresh serving of Butter N Toast

2010-07-27T09:42:00.003+08:00

The first session under the leadership of BnT President Jun Roy and his team last July 8, 2010 showcased a fresh start for a lot of toastmasters in the Club. That night featured not just wonderful speeches and great evaluations but formal introductions to the Club in different capacities as well.

Division B’s Immediate Past Governor Katrina Letargo (BnT’s JJ!) inducted 10 new members into the Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club. Francis Ang, Jennie Lou Cantago, Eden April Alemania-Dayrit (who earned her CC norm even before being formally inducted!), Jonathan Doringuez, Clave Draculan, Maria Cristina Marcelino, Johnson Regalado, Elaine Romero, Karen Sermona, and Mayette Torreliza kindled their lights from their respective mentors’ candles, and then took oath to make the firm obligation to attend meetings regularly and prepare fully for each assignment, among other duties. Armed with the burning fervor to improve themselves and to contribute to the continuing success of BnT, the newbies will introduce fresh blood to the Club, giving it new life, new sources of excellent speeches, and a new breed of future leaders.

After welcoming BnT’s fresh-from-the-oven toasties, JJ next discharged last term’s set of officers, led by President Pat Pascua, with VP-Education Jun Roy, VP-Membership Christine Dapa, Secretary Chris Siena, VP-PR Shel Roxas, Treasurer Sheila Dela Cruz, Sgt.-at-Arms Boom San Agustin, and IPP Gege Sugue. As JJ expressed that night, the outgoing officers have unleashed their X factors, building speakers and leaders in the Club. It may be “out with the old, in with the new,” but the success and experience of past officers will always serve as guiding wisdom to the current term’s set of officers, leading them towards another President’s Distinguished Club award by June 30, 2011.

Division B Governor Yolanda Meru then installed the current term’s set of officers, the “Toasters,” as they want to be called, led by President Jun Roy, with VP-Education Sheila Dela Cruz, VP-Membership Gege Sugue, VP-PR Alvin Abrantes, Secretary Faye Melegrito, Treasurer Eden Dayrit, Sgt.-at-Arms Ed Ebreo, and IPP Pat Pascua. Yoly called on them one at a time, mentioning their respective keywords (Ed’s “order,” Eden’s “collections,” Faye’s “records,” Bino’s “publicity,” Gege’s “members,” Sheila’s “education,” Pat’s “advise,” and Jun’s “leadership”), handing the gavel, describing the goals and responsibilities of the office, and posing the question, “Will you perform these duties to the best of your abilities?” Each of the officers replied back, “I will!” with conviction and enthusiasm, paving the way towards a BRIGHT year ahead for Butter N Toast.

Under the leadership of Jun Roy, the Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club surely will be Bringing and Rousing Individuals to Greater Heights in Toastmasters!

- Faye F. Melegrito

A BRIGHT night filled with hope, faith, charity, and yes, love

2010-07-27T09:32:00.002+08:00

BnT Meeting
08 July 2010

The skies cloaked the Makati skyline in darkness as the night set in, but the penthouse of the Old Makati Stock Exchange shone bright, oh so bright. The people inside basked in the sunshiny spirit of the evening, as everyone felt the spirit of the theme: “With BnT, the future’s so BRIGHT” - Bringing Individuals to Greater Heights through Toastmasters.

July 8, 2010 marked a new beginning at Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club, with President Jun Roy banging the gavel for the first time. Those present, 8 officers + 14 members + 8 guests, bade goodbye to their ERSTWHILE selves and welcomed the opportunity for a fresh start, a new beginning, an organic genesis of individuals reborn to work together for a BRIGHTer year with BnT.

Toastmaster of the Evening (TM of the PM), Alvin Abrantes, ably welcomed everyone, making them savor the fun spirit of BnT. His team for the night comprised of Table Topics Master Eden Alemania-Dayrit, Grammarian Pat Pascua, Ah-Counter Jennie Lou Cantago, and Time Keeper Mayette Torreliza. The great Jeeves De Veyra of Makati Toastmasters Club and erstwhile Governor of Area 13 served as the night’s General Evaluator (GE), with Boom San Agustin, JJ Letargo, Jun Roy, and Ed Ebreo completing his evaluation team.

Tina Marcelino led the Invocation and Toastmasters’ Promise, afterwhich, the fun began.

Eden opened the Table Topics portion by introducing the concept of “the elevator speech,” a feature in the show “The Apprentice,” wherein someone has to make the pitch in the rare case he/she finds himself/herself with an eminent businessman (like Donald Trump) inside the elevator. Now, Eden continues, what if instead of a businessman, one gets the chance to talk to P-Noy, what would be said?

Boom stood up for the first pitch, answering the question, “If you were given the opportunity to give P-Noy advise, what will you tell him?” Boom then went on to remind P-Noy of the ATOM & what he stood for, advising him to have simpler goals, to establish his own, to go ahead & do what he has to do. After all, at the end of the day, the people will judge him on how he performed and not on how popular he has been.

Pat delivered the next pitch to the question, “If you will assume a cabinet post, what will it be and why?” An advocate for quality education, Pat shared that she has imagined herself offering herself to head the Department of Education as early as after the 1992 presidential elections. Wanting to revamp the curriculum, she has the motive to get in there, fix the curriculum, especially those in public schools, to achieve a stronger base of students. Pat wanted to fix it and let majority of the youth benefit from it. At the end, Eden added financial literacy, hoping that the future of BnT would be bright and the future of the Philippines, too.

With the night starting with a hint of hope, with the new Toastmasters term coinciding with a new leadership in Philippine politics, the night continued with shades of faith, charity, and love, as the prepared speakers came next, all basic speeches for the Competent Communication norm.

Clave started with her Speech No. 1: The Ice Breaker, “I Am Clave.” She gave a wonderful speech which sounded like the ultimate speech for the norm, as her evaluator, JJ later told the crowd. Clave shared the etymology of her name (Spanish cla-ve meaning keystone; the wooden instrument in African music called claves; princess, according to her aunt, who gave her the name) but liked her personal definition best: a strong-willed follower of Jesus. She shared her bratty beginning as a pampered princess in her family, complete with exclusive schools, luxurious items, expensive toys, international travel – indeed, a privileged life. Clave then continued with her problematic period when all the financial and familial comforts left her. Where other people might have had emotional breakdown, Clave instead became more focused to finish her bachelor’s degree and more faithful to God, with whom she developed a deeper relationship, He being her source of strength and her refuge. “Some may believe that their names may defined who they become,” she said, “I defy this notion. We are not confined nor defined by the meaning of our name, by our past.” Clave ended by stating, “I chose to define my name, who I am – a woman, strong-willed, and a follower of Jesus.”

Elaine followed with her Speech No. 3: Get to the Point, “Share your Blessings.” “Charity is a common word for us,” she started. “I am here to share the simple meaning of charity – sharing your own blessings at your own time.” Elaine then showed her fellow toasties the meaning of charity, caritas, by sharing her experiences at the Bethlehem House of Bread Orphanage in Bulacan. She and her friends decided in 2008 to hold a birthday celebration for the children who, sadly, didn’t know their birthdays. By bringing food and preparing songs & dances, Elaine felt privileged to know the real meaning of charity. By sharing one’s blessings, one gets to know the real meaning of charity. More than monetary or nutritional blessings, the most important blessing to be shared is one’s time. “Just a simple gesture of sharing your blessing and time would mean much to [the children],” Elaine said. From then on, she and her friends continued with their new-found way of sharing their blessings. Last year, two kids held her knees the whole time she was in the orphanage. She felt that those kids need someone’s embrace. Being charitable does not stop at giving money, food, or milk. Being charitable really means being with them.

Faye with her Speech No. 4: How to Say It, “The June Bride and other stories of Tatang Louy” came in last. Having spent her childhood with her grandparents, Faye grew up listening to the stories of her grandfather, Tatang Louy. “Tatang planted the seeds of storytelling in my being,” she said, inspiring her to share some of the stories that night. Three stories of love between Tatang Louy and Nanang Atting awakened the romantic side of the crowd, as Faye recalled her grandparents’ courtship through letters, their lucky and blessed wedding day, and the sadness felt when a loved one leaves the other behind. Faye then ended by saying that July 8 is a lucky day, as her grandfather would have said, forecasting a BRIGHT future for Butter N Toast.

Jonathan also prepared his Speech No. 2: organize your Speech, “Think like an Eagle.” He provided a sneak preview to the group by letting us reflect on our thoughts when we hear the word “eagle.” The main picture will be unveiled in the next meeting. (Note: he delivered a soaring speech last July 22! More on this in the article for that night’s meeting.)

After the prepared speeches, the crowd partook of BnT’s famous pansit.

Alvin then turned over the stage to Jeeves, being the GE, for the evaluation portion – the segment unique to toastmasters meetings. As Jeeves said, “evaluation gives value to your being a toastmaster. Evaluation is like an instant feedback.”

Boom then evaluated the Table Topics portion. Pat, to him, is “classic. When she gets up here, she’s picture perfect. The epitome of poise, when she speaks, she has the air of authority.” Although Pat used PREP effectively, Boom noted that the ending seemed abrupt, and this could be something for Pat to grow on. However, Boom hinted to the toasties that if they need a model on how to deliver a table topics speech, that would be Pat. Boom next described Eden, the Table Topics Master, as very creative. She acted like an adviser of P-Noy, a very apt exercise since the country just came from an election. Boom may not have seen the theme of the evening in the Table Topics session, but this did not diminish the creativity and the fun in the impromptu segment of the night’s meeting.

Jeeves next evaluated Boom in his Table Topics speech, stating that Boom had been dynamic and commanded respect. He later advised Boom to be consistent with the perspective of his speech, if he starts with the first person, he should do so throughout his speech. In evaluating Eden, Jeeves informed the crowd that “Table Topics is for us to learn impromptu.” Thus, he recommended that in future Table Topics sessions, the Master should call the speaker first, then give the topic. This way, the speaker is made to think on his feet.

The evaluation for the prepared speeches followed.

JJ turned out to be an appropriate evaluator for Clave. Although it was an Ice Breaker speech, Clave delivered a well-applauded one. Thus, it must have been some form of divine intervention when one of BnT’s DTMs was assigned to evaluate her. JJ informed the crowd that the Ice Breaker serves as a benchmark of a speaker. With Clave, though, “the speech sounded like speech number 10.” With Clave’s name to mean keystone, she already has a cornerstone and is exceptional for something bigger. JJ then asked Clave why she joined BnT, to which Clave replied that she wants to improve her leadership skills. JJ the challenged her to continue with the program and agreed that Clave’s name is indeed musical, since her speech was music to the ears.

Jeeves next stated his observations on Clave’s speech. What struck him was that everyone was silent as Clave spoke, showing that Clave connected with her audience. He felt the gravitas, the weight. Jeeves then advised Clave that situation awareness can be another way to connect, that some parts of the story should have included humor. He then told the toasties that the most effective way to deliver a weighty message is through humor. Jeeves also advised JJ that she should have told Clave what to look forward to, like look for speech project number 4, for instance.

“The thing about a beautiful lady, it becomes distracting if [she] speaks of a hallow message,” Jun started his evaluation of Elaine, “But Elaine spoke of a good one.” He then gave her some pointers. Elaine had been clear with her specific purpose, with the speech about charity being stated at the beginning. But for the general purpose, she should choose only one. He observed tentativeness in her voice and confidence was needed, and discouraged the use of notes. However, Jun noted that it was the heart that conveys the message, that Elaine really believed in her message, and that he never doubted that she’s an advocate of charity.

Jeeves next noted that Jun’s evaluation was earnest, showing that he really wanted to help her. He then encouraged those who haven’t evaluated yet to try to evaluate, for “to teach is to learn twice.” Jeeves also recommended for Elaine to tell the story first. The message and gain were already in the story, he said.

Ed described Faye’s speech as a “love story in a pulp fiction manner,” with one chapter after another, indeed filled with vivid words. He noted the audience listening, enthralled. It was an understatement that Faye passed the objectives, Ed said, who also acknowledged the good technic of using dialect. He then told Faye to be more cohesive, since some ideas may be lost in the chapter-style speech. (Pat also whispered to Faye that the speech is good if read. If listened to, however, the audience cannot rewind it to go back to other ideas.)

Jeeves then described Ed’s evaluation as textbook evaluation. Ed should also have made an example, as the end recommendation sounded vague. Jeeves also said that he liked Faye’s speech, with lots of vivid words.

Jeeves also gave Jonathan some words of encouragement. “Toastmasters,” he said, “is a friendly atmosphere. It is okay to use notes; since notes are not prohibited, only discouraged.” He then advised the toasties to use bigger fonts, making it easier for the speaker to see where he/she left off, and not to staple the pages for easier movement of pages.

Pat next mentioned the gems to be kept and the germs to be discarded from everyone’s grammar closets. She cited Boom’s “establish your own character,” Clave’s “most people are intrigued with the etymology… I defy these notions… We are not defined and confined by our name,” Elaine’s “a privilege to be part of the [charity] program,” Faye’s “ambassador of his love… landing… seeds of storytelling bloomed,” and Boom the evaluator’s “Pat is classic, picture-perfect.” To be discarded: the lapse of omitting “s” at the end of plural forms. With the Word of the Day (WOD), ERSTWHILE, best used as another word for “former,” Pat ended her report with the following samplings of the word: “He delivered his last speech as erstwhile head of his department.” “The erstwhile occupant of Malacanang is strongly opposed of the porkchop.” “I remember fondly my erstwhile clubmates at Tambuli Toastmaster Club.”

Jeeves, in his evaluation of Pat, suggested that the WOD should be put up for everyone to see throughout the session. He also mentioned that, in the spirit of education and not in the spirit of being mean, the grammarian should directly tell the source of the germs what was done wrong. Jeeves ended by stating that Pat gave a very precise and great grammarian report.

Technical evaluations followed, with Jennie reporting that Bino and Jeeves got the most number of Ha-Ha from the audience, and Mayette stating that all speakers and evaluators spoke within the allotted time except for Clave in her speech and Boom & Ed in their evaluations.

Alvin the TM, according to Jeeves, had an unenviable job to do that night, a job which Alvin did well, steering everybody. Jeeves particularly liked the way Alvin exuded friendliness and power.

In closing, Jeeves acknowledged the full room, reinforcing the reputation of BnT as one of the well-attended meetings in Toastmasters. Very comfortable with the environment, Jeeves had the pleasure to be part of the insanity for a little over two hours. He particularly liked the banner, program/newsletter, and evaluation forms, all of which could make BnT qualify for the best practices manual. “The thing with Toastmasters,” stated Jeeves, “being a toastmaster is not just getting a manual and delivering speeches; it is the community… It is not just about the club, but about the people.” The GE then ended by congratulating the TM of the PM and his chipmunk power.

The five other guests aggregately gave positive responses, with Karen signing up that very night; Richie, currently of Makati Toastmasters Club like the GE, standing in front of the BnT toasties, telling them that he was just a boy, asking to be adopted; his officemate Paul stating that he’d definitely join; Katrina sharing that the meeting had been inspirational and that she now has a venue for growth; and Marie somehow imbibing the BnT fun spirit when she said that “we all have our clowns… everyone has potential to be clowns… it would be good to challenge one’s self.”

The officers (Pat, Jun, Sheila, Gege, Alvin, Faye, Eden, & Ed), members (April, Boom, Clave, Christine, Elaine, Francis, JJ, Jazz, Jennie, Johnson, Jonathan, Mayette, Shel, and Tina), and the honorable guest-toastmasters (Pam Castro & Yoly Meru) then cheered the guests, encouraging them to take the Toastmasters journey.

The night ended with the induction of ten new members and discharging of the previous set of officers headed by Pat Pascua, both facilitated by past Division B Governor JJ Letargo. Current Division B Governor Yolanda Meru then installed the current set of officers headed by Jun Roy. (More details on these in another article.)

At the end of the session, everyone went out of the Old MSE, each one emanating their own light. In a fortnight, these individual lights will again come together, converging into one great light, forming a BRIGHT Butter N Toast.

- Faye F. Melegrito

The June Bride and other stories of Tatang Louy

2010-07-19T22:41:00.002+08:00

Vente-otso! Nagasat nga aldaw dayta!

Twenty-eight! That's a lucky day!

I had heard these words tens of times, perhaps a hundred - each time when my grandfather embarked on his journey back in time, back to the years when he was young, much younger than his 70, 80, 90 years, his actual age depending on the instance when he would enchant me with his stories.

I am the eldest grandchild. I grew up in Ilocos with my grandparents, Tatang Louy and Nanang Atting.

Tatang planted the seeds of storytelling in my being - introducing me to the world of his youth, widening my imagination, urging me to enjoy my own life - so that someday, I will have my own stories to share.

But for tonight, I will share with you some of the stories of my Tatang Louy.

On top of the list would be on that particular day in 1933 when it showered in Vigan.

It was June 28; yes, the lucky day! Tatang Louy said that the number eight signifies good luck, for the last stroke goes up. Thus, he set his wedding date on a day that ends in eight. Tatang and Nanang felt doubly happy, for on the day they became one, the heaven opened its gates to shower on them. A shower, Tatang said, meant blessings from heaven. It may have rained in their parade, Tatang and Nanang may have gotten slightly wet from the brief shower, but this just whet their appetite to build a happy life together.

There was Nanang Atting, the June Bride, too shy to let Tatang have her picture taken even for posterity. There was Tatang Louy, the dashing groom, hopeful that luck and divine blessings will help strengthen the family they are to build in the next decades.

Two Mondays ago, they would have been married for 77 years. Who would have thought that a shy girl from the provincial village of Camangaan will end up being happily married for decades to a poor-boy-turned-debonair-young-man who left his equally provincial village of Naguilian for the pineapple plantations of Hawaii and busy streets of Chicago?

My second story would give you a glimpse on what happened months before that lucky and blessed day.

It was November 1932. A decade or so before, Tatang boarded a ship to Hawaii using his uncle's cedula, for he was too poor to pay for his own. For the next ten years, he had his share of being a waterboy in Hawaii, an unfocused man in the mainland, until becoming a well-appreciated houseboy in Chicago. A thousand dollars richer after, Tatang decided to come home, for good. And his path crossed with that of Nanang, a neighbor whom he hardly noticed in the 1920s, she being five years his junior. Using Nanang's brother as ambassador of his love, Tatang started to write letters to Nanang. The courtship started with a formal letter addressed to Miss Fama, followed by one for Mr. Quitevis; progressing to one for Patring, followed by another for Louy; and further progressing to My Dear Patring, followed by My Dear Louy.

There was Tatang, now a cosmopolitan bachelor with the confident airs of a landing, someone who landed on the pier from an international ship. There was Nanang, still the village girl whose farthest place she traveled to was Mindanao, who initially resisted Tatang's charms but eventually fell for it.

Tomorrow I will air out their love letters. More than any material things, I treasure these as part of my memories of my dear Tatang Louy and my dear Nanang Atting.

My last story would be a memory of a memory, as I remember how Tatang remembered Nanang.

It was February 1985. Tatang and Nanang had been married for more than 51 years. I had been living with them for little over ten years. Tatang was on one of his business trips to Pangasinan. Nanang and I were left behind in Ilocos. With diabetes already affecting her health, Nanang had an episode of low blood pressure, and we had to rush her to the hospital. Two days after Valentine's day, Nanang left us, without Tatang by her side.

There was Tatang, arriving hours after Nanang breathed her last. He kept on saying that day, and on lonely days in the next twelve years, that Nanang slipped away without even saying goodbye. Naglibas. her soul left her body, and she left us just like that. There was Nanang, no longer with us yet will always be in our hearts.

Tonight, I remember Tatang and Nanang once more. By sharing their stories, as told to me by Tatang those countless nights we had together, I am with them again. It is my hope that the seeds of storytelling planted by Tatang in my being will continue to bloom into a passion for learning and for sharing the lessons in life.

Luck in numbers, luck in showers. Love for our dear ones, those with us and those long gone. Lust for learning, with the taste of the BnT life.

If Tatang Louy would have been alive today, he would have exclaimed, "Otso! Nagasat nga aldaw tatta!"

Eight! Today's a lucky day!

The future is bright at Butter N Toast!

- by Faye Q. Flores Melegrito
Basic Speech No. 4: How to Say It; presented on 08 July 2010

BnT Officers Take Off

2010-07-07T23:37:00.000+08:00

by Faye Melegrito, Club Secretary

Guided by the vision of District 75’s Governor Wilson Lee of Toastmasters soaring high to the next level, Toastmasters from Divisions A, B, G, and H gathered together for an Officers’ Training last July 3 and a Mass Installation last July 4 at the West Greenhills Clubhouse in San Juan.

Where learning is offered, BnT Toasties are not far behind. Five officers for the new term 2010-2011 – headed by President Jun Roy who was joined by Immediate Past President Pat Pascua, Vice President for Education Sheila Mapanao, Vice President for Public Relations Alvin Abrantes, and Sgt.-at-Arms Ed Ebreo – attended the whole day event last Saturday.

Though the food left their tummies wanting for more (urging them to take additional bites elsewhere) the five toasties feasted themselves on officer training, toastmaster learnings, and inspiring messages. During the Officers’ Training proper, the officers went to their respective groups depending on their position and eventually learned tips on how to effectively perform their duties. Messages marked the beginning and end of the day. Sandy Prieto opened it in the morning with her Keynote Address, followed by Gov. Lee’s Overview and Lt. Gov. for Education & Training Vic Navales on Achieving Educational Norms. Lt. Gov. for Marketing Grace Paras started the afternoon session with her speech on Membership and Club Growth, then Francis Kong’s great speech. Gov. Lee closed the day with the Commitment Declaration and Signing.

For the Mass Installation the following afternoon, BnT President Jun Roy returned to the Clubhouse with Vice President for Membership Gege Sugue, Secretary Faye Melegrito, Treasurer Eden Alemania-Dayrit, and last term’s Sgt.-at-Arms Boom San Agustin. Outgoing Division B Gov. JJ Letargo and Jazz Encarnacion were also with them.

The above toasties from the wacky Butter N Toast had themselves in stitches as Mike Unson gave inputs on how to make one’s speech entertaining and fun to watch and listen to. Mike ably masked any formality of the lecture with his humorous renditions of Hong Kong’s MTR and Philippines’ MRT voice-overs, gender benders, and compare-and-contrast samplers.

The afternoon’s main event promptly started at 5PM. Each of the outgoing Division Governors from Divisions A, B, G, H gave their valedictory address, followed by the inauguration address of their respective division’s incoming Division Governors. Division A’s outgoing Gov. Corazon Oliva-Rodil talked about the GIFT during her term: guide, inspire, forge, and trust friendship, and gifted the audience with her words, “It is not where one is today, but where one is going that counts.” Incoming Gov. Melvin Paulino challenged his division to aim for unity in diversity and to make a mark for eternity, with the clubs existing for their members and guiding each member to achieve the needed norm. Division B’s outgoing Gov. Katrina Letargo (BnT’s very own JJ!) exclaimed that Division B had a blast building leaders and speakers together by being big in numbers, bold in competition, and brave in taking leadership role. Incoming Gov. Yolanda Meru confirmed that there is no turning back for her and encouraged the members to always have room for improvement and rise to the next level of speeches. Division G’s outgoing Gov. Jonathan Yogawin felt great and grateful, showed it, and invited the members to feel the same. Incoming Gov. Angelica del Rosario called on the power in commitment, in teamwork, and in love. Division H’s outgoing Gov. Malou Ranario called on the audience to unleash their X factor and ignite the H magic, making achieving goals with integrity and character. Incoming Gov. Raul de la Vega then asserted that a toastmaster always keeps his promise.

Thereafter, Jun and Boom stood up along with other outgoing officers, as they were officially discharged from their duties for the term 2009-2010. Lt. Gov. Paras declared them released, albeit temporarily, from obligations in District 75, then reminded them that “once a toastmaster, always a toastmaster.”

The incoming officers for the term 2010-2011 were then asked to come up the stage as their positions were called, and they were eventually charged by Lt. Gov. Navales to assume their duties until their term ends on June 30, 2011.

The swearing-in followed, with District Gov. Lee calling on everyone to raise right hands and take oath to do their duties as officers of their Toastmasters Club, to be one with District 75’s theme for the term, and to finally take off and soar high to the next level.

On the first weekend of their term, the BnT officers took off on a flight of a lifetime. With the cooperation of the members, the officers will be Bringing and Rousing Individuals to Greater Heights in Toastmasters, towards a BRIGHT Butter N Toast!

I Declare!

