Ralph Smedley wrote in the opening of his book, 'The Story of Toastmasters' "As I look back over half

a century of connection with the Toastmasters movement, I am impressed by the fact that a simple idea, put to work in so simple a manner, has grown into such an instrument of service for so many people. I happened along when the need was evident and my fellow citizens were ready to recognize it" Our founder's idea though simple had a clear purpose which effectively combined service to self and to others through the beautiful concept of 'share and grow'. The member-focused mission has been the greatest strength of our organization. The knowledge, experience and self confidence our members derive from the Toastmasters program not only gives them the courage to change their lives but gives them the desire to help others change as well. It was Ralph Smedley's desire that we should apply the talents and skills we acquire to "build a better world, through building a better society made up of individuals who must act in groups" . Division L has consistently followed the ideals of the Toastmasters movement and through the efforts of our committed members have reached out to large sections of society which currently numbers twenty six clubs and approximately eight hundred members. We have touched the life of many who in small groups of twenty to thirty members continues to reap the sweet fruits of fellowship and growth through their membership in Toastmasters . Our clubs consistently offers it's members new opportunities to enhance their communication and leadership skills and as our members dive into the vast array of manuals, attend the different learning events which the Division has regularly organized they continue to expand their skills far beyond their current comprehension and enlightens them to their inner possibilities. Our division conference will showcase skills that our members have mastered not just in communication and leadership but will also provide them an opportunity to display their abundant warmth and fellowship, the core factors that have contributed to making us the largest and probably among the most vibrant divisions in the District.

Jacob Kuriakose Division L Governor

TM Syed Jamal Zaheer

Human race is living through a challenging phase of its existence on planet Earth. We belong to the post- industrial society and we have entered the age of information explosion. Internet has changed, transformed and revolutionized our lives, as never before. Human beings are no longer the lonely islands they presumed to be but a unique and beautiful part of a great whole. Yes, our dear planet has now turned into a global village. It has resulted in nations coming closer, cultures expanding their frontiers to create unified unique multiculturalism. Citizenry has become more and more international, and huge distances no longer an impediment to physical proximity. Mans creativity has made all this possible and extremely practical. Indeed mankind is closely knit as never before.
Being an active toastmaster for over a decade I can safely vouch that our Toastmasters fraternity is a classic example of Unity in Diversity. People coming together, irrespective of the barriers of language, nationality, religion, and culture to share and celebrate a wonderful learning experience. We are creating a unique identity with the rhythm of education and personal advancement in a busy conglomeration of various diversifying factors. Just look around! It is like a Noahs Ark of talent and genius. engineers, doctors, chartered accountants, financial wizards, writers, journalists, teachers, professionals of every color and shade are here! Indeed this conference is going to be two impeccable days of unforgettable learning, interacting and entertainment. Today is present. Today is A Present. A Present from the wonderful team of conference leaders, a dozen committee heads, who have toiled tirelessly for months, Cultivating Creativity to bring you this magnificent event. All thanks to them. I am honored to be involved with such worthy leaders.

Benjamin Franklin said, Either write something worth doing or do something worth writing about. Dont tell me the moon is shining: show me the glint of light on the broken glass. Dont tell me there is a waterfall: show me the spray of millions of drops in the air, as the water hits the rocks. Dont tell me the wind is blowing: show me the branches swaying and flattening in the wind.
Ideas start at Imagination. Creativity doesnt stop at imagination or an idea; it goes on to implement it. Everyone has a genius in him. All we have to do it to stoke the fire and we would see it burst into flames. Cultivating Creativity is imploding the fire in your team till it explodes their ideas into a fascinating and a beautiful result. We have many creative leaders amongst us and opportunities of organizing events like this, brings out the best in them. It has been our earnest effort to focus on quality with simplicity. Both are vibrantly vital to toastmasters fraternity. In toastmasters we do things repeatedly. In the inherent danger of repeating anything continuously, is the threat of losing creativity and originality. There is only one way to overcome this impediment. It is through the application of our resources in an inspiringly imaginative manner. We just did that but the proof of the pudding is in eating it.

Dear Fellow Toastmasters Every year, the toastmasters Division-L Annual Conference brings joy and happiness to every toastmaster and every club. The single reason for this joy is the feeling of togetherness. Since Feb12, I have kept on sending out mails and also calling toastmasters to present their ideas by way of articles, stories, paintings, snippets and so on , The initial response was not very encouraging. , Relentlessly I pursued the members to make their submissions. . At last the patience and persistence has paid off. The result is the E-Magazine that you see right now on your screen. It includes messages from leaders and articles from toastmasters. In the family corner, Youth Leaders, Homemakers and Children of Toastmasters have exhibited their hidden talent. Erase from your mind the common belief that a writer is born. The contributors to this E-Magazine have proved that and practice, coupled with a passion to share your learning is vital to become an adept writer. My heartfelt thanks to those who have toiled to make this E-Magazine a reality within the stipulated time.

As you read it, you will find a dose of vitamin-c: by 'c' I mean Creativity! Every piece of writing has the element of creativity. It aims to shed an array of colour in a spectacular manner. The wide range of topics presented here will keep you engaged from cover to cover. A quick glance will let you gauge the extent of the imagination that has gone into the writing.
My advice to you is - Aim to cultivate creativity. Wake up the dormant creator within you by shedding reluctance and resistance. "Becoming the reader is the essence of becoming a writer."John O'Har; We hope you will enjoy surfing through the pages. May God Bless You All. N.V.Arasu Chairman Editorial Team We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect- Anas Nin

Table of Contents
Sn 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Message / Article Division Governor's Message Division Conference Chairman Message TMI President Message District Governor's Message Asst. Division Governor (Edu. & Trg.) Message Asst. Division Governor (Marketing) Message Area Governor Message Past Division Governor Message Investment In Toastmasters Program Are You Scared Of Public Speaking? Children - Future Of The World Autobiography Of A Tea-cup Good Thinking The Change In My Life Difference Between Winner And Loser Tamil Language Speaking Up In Your Life Five Minds For The Future I Am Happy ..Truly Happy Think Different - You will find a solution Lost In The Streets Of Shangai My Journey As A Toastmaster Self-discipline Joining Toastmasters : A wise investment for life The Institution of Marriage Female Right Violation More And More Mesmerism What Can We Learn From Nature? Wisdom Or Knowledge How To Be Charismatic The Power of Silence Simplify Your Life Live To Give And Give To Leave It Starts With Me Generational Diversity Emotions -Yes; Emotional Drama - No Other Aspects of Effective Communication Succesful Act A Toastmaster's Autobiography By TM Jacob Kuriakose TM Syed Jamal Zaheer DTM Michael Notaro TM Khaled Matlagaitu TM Abdullah al-Sharif TM Sushil Agrawal TM Rajeev Pillai TM S.Waheed Lateef TM Meshaal Al-enazi TM Easwarappa TM Jayasankar TM Viswaraj Ayyapilla TM Buddha Raju TM Mahesh Talavdekhar TM Sandeep Saklecha TM Koteeswaran TM Akhtar Mohammed DTM PGR Nair MTM Mranalini Mishra MTM Rajalakshmi Arasu TM Anup Paul TM Khalid Al-Mutairi TM Sadagopan Natarajan TM Venkatesan Devarajan TM Jamal Zaheer MTM Dr. Fahmmeda Zaheer TM Bala Murugan TM Manoj C. Nair TM Pushkar G.V.Narayan TT Abdullah Khalili TM Ahmed Al-Madani TM Mosallam Al-Tamimi TM Bhaskar Patel TM Venkateshan Sankarnarayan TM Asif Siddiqui TM N. Sadagopan TM Hari Kumar TM Iqbal Raj TM PJJ Antony

Table of Contents
Sn 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 Message / Article A dream still unbelievable ABC -- About Being Connected Does the Dress Really Matters innovation - the need of the hour The advantage of learning a foreign language Bringing up Children is an art What is the correct meaning of modern life? Energise Your Our Lives By Making a DIFFERENCE Doing it at the Right Time Traffic Signals in our Lives Table Topics The Turning Point Cultivating Creativity Learn From Mistake Hidden Factory Reasons to Join Toastmasters Hidden Factory The Desert Ants A New Born Leader in Me A Toastmaster - An Institution for the Family. How Beautiful Is The Earth Entertainment The Dawn - A Beautiful Creator of the Creator We are Happy Family until KFC Visit Us Choices Deadly Neighbors Two Days Inculcating Human Values Plant for the planet- Stop Talking and Start Planting A Day In The Youth Leadership Program My Experience in YLP Angels Of Love Friends Are Forever We Live In Our Deeds...... Not In Years The Day I Came to Terms with Life UVMAS Award My Experience in YLP Paintings What is the true value of humanity My Experience In Wahoo, Bahrain Happiness Results from our Attitude By TM Safare Mohammed DTM Suresh Kumar TM AK Das TM Dr.R.J.George TM V.N. Mishra MTM Kumar Gandhimathi TM D. R. Pai TM Syam TM Hamid Al-Harti TM Mohammed Deeb Abdul Jali Mrs.Himna Shameer DTM PGR Nair DTM Jagadeesan Kumar TM Javed Ansari TM Saeed Al-Sahrani TM Javed Ansari TM.Eugene Ms.Ariba Aziz Ms.Khadija Fatma Master.Hisham Miss Kumar Lakshmi Master Shehzan Shameer Ahmed Master Sufiyan Shameer Ahmed Master.Vinoth Ramesh Master.Karthikaya Mishra Master.Rahul Agrawal Master.M. Minhajuddin Majid Ms.Sai Aiswarya Sadagopan Ms.Sindhura Thanneru YL Zehra Siddiqui Khusboo YL Shifa Verma YL Shifa Verma Master Kumar Vijay Master Aadit Jayasankar YL Zehra Siddiqui Srinivas. Arsu & N. V. Arasu Miss. Kumar Lakshmi Jayasurya V. Gav. Kuriakose Jacob

Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Toastmasters

Aristotle once said, We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. Habits are a part of life. What begins as a simple choice is repeated day after day, month after month and year after year. Over time, our habits whether good or bad shape our destiny. To begin 2012, I offer you seven habits of highly effective Toastmasters! Be early. Great things happen when you are early for a Toastmasters meeting. You can greet a guest, finalize the agenda, hand your manual to your evaluator or help with room preparations. Best of all, you will be relaxed and seated when the meeting starts. Be prepared. Preparation is vital to a successful Toastmasters meeting. Prior preparation prevents poor performance. When things are done at the last minute, or not done at all, the meeting quality suffers and members stay home. Be positive. Attitude is contagious. Members join to learn, grow and have fun! Project a positive attitude of fun and enjoyment. Encourage new members to sign up for speaking and leadership roles early and often. Be supportive. When members show interest and support each other, everyone succeeds. Encouragement is like a mental vitamin, and it begins with you. Nurture a supportive, encouraging club culture and watch your club thrive. Be courteous. Toastmasters is a people business and all people have feelings. Some members are sensitive, while others are thick-skinned, but all expect courteous treatment. Say thank you and please, and apologize when appropriate. Treat your clubmates kindly and watch them reciprocate. Be a goal-setter. Effective Toastmasters stretch themselves and encourage others to stretch, as well. If you are new, reach for your Competent Communicator award. If you have a CC, reach for CL, AC or DTM awards. If you have a DTM, earn another one (like I did). You will grow, and others will catch the excitement and grow along with you. Be ready for anything! Toastmasters is a learning experience and anything can happen at any time from fire alarms to power outages to speaker no-shows. Be flexible and seize your opportunity to grow. If a prepared speaker cancels at the last minute, try a five- to seven-minute impromptu speech. You might be surprised at how well you do, and you may inspire your clubmates. T

MICHAEL NOTARO, DTM International President

Dear Members of Division-L, As I started thinking of writing to you, a fine fusion of emotions and ideas surged up in my mind and heart. Now I am trying to pen down this heart-felt message to the members of Division -L after all my messages to all other Divisions in the District! Our Division is relatively new; it managed to make its firm and distinguished impression in the Growth and Successes of the District as it grew from 4 clubs only back in 2007 to the current size of 25 clubs with more yet to come. Thus, it makes Division-L the largest one in the District 79. These successes and distinguished performances demonstrated by Division-L have been very well perceived and recognized by Toastmaster fraternity around the Globe. Our out-standing hard work and shining achievement have helped us to stand in the front lines which led to my election as the 1stDistrict Governor of the newly formed "District-79". I have full and adamantine trust that the Division-L Conference for this year will continue to exceed the successes of the past ones in a relentless journey of continuous enhancement and improvement we take up filled with Zeal and Enthusiasm. Continuous improvement is an intrinsic quality of true leaders and very genuine to our own Division-L; Division-L(Leaders) Hence, I would call upon everyone of you to get the best out of this conference by gaining all possible benefits and also by contributing to this conference with some extra effort on your part; as I believe, you are truly capable Leaders.

Regards, Khaled Matlagaitu SERVANT District Governor District 79 (Saudi Arabia) Toastmasters International Where Leaders Are Made

TM Abdullah al-Sharif

Splendid Ultimate Triumph

Toastmasters serve the organization including Members, Clubs, Areas, Division and Community voluntarily to satisfy something within the person himself. It is a win-win situation for both speaker and audience. The speaker will strengthen his skills by practicing those skills in front of audience with full Commitment, Preparation and Attendance. Audience will support the speaker by regularly attending the meetings and listening to his practices. In return, audience will gain and learn the right practices of performing the skills from the speaker and they will be practicing the White Magic (listening skills) which is very important in Evaluator Role, Grammarian Role and AH Counter Role. This is the beauty of this organization (TMI) that All are sparkling and providing Splendid Ultimate Triumph.

TM Sushil Kumar Agrawal

Nothing endures but changes truly said by a Greek Philosopher. We began the current year with the three big changes:
Rebranding of Toastmasters International, Birth of a brand new District 79 in Saudi Arabia, Birth of two new Areas under Division L. As marketing officer of Division L, I asked myself Are these changes really meaningful to us at this stage? The answer came sooner than later. I realized that so much is changing in our economic and business environments these years, It is no wonder that the nature of communication and leadership is changing too. The leadership style has become more dynamic and challenging with time. It is up to us how we look at ourselves, our clubs and community with a fresh perspective and align ourselves with this new wave of change. That is what a real rebranding for us and Toastmasters in Division L. To meet this new challenging environment, we adjusted our marketing plans and strategy. We planned to built new clubs but at the same time put in efforts to retain the existing ones by providing them support. Our target was to reach each and every member of Division L and demonstrate the benefit of Toastmasters program. Let me now give you a brief insight of marketing activities of Division L during this year : In the beginning of the year ,we targeted to add five new clubs under each respective Area. I am very proud to declare that already five new clubs are on rolls of Division L namely- Marafiq TM Club, Tamil TM club, Hadeed TM club #1 & 2 and ARRazi TM Club. There are at least seven clubs in pipeline namely Gas TM club, Farabi TM club, Sharq TM club, Malayalam TM club, SABTank TM Club, SWCC TM club where the organization activities are at advance stage. Benefits from Toastmastering are an open secret to the society. Three existing clubs which were not doing so well - SADAF, SIPChem and SAFCO were put back on to reasonable standing grounds with the help of seasoned Toastmasters. We built up a pool of mentors managed by experienced Toastmasters. They are focusing on the growth of assigned clubs and the club members are benefited from their advice. If you look at the above statistics , it is BIG change for all of us. To meet and manage this big change, we need to gather our best strength and support. I am sure the Toastmaster of Division L are competent enough to handle this herculean task. I urge each and every member of Division L to join hands and be a part of this challenging journey. Best Wishes,

TM Rajeev Pillai
Dear Toastmasters This Calendar year for Division L started with a very high note when our own immediate past Division Governor was sworn in as the First District Governor of the independent District Saudi Arabia. Ever since then it has been a very enthusiastic period for Division-L as a whole. Our Division has grown from strength to strength in past few years and it is our duty to see that it continues so in future as well. The Corporate Clubs and Community clubs in this Division are now working hand in hand to grow together. A very warm sense of Camaraderie exists amongst the sister clubs in this Division. I feel proud to state that our Area-14 stands tall in this context. We shall not miss any opportunity to serve the needs of any club be it a Community or Corporate club. As Toastmasters we are bound ethically & morally to serve selflessly thereby making the place around us a better one for one and all, a place that is free from all kinds of divisive factors . It is our endeavor to promote communication skills in our children & for that we have programs like Youth Leadership Program & Child Development Program. We shall also persist in encouraging more ladies to join the existing Community clubs or even start new Clubs exclusively for ladies be it necessary. DCP merged with our Commitment towards improving the quality of our performance shall be the guiding force behind us in our path of progress. Our Division has been very fortunate to have Great Leaders at the helm to steer us forward and we Toastmasters of Area-14 Pledge our full support to the Leaders of this Division & I personally as the Area Governor of Area-14 pledge my support & cooperation to all the Clubs & their leaders . We look forward to receiving the support & cooperation from one and all in this Division, the Division Where Leaders are made.

Trophies, Trophies, Trophies TM Syed Wahid Lateef

It was in the year 1966 when I got my first award in school-a chocolate- for my good hand writing. Soon the teacher gave me another chocolate for the best dressed boy and indeed my shoes were shining. On returning home, I promptly handed over the second chocolate to my mother for her excellent work. This was the practice in our school days to encourage children to do good work. Soon I became popular as a Chocolate Boy. Not even in my dreams did I think that I would land in Jubail Toastmasters. It is with a sense of great contentment that I announce that I am still enjoying the encouragement for my smart work, though here it is not the chocolates that I get, but Trophies for the contributions. The trophies that I earned in the hard way would be cherished for a long time to come. These Trophies in a way symbolize excellence in communication and leadership and our quest for self development. Sometimes I get Trophies for something silly that I did for the sake of helping one another, which is what toastmasters is all about. I would like to share some of the awards that I do not cherish, but it was made obligatory to receive them. There a few awards that I received for having picked up a telephone to order for food on some big occasions of Toastmasters (Food Committee Award). Some of such trophies that I have received are follows: Workshops presenter at YLP program: Mentoring a YLP student: Members of a Magazine committee: Member of a stage management committee: Being a chief judge: Volunteering to serve at all special occasions of Toastmasters:

Sometimes I am so embarrassed to go to the stage to receive Trophies. On a few occasions I have deliberately avoided to be present in the function hall and I have avoided collecting it even at the later stage. I think we should receive an award only when we feel really worthy of it. Otherwise, it becomes a pile up like curios. We must put a halt to pampering one another with such Trophies, that we even cannot treasure or talk about with friends and families, and even if we do, we would soon be called Trophy-masters. We are not only wasting hard earned sponsorship money, but I am afraid that one day we would be disliked by our sponsors, and they are likely to carry a sign board at their companies gates -" Toastmasters are prohibited to enter

TM Meshaal Al-Enazi
One of the most important reasons to join Toastmaster International is to expand our thinking skills, and develop ourselves followed by improvements in life and career. We redefine success during the course of our learning and progress in Toastmaster International. Consequently, we aim to develop passion in every activity we undertake.

