End of my term - TOASTMASTERS

June 30 marks the end of my term as President of our Toastmasters Club. Yehey! It's been a wonderful year. Of my personal goals, I was able to reach two norms, CC (Competent Communicator) and CL (Competent Leader)! That also meant helping our club reach two (2) goals, of the 10 goals set for the President's Distinguished Club program. Overall, our club reached a total of 9 out of 10 goals, earning us the award "President's Distinguished Club"! Yahoo, yahoo!!! President's Distinguished on our 2nd year! Not bad, not bad at all. :)

For non-Toastmasters, here's some info on Toastmasters:

* Toastmasters is an international organization that helps people improve their communication and leadership skills.

* It was started in October 1924 by Dr. Ralph Smedley with a handful of men as members.

* Currently, TI boasts of 200,000+ members, 10,000+ clubs, in approximately 90 countries.

* Worth mentioning is that currently, TI is headed by a Filipino. Our international President is Johnny “Pawe” Uy, who hails from Cebu.

* Through its member clubs, TI helps men and women learn the art of speaking, listening and thinking. WE learn by doing.

* The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

* The programs are self-paced – work at your own pace. And you as the member, also has the option to fast-track your achievement of TI norms.

* In the Philippines, TM started in 1938. And the first Toastmasters Club in the Philippines was TAMARAW TMC . The Philippines is known as District 75, and was chartered in 1982. District 75 was number ONE in the world 2 years ago, and last year was still in the Top 10.

* BUTTERNTOAST started off as an HR egroup in August 2004, is now an actual Toastmasters club. BnT Toastmasters was officially chartered May 2005, about 9 months after our egroup was born.

Why the name Butterntoast? The name fits us to a T. BnT is really living up to its name as a more “informal”, and should we say, “wacky” group. The unofficial version of the meaning of our club name is that the newbies can be compared to fresh butter, while our club mentors are toasted or "tostado" with experience. hehehehe.. Well, if I say so myself, the combination of the fresh and the seasoned makes for the perfect combination. :)

I love our Butterntoast club! To find out more about our group, you can join our egroup (butterntoast@yahoogroups.com) or check out our blog (http://www.butterntoast.blogspot.com/) which serves as a repository of speech projects delivered by members in our meetings. :)

Birthday, birthday, birthday

My birthday was yesterday, and what did i do? I woke up bright and early, not that I meant to! I actually wanted to lounge in bed longer, but I couldn't go back to sleep. So though I was still a little sleepy, I got up, went downstairs, and guess what... I cleaned the car! Yup! What a way to start the day, much more a birthday, huh? Hahahaha! Well what i can say? I'm weird that way.

After cleaning the car, watered the plants, then took a shower, went to Pat's school orientation, went back to the house to get the car, went to the grocery, bought 2 rolls of cake (chocolate and brazo de mercedes, yum yum!), bought some more school supplies and food items, went back home, cooked spaghetti, took another shower, got dressed, then left the house with the kids to go to MMC! WHEW! And it wasn't even 2pm yet.

Brings back memories...

I recently bought my son's required books for the coming school year, and on his list are "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White, and "Door in the Wall" by Marguerite De Angeli.

It brought back memories of my own favorite books which I read when I was in grade school. I distinctly remember loving "Trumpet of the Swan" by E.B. White. And I was also a big Judy Blume fan! I remember getting these books from my US-based relatives, reading and re-reading my copies of "Are you there God? It's me, Margaret" and of course, my all-time favorite ... "Otherwise known as Sheila the Great". Guess why. hahaha! :D

Years later, I would read "Summer Sisters" by Judy Blume. But growing up reading her, I can't shake off the feeling of "aargh"... can't explain it. 'Nuff said.