2010-07-06T22:36:00.001+08:00

This is the graduation speech of Competent Communicator Eden Alemania-Dayrit which she delivered on June 24, 2010. Definitely, there's more to Eden than meets the eye. This article is not enough to capture what this lady is really made of. At best, it can give you a glimpse of what she has become since she joined Toastmasters.

Learning about Eden's success story both as a speaker and entrepreneur is just like being in the middle of a captivating suspense novel. The more I turn to each page, the more the plot becomes increasingly interesting. And as her story continues to unfold, the more I become excited and inspired to read even more.

I declare that tonight, your life will change. This room will be a witness of the transformation that will ensue. Remember the faces of the people around you for you won’t recognize them later. I declare that this is a night that you will never forget.

Like the night of January of 2009 when I first attended ButterNToast as a guest and I can vividly remember my answer to the question for the introduction about scholarship.

“Good evening. I am Eden Alemania and I am a DOST scholar at Ateneo.”

In my mind, what was I saying? That was so dense! But you guys were so nice! Even though my voice was trembling, my hands were clammy and to top that, I froze, and didn’t finish what I had to say. From then onwards, I declared to myself “I will be a good speaker. Audience will be wowed at my speeches. I will be invited to talk to big conventions.” Hahaha.. I found these lines funny then. My mind was still struggling with the idea of me being a speaker, and I was saying those big words. “Kaya ko ba ito?” Was all that I could think of then.

Which reminds me of a beautiful story in the bible. The story of Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac. In ancient times, the father, performs a ceremony of blessing. He officially hands over the birthright to the firstborn son, who is Esau. But younger brother Jacob, recognizing the power of this blessing, the power of his father’s words, deceived Isaac by pretending to be Esau, thus receiving the blessing.

Why did Jacob go to such extent of deceit? Why are they fighting over their father’s blessing? You see in the ancient times, a person’s word was binding. Words were like prophesies that when uttered becomes true. Even if Isaac, realizing that he made a mistake couldn’t take his word back because Isaac’s blessing to Jacob was irrevocable. Jacob became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Going back to the present time, we often forget the power of words. We say or hear things like “Bagsak ka na naman? Kahit kailan wala kang nagawang tama.” Or “Ambisyosa, stop dreaming that you’d be a lawyer. Tuition pa lang, di na natin kaya ‘no. We’re born poor and we’ll die poor.” Or “Ako, pagsasalitain mo sa harapan? Sya na lang o, di ko kaya yan.” And when we couple that with the ability of the child to absorb what we say to them, the results are disastrous. We prophesy that they will not amount to anything. We shout at them and defend that at least we are not hurting them physically. But in truth, we hurt them more by crippling their ability to be better through our words.

Gary Chapman’s book “The 5 Love Languages” stresses the importance of affirmations on relationships and the value we give into our relationships. He emphasized the difference between encouraging words
and nagging words. Encouraging words always focus on something that your partner/a relative or a friend wants to do and not something you want them to do. A nag is something you tell him more than three times.

The power of words also transcends to what we say to ourselves – either consciously or subconsciously.

Let me share with you my personal experiences on declarations. In my Icebreaker speech, I declared, that I am a money magnet. My partner in some of my real estate deals and I usually have dinner to discuss the day’s events. And we plan out the following days with some “wishes” that we’d like to have for the week. In one such dinner she was scribbling 500,000 in the paper place mat and told me. “In our
house, I have a dream board wherein I wrote the numbers 500,000 signifying the amount I’d like to get for the month. And I’d like to thank you for helping me realize that dream.”

Then she began to write down 1,000,000. “This will be our goal for next month”. We smiled, because we never doubted that it is a possibility. True enough, the day after that dinner, we met with another real estate investor that showed us a 10-door property asking us to partner with him. And the projected income, is exactly 1,000,000 for EACH one of us.

I can go on and on sharing my personal experiences on declarations that came true, but I’d like to leave you with one thought. Declare your wishes. Declare your dreams. Declare the big, audacious, even
laughable desires of your heart. You have that power to fulfill those dreams… within your reach.

Remember the declaration I made after my first speech?

“I will be a good speaker. Audience will be wowed at my speeches. I will be invited to talk to big conventions.” Before, I was laughing at the thought of it. But now, I have two big events lined up.

On July 2-3, 2010, I will be speaking at the Money Summit and Wealth Expo at the Carlos P Romulo Room of RCBC Plaza for an audience of 400. And I am deeply honored to be speaking with CEOs, Presidents and experts in other fields. And you are all invited to come. And on July 24, I was invited to speak for a group of investors in Singapore.

The wise King Solomon once declared, “The tongue has the power of life and death” I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for the positive declarations I made at toastmaster’s. I wouldn’t be speaking in front of you, giving my graduation speech if I gave in to my “Hindi ko kaya ito” spiel to myself. I wouldn’t be speaking for an audience, if I didn’t declare that I can.

Tonight, I declare that this will just be the first of a lot more speaking engagements to come.

Tonight, I declare that you will achieve every word that you utter.

Tonight, I give you back the power that you’ve always had.

And I declare that you will use it to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

What about you? What would you like to declare?

A night of proposals, presence, and puto bumbong

2010-06-17T10:19:00.003+08:00

BnT Meeting
June 10, 2010

Pat Pascua and her team of officers for the term 2009-2010 had their penultimate meeting to preside last June 10, 2010. The Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club had another jampacked night of speeches, spiels, and shrieks of laughter as 22 people gathered together for a couple of hours of EXTRAORDINARY celebration of the BnT Life featuring STALWART and would-be STALWART toastmasters in Makati City, Philippines.

The bibong-bibong Bino, Alvin Abrantes, vibrantly set the mood as the Toastmaster of the Evening (TM of the PM) and led the group to imbibe the night’s theme – EXTRAORDINARY. On her penultimate session as President, Pat Pascua felt nostalgic and then revived the Toastmasters Club feature of having a Word of the Day by choosing STALWART.

After the Invocation led by Mayette Torreliza, the initial round of talk started as each of the attendees introduced themselves with the additional challenge of incorporating the night’s theme and using the word of the day in their introductory spiels. 16 People participated in this round and were later joined by six others as the evening went on.

The 22 people eventually had a night of proposals, presence, and puto bumbong. 16 BnT members, 2 guests from other Toastmasters Clubs, and 4 guests contributed off-the-cuff proposals, speech ideas on being there and giving quality time and reliving memories of Christmas past, applause and laughter, and unwavering camaraderie.

For the second round, Table Topics Master Tina Marcelino prepared the stage for a few romantic monologues by sharing an anecdote on a couple pursuing the same interests and then eventually ending up married after a one-of-a-kind proposal. She then called for four volunteer contestants, and Boom, Ed, Christine, and April boldly took the challenge. After being told to step outside until they are called, each table topics speaker marched forward sans wedding music, and Tina then popped the question: “If you are to propose to your partner, how are you going to propose extraordinarily?”

Boom, being “so Boom,” immediately regaled the group with his very own proposal, the real thing, which moved his so-called “bane of my existence” to say yes. For the single ladies out there, don’t be sad, don’t be mad, if only your officemates receive Chocnuts while you have none from your OJT. Check your locker as it may contain chocolates and flowers. Then be on the look-out for that OJT, for he may then deliver the words: “There is another one, will you take me?” Six months after doing so, Boom and his bane-turned-babe got married.

BnT’s resident funny man, Ed, marched next. Known to deliver speeches and spiels that never fail to elicit laughter, Ed then delivered his monologue, one that would put John Lloyd’s own script deliveries to a cheesy test. Yes, the funny man has leveled-up, giving a gut-wrenching and knife-wielding proposal. The gist: “I have been alone in this world for sometime. It’s time to have someone by my side. There’s only one person, her name is carved in my heart.” Ed then capped it, not by cutting-up his chest for all the world to see the carving on his heart, but by proudly proclaiming to everyone the identity of the lucky lady, whose name now occupies Ed’s heart, side-by-side with his cardiac arteries and nerves.

Then came the ladies. Quite a twist, since in Filipino culture, the women don’t normally do the proposing.

Christine started by acknowledging that it is “not an easy one on her part to tell a story on a proposal.” If she were a kid, she would have told a fairytale-like story. If a teen, one on bungee-jumping. But she is Christine, and as a person, she doesn’t know how the proposal should go, she “leave[s] it up to him.” Yet Christine still gave the audience a glimpse into her romantic side, as she gave her parting words: “Anything that he would do, if I love him, that’s extraordinary.”

April marched last, catching our attention with her opening lines: “I hope he’s listening, but I haven’t met him yet.” Not just a stalwart steward of Christ but a stalwart fan of Star Wars as well, April then proceeded to wow the audience with an out-of-this-world story on proposal. Katie Perry and her rockstar are getting married, and the future bride gifted her groom a trip to space. Someday, when April would have met her own rockstar, Jedi or not, she would want her own trip to space, too. With her groom, of course.

Proposal Master Tina then ended the round by counting the vote for the best proposal. Boom won by one vote over Ed and later enjoyed his free machiatto at Starbuck’s.

The third round of talk featured Jonathan Doringuez, Johnson Regalado, and April Anne Salonga (yes, same April who’ll bring her honey to the moon).

Jonathan presented his Basic Speech 1, Ice Breaker, entitled “Being in the Right Place.” A speech on presence, Jonathan went on to share his journey from Surigao to Metro Manila and his decision to change and improve himself. He then concluded by stating that he has found himself, that night, in the right place, with the right opportunity to improve his skills. Where would that be? Where else but at Butter N Toast! As practiced for icebreakers, everybody gave Jonathan a standing ovation, applauding his fortitude to transform himself into a future stalwart toastmaster.

Johnson next presented his Basic Speech 2, Organize Your Speech, entitled “Quality Time.” A father of three, Johnson shared the challenges faced by a father torn between the pulling demands at work and the tugging desires with family. Delivered ten days before Father’s Day, Johnson’s speech gave us a father’s viewpoint of how things are inside a father’s mind and heart. The tight hours spent at the Bangkok Airport juxtaposed with the carefree days spent at Clearwater in Clark. The guilt and other negative feelings had been banked aside and turned to the clear, pure love Johnson could show his wife and kids. The lesson that he learned after being with his family? “That despite the limited time I had, I should not fail to schedule quality time with them. Listen to kids chat, don’t comment.” His parting words: “Spend time with your children, don’t hesitate, be there.”

April then presented her Basic Speech 4, How To Say It, entitled “Christmas in June.” April wasn’t just there with us at the old MSE. She brought us back to her Christmases past. She cautioned us at the start of her speech to listen carefully, as she’ll tell us “a story somewhere in her past, a memory within a memory.” Starting from last year’s Christmas Lights & Sounds at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, April aka the space-bride then loaded us to a time-machine. We landed into several Christmas scenes: the sweet smell of chocolate mixed with the hint of mint, as April enjoyed a cup of chocolate mint ice cream; ding-dong-ding-dong ringing of Church bells, as her grandmother greeted her, “Good morning, sunshine, it’s time to go to church”; the delightful feast outside the church, as April presented us her “heaven from home,” detailing a “truly gastronomic experience” of bibingka at puto bumbong. April missed those days when “all kids do is have fun,” and the audience felt the same. Self-declared favorite of her grandparents, she then told us, with a hint of sadness, that she missed her grandparents, and I personally felt the same. Indeed, her “Christmases will never be the same,” but April vows to “bring back that kind of Christmas, for her nephews and nieces, and future children.”

The group then had a feast of, what else but, pansit (for that particular night, it was palabok). With a little imagination, the box of inipit substituted for the puto bumbong from April’s speech which whetted the Christmas appetite of the group.

The Evaluation Proper then took place afterwards, led by General Evaluator Pat Pascua. She called it the “educational portion.” Jun commended Tina on her creative way of conducting the Table Topics portion and recommended transition between speakers for a more cohesive portion. Jeff then presented his “constructive feedback” on Jonathan’s speech, after which Pat suggested the use of “you may want to” instead of “you try to” and reiterated that “language creates context.” Boom then jokingly told Johnson that he tried to “find enough errors to fail you,” but he himself failed. Pat then commended Boom for “authenticity.” Lastly, Rosette described April’s speech as having “appealed to all my senses,” and later told her, ”I have felt your speech.”

Jenny, Faye, and Christine completed the group of technical evaluators as Language Evaluator / Grammarian, Ah-Counter, and Time Keeper, respectively.

The night had the essential elements of a Toastmasters meeting – officers: Pat, Jun, Christine, & Boom; speakers: Jonathan, Johnson, & April; members: Alvin A., Faye, Tina, Mayette, Jenny, Ed, Owen, Gege, & JJ; guests: Jeff Garcia from Logica Toastmasters Club & Rosette Magpayao from El Presidente Toastmasters Club, “stranger in a strange city” Jan Wenceslao, second-time-to-eat-free-pansit-and-will-sign-up-soon Laarni, and guests of “Sir Owen” Rey & Laarni.

Another night of Butter N Toast fun came to an end. A night of proposals, presence, and puto bumbong; and of course, BnT’s famous pansit.

It was the penultimate meeting of Pat’s team of officers. In a fortnight, she will preside the ultimate meeting. It will be another night of Butter N Toast fun. May there be more officers, speakers, members, and guests. See you on June 24 and let’s have a bite of the BnT Life!

- by Faye F. Melegrito

Seven Tips for Effective Evaluation

2010-06-04T13:51:00.002+08:00

How can we deliver an effective evaluation during a Toastmasters' meeting? What is the best way of giving feedback to a speaker? I'm sure these questions are in the mind of anyone who is given the role of evaluating a speaker.

Let me share to you what I feel to be the seven (7) important rules for giving effective feedback when performing the role of an evaluator during a Toastmasters' meeting. There could be more, but we can start with these ones. Interestingly, most of these are the same rules that one should observe when giving feedback to anyone whether that is in the office, at home, or to friends.

Somebody said that "feedback is the breakfast of champions"- well, I guess that could only be true if the feedback is given properly. Feedback can be helpful or destructive, depending on the intent and the manner by which it is given. Just think about those times when you were inspired after getting a sincere and honest commendation from someone. Or recall a time when you received a criticism and ended up focusing on questioning the motive rather than reflecting on the validity of the feedback.

1. Driven by desire to help. To me, this is the foundation of all effective feedback. At the core of every successful evaluation is the heart that cares. You can make make this as your mantra before you start doing the evaluation. You are there to help. So make it sure that your language, your style, your delivery, your structure, and your observations are all in sync with that purpose.

2. Focus on the Speech Project's Objectives. Given your limited time which is about 2 minutes, you can only say so much. Thus, your observations and delivery should focus on the specific objectives of the speech project you are evaluating. If it is about the use of visual aids, then say something about the strong and weak points in the way the speaker utilized the visual aids. You can always share all your other observations during a one-on-one talk with the speaker after the meeting.

3. Observe thoroughly, convey limitedly. It is good to be thorough during your observation. Try to capture all strong and weak points relevant to the speech's objectives. This way, you have enough data to choose from. However, when it is time to deliver your evaluation, you have to trim down your observations to about 4 key points (2-strong points and 2 recommendations). Make the 'editor's cut' no matter how discomforting that may sound to you.

4. Use a Definite Structure. A good structure will allow you to manage your time well during your delivery of the evaluation. One good example of a solid evaluation structure is the use of the Kiss-Kick-Kiss formula, or otherwise known as Commend-Recommend-Commend. It is a sandwhich approach that emphasizes the strengths without ignoring the opportunities for improvement. Another style is to structure your observations around the speech's objectives. In this style, you can cite the extent to which the speaker achieved an objective, plus the strong and weak points, then your recommendations. Then you repeat the same process in reference to another objective.

The above talks about the structure of your entire evaluation. But what about the structure of a specific feedback? What is a good outline for citing a strong or weak point? One technique is to use the Behavior-Impact-Recommendation.

Behavior - what did the speaker say or do? ("I noticed that..." or "When you...")

Impact - what was the impact of what the speaker said/did in achieving the speech's objectives? I felt that..., "I thought that..."

Commendation/Recommendation- what can you commend or recommend? "I'd like to see more that ... in your next speeches", "I feel that You may want to consider ..."

5. Start right, end right. Just like any other speech, your evaluation should have proper opening and closing statements.

During your opening, it is always good to build rapport with the speaker first before sharing your feedback right away. A simple greeting and a congratulations would go a long way in easing the tension of the speaker. You can also give the speaker an assurance about your positive intent.

Your closing statement should reflect an encouraging tone. For example, you can summarize the strong points, express your desire to hear his next speech, or invite the audience to applaud the speaker.

6. Use "I" Language. Avoid using "We," "S/he," "The speaker," "You" - these words lack accountability. You have to own your feedback. Saying something like "we feel that..." assumes that the audience share your observations which is not necessarily the case. Words like "he or she or the speaker" are too impersonal.

7. Talk to the speaker and not to the audience. Just remember that your feedback should be directly given to the speaker. You are not there to report your observations to the audience. The audience are simply there to indirectly learn in the process. Your key focus is the speaker. To do this, you need to maintain eye contact with the speaker most of the time and using direct, conversational tone.

However, you can also involve the audience from time to time. You can confirm your observation with them just to reinforce your message. You can invite them to clap for the speaker. But their involvement should be seen as just a brief interlude to a main event that features the speaker as the principal character.

Giving feedback can be an enriching experience for both you and the other person. Whether that is in a Toastmasters' meeting or involving somebody else in another setting, the principles that govern effective feedback are essentially the same. They have to be given with the right intent, to the right person, at the right time, and in the right manner.

BNT's New Set of Officers

2010-06-02T00:09:00.001+08:00

Butter N Toast TMC elected its new set of officers last May 27. About 18 members stayed after the regular meeting to participate in the election which was ably handled by the outgoing President, Pat Pascua. The elected officers will serve from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011.

Below is the list of the incoming officers:
President              Jun Roy, CC
VP- Education     Sheila Dela Cruz, CC, CL
VP-Membership Gege Sugue, ACS, CL

VP-PR                Alvin Abrantes, CC
Secretary             Faye Melegrito, TM
Treasurer             Eden Dayrit, TM
Sgt.at Arms         Ed Ebreo, ACS

I'm Playing My Songs

2010-05-24T23:26:00.001+08:00

Icebreaker Speech by TM Mayette Torreliza

Do you have a song in your life? It’s like when you hear that song you feel sad or happy. And you remind of someone or something you used to do when you were a kid. I prepared 3 songs and I want to share it with you. Like this song, “when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad I simply remember my favorite things and then I don’t feel so bad.” (My Favorite things from Sound of Music)

My favorite things when I was a kid were my toys, my assembled toys like an empty box of hopia turning to a house, expired batteries as my people. I just put a name on every battery. Empty matchboxes as their beds, tables and chairs, I just cut it and used pages of my notebooks as clothes of my paper dolls. I used to play also when I was a kid the role of the teacher computing grades of my students. Who were my students at that time? Mostly they were singers like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, MC Hammer and etc. I just got their names in the song hits. I put their names on a sheet of paper and then put it in an empty can of Pringles or Picnic. And then I’ll pick their grade in another empty can from 75% as the lowest and 100% as the highest grade. Every quarter, I’ll pick a grade for each singer. Once completed, I will compute it to get the average. I’m just happy every time somebody gets the highest grade. Toys that are useless for others but for me can be recycled and I love playing alone because it’s easy to assemble and clean up my own mess.

In the family, I was the youngest. Mostly of our neighbors and relatives think that I’m the ugliest in the family because my siblings were both good looking and me, never mind. Mostly in weddings, they usually get them as the bridesmaid or assistant in veil, candles or cord. Me, I’m just there pretending that I don’t exist. We’ll its okay. I just told myself that I have to do something to keep myself busy so I could forget the bad things that my relatives and my neighbors told me. I decided to excel in school. I joined sports like table tennis and volleyball, ROTC just to become an officer and choir in church to share my talent in singing. My world changed and they started to notice me. I think God heard me just like this song, “but I see your true colours shining through, I see your true colours and that’s why I love you so don’t be afraid to let them shown your true colours, true colours are beautiful like a rainbow.” (True Colours by Cindy Lauper)

When I finished school and started working, my parents were so happy because finally somebody would help them in the household expenses. My sister got married at an early age and had 3 children and my brother was special, mentally incapacitated and couldn’t help them. I feel like I’m the eldest in the family. My mom was just a plain housewife and my father was a retired seaman and died last year. Now, I’m the breadwinner in the family. Sometimes I feel like I’m holding their baggage. They are trying to help me but they can’t carry it. My family is my inspiration. They keep me motivated to do well in everything. Even if I feel bad, they make me feel happy. This song strengthens me every time I hear it. “I’ll be alright, I’ll be okay, I will be fine and learning all the way. All from the heart, these things I do, I’ll make you proud because I do. I love you so.” (I’ll be alright by Sarah Geronimo)

Our life is like a song. We are the composer. We are responsible in putting the lyrics and the melody. Sometimes, we feel like we produce a bad song but this won’t stop us from composing again. All we have to do is to keep on playing our song. This would make us feel good because we work on it. Keep on believing that someday we’ll get the sound right.

Material Girl No More

2010-05-21T00:46:00.002+08:00

(Basic Speech No. 2 delivered by TM Jennie Lou Cantago on May 13, 2010)

We live in a material world and I was a material girl. I used to succumb to earthly luxuries and cared less about my financial future. Shoes, bags, watches, name it; I used to splurge my hard-earned income on those things. It was the time when I did not care about my financial well-being. But, time had changed my priorities. From materialistic, I am now savings-listic.

I now prioritize saving money because I know that it is one of the most important things I can do to prepare for my financial future. It is vital to start young and set aside a portion of my income for the rainy days. Why and how did I become savings-listic? Let me share some of my realizations and tips that made me shift to a better path.

Having a healthy savings plan has brought me three advantages. First is financial independence. Saving equals to more money. Money gives me more options in life. Through savings, I can decide on how to run my life rather than being dictated by others. Another advantage of saving is to prepare for life’s uncertainties. These are unexpected things that can happen anytime such as natural disaster, unplanned illness, the loss of a job and so on. During my material girl days, I was a corporate zombie, meaning, I worked at night. I was earning a lot back then but sadly, I wasn't able to save. Thus, when I became fed up with the night life and wanted to resign so badly, I could not. Why? Because I was not financially prepared. If only I had saved, I have a choice. Saving also helps me plan for my future. All of us have something that we are striving for. We all have goals in life. What are you longing for? It maybe a brand-new car, house and lot, education, techie gadgets, a relaxed retirement. Whatever my or your dream is, it surely involves a good deal of money. An efficient and disciplined savings plan can make your dreams come true.

Saving truly gives us tremendous benefits. It is a common knowledge but uncommon practice. How come only few people have the discipline to save? Saving is not just for millionaires. Let me share with you three secrets to help you jumpstart your savings as well. Plan, Cut off, Pay.

PLAN. I started with a savings plan. My plan includes my goals and basic outline of the methods that I will be using to jump-start your savings. Monetary goal is an integral part in planning. Thus, my goal specified my target amount and time frame such as I want to save P100,000 within one year. My end-goal in mind guides me in determining how much I need to set aside each month and the actions to be done. I know that this would require a great deal of commitment, sacrifices and discipline.

CUT OFF. The easiest and quickest way to start saving money is to cut off your spending. Back then in my younger years, I splurged a huge sum of money on the luxuries of life. Clothes, shoes, bags, watches and the list went on. Most of those things, I never really needed. If I only had discipline back then, the wasted money could have been used for good. Now, I am no longer an impulsive buyer. I observe the 30-day rule, where in I usually wait for at least 30 days before I buy something. I also don't window-shop with money with me. Rule of thumb: only shop with a pre-determined list. Another way is to eliminate unnecessary expenses by eating out less and probably, arranging a car pool. I used to dine out every day, on the average; I was spending at least P150 daily. Thus, for one month, for dining out alone, I was actually spending P4500 (P150 x 30 days). My daily expenses seem harmless but the total of all my expenditures for one month is truly a major crash on my financial goals. Now, when I am itching to shell out money, I think about it first. I am sure you have a million other ways to curb your spending. Start now, assess your lifestyle and resist the temptation.

PAY. The last step is to pay yourself first. When I was still a material girl, I spend and shop all I want then save whatever is left. However, with this system, nothing was always left. Now, it is the other way around. I save first then spend whatever is left. As soon as I receive my pay, I deposit at least 10%, or at times 50%, more, of my income to my savings account. I also allot money for my coop and piggy bank. Whenever I receive a bonus, I put all or most of it into my savings. I pretend that there is no bonus at all. You can also follow these simple steps. Over several years, we will have a tidy sum in savings and over decades, we can all be millionaires.