I personaly believe, learning from toastmasters guarantees us to become unique in personality, and help us Think Different & Perform Better.
It has been my personal experience to feel an immense change between Meshaal (myself) before and after joining Toastmaster International. This change opened doors of learning and opportunities for me. Besides, it made the choice of career development attainable within my hand. So what is the price we pay as toastmaster for all these benefits? What you need to give for this beneficial program is a bit of your valuable time and your commitment. Now, many companies have their own clubs; and they continuously encourage their employees to make the most of this program. Some of the outcomes of our hardworking in Toastmaster Club are writing and delivering a good message, presenting clearly our thoughts and ideas, meeting new people and polishing our communication skills, spending quality time, understanding ourselves and finally defeating our fears. Finally, we emerge as a self confident individual.Are they not worthy investment for life? We feel good after achieving communication skills, confidence and competency. For the most part, we attain the shining benefits of oral and written communication in a very friendly and supportive environment. We spend a lot of money and time enrolling ourselves in programs that give less than what Toastmaster International gives. Why dont we try something different at this time?

TM Easwarappa
Once American actor Jerry Seinfeld rightly said, According to most studies, peoples number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Is your greatest fear public speaking? Are you scared of speaking to a crowd? Here is a platform, where you can gain on ground experience of public speaking. Here you can develop your communication and leadership skills. This is Toastmasters International.

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. This organization is like a laboratory to practice many things in and learn all of them by doing. This is a brilliant organization with more than 270,000 members in more than 13,000 clubs in 116 countries. In Toastmaster International more than 4 million members are reaping rich benefits around the world. Its main core values are that you can:
1. Become the Leader you want to be and easily develop your speaking skills 2. Improve professionally and personally. 3. Break barriers and build bridges of friendship across the world. There was a person who had no idea about public speaking. He had lots of fears of public speaking. To overcome those difficulties, he joined Elite Toastmasters Club, in Jubail. He suffered a lot as he was neither comfortable in delivering speeches nor successful in any of the speeches. Whenever he took two steps forward, he found himself two steps backward. He tried his best to be as good as others, but he ended up delivering lousy speeches and terrible evaluations. His wife was not happy with his performance. She advised him to quit. However, he continued his journey. He involved himself in many Toastmasters activities, and took some of the challenging roles. He set a target to go higher and further in all Toastmasters events. Then, he saw shining light at end of the tunnel. The light was bright, and it was brilliantly beautiful. He gained self confidence and self respect. Fellow toastmasters and friends, the person I am talking about is none other than yours truly. I found a lot of benefits from this organization which we did not learn even in our school & college lives. There is no public speaking school in the world. Only Toastmasters organization offers opportunities for us to be able to speak well in front of an audience. Lets remember that our personal growth and the growth of the club are inter-linked. When we grow, the club grows. Lets share and grow together. Today we owe a lot to this beautiful organization for the benefits of enhanced communication and leadership skills that we enjoy on a daily basis. Friends and fellow toastmasters, today, I am proud to say that my fear of public speaking has vanished and I am very much confident and comfortable on the stage, because of this beautiful organization. I would urge all the members to spread this message among non-toastmasters across the community and encourage them to join this wonderful organization. This will not only help you hone your persuasive skills but also show that you care for the community you live in.

TM S. Jayasankar
Children are the world's most valuable resource and they are our best hope for the future. Todays children are under pressure to perform in a highly competitive result-oriented environment. Is this competition driving them to ignore the values of character & morality? In other words, how the children appear how smart, attractive, and successful they are - is what bothers them, more than their character . Just think for a while. Every parent wants to have their children possess good moral character. But if you look at their behavior - and the children's interpretation of what's important to the parents it's getting ahead, getting the grades, getting into the best school. Wanting our kids to appear good more than be good is the biggest problem in todays child up-bringing.

On 9th February 2012, Thursday, a 15 year old, 9th grade student killed his teacher in the class room in my hometown, Chennai. You all might have heard about it. The entire world has been in shock since the murder.
Investigators probing the killing of Uma Maheshwari, who was stabbed to death, found that she had made 13 adverse remarks in the boy's school diary, informing his parents about his failing tests and poor performance in school. These entries found to be the primary reasons that could have angered the student and provoked him to commit the murder. When further analyzed, the killer-boy is said to have been a reserved student and didnt have any friends. He used to come by car and had the luxury of Rs. 100 as daily pocket money. When the notes have reached the parent, they felt that their over affection / pampering spoiled him. They started to scold him and stopped the facilities like pocket money etc. When the boy was asked , he told that he was also worried that he would not be promoted to class X, which will bring more anger from his parents. This might have triggered him to look for ways to punish the teacher who was reason behind that. Do you believe that the boy was a real culprit? NO. After this incident, I searched the internet for any such incidents in other places. There are a few, and the one that attracted me, is related to Bob Beamon, 1968 Olympic gold medalist and world champion in long jump. He was one such student who attacked his teacher in school and was expelled. Later he made history at 23 by breaking world record. (http://www.answers.com/topic/bob-beamon) If the fault is not with the student alone, who else contributes to such incident? There are three contributors. The first is the teacher, (in general the teaching community), second the media and finally the parents.

The teacher instead of just sending the information notes alone, could have spent some time with him in the way of counseling and could have found the reasons for his poor performance and the way to correct the same.
Even the media plays a grater role. By the time kids graduate from high school, they will have spent more time watching TV than in all the classrooms they've ever entered. The message our children receive from media is that the biggest crime is not being immoral, but being unattractive."

Now lets look deep into the contribution from the parents? When the kids are caught and face the appropriate sanctions by the school, it is too often the parents who encourage their children to flagrantly lie and "beat the system." Their argument is generally that these "minor infractions" of "children" are not to be taken so seriously as it can derail their little sweethearts from their bigger goals.
In reality, parents are willing to compromise their children's moral and spiritual growth for material gain. Our obligation to our children cannot be fulfilled just by sending them to the best schools, giving them the costlier toys, costumes & best books. Parents should make it very clear to children that no amount of scoring, fame or fortune covers up for a lack of responsibility and character. Create your own "Hall of Fame" in the family by rewarding children for decent behavior. Individually and as a family, participate in acts of kindness for senior citizens, handicapped people and others who are struggling in life. Your children will learn by experience that real beauty lies in one's love, compassion and generosity.

Children who were not nurtured by strong parents with a guiding hand and watchful eyes are dangerous to themselves and to the entire neighborhood.
Parents cannot teach values without following them. Raising decent, moral children is hard, time consuming and sometimes thankless work. You may not get a thank you, until your child has children of his or her own.

Guide your child. Be there. Your children will become what you are today, so be what you want them to be. Will You?

TM Viswaraj Ayyapilla
Thank you for helping me to realize that life is full of hardships, pains, sorrows, and trials. Then, the only way to beat these odds is to face and take it as a challenge of life and so I just continue on improving myself.

The Teacup Influenced by an Author Unknown

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups. One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said "May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke.

"You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, let me alone,' but he only smiled, 'Not yet'.
"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!' I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, 'Not yet.' Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled, and I knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head, 'Not yet.' "Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. There, that's better,' I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Stop it, stop it!' I cried. He only nodded, 'Not yet. "Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head, saying, 'Not yet.'

"Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and said, 'Look at yourself.' And I did. I said, 'That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.'
'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurt to be rolled and patted, but if I just left you, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life, and if I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you. Dear Fellow toastmasters, this autobiography could be of anybody among us.

TM Buddha Raju
A short walk is so difficult, when no one walks with you. But a long journey is just like few steps when you walk with someone who loves and cares for you. We always look and care for the person whom we love the most. But we fail to look back at those who love us the most. Death is not the greatest loss in life.. The greatest loss is when relationships die inside us while we are still alive...

Life is not about the people who act true on your face.. Its about the people who remain true behind your back..
Time decides whom you meet in life Your heart decides whom you want in life.. But your behavior decides who will stay in your life... You can win life by all means.. Yes.. If you simply avoid two things... 1. Comparing - with others 2. Expecting - from other

Life will be more beautiful!! Colorful !!! and Meaningful !!!

TM Mahesh Talavdekhar
By joining the Toastmasters has made a big change in my life. I had no idea about how my life would change because of what I then knew and became as one of the Toastmasters myself. Someone can never know how being a Toastmaster can change your life for-ever, at work, at home and in Public, you have to be a toastmaster to actually know how that happens. I had the honor to know great Toastmasters as well as people with a lot of Potential. By the time they became apparent speakers, they managed to express their views and thoughts better and they became better and confident citizens and family men. In the Toastmasters Club you dont just learn how to speak better in Public but you also learn how to listen as well as how to lead. You also learn how to use your body, voice, face expressions, gesture and eye contact to better address and communicate your massage to your audience. It gives you a unique identity and people start recognizing you as a Toastmaster.

Sandeep Saklecha

WINNER Winner is always part of the Answer Winner always has a program Winner says let me do it for you The winner sees answer for every problem The Winner says it may be difficult but it is possible Winner makes commitments Winners have dream Winner says I must do some thing Winners are part of the team Winners see the gain Winners see the potential Winners make it happen

LOSER Loser is always part of the problem Loser always has an excuse Loser says that is not my job The loser sees a problem for every answer The looser says It may be possible but it is too difficult Loser makes promises Loser have schemes Losers say something must be done Losers are apart from team Losers see the pain Losers see the past Losers let it happen

Dear Toastmasters , Can anybody answer what is the basic difference between Winner and loser?, Why are some people are always winners in every part of the life whereas some are always the losers? Here goes the difference between them In a nut shell what matters is how you see things rather than how things see you . your actions are your own reflection in this world . Winners don't do different things. They do things differently .. So let s try to act like Winners . With this positive notes .. Resource : 1. You Can Win Shiv Khera

TM . Koteeswaran
Language may refer either to the specific human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication,. The scientific study of language in any of its senses is called linguistics. Forty per cent of the world's languages are endangered and likely to become extinct. Losing languages means losing cultural insights. Language or dialects are also dynamic in nature with continuous changes which are periodic. Hence it is all the more important we record or preserve the way it is used during each period so that in the years to come the future generations can track the evolution. We live in the information age, where information and knowledge are supposed to be of value, and we're running the risk of jettisoning millennia of knowledge," Dr Harrison said. "Most of what we know about endangered species is encoded in languages that have never been written down. So in saving languages we may be able to help save species and eco-systems," Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and declared a classical language by the government of India in 2004. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia , Seychelles, Re Union Island and Mauritius as well as emigrant communities around the world. Tamil is one of the longest surviving classical languages in the world. It has been described as "the only language of contemporary India which is recognizably continuous with a classical past and having "one of the richest literatures in the world". The earliest epigraphic records found on rock edicts and hero stones date from around the 3rd century BCE. The earliest period of Tamil literature, Sangam literature, is dated from the 300 BCE 300 CE. Tamil language inscriptions written c. 1st century BCE and 2nd century CE have been discovered in Egypt Toastmasters has grown from being an English-only organization to one that develops communication skills in several languages. There are now clubs in many languages, including Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), French, German, Japanese, Spanish, and Tamil, among others. An opportunity has been created for Tamil people in Middle east especially in District 79 to form first ever language club in Tamil. Jubail Tamil Toastmasters club (Club No. 2094259, Area17, Div.L and Dist 79) has been charted on 16th November 2011. On behalf of Tamil people, I appreciate ex-ordinary t support from Area, Division and district officials to JTTC. Also Jubail Toastmasters club (JTC) is extending the motherhood touch to JTTC which is remarkable. We at Jubail Tamil Toastmasters Club strive to set an example to the society to form other Tamil and language clubs to leave foot-print of their cultural Heritage for future generations. I take this opportunity to convey our heartiest Greeting and thanks to all our well wishers and supporters of Toastmasters fraternity.

Akhtar Mohammed
Sometimes a fight saves a relationship, where silence breaks it. Speak up for your heart , So that you wont have regrets.
I do firmly believe, Speaking up in your life is necessary. Let me share a story, approximately around 100 years back to Okhil Babu's COMPLAINT LETTER TO THE RAILWAYS IN 1909!! As the train arrived at Ahmedpur station, Okihil Babus belly swelled too much as he ate Jackfruit. Therefore he went to privy. Just as he was doing the nuisance, the guard blew the whistle and the train got off. Okhil babu was running with lootah in one hand and the dhoti in the next to catch the train, but it all went on vain. Moreover he fell over and exposed shocking the men and women on the platform. He was very angry and wrote a complaint letter to Divisional Railway Officer, Sahibgunj,. The original letter is on display at the Railway Museum in New Delhi. It was also reproduced under the caption Travellers Tales in the Far Eastern Economic Review. The historic significance of the letter is that It led to the introduction of TOILETS in trains in India.....!!!! Hence No idea is stupid and should not be discarded. You should always speak up. You shouldnt be afraid of speaking out in our lives. You shouldnt be afraid to express your opinions . Your views on things may not be agreeable to others. Nonetheless, you should have the courage to speak out what is on your mind. Now let us contemplate what stops us from doing so. There are two things that come up into my mind A) Sometimes we think that what we are speaking is not valuable or important. We are not smart enough how to judge a topic or a person. B) Fear of a negative reaction i.e., you are going to hurt others. They may reject you. You develop some kind of negative judgment about yourself about speaking up. The question arises how to mitigate ? Doing things what you are afraid of and to speaking up. This act of speaking up will show you by experience that usually the other people react very well to what you have to say, even if you disagree with your opinion. They usually will appreciate that you have an opinion, you are interested in the things, and you are a kind of thinking person. What you will start to find that lot of people will actually agree with you and appreciate for that. On personal ground this will give you a lot of self-confidence because what you are going to tell yourself, a) my mind has value b) I have something to say, b) what I have to say has importance. Toastmasters is one of the better platforms to hone the skills of speaking up in your life. Speaking up is one of the most important abilities that you can develop as you go through your life.

DTM PGR Nair

In his path breaking book Five minds for the future, the great exponent of multiple intelligence, Howard Gardner, has come up with five dramatic Personae that he believes should be developed in future for a balanced development and survival of human beings as one flock.
The world is going through a seismic change. Knowledge is expanding exponentially. No one can say what the human experiment will look like on the other side of its rebirth canal. But, if we fail to adapt to future: The poorly-educated will suffer. If one doesnt develop his "multiple intelligences" skills, he will be in the same boat as the high school dropout collecting an hourly wage at Wal Mart. He believes that the world of the future -with its ubiquitous Search engines, Robotics and computational devices- will demand capacities that until now have been mere options. Gardner's five minds-Disciplined Mind, Synthesizing Mind, Creating Mind, Respectful Mind and Ethical-are not personality types, but rather mindsets or ways of thinking available to anyone who invests the time and effort to cultivate them: "how we should use our minds." He says that these five minds should be developed and work in unison with one another to produce great thinkers, artists, professionals and leaders.

He acknowledges that such a prescription of minds for future cannot ignore consideration of human values. With a humanistic approach he quotes Benjamin Franklin-We must indeed all hang together, or more assuredly, we shall all hang separately. So his first three minds are related to cognitive abilities while the rest two are related to the individual and social mindset.
Gardner uses in this book a variety of illuminating models, anecdotes from developmental psychology to group dynamics, demonstrating their utility not just for individual development, but for concrete success in a full range of human endeavors, including education, business, science, art, politics and engineering. Disciplined Mind First and foremost, every professional of the future must master at least one discipline which will take normally about 10 years. If you dont have at least one discipline under your belt, you are destined to march to someone else's tune." I could understand why plumbers and

Electricians make more money in Canada than some generalists there. This is very true in todays knowledge society. Routine people are to be doomed. A decade of devoted practice in a discipline alone can make someone a complete professional and there is no short cut to it. The disciplined mind also knows how to improve skill and understanding and learns new techniques fast If you dont master at least one discipline, then you and your kids "will not be able to succeed at any demanding workplace and will be restricted to menial tasks. Synthesizing Mind As information inundates, Synthesizing mind takes information from different sources, understand and evaluates that information objectively in a coherent manner to put to use. We have plethora of knowledge but we crave for integration and coherence of that knowledge. Knowledge should knit a pattern for assimilation. There were many Elements but only the mind of Mendeleev could synthesize it into a periodic table. The same can be said about Charles Darwin who synthesized the concept of natural selection, Sigmund Freud who developed the concept of unconscious, Adam Smith who introduced division of labor or the management Guru Michael Porter who formulated strategy as a synthesis of five forces that determine the profit of any business. Powerful synthesis can be seen in art also as in the case of Picassos Guernica that depict violent forces of Spanish civil war. Perhaps the most famous artistic synthesis since the ascent of man is the biblical synthesis made by Michelangelo on the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel. Nobel prize winning Physicist Murray Gell-Mann has asserted that the mind most at premium in 21st century will be the mind that can synthesize well. While the future would need us to build the mind of discipline, the fact is that all complex problems, in whatever field we can think of, would necessarily require multi-disciplinary approaches to resolve.
Organizations often convene multi-disciplinary team to investigate and make root cause analysis of problems. Synthesizing is a formidable challenge as one needs to sift massive information and converge it into meaningful analysis. Many educational institutions fail to cultivate synthesizing skills to tackle critical situations such as an Aircraft highjack to a Cardiac surgery or the Global Financial crisis and recession experienced now. Major decisions would require inter-disciplinary thinking and great synthesizing capability. An effective synthesis often require four steps- A Goal, A Starting point, Selection of Strategy , Draft or prototype and Feedback If you don't learn to synthesize knowledge, and you and your kids will be "overwhelmed by information and unable to make judicious decisions about personal or professional matters."