Paolo on his own, started reading the Harry Potter books this summer. And he got hooked! After reading HP1, he quickly started on HP2, and so on, and now, he's trying to finish HP5. He's taking the book everywhere we go, and reads it every chance he gets, coz he knows that once school starts, he won't be able to finish the book. Addicted? hehehe. Can't say I blame him. He got his "book-loving, bookworm" genes from me. :)

Last night, before bedtime, while lying in bed, I noticed that we all had books in our hands. Paolo was reading Harry Potter, Patrick was reading his "Ask" book series, while I was leafing through a womens' mag. All together. Quietly reading in bed. It's all good. :D

Wish List

Yes, it’s that time of the year, and just a few more days and I’ll be turning a year older. Unlike one of my friends, a big, hulking mass of a guy who dreads the coming of his birthday, I look forward to it! As I said I don’t have any issue with age. So long as I don’t look it! Hahaha!

Thinking about my birthday and looking forward to the greetings of friends, I came up with a list of my “wanna haves”… Not that I expect to have these as gifts, but then again, I can dream, can’t I? hehehe…

So, here’s a short list, not counting anymore the gifts that money can’t buy – peace of mind, long life, good health, love, financial security, joy and happiness-- but I wish I have nevertheless. Of course, priceless as well is good health for my family and loved ones…

Anyhoo, here’s the list…

* Toshiba Qosmio G30-P650 notebook PC
* State of the art Nokia cellphone
Before you think I’m a techno-geek, not at all! Chose Toshiba coz after all those years working with the distributor, I’m still of the belief that they are the best. Blind loyalty (as opposed to brand loyalty)? May be…
And Nokia because it’s still the most user-friendly phone I’ve used. I didn’t include the model anymore as considering how fast nokia comes up with new models, I’m not even updated anymore!
* BlackBerry®(no, not the fruit!)Curve™ 8300 smartphone
* Samsung sgh-d900
* SE k550i cybershot phone (for those times when I don’t have my digicam but I ALWAYS have my phone)
* Cybershot dsc-t30 digicam
* Ipod nano or creative – just so I don’t have to use my N2310 for listening to music, and thereby draining its battery

As if my night stand isn’t already full of books (unfinished, half-read) of various titles and subject matter, I would still like to have the following to add to my already hefty collection:
* “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” by J.K. Rowling
* “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain
* "For One more day” by Mitch Albom
* “Tropical Living: Contemporary Dream Houses in the Philippines”
by Elizabeth V. Reyes
* “Why We Want You to Be Rich: Two Men - One Message”
by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki
* “Malinche: A Novel” by Laura Esquivel
* InStyle magazine’s book, “Secrets of Style”
* “Tales from the Bed” by Jenifer Estess
* Shel Silverstein books

And an assortment of “STUFF” (in no particular order… hehehe)
* DKNY stainless steel and rhinestone watch (which I saw in a mag and promptly salivated over)
* A 3-bedroom condo at the Fort
* Subscription to SELF magazine (which I happen to already get ‘delayed’ via my mom from the US)
* A new spanking gas range with oven (for cooking my special lasagna)
* A room airconditioner (1.5 hp window-type will do)
* Flat screen plasma TV
* $$$$$$ for my savings account
* Bouquet of flowers
* Dinner at Nielsen’s or Spirals --- the buffet there is excellent! (yum yum!)
* Margarita & paella at Cena
* 1 month vacation in Boracay
* A lifetime supply of Chapstick (any variant) and Oil of Olay Complete (moisturizer and sunscreen)
* GC to any of the following stores (amount open):
• Body Shop or Lush or both (me like to smell so nice…)
• The Farm at San Benito
• Sari-Sari or Space or Ba-yo (even Bench or Cinderella will do)
• CPK (I miss their ravioli!)
• National Bookstore / Powerbooks
• Red Ribbon (desserts, desserts, desserts!!!)

Looking at the list, it’s in a disarray. In no particular order, no order of preference… Just a wish list! These are the same things I will buy for myself when a windfall comes my way. So I’m keeping this list handy, as I just placed a bet for that Php 50M lotto jackpot. ;->