Saving money is easier said than done. All of us at some point of our lives become overwhelmed with our finances and have difficulty saving. The road to financial responsibility may also take some changes in our lifestyles and spending habits. But don't worry, no matter how hard it seems, there is hope. Just mix these three easy steps with commitment and discipline and you will never be lost in your journey to financial success. Who cares if we are living in a material world? I am no longer a material girl. I am free!

Toasties Do Laguna: Food, History, and Footwear

2010-05-16T13:22:00.005+08:00

The Toasties' 3rd Food Trip.

April 9, 2010 - Food, History, and Chinelas Shopping Tour!

First, Bulacan. Second, Binondo. And now, the Toasties do Laguna.

That our club was named after food could be a foreboding of the foodfests that were to happen, an indication of the superhuman powers of our esophaguses/ esophagi?? to process food.

So, on the day of heroes (Araw ng Kagitingan), the superheroes of gastronomia met at different points of Metro Manila, converged at Magallanes, and went on a joy joy joy ride to Laguna.

First stop was RSM, supposedly for tapsilog. But the lure of the turo-turo won us over, and thus began the food orgy. Sigig, seafood bouillabaisse, and many other dishes not designed for morning stomachs served as the day's appetizer.

Digesting the food required a great deal of aerobic and cardio exercises, aka laughing, so the Toasties spent some time playing with cocks, wooden roosters actually, before we set off for Calamba.

Calamba's famous landmark is the childhood home of Jose Rizal, there in avocado green splendor. The home was a comfortable, well-ventilated refuge on that hot, hot day. It was nice walking around the rooms and imagining Teodora Alonzo and her daughters doing their daily chores, mother and son slash future national hero reading and studying with the help of a kerosene lamp, the Mercado family dining around the great dining table under the giant pamaypay of dusty jacquard fabric.

Photo opps galore, especially at the exhibit hall, where the images of Jose Rizal were shamefully debauched by the Toasties.

Last rounds of group photos up the stairs and under Rizal's famous quote finally had us out of the Rizal home, but not without a raid of the sorbetero's cart before finally traveling all the way to Longos for lunch.

The long drive was made extremely enjoyable by the Toasties' intelligent humor. Well, this refers to the intelligence of those who got the jokes, those who eventually figured out what to bring to the Music Room Party. Those who didn't get it just made up their own lame party. But it was fun for intelligent and not-so-intelligent folks alike.

After a breakfast as heavy as what we had, it was surprising to have built up an appetite for lunch. But we believe all the laughing and ribbing burned up thousands of calories for us.

Welcome to Exotik Restaurant at Barangay Longos, Kalayaan, Laguna

A kalaw bird (hornbill) greeted us and a slumbering (thankfully well-fed) python shocked us. Animals featured in the menu as well -- snails, snakes, and other safer dishes. The pictures in Facebook really tell the story of the blending of good food and even better company.

The restaurant's shimmering blue swimming pool,with its rocky waterfall, was very tempting, but we had more places to go to, and Liliw was calling Elaine's name.

After a sneak peek at Laguna's shoe industry via Step Rite, we went to the motherlode of footwear, Liliw Laguna, known for its chinelatic wonders. We took a lovely stopover at the charming and rustic home of Alvin A's uncle and aunt. They were so gracious, and the buchi they served us was the best I've ever had. They even gave us indian mangoes to go. Such hospitality.

The sun set while we were in the van exchanging laff-in type jokes that kept us laughing all the way to chinelaslandia.

Then, it was a shopping frenzy as we tried to buy whatever we could before the stores closed.

Energy, money, time spent, we drove home and had dinner at (please insert the name, which I forgot, here).

The long drive back home had us again in stitches as we talked about Fu's (private joke) US adventures.

Save a peso, Gain a future

2010-04-02T22:29:00.001+08:00

by: Toastmaster Faye Melegrito

A centavo saved is a peso gained.

Who among you had a piggy bank in your youth, from which you probably attempted to retrieve a coin or two on several occasions? Who had a Kiddie Account in your parents’ banks, for the free stickers and pencils if not the minimal interest? Who moved on to more complex financial portfolios like regular savings accounts, time deposits, stock options?

Who knows the moral of the story of “The Ant and the Grasshopper”? Yes, save for the rainy days. (All summer, the ant stored food while the grasshopper played. Come winter, the ant had lots of food while the grasshopper starved.) What are the rainy days for which we now save?
Our children’s education, that dream vacation, our own house, that incredible car, our own business venture, our retirement years, what else?

Yes, saving can be considered the IN thing, the quest to aim for, the right thing to do if we want to gain something.

Tonight, I share with you a saving technique with an agency usually associated with housing. For the Pag-IBIG Fund is not just the Filipino workers’ partner in housing finance, it is also our partner in provident savings.

WHAT is Pag-IBIG Fund? When it was created 29 years ago, the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund built a provident fund that encouraged the Filipino workers to save a few pesos of their monthly salary, the accumulated savings to be withdrawn upon maturity. Through the years, the Pag-IBIG Fund has grown from a workers’ provident fund to the country’s premier provider of housing finance. Thus, if we are not housing loan borrowers, we may likely complain of our Pag-IBIG deduction upon seeing our payslip. Why do I have to shell-out P100 for my Pag-IBIG contribution, when I don’t even plan on buying a house, you might say. I could have used those hundred pesos for other things, you might even add. But then, it is good to save with Pag-IBIG.

HOW do we save with Pag-IBIG Fund? Those hundred pesos from your salary coupled with another hundred pesos from your employer comprise your monthly contribution. And your monthly contributions are added up to become your total accumulated value or TAV. What’s more, at the end of the year, your TAV is further fattened-up by the annual dividend proportionately credited by the Pag-IBIG Fund to its members’ TAV.

WHY save with Pag-IBIG Fund? When we hear the good news that the Pag-IBIG Fund earns billions a year, we actually experience this good news in the form of dividends. Although it is mandated to set aside annually no less than 70% of its net income as dividends, in 2009 the Pag-IBIG Fund declared P8.5 Billion in dividends, representing 71% of its net income for that year.

Now, you may ask, What do I need my Pag-IBIG Fund TAV for? You might even strongly opine, It doesn’t amount to any substantial value, with two hundred pesos a month, twenty-four hundred pesos a year plus dividend!

I next offer you three ways of looking at your Pag-IBIG contributions, for you to appreciate your TAV all the more.

First, your TAV could be your NEST EGG, if you are an employee.

Think about it, we don’t pay much attention to the hundred pesos deducted from our salary, since we focus our eyes on the net pay. Now, what if we double our contribution, add another hundred or more? Our TAV will then increase double or more, depending on how much we increased our contribution. An additional hundred pesos or more equates to just a combo meal or a restaurant entree. We will hardly feel the added deduction. But we will certainly feel the added gains when we withdraw our TAV upon maturity.

Your TAV fills your wallet when you retire.

Second, your TAV could be your RETIREMENT PACKAGE for your employees, if you are an employer.

Think about it, if you are in business, you likely pay more attention on cutting costs than adding value to your personnel. Now, if you increase your employer counterpart to your employees’ Pag-IBIG contribution to more than the mandated hundred pesos, you will be sending a good message to your workforce. As a result of matching their increased monthly contribution, your employees’ TAV subsequently increases, providing them an ample fund for their retirement years.

Your employees’ TAV will fill their wallet when they retire, and they will surely thank you for their high TAV.

Third, your TAV could be your INVESTMENT, if you are a self-employed professional.

Think about it, you don’t consider Pag-IBIG Fund unless you plan on buying a house. Now, if you’re self-employed, either with your own small enterprise or with your practice as a professional, I invite you to look at Pag-IBIG Fund in a new way. Registering with Pag-IBIG Fund and growing your TAV could be an investment opportunity where you can place a part of your income in sales or professional fees into the Fund, a mutual fund. Remember, your TAV earns dividends each year, dividends which have been increasing every year since Pag-IBIG Fund is performing well.

Your TAV fills your wallet when you harvest the rewards of your passive income.

I now invite you to start looking at the other face of Pag-IBIG Fund, its provident savings feature. The Pag-IBIG Fund remains your partner, both in realizing your dream of homeownership and in saving for a stable future.

By adding a few pesos to your Pag-IBIG Fund TAV, you gain a brighter future. Let Pag-IBIG Fund be your piggy bank in your adulthood.

Save up, save now, and save with Pag-IBIG Fund!

BnT Rocked Area 16 Speech Contest

2010-03-28T22:37:00.002+08:00

Butter N Toast has never been in great shape ever. Last March 13, four members of the fun and wacky club competed in the Area 16 Speech competition. The roster was led by the club's President, Pat Pascua who competed in the Humorous Speech Competition. Other contestants were Ton Villanueva who competed for the Internation Speech Category, Boom San Agustin for the Evaluation Category and Shel Roxas for the Table Topics Category (Impromptu Speaking). With pride, they brought home 3 Silver medals and 1 gold to add to BnT's assemblage of accolades. Kudos to you BnT members!

Destination: Success

2010-03-21T22:11:00.002+08:00

Basic Speech Project No. 2 (Organize Your Speech)

Delivered by TM April Anne Salonga

I remember a time when I was just starting to learn how to drive. At that time we only had a car that was driven manually. At first, it was hard for me to shift gears on an uphill road. But even on perfectly straight roads I find shifting gears a challenge simply because I was an inexperienced driver. There was even a time when I was passing thru a hump on the road and suddenly my engine went off and my car slowly moved back down. It was embarrassing and funny at the same time. I immediately looked around to make sure no one saw me. Then I re-started the engine and went away as quickly as I can. As time passed, driving a car became automatic for me. It’s like second nature. Now I can do my make-up, eat breakfast, do my pedicure while driving. Of course the latter is not true. Manicure, yes. Pedicure, no. 

Then I realized that driving to and from places is pretty much like a life’s journey. We determine where we want to go, which road to take and how fast or slow we want to travel. These 3 compose what we call our personal success plan. Do you have one right now?

I hope so because according to Hartford Insurance study done in the U.S. 54% of Americans at age 65 die broke because of various reasons such as lack of education, lack of resources, poor governance but most importantly they failed to have a success plan. In addition, a comparative study was done among the schools and universities also in the U.S. saying that most successful people in the industry today are those who planned to succeed. They have a big dream and a clear vision of the future which fuelled their imagination and creativity that made way for the dream to come true. And because they know what they want, they know how to begin. They know how to follow through. And they are not afraid to take risks.

To further illustrate, let’s say your dream in life can be represented by a place. Let’s say that place is Baguio. May I ask where you are today? Are you getting anywhere closer to Baguio? Or have you been running around in circles, in Manila or probably in Quezon City? I think a lot of men is relating very well on that one huh? Seriously though, where are you now if the goal is to get to Baguio?

We know going to Baguio from Manila may take around 6-8 hours by land depending on the flow of traffic, how slow or fast you drive and also what type of vehicle you are using. Example, (participant) you use a Ferrari and (participant) you use your old grandfather’s car. Who do you think will arrive at Baguio first? Well, it is logical to say that the one driving the Ferrari will arrive first but what if they both were stucked in heavy traffic along NLEX. Do you think the Ferrari could still outrun the old car? No. Moreover, (participant) do you know how to drive? This means knowing how to drive is another thing. It is mastering the skill required to contribute in our pursuit of success.

There are 4 stages in mastering a skill:
1. Unconscious incompetence
2. Conscious incompetence
3. Conscious competence and
4. Unconscious competence.

Does anyone know these? Let me discuss them to you briefly. The first one is the unconscious incompetence stage. It is very simple, you don’t know anything. Probably you’ve seen it done by others but you have never tried. Second, conscious incompetence stage this is where you have tried to do a certain skill but have not mastered the skill yet. Third, the conscious competence stage it is where you wield your power at will. Lastly, unconscious competence is where a skill is natural to you and needs no effort. Just like my example awhile ago of how I learned how to drive.

Hence, the solution in mastering a skill is indeed simple. Learn how to do it. Take some classes, read and expose yourself. You can never be a champion racer if you don’t expose yourself to the race tracks. You can never be a champion swimmer, speaker or even a businessman when you don’t immerse yourself into the world of what it is you want to pursue in life. Success is not like instant noodles. Success is predictable.

Now my challenge to you is this: When you go home tonight, think of these 3 simple things: your goal, your roadmap and your skills. Identify which stage of mastery are you at. Move forward and never give up. After all every person has a dream and those dreams are non-negotiable. Imagine if Howard Schultz, Walt Disney and Thomas Edison after several failures, threw their hands and gave up, there would be no Starbucks, Disneyland and electricity. And if I just stopped driving and dreaming. One thing is for sure. I will never discover what kind of success I can achieve. And the same goes to every one of you here today. You will never discover the kind of success you can achieve if you stop now. So, have a great morning to everyone and good luck to our destination: success!

The Happy Ticket

2010-02-19T01:50:00.011+08:00

by Gege C. Sugue
Speech Project No. 3
Advanced Communication Series: Specialty Speeches

Who wants to be happy?

I guess most, if not all, of us want to be happy. So tonight, I'm selling tickets.

Tickets to happiness. No, this is not magic. This will not give you 185 million pesos instantly. It will not enable you to lose 20 pounds overnight. It will not help you find the man or woman of your dreams. It is not magic. Happiness is not achieved magically.

There is, however, a formula. It is a formula discovered by author Allan K. Chalmers, who said that there are three grand essentials of happiness and these are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

Yes, this is tonight's special offer, something to do, something to love, and something to hope for, all packaged in one activity.

This activity is called Speechcraft. For those who are not familiar with it yet, Speechcraft is a program designed by Toastmasters International. It teaches through 3 or 4, or up to 8 sessions the rudiments of public speaking to members and non-members. Seasoned Toastmasters teach by sharing and showing. And the participants learn by doing.

BnT has had the opportunity to conduct the program for some corporations, but this particular Speechcraft project will be spearheaded by Division B as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility goals. Division B's mission is for Toastmasters to work together in projects that enable them to share their time, talent, knowledge, and heart so that underprivileged individuals can improve their communication skills and enjoy positive change in their lives.

So this project will not be for a corporation. Instead we'll be working with an NGO called ATD.

ATD, All Together in Dignity is an international organization working with the community to eradicate poverty from this planet. It's a group that does not believe in dole-outs. Their projects are those that give persons living with poverty a voice. We know that money talks. So the one without money can't be heard. ATD wants to change that through projects that allow the community members to speak through art, fora, livelihood projects, and other events that enable them to speak up, to share their experiences, their views, their aspirations.

The participants are not your usual participants -- corporate employees, yuppies -- but instead we will share our talents and skills with youth from underprivileged communities. Some of them were drug addicts, the type you see sniffing glue in the streets. Some of them engaged in petty crimes like pickpocketing. But they are willing to turn their lives around. And that's where we and Speechcraft come in.

This is also where Chalmer's formula comes in.

Let's talk about something to do. What's the major happening this year in our country? Yes, the elections. How many of you already have that one candidate in mind -- the one who will change things around, the one who will eradicate corruption, the one who will make poverty history, and lead us to a path of recovery and prosperity. Ah, I see only a few raised hands. And the rest? Uncertain? Some of us, I suspect, will probably end up voting for the one who is the "lesser evil." Some of us, like I am, must be so frustrated, feeling helpless, thinking, "what else can I do aside from voting for the lesser evil?"

Well, here's something you can do. Join me in one of the Saturdays of Speechcraft. Participate. Play a role. That's what you can do. As a Toastmaster, you can share what you know. Maybe it does not seem like much, the impact not of national import. But it will make a difference in the life of a person, who will otherwise not have a voice.

How about something to love? It is Valentine weekend. Love is in the air. And some of us are contemplating the meaning of love. What is love? Share with me your definitions.

Ah, cheesy definitions you have. I realized though, that I need not google cheesy love quotes to define love. The best definition of love comes from here: 1 John 4:8. God is love. This definition is further defined in the very popular verse, John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God defiines love as giving, as sacrificing for the sake of others.

Look, I know that what I ask you is not easy. To wake up early on a Saturday morning and go all the way to Pandacan to teach people you don't know for no pay and hardly any glory.

And how can I even suggest that you love these people? Some of them may not be worth loving or some of them may be hard to love. Some of them may have picked your pocket or wrangled your phone away from you. But you know what, God loves us even when we're not worth loving. God loves us when we're ugly, stinky, and evil. Because to love is to give and to sacrifice. Here's an opportunity to love in the way that God loves.

The last element of the formula is something to hope for. I thought to myself that in this project, we are more the deliverers of hope rather than the receivers. But here's another perspective on hope as defined by President Barrack Obama, who says that that "hope is the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us; by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is, but have the courage to remake the world as it should be."

Friends, do you envision a world of hope? Does your vision of the world as it should be include positive change for the youth? Does it involve action by doing something concrete? Does it include love?

If it does, then you need one of these tickets. It's a ticket to do, to love, and to hope. It's a ticket to happiness. But it does not come for free. First, you have to sign up. Sign up for one or more of these dates -- Feb. 27, March 6, April 10. Then you have to show up. Show up from 9 AM to 12 noon of those dates. Then, you have to speak up. Deliver a speech. Take on a role. That's the price -- Sign up. Show up. Speak up so that others may speak too.

Let me close this presentation with a story, the story of a woman who lost her husband and her son at the same time. Such tragic events could rob anyone of happiness forever. And try as she might, none of her possessions, her friends, her diversions could make her happy. Until one day she came home and saw her son's puppy. Since her son's death, the puppy has been neglected, left hungry and lonely. She took pity on the dog and fed it, bathed it, and gave it a hug. Only then when she felt the puppy hug her back, rub against her with appreciation did she feel a tinge of happiness again. And she thought to herself that if doing that could make her happy, what else can she do? The next day she brought cookies to her neighbors. The day after that she brought food and clothes to the community center. She spent her days giving, sacrificing, loving, and she learned that you don't earn happiness by looking for it. You find it by giving it away.

So, happiness anyone?

BNT Braces for More Achievements

2010-02-12T00:57:00.002+08:00

BNT braces for what promises to be another blockbuster year. To date, the club has already earned 5 out of 10 Distinguised Club Program (DCP)goals. From the looks of it, the club is now en route to earning the President's Distinguished Club Award four years in a row, a feat not easy to beat.

Last December 2009, one of its members, Jazz Encarnacion, gained her Distinguished ToastMasters (DTM) norm, which is the highest norm anyone can possibly attain at Toastmasters. Including Division B Governor JJ Letargo, the club now boasts of two DTMs.

Only last meeting, Russel Roxas completed her graduation speech, earning for her the Competent Communicator norm she rightfully deserves. Shel also brought honor to the club when she emerged as the champion in the hotly-contested Area 16 Rookie Contest for Table Topics last December 5.

There has been a steadily growing influx of guests and new members since the club started. Just tonight, three new members signed up. Guests continue to pour in, meeting after meeting, and this only confirms the club's reputation as a favorite destination for those who are looking for a Toastmasters club where fun and learning collide.

However, every achievement poses a new challenge. Having more recruits makes scheduling of speakers even more challenging. More members require more mentors. More laurels create more pressure to stay on top. Good problems, if you ask us though. And any way you look at it, the future augurs well for BNT!

Strike a Conversation; There's Nothing to It.

2010-02-01T16:19:00.017+08:00

Speech Delivered by Gege C. Sugue
Speech Project One: Conversing with Ease
Advance Speech Manual: Interpersonal Communication
Time: 10 to 14 minutes
Objectives of the Speech:

Identify techniques to use in conversing with strangers
Recognize different levels of conversation
Initiate a conversation with a stranger
Use open-ended questions to solicit information for further conversation

Good evening, fellow toastmasters. Good evening, guests, or as I like to call you, new friends. Talking about new friends, let me take a poll about the kind of socializers we have here in this room. In every social gathering -- a party, seminar, meeting -- there are 2 types of people. One group I call the friendsters, and another the shysters. A friendster is one who is comfortable entering a room full of strangers, making friends, and by the end of the evening, he has 125 business cards and one of his new-found friends has invited him to be a godson to his first born. Who among you is a friendster? (Show of hands) I admire you because I'm from the other group. The shysters.

Shysters, don't be shy, raise your hands. Shysters are uncomfortable, even scared, making new friends. Though I usually have the courage to go alone to social events, when I get there and I'm confronted with a sea of strangers, I get intimidated, anxious, and I start looking for familiar, friendly faces. It takes a while for me to warm up. Or that's why I always volunteer to be an organizer, so I have an excuse to approach people officially.

That is why this project has been helpful to me. This Toastmasters manual shares techniques for striking conversations with strangers. And I'm sharing these with you. To help you remember, let me share the EASE approach.

Ease into the conversation.
Ask open-ended questions.
Sincerely listen.
Equip yourself.

Ease into the Conversation. Don't set silly goals like wowing people with your charming wit or persuading them you're the best in anything. Start light and easy. This reminds me of college parties. One of those college parties was held at our home. And my then 6-year-old brother would go to my friends and start the conversation with, "What do you think of levitation?" That freaked out my friends and confirmed what they suspected all along, that I come from a weird family. That is NOT the way to ease into a conversation.

According to the manual, there are 4 levels of conversation. The first level is Small Talk. Small, chewable, easily processed bits of conversation. Stay within topics that most people can relate to. Avoid controversy and opinions. That's why the weather is a favorite topic for small talk -- everyone can relate to it, and hardly anyone will be offended when you talk about the nice, nippy weather we've been experiencing lately. Or you can talk about the event or the venue -- "I love the decor here." And the best way to start a conversation is with a sincere compliment -- "I've been admiring your necklace; it goes very well with your outfit."

The second level involves Fact Disclosure. You can share general details about your job. Or for the ladies, maybe you can mention that you are married -- "My husband enjoys golf too." Of course, you need to be judicious about the facts you disclose. It's not the time to share your passwords and salary level. Steer clear of divisive or sensitive topics like sex, religion, and politics unless the event calls for it and circumstances allow it.

When you both get more comfortable, you can move on to the 3rd level and start sharing Viewpoints and Opinions. You can share your stand on certain issues. You can talk about likes and dislikes. And when asked, you can voice your opinions. But still make sure you don't offend; be diplomatic. Tread carefully. Don't insult any personality; you never know if the other person is related to the person you're insulting.

And only at level four can you share your Personal Feelings. Not everybody needs to get to this level, but if you connect well with the other person, then you can share your more intimate sentiments. But still keep it positive. Talk about your passions, the things that make you happy or positively excited.

A conversation can go from level 1 to level 4 in a matter of minutes, or maybe it would take more than 1 meeting. Just make sure to ease through the levels. Do not leapfrog from level 1 to level 4, skipping the other steps -- "Hi, I'm Juan Smith, and I'm afraid I might have contracted syphilis in my last foreign trip." Ease into the conversation.

The next tip is to Ask Open Ended Questions. Oftentimes, we struggle dealing with strangers because we're too self-conscious. We worry about sounding silly, looking stupid, committing a social faux pas. No wonder we're so nervous. The way to deal with that is deflect the attention to others. Focus on the other person so you don't worry about yourself. Ask them questions. Let them talk, so they will be the ones to say something silly. ;) It helps to ask open ended questions, questions that begin with why, what, how. This gives them an opportunity to share more information and opinions.

When you ask questions, you make sure you Sincerely Listen. Again, I remember teenage parties way back when it was still normal for guys to come and ask girls to dance. In the middle of the dance floor, while C'mon Feel the Noise is playing, attempts at striking conversations usually end up as major failures because even when you ask a question, you don't really hear the answers. Worse than external noise, however, is internal noise. Set aside other concerns that may distract you. Do not worry about how you look or sound. Listen sincerely, actively. Listen with your ears to the words. Listen with your eyes through eye contact. Check if the words are in congruence with the facial expressions. Use body language -- lean forward, nod attentively and appropriately. Laugh and react at the right time. Sincerely be interested in the other person, and you can engage better and converse with more ease.

Lastly, Equip Yourself. Build in yourself an interesting personality by being aware of hot topics that other people might be interested in. Do your research -- read books and magazines; watch TV; and scan the internet. Be abreast of current events and form opinions and stands on certain issues. You never know when you have to strike a conversation that can boost your career or improve your life.

Just remember that conversations can be EASEy. Style and confidence guru Madonna says, 'Strike a pose; there's nothing to it." I say, it's easy. Strike a conversation; there's nothing to it."

