Toastmasters Meeting - 4/10/2008

Today went Queenstown Community Center for Toastmaster Meeting...
I was appointed as the Test Speaker for the Event... By the way, I feel that the been the Test Speaker is very pitiful because u will have to be critise by 6 people that u dont know! haha...

When I reached there, i got a shock... It was held in Auditorium... I walked in... KAO!!! So many people!!!??? I became very nervous as I thought it was just another normal ToastMaster meeting, maybe with about 30-40people... There were at least 80-100 people in the Auditorium... Sianz...

But had already promised Michael & in additionally, thinking since I was going to speak, what would be the difference if it was 40 or 100 people... So closed 2 eyes & chiong...
But the feeling was the worst during the tea break, couldnt really enjoy the food... What a pity...

Then was my turn to perform.
I was called upon on stage & I jumped onto the stage & shook hand with the contest chair. But was called to come down again because I didnt have my mic on... haha... Somehow, i still felt calm... haha... Maybe due to my title "Stupid ME", such stuns came in just right! haha...

Got up the stage again... GO! GO! GO!
I opened my speech by asking "What was the stupidest thing have u ever done?" & Continued by saying mine was to leave the ATM forgetting to take the money... But i think I did not express it very clearly... haha... Oops... I knew that many of the audience had no idea what I was saying, but HACK CARE, just continued... haha...
I shared 2 incidents:
First Incident: Gal with Ice-Cream
2nd Incident: Gal at ATM

My timing was 5min 28sec.

Then it was time for the Evaluation Speakers.
Summary of Evaluations:
- 2nd story was too long, too draggy. May like to add in more varties of stories into the speech.
- More movements at the stage.
- Too nervous
- More effective in transitions
- Tendency to lean back when i speak
- to be more well-dressed
- Shorter pauses
- Make sure that Audience were clear of ur msg
- More vocal varties
- lastly, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

They also commented that my speech was simple, using simple English... Of course, my English standard isnt that high, i dont think I can even pronounce them properly... haha...

But to be frank, I feel that I also feel that I did not prepare myself sufficiently as more of my practice was done in silence... As for pauses.... I seriously had no idea... The only pause that I remembered was when near the end of the my speech. I was about to finish my speech & I hadnt seen the green light! Sianz... Then kicked in a few sentences that I back-up but didnt really practiced them before... Cause when I practiced by myself, most of the time was about 6-7min. Maybe due to nervousness, I spoke slightly faster this time, so caused the speech to be 5min ++ sec.

In general, I thought it was a very interesting exposure... Learnt alot that day... hehe...