New Year Resolutions 2013

While looking forward to the year of Snake, I'm very grateful to family and friends for the wonderful year of 2012! On New Year Eve, it's blissful to write up New Year's Resolutions before rushing to the countdown firework at Taipei 101.

I didn't know that Japanese reflect upon a check list of 15 items (seven flavors, five events, three encounters しちみ・ごえつ・さんえ) on New Year Eve until in December this year. Better late than never! I'm happy to follow the Japanese tradition to check the year of 2012 and to plan for year 2013!

The three encounters I could think of were Zhangjiajie (trip to China), Economics (a new subject of interest about global finance and economy), Sony Cyber-shot (a new digital camera DSC-WX1). Five events were 1. A Mandopop Concert in January; 2. The Silver Anniversary of Marriage in February; 3. Playback Theater debut in May; 4. Taipei Fringe Festival Debut in September; 5. Finalist of D67 Evaluation Contest in November. As for seven flavors, ups and downs in life, all I could think of is that I have a smooth year throughout the year.

In 2013, I'm determined to meet 3 interesting people (三會 さんえ), to initiate 5 meaningful events (五悅 ごえつ), to savor 7 flavors (七味 しちみ), seven tasty cafe's. As I grow one year older, my life journey is one year shorter. I shall be more conscious, proactive, ambitious about what I want to achieve in the year to come.

At 10:30PM, I decided to go to bed early with my husband, because of two parties on New Year Day. Even with a new camera in hand shooting panoramic images, I had cold feet to venture to Taipei 101 because of the extra cold weather and the traffic jam on New Year Eve.

Not being able to watch the Kouhaku music show (第63回 NHK紅白歌合戦) on NHK on New Year's Eve (no images on my satellite at home), it was hard for me to stay awake till 11 PM (Taiwanese time) Japan is one hour ahead of Taiwan. Even Toastmasters Trini Ding and Pamela Yang were waiting for me at JYT's Home near Taipei 101 at 12 midnight watching the fireworks of 2013, I was already somewhere dancing with many handsome young men in my sweet dream.

Year-end Karaoke Luncheon chez Linda’s

Toastmaster George Chang is an action taker. After our surprise encounter at Bitan on Christmas day, he called Veteran Toastmaster Linda Chu immediately and asked her to organize a karaoke gathering at her penthouse Friday afternoon, December 28th.

Linda is a cooking Toastmaster. She loves healthy food with vegetables, fruits, and beans. She has brand German cooking utensils in stock. I enjoy her natural recipes and her warm hospitality. It has been more than two years since I last visited Linda's penthouse with Toastmaster Joy Chyr in November 2010.

George was the first to arrive, I didn't know at what time,  followed by me at 1:15PM. Being a second-generation mainlander, I became the butt of their jokes when I spoke funny Taiwanese to their ears. Both Linda and George are the best two Taiwanese-speaking Toastmasters in District 67, how lucky I was to be caught between the two professors to correct my Taiwanese pronunciation. There is no doubt I have a huge room to improve my Taiwanese language and I'm determined to communicate more often with my husband in Taiwanese at home.

When Toastmaster Joy Chyr joined our gathering at 2:30PM, she was eager to share with me about her recent retirement in April and her idea of establishing a new business in life planning and personal development with some celebrity experts she adored in China. She showed me her i-pod full of CCTV videoclips of "Fall in Love 婚姻保衛戰" & "For You Only 非妳莫屬". I was very much inspired by Joy's energy and enthusiasm in pursuing new possibilities in life. And I wish her the best success in her new career.

Toastmaster Lydia Lin arrived after 3:30PM with a bag of cheese and ham sandwiches from a famous local shop and a box of spongy cake freshly baked from oven. George was happy to be surrounded by four senior lady Toastmasters and seized the opportunity to promote his humorous speeches in Taiwanese and showed us his talents in speaking Taiwanese of different areas in Taiwan.

At the year-end karaoke luncheon chez Linda's, I discovered the singing talents of George and Linda. In Toastmasters, many outstanding speakers are also superb singers, I guess they know how to inject emotions in their presentations, speaking or singing! I'm interested in pooling singing toastmasters talents together to build a singing club for Toastmasters of good voices in Taiwan. We can organize an annual charity concert to entertain Toastmasters and friends and to exchange ideas in singing with joy!

On Christmas Day 2012

When Jimmy called at 11 o'clock, I just finished watching the movie of "The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby" of 1978, based on the novel written by the Reverend Charles Kingsley. With a merry Christmas spirit, I accepted my dear brother's invitation for lunch on Christmas Day. I brought along a new Sony cybershot digital camera DSC-WX1, the Christmas gift 2012, from my husband.

On a working Christmas day, only a few tourists showed up at Bitan. It was blissful to enjoy the tranquility to walk along the Hsin-tien river in the sun. When Jimmy and I were about to order lunch, I saw a newly acquainted Chinese Music teacher walk in my way. I met Ms. Te-Yu Shih at a seminar on vocalization with er-hu (two strings Chinese instrument) at Taiwan Music Center Saturday morning, December 22nd. Ms. Shih has a beautiful voice and knows many folk songs of various regions in China. What a surprise to meet a acquaintance on Christmas day!

For lunch, I ordered Smoke Turkey & Bacon Pizza, Taiwanese Sausage, Blue Girl Beer, and Coca Cola for Jimmy and myself. Being the residents of Hsin-tien, we enjoyed a 10% discount for food and drinks at the eateries at the Bitan Food Arcade.

To my surprise, I saw a log-time no see Toastmaster friend George Chang walk by and I asked him to join us for coffee. George is a veteran Toastmaster with funny bones. He didn't waste time making my brother and me laugh when he was around. He talked about his versatile and colorful life journey in 50 plus countries and his mission in promoting the Taiwanese language.

After lunch, George, Jimmy, and I had a walk on Bitan bridge before we said goodbye. Jimmy was happy to ask George to come to his place for dinner one of these days! What a serendipity to run into Toastmaster George Chang, the Mr. Santa Claus, for a surprise encounter full of laughter on Christmas Day!

A Christmas Carol

Peter and Ruth of Red Room have been working on developing scripts for Radio Drama since their first production of "Open Your Ears" at the Taipei Fringe 2012. Their first radio broadcast "A Christmas Carol" will be on air on ICRT FM100 radio in Taipei, Taichung & Kaoshiung and much of the island of Taiwan. It will also stream at the same times.

Upon Ruth's invitation, I joined the group voice rehearsal of "A Christmas Carol" once in November. It was fun to read the famous novel of Charles Dickens, first published on 19 December 1843, about sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation from supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. After voice rehearsal, Ruth invited me to sing caroling to lift up the atmosphere at the monthly Red Room gathering Saturday evening, December 15th. Due to the time conflict with the welcome dinner party for Japanese Toastmasters on the same evening, I had to take a rain check. I'm delighted to listen to their recording on ICRT on Christmas Day to increase their ratings.

Red Room Radio Redux and Taiwan's English speaking radio station, ICRT, present a radio theater adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"  Three repeat broadcasts of this classic Christmas story starring voice actors from Taiwan, December 24 at 5:00 PM (Taiwan time) and December 25 at 8:00AM and 5:00PM (Taiwan time). 

A Christmas Working Saturday

While most people were busy working on this working Saturday, I enjoyed the special day all to myself to celebrate an extravagant quiet Christmas weekend.

After a fun and crazy red Xmas party with Toastmasters last night, I woke up just in time to an er-hu seminar at 10 o'clock at Taiwan Music Center this morning. At noon, I followed the organizer of er-hu exhibition for a tour of 30 minutes with a crowd of 20 participants before I went fetch my blue scarf which I left at the party venue.

On my way home, I decided to give me a treat to enjoy a Christmas lunch at Cowboys Steakhouse. While listening to Christmas carols played in the air, I had a full course, starting with a bowl of corn soup, a plate of fresh salad, followed by a sizzling plate of chicken and Italian fusilli, ended with a cup of espresso and many balls of Häagen-Dazs ice cream. Oh, my stomach was full!

While having the desserts, I  read "The Age of Turbulence:Adventures in a New World" by Alan Greenspan. It felt good to reminiscence good old holiday seasons in New Orleans three decades ago. In those days, I loved to drive around the residential area to see the shining Xmas trees in the living rooms and the exterior decorations at night!

Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight

Jingle Bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh

A day or two ago I thought I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank and then we got upsot

Now the ground is white, go it while you're young,
Take the girls tonight and sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bobtailed bay two forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh and crack! you'll take the lead.

After lunch, I spent a quiet afternoon at Taipei City Library for a couple of hours in Jingmei. I borrowed half a dozen new arrival books for me to read during the holiday weekend. In the evening, I had a bowl of red bean and peanut tangyuan which I missed on winter solstice yesterday evening. In Chinese thinking, after eating the auspicious tangyuan, I should be officially one year older.

Wow, in less than two weeks, it'll be 2013. I need to burn the midnight oil to finish the new year resolutions of 2012. Firstly, let me plan where to have a luxurious brunch tomorrow!

Hot Red X'mas Party on Mayan Doomsday

Among the visible spectrum, I like the colors of smaller wavelengths. During the X'mas seasons, my favorite one is none other than red. When Toastmaster Linda Tseng invited me to Excellence Toastmasters Club (TMC)'s X'mas Party, with the dress code of red, I was excited to put on a sexy Mrs. Santa Claus costume to add to the joyful X'mas atmosphere at Changee Friday evening, December 21st.