This Christmas, the Toasties Turned Japanese

2010-01-21T09:18:00.007+08:00

After months of hard work to meet the club’s goal to be Toastmasters’ President Distinguished Club, it was time for Butter N’ Toast Toastmasters Club to end another year of fun and learning by having a Christmas Party with a twist. The theme was JapaNAUGHTY since it was held in Nagomi, a Japanese Restaurant located in El Pueblo, Ortigas. The night of December 17, 2009 was indeed a night to remember for all of us Toasties. No speech projects, table topics, no evaluations – JUST PURE FUN.
The festivities started with the unveiling of the new Butter N’ Toast Banner. YES, IT’S FINALLY OUT! The excitement continued as BnT members played a bunch of parlor games starting with the Human Twist. Let me describe it briefly by saying that the goal of the game is to let the rope travel through the members of the group holding together. Looks hard the way it was described? You bet it was! It was even followed by a much harder game, a shooting challenge where Christmas cards served as balls and a bucket served as a ring. And last game was a guessing game where members of the group have to guess the stuffing of Santa’s Socks to win the contents.
The night ended with a Japanese way of doing Kris Kringle – of course to stay in sync with the event’s theme. Each participant get to choose their present, open it and decide whether to keep it or pick somebody else’s gift. It was indeed a fun night as the toasties savor the spirit of Christmas.

Ed Ebreo's Edutalk with El Presidente Toastmasters Club

2009-11-29T22:20:00.002+08:00

Part 1

Part 2

Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club Invades Division B Learning Session

2009-11-23T16:04:00.003+08:00

Toasties turned up in surprising numbers at the recently held Division B Learning session.

Div B Governor JJ Letargo was of course there. Jazz Encarnacion, Gege Sugue, Ed Ebreo, Boom San Agustin, Christine Dapa, Sheila Dela Cruz, Mike Jacinto, Eden Alemania, Dan Li and Alice Bagadiong also attended.

Gege Sugue talked about BNT's experience in building club awareness through the web while Jazz shared some tips in using the Toastmasters International Website.

Here are some of the photos.

Leadership and Management Training - Toastmasters Style

2009-11-20T14:36:00.004+08:00

By Edwin Ebreo

This post is inspired by an educational speech i delivered at El Presidente Toastmasters club. Thanks to club President Marilyn Abella for the opportunity.

When people join Toastmasters it is mostly for one purpose and that is to enhance their public speaking skills. What not too many people appreciate is that Toastmasters is a great training ground for developing leadership and management skills among others. the functions members Play is a practicum for some corporate management roles. Let me cite them one by one.

(In case you don't get to finish reading this post, be forewarned that the Toastmasters Leadership Training that I am tackling here only works for those who want and strive to be better. Practically nothing can be learned from mediocrity. This only applies to those who subscribe to the idea that anything worth doing is worth doing well.)

Sgt-at-Arms a.k.a. Events Manager
If you get elected to this post, you will be responsible for seeing to it that club meetings run smoothly. It means all logistics are prepared, people know what to expect and how to behave and their needs are anticipated and addressed. Taking the challenge of regularly coordinating toastmasters meetings and getting better at it every time develops your skill for events management. It sharpens your anticipation, planning and coordinating skills. It helps you develop the discipline needed by events managers for ingress and egress.

Treasurer a.k.a. club CFO
When you take on this role, you are not only holding the clubs coffers, you are managing its finances. You worry about revenue generation, cash flow and liquidity. You learn to forecast, plan and control because you of all people in the club knows how much money it takes to maintain the club's lifestyle. Aren't those the same exact things that finance managers do in a business?

Secretary a.k.a. Knowledge Manager
The secretary keeps the club's record, keeps minutes of meetings and ensure accessibility of information when needed. By that I mean not just during this term but long after. Many corporations now invest in keeping corporate history in tact as people come and go. It helps keep people aligned and motivated to contribute to that history in a positive way. It helps keep good practices, stay as good practices from one manager to the next. A good secretary ensures that information and communication is archived and ready for use when needed. It takes planning, strategic thinking, persistence and resilience to do this right. this job builds character.

VP- PR a.k.a. Head of Marketing
This is an amazingly challenging and exciting job. When I took this role, I looked at the job description and realized I have very little preparation for it. I searched high and low for ways to generate awareness about our club and got interested in Internet marketing and SEO. The result is BnT website becoming one of the top results for finding clubs in Makati and Philippines. It also became a source of information for managing clubs and meetings, not to mention entertaining and chock full of wisdom speeches from club members. We get inquiries almost everyday and get new members regularly thanks to having meetings that are worth attending. as they say the sales man sells the first machine, the engineers sell the rest. Know what i mean?

VP- Membership a.k.a. Head of HR.
This role has two important objectives. They are recruitment and retention. The incumbent gets help from VP-PR in attracting guests but once they attend the meeting, our Head of HR must have a strategy for getting them enrolled and later on engaged. They make sure that the guests feel the love of the club. When they become members, they are integrated in the club and not stick out like a sore thumb. It takes the sensibility and nurturing of a good HR Manager to do this job right. I recommend that you look to HR Managers for inspiration on how to do this job. The good ones, not the ones who suck.

VP-Education a.k.a. COO
Think about it. If Toastmasters is all about education, then this person is definitely the boss. It takes a great combination of leadership and management skills to do this job right. The end product of this operation are the CC's AC's, CL's and AL's. As expected the head of operations works with marketing to generate the customers, HR to keep them and the mentors as aides in keeping them moving towards their goals. if you are head of operations, you can't afford to make excuses for not producing the needed results. You know that failing to deliver the right numbers of CC's, etc. Is like failing the business. Isn't this a good laboratory for operations management?

President a.k.a. CEO, a.k.a. Chief Inspirer , a.k.a. Great Leader
Definitely not Chief Slave. The reason for a company's failure is the failure of the leader to lead and inspire. This to me is both the easiest and the hardest job of all. It's the easiest when the leader manages to form a cohesive working team. When everyone is clear about the goals and all play their roles well, the leader doesn't have much to do but to keep everyone inspired and motivated. It's the hardest because inspiring people to do their jobs well is not the easiest thing in the world to do. As a matter of fact, some Presidents find it easier to fill in the jobs of non-functioning officers than inspire them to do their job. The keys to a President's success are the same keys to any Leadership success. Let me borrow from Kouzes and Posner to describe those keys. They are; inspiring a shared vision, modeling the way, empowering others to act, challenging the process and encouraging the heart. What I learned from experience is you cannot demonstrate all these leadership practices in absence. A good CEO has to be present and in the thick of things in order to make all these happen.

There are other leadership and management skills to be learned in Toastmasters that run across all leadership and management positions of organizations. They are mentoring and evaluating.

Mentoring a new club member (or a new club President in the case of Immediate Past Presidents) is an important human resource development activity that all supervisors and managers must learn how to do. It's important for them to be able to help shape people's skills and abilities so they can contribute optimally to their organizations. The same is true with club mentors, their job is not just to answer questions that new members or new presidents have but help shape them to achieve their full Toastmasters potential. You can't be a good mentor if you are acting like a help desk to your "protege". A manager cannot be a good mentor if they think that telling their staff to let them know if they have any question so they can respond to them.

My friend TM Boom San Agustin said employees don't need criticism, to improve their performance, they need encouragement. The best place to learn how to do that is in Toastmasters. Whenever you evaluate a fellow member's speech you keep in mind that you want this person to deliver another speech and a better one at that. You use the various techniques that you learned from other members to do this job right. You know very well that after you evaluated a speaker, you will be evaluated on how well you were able to point out the person's strengths, how clearly you shared your suggestions on how the person can improve and how you were able to encourage the speaker to do it again. That's another way for you to learn how to get better at it, another way to learn how to give better feedback to your employees if you are a manager.

There you have it, all possible leadership and management skills that I can think of at the moment that you can learn by joining and becoming an officer of a Toastmasters club. So, join a club, take a role and STRIVE TO BECOME GREAT AT IT. As I said, there's practically nothing to be learned when you are being mediocre at what you do. Make Toastmasters your laboratory, and then apply your discoveries to your leadership and management responsibilities in your other organizations. This is the way to make the most of your Toastmasters membership.

Toastmaster Speech No. 6: Women are wonderful

2009-10-22T23:05:00.002+08:00

Women are wonderful
Toastmaster Speech No 6: Vocal Variety
by: Shel Roxas

A lot of men can’t understand how we think, how we come up with a decision but in the end we become victorious in what we do. Ever get exasperated with how women act? At the end of this speech, men would realize that it is not that hard to understand our gender at all. There’s also the thrill of knowing how women think and I hope you would be as excited as I am when I impart this knowledge to you. As for the women, I hope you can find some “aha” moments as I go along.

Woman are always managing to have some last minute things to do immediately prior boarding the car, like going to the toilet, talking with kids or giving instructions to household help. And then, Lavishly sprays perfume on herself inside an air-conditioned car making other passengers gasp desperately for air. Complaining at the same time that she has noting to wear and does not have enough closet space (I am guilty of this by the way).

Contrary to claim of radical feminists, there are basic differences between men and women. Since the release of the latest comedy 'The Ugly Truth' the male-female intimate relationship structures are again under observation. Even though it is a comedy revisiting the old and well-known cliche of male and female differences it still leaves couples and singles going home and re-thinking the gender differences.
Let's have a look at the truth behind some of the points mentioned in the movie:
It is known that 'men feel love when they are being intimate and women are ready to be intimate when they feel loved'. In a study of more than 100 couples this statement was agreed upon in 100% of the cases. One of the main points of challenges in the relationship between the genders is that both sides expect the other to play on their turf and speak their language.
Men are visual. It is proven that men are stimulated by visual input How else would the 'magazines such as FHM, Maxim, Uno make millions of pesos every year? This leads us into the area of exercise which was quoted in the movie: If you want a relationship, here is how you get one: It's called a Stairmaster (a stairmaster is an exercise equiptment for butt shaping exercises). It is a fact that men and women put more effort into exercise and being fit when summer is on our door step. So really, who are they shaping up for, themselves or the opposite sex? And yes, women also prefer a six pack to a beer belly... I bet men love the hourglass shape.
Men and women are equally looking for affirmation. Laughing at whatever the man says has more to do with being in rapport with each other than anything else Laughter is used as a signal for being part of a group, in this case the couple - it signals acceptance and positive interactions with others. Isn't that what we want with our mate?
Now it is a challenge to figure out what women mean, but it is not easy to understand why women do things they do. We talk so much? Why are we always shopping? Why we spend so much time and money in the beauty parlor? Or why we nag?

For men, talking is basically done in order to convey information. For women, it is different. Women would find it a waste of time if they were together and they did not talk all the time. Women talk in order to participate and build relationships. So the more she talks to you, the more she is showing that she likes you and that you find favor with her. So when she gives you a silent treatment, she dislikes you. So rejoice when you are getting an earful.

Women shop a lot. For men, they shop when they need something specific. And while they might compare items here and there, they would decide fairly quickly and make the purchase. Us women, we take our grand time comparing prices endlessly but may have no specific item in mind to purchase. We find it hard to resist bargains, and will buy a lot that we don’t need simply because it is on sale. But think about the benefit it will have to you when she gets home happy and then there’s peace at home. You might be able to get that date you’ve been asking for because she wants to show off her new dress. Ever wonder why I was able to collect 60 shoes (which went down to 6 after the typhoon Ondoy yet went up to 25 after 3 weeks)? Go figure.
Men get haircut because their hair is already long. Women go to the parlor to get their hair, nails, and toes done. But again what happens in the parlor is a therapy. That place is a totally different environment women are exposed to from day to day. For me, it removes stress. The latest Korean Drama story from my Korean pedicurist is a bonus for me specially I don’t have the time to watch this on TV.

As it is know that men and women are different. We will always see things differently. We have different needs. We love differently. There will often be tension and even resentment. Men do not have to resist or resent the difficulties brought by this differences but you can celebrate such differences.

Now let me give you my final advise by a way of a parable.

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. He was supposed to be killed but the monarch was astounded by his youth and ideals. Instead the monarch would grant him freedom if he can answer a very difficult question: What do women really want? He was given 1 year to answer it otherwise he will be killed. Arthur asked everyone in his kingdom but nobody can answer. Many people advise him to consult an old witch – only she knows the answer. Pressed for time and no alternative. Arthur sought for the witch. The witch asked Arthur for his friend’s hand in marriage, Gawain in exchange for the answer. Gawain has agreed to this arrangement as he value his friends life. The witch gave the answer and that is “What women really wants is to be in-chrage”. Fast forward to Arthur being freed and to Gawain’s wedding day. The witch showed her worst manner coupled with her hideous appearance. Who would want that for a wife? Til their wedding night. As Gawain entered the bedroom, he saw the a very beautiful lady. The lady told him that half of herself is a witch - her other half is a beauty. She gave the decision to Gawain, “Which would you like me to be in the morning, and which during the night? What a cruel question. During the day, a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his own, an old witch? Or would he prefer a hideous witch at morning but by night a beautiful woman whom to enjoy intimate moments. If it were you what would you do?

Gawain replied that he would let her choose for herself (remember the witch’es answer to Young Arthur?) Upon hearing this, she announced that she will be beautiful all the time. Because he respect her enough to let her be in-chrage of her own life.

What is the moral of the story?

The moral is: if your woman doesn’t get her own way, things are going to get ugly. And that I leave you to discover and experience yourself throughout your lifetime.

Toastmasters Speech No. 2: Urban Dwellers, Get Involved

2009-10-22T22:43:00.005+08:00

Urban Dwellers, Get Involved! We can plan our future!
Toastmasters Speech Project No. 2: Organize your speech
By: Faye F. Melegrito

A day before typhoon Ondoy unleashed its wrath in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, I was preparing my and my six-year-old daughter Luce’s week-end gear. We were to spend the next two days in Makati, as we were supposed to join the 3-km event of the New Balance Power Run. Makati was a more convenient take-off point to the event at the Fort on September 27, rather than our home in Marikina, a couple of hours away. As an afterthought, I placed her Enchanted Kingdom poncho raincoat atop her I Can Serve Foundation shirt. “In case it drizzles during the run,” I told myself.

As we all know, it did not drizzle that week-end of September 26 and 27. The gates of heaven opened wide and poured far-from-heavenly rain on Filipino urbanites, drenching not just our bodies and our homes, but our souls as well. In the aftermath, as the people waded through floodwaters, as they dug through their belongings mixed with mud and garbage, different sectors started blaming each other, pointing an accusing finger on each other’s negligence and supposed role in the tragedy that Ondoy brought us.

The Ondoy experience now proves to be a good wake up call for all of us, whether we are mere citizens of the Philippines or officials, policy drafters, or lawmakers of the land. All of us, no matter our status in life, are stakeholders in our planet, in our country, in our habitat, in our urban dwellings. And as stakeholders, we hold responsibility for our future.

Allow me to share with you these passages from the UN Habitat website: “The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day. The idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. This year’s theme “Planning our urban future” aims to raise awareness of the need to improve urban planning to deal with new challenges of the 21st century. This is because urban settlements in all parts of the world are being influenced by new and powerful forces. In both developed and developing countries, cities and towns are increasingly feeling the effects of climate change, resource depletion, food insecurity, population growth and economic instability.”

I now take this opportunity to challenge you, my fellow urban dwellers, to take action towards a well-planned future in urban Philippines. For starters, I share with you three circles of influence within which we can start planning our urban future.

The first circle of influence is the easiest, as it involves only our individual selves.

Perhaps, we can start by taking stock of our personal practices. Do we drive our self to the community mall when we can walk instead? Do we ride the elevator two floors up, while we can take the stairs? Do we run our errands crisscrossing the metropolis, while we can plan our route and maximize our errand time? Do we throw our small items of rubbish here and there, while we can keep them in our pockets and later throw them in a garbage can somewhere? Do we lavishly take long baths and showers, when we can use timba and tabo? Do we prefer motorcycles over bikes, battery-powered items over wind-ups, plastic bags over eco bags? I hope we can proudly answer, “No, I don’t. I care for my habitat.”

A caring individual carries the good habits with him or her, constantly practices them, and eventually becomes their embodiment, possibly inspiring the bigger circles around him or her.

The second circle of influence is not that far from us, as it includes our family and friends.

Let us now widen our circle and invite our families and friends to join us in our quest for a better urban future. Do we place our garbage in one bin instead of segregating them? Do we use separate cars instead of carpooling? Do we spend much time on television or video games instead of playing electricity-free and creative-rich games? Do we prefer a concrete backyard over a greener one, new items over recycled ones? I hope we can proudly answer, “No, my family and friends don’t. We care for our habitat.”

A caring family passes on to the younger generations and even future generations the traits of responsibility and accountability, creating generations of individuals who care.

The third circle of influence is much wider, as it now encompasses our community, be this our residential community, office community, or online community.

Let us next enlist our respective communities in our move to have a better urban future. Do we confine ourselves inside our houses rather than go out and participate in community endeavors? Do we practice kanya-kanya, tayo-tayo, or sila-sila, rather than join forces as one community? Do we tend to complain rather than suggest alternatives or passively receive benefits rather than actively participate in planning? I hope we can proudly answer, “No, our community don’t. We care for our habitat.”

A caring community leads to stronger and more collective action, an advantageous leverage if we want our Congress Representatives to hear our calls for a greener district.

A little over a week after typhoon Ondoy left the Philippine area of responsibility, the world celebrated World Habitat Day last October 5. This year’s theme: “Planning our urban future” now sounds more personal to us, Filipinos. The Filipino urban dwellers face the seemingly unsurmountable task of rebuilding our homes and our lives.

A mere raincoat will not surely protect us from future typhoons, as our urban kingdom has lost its enchantment. However, no mud-filled floodwater could wash away the Filipino people’s strong spirit. Let us be caring individuals from a caring family, in a caring community. Let us do our part as individuals, as a family, as a community. Let us get up, get out, get involved!

Three People I Met at Toastmasters

2009-09-25T14:50:00.010+08:00

Opening Remarks at the Officer Installation and New Member Induction

Speaker: Gege Sugue
Speech Project: Uplift the Spirit from the Specialty Speeches Manual
Time: 8 to 10 minutes

Good evening, Pat, Jun, (the missing Alvin Tan), Shel, Christian, (the absent Christine), Sheila, Boom. Congratulations for accepting the challenge and the responsibilities of leadership of this club. I salute you for your courage and commitment.

Good evening, Toastmasters. Your being here tonight is also an indication of your commitment to and faith in the Toastmasters organization.

Much has been said about the benefits that the Toastmasters organization offers its members. One of the least harped about of these benefits is the fact that you meet a lot of people. And I don't mean that in a networking kind of way; it's not just about expanding your business contacts. I mean we meet different types of interesting, engaging people. Some of them become your friends. Some become your mentors, or tormentors, or all of the above. I've met a lot of people who have encouraged me, inspired me, and taught me lessons.

I only have time to talk about 3 of them. These 3 have taught me 3 lessons that have been useful in my stints as officer of this club.

One of them was Mar Sy. For those who did not have the privilege of knowing Mar, he was one of the charter members of the club. That means he was one of those who had the vision for a community of human resource practitioners learning and developing together. From day one of this club, he was an active participant of the club, shaping this club to be what it is now.

I met and got to know Mar here at Toastmasters. And he taught me to seize the day.

I'll be honest. Mar was not a cookie-cutter type leader. No leader-like demeanor; no gregarious, extroverted personality. He was rather shy, laid-back, soft spoken. But he did not let his shyness stop him from answering the call to lead. He was a charter officer. And on his second year in Toastmasters, he was an Area Governor.

I wouldn't also consider him a natural born speaker. Like most of us, he really needed Toastmasters to bring out the speaker in him. But did he let his limitations stop him? No, he grabbed every opportunity to speak and to develop his speaking skills. He didn't miss any opportunity to participate in Table Topics as either speaker or host. Who knows how much more he would have grown as a speaker given the chance.

Unfortunately, death robbed him of that chance. However tragic that loss may be, for me it has served the purpose of reminding me to seize the day. Not to waste opportunities. Not to let moments for growth pass me by.

Last term when I was the president of this club, that was the longest year of my life. One full year, 525,600 minutes of thinking, talking, breathing Toastmasters. A year divided into segments of 2 weeks, the first part of which spent on planning the meeting, and the last 2 days of which fixing up the messed up plans because speakers backed out and evaluators canceled.

It was the longest year of my life. But it was also the shortest. Because at the end of it, when the leadership was wrestled away from me (insert smile here) I still haven't had enough. Still a lot of unfinished business. Things I should have done but didn't. But I had to move on, because as Mars has shown me with his life and his premature death, time is valuable, and the day is there for me to do more and be more. I will seize the day. I will grab every opportunity to lead, learn, and live life to the fullest.

The second person I met in Toastmasters is Michelle Lim, the founding president of this club.

John Maxwell said that the arena where one can truly challenge and develop one's leadership is in volunteerism. Because the members are not paid. Because they are not beholden to any boss and their careers are not at stake if they mess up. Toastmasters is such an environment. Everyone is free to join and leave. So a leader needs to know how to charm, coerce, communicate to lead and motivate.

Maxwell also stresses the importance of communication skills to lead.

Michelle is the embodiment of that twin pairing of leadership and communication. Communication skills ooze from her pores. She inspires with a vision. She motivates, encourages, mentors. She did such a great job of leading this club that on its first year, with just 9 months to do it, she led us to achieving Select Distinguished Club status. And a huge part of the time, she was out of the country. That's leadership.

Michelle is a good leader because she can talk, and she can walk the talk. What she has taught me is to lead the way. She does not pressure members to deliver speeches. She shows us by delivering speech after speech after speech. She earns a minimum of 2 norms a year. So, when I was president, I tried to follow her example. I wanted the members to deliver speeches, so I delivered speeches, and earned my Advanced Communicator Bronze as a reward. I wanted people to work on their Competent Leader Manual. So even if I did not have to do it, because I was already aiming for Silver, I still did. Because Michelle showed me that that was the way to lead to the way.

Dear officers, there is no avoiding it. Lead the way. Tell us why and then show us how.

And now, on to the third person.

I truly think that the most difficult post in Toastmasters is that of VP Education, and this person has been VP Education 1 1/2 times, the 1/2 being when he took over when Mar could no longer attend the club meetings. Being VP Education can make or break you.

It almost broke this man. Every other week, he would feel like killing himself as he worked on the cumbersome Program. I saw him wanting to gouge his eyes as he worked on a multicolored matrix, size 6 font, trying to schedule the roles and speakers. And in the end, no one even used that matrix.

But did he break? Nah.

Did he come to the meetings, bitter at the no-shows, angry at being VP Ed? No, Ed Ebreo, with bandaged wrists and red-shot eyes came ready to have the best meeting possible. Ed is right; meetings without him are just not as fun. He reminds me all the time that BnT is about fun, about learning in an environment of fun. He reminds me of celebrating victories and laughing at miseries. He was always willing to be the butt of jokes, all for the sake of having fun at Toastmasters meetings. He taught me the 3rd lesson of leadership -- make it look like play.

Ed makes leadership look so easy that last term, we had an unprecedented number of people wanting to be officers. They wrestled the gavel away from us, wanting to be the new officers, wanting to lead.

And so here you are -- our new, spanking officers. The people who will lead this club to higher levels of excellence and achievement.

As I turn this gavel over to you, I challenge you.

Learn and apply the 3 lessons I learned from the 3 people I met. Listen to Mar, Michelle, and Ed. This is your chance to:

Seize the day.
Lead the way.
Make it look like play.

It's your chance to make a difference and help others become better leaders and communicators.

It's your time to inspire. So that by May 2010, you will have a new set of eager officer-wanna be's, raising their hands, shouting, me! me! choose me! I want to lead.

I know you'll do well. And I am hear to support you. I promise. And I seal that promise by banging this gavel and saying for the last time, as outgoing President of Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club, I now call this meeting to order.

Mars' First Things

2009-09-08T23:33:00.008+08:00

(by Sheila Dela Cruz-Mapanao, CC, CL)

I delivered this speech last July 9, 2009 at our Toastmasters meeting, as a tribute to Mars. This is speech #2 of the Advanced Communication Manual, on "Special Occasion Speeches".

I hope i was able to do justice to the man that Mars was.
Good evening, fellow Toastmasters and friends.

These past weeks while I was formulating this speech in my head, I was panicking. Not because I didn’t know what I wanted to say. But because I didn’t know what NOT to say! There are just so many things about Mars and his life, what I learned from him, and how he has affected me. I was overwhelmed!

So to put a semblance of order in this speech, let me focus on what I believed were the “first things” in Mars’ life.

In Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, Habit 3 is “Put first things First”, meaning “putting the most important things in your life, FIRST”. First things could be your goals or dreams, or the people you love.

As Johann Goethe said, “Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least”.

And I believe Mars knew what the first things in his life were.

Top on his list, was his family. Mars lost his father at a young age. When his father died, he became the family’s breadwinner. And he did his job dutifully. He became a pillar of strength and support for his family. He provided for his mom and his siblings. He worked to support his youngest sister from the time she was in grade school, until she graduated with a Nursing degree and passed the board exams last December. And when she graduated, he told friends, “Pwede na kong mamatay.” (Finally I can die). Even then, he knew that since he already secured his youngest sister’s future, she would be able to take his place ad care of his mom and the rest of their family.

