The King and I

I've heard Harry Fong mention more than once how impressed he was when he saw the full production of the musical The King and I at District 75 Conference in Cebu when he was the Council Governor in Taiwan. Coincidentally, Incumbent IP Johnny Uy named the same show in his viewpoint "When 1+1=3" in Toastmaster Magazine February issue 2007.

Every Toastmaster knows it takes more than thirty hours of preparation for a three minutes speech in public. That's exactly what it took us to put on the belly dance show of three minutes and fifty-eight seconds at Legacy's 10th Anniversary Party, if not more.

Immediately after the Chinese New Year, Michelle proposed golden ladies clogging Toastmasters perform something exceptional and sensational at Legacy's 10th Anniversary Party. An intensive weekly training course was in place promptly. Trini, Irene, Michelle, and Sherry learned tap dancing for a while, but Kate and Lydia were beginners. It was hard for Kate and Lydia to catch up with the rest golden ladies technically and emotionally in the beginning. But their learning attitude prevailed.

Lydia volunteered to take charge of costumes. She went to different shops all over Taipei to look for the proper costumes and accessories. Finally we eyed upon dangling and dazzling handmade belly dance costumes in six different colors with matching veils. Lydia borrowed three tambourines from her church to add more acoustic effect to our dance. Wait a minute! Can you imagine how painstaking it was to settle upon what to wear under those two tiny pieces of stunning and striking costumes in order for golden ladies to cover their middle-aged bellies?

With the stage time approaching, every dancer became anxious and apprehensive. Some worried about the exposure of their bellies, some struggled with the steps, some forgot the dance sequence. Michelle was not sure if she could come back from her business trip abroad. Kate was preoccupied with her Peking Opera performance at the Convention Party Night. Irene mother suffered stroke the night before the show. It was simply chaotic!

On the night of ToMoDaChi, when the light dimmed, six dancers stood by one another. There was a moment of silence. It was the moment of camaraderie. No sooner than later, the more than familiar Arabian music started rolling in the air, every dancer squeezed every drop of the happy and fun time to emit the beauty, passion, and excitement of the belly dance show.

Be King Harry's Harem a production of much smaller scale than The King and I, I am proud that we did it, and I just couldn't help display that smug expression on my face. Golden ladies earned a sense of achievement, we learned new communication skills, dancing, acting, and smiling in public.

People stay in Toastmasters for different reasons. What are yours to stay? I stay in Toastmasters simply because there are many rivals I can emulate and I wish I could become as good as they are one day. Sherry

ToMoDaChi--Friendship & Fun

Dear Golden Ladies Clogging Dancers,

As Club President of Legacy Toastmasters Club, I feel truly grateful that all Golden Ladies Clogging Toastmasters came to present a brilliant performance in front of an audience of 160 members and guests at our 10th Anniversary.

Your performance became a very important part of our entertaining programme because 6 delegates from Kyoto Toastmasters Club were specially invited to come to celebrate our anniversary all the way from Japan. They are members of our sister club in Japan.

More importantly, the 1990 World Champion of Public Speaking David Brooks also made his presence in this important event of Legacy. My words are not sufficient to describe the impact of your show which became the splendid feature our celebration party.

On behalf of our Anniversary Team, I would like to express our thankfulness to all of you for the time and efforts put together to deliver such a wonderful show. The music, the dancing, the passion, the shining dresses, and most importantly the beautiful lady dancers were all combined to create a dramatic presentation on stage. It was a indeed an excellent demostration of teamwork by your members.

ToMoDaChi/Friendship was the theme of our 10th Anniversary, your participation was a great reflection of this valuable theme of the celebration. As you may know, they are many positive feedbacks received for the 10th Anniversary. Your great support is highly appreciated. My salute to you all.

Best regards,
Harry Fong ATM-S
Club President of Legacy TMC

Dress Rehearsal of King Harry's Harem

As Legacy Toastmasters Club's 10th anniversary is approaching, golden girls clogging Toastmasters meet more often to practice the sexy and sultry belly dance "Eyes Like Yours". It is our heartfelt wish that we could present an audiovisual sensation at the meaningful evening party, because Michelle is the Immediate Past President and Lydia is the better half of Harry Fong, the Incumbent President of Legacy Toastmasters Club.