The moment I walked to the party venue, I saw a sea of people in red. I saw golden ladies Toastmasters. I saw two members from Grand TMC. I was particularly impressed by Linda's Fendi Motif skirt, not to mention her efforts to organize the party, prepare the food and drinks, rent the masquerade X'mas costumes single-handed! After a good dinner feast from 6:30PM till 7:30PM, the master of ceremonies announced the start of party time, including ice breaking time, bingo of Yoga, past presidents greetings time, and masquerade dance competition.

I was lucky to be called up to join the icebreaking time because of my extra short mini skirt. Before I introduced myself and my home club, I was requested to immerse my hands in a bowl of water full of ice cubes to pick up a box of chocolate to say greetings with the word on the box. What a cool way to celebrate Xmas!

Then every guest was given a piece of paper with a 3 by 3 grid. We first filled in with nine activities announced by the master of ceremonies, such as traveling, shopping, sleeping, mountain climbing. Then we were asked to make acquaintance with toastmasters and friends and filled in their names to match their favorite activities. I was lucky to win the bingo game and to mimic a yoga pose proposed by President Teresa Liu. Many thanks to Toastmaster Pamela Yang who took my place to illustrate a difficult yoga style voluntarily.

The past presidents greeting time was most touching. At least 10 past presidents of Excellence TMC showed up. They welcomed the members and guests singing X'mas caroling on stage. The most exciting moment was the masquerade dance competition. At admission, each participant wrote his or her name on the piece of color paper badge. I belonged to the pink group. Toastmaster Trini Ding volunteered to be the group leader to help dress up Toastmaster Scott Weaver as a hula dancer. We won the best dancer group.

In Toastmasters, people help people grow. In Toastmasters, I see many people grow. In 2003, I encouraged Toastmaster Michelle Liu to shoulder the responsibility of the President of Legacy TMC. In 2005, I met Toastmaster Linda Tseng, the incumbent President of Excellence TMC, who came to Grand TMC's 30th anniversary party. In 2012, Toastmaster Pamela Yang became the President of Galaxy TMC in July. She has been busy visiting toastmasters clubs in Taipei. It feels good to see Toastmasters friends grow old and wise with club members and friends.

Many congrats go to Toastmaster Linda Tseng and her club members for organizing a successful hot red X'mas party in 2012 on Mayan Apocalyptical Doomsday! I've always wanted to visit Excellence TMC after they moved to a more convenient new meeting venue in 2012. I shall definitely visit their club in 2013. It's going to be one of my new year resolutions of 2013.

3D Life of Pi

In Republic of China, a person is entitled to write a will at age of 16 (Civil Law Article 1186). That's the age of Pi when he encountered a shipwreck on his way to Canada from India with his family.

Life of Pi is a fantasy novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry, survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. In 2012 Ang Lee adapted the novel, directed and produced the film with a screenplay by David Magee. Ang Lee's Life of Pi, nominated for 9 Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture and Best Director.

I saw the 3D Life of Pi by Ang Lee by myself at 2:30PM at Vieshow Cinemas this afternoon. The movie theater was about two thirds full. Many thanks went to President May Hwang for giving me her corporate ticket coupon after Grand Finale 2012 yesterday evening.

The film stared with a 3D beautiful jungle. The film ended with a Bengal tiger walking into a jungle without looking back! In the middle of the film, Pi asked his girl dancer friend, "why there is a lotus flower in the jungle?"

Before I saw the movie, I watched Ang Lee's two interviews in Taiwan and in China for two hours in the morning. I knew what was on Ang Lee's mind to direct the film and what he expected the audience to experience the spiritual adventure in life of π (a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter).

Good or bad, it was the first time I saw a movie with a comprehensive background information and with an objective perspective. When Pi was drifting at sea, I felt no danger because I knew it was a gigantic swimming pool built for the movie at the old military airport in Taichung. I paid more attention to the facial expression and body movement of Pi. I was also tempted to see the aging of Pi from 16 to 20 (it took Ang Lee four years to finish the film), from a boy to a man, according to Ang Lee.

There were many bizarre things in the movie, such as the floating island. The fresh water in the day on the island turned into acidic at night to digest the animals caught. There was a human tooth entrapped in a flower. Being a biologist, I found it hard to believe.

But I did enjoy the 3D movie with a pair of awesome spectacles very much. In stead of seeing the 3D subtitles, I replied more upon my ears to understand the conversation and narration in English, than on my eyes to read the subtitles in Chinese.

After seeing the predominant male characters in the film, I can't help but wondering what if Pi was a girl. Was she able to go through the ordeal face to face with a Bengal tiger drifting on a boat in the Pacific Ocean for 227 days?

Now I have many plans for 2013, including a spiritual tour in India, a reading of original "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel, a visit of Taipei Zoo to see a beautiful Bengal tiger, a trial writing of an adventure story in a remote desolate star in the universe!

PS: The Value of Pi
Did you know that the ratio of the circumference and the diameter of a circle known as Pi (a value of 3.141592657932…) was first calculated by Hindus?
The Sanskrit text, by the famous Hindu mathematician, Baudhayana in his Baudhayana Sulbha Sutra of the 6th century BC mentions this ratio as approximately equal to 3. The Hindu mathematician, Aryabhatta, in 499 AD worked out the value of Pi to the fourth decimal place as [3x (177/1250) = 3.1416]. In 825 AD one Arab mathematician Mohammad Ibna Musa said: This value has been given by the Hindus [Indians] (62832/20,000 = 3.1416).

Grand Finale 2012

On my way to Grand Finale this evening, I overheard an intimate conversation between a father and his little daughter. At the traffic light, a motorcyclist father hummed "We wish you a Merry Xmas & Happy New Year" to a kindergarten girl who sat in front of him.

"Look at the traffic lights, red & green," the father said, "aren't they like the shining stars on a big Xmas tree?"

I felt so blissful waiting at the traffic light that I could overhear such a warm conversation. I looked up in the air, the traffic light shining in the sky. How touching it was for adults to say sweet words to their beloved little ones during Xmas holidays!

Eighteen people participated in Grand Finale 2012, including four guests. In order to add Xmas atmosphere, I spent two hours designing a Mrs. Santa Claus outfit for the evening. When I walked into the meeting venue, I saw a small Xmas tree on the table and many Halloween tinsels on the ceiling. What an auspicious mix and match of 聖誕 & 萬聖.

The last meeting of year 2012 started on time at 7PM sharp. Toastmaster of the Evening Yoland Wu was happy to announce that she also served the TME of Grand Finale 2011. Yes, we shall definitely reserve the privilege for her to be the TME of Grand Finale 2013.

Toastmaster Jimmy Wu was the joke master. He started the joke session by an English punctuation lesson to compare the following two sentences of the same words, but entirely different meanings. "A woman, without her man, is nothing." "A woman, without her, man is nothing." While explained the power of punctuation, Jimmy looked at me! Why me? A loving Mrs. Santa Claus!

EVP Sharen Chan prepared four tabletopics questions, including the most difficult decision, the best and worst Xmas presents, most memorable Xmas & count-down party, and Baby Boss game for children. I was the first to be called upon to answer the most difficult decision. So I made it up, I talked about my trans-gender operation from a woman to a man. My marital relationship changed from "sister and brother" to brotherhood. I won the best tabletopics speaker.

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year!

During the intermission, there was Xmas caroling in the air. Everybody was cheerful to exchange Xmas greetings and best wishes of the coming year. After the club meeting, 6 Toastmasters stayed for a second party at McDonald. When I invited President May Hwang to see 3D "Life of Pi" by Ang Lee with me, May gave me a corporate ticket coupon generously and asked me to see it by myself. Our club president is too busy working at the end of year to see a movie! Hooray, I'm going to see it at Vieshow Cinemas tomorrow afternoon! Many thanks to President May Hwang for a special Xmas Present in 2012.

YMCA Oratorio Choir’s 66th Messiah Concert

Upon Toastmaster Lydia Lin's invitation, I went to YMCA Oratorio Choir's 66th Messiah Concert at Grace Baptist Church Monday evening, December 17th.

I arrived early and I seized the chance to sit at the front row. It was my 5th consecutive year to listen to YMCA Oratorio Choir's annual Messiah Concert in December. I'm familiar with most singers faces and voices, not to mention Conductor Dr. Aikuang Sun's body movement and hand gestures. I like Conductor Sun's hairstyle 2012 in particular!

Sitting at the close distance to the Sun Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra and YMCA Oratorio Choir, I was moved in tears at the moment the Messiah began. Maybe my spirit was transcended to the old times of George Frideric Handel in 1742 in England all of a sudden. At the end of part II—the passion and the triumph, everybody stood up to sing Hallelujah! What a joyful and glorious moment it was for all participants!

After the intermission, there was the donation time for children at Liu-guei Orphanage devastated by Typhoon Morakot in 2009, also known as 88 Typhoon disaster. I saw many donors give away cash generously. The concert hall was filled with peace and friendship atmosphere. I thought of the book "Equality and Efficiency" written by Arthur Okun. Regardless of the born inequality of human beings, we can join hands to build a better society by helping the less fortunate! I was delighted that I made it to the concert!