Mars role as a pillar of strength and dependability was not just contained within his family, but extended to another family, and that was Toastmasters, and specifically, Butter N Toast (BnT).

Mars’ commitment to BnT stemmed from his desire to learn. Personal improvement. Another one of Mars’ first things. Mars was the perfect example of someone who wanted to improve himself. He wanted to be better!

When we started out in Toastmasters, we were all pretty scared of coming up here in front. Especially during table topics! But no, not mars! He was always so brave! He’d volunteer, and yes, he’d fumble or mumble, BUT he kept at it and he got better! And I admired that in him. Me, who’s such a scare-dy cat when it comes to Table Topics. And he knew it!

He also knew that I dreaded to club-hop coz I hated being the odd one out. So what did Mars do? Whenever he got invited to a different club, he’d drag me to come with him. And he was a willing companion when I got invited to other TM clubs as well, egging me on to accept invites. Such that we became more like a package deal. Invite one TM, get another for free! :)

He generally pushed and pulled me out of my comfort zone and conveniently served as my net. My safety blanket.

I also loved to tease him by the monicker Table Topics Monster because whenever he was tasked to handle Table Topics, he chose particularly challenging topics. But he had a special reward, a token, which he gave to the brave participants to encourage them.

And let us not forget that Mars was the first-ever from our Club to take on the role of Area 16 governor. He made it look sooo easy, that he convinced some others from this club, to be Area governor as well! :)

From Mars’ life, another of his first things was Relationships. Mars had loads of friends both in and out of BnT. Friends from college, and even all the way from grade school, who have stuck with him and who consider him a VERY GOOD friend. And I, together with the Toasties, know what they mean.

Most Toasties know Mars and his quick-wit.
His loud, boisterous laugh.
His zeal and energy for fun.

But maybe not everyone knows his thoughtfulness and generosity. I remember when he retired from Pru Life, he treated at least 10 of his closest TM friends to a sumptuous dinner buffet at Masas. And how when one of us was celebrating a birthday, he’d treat that person to Starbucks.

Yes, he was thoughtful and generous, giving of his time and his presence. That, and above all, Mars was a loyal, and trustworthy friend.

Text mate. Erstwhile shopping and movie-watching companion. Toastmasters Club-hopping buddy. Confidante. True and good friend. Mars was all these to me.

I was scrolling through my cellphone’s phonebook recently and felt a tinge of sadness when I saw Mars’ name in my phonebook. And knowing that I won’t be receiving any funny, text messages or calls from him just to ask me how I was. I couldn’t for the life of me, delete his name from my phone book.

Any significant event now, any small thing, reminds me of mars. Michael Jackson dead at 50? Oh, mars was only 42 when he died. Gege and I were eating at Bagoong Club (where BnNT had its xmas party), and our server’s name happened to be mars. We looked at each other, and at the same time, said “awww, mars”…

You can say I haven’t had enough of Mars. Most people who know Mars feel the same way. Clichéd as it may sound, Mars has left his mark on us, here in our hearts. I keep telling myself that he’s in a better place now, free from pain, sickness, and problems. But when I think about him now, it is still with sadness because I miss him.

He was a good person. A good man. And he will be sorely missed.

Mars was a dutiful and supportive son and brother --which meant he valued family.

He was a good and true friend -- which meant he valued relationships.

He was serious about teaching and about learning -- which meant he valued personal improvement.

Family. Relationships. Personal improvement. Mars was clear on his first things. He knew what was important to him, and his actions reflected that.

I leave you now with these questions. What are the first things in your life? Do your actions reflect the importance of these first things? Mars’ death has made me think and reflect on these.

Mars was clear on his first things. Are you?

Ice-Breaker Speech (Faye Melegrito): The Child Giving Birth to the Mother

2009-09-06T23:52:00.002+08:00

Six years ago today, I held my baby girl in my arms for the first time. We did not expect her until September 29. My husband even hoped she’d have the same birthday as John Lennon, October 9.

However, God had other plans for us. On my sixth month of pregnancy, my amniotic fluid level was not as high as it should be. It was still stubbornly low on my eighth month. Thus, on a Friday afternoon, 21 days after I turned 31, I was hospitalized for rehydration.And Despite the low fluid level in her uterine environment, my little girl was in a fighting form. My earlier ultrasound sessions showed her to be within the normal weight and length for her age. How proud and relieved I felt when her biophysical profile scores always turned out perfect. Not even having come out of my womb yet, my baby was already being graded.

By Sunday night, I had to be injected with drug X to strengthen my baby’s lungs, in preparation for premature birth. The next day, Monday morning of August 25, I still had a low fluid level. A little after noon, I transferred to a nearby hospital. Like a salmon going back to its breeding ground, I wanted to give birth in the hospital where my own mother gave birth to me.

When I was opened up, the doctors told me that my uterus was small. So small that my baby had to get out, to be free, as eight months in my womb are enough time for her to gestate. At 3PM, my baby girl, Luce Domini, was scooped out of my womb. She weighed just 2 kilos and measured 1-foot-5 inches; but her APGAR score was a high 9, remarkable for a prematurely-born infant. “Hello, baby,” I told her when the nurse showed her to me, swathed in hospital-green clothe, so small. Then I drifted to sleep, to be awakened by the Angelus as I was wheeled to my room.

It was not until 2 days later when I would see my baby again. To avoid possible complications, she didn’t room-in with me. Later that day, I held my baby in my arms for the first time.

Fast forward to summer 2009. My husband and I now have a young girl bursting with confidence and showing such negotiating skills, she usually ends up getting the better deal after most collective bargaining agreements.

At that time, she has been attending Kumon Reading sessions for three months. My little girl’s progress is summarized by a graph. Three more lines show advanced levels at one year, two years, or three years, where the child can receive bronze, silver, or gold medals for being ahead of her actual school level.

Luce and I would often look at her graph. That summer, we set goals for her. “Finish Level 2A before your birthday and you’d be getting a bronze,” I showed her.

I wanted her to learn to read, to enjoy the printed word as much as I do, or even more. Thus, I’ve surrounded Luce with books since she was a baby. In fact, I started reading to her in utero. Oh, I’d read to her the places she’d go; I’d tell her of Yertle the Turtle and Daisy McFuzz. Now, oh, the joy I feel, the pride that makes my heart swell when she reads to me the exploits of Cat in the hat, or the little red hen, or the house that Jack built.

I guess, like any mother, I want a mini version of me in my daughter. Since she’s undoubtedly her father’s daughter in looks, in humming to tunes, and in tapping to the rhythm, I explored other avenues to create a little Faye in my Luce.

As I guided my child towards enhancing her reading skills, I began contemplating on my own enhancement. There was my daughter, progressing towards a bronze medal before August ends. What about me? Towards what goal am I moving forward to? Am I moving in the first place? I didn’t think so.

Last summer, I felt stuck in the quagmire of self doubts. I felt immobile as my spirit was like a flat tire, devoid of air, no wind to life me up. I felt sad, tired, lost.

Yet my daughter, true to her name, Luce, light, she enlightened me. I once wrote a poem for my husband, referring to him as my north star, my lighthouse. Last summer, as I felt lost, adrift at sea, my daughter beamed her own light. Smaller than her father’s, yes. But as bright, as lively, as inspiring.

My little Luce, my little lighthouse, lighted my path. My little Luce, my young daughter, showed me the way. My little Luce, my very own child, gave birth to a new me.

I embarked on a new mission. Codename: Finding Faye.

I aimed to shed my old self and looked forward to seeing the new me. I bade goodbye to some scars, literally and figuratively, as I uncovered the real me. I started with a leg peeling treatment, followed by a writing workshop, and then a speech course. By the time my legs had been scrubbed clean of dermal debris, I have finally transformed a few ideas into several written pieces, and with enough confidence to pitch my written work to others.

Last month, I finally attended Butter N Toast sessions, a plan I have wanted to do since 2007. Like my daughter with her Kumon, I am now working towards a goal, towards becoming a CC after a year, towards becoming a CL a year after that. I turned 37 last August 1 and have just been born again. I see myself growing in Butter N Toast.

I have swept away the cobwebs in my mind, I have flexed my muscles into action. Here I am. I have found Faye.

And tonight, six years after I first held my baby girl in my arms, I stand before you and present my first speech. It is my hope that as tightly as I embraced my daughter that August night in the hospital nursery, you would equally accept me in your fold.

Ice-Breaker Speech (Dian Leithon Isidro): What’s in a Name?

2009-08-29T00:34:00.005+08:00

“A person’s name is the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” That is according to Dale Carnegie. For me, this is especially true because, while others collect things, awards, or hats, I collect names. I would like to tell you about the names and titles I’ve got so far.

Dilis

I am Dian Leithon Isidro. I was born on Dec. 26, 1974, 2nd in the brood of 4. According to my baby pictures, I was not the cutest baby in the neighborhood. My mother disagrees. My grandma agrees. My father cannot object.

I’m currently working as an IT professional. It’s a common practice in our industry to come up with a pseudonym to sign our work with, use as login names or name us in the virtual world. For instance, linux is attributed to Linus Torvalds. Mine is “dilis.” It’s the acronym of my full name. I have been using it from the time I took up computer science up to the present. This name is special to me because it embodies the inborn/raw/naked/unrefined me without the covering of success or failure, abilities or disabilities.

Siraniko
During my high school days, I was fascinated by things around me, and how they worked. I found a children’s DIY encyclopedia in our local library that further fueled this fascination. I would read them a lot, and sometimes, would build projects from it. These include electromagnets, telephones and Morse code machines, and motors (from paper clip motors, to my own design, that up to now is not working). I would secure the materials for these projects from defective appliances my father stashed in our house and sometimes buying them. The funds came from my measly allowance.

As I grew older, this insatiable curiosity also grew intense and I started tinkering and opening working appliances around the house. Sometimes I can put them back together, many times though, well, let’s just say I needed some help from my father, and sometimes from a trusted handyman. This lust for knowledge and my particular brand of “creativity” earned me the moniker “Siraniko” from my father. It may sound funny, or even derogatory, but for me, it’s one of the sweetest names I have ever been called. It represents my character during that moment in my life: inquisitive, resourceful, and bold.

Agaton
Reaching new highs is one of our life goals. Many of the heights I reached so far didn’t come easy. A lot of times, I need to invest a lot of effort and time. This time around, I wanted it fast and easy. So, in 2005, I joined a mountaineering club. Joining this club requires undergoing 3-month training, in which required skills such as mountain survival, climb planning and etiquette are taught and physical fitness is developed. The trainees will need to complete training climbs wherein the theories are applied hands-on.

On our last training climb, we scaled Mt. Amuyao. It stands 2700 masl (meters above sea level) and one of the highest mountains in the country. One of its distinct features is the almost vertical ascent that requires about 4-5 hours to assault. This roughly translates to “it is a difficult climb.”

This climb coincided with our company’s software release. Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law hits me: everything that can go wrong indeed went wrong. To cut the story short, I was late on our departure time, and this is first and, they say, the cause of eventual delays during the climb. We all ended up trekking at night which is one of the worst cases in climbing. And for this my name during the climb became Late-ton, with emphasis on ‘late’.

I was able to redeem myself when during our descent I was one of the first to arrive at our wash area. While it is a common perception that going down is easier, because of gravity’s help, than going up, because of gravity’s pull, it’s not always the case, especially for me who had a knee condition that time. Anyway, because of this feat, I earned another name: Agaton.

This name is meaningful to me because it not only represent my adventures on Mt. Amuyao, but also all the hardships, the discipline, and the perseverance I learned on my foray in the sport of mountaineering.

These are the names of the most important aspects of my being, the names that defined me. I still have other names to tell you my other names like Jani for Johnny Litton,but I know you’re all tired and need a good night sleep, so I’ll stop here.

Our Over-all Theme for the Year

2009-08-14T01:07:00.006+08:00

Stay on Top and Keep It Coming. This is what the club has chosen as its theme for the year.

The phrase conjures up an interesting mix of images and meanings, from the sublime to the mundane, from the ethereal and down to the sensual. Such novelty somehow captures our identity as a club. No doubt, we are passionate learners and we are serious in our quest for personal growth and achievement. That's the reason why we earned the President's Distinguished Club for three consecutive years. Yet, we are also bunch of "funatics." We certainly know how to have fun. Just sit in and observe one of our post-meeting sessions at Starbucks, and you'll know what we mean, especially when one hears our conversations going unpredictably from intellectual to trivial - well, mostly the latter and maybe somewhere in between. Or just notice how we are touched, even inspired, by a lot of the speeches. But then, we also hear ocassional banterings which oddly defy both reason and convention for they spiced up our evening without leaving anyone hurt nor insulted. For a club that have seriously embraced a philosophy for unleashing human potential by building on the positive yet get away clean with those banterings, that sounds paradoxical. Well, it just shows two things. One, we have mastered the art of having fun while learning. Second, we just enjoy each other's company yet we know how to temper our brand of humor and fun with the respect and decency each member deserves.

The theme somehow captures not just who we are as a club but also where we think we are now. We believe that we are at the top of our game. Yet, we also know that the greater challenge for us is staying on top.

If this is a trip, I don’t think we just intend to stay overnight or for a couple of days. As a club, we think of ourselves as immigrants who aim for a permanent status in a high altitude residence called Excellence. No, we are not vacationers or tourists who just wander around aimlessly and then eventually leave later on. That’s the essence of what we mean by "Keep it Coming!" We recognize that complacency is the enemy of greatness. Hence, the club cannot rest on its past laurels. We need to continue building on what we have achieved and keep the achievements coming.

Our own Ed Ebreo has this to say about our theme, “The Keep It Coming part talks to the new leaders and the rest of the members to demonstrate leadership in whatever roles they play. Keep raising the bar. Keep pushing the envelope of excellence. It tells us to be accountable for the roles we play, to step up to the plate and deliver on our promise of performance. NOTHING LESS is expected…Being able to do this in BNT is like practicing to do it in one's life and career. BNT can be your best training ground for leadership in life.”

As we formally launch our theme for this term, we believe it’s a perfect time to revisit our goals and our roles here at BNT. Think about how you can continue climbing the never-ending ladder of excellence. That means delivering more speeches,
earning higher norms, or taking on more roles. And like what Boom and others are doing, you can even think of spreading the Toastmasters way to those who are interested .

Indeed, there’s a lot that we can do to stay on top. Just keep it coming! .

Spreading The Toastmasters Way

2009-08-14T00:57:00.005+08:00

BNT, through the efforts of Boom San Agustin, has once again showed its commitment in spreading the benefits of Toastmasters by organizing a Demo Meeting for the
members of EntrepLink Philippines.

Yesterday, volunteer Toastmasters from BNT and other clubs trooped to the Zeta Building in Salcedo St., Makati to support Boom’s initiative. Among those who joined include Division B Governor JJ Letargo (DTM), Chen Villacorta (ATMG, Philamlife Club), Jazz Encarnacion (ACG, CL), Sheila Dela Cruz (CC, CL), Judith Jarabelo (CC), Jun Roy (CC), and Eden April Alemania(TM).

More than a dozen members of EntrepLink Philippines were there to see how joining or forming a Toastmasters club can help them become better communicators.

EnterpLink is an eGroup whose aim is to unite entrepreneurs in different areas of businesses with the ultimate goal of empowering Filipino enterprises. It sees itself as a great source of ideas and advices for individuals seeking solutions and possible business opportunities.

Through Demo Meetings, we are able to showcase the Toastmasters way – our way of helping people become better communicators and leaders.

It is noteworthy to mention that BNT already gave birth last year to the Toastmasters Club in the U.S. Embassy named Diplomatically Speaking. And it all started with a Demo Meeting. Tomorrow, there’s another Demo Meeting in Quezon City organized by Boom. And certainly there would be more after that. Like what
our theme for the year states, Stay on Top and Keep it Coming!

Kudos to Boom and to all the volunteers!.

Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club Named President’s Distinguished Club for the Third Time

2009-07-20T19:06:00.003+08:00

We made it! Toastmasters International officially acknowledged Butter N Toast as a President’s Distinguished Club for a third straight year.

Each year the Distinguished Club Program recognizes clubs that have outstanding achievements in education, membership, club building, club leadership, and club communication. Every club achieving five goals is recognized as a Distinguished Club.

Every club achieving five goals is recognized as a Distinguished Club. While clubs achieving seven goals rise a notch higher, and are considered Select Distinguished Clubs. The highest level is the President’s Distinguished Club. Here, a club must work hard to meet at least nine of ten goals for this award. Only clubs that work hard and strive for excellence, by definition, can reach this award. And BnT did it way better by accomplishing 10 out of 10 goals.

We have recruited 21 new members since July 1, 2008, as more people attend our meetings to improve their speaking and leadership skills. BnT also boasts of having members at many levels of Toastmasters experience; from beginners to advanced Toastmasters. Our members work together to help one-another by doing goal setting with their mentors and supporting club activities including the speech contests that we participated in. More importantly, members have fun while learning to become more effective in their life roles.
We are extremely proud of all the hard work the club put in to reach the finish line. Yes there were hiccups and we have sometimes had to cram down the stretch; but we reached the prize; and we are, once again, President’s Distinguished!
We have our previous officers to thank for setting the precedent and giving the inspiration for success. Here’s to another great year for Butter N Toast!

Toastmasters Speech No.10: What's Your Story

2009-07-10T20:39:00.007+08:00

by Jun Roy

Our own stories have the power to change us. In what way, you might ask. Isn’t it that stories are rooted in the past, and that our past is already a settled matter? So how can stories change us? I’m not asking you to write your stories based on distant or recent memories. I’m talking about choosing the future stories that someday you want to tell to yourselves and to others.

If I ask you what your story today is, no amount of will power can change what just happened to you today. But what if I ask you, “What is your life story that you want to tell to yourself, to your children, and to others a year from now? “Or maybe tomorrow?” “Or next week?” “What aspects of your past stories you want to re-write so you can tell a better story later?” Such questions reveal the transforming power of our own stories.

When I was a kid, my life story is that of a born loser and failure. My circumstances conditioned me to think so. I have to walk two kilometers everyday with a pair of slippers just to go to high school. My mother was a small-time fish vendor whose income was barely enough to feed her six children for a day. My father was jobless. People often teased him for his eccentric behaviors. For what do you make of a man who carries everyday a bamboo stick, a hunting knife, and who brings his own chair to fetch his wife? And what do you make of a jobless husband who has the nerve to beat his wife who feeds him and his children whom he doesn’t feed? Crazy, you might say. And that’s exactly what people thought of him. I grew up believing that. I grew up being ashamed of him and of our condition. I grew up always wondering to the point of self-pity why others have shoes but not me, or why others eat hotdogs and apples but not us. I grew up constantly asking, “Why can’t I have a normal life?” And for many years, these questions continued to haunt me and they have become the theme and plot of my life story. My life story is a tragedy – that’s what I have come to believe.

But then, Francois Mauriac, the celebrated French author, is right when he said that, “the path of human beings never cross by chance.” My eldest brother, Felix, returned home like a prodigal son after living away from us for many years. That was 1985, and I was fourteen when I got the chance to know him really well. We lived in the same condition, his is even worse. But the stories I heard from him were completely different from mine. He was always telling stories in the future positive tense – how he plans to rise up from poverty. I never heard him speak about our family condition with a sense of hopelessness or regret. True enough, his .

New BNT Officers Take Over in July

2009-07-05T13:19:00.001+08:00

BnT President Gege Sugue and the rest of the incumbent officers shall pass the baton of leadership to the new set of officers this coming July. Newly elected President Pat Pascua will take over together with Jun Roy as VP for Education. Alvin Tan exchanged his Area 16 Governor role to take on the role of VP for Membership. Real-life marketing expert Russel Roxas suits perfectly well as VP for PR. Christopher Siena will be turning over his role as Sgt-at-Arms to Boom San Agustin while he accepts the new responsibility as the club’s secretary. Christine Dapa will take her turn holding the clubs coffers as the club treasurer. Let’s all welcome them to their new roles and help them succeed as the new club leaders. And here is the rest of it.

Goodbye Toastmaster Mars

2009-06-23T18:16:00.004+08:00

His speech number 8 was one of the most memorable speeches ever delivered in the club. He demonstrated how to cook leche flan and provided not just audio-visual, but also gustatory enjoyment. I still remember how good it was and how Boom licked the llanera clean. If I had known then that Mar would leave us prematurely, I would have fought Boom to have more. If I had known that the last time I saw him would be his last time in the club, I would have asked him to deliver one more table topic speech, to giggle once more in that endearing and subtly naughty way he used to giggle, to stay a few more minutes as we sipped coffee at Starbucks. Because really, the sad thing is I haven’t had enough of Mar.

I wanted to write a journalistic obituary for the newsletter, to stick to the five Ws, but how could I write about Mar’s sudden departure as simply a matter of fact?

The facts are that Mar was born on December 16, 1965 and did not live long enough to see his 44th birthday. He passed away on May 28, 2009 when he was supposed to be recovering from a long bout of lung disease. In between those two life events, he went to high school at San Sebastian College, then to the University of the Philippines, Manila to take up Political Science, and to the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. The facts also include a career in life insurance that included stints in Ayala Life, Asialife, Prulife, Medserv, and Mapfre Insular.

The fact is that he was one of the charter officers of Butter N Toast TMC and that he has been instrumental in the success of the first ever HR Philippines Conference.

The fact is that somebody once said that he was one of the pillars of this club, having been one of its most active members. The fact is that he was a Competent Communicator and was taking his sweet time before he tackled the Advance Communicator manuals. Consistently an officer of Butter N Toast TMC, he also took on roles in the district and served as Governor of Area 16 from July 2006 to June 2007. He also mentored the new club, Diplomatically Speaking.

The facts on his Friendster profile include his love for comic books, his hatred of spam (the electronic kind, not the meatloaf variety) and chain letters, his preference for esoteric books along with cookbooks and mysteries, and his search for somebody mature, friendly, witty, down to earth, honest, and funny.

The fact is that he left this earth too early.

His Facebook wall points out that he was well loved when he was alive and will be sorely missed now that he’s gone.

The members of this club, still reeling from the shock, move on. But not without wistfully saying goodbye to a friend, a confidante, a leader, a supporter, a mentor, a distinguished time master, a table topic monster, a man we can rely on, a fellow lifelong learner.

We console ourselves with the fact that part of his short, precious life was spent with us, that we had the chance to hear his voice, to know him and the man he was. – Gege Sugue
.

Toastmasters Speech #3: "Taming John Tucker"

2009-05-26T21:04:00.003+08:00

By Russel Roxas, TM

“You don't drink an '82 Bordeaux just because it's sitting on your shelf. Great things take time.” A quote I never forget from the day I met John Tucker.

John Tucker is the star in the movie, John Tucker must die. Not the hot, godly Jesse MetCalfe but the character he portrayed in this movie that got me hooked with the name JOHN TUCKER. After watching that movie, I started recalling all the John Tuckers in my life. Yes, I’ve dealt with a lot of them; either as a partner, relative, friend, classmate and officemate. I’ve been a victim of a John Tucker, an accessory to John Tucker’s crime of cheating and I was a silent witness to his deeds. Overall, I ended getting hurt or allowing John Tucker to hurt other people. I hope there’s no John Tucker in this room. If there is, I’m pretty sure he’ll deny it. It’s just too bad that when I learned how to handle a John Tucker, it was already too late because I already became a victim… For the single ladies in this room, I hope that this will aid you in identifying the John Tuckers of your life and help you in managing them... that is, if you haven’t been a victim yet. For those already taken, you’ll probably reminisce with me as I go a long and might realize that you’ve also dated one before. As for the gentlemen of this room, esp. those who deny that they are a John Tucker… BEWARE!

John Tucker is a popular, sexy, talented and a complete player. In the movie, he dates three girls at once. In reality, a John Tucker would probably date more. The BIG adjective would be TOTAL MANIPULATOR… The cheater

Two-Timers (or can be three-timers or four, but let’s use two as a benchmark) love the ladies… in a good way. Their excuse is that if they didn't truly love all of the ladies with which they go out, they would never two-time, it's just too much stress for them.

There are different types of two-timers, or let say John Tuckers
The seasonal two-timer is one of the easiest ways to get into the two-timing groove. Seasonal two-timing simply means that you only have one real girlfriend, but the girlfriend depends on the season. For example, you are a college student whose home is in, let's say Cebu, and you're going to college in oh, let's say Dela Salle, Manila. So, growing up in Cebu, you have a girlfriend, whom you love, and you want to stay with in Cebu. However, Cebu is so far away that you get lonely without her. So, in Manila, you get yourself another girlfriend for the school year. It’s an easy way to go because the distance might be a cover for your afterschool affairs and you’ll most likely not be caught.