Creating Mind This is required to break new ground. It puts forth new ideas, poses unfamiliar questions, conjures up fresh ways of thinking, arrives at unexpected answers. Ultimately, these creations must find acceptance among knowledgeable consumers. Corporate visionary John Seely Brown has quipped that in the world of tomorrow, people will say I create: therefore I am. Unlike in the past where creativity was disdained, discouraged and destroyed (Galileo, Vincent Van Gogh, Darwin), the new era virtually survives on it. All innovations in Automobile, PC, Communication devices like Ipad, Blackberry, mobile phone, music etc thrive on it despite its thin half-life. Those who do not embrace innovation are muscled out by those who do. People like Edward De Buno (father of Lateral Thinking) had emphasized earlier the importance of thinking out of the box and striking out in unfamiliar direction. In fact, not marching to others tunes is to be creative. Has the domain in which you operate been significantly changed by your contribution? If so, it is a an act of creativity, as was in the case of Mozart, Albert Einstein, James Joyce, Picasso etc. Allowing a childhood of untrammeled explorations in different fields, asking open-ended questions, allowing group discussions, accepting variety of responses to a question, applauding people to make new mistakes, suppressing criticism , developing hobbies, allowing interaction with creative people etc are some means to nurture creativity.
Why is it that we drain ourselves of curiosity and childlike sensibility by the time we reach adulthood? What a loss! Gardner writes that "the mind of the five-year-old represents the height of creative powers." This capacity however wanes by the time they are in their 20s. For example, give a five-year-old a pencil. Moments later, the child converts it into an imaginary airplane and can fly it for hours. This capacity to see one thing and conceptualize it as something it is not, is what visionary leadership and breakthrough innovation is all about. Where the world sees a computer, Steve Jobs sees an iPod. Where telecom companies saw switches and instruments, John Chambers simply saw software and the Net If you dont maximize your creative capabilities, computers. Respectful Mind The Respectful mind goes beyond mere tolerance. Respectful persons welcome human diversity, seek to understand and work with others, and cultivate an atmosphere of openness and reciprocity. This is best manifest in the Native American tradition of passing the talking stick you and your kids will be "replaced by

and not ending a dialogue until *everyone* agreed with the outcome Recognizing that nowadays one can no longer remain within one's shell or on one's home territory, the respectful mind notes and welcomes differences between human individuals and between human groups, tries to understand these "others," and seeks to work effectively with them. In a world where we are all interlinked, intolerance or disrespect is no longer a viable option. (I am reminded of the cartoon controversy in Denmark and the Islamic scarf controversy in France. The attitude of cracking ethnic jokes, Kiss up and kick down approach are signs of being disrespectful) We saw earlier that the professional of the future would need to master a given discipline and at the same time, all complex problems and their solutions are inter-disciplinary in nature. That means solutions would need many experts to come together and collaborate. Now that is the precise point. Bring in five experts from five fields and you will get differing views and as they argue and fall apart, the world moves on. Hence, true professionals must learn how to develop a respectful mind so that other experts collaborate with them. If you don't learn respect for others, and you and your kids won't be worthy of others' respect - in fact, you will "poison the workplace and the commons. Ethical Mind This mind ponders how workers can serve purposes beyond self-interest and how citizens can work unselfishly to improve the society and the planet. The ethical mind then acts on the basis of these analyses. It goes beyond the self, understands the value to the group of ethical behavior. Trust lowers the cost of doing business in todays corporate world. Ethical revelation of the "true cost" of goods and services protecting the Good Earth will allow us to create infinite wealth and sustainable peace by eliminating the fraud, waste, and exploitative characteristics of many governments and corporations Ethical individuals ponder their roles as workers and citizens. They carry out good work... work that is excellent, ethical, intrinsically responsible and personally meaningful. They consider their roles as citizens of their community, their region, and the globe and act in constructive, non egocentric ways. If we all have a strong moral and professional conscience, we would want to do "Good Work" and contribute to the global peace and prosperity.
Why it is paramount in today's ethically hobbled world? Well, he quotes Rabbi Jonathan Sacks whose profound wisdom follows:

"When everything that matters can be bought and sold, when commitments can be broken because they are no longer to our advantage, when shopping becomes salvation and advertising slogans become our litany, when our worth is measured by how much we earn and spend, then the market is destroying the very virtues on which in the long run it depends." If we don't live ethically, and you and your kids will help to create a planet you won't want to live in.
Concluding Thoughts Why these five and not others? Because, says Gardner, these minds are at a premium now. Their scarcity suggests they're likely to be even more highly-prized in the future. He leaves it to the individuals how he or she wants to synthesize these five minds. The well-rounded mind, the fully engaged life -- that's Gardner's grail. These are not new ideas. What's new is the notion that our personal survival depends on multidisciplinary learning. Education is inherently and inevitably an issue of human goals and human values Gardner is damn right on this golden statement. In an interview with the Guardian in November, Gardner said, "Think of a world of the future and if I was a policymaker, what kind of minds I would like to cultivate." That cultivation would ideally begin at birth and continue throughout someone's life."Our survival as a planet," he writes, "may depend on the cultivation of this pentad of mental dispositions." Thomas Jefferson said, A Nation's best defense is an educated citizenry", and in these days of extremism and fundamentalism, we have greater challenges in educating our citizens. It would be easier if all Presidents and Prime Ministers adopted this book as part of their roadmap back to civilization, morality, and sanity.

MTM Mranalini Mishra

No, its true! You know how a dog can see only in black and white or how a fly sees a million images of the same thing? Their view of world is all mixed up. But did you know that dogs and flies are the happiest creatures on earth. Its a scientific fact. How did I know? Because I just made it up! And thats my point. The more you can distort reality to suit your needs, the happier you will be. How many times have you said to yourself over the past week or even the last 24 hrs, Id be happy if I had better score, more money, better friend, and the list goes on. And fact remains that you already have everything you need to be happy and its just that you dont actually realize and understand when you have good things around you. This shows that you are selfish, of course! I dont know your personal life story, troubles and tragedies that you have been through, but let me tell you a golden truth: Life is what you make, life is always beautiful but it depends on how you look at it. Never put happiness off for another moment. Why cant you be now? You can be happy right here and if you so choose yes no matter how terrible life seems at the moment.

Sure! We all have enough of problems, it seems like we can never get rid of them, but does dwelling on them solve anything? Heres an easy exercise. Jot down all you problems on a paper. Now look at the list. What can you change? Where can you take action? What do you simply need to let go of? Now do it! And dont forget to keep always smiling. A one second smile can make someones entire day. So the next time you arent smiling, think! If you were smiling you could be happier and make someone happier too
HAVE A NICE DAY AND KEEP SMILING!

MTM Rajalakshmi Arasu

Encouraged by the repeated mails and the motivation they extended, I wrote an article initially on the various uses of Ginger and submitted it. Quick came the witty response, For a moment, Forget the Kitchen. Write an article that will appeal to a mixed audience. He further recommended, take one of the issues that we have resolved ourselves.
With my husbands motivation, I sat down with the iPad he had gifted me.. The trigger for writing this article was the trouble that we recently went through. Hope you like it. .

The phrase Necessity is the mother of invention may be very old. But, it is still relevant and applicable. Recently, my husband and I were perplexed as to how we must go about in supporting our younger son who is in Reception Grade with regard to Learning French.
We took it as a challenge and decided to find a way out. How to learn the alphabets, the pronunciation / phonetics, the words and their meaning and how to utter them in the foreign language. In the past, we may have looked for a dictionary or a pundit. But thanks to Technology- we find Google Translate, a tool that met our current requirements and opened a door of opportunity to learn other languages, that we have longed for. Learning a language cant get any simpler with this discovery. This not only resolved the problem we faced with French, Iit also enabled allowed us to explore the word meanings and equivalents for the much in demand Hindi & Arabic. In short, Google Translate is a Professor who can support us in understanding more than 50 plus languages. What is Google Translate? Google Translate is a free translation service that provides instant translations between 58 different languages. It can translate words, sentences and web pages between any combinations of our supported languages. With Google Translate, we hope to make information universally accessible and useful, regardless of the language in which its written. How does it work? When Google Translate generates a translation, it looks for patterns in hundreds of millions of documents to help decide on the best translation for you. By detecting patterns in documents that have already been translated by human translators, Google Translate can make intelligent guesses as to what an appropriate translation should be. This process of seeking patterns in large amounts of text is called "statistical machine

translation". Since the translations are generated by machines, not all translation will be perfect. The more human-translated documents that Google Translate can analyse in a specific language, the better the translation quality will be. This is why translation accuracy will sometimes vary across languages. Response of Google Translate to the English Word: Thanks. Thanks Merci Danke (In English) (Tamil) (Hindi) Arabic) (French) (German) If you encounter a translation that doesn't seem right, quite often Google Translate will have alternative results available. To view these, simply click the phrase in question. Here is an example, that was tested out in our mother tongue TAMIL.

Additionally, you can listen how the word or sentence have to be uttered. Using the Audacity software, a freeware that allows you to record export it to your favorite format (mp3) will help you go over the lessons, at ease. It is said, 3 Apples changed the World, 1st one seduced Eve, 2nd fell on Newton and the 3rd was offered to the World half bitten by Steve Jobs. We concur with Steve Jobs! Keep Thinking Different, you will find a solution.

Hope you liked it. Explore and enjoy the ever vibrant web.

TM Anup Paul
When I stepped off the airport of shangai on june 2007, I was surprised to the see the city covered by Skyscrapers and many were rising, with spindly cranes adding new stories by every second. I stayed in hotel Sherton which is located in the heart of the city. I was quite busy in my project work so I couldnt explore Shangai. Weeks passed by flick of eye, only two days left to leave Shangai so I made up my mind to explore shangai city and to buy few goods as remembrance of China, but I didnt know where to go. Therefore, I asked our hotel receptionist to give the details of the nearest market in Shangai. She told there was a place very near to shangai known as Shangai black market, where you can get some stuffs at lower price. It sounded very interesting, so I asked how to go, she marked a route in the paper and based on the map, I travelled to shangai black market. It took me less than 30 min to reach that place. When I reached there, I found there was a series of small stores selling perfumes and chinese clothes. It was really disappointing for me, I was expecting much more than that. All these stores had beautiful chinese girls, who stood outside the stores and they were calling me to come to their stores in chinese language, I couldnt make out any thing from what they said but by their facial expression and body language, I was pretty sure that they were calling to their store. One nice looking chinese girl persuaded me to visit her store. Finally i decided to go to her store, when I entered into that store she started turning the cupboard to my surprise. There were some steps down, i went down along with her. when I went inside, she immediately closed the cupboard and i got scared. When I went inside, I was shocked to see a very long room with all items that i wished to buy. One can see all branded products from shoes to clothes to iphones. I was really confused, what to buy. The shoppers used their calculator to show me the price and i was surprised to see that all these items are less than 10 % of market price. With my eagerness to know more, I left that store and to my surprise, I had reached the other end of by the street which had a similar setup. With this arrangement I had visited lots of stores, and I had crossed many streets without my knowledge where I am tempted to go, I was very happy to see this market. I had seen a 220 GB pen drive which is only 5 cm long for 5 USD, I was astonished to see that technology without much argument, I bought few sets of that pen drive. I saw iphone for 50 USD, I couldnt believe my eyes. When I opened it, it was full of Chinese letters and giving message in chinese language, I asked her to change it TO english but she didnt understand I asked her whether this phone will work in india. she didnt understand what i said so I decided not buy iphone. I bought A pair of nike shirts, pair of adidas shoes, Gucci handbag for my mother , Tumi traveling bag for my father. I was fully loaded with all branded items. I was very very happy person. Now its night around 9:00 Pm, I needed to return back to my hotel. Now I realized that I had crossed my streets, and I turned around and looked, I didnt see any sign of my hotel. For the 1st time, I thought I was lost in the crowded city of shangai!!!!!!!

My both hands were full of luggage but didnt know where to go. I didnt find any taxies near to that market. I was bit nervous. On the right side I had seen a road leading to the area where there were sky scrapers. I decided to move towards that road, distance seemed to be much more than I expected. It took more than 1 hr to reach that destination, Now Im pretty sure that Im lost in shangai. This road is fully covered by cars, I found few taxies and asked them to drop me hotel sharton. No body was able to understand me.. Then I thought my English is bit difficult for them to understand so I decided to tell me go hotel sharton with waving my hands but they replied me chines, with the smile he left me. I walked straight as my mind was telling to go lot of things were rolling to my mind, I felt very hungry, I checked my pocket, I noticed that I dint bring my passport. I kept my passport very safely in the locker provided to me in the hotel. I went crazy, my blood pressure started rising very fast, for a second I felt shortness of breath. Now I felt very cold and pale...it was really a scary experience. I went to the pavement and left all my luggage and sat down. My hands started shivering. I had no idea what to do. Adjacent to me I found a small store selling chinese cigarettes. I bought, I full packet and started smoking in the pavement. I was thinking I will not return to India because nobody would able to understand what I was saying and now I didnt have my passport. Chines cigarettes were very strong, with 2 puffs, I felt more dizzy. I was lost with no passport, and without my knowing I took 3 cigarettes at a stretch. I felt a sense of boldness in me, I started asking what would happen if I was caught by the police, at the maximum they would put me in jail. I decided to face the reality and I started to walk, but now my legs were not listening to my thoughts, I was not able control my legs because of the cigarette. I decided to sit for 30 mins, but it took almost 1 hour for me to stand up. Now it was 11:00 am, I decided to walk, I walked for more than 1 hour. In Shangai, I was astonished to see shops open after 12 :00 in the night. I went to a supermarket and bought a loaf of bread. I searched by wallet, to pay the money to the store keeper; to my surprise I found a visiting card of hotel Sharton, where they have written in English and chines. I have shown this card to one of the shopkeepers who asked me, go there. He read and showed his hand on the right hand side. I found myself standing on the backside of hotel Sheroton. I had a great sigh of relief. I gained enormous amount of energy and ran toward the hotel. I saw the lady at the reception. She said Sir I hope you had a great time I didnt have any words to say I smiled and said yes, I cant forget this day.

TM Khalid Al-Mutairi
In February, 2010, I received an E-mail about toastmasters and how it would help me to improve my communication and leadership skills from a friend of mine. And it was the first time I came across such a word.
At that time I was busy with my career, struggling to earn my bread and butter. I had encountered numerous English communication problems both in my work and life, especially when it came to speaking to a group of people. I realized that I had to strengthen my English communication skill; the importance of the tool cant be emphasized more. It is like a woodcutters axe which must be sharp.

To illustrate further let me tell you a great story of a woodcutter. He used to work very hard but could only cut 2 trees a day. He was not happy. He worked even harder, but could only cut 3 trees a day. One day, a wise man advised him to spend some time in sharpening his axe, the only tool the woodcutter had. The woodcutter followed the wise mans advice and he was able to fell more than 4 trees a day. So the axe was important to the woodcutter. I have searched high and low to find the way to sharpen my axe the language and communication skill. Finally, I got it! You know what is it? It is the Toastmasters!
Public speaking is a source of worry for a lot of people. There is a high level of anxiety and hesitation involved in public speaking because of the fear of embarrassment, lack of confidence and the possibility of not delivering a clear message across. As professionals, we need to keep this skill in check. Everyone needs communication skill for his or her respective line of work. Nurses need to communicate efficiently and effectively with their colleagues and patients; while managers must be well-versed in the art of addressing their staff and customers. Since we are all working in a multinational setting, proper and effective use of the English language is vital for everyone to understand and work with each other. Trust me, being able to express yourself and be understood by another person is a significant validation to our existence. The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. The first time I was called to speak in front of the group was for the table topic session. As a table topic speaker I was unable to talk about something suggested by the table topics master, I was asked what I would do or change in the education system if I was the Minister of education. Even though at first I had butterflies fluttering in my stomach, I really enjoyed the meeting. The speeches and the atmosphere are still inside my

memories. That was my initial toastmasters experience. It was new, pleasant, interesting yet challenging. I wish I could speak like those experienced speakers, talking on and on as a great orator. From that day on, I took it as a challenge and joined the club and my journey with Toastmasters has begun. I have noticed a big improvement in my speeches each time I delivered a prepared speech from the CC's manual or execute one of the leadership roles. After three months as a new member of Toastmasters, I found myself part of the committee as the Sgt.At.Arms, straight away I used my experience in Leadership. Within six months I was elected as the Vice President, Membership of the club and continued for a year after which I was unanimously elected the Vice President, Education, of the club and achieved the CL "competent leader" award. My Toastmasters journey has allowed me to meet ordinary people with amazing qualities. They may appear to be regular Joes or a run of the mill of words. But every person who has decided to become a Toastmaster, will share the same spirit and desire to improve themselves; and they've taken the first step to learn and achieve. I am part of that process- to help someone to discover that he has a voice, and that he will use it to speak his mind and that he will become confident and motivated to unleash his potential in all the facets of his life. It means a great deal to me that words can hardly encompass. How true the interpretation is! Toastmasters program is an educational endeavor. It provides its members with an opportunity to develop oral communication and public speaking skills as well as leadership skills. It also fosters self-confidence and personal growth. I strongly believe that, to achieve something you must be with the right people. The people around you must be very positive, supportive and have a lot of initiative.Our motto in Toastmasters read: "For better listening, for better thinking, for better speaking, we learn by doing." If you possess the desire and the spirit to be a better communicator and a better leader, then there is a Toastmaster in YOU! Don't miss the opportunity to be a better version of who you are. Toastmaster is here to help.

TM Sadagopan Natarajan
Most of us cultivate a habit of allowing somebody else to control us. During our childhood parents, especially, mother controls us. She advises us what we should do and what we shouldnt. In school teachers try to control our behavior. After marriage wife / husband takes the control! After schooling during college life, there is no control outside our home that makes most of the teenagers to enjoy freedom by getting in to bad habits of smoking or drinking alcohol for sake of tasting it; and then slowly they become addicted to it. Sometime they overdo things and spoil their future.
I am very fortunate to get a lovely father who is more self-disciplined and always tries to cultivate self control and self-discipline rather than worrying about how others will react to our action. Most of us try to obey rules just because the law enforcing authority is watching us and if we break the law and be caught, we will have to pay a price for it. We know some people trying to be rich doing unethical things or doing adulteration or selling spurious medicine etc. It is more often that a law enforcing authority locates such type of law breakers or criminals and punishes them. We should develop a society where Self-discipline plays a pivotal role in shaping up a person in the society. Our educational system and our parenting should focus on how to bring up a child who will stick to self-disciple and follow noble principles in life. Parents should stand as an example for children to be more disciplined, compassionate, respecting others feelings, helping others in need and to be a man of certain noble principles. Every citizen should understand that each of our behaviors contributes to well being of the society and to the whole human race. It is important to understand most of the rules are made for our convenience and we should follow them. It is equally important to change obsolete rules. We should address them to proper authorities to make the changes instead of thinking that somebody else will do. In modern world greediness for money is increasing since our wants keep increasing. What was a comfort few decades ago has become a necessity today due to change of culture. It is not more important to invent new electronic gadget or more sophisticated weapons; we should develop self-discipline in children and in youth who will be under their own mind control and live in peace and allow others to live in peace.