Sunday morning, the 15th of April, I woke up early. On my way to the traditional market, how happy I was when I saw a street venture of fabric. Without any bargaining, I bought 10 yards of crimson satin, perfect for a Byzantineque style stage decoration for our belly dance. I thought and thought about the story of "Eyes Like Yours" for Master of Ceremonies to introduce us, and I came up with an impish idea to named our dance "King Harry's Harem".

The Dress Rehearsal Sunday evening was a success. The Past Presidents of Legacy Toastmasters Club were quite pleased with our dance program. Now, are you ready? Please follow me to unveil the ecstasy and bliss inside King Harry's Harem.

Light Off ~~

MC: Once upon a time, there lived King Harry
In his Kingdom of Legacy
King Harry enjoyed public speaking,
King Harry also enjoyed belly dancing.
Every evening after the Sun set,
In his grand and magnificent harem ....

Music On ~~

Green Fairy, Pink Fairy, Black Fairy walked into a huge suspended crimson satin tent. They shook their belly on the golden marble floor to begin the evening ritual. Blue Fairy, Princess Lydia, Purple Fairy joined their dance to bring the joyful spirit to the climax to celebrate the establishment of Legacy Kingdom on her tenth anniversary. Harry King took a bow and walked tall and happy surrounded by seven beautiful golden women.

The Cast:
Princess Lydia--Lydia Lin; Green Fairy--Sherry Li; Pink Fairy--Michelle Liu; Black Fairy--Kate Hsu; Blue Fairy--Irene Chen; Purple Fairy--Trini Ding; King Harry--Harry Fong; Stage Manager Linda Tseng

After dress rehearsal, we went to a nearby tea house for dinner. Lydia was shy to announce her 28th anniversary with Harry. So why waiting? Lyida gave Harry a sweet kiss, and Harry kissed Lydia back. It was a memorable evening for Lydia and Harry, as well as for members and friends of Legacy Toastmasters Club. Sherry

It Serves Every Purpose If You Name That Song

Another article Sherry urged us to read during yesterday's Group Reading for the theme of the Month "Humor" is "You Can't Go Wrong If You Name That Song." How true it is! A good song can be like a poem, but it has something more than a poem. It's not only skillfully written, and well versed, but also beautifully composed both in lyrics and melody. When we mention the name of the song to fill up a sentence, or to quote it as a metaphor, we get smiles, laughter and resonance back immediately. It's like magic.

Hence, its not unusual that many people often use the name of songs, to express their ideas or believes, especially among Toastmasters. Because a song can say a thousand words and it says through a beautiful melody, and because it helps others keep what he or she says in their memory long or forever, too.

This article reminded me of a speech I have been dreaming of doing it for many years, yet hasn't done due to the big task that involves lots of research. In order to turn a possible regret into a sweet "Memory", I made a promise in front of my golden girls that I am going to have it done before next spring.

Lastly I would like to conclude as a warm-up of my dream speech:

Following Sherry's "Bugle Call", we gathered at Jo's house and had a big reading fest there. The cuisine Jo prepared for us included a dish of "Jambalaya." When taking pictures, I said to all the girls that I wished to have "Eyes Like Yours." Everyone gave me their "Sweet, Sweet Smiles." The gathering ended after we rehearsed the last two dances. Sherry said, "have "Faith"", "with those colorful dangling dazzling belly dance costumes on us we will enjoy "Soldier's Joy" to kill the audience". Trini

Toastmasters Magazine Reading Gathering in April

Three Articles of Toastmasters Magazine March Issue:
1. Getting Comfy with Comedy P.10
2. Sweatig Out Stand-Up P.16
3. How to add Humor to any Speech P.22
Additional Reading: Moving from Toxic to Nourishing Humor P.14

Place: Jo Shih's beautiful European Style House

After having an unforgetable delicious Indonesia lunch at Jo's dining room, we spent 15 minutes looking around Jo's beautiful house. We started the sharing of our reading on Jo's comfortable sofa with English style coffee/tea and homemade cookies. The sun and breeze made the afternoon so easy and comfortable.

The reading class started with a question of Trini, how to find "Our own humor style", and ended by a question of Sherry, a new string of words "buh dum bum".