Then you have the casual two-timers. This is a risk-free way to go, but the consequences can be brutal. This method means that they two-time or even three-time but never officially commit to one of the girls.

Lastly, the maniac John Tucker. The Maniac is the guy who just loves girls so much that one, or two, or three isn't/aren’t enough. The Maniac just likes the ladies, as many as he can handle. The reason why they’re named as such is because there is so much stress associated with one chick that it is quite a task to have more than 2. So it’s either his a masochist or don’t value self-preservation at all.

But no matter what type of two-timer or John Tucker he is, note that he is not immune to being tamed by the ladies who have enough knowledge to handle them. So ladies, I am giving you the armor on how to protect yourself against the possible John Tuckers of your life.

Lesson no. 1: Never assume. Research. Often times the guy would look nice and single when he approaches you even when he is still asking for a date. Of course he has to be for you to fall to his trap. Luckily in this era of technological advancement where social networking and blogging is the way to go there are sites that can help you unravel the truth even for the unpopular ones. Try searching for his name in Friendster, Facebook, Multiply, etc. Often times he has an account even though he may not be the one to set it up… Maybe the legal “girlfriend” made your job easier by setting up the account herself. That’s why sometimes even John Tucker himself doesn’t even know that it exists. And even if he is the one who set-up the account, most likely the legal girlfriend would be able to open it to make sure that the status of the account is “in relationship”.

Lesson no. 2: Never give the guy an opportunity to use pet names for you. It might not be out of affection but so he won’t mixed up his girlfriends’ names. If he insists you call each other with endearments. Try to think of something unique that he will not be able to use with his other girlfriends. Don’t go for baby, honey, sweetheart try “pangga” or cupcake, or whatever. Be creative

Lesson No. 3: This may sound crazy, but this is extremely important. John Tucker’s might occasionally joke about two-timing. Joking about it will give him a feel of how mad the girl would be and how far out of the country he would need to run if, unfortunately she ever found that he’s two-timing. They also think that if they drop hints like that you will be less likely to suspect. Finally, if you find out, he can say that he tried to tell you (through his jokes), and it will almost be the truth.

Lesson No. 4: Never extract the truth from him. Even if you tell him nicely and say “it’s okay for him to tell you”, they know it’s just a trick. Never try to inspect his mobile phone; you’ll not get anything there because most likely he’ll have another unit either under his bed, in his locked closet and even in his office’s mobile cabinet. The more you obviously you extract information from him the more he’ll be careful.

Lastly, never go on a date in outrageous places. It’s crazy for you to go to SM Fairview just to watch a movie when you both live in Makati. Or go out-of-town every weekend which is just very tiring. Often times, he is trying to avoid common places where the other girl hangs out or her crowd.

There are more things that you can still do other than what I’ve mentioned to recognize and handle a John Tucker, I just identified a few. These tips may or may not work all the time but it’s better that you try them or at least arm yourself with these knowledge, We have heard time and again that a “good man” is hard to find. But it is also better if we can bring out the good side of a John Tucker, don’t you think. Going back to the movie, the lead actress Kate indeed made John Tucker fell in love with her at the end. This only means that people like John can also love and learn from his mistakes. That’s when you can say that you really tamed a John Tucker. In my case, I learned how to handle a John Tucker the hard way but it helped me a lot that I was also raised by a person who also used to be a John Tucker – My Dad. But that’s another story for another speech.

Toastmasters Speech #2: "The Feminine Athlete"

2009-05-25T13:24:00.002+08:00

By Russel Roxas, TM

Lisa Leslie, Tina Thompson, Becky Hammon, do the names ring a bell? Maybe to some who are into WNBA but to others, it might not even trigger a spark in their neuron. What about Jester Teh, Bimbi Manalaysay, Ericka Dy, Manalo Twins, Julie Amos?

They are the female cagers who excel in the UAAP league same time as Bal David, Ronald Magtulis, JC Intal, Ren Ren Ritualo and Mark Telan. Now I see nods and hear “ahs”. Jester Teh, Julie Amos and Bimbi Manalaysay are my inspiration when I was still starting my college basketball career.
There are a lot of outstanding female players in the field of basketball, soccer, and judo in the Philippines. But often times, they are unrecognized and even frowned upon. The idea of sports always has a masculine viewpoint. It is considered unladylike for women to participate in certain sports, especially those that are primarily male dominated.
After this speech, you will learn to appreciate women who dominate rough sports and realize that they can be athletic and act like real women at the same time.
The public often fascinates female athletes in the sports tennis, golf, figure skating, and gymnastics. These sports demonstrate the agility and elegance "natural" to women. The individual stars are known, culturally at least, more for their "feminine" attributes like glamour and grace. The general public recognizes athletes on their feminine beauty and objectified status, rather than their athletic skill. That is a major drawback to women's sports. And probably a significant reason why many women drop out of sports or have their sexual identity questioned when they try to prove their athleticism.
I have played the basketball for 8 years beginning high school, 2 years of which is in the UAAP league. During the four years of my basketball career I’ve been courted by my teammate who has the mentality that women who get into basketball are into that type of relationship. Two years, I’ve been teased for applying make-up after every game. For eight years I’ve worked so hard trying to excel at the sports and at the same time prove my feminine side.
This issue of gender in sport occurs all the time. The masculine assumptions of team sports challenge the individualist and moralist ideologies that construct sports such as figure skating and gymnastics. The women of the WNBA have had to manage a contradictory set of cultural images and strategies. They need to reassure fans that although they are not dancing gracefully over the ice in designer outfits, professional female basketball players are feminine beings. Do you know that Lisa Leslie is one of the few WNBAA players who can dunk and at the same time one of the known figures who walk the runways of Los Angeles. I am sort of like her except for the dunking part which is my lifetime dream.
Why can’t we be accepted as athletic and sexy at the same time? What happens when society cannot accept women as athletes and feminine beings all in one package? This has a dramatic affect on athletes. The lesbian stereotype exerts pressure on athletes to demonstrate their femininity and heterosexuality. So, instead of athletes concentrating on training and competition, they have to spend their time defending their personal lives and sexuality, also reassuring their audiences that women involved in sports are indeed women. My college coach had to send us to personality development trainings instead of using the additional training hours for roadwork and tune-up games just to make sure we exude our feminine side when we are off the courts.
It is not surprising that sports such as hockey, basketball, and weightlifting, which resemble masculine athletics, have the greatest need to attract audiences and the fear of lesbianism are most prominent. But attracting audience is still yet another challenge. In my two years in the UAAP league, never was one of my games featured on TV. Not even the Championship game we had in Araneta. In sponsorships, we got less compared to our male counterparts. We ended up having just one pair of game shoes and one pair of practice shoes while the men’s team had four. Our allowance was by far lower compared to the men’s team.
Even the career path for professional female ballers is few. It is actually just limited to RP Team and WPBL. Both have less exposure in terms of publicity. Another example is the women involved in bodybuilding end up joining bodybuilding contests. Now, the contestants should be judged on muscle tone of the body right? Wrong. To define which woman has the best and most well defined body, the judges feel compelled to define "body" in relation to the "woman" form. There was one time when I was watching “Sa pula, Sa Puti in Eat Bulaga” The competition is between female and male bodybuilders. My colleagues’ reaction to the women is “eiiwww, scary” but to the male bodybuilders, “wow” – note the reaction came from both men and women.
Although women athletes experience many drawbacks, there are positive aspects to women competing in non-traditional sports. They open the door to something new, that although it may not be socially acceptable right now. These female athletes also works towards providing younger generation women more opportunities in sport. Some of my teammates in college are now coaching the same sports in high school and even basketball clinics. Eventually, the hard work and effort they put in will make it easier for women to enter into sports that they typically wouldn't and maybe there will even be more funding for women's sports and organizations.
Sports has become an essential part of the culture for women. Health issues are always important and let's face it, everyone whether male or female needs to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine. so what if a woman sweats when she is at the gym or playing a sport, it just proves that she is working hard at what she is doing. So, in a way, sport provides communication with other people and improves the physical, mental, and emotional well being of a woman.
I think we just need to look past the negative aspects of sport because they can distract athletes or even cause them to stop doing what they love. Pressure from society to fit in is always a hard thing to deal with and those who overcome the remarks from audiences or critics become the better person in the long run by looking back at what they have accomplished, what they have left behind for many other generations of women athletes to follow. I encourage you to see them beyond their jerseys and uniforms but with their contribution to our society.

Toastmasters Icebreaker Speech: "A Dangerous Lifestyle"

2009-05-23T01:03:00.006+08:00

By Russel Roxas, TM

You know that thing when you see someone cute and he smiles at you and your heart kind of goes like warm butter sliding down a hot toast? Well that's what it's like when I see a store. Only it's better. Not only did I get that from Rebecca Bloomwood of the phenomenal book and movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic but I also related to her feelings when I watched that movie and when I read that book.

Yes, I consider myself to be a fairly stylin’ avatar lady. I know all the hip places to shop. I keep up with new releases, and am always on the lookout for cool, new, and undiscovered treasures. Plus I’m pretty easy on the eyes if I do say so myself. And I have this thing about matching. I love to match. I guess you can even call me a matching whore.
Fashion is constantly changing. One season, designers will say that black is chic and color isn’t. The next season, black is suddenly boring and white is in or purple or lime, or whatever. So every time trend changes, what should a fashion addict like me would do but to rehash my array of wardrobe to conform to the standards? So I take long, hard look at my closet, review what I have, and check what’s missing. Then I shop for it. It really turns out bad when I just intend to buy a pair of matching shoes for my planned outfit but eventually buy the Micheal Kor’s belt, the Chloe earrings, the scarf and the bangles to go with the shoes and dress.
Living up to the standards of the fashion industry becomes hard work once you start with it. There are some hardships that I have to go through including the fear that a fashion police might arrest me if I show up in a disgusting ensemble. And there are tons of books and magazines that you have to read and buy to update yourself such as this… and this..
Yes, it is a dangerous lifestyle. So you might ask why I even bother to be one of them – the fashion addicts. Well, when I started, I never knew that I’ll be addicted just like how a chain smoker starts out by just having some trial puffs with a friend then later on evolving into a fire breathing dragon. The same thing happened to me. I just started out by borrowing outfits from my doormate in college. Then I got attracted to matching outfits with shoes, bags and accessories. My fondness for styling got worse when I entered the fashion industry as part-time runway model. Being in that industry gave me the backstage access to the trends that will come out in the next two to three months. Wouldn’t you love to be ahead of every one else and be the trendsetter? I got attracted to the idea so I ended up buying the outfits that I wore during fashion shows. Now I’m into the obsession of maintaining my 60 pairs of shoes that I immediately buy a new one in case one of the 60 wears out. Then, there’s this group of tall gorgeous girls that you get to hang out with during photo shoots or even night outs. Of course, you can’t be seen wearing something crappy when everyone else in your crowd looks like they just stepped out from the centerfold of Preview magazine. So that’s when I started jeopardizing myself, my bank account and my credit cards. Not to mention the nights that I spent taking out the stains in my suede Chinese Laundry pumps and scrapping the dirt and gum out of my favorite Betsy Johnson. Other than the mental and physical labor, there are also general impressions that we have to deal with such as “we are just a bunch of airhead bimbos who know nothing but applying make-up, and fixing our hair”. Which is of course, not entirely true. It takes a lot of hard work, creativity and imagination to coordinate palettes of eye shadows and come up with the desirable look.
But what I like about my lifestyle is I was able to extend a helping hand to those people who need my help in aesthetics. I was able to give my boss sound advise on what to wear on different occasions and the right place to shop for them. I was able to give my colleagues quick remedies for zits that came out in the morning but need to go away in the evening of the same day because of a big date. I also set a benchmark on fashionable business attire for staff to be artistic in the way they wear their office uniforms. Remember that dressing for success is a smart tactic. For how we’re perceived can go a long way towards helping us achieve. Since I am also in a corporate arena, I believe that by looking good and classy I am able to project an image that my company pays their people really well that they can afford to be stylish even if in reality that’s not the case. And, as a token of my appreciation to butter n toast, I will offer my services to be every member’s fashion consultant free of charge. So, who wants to be my first customer? (check with the audience). Just don’t complain if one day I show up in your place, raid your closet, toss some stuff in the garbage can and get your credit card to get you started on shopping for your new collection.
Being fashionable doesn’t mean that I have to go with the flow all the time. And I don’t mindlessly follow every trend just because someone told me it was cool. True style is unique personal expression. It’s a way of dressing to match my character that no one else can imitate. And, As long as I am happy and I believe that I always look good no matter what I wear or how I look, I think I’ll survive. That’s when I can conclude that being fashionable is not a dangerous lifestyle after all.

Toastmasters Ice Breaker Speech: "The Simple Things"

2009-05-21T22:39:00.004+08:00

By Mike Joseph G. Macapagal

“It’s always the simple things in life that makes us truly happy”

According to Confucius, life is really simple, but we just insist on making it complicated. Do you agree?

Think of the things that makes us happy or made us happy in the past. Are you happy with the thought of buying that dream condo? Don’t you love the anticipation of taking home that new BMW? I do, of course.

But what about looking at the sunset after a long day at the office? Getting home, seeing your children watching TV together? Spending a couple of minutes with your friends? Or how about remembering the time when you met your first love? Do these seemingly simple things make you happy?

My parents always told us that we should always dream big and strive hard to reach our dreams no matter what, but we must always think of the importance of being simple and humble in life.

Let me tell you a story about my childhood. We were pretty well-off back then, when I was a kid. If you knew me back then, you might even say that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I considered myself lucky, because as a kid, I could have all the toys that I wanted. I had an older brother and if you went into our room, you’d find the most expensive toys scattered everywhere. We could ask for anything that we wanted and we would get it. We were really fortunate back then because we lived a very comfortable life.

Everything was fine. That is, until my mom was diagnosed with bone cancer. I didn’t really understand the gravity of the situation at that time, for I was just 5 years old, but I knew that something was wrong. My mom, because of her sickness, had to undergo a lot of treatments, numerous checkups and she had to take a lot of medicine, which were really expensive. Pretty soon my dad had to quit his work in Ayala Land just so he could take care of my mom full-time. And shortly after that, our family had a serious financial crisis.

Everything changed. More so, when my mom died. We were no longer the kids who always had the latest and most expensive toys. After my mom died, my dad, to support the family, tried to put up and maintain a small repair shop, using what was left of our savings. He no longer had the high paying job that he once had. Everything was now different. The adjustment for the family was not easy, especially for me, because I was the youngest. All of us had to tighten our belts. It was really hard.

After a few years of raising us alone, my dad finally met someone who could help him in caring for us, his sons. She met our step-mom. Lucky for him! - But bad luck for us. My step-mom, she was the “monster mom”. Being the spoiled brats that we were, she was always scolding us. All-the-time. Clean your room, brush your teeth, clean yourself up! We really hated her!

But going back and thinking about it, I think my step mom was the reason our family got back on track. The timing was just right. She was the one who taught us brothers the importance of simplicity and the value of being close to ones’ family, that expensive toys are not everything. She taught us how to value our education. She with my dad, even with the money problems, worked hard just to send us to a good school, because they know that it’ll be a benefit for us in the future.

My parents taught us how to enjoy and be content with the simple pleasures of life. And I’m thankful to them because their lessons formed what I am right now. Because of them, even when facing the hardships in life, I can still truly say that I am happy.

Try to reflect and think of the times when you were happy. Was it when you purchased that new Nike shoes or that Louie Vuitton? Or was it when you were spending the afternoon with your family and friends?

The current times sometimes makes our lives more complicated than we can handle. It puts too much pressure on us. In such state, we must be mindful and make a conscious effort to not let life just pass us by. Sometimes try to stop and smell the flowers, admire the sunset, enjoy the little pleasures of life, which aren’t little at all, and most importantly, love life. Remember... “It’s always the simple things in life that makes us truly happy”.

Toastmasters Ice Breaker Speech: "Have You Eaten or Not?"

2009-05-20T23:04:00.005+08:00

By Dan Li, TM

What’s your feeling when a Chinese asks you, "Have you eaten or not"? You would think maybe this guy wants to invite me for dinner. But what if it is not the dinner time, what is your impression? You might feel weird. And he keeps asking ”Are you busy recently?” you may feel uncomfortable now. And while you are still puzzled, a following question comes "Where are you heading to?" Finally, you can not stand and ask the Chinese guy, "Why do you care if I have eaten or not? Why the hell are you curious about whether I am busy or where I'm heading to? Are you monitoring me? You are nosing into my affairs."

Actually, this poor Chinese guy does not expect to get the answers from you either. These are just common greetings in China and Chinese people really do not mean to interfere. Most of the foreigners have been asked these kinds of questions again and again in China and they draw the conclusion: This type of greeting is just a part of Chinese culture. You may wonder why this kind of greeting is part of Chinese culture. I know that your common greetings would be “Hi!” “Hello!” “How are you?” “Good morning!” Or most of you would prefer to chat with some topics which have nothing to do with the privacy like the weather, politics or global economy. So because of the culture differences, you may not fully understand the greetings just like a fish in unfamiliar water.

Let me explain some backgrounds in China. About several decades ago, Chinese people lived in a very poor life and they could hardly feed themselves. Many people died of hunger. The best blessing to others was to have something to eat. So from then on, people have taken “have you eaten or not” as the ordinary greeting. This is the background behind the history and culture.

As we all know, different places have different cultures. Then what is culture? 'Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another.' It is inevitable that the cultural difference has impact on daily life. And the differences can be observed anywhere at any time. In your daily life, the cultural differences show up from the moment the eyes are opened to the minute the dreams are invited.

In terms of culture differences, I still remember last time when Alvin answered Leighton’s question: I would choose to become a dragon. So at that time what was the image of dragon coming into your mind? I think most of you have watched the movies Lord of the Ring and Eragon. You may think dragons are just like dinosaurs, which can stand on the ground with feet and fly with huge wings. You may think they are fat and they lay eggs just like lizards. The dragons in western films can also spew fire. The fire can destroy everything so the dragons are not welcome at all. They even become the symbol of the devil or monster.

But if they are so ugly and how could Alvin want to become such a monster? Actually, in Chinese culture, dragons are imagined as something like snake and are flying in the sky for most of the time. The dragon is said to have the face of the horse, the horns of the deer, the ears of the ox, the body of the snake, the claws of the eagle and scales of the fish. We regard dragon as a kind of magical creature. Alvin also mentioned that Chinese regarded ourselves as the offspring of the dragon. Dragons are believed to be a very mysterious and capable creature which can fly, swim and can produce rain to make a good harvest for farmers. It is the symbol of luck and blessing.

There are so many things about China's 5,000 years’ profound culture and I really don’t know where to start. But I do appreciate your patience and I think I can cover more later. Let’s go back to the beginning conversational scenario, what do we do after greeting? Of course, we need to address. Let me recall an example 10 years ago. My friend Tan invited an American linguist Jean to his apartment for dinner. When the 50-year old foreign expert came in, Tan asked his 10-year old boy address Jean "Granny". I could feel that Jean was offended and unhappy at that moment. Later, this foreign expert told me that in her culture Granny means old, slow and incapable. And I told her that in our culture, we try to express our respect by addressing respectful words to improve receiver’s status and position. Granny is the designation young kids use show their politeness and respect. So one day, if my kid calls Edwin or Boom Grandpa, please do not feel surprised. Chinese use “title plus surname” to address our superior or elders rather than call them surnames, while the superior or elders call the addressers their names. The Chinese tend to abide by the polite principle of depreciating oneself and respecting others to show appropriate respect towards the persons being addressed.

There are also some other differences in addressing between Chinese and Western culture. First, we put the family name in the front of the given name to show the respect to our ancestors and we call the name together. Second, women do not change their family name after getting married. Third, we usually call a person’s title or position instead of Mr, Sir or Madam. Fourth, we would not give child the same or even the similar names as our ancestors. We try to avoid the same names as well-known leaders. And most of the names and designations have nothing to do with religion. Last but not least, young people do not call older people’s name directly.

Moreover, there are also some gesture and body language differences between Chinese culture and western culture. For an example, Chinese people usually shake hands... not hug or beso. I would like to ask you a couple of questions: How do you call people to come here? How do you show the direction for your guest? How do you count the number of people? How do you present your business card?

It is necessary to know the cultural differences between East and West. We can attain a more efficient and more effective communication. We can further the mutual understanding. We can avoid the stupid mistakes. Moreover, we should not only acknowledge the differences but also learn to gradually adapt them. We should integrate the new culture into our own.

These phenomena and examples are just a small part of the iceberg of culture. Want to see teh other beautiful parts of the iceberg? To be continued……

ButterNToast Toastmasters Club Receives Talk Up Toastmasters Award

2009-05-17T09:31:00.002+08:00

Toastmasters International awards Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club a Talk Up Toastmasters award for recruiting 5 or more new members between February 1 and March 31.

The club receives a blue ribbon to add to its collection and a free manual from the Successful Club Series, the Better Speaker Series, or the Leadership Excellence Series.

This term is certainly a banner year for BnT TMC’s member recruitment program. 14 new members have thus far signed up, and we still have a couple months to go and a number of interested prospects.

BnT officers and members deserve to be recognized for this achievement. Without embarking on any active recruitment program, we have attracted new members through a combination of internet promotion and providing a warm, fun, and motivational learning environment in every meeting.

Be Part of Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club's Growth

2009-05-04T17:34:00.000+08:00

BNT Toastmasters Club has experienced astounding growth in membership this term. From less than 20, we grew up to more than 30. At some point we had to slow down our marketing campaigns to manage the droves of people wanting to have a piece of the Butter N Toast Action. At this point the total number of paid members is 24 while we are waiting for 6 other members to update their payment. The big BNT family is giving us diversity and a rich source of talents, wisdom, fun, and friendship. This means that with BNT’s growth, we are not only growing in size, we are also growing in experience.

Now, how can we, maximize our contribution to the club’s growth? Our success is not only measured by our membership size. It is measured by our ability to accomplish our club goals. Every term, we pursue a set of Distinguished Club Program goals.

We need to have four members graduate to Competent Communicator Norm. We need 2 to move up to the next Advanced Communicator Norm. We need at least 2 people to achieve a Competent or Advanced leader Norm. We also need to get 8 additional new members, have our new set of officers trained and submit our reports on time. These might sound all uninteresting to a new member but believe us when we tell you that the journey towards the achievement of these goals are what make us well rounded Toastmasters. These goals are no joke and can only be achieved through teamwork. The measure of our ability to lead and work together as a team can be measured by everyone’s ability to advance in one’s Toastmasters’ projects, play leadership roles, invite members and fulfil their Toastmasters Obligation. We’ve achieved our 10 f 10 goals two years in a row, and we don’t plan to stop.

As a member of BNT, you are part of this commitment but only you can make it your own.

Toasties Get Coveyfied

2009-04-16T09:00:00.003+08:00

Last April 2, BnT launched a new series of meeting themes that highlight Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Effective People. This Leadership Handbook is an excellent learning tool for communicators. At BnT, we will apply these habits to becoming better speakers.

We kicked off last meeting with the first habit, Be Proactive. Tonight, we talk about the second habit, which is to Begin with the End in Mind. This is about having a clear understanding of your destination, whether it's to become a Competent Communicator in 2009 or to achieve a major life goal. Knowing where you are going translates to taking the steps towards the right direction.

Watch out for the next meetings as we build up the habits to becoming an effective communicator:

April 30- Habit 3: Put First Things Firts
May 14- Habit 4: Think Win/Win
May 28- Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
June 11- Habit 6: Synergize
June 25 - Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
July 9 - Bonus: The 8th Habit

One of the things that set Butter N Toast TMC apart is the way we use our meeting themes as tools for continuous learning. We've had series of themes that celebrate our values and highlight mentoring. We will continue to find better ways to help the Toasties become even better leaders and communicators.

Toastmasters Speech No. 6: "Listening to Your Voice"

2009-04-05T13:16:00.000+08:00

By Christopher Siena, TM

If there is one big thing I learned in the course of life, it’s that I’ve learned to listen to my inner voice. Everyone has one. We call it different things: our moral compass, our instincts, and our conscience. Whatever we name it, we should always pay attention and listen to it. It makes us who we are.

Several years ago when I was in school, I came under intense pressure to from my teachers and fellow classmates to join the chorale. I was even “bribed” extra credits for joining the team. Another benefit was a chance to be excused in attending some classes. I badly need credits so I said “yes.” And in that moment, I knew I should have said “no.”