The Christmas Caroling started shortly after the donation. I liked all seven Christmas songs, including 1. The Little Drummer Boy; 2. Jingle Bells Through the Ages (Allen Pote); 3. Rocking around the Christmas Tree (J. Marks); 4. A Noel Proclamation; 5. The Coming Joy; 6. Dance into the light; 7 O Holy Night. It was like many angels singing in the heaven to wish everybody a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. When Conductor Aikuang Sun invited the audience to sing aloud "O Holy Night" with the orchestra and the choir as the encore song, it was a sensational moment for me to let out my joy and emotion in the climax of the concert! "Let’s jolly" is how I felt about the 66th YMCA Oratorio Choir's Messiah Concert.

After the concert, Lydia invited me to YMCA  Oratorio Choir's joint Handel's Messiah Concert at National Concert Hall in January 2013. How can I miss it? On top of that, I look forward to their 67th Messiah Concert at Chung-san Hall in December in 2013!

Many thanks to Lydia for inviting four guests after the concert to enjoy auspicious tangyuan (boiled balls of glutinous rice) for night snack at the Tai-yi Tangyuan King in the neighborhood. We chitchatted till after 11PM, about digital cameras, life insurance, saving & investment, real estate, false eye lashes! I'm thinking about buying Samsung's F2.5 wide angle camera to take photos in the dark while traveling. I'm also tempted to try on false eye lashes made of real human hair!

Marathon Runners Toastmasters

I don't know how many Marathon Runners there are in Toastmasters. It's to my humble estimation that there were at least 20 Toastmasters who joined the Fubon Taipei Marathon 2012 Sunday morning, December 16th. According to the organizers, the 2012 Fubon Taipei Marathon drew more than 120,000 people, including Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin and Fubon Financial Chairman Daniel Tsai who ran the 9-km race. Maybe I can take it a consideration to run my first 9-km race in 2013.

Sunday morning, I was surprised to receive a photo of Marathon runners eating bananas from Toastmaster Kiichiro Saito. He wanted to prove the joy of the runners replenish their energy with delicious Taiwan bananas. When Toastmaster Saito was called upon to answer one tabletopics question at Pacific Toastmasters Club meeting Saturday afternoon, December 15th, he explained to everybody's surprise that it was the banana that prompted him to come back to Taipei Fubon Marathon year after year! 

At the celebration party for Japanese Toastmasters Marathon Runners and friends Sunday evening, Toastmaster Sugiyama was proud to show us the report from the organizers that he won the first place of senior marathon group. He completed the full course marathon in 3 hours and 15 minutes. I doubt if I could finish 9-km race withing three hours and fifteen minutes.

It seems more and more runners signed up for Fubon Taipei Marthon each year, including five toastmasters from District 76 in 2012, how about D67 organizes a joint meeting for them in the future? I propose a joint wild card meeting for Marathon Runners Toastmasters to mingle the toastmasters of D67 and D76 Friday evening, two nights before the Marathon Day.

On the Marathon Day, D67 can organize a cheerleaders group to take photos and to acknowledge their spirit and strength. I'm thinking about convincing golden ladies Toastmasters to join me to participate in the 9-km race in 2013 to feel the excitements with the crowd.

Pacific Finale 2012

For the past consecutive years, a troupe of toastmasters from D76 participated in Peace Toastmasters Club (TMC)' year-end meeting. Eight Japanese toastmasters joined Pacific TMC's year-end meeting Saturday afternoon, December 15th, this year. They are 酒井こずゑSakai Kozue (輝Club), 渡辺吉人 Watanabe Yoshihito (赤羽Club), 宮本文江Miyamoto Fumie (神楽阪Club), 小堀則之 Kobori Noriyuki (築波Club), 齊藤喜一郎Saito Kiichro (赤羽Club) ,豊満和德Toyomichi (輝Club), 杉山長Sugiyama (? Club),  水島かずのりMizuyama Kazunori (?Club).

Why Pacific TMC, instead of Peace TMC? I'm regretful to admit that Peace TMC closed down in 2012. Being the club mentor to Peace TMC when it was chartered in 1998, I couldn't be exempted from some responsibilities. From 3 Japanese-speaking TMCs in Taipei in 1998 to only 1 Japanese-speaking TMC left in 2012, it's time we took initiatives to bring back the old members and recruit new members to Japanese-speaking Toastmasters clubs in District 67.

The welcome dinner party held at A Dragon Restaurant at Xi-men District Friday evening, December 14th, was my favorite agenda. Seven Toastmasters from Japan and three toastmasters from Taiwan joined the round-table Peking Duck Dinner party for ten this year As usual, Japanese Toastmasters were generous to bring a lot of new year gifts to me. After the annual sumptuous dinner, I didn't stay for coffee gathering, because I needed to get up early for the life insurance agent exam the following morning.

Pacific Finale 2012 was a big success Saturday afternoon, December 15th. I saw Japanese Toastmasters mingling with Pacific club members when I arrived the meeting venue at 1PM. It has been a year since I last attended the club meeting. And It felt good to chat with long-time-no-see club members and knew many new members.

Toastmaster of the Day Tu(凃世俊) conducted the joint meeting at 1:30PM punctually. After he introduced the Toastmasters International and explained the meeting program, the variety session began. Upon the request of the session master Toastmaster James Huang(黃俊嘉), we were divided into two groups, to decipher the riddles with hand painting on the white board without words and body languages. It was interesting for me to see how Japanese and Taiwanese drew things with different mindsets.

The prepared speech session featuring four outstanding prepared speakers was the main course of the day. Toastmaster Huang(黃傳尹)encouraged us to learn ten merits of Japanese people during the 311 earthquake. When Toastmaster Ke(柯銀蘭)delivered her icebreaker speech, I was impressed with her impeccale self-introudction. She must have studied very hard with her veteran Toastmaster husband Kao(高錦泉). Toastmaster Lo (羅秀娟) talked about the manners at the hot spring. And Toastmaster Sugiyama(杉山長)talked about his addiction of marathon.

During the intermission, a birthday celebration party was held for two birthday stars, Toastmaster Sun (孫秀) and ToastmasterSakai(酒井こずゑ). While every member was busy eating the delicious birthday cake, I helped distribute five boxes of chocolate cookies and potato flies from Japanese Toastmasters..

The tabletopics session was conducted by Toastmaster Li (李育叡), he also signed up as a full-marathon runner in 2012. He prepared questions about Fubon Marathon and Taiwan Secenary. I was happy that I was not called upon to answer any tabletopics, because my Japanese language proficiency was dropping. I'm committed to attend Pacific club meeting more regularly in 2013. Toastmaster Miyamoto(宮本文江) was the general evaluator. She prepared her assignment well and I was happy that she asked me to be her written evaluator for her CL manual.

After the Pacific Final, five Toastmasters joined the Appetif Hours at the old Taipei City Hall in Japanese times before the year-end dinner Party. More than 2 dozen toastmasters joined the boisterous farewell Karaoke dinner party, also the year end party, in honor of Toastmasters from Japan at a seafood restaurant. It was a joyful and memorable moment for Toastmasters of Japan and Taiwan to sing, dance, eat, drink together till we meet again at Pacific Finale in 2013.

今回の合同例会は、大成功だと思います。会長陳清南が曰本の友人と太平洋クラブの方に感謝の意を表するとともにありがとう御座いました、同時にお話が以下で御座います。　

壹：『陳淸南会長さんのお話』

太平洋トストマスダ－ズクラブの皆樣

12月15日（土曜日）台湾と曰本のクラブの合同例会で,大成功できました、参加方が多くて、これは皆さんのお蔭であると思います 。会場で日本からの乄ンバと太平洋トストマトクラブの乄ンバ合同会議でスムスにして,敎室の中滿員です,熱い氛意気がよく,プログラム進行中,笑ぃ声が空気中あふれていました,プログラムがよくすすめられます。会議の三人の重要な乄ンバ集計係の報告,タイマーの報告口癖係三人の責任を紹介します。この会議は私が会三人が柯銀蘭の『アイスブレーカー』；羅秀娟の『温泉浴のマナー』；黄傳尹さんの『曰本に学ぶ10の事！台灣人頑張れ！』；日本国の杉山長さんのスピチC5『持病とともに』でした。

柯銀蘭さんの論評は渡辺吉人さん;羅秀娟さんのは小堀則之さん;黄傅尹さんのは齊藤樹―朗さん；杉山長さんのは呂芳茂さん;本当によかったです；皆樣とも心得が得られました。そのほか黄俊嘉さんお面白コーナ、教室の乄ンバ二チムは分けて、ひとチムずつ、ひとり代表して、画が黑板に書いて、ほかのひと実際の中文の意味を当ってて、あたったのチムは1点にとった,順番にして、最後に点数を計算して、點数多ぃのはのチムは優勝で、とてもおもしろいでした 。

李育叡は即席演説はとても多種多樣,おもしろいです。言語論評は孫秀先生担当し,会員のスピ-チの説法,文法などがなおします。總講評宮本文江さん,はきリ会員の全対の表現を論表します。例会は午後四時三十分終了します,皆様来年さよならと言ぃました。