TM Venkatesan Devarajan
An investment in knowledge pays the best interest , quoted the famous American Inventor and philosopher Mr. Benjamin Franklin. And, I am deriving the precious returns from the prudent investment decision I have made to join the Toastmasters International. I became one of the proud members of Jubail Toastmasters Club (# 8076 in Division L), the prestigious first toastmasters club in Jubail, Saudi. I was already armed with my engineering degree and a post graduation in Management before exploring the wonderful world of Toastmasters. But, only after becoming a Toastmaster, I had learned how to skillfully use my weapons, in the arena of public speaking. There is a popular saying that, The mind is a miraculous thing. It starts working the minute you're born and never stops working until you get up to speak in public. And, another wonderful attribute of the human mind is that, it can be trained or nurtured to face any challenge. All it needs is a sanguine environment, free of threat and danger, where it can practice and nourish its newly learnt skills to master them. In my first club meeting, I was literally cursing the Table topics master, who had invited me to speak on a topic, without any foreword. Today, after achieving my Competent Communicator award, I am steadily marching in my Advanced Communicator track. In the leadership track, I had started serving my club as a Sergeant At Arms. Currently, I am serving as the Vice President- Education of our prestigious club. Today, I salute that wonderful Toastmaster and our Toastmasters Fraternity, for sowing the seeds of success, so firmly in my heart, to conquer greater and greater heights in public speaking and leadership. Wow!!! What an exciting start and a joyous journey ahead, as a Toastmaster. My journey in Toastmasters clearly signifies that, if we are positive, ready to accept the challenges and continue giving our best efforts as a team player, the whole Toastmasters Fraternity conspires to help and support you, to reach that worthwhile goal. By Joining Toastmasters, I had invested my time, knowledge and energy in the most effective manner, to pursue my dream of achieving competency in the challenging arena of communication and leadership. In my humble opinion, Toastmasters is the perfect platform to identify and nurture our hidden potentials and imbibes the much needed courage to change and face the challenge.

TM Syed Jamal Zaheer

Marriage is the most widely discussed and celebrated relationship among the human kind. History of marriage probably dates back to Paleolithic age when we lived in caves and hunted with stone made tools. Frescos on ancient cave walls depict man and woman standing side by side indicating the existence of some sort of crude marriage relationships existing even during those prehistoric periods. Needs for emotional sharing and resultant security and our basic instinct for carnal pleasures and the sociological need to bring up children together might have evolved this wonderful human relationship described as marriage. All creatures mate and reproduce but the Institution of Marriage is distinct with mankind alone. Traces of family living have been noticed among certain advanced species of gorillas too but it lacked the sustainability and strong bonds as seen among the human species. Only Mans intelligence could fathom the advantages of controlling and channelizing the sexual drive to the optimum balance in the society."The Institution of Marriage" has been debated and discussed a lot since the mankind stumbled on community living. In the early civilizations, when it was required to properly sanction a relationship and the responsibility and traceability of the off-springs became an issue, the present shape of Institution of Marriage came about. In the last century, permissive societies have experimented with all type of relationships to replace marriage/family, with or without the sanction of the society. Unfortunately the success rate of the marriage had been found to be more in the median conservative societies. The examples of permissive societies, where The Institution of Marriage has almost failed in the developed World, and some not-so-developed, where the Women is considered liberated from the bonds of institutional marriages. Earlier it was felt that conservative / orthodox societies are not permitting woman to take their rightful place in the society and these societies deny the human rights to women folk.

It was also traced to their economic dependence on man being the head of the house who took major decisions due to his economic leverage. This was not a religious factor, as Muslim women even in the times of Prophets indulged in business. It was felt that by denying the right to lead an independent life, the woman here was being suppressed to tow the husbands line, at the cost of her own happiness. In conservative societies, the lower divorce rate was considered to be the result of this suppression. On the other hand, the developed societies with their affluence gave the woman full freedom to enjoy every aspect of the life by severing this dependence. The woman soon started using this new found independence by flaunting it and exercising it, sometimes to prove the point that the man is no longer in-charge. On instigation of Man, such free woman soon became more permissive physically, initially much to their own delight and later to the delight of the instigating man, who is by nature a polygamist, and stood to gain more. However, we see a wonderful balance of the two extremes in some societies. Mostly the countries, where cultural and religious practices play a dominant role in putting constraints on the man-woman relationship, preventing the two going to any of the extremes. Man is assigned the guardian role by all religions. If his inner strength of disciplining takes care to prevent the exploitation of women, the balance would be just right. Those truly practicing moral values more or less achieve it. The results make the two partners (Man & Woman) more tolerant. It would be worthwhile investigating this to a conclusion. Socrates summed the Marriage experience in apt words, By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. Marriages or live in relationships? Some conservative societies might be flabbergasted or even aghast at the concept of a live in relationship. What prompted me to write this article was a related topic by a friend of mine about marriages now and marriages then, arranged marriage and love marriage. After reading that article I couldn't help but think "Why marriages at all? You can see this in practice in most of the developed World. They say, Marriages are made in heaven. Marriage is where the couple gets into a holy sanctimony and takes vows to be with each other for better or worse till death do them part. Ironically though, many marriages don't seem to last that long. When you think you are in love with person you see a rosy picture painted in front of you but fail to see the thorns embedded in the relationship. Unfortunately the thorns do come into picture after a while, sometimes real soon, and one is neither expecting these nor had prepared to deal with them. That is why Benjamin Franklin said, Keep your eyes wide open before the wedding, half shut afterwards.

Come to think of it, marriage is certainly not a joy ride. Not that I am against marriages but the concept of an arranged marriage certainly doesn't appeal to most educated persons. How could anybody commit to a complete stranger and think they can live their entire life with them? It is just a matter of time before you stop talking face to face, don't share the intimacy anymore and before you realize that both of you are exploring "other options". Soon, you decide it is time to move on. If only, it was that easy to move on. Getting a divorce is not that easy. You have to choose between tolerating a person you don't like anymore in your bedroom, or getting yourself involved in all the legal wrangles and complications. Which pushes many to the idea of a Trial Marriage? This is where the concept of live in relationships comes into play. You truly realize your compatibility by living-in with your partner. When you've not even spent an entire day together, how can you be so sure that you can spend the rest of your life together? They also give you an element of flexibility in life. If you dont find the other compatible, you can leave the relationship. No matter what people think, one is entitled to ones opinion. The argument for a live-in relationship is that, People with whom you have shared your joy, your sorrows, love, pain, the only thing left to share is the remaining part of your life. Another point of view, is that Marriage and Love have nothing do with each other. Neither love necessarily leads to a successful marriage nor does marriage guarantee love. Hence, most marriages are farcical where the couple under question succumbs to certain factors. True many marriages are the result of "unconditional love" but very often these marriages are nothing but a result of a convention that has been forced upon us since time immemorial. Without an element of love or association, Marriage loses its idealistic character and depreciates into a mere economic arrangement for the sake of convenience. Such nuptial arrangements could be vulnerable to external temptations and it could only be a question of time for the relationship to dissent itself into a farce. Marriages have to be built on the strong foundation of selfless love and care for the partners which eventually could find permanence with the arrival of children. After all, the best functional definition of family is: Nurturing Cradle for Next Generation. In conclusion, I would say that Marriage is like the elusive maiden whom Man has never understood. The comforts of a Marriage, the benefits of a Marriage far outweigh the advantages of being Single. That is why the divorced often try and try again. They feel that Marriage is like a lottery where you do have a slight chance. Anyway, it is worth trying to succeed rather than not try at all with the fear of failing.

For those who are gifted with patience & love it is an infinite ountain of joy but for the shallow minds it is the other way around!

TM Dr. Fahmeeda Zaheer

The murder of Jessica Lal was highlighted and followed through a maze of political connections who tried to suppress the evidence and get a conviction, but at the same time everyday, we let hundreds of ordinary persons get away with murder in daylight. Yes friends, I am talking about Female Foeticide.

Have you never heard of people going for selective abortions after sex determination tests for foetus?
Have we, similarly, not heard of the accidental burning of wives? Have we ever thought why the percentage of such cases pertains to the newly weds or those with martial discord? Did we ever wonder this could be murder? These are very common incidents now, particularly in India. What have we done to check this? We talk of millions of things at or meetings. How many times we raised this? Is it not our duty to do so in a society bereft with this evil. Some of the worst gender ratios indicating gross violation of womans rights occur in South and East Asian Countries such as India and China. The Abortion law was legalized in India in 1971, only for certain special cases like congenital Abnormalities of fetus, sexual harassment etc. But now the determination of the sex of fetus by ultrasound & amniocentesis and in vitro fertilization has aggravated the female fetuses abortion.

No moral or ethical principle supports such a procedure for gender identification. The killing of woman exists in various forms in societies all over the world. However, Indian society displays some unique and particularly brutal versions, such as dowry death and sati. Female fetuses are selectively aborted after pre-male sex determination, thus avoiding the birth of girls. As a result of selective abortion, between 35 to 40 million girls and woman are missing from the Indian population. Sex ratio of girls has dropped down to 710 per thousands in states like Haryana.
Over the last 50 years, female to male ratio has steadily dropped, from 983 per thousand in 1961 to 933 in 2011. Daman and Diu have the district with the dubious distinction of having lowest sex ratio of 591!!! A society with high percentage of unmarried young men is dangerous. It can lead to more women being exploited, of molestation and rape, as sex workers, due to high gap in demand and supply. We are already aware of Haryana males importing Kerala brides due to male female ratio being 1000:1058 in that state. The only sane way forward is the prevention of Female feticide, and protest at all levels to fight this menace. The deep seated attitudes and practices against women and girls can be prevented only by combination of good monitoring, education campaigns and effective consultations. Friends, look at it as someone attacking your daughter, your mother and your sister. Dont they deserve better than this? Are you going to sit and watch or take concrete action!!!

TM Bala Murugan
In todays world every one of us is running for more money, more famous, more popularity and for more and more human tendency is that we need more and more in everything.
In this more race, at times we will end up with unfair contest, lost our code of ethics, lost our humanity.

I would like to recall an incident that happened in my school days, I was a champion in athletics at school level. During annual day function there was a running competition for juniors (up to 8th standard). A large crowd had congregated to witness the sporting spectacle. My head master was also part of the crowd The race commenced, looking like a level heat at the finishing line, I took the winning line and was first. I felt proud and important.

The next competition was the running race for senior level(from 8th to 10th standard). Though I was not eligible to take part in that race I took special permission from my Head master and I participated. I crossed the distance and finished first once again. The crowd was ecstatic again and cheered me. But my head master remained still and calm.
The sports teacher announced the next running contest for super seniors(11th & 12th standard). The rage in me woke up and asked bala, why dont you participate? I took special permission from my Head master and I participated. I crossed the distance and finished first once again. The crowd was cheered me again. But my head master remained still and calm and expressing no statement.

After the competition is over, there was another announcement that there will be a contest for physically challenged students. This time my headmaster came to me & asked me to participate in that competition too. I agreed, if I won this too I will get one more medal, that was my thought I stood first, but this time the crowd was silent showing no sentiment toward me.
My Headmaster came to me and told, Do you know why the crowd is not cheering you? I said NO.. He replied if you want to win this particular race you should go back & finish the race with all your competitors. I went back, The race began and i walked slowly, ever so slowly, to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowd were ecstatic and cheered and waved at me. The head master smiled, gently nodding his head and he told Bala, for this race you have won much more than in any race you have ever ran before, and for this race the crowd cheer not for any winner!" Even though I was the winner, the audience were looked at me with their streaming eyes. There I realized that, I could not participated in the third competition and there I took a vow that I will participate in any contest with equal competitors. So dear friends, we all are well educated, well cultured. Let us take the resolution from our self. Dont be part of any unfair contest and keep the moral & humanity. If so you will be the winner in life.

TM Manoj C. Nair
Some days before I was listening to a Television Program, in which there was a Doctor, claiming that he can treat and he had treated and cured Diabetes Mellitus using Sweets. Can you ever imagine, treating this chronic disease with Gulab Jamun, Sweet Laddus and Jilebis? You may ask, What happened to this guy, is he became mad, right? Even though the first instant of mine was also the same, I have gone little deep into the matter due to anxiety and I found something amazing. Yes, it is. We can think of treating Type 2 Diabetes with Gulab Jamun and Jilebis. As all of you know that Pancreas is producing Insulin, and Insulin is that matter, which keeps the equilibrium of Sugar in our body. As per the records Sugar is the only substance that can stimulate Pancreas to produce more and more insulin. Hence what Pancreas do is that, it will produce more insulin, when it detects that the sugar level is going high in our body. But dont get into the wrong idea and conclusion, and get into more troubles by thinking that you can just take more Gulab Jamun and Jilebis and can cure the Diabetes. It is not correct at all. When we take sweets, which have more sugar content, we are indirectly inducing more fat content into our cells, which are more dangerous than the sugar. In fact sugar also turns into fat, if we are not burning it out, which means that converting it to Carbon dioxide (CO2) and Water (H2O). Hence when we intake more sugar, it is also required to burn the fat produced in our body, the same day before these fat is covered with more fat. It is easy to remove the tender fat, which is produced in the same day, rather than the hard fat which is accumulated for days, weeks, months and even years. Hence if we intake a calculated quantity of sweets containing sugar and burn the fat produced due to the same on the same day, we will be able to stimulate Pancreas and produce the required Insulin for our body to keep the equilibrium as well as you will keep our body fit and healthy. Two dead in one shot. It was something amazing, and I really felt that more research is required in the same subject, and I really appreciate that Doctor, who had shown courage to invent the new Idea and gave normal living to many diabetes patients, without painful insulin injections.

Being written all this, my humble request to all of you is that, on my saying, no diabetes patients should start consuming more sweets thinking that it will cure you. It is to be done with the strict supervision of such doctors, who is doing the same with confidence. They will guide you properly. One more important thing is that, doctors are confirming that if your pancreas is not in a position to get stimulated with the intake of sugar, it may cause more dangers than cure. Hence do these treatments after such doctors examine your body and test and confirm that your pancreas is intact and can get stimulated and produce more Insulin.

TM Pushkar
If you find yourself exhausted from your routine, too much worried about the happenings and thrown off balance by your surroundings, a return to nature can help you reconnect with peace and rejuvenate your mind. For over thousands of years great minds have received inspiration, motivation, encouragement and insights on the art of living in harmony and peace from the Mother Nature.
Nature is an ultimate teacher which teaches us many things in our life, however we always take it for granted and forget what we can derive from it. We can learn from every element of nature be it trees, flowers & fruits, birds & beasts, springs and sea, sand & snow, from almost everything. What can we learn from a tree? We can learn how to give: A tree gives food, shelter, shade & oxygen to breath. We can learn how to receive: A tree is self-sufficient, but only because it uses what God has given it. It takes nutrients from the soil, water form the rain, & warmth from the sun to help it grow. Nature is extremely efficient; it uses exactly what it needs no more and no less. A tree teaches us about life and its cycles: about birth, growth, fall, rejuvenation, death and most importantly, it teaches patience. Trees help us recognize our strengths after loss. From the roots, it tells us to be extremely strong in the foundation, from the branches it tells us to grow and expand, from the trunk it tells us to save and be strong. Nature shows us how to express ourselves. According to a Chinese proverb, "A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song." Nature seems to have no alternative to bliss. Nature always tells us to rejoice and to be happy. Everything in nature is simply happy, happy for no reason. The flowers are happy, the butterflies are happy, the birds are happy. The springs, the waterfalls, the rivers are always happy in whatever they do. Nature tells us how to optimize resources and not being greedy. You will not find a tree absorbing all the available water or a lion killing all the deer simply because they are available. At the same time it tells us not to be wasteful. It tells us to be in perfect harmony and synchronization. Nature shows us our own potential, it tells us about the power of unity. Individually, we are one drop, together, we are an ocean. Nature shows us how to love and show affection. We can learn fun and fascination; we can learn innovation and imagination. We can get ideas and inspiration. Nature advices to go with the flow, the one against the flow hardly survives. The most important teaching that nature gives us is the survival of the fittest.

TM G. V. Narayan
It is said and I believe from my experiences that you get the best things in life when you are least expecting them. When you go after a thing, what we get is restricted, while when the thing follows you it comes unrestricted. Besides what flows freely and unrestricted often gives us joy and contentment while anything which is restricted or expected tends to carry disappointment or dissatisfaction. Wisdom is something which comes unrestricted while knowledge is something that we go after. In todays society we have become so used to running after things that often we neglect what comes free and unrestricted. We think, what we perceive is right and scramble after the perceived things and often end up frustrated when it does not meet our expectations. Knowledge is perceived and may change as per the context while wisdom is the truth and is constant and can be applicable anywhere, anytime to produce the best results. Traveling back over the years human kind , which ever part of the world it may be has survived against all odds and constantly progressed based on the wisdom gained and shared down the generations. Every culture or region has respected wisdom and given a lot of prominence to ideas and thoughts generated and guided by wisdom gained over the ages. Every walk of life had leaders with wisdom to steer and guide. In sharp contrast today there is lesser and lesser importance to wisdom and most of the problems faced by us can be associated to this neglect. Pursuit for knowledge is good but when wisdom is neglected it can take a dangerous trend. Perceived knowledge is like illusion. We feel so proud and inflated when we get some specialized academic achievement like a degree or an award but unless we grasp the real essence and develop the wisdom to use this knowledge effectively it would be a futile achievement.

All along the years knowledge was a tool to be used by the society guided by wisdom gained over the years. Today there is a dangerous precedent where the delicate balance between wisdom and knowledge is upset. People go after perceived knowledge and after attaining it do not use it wisely and end up taking wrong decisions there- by causing more harm to society.
What is the remedy ? We need to introspect. We are overwhelmed by outward appearance and do not look or analyse things deeply. Where we need to introspect and analyze We easily get carried away by flashy or showy exhibitionism of knowledge. For example consider the society where the original inhabitants of various regions lived. Be it the ancient tribes of people who lived in the harsh deserts of Arabia , jungles of Asia or Amazon , the vast cold arid places of America, Europe or Antartica. The people survived the harsh realities of life against all odds by living a life guided by the wisdom gained and passed on by the elders or wise men of the respective society. Today with all the education and knowledge a man can get can he survive on his own ? Let us wake up and introspect and see where we have erred.