Deep down, I knew I didn’t want to join the chorale. I’m bad at singing. I hate the songs they sing. I hate the costume. I hate everything about it. My inner voice was nagging me loud and clear, “Chris, don’t do it. You’re not a singer. You don’t like the chorale.”

I didn’t listen.

It was only after a few practice sessions, when I realized I couldn’t fool myself anymore. So, I left the chorale. I dodged awkward glances from my classmates and received reprimands from the teachers who recommended me. And I must say, those were not the best days of my academic life but it reaffirmed my belief in following my inner voice.

A far more personal moment came when my inner voice told me to do something and I didn’t listen. It was the day my brother was about to undergo a brain surgery. After some light talk and a few minutes, it was time for me to leave. As I saw him lying in his hospital bed I had an overwhelming urge to give him a hug and wish him well.

My inner voice was telling me, “Chris, do it. Hug him. This could be the last.”

“But, that kind of emotional display was out of character for us and we’re not really that close even though he’s my brother. So, I didn’t do it.

He didn’t survive the surgery. He died the next day. I could remember his last words, “See you on Monday.” Now, I will be waiting for that “Monday” the rest of my life…

My inner voice was telling me loud and clear, “Chris, do it.” Why didn’t I listen?

As I look back I realized that most of the mistakes came when I didn’t listen to myself, when I didn’t trust my instincts. If you think about it, there are many voices coming at us every day and from different directions. Sometimes Internal – Voices inside your mind telling you to become someone else. This should not be mistaken to your inner voice because your inner voice upholds your values and not be guilty or ashamed of your own values. Sometimes External – People are telling you what to do, what to like or what not to like.

With all these voices, life can be very confusing. But, as I believe, there is only one person who really knows who you are and what you want, and that is you.

Sometimes we stop listening. I believe we should. And we should listen very carefully. Only then will you be able to hear our inner voice. And after that – do what it says. Just do it.

Toastmasters Speech No. 5: " We Don't Need to Save the Earth"

2009-04-02T13:10:00.000+08:00

By Christopher Siena, TM

It’s annoying. It’s annoying when people talk about “saving the Earth.” Those so called “environmentalists” really did it. They brain-washed the population into thinking that the earth needs to be saved. Stop for a moment and think. Do we really need to save the earth? I don’t so and here are my reasons:

1. We can’t. When we pollute the air around us with toxic gases or dump garbage in the rivers, will the earth die? No. But we will…

The earth will continue living with or without us. Simply said, the earth does not need us. Thinking of saving the earth is an arrogant attempt of man to “control” the environment. But the truth is we don’t control the environment. We simply can’t.

2. The thought of saving the earth is not just arrogant, it’s also insincere. Think about it. If an incineration plant (which pollutes the air) is constructed near our homes, we suddenly become vigilant environmentalist lobbying against incineration and its dangers to the earth’s atmosphere. But, if a golf course is constructed near our homes, we welcome it with open arms thinking that it will increase the land value of our properties. However, when you think about it, golf courses like incineration plants pollute our environment. The fertilizers used in making the grasses green are dumped in the sewage system causing abnormal growth of microorganisms that cause water pollution in rivers and seas.

Bottomline – if the pollutant decreases the land value of our properties, it’s bad but if the pollutant increases the land value, we welcome it with open arms. How insincere can we get?

3. It’s not about salvation. It’s about novelty. We don’t want to save the earth. We want the earth to be our personal theme park. We want to save endangered species because it’s the novel thing to do – it gives us bragging rights to say that “we have this species of bird and you don’t.” We brag about the majestic and endangered monkey-eating eagle but we don’t give a hoot about the lonely, fat pig. When, in fact, pigs are one of our staple foods.

When you think about it more than 90% of extinct species of animals in the world is not caused by humans. The dinosaurs became extinct. We didn’t kill them. It’s normal for animals to become extinct due to their inability to adapt to the changing environment. It’s just how things work. We want to preserve these animals not because we care about them but because these animals are collections that boost our ever-growing egos. Imagine yourself owning an endangered species of bird – you can brag about it, saying that your bird is big and majestic. Most importantly, it’s endangered. You can charge tourists to view your bird. If you think about it, it is just another arrogant and insincere attempt to think highly of ourselves. Plus, it a money maker.

I have a theory. If we kill 99.99% of the population of fat and lonely pigs in the planet, we will think differently of pigs. We will give more importance to pigs than we give to eagles. Think about it. If there’s such a thing as “animal racism” that’s one perfect example. It’s arrogant and insincere. It’s narrow and unenlightened self interest – nothing else.

Fellow toastmasters and guests, don’t get me wrong. I am not against environmentalism. I believe that we should stop pollution or at least minimize it because we want to survive. . Let’s do it for the right reasons. Let’s not save the environment. Instead, let’s save ourselves. Only when we acknowledge the fact that we are dependent on the environment instead of thinking that the environment is dependent on us, will we be able to truly understand – the earth does not need salvation but we do…

Toastmasters Speech No. 4: "Living the Moment"

2009-03-30T13:08:00.000+08:00

1 year, 24 hours, 1440 minutes, 86400 seconds – this is how we measure the time of our lives. Depends on how you look at it.

Most people say that life flies too quickly. Before you knew it, a new president was elected. A new cellphone was released to the market. Prices of gasoline tripled. You can’t see your age in the calendar anymore.

For all we know, we hardly notice how time flies for the reason that we tend to reside in the past to relive the special moments of our lives. And I mean moment with a capital “M.” These moments can be a memory, life altering events or conversations. Your first day at school. Your first kiss that remained in your lips for some time. Your first awkward encounter with the opposite sex. The time you had a fist fight. The time when you had an accident. The time you almost died. The list goes on and on.
And, these moments conjures feelings of the past. It makes you happy. It makes you sad. It sends you to a rollercoaster of emotions. But one thing’s for certain-you relieve these moments on and on as if it was forever.

Almost always it is coupled with deep longing thoughts of “shoulda-woulda-coulda” - what could have happened if I lived my life differently? Perhaps, I should have done it this way… Or that? What if I didn’t broke up with her? What if I chose a different career? What if?

And, yes, I know. It nags you to the core. But, these thoughts make you think and let you learn things only experience can provide. Come to think of it - most of our decisions, values and even prejudices came from our past experiences.

As we go on living our lives, we hardly notice how time flies. How short our lives are becoming. How more and more things are left undone. Our sense of time is distorted into a playback and rewind of events, people and situations. Before we knew it, we are living in the past.

Our fear of letting go, holds us back from new experiences. Silly as it may seem, we hold these moments tightly because they are special and meaningful. But, they hinder us from learning new things or starting a new chapter of our lives.

Fellow toastmasters and guests, don’t get me wrong. These special moments have its purpose and served you well. It would be wasteful to continue to relive our past at the expense of the present.

Think of it. Here’s an example: We fill up our rooms with things that remind us of our past for the fear that we will lose a part of ourselves when take them a way. Love letters, rusted trophies, useless books, and the first tooth that came off your mouth. Who is guilty? I am.

If you look at it on the hindsight, we only have to look at the mirror and see. We are… our past. We don’t need things to remind us of who we were, who we are and who we are to become.

So, let us cast them aside to provide space in our heart or in our rooms for new things and experiences. Let us ask ourselves: When was the last time we I did something for the first time? Tried something I thought I’d never do? Let’s act on these questions.

There is still so much left undone and new experiences to create. We still have plenty of 1 year, 24 hours, 1440 minutes or 86400 seconds left to spare and I suggest we use it as much as we can.

Toastmasters Speech No. 3: " When I was Cheated"

2009-03-27T13:06:00.000+08:00

By Christopher Siena, TM

I was cheated. I was cheated when I was in school not by my classmates but by the very exams that were suppose to measure my ratings and academic performance.

Grade 1: Math subject

We were given an exam on multiplication. Part 1 was a timed exam due within 5 minutes. We were supposed to answer a set of items such as 8 times four and 7 times 51 using mental math. No calculators were allowed.

With a snap of a finger, the teacher shouted, “Finished or not finished, pass your papers.” I was hesitant to do so. I was not finished with ten items to fill up. But, hell, I have to move on with part 2.

The second part was easy. No time pressure. You just have to solve the problems given. For example: Your father gave you a daily allowance of 100 pesos. How much will you be able to save in a week after spending 65 pesos a day?
The teacher checked the papers and after a day we were informed of our grades. I was given a perfect score for part 2 but the results of part 1 was devastating. Bottom line, I failed the test because part 1 has more items and thus have more bearing.

I was cheated that day. I felt that part 1 should have less bearing on exam. Why? Because part 1 is not a math exam. It doesn’t measure how good you are in applying mathematical principles. It just tests how good you are in memorizing the multiplication table.

I am not just cheated in math. I was consistently cheated in my other subjects due to the traditional belief that memory retention is the ultimate measure of academic success as thus success in later endeavors.

High School: History Subject

I was given an exam. The first part was enumeration. I have to write down names of Filipino Heroes. There was a question: Who was the Filipino hero who killed Magellan? I was tempted to answer Lapu Lapu because that was written in the history book that we were asked to memorize. I didn’t answer Lapu Lapu. Why? Because I believe he was not a Filipino in the first place. There was no national identity back then only tribal identity.

This is just my opinion and I may be wrong. What bothers me is not just that we are expected to memorize what is written in our textbooks but that we are also expected to believe on what’s written as if it is the ultimate truth. We are given a failing grade for not "learning" what is "taught."

Fellow toastmasters and guest, I’m sure you can relate on what I am saying: that one time or another, we are expected to memorize and believe what our teachers and textbooks say. We are taught to believe that what’s written in our textbooks are ultimate truths and that memorizing these texts will make us succeed later in life.

This is misleading because wrong measures lead to wrong results. We cheat ourselves when we think that memorizing the multiplication table will make us a better mathematician. We also cheat ourselves when we think that what is written in our textbooks is true and unbiased. We cheat ourselves more when believe and practice these things so earnestly.

So here’s my recommendation regarding this matter: STOP CHEATING YOURSELF. Instead of memorizing things, asking ourselves easy questions such as what, when and where, let us ask ourselves how and why. These are more important questions of learning wherein we are tasked to understand, be critical and have our own independent thoughts.

Toastmasters Speech No. 2: "Thoughts on Being Alone"

2009-03-25T13:02:00.000+08:00

By Christopher Siena, TM

Why?!

That was the reaction of my friends when they knew that I went alone to the beach to celebrate my 21st birthday. Their expressions in their faces were as if I have confessed a murder.

I was not at all surprised by their reaction. Society looks at people who spend alone in the beach with awkward glances. I could even recall a sly remark from my cousin who asked my why I don’t have company. I told him that I didn’t plan to spend it with them and that I prefer to be alone this day of the year.

But, fellow toastmasters and guests don’t get me wrong. I have no intention of spending my whole life alone like a hermit. Nor am I too proud to admit that I need human company… because I do. What kept me wondering is why people surround themselves with other people as if they were oxygen. Is it because most people are afraid to be perceived as lonely and thus miserable even though it is not always the case? But if it is, would it make any difference?
Misery is misery whether we are alone or with someone by our side. We feel miserable and alone when a loved one dies even if the wake is jam-packed with concerned individuals. So why not look at solitude as a gift rather than a curse? Why don’t we enjoy the moments we spend alone?

Being alone makes us look inside ourselves. It makes us assess our lives and makes us ask questions to ourselves. Let me illustrate my point. We listen to the radio. We listen to our Ipods. But when was the last time we listened to ourselves? When was the last time we heard our inner voice speaking to us – telling us what we really want, what we really desire? Do we desire the products that we hear in the radio? Do really understand the meaning of the love songs we hear in our Ipods? In these questions and private conversations, we get to know ourselves more.

Lastly, being alone means we control our time. Imagine a vacation where you don’t have to follow a schedule. You don’t have to wait for others to finish so that you can move on. You eat when you want. You swim when you want. You sleep when you want. No one will say that you’re a “kill-joy.” Simply said you don’t have to strike a compromise with someone else except yourself.

So try it! Have a vacation alone - away from the hustle and bustle of social life. Dodge those awkward glances. Relax and have a good time with yourself. Listen to the silence of yourself talking.

Toastmasters Speech No.1: "Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous To Your Health"

2009-03-23T12:59:00.000+08:00

By Christopher Siena, TM

I am a smoker. I started smoking when I was 13. Back then cigarettes tasted bitter but the idea of breathing tobacco in and out of your lungs is electrifying. Those were the days of innocence where life is perfect and love is forever. Then it hit me. I was rushed to the hospital due to my smoking habit. I sweared on my hospital bed that I wouldn’t smoke again.
But promises are made to be broken. When I entered college, almost everyone smoked, so I did. At that time, tobacco tasted like paper – empty and unappealing. So were my first subjects – math, social studies and religion. It was so easy, I never studied nor reviewed. Instead, I indulged myself to travel parties and occasional drunkenness. Life was perfect and the taste was addicting. Soon, my vices led me to different brands of expensive cigarettes – DJ Mix, West, West Ice and my favorite, Gudang Garam.

As I squandered my allowance, I met my first love. She had intoxicating looks, engaging features and addicting properties. We often spend time traveling, drinking and whispering sweet nothings. We were soul-mates and it was as if our love would live forever. Cigarettes tasted like sugar and I was totally hooked. My cravings became worse and worse. I started failing subjects. I knew I had to withdraw. And so I did. I broke up with her. I stopped smoking.

But my withdrawal was short-lived. I missed her so much that I started to smoke again. I couldn’t help it. By then, I started smoking Gudang Garam in excess amounts. The taste was sweet but strong. The smell was distinct and ambiguous – a few friends like it, most of them don’t.

It was too addicting and I began to dig deeper into addiction. I went on a depressive state and at my lowest, I met my 2nd love. She was irresistible. Like me she had an insatiable appetite for romance and intimacy. I knew our relationship wouldn’t go for long. Some people don’t want us to be together plus she had a boyfriend. Yes, I knew it wasn’t right but it felt so good. I couldn’t resist. True enough, we broke up. My life went tumbling down and I ended up with nothing… nothing but a broken heart and a pair of damaged lungs.

Up to now, I still smoke. And when I do, I reminisce. I look at everything that has come and gone like the smoke that comes in and out of my lungs. I learned that all good things have to end but what’s important is that we breathe best out of it. We may love it as much as we hate it but nevertheless, we desire it as if it was everything. That’s life. At least now I know that what the label meant when it said: Cigarettes smoking is dangerous to your health.

Toastmasters Speech No. 3 " Equating My Life with a Pencil"

2009-03-22T13:37:00.002+08:00

By Alvin Abrantes

One of my childhood past time was collecting pencils. Red, black, stripes, psychedelics, checkered, cartoon prints, costly and cheap ones. Name it! I surely have it. I remember the time I became a nuisance to my mom every time I begged her to buy. She would always ask me “What’s with the pencil that fascinates you? You’ve got a lot in your box.” At that point I do not have any good or at least valid reason to give her. All I could think was, I like to take hold of all the pencils around me. Keep it on my box and count it, countless times. Years passed and I had outgrown the passion I have with the pencil. Forgetting all the tears I shed just for my mom to buy a single pencil to add to my collection.

Few days before this, while having a general cleaning at our storage area, I found my long lost interest, my most priced possession when I was a kid, my pencils! Thoughts came like a flashing beam on my mind! Interest was awakened in me. Little did I know that we could learn so many things from it. I’ve come to realized that thirty years since then; I’ve got a clearer perspective with a pencil. Now, I can give my mom a better if not the best answer from her question thirty years ago.

Let me share with you the five important lessons from my childhood past time… Equating my life with a pencil.

First, like the pencil everything I do will always leave a mark…Mark that changes lives of people around me. As a trainer the knowledge and skills I instill with my participants will make or break them. I think I will be remembered with all the positive things I impart everyday. So from time to time I’ve gotta’ have my time check… am I livin’ a worthy life or just letting it passed by? How about you? Have you ever wondered, what mark are you going to leave when you depart this life?
Second, similar to a pencil, I can always correct the mistakes I make. I can always use the other side of the pencil and erase the unwanted mark I made. I am not afraid to apologize and reorganize things. I am not perfect as anybody in this room right now. I can say “I’m sorry” if I’ve done something wrong. Believe it or not, it didn’t bother me at all. If I’m wrong… I’m wrong… no justification needed… no need to hide behind reasons. What I do is to give my sincerest apology and try to mend things. Believe me, it will lessen the pain and will make situation easier. If only people around us will learn this…

Third, what is important is what is inside of me … The pencil is worthless without its lead. Just like the pencil no matter what trademark I wear or how expensive my jewelries are, it is not incomparable with what is inside of me… my personality…my character. It is the mark that I will leave to you.

Fourth, just like the pencil, I will undergo painful sharpening which will make me a better person. Living life is not always a bliss. Sometimes, we’re so engrossed with the things that are happening to us - forgetting that we are heading the wrong direction. In these times we need other people to sharpen us up. It will surely hurt, but pencils can never give its magnificence without experiencing the sharp blades. Critics are not always bad, actually we need them to see different angle on which we fail to see. I didn’t say that you entrust your life to them. But at least take a few steps back to see things for yourself. However, we should be attentive between the critics and gossipers. They are not in any way similar with each other. No one said that honing is easy but one should experience it to shape a better you.
Lastly, and probably the most important is to be the best pencil I can be. I must allow myself to be held and guided by the hand that holds me…Our GOD The Father.
We can never go wrong with Him. I’ve notice that people nowadays are so absorbed with material things. Why are we allowing ourselves to be seized by the earthly things? Isn’t it nice if our God is the one in control? Just try to give it a thought. Maybe, it is the reason why we are not happy in spite of the huge success we are receiving.

We are like pencils… we are responsible for whatever mark we made with our lives. How about you what mark are you leaving?

3 Meetings in One Month on April

2009-03-21T13:46:00.003+08:00

Because we are a special club, we will have a special meeting on April 2. To accommodate all requests for speaking schedules, we have scheduled this meeting to be a marathon of 6 prepared speakers. Each speaker will, of course, be evaluated. To manage the time, we will limit our agenda for the night. There will be no Table Topic segment, and no language evaluation. Speakers will be timed, and their language crutches counted, but there will be no time and ah-count reports during the meeting.

The meeting dates for April are:
April 2, 16, 30

Same time: 7 PM. Same place: Function Room A, Penthouse, Makati Stock Exchange along Ayala Ave.

Please tell other members and your expected guests about this change of schedule.

Another special meeting is scheduled for June.

Eager Speakers at BnT

2009-03-21T13:13:00.010+08:00

by Gege Sugue

"The culture has changed." BnT Vice President Ed Ebreo says it best when he talks about a shift in BnT. Previously, members had to be forced to deliver speeches. And the VP Education's worst fear was having zero prepared speakers in a meeting.

We must be doing something right, because that has changed. Gone are those days when officers had to bribe, coerce, emotionally blackmail members to speak. Now, it's a fight for the mic. Members and even guests are scampering to grab a speaking slot. Some, sadly, have to be turned away to give way to other speakers. New members are signing up with an eye on a date for an icebreaker speech. We are booked up to June, Ed Ebreo says with a mix of exasperation and glee.

Add to this the fact that BnT's membership roster is at a record high with 32 members. Sorry if we sound like we're bragging.

It's a happy problem, but a problem nonetheless that has to be addressed.

Here are some creative solutions that we came up with:
- Quarterly special meetings (Read the next post.)
- Club hopping (Ask Alvin and Gege about this.)
- Short term and long term scheduling (Check out Ed's multi-color rainbow MS Excel file of the Meeting Roles Schedule)
- Scheduled speakers to advise VP Ed of cancellations at least 1 week before the meeting
- Back up members to be ready to take over canceled slots.
- Speech Carnival (What is this? Let's wait for Ed's announcement.)

Inasmuch as increased membership is helping us with our goals and adding some badly needed funds into our coffers, we also recognize that this brings on more challenges. Our members pay for this club to help them in their personal and professional goals. As officers, we have the responsibility to help them with these goals while ensuring that the quality of meetings don't suffer. Implementing the solutions listed above will help us face the challenges.

We need everyone's cooperation to make it happen.

As always, our cry is Make the Most of Butter N' Toast!

AIM Takes a Bite of Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club

2009-03-21T11:36:00.004+08:00

The Meralco Room was again the venue for a Toastmasters demo meeting. Thanks to the invitation of new toasties, Sheila Abalajen and Joanna Capareda, both AIM students.

BnT Treasurer Sheila dela Cruz again rose above the call of duty by taking the last-minute challenge to be TM of the PM. Of course, she handled the hosting like a pro, as if she had been preparing for this for weeks.

TM Ton Villanueva made his debut as Table Topic Master. His questions were challenging, thought provoking, and focused on the theme -- Mentor, Evaluator. Speech champion Boom San Agustin, VP Ed Ebreo, and AIM student Samid Ghosh all took the impromptu speech challenge.

New toastie Alice Bagadiong delivered her icebreaker speech. She wowed us with her poise and confidence as she talked about her father as the most influential person in her life. Demi, er, Dianne Tang regaled us with stories of her bad hair childhood. The last prepared speaker of the evening, Alvin Abrantes, had us reflecting on life by using the metaphor of a pencil. He said that like pencils, 1) we make our mark, 2) we can erase mistakes, 3) it's what's is inside that matters, 4) we need to be sharpened, and 5) we depend on Him who holds and moves us.
It was again a night for great speeches.

General Evaluator and Diamond Toastmaster JJ Letargo took over the stage and led the evaluators. BnT mentor and member Jazz Encarnacion shared her insightful evaluation of the table topic speakers. Toasties Boom San Agustin and Pat Pascua, as well as guest Carmel Valencia, evaluated the prepared speakers in their usual contest-winning fashion. Props go to our tecnical evaluators, Jun Roy, Joanne Capareda, and Mark Sta. Maria.

We missed our usual pansit dinner, but the sumptuous feast arranged by our hosts more than made up for it.

By the end of the meeting, we had sufficiently convinced two people of the worth of becoming a Toastmaster. Welcome to our new members, Russel Roxas and Cian Palami. To see the rest of the photos, click here.

Toastmasters Speech No. 2 " Ant Philosophy"

2009-03-20T13:33:00.002+08:00

By Alvin Abrantes

“Have you ever observed how ants work? I have.”

I think everybody should study ants.

Ants are tiny, hardworking creatures, that we see crawling in line, sometimes even carrying tiny pieces of food particles that are bigger than they are!
We can definitely see them everywhere, and once bitten, there’s this urge to scratch that part of our body to soothe the pain.
But…

Do you know that we can learn so many things from these tiny creatures?
Let me share with you “The Ant Philosophy”, which came from world- famous speaker Jim Rohn.

The Ant philosophy is a very simple yet powerful concept.
They have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here it is:
First, ants never quit. If they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them; they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, under, around! They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where you're supposed to go.

Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important perspective. You can't be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering their winter food in the middle of summer.

An ancient saying goes, "Don't build your house on the sand" Why do we need that advice? Because it is important to plan and think ahead. During summer, you've got to think storm. You've got to think rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun. Think ahead.
The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is also very important. During winter, ants remind themselves, "This won't last long; we'll soon be out of here." And the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll dive back down, but then they come out the first warm day. They can't wait to get out.

And here's the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during summer to prepare for winter? All that he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-that-you-possibly-can" philosophy.
I have embraced the ant philosophy. Whenever I encounter a cold day in my life, I always consider it as a challenge. I always handle it positively. When I was diagnosed with GBS, my character was tested. But just like the ant, I did not give up, I was very positive that I can overcome my condition, I defied my doctors that leads me to where I am right now.

In a nutshell, like the ants…

• We should never quit looking for a way to reach where we’re supposed to, or want to go.
• It is important to plan and think ahead
• Stay positive at all times
• Do all you can & more

Friends, let’s learn from the wisdom of the ants.

Toastmasters Ice Breaker Speech: "I Can"

2009-03-18T13:28:00.001+08:00

By Alvin Abrantes

Henry Ford, once said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right!”

Good evening, everyone! I’m Alvin Abrantes, and, I’m here to share with you the incident that changed my life.

The year was 2005; I was at the peak of my career as the youngest regional manager for a financial company, and at the same time, a candidate for a position of Assistant Vice-President. Personally and professionally, everything was so smooth for me. I have a pretty, loving, & supportive wife and two wonderful kids, plus a very stable and financially rewarding career.

Until the unimaginable happened. I experienced the unexpected.

At first, I thought it was just a simple case of stress due to over-work, I felt so weak for several days until, I got paralyzed from neck down. Because of my condition, I wasn't able to walk alone, stand alone, and eat alone. I can’t even hold a pen to write some notes. In short, I was a good for nothing individual.