太平洋日語會会長陳清南 2013年1月1日

貳：『陳淸南会長御挨拶』

曰本トーストマスダーズの皆樣

こんにちは！昨年12月15日（土曜日）に、日本からトーストマスダーズクラブの乄ンバが八人訪れてきました。その八人の旧友は、宮本文江さんをはじめ、齊藤樹―郎さん、渡辺吉人さん、杉山長さん、酒井こずゑさん、小堀則之さん、水島かずのりさん、それに豐滿和德さんです。

子曰く、「友有り、遠方より来たり、また楽しからずや。」心から歓迎いたします。
今度は「2012富邦台北マラソン」に参加してきました。そして、合同例会でお互いに楽しく交流しました。これは我が会に対して、光榮なことだと思います。

例会で、色々と役割りを担ってくださいました。渡辺さんは柯銀蘭さんの論評、小堀さんは羅秀娟さんの論評、齊藤は黄傅尹さんの論評、杉山さんのスピーチの論評は呂芳茂さんに任せました。宮本さんは総合論評の重役を働いて、ありがとうございました。

この合同例会を借りて、我が会のメンバーもより一層進歩してくれるように思います。これはありがたいことです。特に印象深いのは、杉山さんのC5スピーチ「持病とともに」というテーマで、いろいろと乗り越えて、ようやくマラソンのチャンピオンを取った話に感心しました。

夜の晩餐会で、リラックスで楽しい交流が進んでいました。「来年再会したい」という声で、暖かくお開きしました。去年は色々とありがとうございました。我が会も奮起するつもりで、今年もよろしくお願い致します。

太平洋日語會会長陳清南 2013年1月1日


叁：『齊藤樹―郎の話し』（曰本TMCのリ-ダ-）


太平洋演説会の皆様

お世話になっております。赤羽TMCの齊藤です。このたびの皆様の心のこもった歓迎に心より感謝します。ネームプレートを用意していただいたり、様々な準備をしてくださり、ありがとうございました。私たちメンバーも演説会、晩餐会を本当に楽しみました。皆様と再会できて嬉しかったです。

太平洋演説会の皆様が母国語ではない日本語で流暢に演説されるのを見て、私はいつも尊敬しています。訪問のたびにとても刺激を受けています。私はなかなか中国語を覚えられませんが、皆様を見習ってもっと進歩できるよう頑張りたいです。

晩餐会でもいつも楽しい話や貴重なお話を聞く事が出来て良い経験になります。
皆様とこれからも様々な交流を深められたらと思います。メールの添付ファイルとして、マラソンでバナナを食べることの証拠写真を添付しました。

もし機会がありましたら孫先生にもお知らせいただけましたら幸いです。なお、今回例会にも参加した元太平洋演説会会員の杉山さんは、日曜日の台北マラソンで60才代の部で、なんと１位になりました。トーストマスターズの先輩はすごい人ばかりです！

皆様と次回お会いできるのを楽しみにしています。日本にお越しの際はぜひご連絡ください。

齊藤樹―郎 2012年12月28日

Your Life Insurance Policy

"What's next after you took the qualifying exam," my husband asked me after I told him that I would certainly pass the Life Insurance Agent Exam at Taiwan Insurance Association with high marks this morning.

"I don't know what the future has in store," I answered, "but my eyes are open to a new exciting investment territory. The financial world is changing swiftly after the passage of the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, also known as the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999. I'm eager to catch up and to stay updated with the trends and products in the financial market."

Who would have known that I would be interested in becoming an insurance agent? After studying the life insurance law and affairs for the past three weeks at Cathay Life Insurance Company, I now wish I could continue my studies of life insurance rules and cases between insurance policy holders and insurers and to learn more about the investment insurance.

My life insurance story began at Grand Toastmasters Club's meeting on Thanksgiving's Eve, November 21st. When Tabletopics Master Jimmy Wu of Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation (TWSE) asked what measures I would take to remedy the deficit of National Health Insurance if I were the head of Department of Health. I must have given some impressive solutions, and I won the best table topics speaker.

When Toastmaster Yolanda Wu of Taiwan Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) corrected my usage of English as the grammarian, she recommended I use insurance premiums, in stead of insurance fees. How should I ever know at that time that I would have taken the Life Insurance Agent Exam Saturday morning, December 15th. I didn't know before that there were many financial experts at Grand Toastmasters Club.

I'm happy that I've acquired quite a few insurance terms, insurer, applicant, insured, beneficiary, insurance policy, and not to mention insurance premium. And I shall keep on studying as many life insurance policies as possible. Most of all, I look forward to working with you on your life insurance policy to plan a better life for your in the future.

Becoming a Late Bloomer

For the past two weeks, I've been studying diligently the personal insurance laws in order to pass the coming examination at Taiwan Insurance Association Saturday, December 15th. Be it challenging, it feels good that I'm learning the know-how to evaluate the financial products, in order to maximize the profit of my investment.

 To be honest,  I'm ignorant about financial products, stocks, currencies, and bonds. I know nothing about the financial market, not to mention the personal insurance market. Upon the invitation of my insurance agent friend, I decided to take her advice to enroll in the training courses on Personal Insurance.

After four days intensive training on Personal Insurance Affairs and Laws, I passed the mock exam successfully Friday morning, December 1st. There are still tons of jargons I don't know, for example the basis point of interest rate, or a specific term of 0.25% interest rate. Comparing with most of my classmates, I was far behind in terms of monetary terms.

Better late than never, I'm lucky to be given the chance to learn new tricks at my golden age with young people. It's a good opportunity to get prepared for the challenges in the Taiwanese Stock Market. Yes, Taiwan Stock Market, here I come to learn by doing!

Thanksgiving Eve

The third Wednesday fell on Thanksgiving Eve in 2012. President May Huang of Grand Toastmasters club organized a big dinner party for members to enjoy two BBQ chickens from Cosco, two large Combo Pizza from Pizza Hut, a big cheese cake.

Grand has a long time tradition to celebrate the Beaujolais evening when Grand held the club meeting on the first and third Thursday evenings. After moving to the new venue in 2011, Grand meets on the first and third Wednesday evenings. It's nice to celebrate the Thanksgiving with club members for the first time in Grand's history.

I was the first to arrive at the meeting venue as I wish to express my thankfulness to President May Huang and Area H1 Governor Yvan Chu for their support during the evaluation contest at D67 Fall Conference 2012. Being the early bird, I was delighted to help the SAA arrange the layout of the meeting venue. And early birds got the first piece of mouth watering chicken and pizza. Yummy~

As I didn't have any job assignment, I was called upon to answer one of the tabletopics by Toastmaster Jimmy Wu, and luckily I won the best tabletopics speaker to my surprise! After the club meeting, there was no second meeting, I think it was because everybody was full in stomach!  And everybody was in a hurry to head home for rest.

District 67 Fall Conference 2012

I got up early for the dress rehearsal with 8 golden ladies Toastmasters at nine o'clock at New Taipei City Hall. Then I attended the English Humorous Speech Semi-Final Contest Group B to support Agnes Ng of Galaxy Toastmasters Club at Room 507.

After lunch, the opening ceremony featuring Dr. Dilip R. Abayasekara's keynote speech started at 1PM. Dr. Abayasekara talked about thee Cs in Toastmasters, 1. Courage to stretch; 2. Confidence to achieve; and 3. Caring to build. And he emphasized that The Toastmasters International is safe, positive and fun, an acronym of SPF.

In the late afternoon, I represented Division H to participate in English Evaluation Contest at the auditorium. I was the lucky No. 2 evaluator, I observed 8 outstanding evaluators after me to learn their evaluation skills and strategies. Even though I didn't place, I was contented to be able to evaluate a test speaker on stage at the big venue of 1,400 seats. I felt really proud of myself. Just look at the big smile on my face, you know what I mean. I wish I could do better next year. Firstly, I must place at Division H Evaluation Contest in November 2013.

In the evening, 9 golden ladies toastmasters wowed the audience with our splendid aboriginal dance to open the conference party.

District 67 Fall Conference Eve

Were it not for the dress rehearsal, I wouldn't have gone to the auditorium of New Taipei City Government Friday evening, November 16th!

I saw masters of ceremonies and conference ambassadors rehearse the opening ceremony. I saw the dinner party hostess and performers rehearse the party program. I saw contestants rehearse for the semi-final humorous speech tomorrow morning. Every toastmaster was feeling high to get ready for District 67 Fall Conference 2012, November 17th and 18th.

Being an early bird, I was lucky to have a photo taken in aboriginal costume right before the huge fall conference 2012 sign was about to be lifted up. It'll certainly be a memento for me to cherish for the rest of my life!

Tomorrow will be a big day for me, dress rehearsal from 9:15 till 9:30, Evaluation contest from 4M till 5:30PM, and opening dance of dinner party from 7:30PM till 7:40PM!

Amis Ina & Faki

It's been a long while since I last danced with my dear golden ladies Toastmasters friends on stage. I'm feeling excited that nine golden ladies shall perform an authentic Taiwanese aboriginal dance at District 67 Fall Conference 2012 dinner party the coming weekend. For the past week, we met every other day to practice three to four hours. I felt so much recharged after each rehearsal. We tried on the costumes to dance for the first time at Lydia’s home from 3:30PM till 6:30PM this afternoon.

