Sayonara to Year of Dragon

Grand Toastmasters Club held the last regular meeting at the end of the Year of Dragon Wednesday evening, February 6th. The cheerful and joyful meeting venue was decorated with auspicious ornaments and red envelopes. Nineteen people participated in the meeting, including five guests, featuring the dress code of RED. Potluck dinner was prepared for members and guests, including fired rice bought by Helen Lin, tea eggs cooked by Gina Cheng, vegetable salads made by Zoy, cakes and dark chocolates donated by Jimmy Wu.

Five joke tellers participated in the joke session. Toastmaster Jimmy Wu won the best joke teller with the joke of The Gym and The ATM. A middle-aged man, not in his best physical condition, just joined a fitness club. When he saw various exercise machines, he consulted a trainer, "I want to impress that beautiful girl over there. Which machine should I use?" The trainer pointed his finger at the corner and replied, "Use the ATM machine there." Past President Steve Wang told a management joke about a Genie in the Lamp with a moral of the story: Always let your boss have the first say. He won a blast of laughter from the floor.

IPP Gina Cheng, the Tabletopics Master, invited five speakers to pick up red envelops she placed in advance on the white board. I was lucky to win the best tabletopics speaker by telling a wish of mine at the end of Year of Dragon. I said that I wish I could meet with Mahatma Gandhi and asked for an advice to help others and to help myself. Recently, I've been inspired by Gandhi after seeing the Oscar award wining movie of Gandhi (1982) and reading Gandhi: A Memoir (1980) by William L. Shirer. As I knew so little about the culture and history of Hindustan, I wish I could see more movies and read more books about India before I set foot on the subcontinent again.

Three prepared speakers all gave advanced speeches. Toastmaster Shuen Chen talked about her study in England. Before she left Taiwan, she joined Grand Toastmasters Club to learn the communication skills in English. Her mentor Arlene Chen assured her by saying "You'll be fine in England! You just don't know you will." Shuen Chen proved that she was stronger than she knew. Toastmaster Yolanda Wu remarked on the performance of Grand in previous year and concluded that “we are on our way”! Toastmaster Yvan Chu talked about Dementia, a campaign to fight for brain, among the elderly in our society.

The language Evaluator Jimmy Wu echoed my praise of Gandhi by quoting a saying from Gandhi, "if you choose to do something, you don't necessarily succeed, but if you do nothing, nothing will be changed." He complimented Shuen Chen's courage to study in England by saying her action reminded him of Helen Keller, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."

President May Hwang closed the last meeting in year of Dragon by calling upon each participant to say a wish and to pick up a red envelop she prepared for everybody. A group photo was taken before we bade farewell to Year of Dragon! Time flies, like smoke through the key hole. In four days, we shall welcome the Year of Snake (癸巳). Wish everybody a prosperous and happy Year of Snake!