We learned new vocabulary and phrases like sitcom, laugh fest, straight man, canned jokes, va-va-room vouchers, seasoned comics. And the African proverb "The ax forgets. The tree remembers". We also shared many good sentences,

1. "The best material, seasoned comics will agree, comes from real life - your life. And your best presence on stage arises from your own distinct personality and unique experiences."
2. "A confident relaxed attitude is the first thing you need to master."
3. "All you want to do is share a funny, positive moment with your audience. If they laugh, terrific, if not, it isn't the end of the world"
4. "Chances are good that the type of stuff you laugh hardest at is the type of humor you'll be most comfortable delivering."

For next reading gathering, Sherry suggested each member find 5 favorite sentences from three assigned articles and we shall see which ones would be picked up by most members. Lydia

Luncheon of Laughter

Dear Golden Beauties,

Are you ready for April's reading gathering this Saturday afternoon, the 14th? I am happy that it is the first time we extend our reading activity to a fellow Toastmaster's house. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Jo Shih, the Incumbent President of China Toastmasters Club for her kind invitation of a wonderful luncheon at her house.

Three assigned articles are "Getting Comfy with Comedy, It's fun to be funny" by Lisa Mulcahy, "Sweating Out, Stand-up, There is no substitute for the stage time" by Patrick Mott, "How to Add Humor to Any Speech" by Joe Cooke, ACB. May I suggest each beauty prepare one or two jokes to make our luncheon full of laughter? There is a saying, "no matter how many tennis books we read, we need to put on the tennis shoes to play on the court to become pros."

Just in case, you still have extra time, I urge you to read one more article, "Moving from Toxic to Nourishing Humor" by Dr. Joel Goodman. In my opinion, it's a well written--the best--article in March issue. Dr. Goodman applies many rules of three in his article. Just by reading the first, second, and third paragraphs, you will know what I mean.

In the First Paragraph, "...(1) to tell the difference between constructive and destructive humor, (2) between humor that helps and humor that hurts, (3) between laughing with others and laughter at others...";

In the Second Paragraph, "(1)Humor... can build up or cut down,...(2) maximize the positive and to minimize the negative impacts of humor....(3) humor that works for you and humor that works against you...";

In the third paragraph, of course, the know-how of three steps. Sherry

One Thousand and One Nights (Persian: هزار و یک شب‎)

I enjoy reading stories, I enjoy listening to stories, and I enjoy telling stories. On Legacy's 10th anniversary party, I'll tell you a story with my feet. It's a love story between a handsome man and a beautiful woman. The story is called "Eyes like Yours", and I am going to tell it to a great audience with my golden girls clogging Toastmasters.

Being the Persian Queen, Scheherazade told stories night in and night out to her beloved Shah, Shahryar. She did not end the story, so that the king would keep her alive in order to hear the end of the tale. The next night, as soon as she finished the tale, she began (and only began) another. So it went for 1001 nights.

Scheherazade told several famous stories like, Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor. She is beloved by the old and young alike. I wish someday I could become a story teller like her. Are you all ears to "Eyes like Yours" by Shakira?

"Oh, you know I have seen a sky without sun, a man with no nation, saints captive in chains, a song with no name. For lack of imagination, he I have seen darker than ebony. Ya he Ya he Ya la he! And now it seems, that I, without your eyes could never be. My one desire, all I aspire is in your eyes forever to live.

Traveled all over the seven oceans, there is nothing that I wouldn't give, came from Bahrein, got to Beirut. Looking for someone comparing to you, tearing down windows and doors, and I could not find eyes like yours. Oh, You know I seen a woman of means in rags and begging for pleasure, crossed a river of salt, just after I rode a ship that's sunk in the desert."

rabboussamai fikarrajaii
fi ainaiha aralhayati
ati ilaika min haza lkaaouni
arjouka labbi labbi nidai

I still remember the late evening I arrived at Holiday Inn in Lahore ten years ago. I was mesmerized by the fancy Arabian dress of the doorkeeper. I couldn't believe my eyes that I was in the Persian world of fantasy in person. The two weeks business trip was etched in my mind. There was a real world of 1001 nights.

In less than a month, I am going to put on the dazzling dress for the first time to feel what it would be like to be Queen Scheherazade telling her stories to King Shahryar. I need to polish my clogging shoes to get ready for Legacy's 10th Anniversary Evening. I can't ask for more nights, because it is the one and only Night on April the 20th!

One Thousand and One Nights (Persian: هزار و یک شب‎)

I enjoy reading stories, I enjoy listening to stories, and I enjoy telling stories. On Legacy's 10th anniversary party, I'll tell you a story with my feet. It's a love story between a handsome man and a beautiful woman. The story is called "Eyes like Yours", and I am going to tell it to a great audience with my golden girls clogging Toastmasters.