In a five minute dance, there are three parts, including Song of Puyuma, Amis cha cha, and Ode to Naluwan. In order to make the dance more poetic and romantic, I imagined myself as a fairy playing in the forest in the Song of Puyuma, a sexy Amis Ina at a banquet in Amis cha cha, and Goddess Aphrodite praying on the beach in Ode to Naruwan!

Dancing is fun! With the movement of the body through space, the rhythms of athletics as a physical poetry, I feel reconnected to the Nature. I like the concept of the poetic body of Jacques Lecoq, the founder of L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. Lecoq’s training is to aim at nurturing the creativity of the performer, the physicality of performance with le jeu (playfulness), complicité (togetherness), and disponsibilité (openness).

In less than two days, I shall dance on stage with my body and soul in one. I shall practice, practice, and practice till my body can memorize all the steps without thinking of them. It'll be an exciting experiment to feel the song of body and soul. It'll be exciting to introduce Taiwanese aboriginal dances to D67 Fall Conference Keynote Speaker Dr. Dilip Abayasekara, DTM, Past International President 2005, and many Toastmasters around the world.

A Lucky Toastmaster

I feel like the luckiest Toastmaster in District 67 when I was informed  by Area H1 Governor Yvan Chu to be the substitute to represent Division H to participate in D67 Evaluation Contest 2012, Saturday afternoon, November 17th. The champion evaluator of Division H has an urgent job in the office on the contest day. Being the first runner-up of Division H Evaluation Contest, I was obliged to receive the honor with great delight this afternoon!

It was ten years ago I joined D67 Evaluation Contest. I didn't place. I've been hoping ever since that one day I could stand on stage again to evaluate the courageous test speaker. Year 2012 is my lucky year being able to stand on stage with a dozen Division champions. Being a substitute, I feel less stressful, maybe I can perform better. Hopefully I can have the lucky draw to be the first contestant, so that I can observe all outstanding evaluators in District 67. I keep my fingers crossed!

Division C Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests

Illusion is the first of all pleasures. ~Oscar Wilde~

The Beitou Park was jam packed with local residents and visitors when I arrived at the MRT Hsinbeitou station. Many people held yellow and red balloons in hands to participate in the park festival like a big carnival in Barcelona. I followed the crowd to wait in line for two balloons, one in red, one in yellow, to cheer up two Toastmasters contestants at Division C Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests at Ketagalan Culture Center Sunday afternoon, November 4th.

When the elevator door opened on the 4th floor of Ketagalan Culture Center, I heard the voice of Toastmaster Kao and the laughter in the room. I was ten seconds late to join the crowd to laugh out because of the red and yellow balloons. Kao had a lucky draw of No. 1. I had to listen to her humorous speech with a concrete wall between us.

When the door reopened during the one minute of silence, I didn't hesitate to walk to the front row with my balloons high in the air. I sat in front to laugh aloud like a cheerleader so that Toastmaster Ng could see me well when she was on stage. During her speech, the sergeant-at-arms seized the balloons and put them under an empty seat next to me. My balloons must have blocked the sight of the audience sitting in the back! Mermaid Ng did well to secure her championship to compete at D67 Fall Conference 2012. I was excited for Ng to be able to advance further to tickle the funny bones of the Toastmasters at a bigger and wider stage at the auditorium of New Taipei City of 1,400 seats!

Being a guest at Division C Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests, I felt extremely relaxed to observe the Test Speaker at the evaluation contest. I couldn't help imagining what I would I say if I were one of the evaluators of Toastmaster Hsieh's "my classical music life"?

Toastmaster Hsieh is a romantic young man. His attire and his fingers speak who he is. He reminds me of the little boyfriend Luigi Moreno I just broke up with last week. Luigi hated the classical music to death when he was a 11th grader. He loved classical music out of blue when he turned to be a 12th grader. He wouldn't fall asleep without tuning to the classical radio station. I don't know why exactly he changed from hate to love all of a sudden. He never disclosed the secret. Maybe it was the androgen in his body which played some kind of trick in triggering the expression of his encoded DNA in music. Who knows?

Luigi studied violin when he was in college. He continued his passion till now. Whenever we met for an afternoon rendezvous, he was excited to play the violin masterpiece he just learned with his teacher. I watched him play violin with interest to expect what would come next. When his fingers moved the bow and pressed the strings, I imagined myself as a million-dollar Stradivarius. I wondered which violin masterpiece Luigi was thinking of when he lingered his fingers on my body?

Being a tone deaf, I accepted Luigi the way he was, his classical music, his everything. No matter what Luigi asked, my answer was nothing but yes. I liked what he liked, I hated what he hated, I followed his will, because I admired his young body and mind and his charming bright eyes.

It was when Luigi played the Four Seasons of Vivaldi last October, I told him that I had enough. When he played Pachelbel Canon last Friday afternoon, it was the last straw that broke the camel's back. I decided that it was time I said goodbye. When Luigi turned his back to me and walked out of the room, I didn't feel regretful! Luigi never bothers to share with me why and how he loves the classical music. I was never given a chance to walk into his heart of classical music. I was shot lonely outside of his classical music life!

On my way home after Division C Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests, I think I'm must have gotten Toastmasters Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I was eager to seek for compensation and consolation in Toastmasters. If not, why did I go to Division C Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests after I failed at Division H Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests?

Division H Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests

Failure is a bitter medicine hard to swallow after a huge investment of time and money! When the contest master announced the result, I felt a taste of bitter sweetness. What would I do if I were given the second chance to deliver myself at Division H Humorous Speech and Evaluation Contests? Would I do otherwise? The answer is, without a shadow of doubt, a big yes, because I want to win!

What I could have done and should have done was find a Toastmasters club or two to rehearse my humorous speech, listen to feedback of the audience and evaluators, fine tune my speech draft, reorganize my delivery. A humorous speech at the District level is a grand piece of performing art, it requires a group effect from all angles of perspectives.

I failed the humorous contest 2012, because I did it on my own single-handed in my ivory tower, without seeking for scrutiny and advice in a real situation. My humorous speech turned out to be a dress rehearsal with me juggling the props and gadgets in my hands prematurely. The audience couldn't remember what I said in my speech, they were overwhelmed with a busy contestant loss of memory and loss of sight.

Like all Toastmasters, I want to deliver my speech to the best of my ability to entertain and to inspire the audience. However, I failed to connect to the audience from the third act of my speech, the climax of my speech about the Grandriders in Taiwan. Because I misplaced my kazoo, I couldn't find it, I looked angst and frustrated on stage, the momentum of the audience dropped, the energy of the audience plumped, I lost the audience for all. Even in the end, I put on the beautiful Miss Beauty of Age sash, I couldn't win the hearts of the judges back before the curtain came down!

Nevertheless, being the double first runner-ups at Division H humorous speech and evaluation contests 2012, I had many reasons to be happy. I made the best use the stage as a runway to present my Autumn fashion 2013. I tried out my humorous speech with the lyrical for the first time. I learned a painful lesson and I gained a valuable experience!

Now I'm eager to get ready for the tabletopics and international speech in April 2013. Till I claim the championship, I shall come back again and again and again on stage to become a better communicator and leader in Toastmasters! Now you know my taste of the bitter sweetness of being the first runner-ups, there is a goal at the far end for me to reach, to reach, to reach...

Audio-visual Laboratory in Toastmasters

It was after I listened to "Writing "the lyrical": Historical Imprints in Shake-xique" presented by Professor Fan Chen of National Normal Universirty at the 2012 NTU International Theater Conference Sunday morning, October 21st, I was prompted to add "the lyrical" in my humorous speech "Miss Beauty of Age".

I'm excited to witness the aesthetic effect of the acoustic and ocular luxury of my humorous speech rewrite with the lyrical upon the audience at Division H Humorous Speech Contest at MacKay Hospital New Building 15F Auditorium, Saturday evening, October 27th.

In Act I "Loss of Memory", I shall sing a verse of "Memory" of Musical Cats with high pitch head resonance, "Memory, all alone in the moonlight ". In Act II "Loss of Sight", I shall sing a verse of "Amazing Grace" with low pitch chest resonance, "Was blind, but now I see". In Act III, I shall blow a verse of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" with a kazoo, "I did it my way". It'll be a breakthrough for me to challenge my oral communication skills in exaggerating the emotions and feelings with the lyrical variety.

Year 2012 is a fruitful theatrical year for me. I joined the Tellus Theater in March, the Playback theater in April, the Red Room Radio Redux in May, the 5th Taipei Fringe Festival in September. When I sat in the audience at the 2012 NTU International Theater Conference this morning, I was so contented that I understood the language of the speakers and I became an enthusiastic practitioner in the field of theater.

What I have in mind for my future speeches in Toastmasters, I'm tempted to include Sonnets, Rap and Rag, or any given lyrical forms to increase the theatrical excitements in my speech performance. It's a triumph to make people happy in an audio-visual laboratory in Toastmasters.

Joint Grand & Galaxy Toastmasters Club Meeting

It was a full house of Toastmasters and friends at the joint Grand and Galaxy Toastmasters Club Meeting Wednesday evening, October 17th. It was a full house of laughter, because two prepared speakers from Galaxy rehearsed their humorous speeches to be presented at the Joint Area C1 & C4 Humorous Speech Contest the coming Saturday, October 20th.

Toastmaster Jimmy Wu was generous as always to prepare Pizza and steam-fried dumplings on the iron plate for those who came to the joint meeting directly from work!