I was confined at a very good hospital. The medical specialists who attended to my condition are the best in the industry. However, even if they are the best, it took them several days and several medical examinations to confirm what happened to me.

I was diagnosed of a rare disease called Guillain Barre Syndrome. Guillain-Barré syndrome is a non-communicable disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system.

In simple terms, my own system tried to kill “itself” slowly.

The syndrome is rare and with no known cure, but therapies can lessen the severity of the illness and accelerate the recovery in most patients.
My doctors told me that, we have to take this as patiently as possible, and recovery usually takes weeks, even months or sometimes years.

After hearing the doctor’s prognosis. I tried to accept my condition as calmly as possible, but deep inside I felt it was the end for me.

It was during these very trying times that I felt the love of my family, relatives, & friends. They were there to cheer me up, they motivated me and told me that it was not the end of the world for me; some even went out of their way just to check my condition.

With my health condition, I resigned from my job to focus on my therapy and recovery.

My wife, who worked as human resources specialists at that time, took a leave of absence from her work to take good care of me.

The High cost of medicines and hospital bills ate my savings. Just to save money, my wife and I cancelled the 3rd birthday celebration of our son, and some other activities.

My therapy went well, but I felt that it was not enough; I know doctors can only do so much and I have to help myself, after realising the immeasurable love I have for my wife and kids. I decided to disobey my doctor’s orders.

With lots prayers and so much faith, I did the unexpected.

With the help of my wife, I tried to walk little by little until I can jog and run, then, I tried lifting lightweights until I can lift heavier weights.

Little by little, I recovered; little by little, I started to gain weight, but now, as you can see I am over-weight.

Like an eagle soaring in the sky, I have overcome this test in my life.

Now I believe. Now I know. I can!

With the blessings of our LORD, I can overcome pain, failure, rejection, humiliation and any uncertainties ahead of me.

The decisions and actions I took before when I was down, and, those that I will take today will definitely affect my future. I am fully aware that the future is an unraveling mystery, constantly revealed by how we live our lives in the present. It is my prayer that my decisions and actions will be a living testimony to strength & beauty of my character.

I can!

How about you?

Toastmaster Mentors , Our Mission is to Encourage

2009-03-16T13:00:00.001+08:00

When you join Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club, you are expected to live by our mission as Toastmasters, and that is to encourage members to continuously improve their communication and leadership skills.

When new members join the club, they are both excited and afraid; some more afraid than others. Without the technical and moral support of a mentor, they may be overwhelmed by fear and fail to deliver. This is not what we want. What we want is for new members to gather enough strength and skills to deliver their speeches the soonest, and recoup their investment.

In order for this to happen, Butter N Toast Mentors must become effective "encouragers". What does it take to be one?

1.Believe in the abilities of their protégés - It's difficult to encourage someone when you don't believe in her ability to succeed. A good mentor believes that with the right amount of coaching and encouraging, success is achievable. A mentor looks at the protégé and sees a diamond in the rough. A mentor works to have the protégé see that with some polishing, her diamond will shine.
2.Be enthusiastic about the protégé’s prospect of success. True blue mentors, don't see mentoring as a chore but as an exciting adventure towards helping another person discover his full potential. He is excited by it. That's why he is concerned when a protégé misses opportunities to deliver a speech or play a role in club meetings. When the protégé becomes remiss in his Toastmasters duties, the mentor seeks him out and encourages him to get back on track.
3. Be Interested in producing new mentors. John Maxwell in his 5 Levels of leadership model talked about Level 4 leaders - leaders who produce new leaders. I believe the same is true with good mentors. They produce new mentors by showing new members the way and modelling the right mentoring behaviors. Like a Jedi master to a pad wan who eventually becomes a Jedi Master himself.

As BNT grows and new members come in, we need more mentors who are capable not only to teach but most of all, to encourage new members to get started and work their way towards becoming successful. We encourage everyone to take this role and take it to new heights. We can do it because we have what it takes to be mentors and encouragers.

Toastmaster Mentors Just Do It

2009-03-15T13:00:00.001+08:00

by Gege C. Sugue

I don’t think anyone will argue about the merits of mentorship. We believe in its value. We believe in its role in success. Here at Butter N Toast Toastmasters Club, we count on our mentorship program to help individuals and our club achieve goals. But believing, valuing, and planning are not going to accomplish much for us is if we don’t actually do it.

Because everything we do in our club is done voluntarily, we don’t really gain much from the title of Mentor. No fame, no fortune, not even a resume mention. The reward then is in actually doing it. The compensation is in the action. Here are 5 concrete things that can help you be a mentor of action:

1.Develop a relationship with your protégé. – If you’re going to reach out to your mentor only when he or she is up for a speech, chances are you’re going to forget your role as a mentor. Be proactive. As soon as you’re assigned, take your protégé’s contact details and meet him or her for coffee to start the bonding process. Be a coach and a friend to your protégé who just might be feeling overwhelmed by being a newbie in a club.

2.Find out your protégé’s needs. - First, ask your protégé to fill out the Member Profile role. Your protégé’s responses will help you what you need to prioritize in her development as a communicator and as a leader. Knowing how she can use Toastmasters in her career, activities, and personal life will help you know how best to mentor her.

3.Track your protégé’s progress. – And be the active, constant push to get her moving to the next achievement.

4.Lead by example. – Deliver speeches. Play meeting roles. Come on time. Take on challenges and leadership role when called upon to do so. Be a good picture of an exemplary member.

5.Don’t wait. Start now. – Author and speaker Peter Nivio Zarlenga says it well, “To begin, begin.”

Triple Win for Boom San Agustin

2009-03-14T19:19:00.001+08:00

BNT's pride, Boom San Agustin, added three more pieces to his hardware collection last February 21 at the Area 16 Speech Contest in Makati.
It didn't start out too well, as his fellow contestants couldn't make it to the event due to various circumstances, leaving him with literally no competition. We assure you that Boom had nothing to do with that.
First in the agenda was the highly competitive Table Topics Contest, with a mind-blowing grand total of one contestant. Despite that fact, he didn't take the contest lightly as he tackled the topic with the seriousness of a true competitor. The judges had a tough time tallying their votes.

After the first contest was officially closed, out of nowhere, Boom came up with the idea of competing in the Humorous Speech Contest. Was it because he thought that by simply showing up and completing the minimum time requirement, it was his for the taking? He would have had another round of self-competition if it wasn't for Raju Mandhyan from Executive Toastmasters Club, who also decided to participate at the very last minute. After consulting the Chief Judge and everyone else in the room, both contestants were deemed eligible to compete, and the match was on. Both warriors had to put together a humorous speech in less than 20 minutes. Amazingly, they both did!
In the International Speech Contest, Raju decided to challenge him once again. For this contest, Boom has been playing and replaying his speech in his mind for months, perhaps years, and it was evident. The delivery was silky smooth. The content was rich. The emotional impact was undeniable.
Three hours, three contests, three medals. Three cheers for Boom!

The Toastmaster Mentor as A Teacher - A Job Description

2009-03-14T19:11:00.004+08:00

by Gege C. Sugue

Yes, it’s a job. It does not pay much, er, at BnT TMC it pays zero, but the rewards are priceless. Mentorship is more than just doing the rah-rah cry and the good-job shoulder pat. It is also about imparting information. It is about equipping your protégé with the tools necessary for Toastmasters success. Someone once said, "A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary." Become unnecessary by educating, encouraging, and empowering your protégé to soar. Here’s the Job Description:

Position: Mentor, Teacher
Reports to: Vice President for Education
Position description:
The Mentor is responsible for providing a motivational atmosphere for the protégé to have the opportunity to fulfill his or her potential for growth in the Toastmasters organization. This person is responsible for organizing and implementing a program that will result in the protégé completing the basic communication and leadership manuals.

Primary Responsibilities:
•Communicating and working together with the protégé to ensure that protégé is actively engaged in meaningful learning experiences in the Club.
•Listening to the protégé to identify and meet his or her self development needs.
•Modeling ideal Toastmaster behaviour – delivering speeches, volunteering and performing meeting roles, participating in activities that enhance leadership skills
•Ensuring that protégé is constantly growing and learning by monitoring and acknowledging achievement.
•Guiding protégé in finding information about Toastmasters, BnT TMC, the TM path to DTM, Meeting Roles, and DCP Goals.
•Giving honest and constructive feedback to encourage the protégé to learn and grow.

Practice! Practice! Practice! It's really not that hard.

2009-02-25T10:12:00.013+08:00

The Vice President for Education's job is one of the worst in the world. Okay, not as bad as this: but it's really hard. It's thankless and the pay is very low... oh wait, there is no pay. I can say that because I was once VP Ed. And being the President feels like a vacation after that VP Ed stint. You see, as Vice President for Education, you are in charge of putting together the program. Yes, every program. So, it's a regular 2-week cycle of preparation. And frustration.

Through the years, we have learned a few lessons and have improved our system, which now includes getting speaking commitments two weeks before the meeting. That means, while the current meeting is being held, we are filling in the spots for the next meeting. A pretty good system when things work out well.

But there are those weeks when a few days before the meeting Captain Murphy and his darn laws march in and mess things up. Slated speakers cancel. (Yes, if this is guilting YOU out, it should.) And the VP for Education scamper for alternatives. Of course, it's totally unfair to suddenly awaken some poor Toastie from his or her relaxed reverie to be pushed to deliver a (not-so) prepared speech. So, we end up with evenings with less than the ideal number of speakers. It's a waste too considering that we had to turn down other speakers in favor of those who reserved first.

Now, this is a long (and bitter) preamble to the real topic of this post. I really just want to share tips on preparing for your upcoming speech. It works around the excuse that you've been busy because the Assistant to the Regional Deputy Manager for Something Something is here in town and there is this gimongous convention and you've got so many reports and stuff and stuff and excuses excuses.

When you commit to speak two weeks from now, the first thing you do when you get home is to read about the speech project manual just before you sleep. Total time requirement: 5 minutes. And then you think of the best topic to match that project. You can do this in bed. You don't have to google. You don't have to go to the National Library to find a life-changing, earth-shaking topic. Pick from a personal experience: a recent success, a recent loss, a recent problem, a joke that had you snorting bubbles, a conversation you had with your boss, a conversation you didn't have with that officemate you're lusting after, a TV show, anything. And then build up from there. You don't even have to write your speech down yet. But spend your last waking minutes thinking about your topic. Hopefully you dream about it. And pray you wake up with a great idea concerning your speech.

The next day is when you write the speech. You can write it word by word. Or you can make an outline. Take some tips from how Boom does it. But really, you've got to do it as soon after you make the commitment. Before you start feeling scared. Or lazy. Or wishy washy. Or before that email comes announcing the Assistant Regional Deputy Manager for Something Something is coming and you find a convenient excuse. Just do it. And then shoot an email with your speech ideas to your mentor asking him/her for feedback. Do not do this a week before, a night before, or an hour before your speech. You're giving Captain Murphy too much to work with.

Now, it's 12 days to your speech and your speech has shaped up a bit. Don't wait for it to be perfect. Start practicing it. Try out the first few lines in your head. And then when you're alone, or even when you're not, start rehearsing it aloud. In the shower is the best place for this. Good acoustics. And you can imagine the sound of splashing water as the sound of applause. And the Assistant to the Regional Deputy Whatever won't bother you while you're in the shower. That's at least 12 shower practice rounds. Double if you shower twice a day. More if you're a neatfreak. That's a lot of time to perfect the speech. I also do it while driving. Anytime during your daily commute. Who cares about the other people in the bus? They might even find it entertaining.

If you do this, you deliver a natural-sounding but well-rehearsed speech. You get one step closer to your next norm. You don't stress yourself, your mentor, and the VP Ed out. And everyone is happy, including you. Most especially you.

Because the point is if you're thinking you need to clear a couple of hours from your busy schedule to practice, it's not going to happen. You need to find pockets of time to rehearse. So you need to incorporate it into your routine. You need to multi-task. You need to repeat your speech a number of times to make it sound natural. You need to creatively use your existing time, busy or not. It also takes commitment.

I say start the process as soon as you can. Because when you realize 1 week before the meeting that you haven't done anything, that is the time you realize you probably won't be ready for your speech. That is the time when you call/text/YM/email/smoke signal the Vice President for Education that you can't deliver your speech. And the VP Ed can start looking for a replacement.

I hope you, Toasties, know where this is coming from. The officers are all committed to make every meeting a fun, fulfilling learning experience. But it takes everyone's cooperation and commitment to make it fun and not-so-frustrating for the officers as well.

Okay, now I've just got to say this before I end my emotional tirade -- even if the VP Education Post is one of the most challenging posts, it was my favorite TM job. Really. At the end of the term, I felt that I've become more organized, more creative, more patient, more persevering, more connected to the club and to other people outside the club, more prayerful, more fulfilled. Practicing to be a better communicator and leader ceases in this post; it becomes real.

Every speech you deliver is not just an opportunity to tick off a speech project. It's also an opportunity to hone your time management and leadership skills. An opportunity to test your commitment and sense of responsiblity. It's an opportunity to be the best possible communicator you can be.

February 12 Photos. Theme: Mentor, Teacher

2009-02-20T21:41:00.004+08:00

Two icebreaker speeches that had the Toasties on their feet. Learning five languages in a 7 minutes. And lessons we can learn from ants. It was a great night for great speeches. Here are the photos to prove it: http://butterntoast.multiply.com/photos/album/13#

TOASTMASTERS SPEECH PROJECT NO. 6: THE CONTRADICTIONS AND CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PARENTING AND LEADING

2009-02-06T22:36:00.005+08:00

THE CONTRADICTIONS AND CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PARENTING AND LEADING BY JUAN M. ROY

Is there a connection between leading and parenting?

Well, that may sound like asking for the connection between a book and a towel. It’s obvious, isn’t it? I mean, it’s obvious that the connection is not clear.
Philosophically speaking, you can always find a connection between two elements if you just open your eyes to possibilities. The connections can range from the silly to profound, from subtle to glaring.

For me, the connection between leading and parenting lies either at the influence of one over the other or at the hard choices we make in becoming good in one or the other or both. I like to focus on the latter.

At times, I ask myself, “Which is more fulfilling and meaningful– being a leader or being a parent?” What destiny is worth pursuing, becoming a respected leader or a model parent?” Mentally, I think the choice is obvious and easy. It’s both. Reality bites though. And it bites hard. Living up to that choice which is really hard for me, and I guess for anyone, too. Finding the right balance between leading and parenting presents a sort of prisoner’s dilemma where making one compete or cooperate with the other is easier said than done.

There are many situations which show the creative, if not destructive, tension between leading and parenting. I like to share some from my own experiences.
One time, I promised my six-year old son, Justin, that I would go home early that night to help him in his assignment and to read to him his favorite story. But then, a situation in the office required me to render overtime such that I can’t fulfill anymore my promise to Justin. I talked to him over the phone and tried to explain as best as I could why Daddy can’t go home early that night. He cried instantly. I tried to explain further, but the more I tried, the more his cries grow painfully louder. Then, I heard him say, with obvious disappointment in his sobbing voice, “You don’t have time for me anymore, Daddy. This is not the first time… I’l just go and see Mom..” I didn’t know what to say next. It was like the whole of The Enterprise Center where I was working fell on me that very moment.

That incident compelled me to reflect about the choices I make, about the values I uphold. And as I did my reflections, I saw ironies and contradictions. Yet, I also saw some connections. Suddenly, the seemingly blurred lines connecting parenting and leadership became more visible. My son’s words, though it cut deep like a sharp knife, also served as a cat’s eye guiding my path as I drive in a dark highway.
There I was, trying my best to become a good leader at work. In some ways, I have succeeded in becoming a good leader, but in many ways I failed in my role as a father.

As a Toastmaster, I try to develop myself to become a good communicator. But this I ask: a good communicator to whom? Do I make my kids part of the Toastmaster’s equation? If I become a good communicator to others but not to my own children, what does that make of me?

As a training professional, I teach myself and others how to become good leaders at work. If I become a good teacher of leadership at work, but I fail to impart the leadership values to my kids, what does that make of me?

I have facilitated a lot of workshops, helping others develop their organizational and personal mission and vision. What about my own? Way back in college, when I, as an ardent student leader, wrote what is still now my personal mission statement. “To make a difference in the lives of others through the power of my words and my voice” But now I started to ask myself: who are these others? Are my kids part of my mission?

As a fellow, I try to be kind to others. I show them the best in me. I have been known and praised for being a master of diplomacy and patience when dealing with others. But how hard do I really try to show patience and genuine respect to my kids, especially when they become unruly?

As a trainer, I teach others about emotional bank account, encouraging them to make more valuable deposits than withdrawals in their relationships with others. But as a parent, do I really, consciously, try to take an accounting of the deposits I make to my children? Now I remember one writer who said, “Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.”

You see, I am not a perfect father. I cannot even say now that I am a good one. Only my sons can pass on that judgment. But it will be years from now, when they grow up and I grow old, when, either with a sense of regret, they will say “My Dad sucks; I wish I had another one” or with beaming smiles, they will boast, “Yeah, Dad’s cool and he rocks; I’m glad he’s my Dad.”

As I reflect on the connection between parenting and leading, I realize that I cannot be whole if I succeed in one but fails in the other. Their dichotomy is nothing but a self-made illusion. It’s like a natural cycle where each is connected to the other in a seamless flow. Now, it’s vividly clear to me than ever. Choosing between being a good parent or a good leader to others is the easiest one to make. The hardest, and only meaningful, choice is deciding to be good in both roles and finding the right way to live true to that decision. What is truly difficult, yet enriching and fulfilling, is making necessary compromises and sacrifices in each role but still managing to excel in both.

What my child taught me that fateful night is this: the true meaning of success has to be seen in the way I make a difference both in the lives of those I work with and those that I live with.
What about you?

Turn Your Audience's ZZZZZs into Awwws and Wows

2009-01-27T14:01:00.006+08:00

Do you get this reaction when you speak in front of an audience?

Then, it's time you become a Toastmaster.

Discover the most enjoyable way to become a better communicator and leader. Join us on February 12, 7pm, at the Function Room A, at the Penthouse of the Makati Stock Exchange Bldg.

The MSE Building is the low rise building beside the Philippine Stock Exchange Tower along Ayala Ave. This is walking distance from the Ayala Malls in Makati. There is a Starbucks Cafe at the ground floor. If you're driving your car to the venue, you may park at the Gabriela Silang Parking right across the Peninsula Manila. Enter through the Makati Ave. entrance.

Call/text Gege (917-8989694) to book a seat. E-mail gevouz@yahoo.com for more information.

How Our VP Public Relations Used Blogging to Promote the Club

2009-01-24T17:02:00.019+08:00

2AM. Since I wasn't able to attend Thursday's meeting, I checked this blog for updates. Because I am in the website design industry, my eyes are subconsciously trained to scan anything that has something to do with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). What immediately caught my attention was that something changed in my PageRank icon. This is what I saw.

Unbelieving and thinking that I might just be too sleepy, I pointed my cursor over the icon and found out that my eyes were not fooling me.

The site’s PageRank indeed climbed to PR4.

I was surprised because not many blogs easily reach PageRank 4. PageRank algorithm is logarithmic which means that achieving PR4 from PR3 is much harder to get than going from PR2 to PR3.

Checking the site’s traffic profile surprised me even more when I saw all indicators were up with a whopping 33-fold increase in visitors over the last three months.

That means that if an average of one person visited our site each day last November, we would have an average of 33 visitors per day as of this writing. SEO is beyond the scope of this blog so I’ll spare you the details.

Anyway, I totally forgot I was ready to doze off and I recalled a post-meeting chitchat in Starbucks last October. Our VP for Public Relations, Ed Ebreo, first mentioned the idea of promoting the club through aggressive blogging and site optimization and asked for at least 3 people to join his blogging team. A week later, the ButterNToast Blogging Team was born; that included me!

And there started all the blogging and the link building campaign. One time Ed experimented on dynamic meta elements and titles, which led to the corruption of the template, which left him with no choice but to reinstall the template and all widgets. ;) He really worked hard to make this blog site more effective. And his hard work paid off; the site started picking up visitors. Kudos to Ed.

Do you now see the potential of promoting the club through blogging? I guess not even Toastmasters International knows it. Website and blogging are not on the list of “17 Ideas on How and Where to Promote Toastmasters” found in the TI site. I suggest to Ed to now do the honor of emailing the TI guys with the subject “What Works for Us”. After all, they have this to say at the end of the article.

“Do you have any good tips for promoting clubs? E-mail your story to us and it could be published on this Web site. Send it to letters@toastmasters.org (subject: What Works for Us).”

:owenbraveheart

An Awesome BnT Toastmasters Club Year Starter

2009-01-15T11:43:00.002+08:00

by Jun Roy

Anything but boring. Wacky and fun. That’s how guests usually describe BNT meetings. BNT’s first meeting in 2009 last January 8 was no different. And if there’s another way to describe it, Ed’s fave word that night could have easily ended up as a runaway winner. Yes, it was awesome!

It was a full house with 15 members and 9 guests who attended the meeting. Three committed to join the club and pay the membership dues. With a theme, I Find Ways, the program, ably hosted by CC Boom San Agustin, started with the members and guests taking turns in introducing themselves. To add a little twist, Boom also asked us to also complete the phrase I Find Ways to say something about ourselves. Short, simple yet creative – a dish of BnT’s brand of creativity, served ala carte.

Then there’s the prepared speech portion. Three able speakers with three riveting topics that kept the audience glued to their seats.

The first speaker, Alvin Abrantes, delivered his Ice Breaker speech. Being a Trainer by profession, Alvin is obviously not a novice in public speaking. The title of his speech, I Can, aptly described his message. He shared a defining moment in his life when he was diagnosed with a rare disease called Guillain Barre Syndrome, a non-communicable disease which paralyzed him from neck down. His I Can speech eloquently conveyed his ordeal and arduous but inspiring journey from his paralysis to his full recovery - a triumph of both body and spirit.

How can an old notebook shape one’s future? How can some pieces of cardboard help one to think of bigger and bolder dreams? Fuzzy as they sound, the questions posed by TM Judith Jarabello in her introduction captured our attention. As she went on delivering her speech, the message became clearer. It’s not about notebooks and cardboards, after all. It’s about taking charge of one’s future. Yet, as Judith passionately shared, her notebook and cardboards helped her concretize her dreams for her future. Writing one’s goals, according to Judith, is a powerful symbol of commitment. And even if the title of her speech, You Want A Bright Future? Set Your Goals Now, doesn’t say it, “Write Your Goals” seems to be what she always wanted to add.

The title itself, Awesomeness, is, well, awesome. Being a TM can be awesome, ACB Ed Ebreo repeatedly said. He undoubtedly hit his mark – that is, to uplift our spirit with his awesome speech. He shared with us fours ways to become an Awesome Toastmaster: 1.) Be hungry for learning; 2.) Be brave; 3.) Be a leader; and 4.) Be here. His speech was an exhortation, but it was effective for he was able to connect to us. Despite the seriousness of his speech, Ed he managed to create some HahaHa moments with his good humor. “Don’t aim for becoming an Advanced TM of PM Gold, or Advanced Timer, or Distinguished Ah Counter.” Ed’s words resonated well with the audience with their humorous yet striking effect.

Instead of the usual Table Topics portion, BnT found a way to make the session a little different. DTM Michelle Lim, the club’s Charter President, facilitated a special segment with a topic, Moments of Truth. As she clarified it, the segment wasn’t a speech, but more like a workshop. And it was. The audience was divided into six groups. Each group was asked to rate the level of satisfaction for each key touch point in the life of a member and then to come up with suggestions on how to improve each touch point. True to its title, it was a highly engaging, productive, and yes, a special, segment.

With the fun, learning, and a number of guests who committed to join the club, the future seems to augur well for BNT. Definitely, BnT will again find ways to make its next meeting a worthwhile one.

BnT's first Toastmasters Meeting: January 8 at the Makati Stock Exchange Bldg.

2009-01-03T17:02:00.000+08:00

The Toasties say: I Find New Ways
as they celebrate the value of INNOVATION.

Join us on January 8, 2009, Thursday at:
Function Room A, Penthouse
Makati Stock Exchange Building
Ayala Avenue, Makati

The meeting officially starts at 7PM, but the officers will be there by 6:30 PM to answer any questions you might have about the club.

Charter President and international speaker Michelle Lim will share an educational Moments of Truth speech.

Toasties, please pass on the link.

If you need further convincing, here are 3 good reasons why you need to become a Toastmaster. http://grammar-pulis.blogspot.com/2008/12/three-good-reasons-to-become.html

The Butter N Toast Toastmasters meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month.