Of late I have developed a habit of reading the biographies of people from different parts of the world, and I was amazed at the amount of wisdom in their life. Having talked about biographies I cannot but mention the name of Louis Lamour who was a great writer of America

( Frontier America , Story of the early settlers). His books had a role in shaping up my thoughts during my childhood. I had been nurturing a strong desire to know more about this man. After 20 years I got hold of his biography
The Education of A Wandering Man

Reading his biography answered many of my general queries about life. I could see the tremendous amount of wisdom gained during the course of this mans life and shared for the benefit of all. This is true with every man whatever be his status or nationality or race.
I feel that one of the most prominent threat to todays society is due to the imbalance between wisdom and knowledge The solution lies in looking back into the past with an open mind and picking up the wisdom handed over by our predecessors and elders. Let us look back and accept those threads of wisdom woven by our ancestors to progress towards a better tomorrow.

TM Abdullah Khalili
Although people may not agree on a definition of charisma, they can generally agree on who has it and who doesn't. When I ask people to list charismatic public figures, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., FDR, Gandhi, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama are commonly and frequently mentioned. Ask about charismatic people from the world of entertainment and Oprah Winfrey tops the list, and Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe, are charismatic stars from the past. On the surface, charismatic individuals, such as Bill Clinton, Mohandas Gandhi, and Oprah Winfrey seem to have little in common (besides being in positions of influence and leadership). But they all are recognized as having that "something special" that is charisma. What is charisma? I've been studying that question for more than 5 years and we believe we have a good understanding of the personal qualities that can make any individual "charismatic." This "personal charisma" is not the same as charismatic leadership, but charismatic leaders possess most, if not all, of the basic building blocks of personal charisma. Have you ever noticed how some people captivate everyone they speak to? No matter what they look like or how much money they have, they can just walk into a room and instantly be the center of attention. When they leave, people think highly of them and want to emulate them. That's charisma, a sort of magnetism that inspires confidence and adoration. Like beauty, luck, and social position, charisma can open many doors in life. Unlike these other qualities, anyone can become more charismatic f\by following steps: Relax Look confident Develop a warm personality Get in touch with your emotions Match your body language to your speech Think before you speak Speak with conviction Treat people as they want to be treated Look people in the eye when you're talking with them

TM Ahmed Al-Madani
The say that Actions Speaks Louder than Words but I wonder, does that mean that Actions is the loudest sound there is ? couldnt there be a louder sound than actions ? and with that been said,, You dont expect everyone to agree with you on your decisions, and you cant easily find someone to share the same opinion with you. But what happens is, normally you find those who have a total different point of view. And when you know for sure, that whatever you have in mind, is right, and whoever is disagreeing, is obviously wrong, and no matter how hard you try to convince your opponent to comply with you, they just wont give in. We all can agree on one thing right now, is that your stubbornness and insistence will never work, and the more you try, the more you get fade up with it, then the situation becomes hopeless and frustrating, An ancient story took place somewhere in Iraq, about a pet shop in the local market, and the owner of the shop placed two different birds on display, there was a parrot, and a pigeon, now the parrot kept singing and chanting all the time, and the price tag says (1o pieces of silver), the pigeon on the other hand kept silent, not making a single sound, but the price tag says (10 pieces of gold) how eronic!!. A customer passing by the shop and it caught his attention, so he approaches the shop and asked the owner, how come the pigeon worth more than the parrot, when the parrot is more fun and attractive than the pigeon. The shop owner replied (if talking be measured by gold, then silence would be measured by gold What that story teaches us is that, we should always remember that, never escalate the satiation with those who argue too much just because they disagree with you, what you should do is just save the breath and smile to them, and always remember, they only act so arrogant because they are stubborn, and you keep quite since you are certain, keep silent and watch the magic play, let them scream and yell their anger out, and before you know it, they will realize whos right. Silence is the only friend that never betrays

TM Mosallam Al-Tamimi
The life is so difficult!!. Do you think really the life is difficult or that what we heard about life? Who makes the life difficult? Area we or this is the natural?. Let us assume that life is difficult. Could we simplify it? Let us try. Write the things in paper (Tasks, activities,). Do not keep it in your mind. As per the scantiest: the brain keeps the things (Tasks, activities,) as circle. So you will never feel that you finish any things. But if you write it in paper that mean you will know what things have been done. Then you will be satisfy and simplify your life. Clear Clutter Keep more space around you to move easily. Remove the Magazines from your table. The table design for wonderful flowers or cup of coffee. The right place for books and magazines in book shelf. your store is full of garbage ( chair, paints, pipes).do not keep any things in your store more than one year except the books. if you have something in your store more than one year give it to someone need them or through them out. If someone said: I will through them today morning and in the night I need them! Thats not true because if you still have them they will not be good enough for you. Simplify your daily chores Think about all the work you do at home. Sometimes our home tasks consume best hours in our day. And we will never get that done either. So focus on the most important and try to eliminate the other tasks (automate, eliminate, delegate, or find help).Do not do every things by yourself. Share the responsibility with your wife, your children. Let them find the hotel for the vacation. Cut Out Negative Relationships The negative people will send negative message about you and the life around you. You will feel the life is dark and no way to succeed. You will be under attention always because of them. Put things in same place always That will make the search easy. Put the keys in same place. Collect all manuals for devices in one place. At the End always remember what Annie Dillard said: "The way we live our days, is the way we live our lives."

TM Bhaskar Patel
Yasodhara the daughter of King Suppabuddha and Pamitais was married to Prince Siddhartha, at the age of 16. Siddhartha was 19 then. At 29 she gave birth to their only child, a boy named Rahula. On the day of his birth Prince Siddharth left the palace. Yasodhara was devastated and overcome with grief. Hearing that her husband was leading a holy life, she emulated him by removing her jewellery, wearing a plain yellow robe and eating only one meal a day. Although relatives sent her messages to say that they would maintain her, she did not take up those offers. Several princes sought her hand but she rejected the proposals. Throughout the six years that the Prince struggled for Enlightenment Princess Yasodhara followed the news of his actions closely and did likewise. When the Buddha visited Kapilavatthu after enlightenment, Yasodhar did not go to see her former husband but thought: "Surely if I have gained any virtue at all, if my love for him is pure, the Lord will come to my presence." One day, Buddha, seeking for alms, accompanied by his two chief disciples entered the chamber of Yasodhara and sat on a seat prepared for Him. Hearing of His visit, Yasodhara swiftly came to him and clasping His ankles and placing her head at his feet reverenced Him Y: My lord it has been a long wait, waiting for you. My eyes were always fixed on the streets hoping for you to return. G: This waiting will bring you nothing but pain. Y: Pain, agony, grief and devastation are now the things of past. They peaked when you left; but now; No, they are no where to be seen. I am overflowing with joy, happiness and eternal bliss. G: You are taking about attachment and attachment culminates into pain, misery and suffering. Y: I see it as love and not attachment, a force which adds meaning to life and energy to sustain. G: It may be an energy which might help you hold something but for how long. With time everything slips out of ones hand; You feel it as a force, agreed a force but which leads you nowhere. Y: it has worked perfectly well for me. See it has brought you to me. G: Very right but it is nothing more than cling on to air. Y: Clinging on to air: isnt it a reality, you sitting in front of me.

G: You mean physical proximity. Physical proximity is just like one of the many waves in the ocean. Y: Dont the waves added to the beauty of the ocean? G: Yes, why not but to the minuscule. Y: Minuscule, then where does one find the majuscule? G: Plunge into the sea and underneath the waves spread over the sea bed lies the beauty waiting for you to be experienced, to be felt. Seek solace nowhere, tune to your inner-self. In there lies the sea of tranquility. The un-adulterated you. Recognize and resonate with thee. That adds to the meaning of your existence. Y: How does one go about reaching it? G: Simple RENUNCIATION, dont get entangle into the worldly affairs, be a witness, just be your own self. Y: You mean renunciation of relations too. G: Why not! Y: Than what made you come here? G: I came here seeking for alms. Y: Grains I have but you can get them next door, money you wont touch, gold you dont wear, maids you dont need then how do I treat thee? G: Excitement blurs the vision and impairs thinking. Wisdom blends well with tranquility. Y: Tranquility prevails and wisdom doesnt allow me to let you go empty hand. I have something to offer. My son Rahul and my own self. As the five marched into the streets leaving behind the worldly attachment; the movement in the street ceased, people turned into statues, extremities never meet. The east never meets the west, the north never meets the south but here on the streets of Kapilvattu the five walked light where as the on lookers stood grief-stricken and tearful eyes. The sky too was heavily overcastted. The palace went empty without a prince, without an heir to the throne, only to bring enlightenment to vast areas on the globe at a later stage. LIVE TO GIVE AND GIVE TO LEAVE FOR YOU CAME EMPTY HANDED AND WILL LEAVE EMPTY HANDED

TM Venkateshan Sankarnarayan
Life is a chain of twist and turns, some I cannot forget and there are few which I dont want to forget. Like everybody, I too have some memorable incidents and events in my life. Six years down the memory lane my stay in Mumbai. A dream city that swells by the influx of dream aspirants. As a stranger in the fast churning city, I had to commute from Borivali to my office in Mahalakhsmi. The first day when I came to the station, the scene on the platform on arrival of the train made me go mad. I questioned myself, Would I be able to board the train? Somehow, I gathered courage and approached towards the train. As I came near to the train within a flick of a second I found myself in the train. The same magic happened while getting down. I was amazed to find the boarding and alighting the suburban train was so effortless. Less effortless than giving a speech.

Having acquired the skills of effortless boarding and alighting these trains, the thought came to my mind was, what these people would be talking during the Train journey. Lending an attentive ear revealed an endless list of topics ranging from Bollywood, possibility of Sachin scoring a century, assembly election, commuter commotion, corruption, stock market, law and order and of course alluring affairs. What an entertaining way to start the day and go to office.
But life in office is often stressful. Once engrossed in preparing a presentation, that I forgot that the clock was silently clicking. It was 5:30 pm and my colleague asked me, Venkat, are you not going home? Suddenly I realized and closed the Computer abruptly and rushed to catch the train. It was the train which started from Mahalakshmi and I boarded it. My colleague was happy to see me getting in the train while I expressed my unhappiness for risking my life. We were talking to each other and one after the other, the stations were passing by. My colleague got down and it is just a station away and within minutes I would reach home. Man proposes, God disposes. My train was not moving. Five minutes.. Ten minutes..the train remained there. Also, no trains could be seen on the opposite track. Suddenly, a phone call added fuel to the fire. Nobody expected or believed that this could happen. It was one of the tragic incident that has ever happened. All passengers in our compartment, were shocked to realize that there was a bomb blast in the train ahead of us.

The mere imagination of the devastating scene shattered. I had no other alternative but to walk all the way to Borivali station. As I approached nearer and nearer to the station every step I took, it took me through emotional turbulence and turmoil. My mind soaked in sadness, though I walked injury less my mind was gripped by the injury inflicted on the innocent victims, the shocks inflicted on the family members of the victims.
I approached the spot and helped the victims to get in to the ambulance and also made them feel better psychologically. I thought this is not enough. So. I went to the hospital and offered assistance. My heart became heavy when I thought of those who died and injured for no fault of their own. It shook me and I asked myself, what is this Life is all about? I could not go to office the next day. The day after, when I started to leave for office, I decided to make a difference. When the train started to move, I pointed at each bag kept at the top for its owner. Everybody responded politely. But, for one of the bag, when I did not receive any response, I decided to throw away. It was here,when one of the passenger stood and responded to everybody by thanking me and urged all the passengers tobe alert if they have to return home safely. I felt happy for the awareness created. Here, I have not asked anybody to change, but the change in me has initiated for a change in the minds of public. Nor only this, as a responsible citizen you and I have to demonstrate the way, which would be for the betterment of the human value and society. This betterment would transfer to the next generation thereby making this world a better place to live in. For this to happen, it has to start from me. I have already started. So, are you all ready for the change? Will you stand up for our Brothers and Sisters? Let us live Life, King Size for a good cause.

TM Asif Siddiqui
In our day to day life we come across different people, who behave differently. At Sabic Americas there was training conducted by HR for the employees on characteristics of people of different generations for the purpose of understanding each other better so as to develop strategies for working with Cross- Generations. The expectations of people of our parents generation will always be different than the aspirations of people of our kids age, the challenge is always to establish a common ground. I have compiled that 20+ slides presentation to the table below for the benefit of my Toastmasters Colleagues.

Generations/ Characteristics
When were they born Major Economic and Political Trends When They Entered the Workforce What Did They Do After School? How Was/Is News Primarily Delivered? First Experience With a Computer Their perception of JOB

Traditionalists
1925-1945

Boomers
1946-1964 Expansion and Growth

Generation X
1965-1979

Millenials
1980-2000+

Through Parents/Neighbors

Played outdoors till mom called you in for dinner Newspapers

As an adult

Reaganomics, Globalization, Internet Boom/Bust, Terrorism, Uncertainty, Space Shuttle Great Recession Challenger Explosion Played Atari until Mom or dad drove you your parents came to soccer practice or home from work violin lessons. TV, BBC, CNN Internet news feeds, Blogs, Twitter In Junior High School At the age of 2 or 3or earlier Work gives me a I am more than my life job MTV, AIDS epidemic, Internet; media cynical, grim saturation, scheduled economic period, lives, multiculturalism, drug war globalization, recession High expectations, open to change, optimistic Latch key kids Dual income or singleparent families Challenge it Challenge me or Ill challenge you Entrepreneurial Supportive Learning, quality of Diversity, social life, involvement, consciousness, respect, stimulation, fun achievement, fun Corporate politics, Close-mindedness, boomers clogging the menial work, negativity system My family My aspirations Distrust big business, independence

I am my job Depression, WWII, struggle and delayed gratification

Work is my life Sexual revolution, civil rights, economic expansion, abundance Climb the ladder, build career Divorced Question it Collaborative Variety, achievement

World Frame

Work Ethic

Work hard, pay dues, keep head down Nuclear Respect it Command and control Stability, respect, trust, hard work, loyalty

Family Structure Attitude to Authority Management Style What is valued

What is resented

Change and lack of respect

Control, slackers

Loyalty to My Company Source: HR, Sabic Americas

My profession

TM Sadagopan
An emotion is an instinctive response to your circumstance and an illustration of your feelings How many of you let your emotions out? How many of you keep steaming with your emotion? You're not one to keep your feelings to yourself! You let your emotions speak for themselves and at the slightest provocation, you let it all out. The good news is that your hot temper never lasts long, because you soon get things off your chest.
Let me share with all of you an unforgettable incident of my rich college friend Easwar who is in shipping business. He got married at a very early age of 22, right after we completed our college. Though he was young, he was mature in his thoughts and speech due to his involvement with his family shipping business during his study days. Being rich, his father presented the newly married couple a brand new green color big Chevrolet Plymouth car. We felt it was like a boat! The couple was happily driving through the zigzag beach road. Then they decided to go for a movie at night show. So they parked the car on a side street. After enjoying the movie as a honeymoon couple, they returned to the place of parking and lo! To their utmost surprise, the car was missing. It was stolen. Easwar thought, Oh God! Why like this?? His wife just could not take this in her stride. The first gift from her inlaws and had gone. They returned in an auto to their house with grief. Misty-eyed, she sank into the sofa in their house. Easwar was also jolted, but his love for his wife prevailed over everything else. He could not bear her sadness and hugged her from behind and remarked, Dear, the car is lost. You can feel upset about it. Now please take it easy. Either way, the car is lost. Why worry. Anyway they complained to the police and left the rest to GOD and moved on. His cheerful words slowly made her come out of the shell. Two months later the police recovered the car from the thieves and the family was happy once again. However this happiness was short-lived. Next week, while returning from his office Easwar rammed the car behind a truck. On returning home, misty-eyed, he sank on the sofa. The wife too was jolted. But, her love for him prevailed over the moment. This time she hugged him and remarked, Darling, the car is rammed. You can feel upset over it. The car is rammed. You can take it easy. Either way the car is rammed. Then, why not take it easy! What a logical question! When the car is lost or rammed, how can anyone can take it easy? But what else can you do? Feel upset, if you want, or take it easy, it you want. Either way after the emotional drama, what has to be done has to be done. The police complaint has to be lodge, the car has to be sent to the workshop, and the insurance has to be claimed. What has to be done has to be done. That is the essence of life. So my dear friends, one should look at the problem and go into a practical solution, rather than the emotional drama. For some, we find ourselves in certain situations where our emotions take over. Many people believe that nothing that can be done about it. Often, they just let their emotions run its course, leaving it at that. But there is more to your emotions than just feelings that need to be released. They are indicative of your desires and thoughts so if you are able to read them, then you can unlock much about yourself.

TM Hari Kumar
Effective communication skills both verbal and non verbal are imperative to achieve success in every walk of life. In our present society most of the disputes and unfortunate incidences are due to the lack of effective communication. Many lost their countries, beloved ones, positions, wealth, and health due to these lacunas. All of us know that a word uttered from ones mouth is more lethal than a bullet fired from a gun. Why people cannot communicate effectively? Some of the major aspects I felt are briefed below. Inferiority complex In many communications the persons having inferiority complex are unable to communicate properly. Many times they stammer during communication, use broken sentences and gestures. The listener observe these characteristics and does not give due importance to such opinions. This may be due the lack of education, his status in the society due to various factors and his family back ground. Hence one should develop his personality to overcome such difficulties. Lack of knowledge in the subject Communications becomes ineffective if one does not have clear understanding of what he wants to convey. They fail to present the subject precisely to the interest of the listeners. This requires continuous and determined effort to read, listen and understand day to day developments in the society. Lack of word power Many times communications become ineffective due to the lack of proper words which give strength to the thoughts which he delivers. One should make continuous attempts to improve word power and proper usage of language to attract the listener. Emotional outbreaks Many times people make mistakes in their communication while they are under deep emotions. These over expressions or under expressions cause trouble to them. One should practice well to retain their emotional stability at least in important meetings. Lack of positive thinking Many negative contents in communications can be presented positively to the listener. This reduces tension among the personnel and can also gain appreciation from most of the listeners. Here one should develop positive thinking which needs practice and good reading. Social injustice Many communicators from the socially backward areas, physically and mentally ill treated family or from a bad work place are filled with their hatred arising from their many frustrations. It is the listeners duty to give proper respect, understanding their difficulties and guide them to correct their mistakes without humiliating them. Presence of mind Presence of mind is most essential in all communications. Who are you, to whom you are talking, what is the subject and knowing ones limitations etc are most important. A periodic self analysis would help to improve ones self confidence and the presence of mind. Practice Nothing can be achieved without continuous practice. We should always be students and should be willing to learn and practice on daily basis.

TM Iqbal Ahmed Raj

Eight Children were standing on the track to participate in a running event.
*Ready!* Steady!* Bang!!! With the sound of Toy pistol, All eight girls started running. Hardly had they covered ten to fifteen steps, when one of the smaller girl slipped and fell down, Due to bruises and pain she started crying. When the other seven girls heard the little girl cry they stopped running, stood for a while and turned back. Seeing the girl on the track, they all ran to help. One among them bent down, picked her up and kissed her gently and enquired as to how she was. They then lifted the fallen girl pacifying her. Two of them held her firmly while all seven joined hands together and walked together towards the winning post.