After the joint meeting, Agnes and Yvonne joined Grand's second party at McDonald's till 10:30PM. They were anxious to seek for recommendations and suggestions to improve their debut performance. President May Hwang, Area H1 Governor Yvan Chu and I were eager to offer our ideas and thoughts to help them break a leg on stage.

To my greatest delight, Agnes and Yvonne won the first and second places at Joint Area C1 & C4 speech contest. Their success made the joint Grand and Galaxy meeting meaningful and significant! I was proud of them, so were Granders and Galaxiers!

I'm more than sure Agnes and Yvonne will excel their communication skills at Division C Humorous speech contest Sunday, November 4th! My best wishes are extended to Agnes and Yvonne to advance to another level in Toastmasters arena! I must not fall behind to hone my communication skills at the coming Division H speech contest at MacKay Hospital Saturday evening, October 27th! Go, go, go, Miss Beauty of Age!

Joint Area H1 & H3 Speech Contest

Area H1 Humorous Speech Contest

President May Hwang and I represented Grand Toastmasters Club to participate in Area H1 Humorous Speech Contest at MacKay Hospital Sunday afternoon, October 14th. I was recruited at the last minute to replace IPP Gina Cheng, because of her sudden back pain. To my pleasure, I won the first place! Pierre Chen from MOFA TMC and I shall represent Area H1 to compete at Division H Humorous Speech Contest at MacKay Hospital, Saturday evening, October 27th.

For my humorous speech at Division H contest, it'll be the first time I apply the theater theory to my delivery. I divide my speech into prologue, act I, II, III, and epilogue. I'm eager to experience the impact upon the audience! The script is as follows, your comments and suggestions are highly appreciated!

Area H1 Evaluation Contest

Educational Vice President Sharen Chen and I represented Grand Toastmasters Club to participate in Area H1 Evaluation Contest at MacKay Hospital Sunday afternoon, October 14th. Both of us won the contest, and we shall represent Area H1 to compete at Division H Evaluation contest at MacKay Hospital, Saturday evening, October 27th.

From Sharen Chen's performance at the evaluation contest, I witnessed the rapid growth of a junior Toastmaster in communication and leadership skills. Sharen took the challenge to stand up and speak up on stage, it's the most effective way to become a better communicator and leader.

Miss Beauty of Age

Prologue 0'00"~1'00"

Life is about...! Life is about...!  (The speaker picks up a piece of paper from her pocket and reads it aloud!) 
Loss of memory! It can happen to me. It can happen to you! Sooner or later, for better and for worse!

How many times do you forget lines when you're on stage at a Toastmasters speech contest? How many times have you forgotten where you parked your car? Don't feel bad. Some people forget to say "I do" at the wedding ceremony. Many people forget to say "I love you" on their anniversaries. Some people even forget they are married!

Act I 1'00"~3'00" 

Memory loss is becoming a threat to me and to my husband. Fortunately we still find our way home and recognize each other in bed. Early this month, the first Wednesday evening, I was excited to join Grand Toastmasters club's in-house speech contest after work. I tried to memorize my speech so hard that I discovered to my dismay that I had gone to our club's old meeting venue.

Memory, all alone in the moonlight. (The speaker sings "Memory".) I was in a panic and rushed to our new meeting venue just in time to present my speech, I ended up forgetting one third of my humor!

However, the loss of memory is not a bad thing. Forgetting your enemies makes you forgive your enemies. Life actually becomes more beautiful!

Act II 3'00"~5"00"

Why am I standing here? Who am I? (The speaker picks up a small mirror in her pocket.)

The pocket mirror is too small to fit my face!

There is a mirror on the table. But I can't see my face well. Let me try the other side of the mirror, 5 timers bigger. (The speaker uses a bigger table mirror 5X to see herself better.)

Was blind, but now I see! (The speaker sings "Amazing Grace".)

Oh, mirror mirror mirror on the table! Aging is a slow process of decay, in two opposite directions, expanding and diminishing. The bags under my eyes, bigger and bigger; my sight, weaker and weaker!

Sight loss has become a thread to me and to my husband. Last Friday evening, my husband was excited to bring home an x-rated DVD. After dinner, he went to his study planning how to play the DVD, I was in the kitchen wondering why. We were in bed early after a good shower. When he turned on the DVD player, he threw me the remote control. Without reading glasses, I couldn't find the play key. My husband became impatient and asked me just to press every button, but that did not work. I gave him the remote control and he struggled himself with it for a long while. In the end, we were so exhausted and frustrated that we decided to call it a night!

The loss of sight is not a bad thing. I can't see details, flaws of others, I see big pictures. My eyes are closed, but my ears are open. I become a better listener. Life actually becomes more beautiful.

Act III 5'00"~6'30"

Yes, the beauty of age is about loss of memory, loss of sight, but not loss of hope!

Look at the Grandriders in Taiwan! Seventeen octagenarians with all diseases and disorders in the medical dictionary rode around the island and brought Taiwan to the International stage. They demonstrate without a shadow of doubt the beauty of age with spirit, energy, and friendship!

They did it their way!  (The speaker sings "My Way".)

If it can happen to them, it can happen to us!

Epilogue 6'30"~7'00"

Fellow Toastmasters and friends,  (The speaker puts on the Miss Beauty sash and crown!)

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. The Beauty of age is the courage to dream, to learn, to take the challenge. Look at this Miss Beauty of Age in front of you. If it can happen to her. It can happen to you! Contest Chair!

Harvest Festival in Amis

There is one month plus to memorize three aboriginal songs in Puyuma and Amis by heart before GLs' opening dance at D67 Fall Conference 2012 dinner party at New Taipei City Auditorium of 1,400 seats Saturday evening, November 17th!

Toastmaster Michelle Liu and Trini Ding selected three most popular aboriginal songs at the moment in Taiwan. Toastmaster Su-jen Houng rearranged the music to achieve the best the acoustic effect.  Many thanks go to Hua-lien Toastmasters Club for their support of the grand opening dance on stage!

The first is Song of Puyuma by Samingad. Puyuma were the most warlike indigenous people in Taiwan. Every year the tribe holds the Monkey Ceremony for young men to go through strict trials to build courage. After this, the young boy is considered a man eligible for marriage.

The second and third are songs of Amis. Amis tribe is the biggest tribe in Taiwan. They hold harvest festivals is July and August. The festival has three stages, welcoming the spirits, feasting the spirits, and sending the spirits off.

I. Song of Puyuma by Samingad

ho ai yi e yan yi e yan ho ai yi yan ho yi yan
se me na se na ai sa yi san ho ai yi yan ho yi yan

hi yo yan hai yo yan na ru hay yan
ho yi yan na ru hay yan ho yi yan naru hay yan
ho yi yo ho yi yan

hi yo in naru hay yan hi yo in naru hay yan
ho i yan naru hay ya na yi yan o hay yan

II. Amis Cha Cha

ta la cowa kako a milimaw 我去參加婚禮的囍宴
ma a law ko kelo no kayoing看到kayoing(小姐)的舞姿
a cha～a ko kelo ngala 哇～那優美的舞姿！

si a yaw han ni faki 舞台下的faki(公、叔、舅)
ma a law ko' cpi no kayoing 看到kayoing的性感美腿
tarangalay～ko pising ni faki 臉紅得忍不住地流下口水

iwayu ko ta tele' c can 扭腰擺臀
a cuya cuy ko faluhang 波滔胸湧
sa mo cidal ko mata ni faki 讓faki的眼睛為之一亮

ta la cowa kako a milimaw 我去參加婚禮的囍宴
ma a law ko pakahow no kayoing 看到kayoing扭腰擺臀
a cha～a ko kelo no kayoing 哇～多優美的舞姿啊！

III. Ode to Naluwan

Naluwan Naluwan do yi yo han yo han hi ya
Naluwan Naluwan do yi yo han yo han hi ya

Ho yi ya na yi yo yi yan ho hi yan
Ho yi yan na yi yo han hi yan
Yi e ya ho yi ya na he yo han hi ya

Naluwan ha ya
Naluwan ha ya

Year of Lucky Seven

Two birthday Superstars in Green and Red at the front row

Hooray, I'm 57 today! I shall be entitled to join free classes for senior citizens in New Taipei City in 2013! In three years, I shall be 60, what a joy it'll be to complete a Chinese sexagenary cycle. When I reach 65, I can enjoy the government pension, free bus tickets, free entrance to public museums, and discounted tickets for MRT and high speed rail.

The birthday party of Virginia and me at Jimmy's Lounge was boisterous with Taiwan Beer, Australian Red Wine, Maltese Champagne, authentic traditional Chinese dishes, oolong tea, desserts, singing, dancing, chatting, laughing, maybe a little flirting, ...

Birthday Dinner Menu:
1. Appetizers--Preserved salted Radish with and without cilantro
 2. Dim Sum—Chinese Taco and Sesame bread stuffed with ground pork, Romaine lettuce
3. Vegetables and Bean curd--fried celery with bean curd, fried water bamboo with bean curd
 4. Meat & Poultry—Braised pork knuckle in aged soy brine, Mandarin Duck with sweet paste
5. Needles served with Beijing Da-lu in chicken broth
 6. Desserts—fresh star fruits, water pears, Japanese Persimmon, Matcha Birthday Cake

Virginia is a younger and more talented Libra version of me. She played Amazing Grace on the piano beautifully. Take a look at her splendid  photo album of our annual joint birthday party! Virginia insists she and I are so alike yet so different in our own way but luckily we understand, and tolerate each other's schizophrenia to the fullest.

