26.08.2010 - Umar is 1!

Alhamdulillah, Umar is one on Thursday. Time really flies. He was born early Ramadhan last year, and he turns one in the middle of Ramadhan this year.

 

Not much of a celebration on Thursday night, just a small gathering and we shared the small cake bought from Jusco.

 

I pray that all my children would grow healthy and bright.

Dan mendengar kata.

 

Happy Birthday, Umar.

We love you.

TI is closer to home

Not only the local club I'm joining is close by my house, the First Vice-President is also closer to home.

Congratulations to Sarawakian John Lau for the appointment.

 

***

Quoted from The Star, today:

 

S'wak politician does Malaysia proud

KUALA LUMPUR: A politician from Sarawak, John Lau, has done Malaysia proud by being the first Asian to be elected to the coveted post of First Vice-President of Toastmasters International. He is now in line to head the organisation in 2012.

Toastmasters International, established in 1924 with members in 113 countries, specialises in communications and leadership skills development and has so far groomed and helped four million people.

Lau, a supreme council member of the PPP and a businessman, has been a toastmaster for 20 years and has held many posts in the organisation before his election.

He said Friday that he was excited with his new role and would do his best to assist the organisation in further developing and grooming future leaders worldwide.

He added that he would also help project Malaysia's positive image abroad. - Bernama

DFP 2010/2011

I received the latest MPO concert brochure in my snail mailbox yesterday (okay, I'm not that green).

 

Flipping through, a few that caught my interest:

Amir Yussof - 21st Feb 2011 (Mon)

Reza Salleh - 27th June 2011 (Mon)

Age of Elegance Baroque Bon-Bons (it features Pachelbel's Canon) - 21st & 22nd May 2011 (Sat & Sun) 

 

It'll be a huge effort on my side to attend. I'm really hoping to go for the AoE in May, though. Perhaps a musical date with the missus.

Hopefully there won't be a bike event clashing with that date.

:)

Finally, a CC

Last Thursday I've completed my 10th speech project for the TI's Competent Communication manual under its Communication Track. With it, I'm no more merely Toastmaster Akmal Hizam, but Competent Communicator Akmal Hizam. Quite a mouthful, but I'm happy with it. The rest of the club members and I would have to adapt to this, I would say. Amazingly, I'm the first member of Seri Alam Toastmasters Club to be a CC. There were two CCs back in the days of MMHE Toastmasters Club, but then we have evolved to be SATC since then.


Being a self-paced program, it actually took me more than 4 years to complete. Hehe... talk about procrastination... For the record, my first speech was on the 17th February 2006. Here's my timeline: 5 speeches in 2006, 2 in 2007, 1 in 2008, nothing in 2009, and 2 in 2010. Well, I'm like wine, perhaps.


So what's next? I'm forging on with the Advanced Communication Manual and be an ACB - Advanced Communicator Bronze. Take that, a much longer salutation! Wish me all the best, and lesser procrastination.

:D


Oh, and for the club, I hope that more would follow suit. This is just the beginning.


photo from TI website