There was pin drop silence at the spectators stand. Officials were shocked. Slow claps multiplied to thousands as the spectators stood up in appreciation. Many eyes were filled with tears.
This happened indeed at National institute of Mental Health, Hyderabad. All these special girls had come to participate in this event, they were Spastic Children. Yes, they were mentally challenged. What did they teach to the WORLD? Teamwork? Humanity? Equality among all?? No, they taught the very simple truth. Successful people help others who are slow in learning. So that they are not left far behind!

PJJ Antony, DTM

Toastmastering is a wonderful experience in so many interesting ways. Some say that it is like being in middle of a Dutch blooming field filled with tulips of all colors and shades and facing a pleasant daybreak. To certain pundits it is more like an unending euphoria of education revisiting you at an adult-plus-age as if you are back to high school. As for me it is similar to the heralding of a second adolescence in my late forties. In fact I was getting ready for the dreaded midlife crisis. I knew it was somewhere around the corner hence was waiting with dark anticipation so that it could not spring on me and surprise me. So much was written on this frustrating but unavoidable midlife crisis. The so-called wise men cautioned me about the impending climate of doom and disaster. They said that suddenly I would find married life dull, social life boring, learning or reading a waste etc. I used to look at my personal library as if it was some kind of an ice cream slowly melting to oblivion. I touched my beloved volumes, which gave me so much pleasure but now almost going to be futile relics. Even an ordinary change on the face of my wife could ring an alarm bell in my consciousness. In India before a very heavy rain the atmosphere usually turns heavy with the sunlight withering and darkness slowly spreading. Chickens, goats and cows make disturbing noises and act unsettled. My life was passing through those melancholy hours of disastrous pre monsoon. All my doomsday prophets perished. My dreaded midlife crisis turned out to be a second adolescence. All because of my initiation in to toastmasters! I know that you will find it difficult to believe and be assured, that it was the same for me too. Let me explain.

From my childhood days I dreamt of becoming a creative writer and a journalist. I had my schooling from the Jesuits where my creative talents found celebration. I had some initial success as writer but soon the pressures of higher education and later of my busy work routine forced me to abandon my writers dreams. My creativity settled with writing occasional letters to the editors. Seasons came and went but the autumn of my creativity remained unchanged. I got married and soon with my wife and three kids around I almost forgot my passion for literature.
Hunt for better financial prospects landed me in Saudi Arabia. Here I had my first encounter with Toastmasters. It impressed me but I was mystified and amused by the adolescent like enthusiasm of grown ups for a speech contests. Soon the demystification took place when I joined Arabian Toastmasters club, a semi-corporate club initiated by my employer. It was something like a revelation for me. A fraternity wholly and enthusiastically dedicated for developing individuals communication & leadership skills! It was certainly nothing less than sheer amazement. Instantly I fell in love with Toastmasters lock, stock and barrel. I learned the finer nuances of speech craft without attending any classes!

Meetings were fun and filled with camaraderie at all levels. Boring lectures, long sittings etc were a thing of the past. In one way or other every member participated and every meeting was a learning opportunity. Winston Churchill once said that most people are willing learn all the time but seldom ready to be taught. With Toastmasters we never have to be ready to be taught by an all-knowing mighty teacher! It is truly an incredibly magnificent educational fraternity. No one is taught but everyone is learning.
But it was only the tip of the iceberg. Toastmasters illuminated my life in many more unexpected ways. Illuminated is not the right word to describe the experience. In fact Toastmasters set every faculty of my life on fire! Not the burning kind but with a fire igniting the very sources of my existence with passion and motivation. The unfathomable urges of my adolescence returned with all its dreams and ideas. News experiences like reading the Toastmasters Manual, writing project speeches, taking up assignments as Grammarian, Word master, evaluator, working on the Vice President Educations committee etc rejuvenated my internal faculties. Evaluation techniques gave me new insight into human psyche. At home my wife suddenly rediscovered me as a motivating critic and my children found me inspirational! The book reviews I wrote for a magazine suddenly became lively, witty and encouraging too. Wings of my forgotten dreams found the winds again. After an interval of more than two decades I wrote a short story and to my surprise a quality magazine published from India accepted it and published it! My reborn-confidence as a creative writer was better than that of my youthful days. Rejections slipped from editors and soon became a thing from the past. The writer in me found renaissance! I started to attend the club meetings with my family. The entire family began to look forward to it. My three kids attended Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program and became stars of their schools. In short my family decided to move Toastmasters from Foreign Affairs to Home Affairs. My daughter Maria Vineetha was among the first batch from her engineering college to get employment thru campus recruitment. That evening she called me from the campus and said Dad, the table topics did it for me. She could excel in group discussion and personal interview because of the experience she gained in table topics. My family is a satisfied customer and ardent fan of Toastmasters Program. I have already authored three books, am a paid writer & speaker, filled with energy to climb further and busy enjoying my second adolescence. I have only one advice to my fellow toastmasters and potential toastmasters. Join the right club and do your part to keep it the right club. A New You is certainly possible.

TM Safare Mohammed
On a hot summer day in June 2006 I stepped into a toastmasters meeting just as a visitor. The hall was full of welldressed gentlemen. All of them welcomed with a very pleasing and welcoming smile. The first handshake I had with the person who was very pleasing was the President of Global Toastmaster. The Meeting was really good and filled with eloquence, fun, joy and celebration. But it took a while for me to convince myself to step into the shoes of a Toastmaster.
To be or not to be was the dilemma of my mind. You may name it procrastination. But when there were members like TM Tahir Moinuddin in any club, I could not resist any more. In August 2006 I finally made up my mind to step in Toastmaster International. Still I preferred to stay behind the screen. The first option I chose to do was to get myself engaged with Cameras. And it didn't work. Contrary, I got more number of opportunities as "Official Photographer" to come into the forefront rather than be a "Speaker". But I enjoyed it. Unknowingly Toastmasters fraternity placed a ladder in front of me and I never knew that I was climbing until one day when my boss made an unforgettable comment about my first power point presentation, Toastmaster has brought miracles in YOU. And then I kept climbing the ladder every year. Starting from Sergeant at arms to VP Education, VP Education to President, President to Asst Area Governor Education and Training, and finally as Area 63 Governor. Hard work always pays back. In toastmasters you never know when you are changing yourself. Only others identify vivid change in you. Now I can identify the growth of my fellow toastmasters. I feel proud to contribute. I feel proud to speak out. I feel proud when I serve the fraternity. It always gives me courage to speak the truth. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I disagree. Sometimes I agree to disagree; and sometimes I disagree to agree. The wide-ranged opportunities that I got from Toastmasters are unforgettable. The recently concluded Youth Leadership Program made a big difference in me. It changed my concept of parenting also. My child is very happy with my change. I have unprecedentedly pleasant environment at my home. MY child is going to be a shining leader in his life: I aim for it. Now it is time for new members to take over and climb up the ladder. I will always be there to support the ladder to hold you safe to make sure that you reach the heights.

Suresh Kumar Kalathil DTM

How can you connect with what is important to you so that you can get more of what you want in your life. During a casual banter with a group of friends and their families in one of the many weekends get-togethers in Jubail, I was asked, What is that personal trait of mine that I thought stood out. I did not have to think too long, It is about my ability of being connected to all my friends and loved ones, I replied. For once my wife agreed with me!!
I had actually said it, without thinking much. But that statement kept lingering in my mind for the next couple of days. I started thinking more deeply on this. Yes, it is true! I have been able to stay connected with my friend, who was my bench-mate in 1975, while we were in Class V. He had moved away from the town that I lived, but we continue to remain in touch. While we enjoyed each others company and learnt from each other during the formative years, we had nothing much in common. It is only that human connection and the common thread in the form of a desire to stay connected, that has kept us together. After more than a decade when I visited him at his home, a couple of years ago, his mother told me, Suresh, I tell Karun that he has had many friends over the years. But you are the truest! I felt so proud! But what did I do to deserve that praise? I was not around to support him during the worst times of his life. I was not around to celebrate his success either. But I was just therein touch with him and sharing his joys and sorrows through letters or phone calls! I was just connected! When I dwell on this for longer and delve deeper into this facet of my life, I realize that I have benefitted immensely by just being connected! I have always had a battery of friends and well-wishers to support me when I needed, admonish me when I take the wrong step, guide me through difficult situations and advise me on the right path forward! I never lived away from home, never lived away from loved ones. I had always lived just in that small little port city in Andhra Pradesh. Before I arrived in Jubail, I thought, that it would be tough. But again, this habit of staying connected and remaining connected came to rescue me. During that transitional phase, where I was yet to connect with people in Jubail, my connections with my friends and relatives in India and other places became my emotional crutch. Soon, I found myself connected with many, again in this small port city, called Jubail! My experience in professional life has also shown me that Leadership too has so much to do with relationships. I realize that a true leader builds strong social networks, a batch of trusted team-mates and customers that will help them all to get to where they are going, while he in turn reciprocates. So, it always pays! We should find ways to connect. With people you work with. With the loved ones you live with. And with the strangers with whom you share this journey called life! Get Connected. Stay connected. It is ALL ABOUT BEING CONNECTED ABC!!

TM AK DAS
Every morning, each one of us dresses in an attire that expresses our feelings. That's right, the way we dress is a window into the subconscious. We're not aware of it, yet it matters ... a lot- Unknown. Let me share with you my experience with dress in my toastmasters journey. Even five years after I joined Toastmasters International, I used to attend our regular club meeting wearing just a pair of jeans and a shirt. Sweating but not succumbing to heat, even in that hot humid peak summer, my fellow toastmasters were in coat and tie or in Safari suits. Many toastmasters would stare at me as if I was an Alien. Soon I purchased a tie and changed my attire and Mr. Alien Kumar Das became TM Ajay Kumar Das. Thereafter, for every toastmasters meeting after getting ready, I always asked my wife "Darling. How do I look? Before she could reply, my young daughter Esha used to say, "Papa, You are looking toasted in this dress. You are looking like a real toastmaster."
Soon I realized the very simple fact that dress really matters a lot. It helped me decides many things in life. Let me share an incident about the famous architect Sir M. Visvesvaraya ( MV). Once he went to a function just wearing a Dhoti, a Jibba and a normal Pagadi. At the entrance, the security stopped him; unfortunately, he had forgotten his invitation pass. MV returned home and once again went to the hall, wearing a typical Punjabi golden suit with a silver shining Pagadi. The same guard saluted him and allowed him even without checking his pass. This was the value of dress. An advocate wearing a jeans and a typical printed T-shirt walking in front of a court, does not attract any clients, rather attracts more flies. He kills his time only killing the flies and eating the so called Time Pass the ground nuts. On the other hand, the same lawyer wearing a black gown with a white neck bow, having some files in the hand, but not flies this time, gives the impression that he is a busy lawyer even if he is the best liar. It has been seen that clothing plays a vital role of nonverbal communication in life. It can show how much money you have, how much you spend. It also reflects your values. It lets people know how you take care of things and how you organized things. Your dress stands for what profession or industry you are in, whether you are a copy-cat or an original so on and so forth No doubt, the dress really matters. But remember every dress has a place and every place has a dress to be worn in life.

Dr. R.J. George DTM

Learning is fun in playschools because the tiny tots learn in an entertaining environment. For them work is play and play work. There is an inextricable link between education and entertainment. Education cannot be achieved to the exclusion of fun and recreation. This concept is not confined to our early education only. It applies to an individuals life- long learning experience. To quote D.H. Lawrence, Work should be hobby, if it isnt, dont do it. This is a reality we are at a loss to come to terms with. We are compelled to do what we resent doing, and end up burning out. In Toastmasters we are keen on completing projects, achieving the coveted DCP points, and adorning our club banners with as many ribbons as the banners could bear. But we often fail to notice a sure pointer to the declining motivation among members as evidenced from poor attendance in club meetings and an alarmingly dwindling membership base. In some of the clubs, of late, the rate of attrition has been a record-high. The club Executive Council is hard at work bringing in guests and roping in those who drop in on us. It is common human nature that an individual continues to be on a job if he is gravitated towards it. Therefore, a club meeting should be designed to be entertaining. The term entertainment should not be interpreted as mere merriment. A meeting gets entertaining when it isinnovative, and fun-filled and tickles the audiences curiosity. Here are some guidelines that may help us get our meetings truly entertaining. The VP Education, TM of the day and key assignees should: 1. bring in amazement and unanticipated astonishment to members at every meeting. It could be in the form of an unannounced debate on a humorous subject, a GK quiz, or a skitto test quickwittedness or sense of humor. 2. ensure a small token of appreciation to all the participants besides recognizing the winners. A coffee mug or an implement as simple as a pen will work wonders. 3. give opportunity to as many members as possible to participate in Table Topics session. 4. seek on-the-spot suggestions from members on possible table topics so that the fear of the unknown wont strike them. 5. zero in on the latent talents of members other than communication and leadership skills. For example, if a member dabbles in vocal or instrumental music, let him or her be given a ten-minute slot to entertain the audience. 6. choose meeting days and times to suit members convenience. 7. Incorporate into club program the feature, Toastmaster of the Month and arrange for a small treat and bring in an air of festivity. Implementation of this item needs extreme caution and wisdom, and it should include almost all the members before the TM year ends. 8. Follow up on communication with members by sending them colorful fliers matched by catchy phrases to arouse members interest and curiosity. Dear friends, JTTC , a club still in its infancy, but mentored and supported by veterans like our beloved District Governor,TM Khalid Matlagaitu, TM VenkatesanDevarajan, TM Sadagopan and TM DTM Jagadeesan Kumar, has already started implementing some of the innovative ideas mentioned above. The VP Education, TM Koteeswaran and his team have been striving hard to bring in as much innovation as possible to each educational session, and the astonishing result is that members of JTTC have always something to look forward to.The collective efforts of the team are beginning to pay off. Members volunteer to be assignees and speakers express their willingness to go the extra mile when it comes to achieving quality, and guests do not wait too long to sign up. To wrap up, when we add animation to and inject fun into our educational programs, we pepup the spirit of members, leading to an upswing in their motivation levels . Doing so will save us the hassle of giving pep talks to them with little or no encouraging end results.

TM V. N. Mishra
Imagine yourself in a beautiful foreign country, where everything is new to you. You walk along the beautiful streets, and you dine at one of its restaurants. The only thing that bothers you is that you just cant understand what the locals are talking about. Baffling isnt it? Despite the wonderful sites of a place, when you dont understand the people around you, you cant help but feel a little lost. This is why you should start learning a foreign language, maybe just the basics. This may take some time and a lot of discipline; however, it can be very rewarding once you know whats going on around you. Let me share my personal experience: In my company, ten new trainee operators were handed over to me to get trained for line as well as all operational activities. When I started to talk with them, they said, Maffi malum(in Arabic) i.e. they all didnt know single word of English language and I didnt know how to speak the Arabic language. Our fresh interaction started with signals but later on I thought that it was very difficult to handle a situation like this, with one talking a language which the other didnt understand. So I started thinking on how to solve it. Then I decided to learn Arabic from them and I offered to teach them English. So the deal was finalized and you wouldnt believe that within 15 days we all started properly communicating with each other and our friendship grew further. Now they are still working with me and sometimes when we see each other, we think of those days and smile. And with that I have learned another language and understood them very well, talk freely and have become good friends. The key factor of success in our professional lives is the ability to communicate effectively with the people from diverse nationalities whom we work with. Unlimited job opportunities across the world are open to those, who have command over more languages than those with limitation in this area. Acquiring basic foreign language skills is not just adding the qualification to ones knowledge but it has become a dire necessity to keep up with the pace of the fast developing and changing trends of this world.

MTM Kumar Gandhimathi

The Potter, not only carefully and skillfully gives shapes to the clay on his spinning wheel, he also artistically adds beauty to the pots. Likewise, we parents shall not only provide all the necessities to our children as part of our parental responsibility, we also need to add values to their personalities. Thats why I consider bringing up children as an art, rather than just a responsibility. Though parenting is a new experience for us, and it has been ever changing as our children continue to grow, I look at my own experience at this juncture, and see what I did differently compared to the parents I know back home. I have one son Master Kumar Vijay, who is currently pursuing his Masters in Business Administration at HULT International Business School, Boston, USA, and one daughter Miss Kumar Lakshmi, who is currently studying in 11th Grade in Dhahran American School. Neither my husband or I ever beat our children, though we were pushed to our limits many times, due to circumstances or their naughtiness. I scolded them frequently, but my Husband never raised his voice at them. He talks to them a lot about different subjects, and unfolds many difficult life-situations in front of them, and asks them how they would handle such situations. He would then explain, how he handled similar situations, and whether it was appropriate or not. Since the year 2007, my Son has been studying alone in USA. Whenever, he got stuck in a situation, and couldnt decide what to do, he always thought how his Father would have handled it, based on the earlier explanations; and with that he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. My daughter experiments this at School, and later verifies her outcomes with my Husband. I encouraged my Children to read wide varieties of books (other than School books), and we have spent substantial amount of money on that. I also encouraged them to spend major portion of their time on extracurricular activities, sports and Toastmasters.

I have realized that, I need to be available for my children all the time, especially when they return from the School; and we need to talk to them a lot, not as Parents, but as Friends. We made our children feel that they could turn to us for anything; money, material, counseling, casual talking or guidance. Though we all care about their future, we should not spoil their present by loading them with hours of Tuition, everyday. Thats why I never sent my children to Tuition, rather we taught them at home or guided them ourselves.
It is my logic that the amount of time we spend with our children now, is the amount of time we may be destined to spend with them later, when we become old. If we put them in the Hostel when they are small and need us the most, probably they may land us up in the OldAge-Homes, when we become old and need their support the most. So, consider bringing up children as an art, rather than just a responsibility.

TM D. R. Pai
Without any hesitation you can say that modern life is a combination of difficulties and challenges.
Obviously, most people expect someone's help when they are in trouble. Will you get a helping hand from your neighbors or other close relatives? Perhaps, but more and more we can say 'no' due to the commercialization of human life. Computerized man counts each second in monetary values and hence, there is no time for extending help to others. Most people have forgotten the words "help to others". Man must live life by himself and he should not depend on others. He tries to move forward in his life by helping himself rather than waiting for others to help bring him out of difficulties. The abominable vision gives us an instant spurt of enthusiasm to improve ourselves and grow out of all difficulties. This enthusiasm makes you a better man and an ideal human being in the future. Proactive people always try to improve themselves with self-help. Only passive people wait for another's help. Feel like a roaring lion and hunt your meal yourself. Don't expect someone else's help. Lazy jackals wait for help and only get to eat the food left by the king lion.