Trini is the only Golden Lady Toastmaster who made it to the joint birthday party. She and I gave a trial performance of aboriginal dance at the birthday party. The music arrangement was a huge success. Everybody hummed along with excitements!  Now we have confidence in our opening dance at  D67 Fall Conference 2012 in New Taipei City in November. We're one step closer to our dream dance on stage!

Joyce is an awesome saxophone player, she is the main entertainer. She played Taiwanese, Mandarin, English songs for us to sing along. She caught attention in the crowd with her sweet sweet smile on her pretty face! Let's go to her concert in the future! Joy and I met her for the first time at the Red Room in March. Please find time to visit the  Red Room to meet up with people from all over the world every third Saturday evening.

Trista, a graduate student of Taipei Medical School, gets the grant from Department of Health for her research of the aboriginal tribe nutrition in Hsin-chu. She is a writer, poet, singer. She would have sung Taiwanese songs if she had brought her guitar along. Trista and I are the charter members of Red Room Radio Redux. We had the debut performance at Taipei Fringe 2012 in September.

May Huang (Incumbent President of  Grand Toastmasters Club) came to see my debut theater "Open Your Ears" at the Red Room, Yvan (Incumbent Area H1 Governor) and I saw "Zambies Attack Taipei" at Taipei Fringe 2012. May, Yvan and I extend our open arms to welcome all of you to visit Grand's regular meetings on the first and third Wednesday evenings.

May Cheng is my neighbor and my Playback partner. We went to Hua-lien Playback assembly in August this year. I fell in love with Hua-lien and wished to home stay there for a couple of months.

Golden Leaf is my money manager. She is eager to make everybody rich. She invites her boss to give us updated information about real estate and financial investment. They didn't speak English, but they were probably the second craziest team singing and dancing on the floor without reservation, next to two birthday stars.

Last but not least, my dear husband Azen and my sweet brother Jimmy, many thanks to them for their support and love. My sister Ruth came later to pick up her domestic helper who helped clean the house and set the table before the birthday party.

What a memorable birthday party featuring all guests to say sweet words to one another and to perform on stage to unleash their talents! Partying, partying, looking forward to many crazier and merrier birthday parties in the years to come!

The Beauty of Age

In youth the days are short and the years are long; in old age the years are short and the days long. ~Nikita Ivanovich Panin

October is a glorious month. The Republic of China (ROC) was born in October, so was I on the 9th, one day before my country on the double tenth. Walking on the streets in Taipei, I see many national flags* flying high in the air and I'm feeling high!

October is a busy month for Toastmasters, countless speech contests are lining up, from in-house, area, division, to district. I joined both humorous speech contest and evaluation contest this evening. It felt great to stand up and speak up in front of fellow club members. Many thanks go to judges from sister clubs to support Grand's in-house speech contest in 2012.

The Beauty of Age

Life is about...! Life is about...! (The speaker picks up a small piece of paper from her pocket, but she can't read the words on it. She uses a magnifier to read it aloud!)

Loss of memory! It can happen to me. It can happen to you! Sooner or later, for better and for worse!

How many times you forget lines when you're on stage at a Toastmasters speech contest? How many times you forget where you park your car? Don't feel bad. Some people forget to say "I do" at the wedding ceremony. Many people forget to say "I love you" on their anniversaries. Some people forget they are married!

Last month, I had the debut theater performance at Taipei Fringe Festival, featuring Shakespeare. Me, Juliet, at my age, of course not. I didn't forget my lines, I flipped two pages faster as the narrator and the actors looked at me in awe not knowing what to do next!

The loss of memory is not a bad thing. Forgetting your enemies makes you forgiving your enemies. Life becomes more beautiful!

Why am I standing here? Who am I? (The speaker picks up a small mirror in her purse, but she can't see her face well. She uses a bigger table mirror 5X to see herself better.)

Oh, mirror mirror mirror on the table! Aging is a slow process of decay, in two opposite directions, swelling and shrinking. My eye bags, bigger and bigger, my saddle bags, heavier and heavier. But shrinking ~ (the speaker holds the breast)!

Last Friday evening, my husband was excited to bring home an x-rate DVD. After dinner, he went to his study planning how, I was in the kitchen wondering why. We were in bed early after a good shower. When he turned on the DVD player, he threw me the remote control. Without reading glasses, I couldn't find the play key. My husband became impatient and asked me just to press every button, no work. I gave him the remote control and he struggled for a long while. In the end, we were so exhausted and frustrated and decided to call it a night!

William Shakespeare said, "all the world's a stage, in the seventh stage, mere oblivion, sans eyes, sans everything." The loss of sight is not a bad thing. We can't see details, flaws of others, we see big pictures. Life becomes more beautiful.

The beauty of age is about loss of memory, loss of sight, but not loss of hope!

Look at the Grandriders in Taiwan! Seventeen octagenarians with all diseases and disorders in the medical dictionary rode around the island and brought Taiwan on International stage, they demo the beauty of age with spirit, energy, and friendship! It can happen to them, it can happen to us!

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. Beauty is the courage to dream, to learn, to take the challenge. Take a look at the beauty of age in front of you. It can happen to me. It can happen to you!

Contest Chair! 
*青天白日滿地紅旗: 1906年孫中山先生設計。 (1) 青天：自由。(2) 白日：平等。(3) 滿地紅：博愛。(4) 十二道光芒：象徵每日12時辰，每年12月份，喻自強不息之意。

On Teacher's Day

Golden Ladies Birthday Gathering

Open Your Ears

Taipei Fringe 2012 Opening Parade

Your Accent is Your Asset

It was frustrating when I was told that I had an accent when speaking Taiwanese! “Nobody could understand you when you speak Taiwanese, said one of my newly acquainted music teachers while we rehearsed a musical show in June. “That’s unfair,” I thought, “I grew up with Taiwanese kids at the elementary school.” Just because I look like a second-generation mainlander, doesn’t mean I couldn’t speak Taiwanese well.

In August, I joined the Shakespeare show produced by Red Room Radio Redux for Taipei Fringe Festival, I was corrected with my English pronunciation again and again. I didn’t get frustrated. I considered it a good opportunity to learn with others’ ears.

Everybody speaks with an accent. Our accent speaks volumes of who we are. Honestly speaking, I tend to shut my ears when a foreigner speaks Mandarin with a strong accent, because the accent gives a disadvantage of doubt.

How to convert our Accent into our asset, when we open our mouth with a foreign accent, everyone wakes up to listen to me, is something worth learning!

少帥禪園

Summer Jazz Festival

Taiwan Playback Gathering 3

Dr. Sun Yat-sen Studio

Phoenix Town

The Prince Gate

Venture to Zhangjiajie

Originally I planned to spend the summer vacation with Toastmaster Pamela Yang in Shanghai for a week. But when I went on-line to search for a cool destination for summer, I signed up on the spot when I saw the beautiful scenery of Zhangjiajie.

Located in the northwestern part of Hunan province in China, Zhang-jia-jie was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 as well as an AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration. The three-character name (張家界) can be interpreted as follows: "Zhang" (張) is a common surname in China; "jia" (家) can be translated as "family"; and "jie" (界) can be translated as "homeland", giving the completed translation of "Zhang family homeland." Its official name is linked to a Han general, Zhang Liang, who resettled in the area after a suspicious Liu Bang, the Han emperor, started to persecute his staffs and generals who had contributed to his becoming emperor. It was so named to signify that the Zhang family had set up home in this far-to-reach area.

Because of the remote geographical position, undeveloped land, river transportation, mountainous terrain making cultivation difficult, Zhangjiajie has been labeled, the Land of the Savage Southern Minority. Also, the people have borne the names of Wuling Rude People, and Tujia Rude People for generations.

Zhangjiajie Gorge

Venture to China

It rained cats and dogs when I left home early Tuesday morning. We were lucky that our flight was only postponed for less than two hours due to the bad typhoon weather. In order to catch the train from Guan-zhou to Chang-sa, we were in a hurry to rush from Macao to China! By the time, we reached Chan-sa, it was later than 10PM. We needed to take a bus for at least three hours before we reached our hotel.

PS: The High Speed Rail connecting Peking and Guan-zhou launched Wednesday, December 26th!

十二月廿六日京廣高鐵通車，北起北京，南至廣州，全長2298公里，是目前世界上運營里程最長的高速鐵路，從北京至廣州最快運行時間將在8小時左右。京廣高鐵全線將經過多個城市，包括：北京、保定、定州、石家莊、邢台、邯鄲、安陽、鶴壁、新鄉、鄭州、許昌、漯河、駐馬店、信陽、孝感、武漢、咸寧、赤壁、岳陽、汨羅、長沙、株洲、衡陽、郴州、韶關、清遠、廣州、深圳。預計2015年還將連接香港。

Taipei Children Arts Festival

In order to do a good job, one must have good tools. ~ a Chinese saying~ 工欲善其事，必先利其器

It was a fruitful and meaningful day, despite Typhoon Saola was approaching Taiwan with strong winds and heavy rainfall, to conclude the month of July!