Being the Persian Queen, Scheherazade (Persian: شهرزاد Šahrzād) told stories night in and night out to her beloved Shah, Shahryar (Persian:شهريار Šahryār). She did not end the story, so that the king would keep her alive in order to hear the end of the tale. The next night, as soon as she finished the tale, she began (and only began) another. So it went for 1001 nights.

Scheherazade told several famous stories like, Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor. She is beloved by the old and young alike. I wish someday I could become a story teller like her. Are you all ears to "Eyes like Yours" by Shakira?

"Oh, you know I have seen a sky without sun, a man with no nation, saints captive in chains, a song with no name. For lack of imagination, he I have seen darker than ebony. Ya he Ya he Ya la he! And now it seems, that I, without your eyes could never be. My one desire, all I aspire is in your eyes forever to live.

Traveled all over the seven oceans, there is nothing that I wouldn't give, came from Bahrein, got to Beirut. Looking for someone comparing to you, tearing down windows and doors, and I could not find eyes like yours. Oh, You know I seen a woman of means in rags and begging for pleasure, crossed a river of salt, just after I rode a ship that's sunk in the desert."

rabboussamai fikarrajaii
fi ainaiha aralhayati
ati ilaika min haza lkaaouni
arjouka labbi labbi nidai

I still remember the late evening I arrived at Holiday Inn in Lahore ten years ago. I was mesmerized by the fancy Arabian dress of the doorkeeper. I couldn't believe my eyes that I was in the Persian world of fantasy in person. The two weeks business trip was etched in my mind. There was a real world of 1001 nights.


In less than a month, I am going to put on the dazzling dress for the first time to feel what it would be like to be Queen Scheherazade telling her stories to King Shahryar. I need to polish my clogging shoes to get ready for Legacy's 10th Anniversary Evening. I can't ask for more nights, because it is the one and only Night on April the 20th! Sherry

Toastmasters Magazine Reading Gathering in March

After several times of rescheduling and changing of restaurants, we finally made our monthly gathering yesterday, the 31st of March. Gladly, six out of seven made it and we we had quality time at 麻布茶坊 enjoying gourmet food and sharing our reflections on Toastmasters magazine February issue from 12:00 pm to 14:30pm.

It seems that time was too short for us to bring up all our questions and share our reflections on the three articles we chose. Yet, thinking that we all had read it and given it a deep thought, it was still a very enlightening program as we expected. To keep track of every our delightful and intellectual gathering, I would like to jog down the conclusion we made within less-than-an-hour's sharing:

Michelle: Evaluation requires recommendation plus encouragement. If we couldn't find anything in the speaker's speech at first, still remember to be positive and look for their assets/strengths to encourage before giving your recommendations to the speaker.

Linda: We have to listen attentively in order to understand the speaker better and give more constructive and meaningful suggestions.

Irene: Self evaluation is a way to ensure constant improvement.

Lydia: Absorb and support everyone's reflection, didn't get her turn to speak up due to the limited time. Next time we will let her to express her reflection first.

Sherry: Enjoy very much the article "3 points to keep your evaluation on target" written by Shelia Spencer, DTM, and further elaborate the expression "to distinguish between objective observation and subjective interpretation of what we see and hear." She challenged us all a question, too, "how should the advanced speaker react when being challenged?"

Trini: We need to bear in mind what DTM Shelia Spencer said, "we use our minds to fomulate recommendations that address what is necessary. We use our hearts to provide encouragement and sustain the kind and supportive environment that nurtures us all." From Trini's personal experience of being kicked many times, we can comfort ourselves with a sentence in the article "Do you Dread Receiving an Evaluation?" written by James Clark, DTM on page 13 last paragraph, when being evaluated unprofessionally, "all of us from time to time can expect to feel some sting from feedback. Such is life. ...We benefit by developing a thicker skin ...."

To avoid the trouble trying to fit our gathering in everyone's schedule, we decided to fix 4/14 for next gathering on spot, and that's final. We will have longer time for everyone to share her reflections on the articles we chose as we are invited by Jo Shih, the President of China Toastmasters Club's President, to her sweet home for lunch. It's scheduled from 12:30 to 17:00 pm including clogging practice. We may stay longer if necessary. How exciting! Trini