Self-help and self-reliance generate confidence and they are essential traits for greater personality development. They strengthen your existing skills and mold you into a daring hero to achieve extraordinary things.
In this modern world, self-help is the best help due to competition in all fields. If you want to grow in your life, you have to take the initiative when searching for better ways to reach higher levels. Our youth must also adopt self-help principles in their lives to achieve their goals. Suggestions: Tackle all challenges patiently until you reach your destination. Don't depend on others. Seek advice from your family elders and teachers, whenever required. Try to make wise decisions in your own way. Your mind is a repository of thoughts. If you fill your mind with positive thoughts, you can handle any troublesome situation smoothly. Positive people search their own ways to solve their problems. They seldom look for someone's help.

Remember friends, for every problem there is a solution.

Try to solve your problems courageously. Don't blame others. Life is a learning experience. Face all your adversities and pains with greater heroism to survive in this aggressive, competitive world. If you fail a thousand times, make another attempt. Finally you will be the winner. Have a firm faith in yourself so that you can accomplish any task successfully without another's help.

TM Shyam
Set your heart on doing good, do it over and over again and your heart will be filled with Joy
There is no better selfish altruism than to energise our lives by making a difference. By making our world a better place to live is certainly the most selfish thing we could do and in the process, ramp up our energy with immediate results. In a world that is running amok, making a positive contribution could be the perfect antidote to a general sense of powerlessness and frustration. In this way, we could control our attitudes in a way that we shall master changes rather than change mastering us. We ought to understand that we cannot change THE world, but we can change OUR world. Hence, it is time to take charge!

We need to dig deep into our inner self to have answers to these following questions
What kind of difference is especially energizing or compelling to us? How are we currently making a difference? What are some easy opportunities we see to make a difference?

At work, could we make that difference in loyalty, punctuality, discipline, efficiency, ethics etc.
Could we contribute from our regular income for the betterment of society to help the needy and the downtrodden through charity? Could we volunteer to make a commitment to a safe and greener environment? Could we make a change in our everyday life choices, as we leave a footprint on our health and others health, on the economy and the community? Could we develop a deeper bond with our life partner and our immediate family? How could we make our interactions more meaningful? Every point of interaction in our life carries with the potential to make a positive impact. From the fleeting and surface-level interaction (e.g., a friendly acknowledgment of a homeless person we encounter on the street) to the long-term, deep and meaningful (e.g., the way we bring up our kids and the beliefs we install). We could make our world a better place by being conscious about what we want to bring to those interactions. What seeds do we want to plant? How do we want people to come away feeling? What belief about the world do we want to reinforce? What actions do we want to encourage? It is true that each one of us is caught up with our daily chores. But then, there comes a point in our lives an awakening incident which makes us to look inwards, the way we see life as it is and understand the value of it all. A time comes in when we finally get it. When in the midst of all our fears and insanity we stop dead in our tracks and somewhere, the voice inside our head cries out - ENOUGH! And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, our sobs begin to subside, we shudder once or twice, we blink back our tears and through a mantle of wet lashes, we begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is the time we decide to take charge! This is our awakening and having an answer to the queries raised above, we shall certainly go a long way in achieving that selfish altruism of making our world a better place to live.

TM Hamid Al-Harthi
You can't tell when is the right time! All my life, I was fascinated by good speakers. I see them delivering speeches passionately and fluently and I used to say to myself, when I can be like one of them? So I started searching to find a way to do this thrust. I found many things that could give me tips or techniques, but they were all limited by time, like a course or training. I was not satisfied. Then, one day I was talking to one of my friends and I asked him about a way to improve myself. He was glad. The smile on his face felt me as if I got my answer. And then he said suggested me to join TOASTMASTERS clubs. I went home and started searching about TM and I found that TOASTMASTERS clubs are excellent environment to grow and enhance my skills. Now came the moment where I went and joined a club. I work in a big company called HADEED, so I said to myself, instead of going to a club, I should bring one to me! Immediately, I went to my General Manager Mr. Mazen Al-Modian and asked him, How come we are one of the biggest companies in Jubail and we don't have a toastmasters club? He said, Ok. If you are eager and willing to help, you have all the support you need, do whatever required to start one in HADEED. Then I assembled an excellent team where we worked together on a campaign to introduce the TOASTMASTERS world to the company's employees. The campaign was followed by a demonstration meeting where HADEED management and many employees attended. The campaign was so successful. Eventually, we started with 2 clubs due to the vast number of interested people. On 25 February 2012 we charted the 2 clubs where I serve as a president of one of them. I'm proud to see that my friends and colleagues are taking part in this wonderful world. More important, I'm proud to be part of TAOSTMASTERS world.

TM Mohammed Deeb Abdul Jali

Traffic signals beam in three colors, Red, Green and yellow to regulate traffic and pedestrians in crowded cities. Anyone who tries to skip rules will be punished. Either they will go to jail or pay a fine or get their license revoked. In some cases, the matter will be referred to the court of law. When we see the green signal, we feel safe. We know that it is our priority in traffic to move on or to cross the road.. Red signal warns us to tighten our position, with legs on the brake pedal. Caution increases and silence covers the area. Our eyes stare on the signal. If you find yellow, you fall in a dilemma whether to cross the signal fast or slow down. Sometimes both the decisions end in disasters. The driver behind you may increase the heat of dilemma by giving you a warning beam and horn. If you decide to give the horn back in reply, it amounts to declaring a war; although you have the right to go or not to go. In Human Life these three color signals play a remarkable role. Within each of us there are three color signals installed by our Creator to regulate our actions, our work, and our behavior. Green signal stimulates our brain help others. Green is always for those who are brought up fearing God. We do things rightly, follow the morally acceptable activities. .

When we take step towards any violation of Gods borders, that means straying into prohibited areas of our moral and social lives, we run the red lights and incur divine displeasure. When we are not able to decide between the right and the wrong things, we hesitate to take a defined direction. It is like a driver who sees a yellow light. We are confused at this juncture. At that time, it is always safe and wise to slow down until our minds become clear. Lets, therefore, act like a driver who is blessed with common sense and guided by the dictates of his conscience. Lets follow the traffic rules of life to have a safe passage in the journey of life.

Mrs. Himna Shameer Ahmed, W/O TM Shameer Ahmed

On 17 April, 2012 The Global Toastmasters Club conducted its 227th meeting in Al-Jude Village in Jubail. As a guest I witnessed the meeting along with my children and Toastmaster husband, TM Shameer Ahmed who was TMOD. The president of the club presided over the meeting and called the TMOD to proceed further. The theme of the day NO LIMITATIONS grabbed my attention across the meeting. I could hear the TMOD elaborately explain the theme by giving anecdotes of great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Barak Obama and Alexander the great. He inspired the audience through his speech and told the audience that there are no limitations for whatever we do. He further advised the audience to set a goal and step forward. With this message he proceeded to the educational session. Three speakers delivered their prepared speeches; then there was a break. After the break, the Table Topic session began.

The table topics master conducted this session and called the 1st TT speaker Madam TM Shaheen on the podium. By this time I was really enjoying the meeting and listening to speakers speaking on their feet. All of a sudden, I could hear the T.T master calling the 2nd speaker Mrs. Shameer Ahmed, hearing this I was so nervous but got up from my seat. I gathered all my courage and walked forward to the podium. Though a bit nervous I walked to the podium, and then suddenly my eyes caught the theme of the day NO LIMITATIONS which was displayed on the projector screen I recalled everything what the TMOD Shameer spoke which inspired me a lot.Thinking that there is no limitations for anything we do, I moved further and spoke on the topic given to me. As this was my first attempt of public speaking, I spoke for 1min 20secs. Normally for women, when it comes to speaking we feel that hours are spent in seconds. And in my case I feel that hours pass by like seconds when I am in kitchen preparing food, or getting my children ready for school, or talking to my husband regarding the shopping list. BUT. this 1min 20seconds at the podium made me feel like hours and hours.
To my surprise Guess What? I was the winner of the Table Topics. It was really a great experience. As my husband always used to tell me to join the TM Club, I always ended up telling him that one Toastmaster was enough in the house and I was happy being a home master. However, after this experience of mine, I realized that he was right. And now I would like to be a Madam Toastmaster.

PGR Nair, DTM

According to a recent IBM survey of more than 1,500 CEOs from 60 countries and 33 industries worldwide, chief executives believe creativity is the most vital leadership competency in successfully navigating an increasingly complex world.
If you are wondering which garden cultivates this seed called creativity, I would say it is your mind. The seed is there in all of us. Some water it on a regular basis and that occasionally produces a bloom . Many of you must have seen the Oscar winning movie "'The Artist' . I immensely liked it. It is a stylish, brave and an outstanding creative attempt at movie making. I believe that true creativity is acquired when the piece is truly out of the box, and truly unique for its time. It is often our "good sense" that defeats creativity. If the director used his "good sense" and thought that there is no scope for a black and white silent movie in this colorful era, we wouldn't have a film like 'The artist'. Creativity often comes out of illogical thinking.

When every novelist wrote big tomes chronicling the saga of its characters from birth to death, a novelist named James Joyce used a technique called 'Stream of consciousness' to depict just one day in the life of Stephen Dedalus, a medical student. In stream of consciousness writing, the thoughts and feelings of a character are presented as they happen from moment to moment, like an impromptu writing of thoughts and feelings . As a result, there is a rare excitement , freshness , vivacity and novelty when you read his novel 'Ulysses'.

When every great classical composers composed mighty symphonies , a French composer named Claude Debussy gave birth to what is known as impressionistic music which was at once daring, dreamy and dazzling like the play of patterns of light . He sought to capture and crystallize the light, color and texture of a particular moment and thus his music comes as ethereal and evocative.

Think of the evolution of Jazz music through its great proponents like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Grant Green, Oliver Nelson and Charles Mingus. The art form of jazz celebrates individuality. Jazz musicians have a long history of introducing new ideas: new forms, new techniques, new sources, and new styles. They have found new ways to play their instruments, new ways to establish unique identities, and they have both expanded and re-invented their roles. The very cornerstone of Jazz demands spontaneous creativity or 'instant innovation' from every jazz player every time he performs. In fact, when you examine the world of jazz you will find a culture and a model that has been, and remains a hot bed of innovation. That is why their music is a big canvass of creativity.

When people painted pictures like photographs, an artist named Vincent Van Gogh broke traditions and used bright , bold colors and short brush strokes , notable for its rough beauty, emotional honesty, which later came to be known as the post impressionism in painting.
"Creativity is just connecting dots", that is what Steve Jobs , one of the greatest creative minds of this century said. Unless we take effort to connect the seemingly unfamiliar to produce something magical, our life is mundane. The Russian glasnost that led to the collapse of communism was nothing more than the political creativity of Gorbashev. As Einstein said "We cannot solve the problems of today by the same thinking that created these Wheat Field with Crows- Van Gogh problems in the first place". So we need a creative approach whether dealing with problems in art, politics or science. In our zeal to create a seamless flow through our days, we're in danger of losing something precious: the delights of the unexpected detours. Taking a lot of deviations and detours from your normal journey, from your normal thought process is the key to creativity. An interruption can sometimes generate a new thought process. If a person can't read or write, don't assume that he is incapable of it. It is just that he or she hasn't learned how to do it. The same is true of creativity. When people say they're not creative, it's often because they don't know what's involved or how creativity works in practice. Your imagination is the key and the very gateway of your reality. Release any sense of despair or despondency that you might have, theyre just energy drainers, leaving us feeling trapped or helpless. Reclaim your creative selfstep out in trust and faith and youll move into a space of enthusiasm, excitement, hope and exhilaration. Embrace your creative potential and develop a creativity mindset to achieve success. As we embrace our creativity, we become more in tune with the infinite and feel blessed. Maybe youre no Shakespeare or Van Gogh, but the story of your life is written by your thoughts and beliefs and feelingsfunny, we already have all the tools we need. I believe we are all creative. I believe we have the power to live a life filled with creative freedom, joy, and true authenticity and are capable of expressing our creativity to the fullest potential. Whether you paint, sign, act, design, sculpt, write, compose, cook, or constructhave a bit of a creativity in mindset and that is the start of a meaningful life. The spirit of creativity is a flame burning brightly within all of us. Fan That Flame of Creativity Within You .

Jagadeesan Kumar, DTM

We all learn from our mistakes; each time we make a mistake, we learn something newDo you agree? A wonderful and a thought provoking topic, the Contest Chairman gave to all the contestants at the area level (Area-17) Table-Topics-Contest on 19th April 2012. The topic was simple and straight forward, yet, hard and tricky because of the word new. Albert Einstein said "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried/learnt anything new. To err is Human; to forgive is Divine. As humans, we all are bound to make mistakes; but, the most important thing is what do we learn from such mistakes? It is very unlikely that we will make the same mistake twice; so, each time we make a mistake, for sure, we will learn something new. In personal life, some mistakes committed unintentionally may trouble us for long time. There is no need to brood over our past mistakes and failures as this will only fill our mind with grief, regret and depression. We need to be careful not to repeat them in the future. Some mistakes may hold us down from trying new things out; as it is said, once bittentwice shy. Here, we need to be bold enough to come out of the shell and try new things. We may fall, but try to avoid lying down for long, and, get up every time we fall. We should come forward to share our experience and the learning with others, especially the younger generation, so that they can apply the learning and benefit. Our own experience may not be useful for us, because it is very unlikely that we commit the same mistake, the second time. Our experience should not become like a comb we get after becoming bald; pass it on to others so that they can use it wisely. In a broader perspective, we need to learn from others mistakes. Most people hesitate to share their personal experience to save embarrassment. While few others come forward to share the details of the mistakes and the consequences. We need to keep our eyes and ears open and learn from these few. We need to keep in mind that people have lost their money, material and even their lives due to their mistakes. We need to give due importance to them and honor them for their experience and wisdom. When it comes to workplaces, many Industries and Organizations have developed their own ways to record the incidents (mainly the mistakes and the Human Errors) and the key-learning. For example, SABIC affiliates have Accident/Incident (AMAN) Reporting System and Quality/Incident (Q/I) Reporting Systems to record the details and spread the awareness across SABIC. National-Safety-Council, Safety-Beacon and other similar Agencies record, analyze and recommend solutions to the Industrial problems. We need to refer to such Agencies on regular basis, and learn new things. In summary, yes, we all learn from our mistakes; each time we make a mistake, we learn something new. At this juncture, remember the words of George Bernard Shaw, A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing."

TM Dr. Javed Ansari

Hidden factory is a term used to express unproductive unit. The world of fantasy and the world of reality exist side by side, likewise factory and hidden factory exist on similar lines. Hidden factory consumes resources producing nothing.

One such hidden factory exists in every office. Yes, I mean the e-mail inbox. Just think of time spent on going through unrelated mails and deleting unrelated mails.
Imagine the warning you receive of exceeding your allotted limit. Think of the embarrassment you undergo when your mail stops in the outbox and reluctantly dont move until you delete some mails. There is a growing concern that people are not effectively using their email. However, discipline is very important in every walk of life. Looking to the current day scenario, it becomes mandatory to follow general guidelines to facilitate better communications. There is a tendency to be less formal or careful, which can sometimes provoke anger. It is much easier to offend or hurt someone through email and that is why it is important to be as clear and concise as possible. Remember that direct, person-to-person contact is best for handling sensitive, difficult, complex, or emotional issues.

In order to make our mails more meaningful, effective and productive, we need to implement the following general rules that are usually ignored,
1. Be sure to include a meaningful subject line. 2. Write a short and sweet massage. Don't write unnecessarily long emails otherwise it will waste the recipient's time. Many recipients do not read the long mails, they either delete or keep it for reading it later. Which never happens. 3. Use standard spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. 4. THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN AN EMAIL SCREAMING A MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS. 5. Choose your recipient carefully, To, Cc; Bcc 6. Reply only those who are needed, do not reply to all. 7. Reply to the mail to maintain sequence, do not start a new e-mail message. This breaks the link between the original message and your response 8. Do not re-write or modify the original massage if you want to pass on to your subordinates, simply forward with your comments, like for your guidance, for your info or for your action. 9. Dont use emotions in your business communication. It looks childish. 10. Be friendly and cordial, but don't try to joke around 11. Do not recall the mail, Rather send another mail requesting to neglect the previous 12. Be sure your email is not as secure as it seems to be. Therefore do not send sensitive and confidential information. 13. Sending a mass-mailing advertisement. This is number one on the don'ts list and will generate more flames than the devil himself. 14. Never reply to spam, it indicates the sender that this email is active. 15. Avoid jargons and abbreviations unless you are sure that your recipients understand that. 16. Avoid using company mail id for your personal mails, use rather web based mails like yahoo, Gmail, hotmail. 17. Unsubscribe the unwanted mails rather deleting every day. 18. Print the mail if absolutely necessary. I hope the above given points make sense and appear meaningful to my readers. Remember, resources you may have in abundance but the time has come to use it wisely. We need to utilize it not consume it.

TM Saeed Al-Shahrani
Creativity, success and love of innovation exists within each human being. I mean the speech in front of people in their communities, especially in the area of their business and for this reason, audience phobia may prevent the human to express his opinion in front of others and develop his abilities. This is one phenomenon shared irrespective of color, race, religion and gender. This problem has been facing a lot of people such as employee, teacher, administrator and student.
Being a brilliant speaker is not easy. Being a brilliant anything isnt easy. You need some talent, a huge desire to get better, a practice tool kit, a great deal of practice and a lot of hard work and discipline. This and more is in an exceptional learning environment known as the Toastmasters. During my PhD study in UK in 2007, I heard about Toastmasters clubs but due to my study and other commitments, I could not join that time. When I came back, I immediately joint SABIC Technology Centre (STC-J) Toastmasters club as a member and attend the meeting on a regular bases. In 2012, I have a honor to be the president of STC-J Toastmasters Club. I have learnt a lot from Toastmasters and here is a shortlist of seven reasons for the reality of my experience to join as a member and a president of a Toastmasters Clubs in Saudi Arabia: 1. You will be a great speaker after a period of speak in front of your colleagues at the club and listen to the opinion of the evaluator and you will learn what you need to focus upon, especially some of the mistakes that most speakers made unintentionally such as stuttering, repeats words, certain gestures or exceeds the time. 2. Your leadership skills will be improved due to that you have a role in each meeting such as a Toastmaster of the day, timer, grammarian. In addition to managerial experience you will learn by joining the excom of the club. 3. You will become a better listener in your life because the toastmasters meetings enhanced listening skills through the interactive and interdependent segments of the meeting as well as the roles you will take during the meeting, which requires you to be a good listener. 4. Your language skills, whether you're talking in Arabic or English during speeches that you have prepared in advance and when responding to questions and interaction with audience, listening to others speakers and listening to the report of the member who assigned the task of grammarian at the end of each meeting. 5. You will become more persuasive and motivated in your dealings with others because you will learn this from the prepared speeches that are distributed on ten educational projects as a first stage, followed by advanced projects concerned with the higher levels of communication with others.