I got up early to attend two lectures on basic and advance Nanguan from 9:10 till 12:30 at Taiwan Music Center. Many thanks must go to my friend and neighbor who introduced Nanguan to me three months ago. She plays pipa very well, and she encourages me to become a Nanguan singer. I gradually become interested in the ancient genre of slow, gentle, delicate music in Quanzhou dialect.

The more I listen to Nanguan by Wang Xinxin, the more I enjoy its melodic grace and elegance, the more I wish to visit Quanzhou, the birthplace of nanguan in the 7th century between the Sui and Tang eras. At the Taiwan Music Center, I learned to read the Nanguan music notations in addition to gongchepu. And I saw a splendid Nanguan demo featuring four higher instruments and four lower instruments by the student ensemble of Taipei National University of the Arts!

Golden Ladies met for lunch at Apple Diner at 1PM. We chatted for a couple of hours over delicious burgers and free refills of drinks. We took a lot of photos at the shop with pictures of the 30s on the walls. Two big classic photos of Audrey Hepburn were the main attractions. Irene was eager to hone her photographic skills with her newly brought Lumix LX5. Lydia, Kate, and I were delighted to pose as her models.

In the afternoon, we took a walk in the rain to Taipei Children Arts Festival at the Treasure Hill. Kate and Irene wore one-piece summer dresses with exposed arms and legs to invite the invasion of the hungry mosquitoes. I should have warned them in advance about the unfriendly insects I ran into when I investigated the Treasure Hill the previous Monday.

The Treasure Hill was closed on Mondays. The security guard at the gate was friendly to tell me the history of the Treasure Hill when there were no visitors. The Treasure Hill Temple was built in late 17th century before the Lungshan Temple. The small community of cascade houses built on the hill by Japanese and Mainlanders were turned into an artist village. While listening to the security guard's interpretation with interest, I was attacked by numerous mosquitoes to suck as much of my blood as possible all over my arms and legs.

Among a flock of young mothers and small kids in search of the treasures at the Treasure Hill, four golden ladies had fun our way! Irene took many splendid photos on a wet typhoon day. As Irene is having more and more confidence in persuading her models to pose in front of her camera, I'm sure in no time she will become a terrific life story teller with her Lumix LX5 in hand.

Grand’s First Officers Meeting--GCP 10

President May Hwang of Grand Toastmasters Club called for the first officers meeting at her office this morning, July 28th. I was eager to join the meeting. It isn't because I am a senior member, but because May used to be my colleague at Department of Health. She and I both graduated from Department of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical School.

To be honest, I didn't know May at school, because she was much younger. I didn't know May at work, either, because we belonged to different sections. But, I must salute May for her courage to shoulder the President's responsibilities at Grand at the last minute. I was impressed by her enthusiasm in learning the new trick and dedication in performing her job at her best. Being a responsible head, May started the annual planning the moment she accepted the challenge. And I'm obliged to pour my strength to add vitality and variety to make her Presidency memorable and forgettable.

Ten members were at the First Officers Meeting this morning, including President May Hwang, EVP Sharen Chen, Treasure Yolanda Wu, Secretary Victor Chu, IPP Gina Cheng, Area H1 Governor Yvan Chu, and senior members Jimmy Wu, Brian Wu, Billy Chen and me. May must have spent the entire yesterday evening preparing for the meeting. She wowed us by presenting her carefully organized annual plan and colorful handouts. She was like a CEO running her company. I'm sure Grand will be profitable in her hands in 2012-2013. In stead of her small bone structure, May has a big heart. I'm willing to follow her to see what she has to offer!

In order to quench the summer heat, I brought a bag of chilled Pink Ladies (preserved prunes) from Agrioz Garden in Yi-lan to the meeting. I was pleased to look at the smiles when Granders tasted the sweet and sour plums. Just about the right time, came the deliveryman with the best thin crust pizza from Little Trattoria May ordered. May was excited to see our eyes open wide and our mouths water with desire.

The first officers meeting was efficient and successful with a lot of exchanges of creative and crazy ideas among participants. May engineered a complehensive annual plan at the beginning of her term to win 10 points of GCP for Grand and for herself. The meeting was adjourned at 2PM.

May gave Gina 5 and me 2 movie coupons when she knew that Gina and I were movie fans! May has a lot of corporate fringe entertaining benefit she can't enjoy, because she has to work day and night. But Gina and I can take her place to have fun because we are free lancers at large!

Crazy Summer Excursion to Yi-lan County

台北->冬山火車站->烏鼻石瞭望點->南方澳觀景台->宜蘭橘之鄉 DIY 金棗醬->偶像劇咖啡廳->鄂王社區->跨河大橋行人通道->礁溪猴洞瀑布->甕仔雞->台北

We were a weird combination of five ladies Toastmasters. Because we knew one another, we had great fun our way during the crazy summer excursion to Yi-lan County Thursday, July 26th.

Trini Ding, our driver, is a carefree member. She is an elementary school English teacher. She wrote an email at the last minute to confirm the wrong date of our excursion Wednesday evening. When I got up Thursday morning to read her email, I didn't take any action. I knew someone would do the job better. In fact, that one got up one hour earlier than me, to wake up Trini and to send her a text message of complaint.

That one is Virginia Lee, our photographer and tour group leader. We must follow her order without any concession whatsoever in terms of the itinerary and the way we pose for her camera. When we are around her, we must keep silent in order not to disturb the objects she has in mind for her next snapshot. Virginia is not only a knowledgeable traveler, but also a first class gourmet. We were quiet like kittens following her leaps, because the big cat knew where to take us to a good meal and to a super scenic place. On top of that, Virginia carried two big cameras with her. She took super photos, and we wanted to be her models in her beautiful pictures!

Sherry Li, that's my humble self, made the proposal for our one day excursion Monday morning. When I was told that Virginia was curious about golden ladies recent gathering by Lydia Lin at the summer Jazz festival 2012 Sunday evening, I thought of no time like the present. It was four years ago golden ladies had a pleasant Autumn outing to Yi-lan Winery. In less than one day, our excursion plan was in shape! Hooray, I'm ready to be on the road!

Irene Chen, the group treasurer and secretary, is a caretaker. Whenever she is around, just leave everything to her. She can take care of every need of the group members. She did things impeccably following Virginia's commands. Irene just bought a new Lumix LX5. She was eager to hone her photo skills before her venture to Guam to her son's wedding in early September.

Yi-hsin Tsai, the one waiting in a long line to be a golden lady, recommended herself to join our one day excursion. Being the youngest among the group, she didn't say much most of the time. Her portable GPS led the way and spoke louder than Virginia. As I sat at the back seats between Irene and Yi-hsin, I couldn't help staring at her, Yi-hsin was a beauty! Youth is Power! Carpe diem!

Five of us had a full and fruitful day, covering many scenic spots of Yi-lan. Trini was a fast driver, she was nimble behind the wheel. When Virginia gave an order, Trini could made a turn regardless of the traffic on the street. Trini bragged that nobody could make a parallel parking and backward into a garage better than her! I agree with her without any objections! She thinks fast, acts fast, and drives fast!

What's fun today? Too many to name, firstly we borrowed two navy blue east German visor hats at the checking point to mock the station officers to verify the tickets at Dong-san Station. As it was still early in the morning without any passengers at sight, the station officer in charge left his ticket office to take photos of us! He gave each one of us a beautiful pamphlet of Yi-lan County and wished us a pleasant journey. Yi-lan is indeed a tourist friendly county famous for customer service, including the Taiwan Railway Officers!

Secondly, we jumped in the air at every scenic spot. Trini jumped the highest, followed by Yi-hsin and Virginia. I couldn't overcome the gravity of the Michelin on my tummy. I came the last on the roster, of course. But I'm determined to rewrite the jumpers roster in the future. Irene gave up jumping after our trip to the Skywalk in Little Wulai, Taoyuan County last July. At Agrioz Garden, we forgot to jump with our jars of DIY Kumquat in hand. That would certainly make an awesome scene for the visitors!

Thirdly, we convinced a gentleman attired colorfully in his sportswear to be in the photo with us. He met us on the wooden suspension bridge over the Yi-lan River. He had no reservation to share with us about the life in Er-wang Community as a friendly community ambassador. I bet he was the happiest man at the moment, being surrounded by a group of crazy ladies to his surprise. Being a proud man in an one afternoon improv show, he found his sunglasses missing on the bridge till Irene found them!

Last but not least, on our way back to Taipei, we bought the famous roast chicken before we got on the freeway. In less than 12 minutes in the Snow Mountain Tunnel, five of us ladies ate the entire chicken in the dark! We didn't care much about the table manners, as we couldn't see others. We ate with our hands and our mouths. It was sensational and yummy! Virginia fed Trini piece by piece, ooops, hot, hot, hot!

Too pity, I didn't bring my bikinis (3.4) with me, insisted by Virginia. She is now nearsighted, plus farsighted, she doesn't want to get red eyes (styes) because of my sexy body. Otherwise, it would be a cool scene to see me swim in the crystal emerald pool beneath the Monkey Cave Fall. Irene was right, I should always keep my bikinis in the bag no matter where I go, they wouldn't take up much space anyway. It's an advice well taken! Too bad (or fortunately), you couldn't see me in bikinis this time!