7. You will add new friends to your friends list. The interaction with a new group with different interests and different age groups and different nationalities will increase relationship skills and this type of innovation required in our life. 8. By achieving the previous six reasons and any other experience, we gained through the journey of life, we will increase the confidence in self and improve communications skills and subsequently, increases the chances of success and reveals a new world of opportunities. Communicate with others is necessary in our daily lives and it is not strange to have a significant impact on the responses of our actions and our mood in the way we deal with other and therefore we should seek by all means to improve these skills even if it is outside the boundaries of comfort zones that we have become accustomed. I believe through my experience with Toastmasters club as a unique opportunity to improve those skills and learn some new strategies, regardless of your current level. There must be room for learning something new on every visit. I dont know if I am excited about the idea too much or the experience is worth to be tried. At least make one visit or two to the nearest club and then judge afterwards. I leave the answer to you dears.

TM Eugene Laureta
I was in the desert of Jubail Saudi Arabia Last 03.Feb.2011 around 3:OO oclock pm just to take for a walk to refresh to ease my tiredness from all day pressure when suddenly the colony of ants caught my attention, I stop and sat beside them for a while and stare them for several minutes, why I sat beside them? the reason was these little creatures inspire me a lot about their project, guess what? I know you know what ants are commonly do, I know whats in your mind your answer might something like this,,, they were gathering for foods,,,,, No! No! No! you guess wrong, They're building their mansion under the desert using their effort a lot to take out all the debris from their construction site they seems they are mini bulldozer, its quit amazing as these little creatures understand to do such thing, they have the attitude of being productive. For a while and for paying close attention of what they are doing, you might think I am crazy if you can see me what am I looks like, as I go along I inspired to take some photos from my E63 NOKIA mobile with 2 megapixel camera you know its funny to say that as I said earlier when you see me doing such thing you might think I am crazy.

One thing that ping on me was something like, I think ants has its own brain too, because if they doesn't have how do they construct, build and dig their home starting from making holes up to building haven, you know, like us to build our own house we need to make the blue print so that we can make proper holes to put the foundation like adding some sort of important materials, cement gravel and sand, etc,(bear in mind they were not need that but rather construct in the way they know they were less than ten something like that imagine?). As minutes passes by I intrigue to this little one a shy type, I chase him so much because when I try to take a picture of him he run fast he feels like hes chasing by the lens man. (shy I guess), you know like actor when paparazzi is coming they make their way to escape from the crowd.
This one gives me a big impact for chasing him it gives the background a wonderful effects look at this one it seems this ant rushed to accomplished the job hes doing as soon as they can he wants to finished it before the deadline (he might think like that), He thinks if tomorrow comes either they are rest assured for their shelter you never can tell they might know whats going to happen for tomorrow, and you know what, bingo? Because at the early next day storm come, Bear in mind they were only few but they bind together their force and effort to create such useful thing look into these two its kind a sense of they were talking to each other, you know these ants are different from their other clan as their relatives for thousands and millions of numbers, I saw in the distant they were also some like them doing what exactly they do, but I dont know if they met in the bottom I dont know perhaps. We can get lessons from small creature like ants if we can just understand them, they inspires us, they teaches how to move in this world, if we can just perhaps have attitude even as little ants has it will be much more beneficial, if we work together and bind together our strength and passion we can make a difference like ants do, they work hard for their sake, if they can say oh! We ants working for the sake of our future they might say like that but since theyre insect not able to talk like that, just a sample for you, did you get it? to build their shelter and gather their foods is not an easy task they stretch their feet and fingers to the bone round the clock when the storm comes they have haven to hide and enough of supplies to partake.

The inspiration from small creatures like these are suffice and good enough to understand how we can live if we work together put out hands together then we will partake the wealth of which has GOD already given to us if we can just put all together our hands so that we can grip the blessing that comes from above we can have that blessing either material or spiritual if we believe, move, make and act. We created by GOD perfect, the little creatures certainly gives food for thought and good example to many of us, so it is quite good for us to be model them to get as the ants face value.

Glimpse of Division Conference 2012

Glimpse of Division Conference 2012

CONGRATULATION TO WINNERS

Ariba Aziz (D/o TM Aziz Ahmad Siddiqui) President - Youth Leadership Program Global TMC, 2011-2012
John F. Kennedy has rightly said, Leadership and learning are indispensible to each other. Leadership is the quality required to have a successful life. Without this ingredient the life would have been tasteless. Life is a collection of opportunities. I, too, got a opportunities to explore, learn, and discover myself. This opportunity was given by Global Toastmasters club by conducting YLP. The Chief Coordinator was TM Safare Mohammad. I was stunned to know that I was selected as the president for the first term. A leader has lots of qualities like heart of creativity, love for honor etc. I improved my leadership and speaking skills too. I want to take this opportunity to thank from bottom of my heart my mentor TM Taher Moin and other toastmasters. I experienced many flavors of life and learned a lot. Moreover, I got a big shock when at the grand finale I was the winner of International Speech Contest. In addition, I met many friends who are unforgettable. By the end a new leader was born in me. Now I am the prefect of my class, and I can proudly say that I, Ariba Aziz, am a youth leader. I am a person with confidence and with my talent I believe, I will soon win the world. I learned in process of my training the importance of practice, patience. Last but not the least, I want to thank my parents, without them I would not have been the same as I am today. I am a new-born Youth Leader! I am Ariba Aziz, a proud daughter and a responsible Leader!

Khadija Fatma, D/O TM Abdullah Khalili

The evening of 17th March 2012, I was thrilled to travel to India my home country. My bag was full of my favorite Barbie Doll, munchies and basic travel kit. I was also carrying 2 hand-made greeting cards which I have prepared one for the Jet Airways Airport Officials and one for the Crew Members as I was travelling by first flight i.e. inaugural flight from Dammam to Delhi. My greetings were just saying All the best for the first flight. When we reached to the airport, the luggage counter was well decorated with balloons, and staffs were welcoming the passengers in style. We got the boarding pass and went through immigration and security check counters. As we moved towards gate 3A my curiosity was at the highest level. Gate 3A was crowded with peoples of Saudi Airport Authority, Jet Airways Officials, flight crew members, passengers and media peoples. On instruction from my father I went forward and handed over one greeting card to the Saudi Uncle who seems to be the dignitary and other to the captain of the flight. My small bold action had been recognized publicly and they announced me as Chief Guest for the flight. I received weighty flower bouquet, chocolates and a special gift hamper. To my surprise, they asked me to say something, it was a table topic for me, though I was nervous but my fathers toastmastering helped me. I managed to address the audience of hundreds of strangers. I conveyed best of luck for the first flight and thanked the Jet Airways for providing a direct flight from Dammam to Delhi. In addition, I also thanked for honoring me as chief guest of the first flight.

I am proud to be the daughter of the father who is a sincere and energetic toastmaster. He always cultivates creativity of public exposure for us. The honor I received that day was only and only because of my fathers training.

Hisham
I looked out of the window! The earth was green The sky was blue I could see and hear The lovely due I could see the butterflies Dance and sing I could see the birds Hanging on the wind I could see the trees Some short and tall All were lovely as their leaves Change in the fall I realized how beautiful is the earth And I thank almighty for his beautiful creation.

Miss. Kumar Lakshmi, D/O DTM Jagadeesan Kumar

Entertainment does not have the capacity to ruin society because the majority of people prioritize what is more important to them for the immediate pleasure that entertainment brings. In a busy society in which education, money, basic necessities and family responsibility take over a persons time life can be hectic so the people look for something to take them away from the issues at hand. Yes, everybody needs an escape and entertainment provides safe passage for them. It adheres to the mindless and predictable pattern that people lack in their ever eventful lives. In addition, they greatly look for in entertainment, momentarily giving them something considered as fun, effortless sensation; hence, they take their mind off, whether or not they cluck in disapproval at what they enjoy. A 19th century critic said that entertainment would dissolve the ties of our social order and involve our country in ruin. But looking at todays changing economy, from poor distribution of wealth to the great depression to an improving nation, and countrys living standards, from mud huts to concrete houses, entertainment hasnt overturned all morality or poisoned the springs of domestic happiness.

People continue to seek an education, look for jobs and make a life for themselves regardless of the increase of entertainment. Countries havent deteriorated and society continues to interact whether by education or trade, not dissolve, as predicted. In fact, the world is coming up with new inventions to make life better and new cures to improve health. The world is progressing and even though entertainment is taking time away from that, it will not completely stop it. People realize what is important, and they have learned how to prioritize that before entertainment. If they didnt, all the advancements that have been made wouldnt have been accomplished.

Entertainment may provide a brief escape from tasks by acting as a safe passage or they may provide pleasure to a person, but they dont have the capacity to ruin the society. People understand what they need to do to survive. They get a proper education, so they can get a job to make a living. And they realize that in order to achieve that, they will need to work. If the society had given in to entertainment, the majority of people will not have jobs today and the world would not have made the business, architectural or scientific advancements today. Society is able to prioritize over entertainment and so, against what was predicted. Entertainment will not involve the country in ruin, nor will it ruin society.

YL Vinoth Ramesh
Life is full of choices, and we need to choose quickly and wisely; otherwise, we will be forced to accept the choice we didnt want, in the first place. How many of you have chosen something wrong because at that moment it felt right? Well I have done it too. How many of you know Steve Jobs? Did you know him 10 years ago? To us, he just popped up after inventing the iPhone, as a Visionary, Entrepreneur, and the most successful Technocrat. However, that is not how his life was. He was a college dropout, thrown out from his own company, and was about to commit suicide. But he had a passion to be different Let me tell you about what he went through. He was the co-founder and chairman of Apple Inc. After a decade of tireless work, in 1985, he lost the power struggle with his Board-of-Directors, while arguing on the future direction of Apple, and was forced to leave Apple. After sometime, he founded NeXT, a computer platform development company. In 1986, he acquired the computer graphics division of Lucas-Film, which was spun off as Pixar. He was the executive producer for Toy-Story, a cartoon movie which became famous. Later, when Apple Company found it difficult to develop a mac OS X, Apple bought NeXT. As part of the deal, Steve Jobs became Advisor to Apple. Steve Jobs once again started designing software for Apple, and saved it from near bankruptcy. And from then on, he became a revolutionary; he invented the iPod, iPhone and the iPad. Steve jobs couldnt have become a man of greatness if he had listened to his Board of Directors. He was determined and chose to be different or unique. So, life is full of choices, and we need to choose quickly and wisely. Once there was a man called Jerry. He was the Manager of a restaurant and also was a good motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this attitude, one day his friend went up to him and asked how he remained positive all the time. And Jerry replied, When I wake up every morning, I have two choices to make; I can be in good mood or in bad mood; and I always chose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a Victim or I can choose to learn from it. I always choose to learn from it. But his friend said it is not that easy and Jerry replied it is always easy and said, Life is all about choices.

When you cut away all the junk, every situation becomes a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. It's your choice how you live your life. Several years later, Jerry was about to close his restaurant in the night, but just then a group of Robbers came with guns; they stole the money and shot Jerry; luckily Jerry was quickly taken to the hospital. A nurse asked Jerry if he was allergic to anything."Yes", he replied. The doctors and the nurses stopped working as they waited for his reply. He took a deep breath and yelled, "Bullets". They laughed," Jerry further told them that he was choosing to live and asked the doctors politely to operate him as if he was alive, not dead! Jerry lived because of the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice either to enjoy our life or to hate it. Let us learn to choose quickly and wisely, as we may never come to know how things will turn out in the future.

YL Karthikaya Mishra, S/O TM V.N. Mishra

I live in a crazy neighborhood, My neighbors want me dead. They charge at me with sharp tools, And throw things at my head. And all the folks who live next door, Are more than I can stand. Since they are rich and Im poor, I kill them with my van. Deadly neighbors, why do they hate me so? Deadly neighbors, why cant we get along? Deadly neighbors, put down that bowling ball. All the crazy neighbors wont be getting near my home. Ive seen some zombie neighbors,

Theyre little bit insane. Ive got no cash, I need more, I need 25 grand! Deadly neighbors, Oh what a way to go! Deadly neighbors dont attack at my home. Deadly neighbors, Ill charge with my chainsaw. And now the poems over, And you can sing it all along.

YL Rahul Agrawal S/O TM Sushil K. Agrawal

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is Gods gift thats why we call it Present. This proverb throws light on the fact that there are two days in every week. One undoubtedly is Yesterday with all its mistakes, faults, blunders and pain; while the other is definitely a tomorrow which is unpredictable! All the money in the world and all our meticulous efforts cant bring back yesterday. We cannot erase a single word that we uttered. Tomorrow is yet to be born. It will rise either behind a thick mass of clouds or in splendor. We need to judge it wisely and live for the moment. This calls for living Today. All of us have the capacity to win a days battle. And this very well is our Judgment Day. The efforts we put in fighting today will sow seeds to a rewarding tomorrow. Every day we keep pondering about the bitter memories of yesterday or else we keep floating in the arms of a blissful ocean of tomorrow. In fact 38% of people suffer worldwide due to psychological conditions causing worries. The Japanese tea ceremony called Chaa No Yu presents a contradictory example from our very own rapidly changing world. It is a traditional blessing given by the Buddhist preaching. No more than 3 people are given entry in a beautiful, eco friendly cottage on the 6th floor of a building. The host Chazeen welcomes the guests with great hospitality. They are served green tea in small earthen cups. There is immense serenity all around them. Their mind slowly and steadily loses its thinking pace until they are relaxed. All their past worries and future hopes are blown away with the tick of a second. Nothing beside your present surroundings, your present situation and conditions prevails. It is as vast and far stretching as are the wings of infinity. It is truly a blessing in disguise for the Japanese, to find precious time for self upliftment in their busy booked up schedule. Even the smallest things tell us to live in the Present. The clock in our houses tells Abide by me and follow me right now. I will pass away and you will be left repenting! Living in the Present is an essential flavor for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Let us therefore live but one day at the present; for we are judged by what we commit each present day and never in advance ! Will, you do that today?

Mohammed Minhajuddin Majid Treasurer of Periyar Toastmasters Gavel Club.

Human values are closely interconnected with human life. They are entangled with our day today chores. No human life is possible without values. Yes, every living human being lives by certain values. It is only the proportion and combination of negative and positive values which separates a noble human being from a not so noble human being. The positive values are Honesty, Compassion, Integrity, Forgiveness, Love, Knowledge, Discipline, Faith, and Leadership. The negative values like prejudice, hatred, greed, selfishness, and others which need to be avoided. Every human being is born neutral and is like a clean slate. The Virtues and values a human being possesses depend solely on parents, teachers, circumstances, environment, and friends. However, everyone can be inculcated with human values by the parents, teachers, friends, well wishers and even strangers. Self-education of human values is also possible by meeting, learning, and reading about great individuals living a holistic life. Now question arises how to inculcate Human Values. We should: 1. Submit ourselves to a teacher who is virtuous. 2. Keep our life simple and honest. 3. Be compassionate. 4. Treat truthfulness as the most essential part of our life 5. Criticize and reproach the act not the actor. 6. Love everyone if possible. 7. Upgrade our knowledge continuously. 8. Be disciplined in our thoughts and actions. 9. Treat our parents better than we would treat ourselves. If we follow them we are sure to inculcate human values in us. But we should also take care of the following: 1. Please start in a slow manner and then accelerate. Avoid going ast immediately. 2. Be confident but dont be over confident, over confidence results in irreversible mistakes. 3. Our mental makeup and thinking should be in cycle with our physical activity. During Global Toastmaster clubs recent YLP meetings, one of the DTM quoted a verse from Quran according to which Almighty Allah said, I will not change the condition of a community or individual, unless they themselves do not wish to change themselves.
Also during Global Toastmasters 9th annual celebrations, a DTM quoted Ralph Smedley as Everybody talks about changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.

So let us hold hand in hand and turn this world a better place to live in by changing ourself by inculcating high human values.

Sai Aiswarya Sadagopan, D/O TM Sadagopan Natarajan

Felix Finkbeiner was invited by the U.N. to speak for the children of the world about his PLANT FOR THE PLANET MOVEMENT at the global launch of the INTERNAIONAL YEAR OF THE FORESTS 02.Feb. 2011. Felix Finkbeiner, a 13 year old boy, is trying to make a difference on our beloved planet earth. And if he succeeds, it will benefit everyone in the planet. The idea to plant more trees around the globe started when Felix was 9 years old. He had to do a school project on Global warming.

When he was doing a research he learned about the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Maathai.
WangariMaathai is from Kenya where she started the Green Belt Movement in 1977 for planting millions of trees in Kenya to help the rural women to earn their livelihood ,to reduce poverty and to protect the environment. Inspired by her wisdom and courage Felix wanted to plant a million trees in Germany and possibly in every other country. Felix told the teacher about his wish. Greatly moved by his wish, the teacher asked him to talk about this in the school assembly and soon every other school also wanted to join with him. He planted his first tree in March 2007. Soon after this, they were able to plant a million trees in Germany in about 3years. He started the movement called Plant for the Planet with the Advertisement campaign Stop Talking and Start Planting. He now wants to plant 1 trillion trees in our planet 10 years from now. Finkbeiner believes this tree crusade can only be successful if it is led by children. We children are

the majority in the world but we can only make a difference if we work together. So we have to work together because if we do this, we can have a big impact, he says. This tree-planting campaign has already had an impact worldwide. Finkbeiner says there are 100,000 children participating in 91 countries with 3.5 million trees planted. They have an ad campaign with the line Stop Talking and Start Planting. This ad campaign features people who are famous and those who are achievers. Recently, Felix was explaining in the Dr. Phil TV-Show that each global citizen has to plant 150 trees until 2020 to reach the trillion trees. For the USA with 313 million UScitizens this adds upto 50 billiontrees. Dr. Phil immediately made a donation to plant 1,000 trees, 150 trees for himself and 850 trees for people in Africa, Asia and South-America who might not be ableto plant their share.We all could participate in this great endeavour tomake our planet more green and a wonderful place to live in.

YL Sindhura Thanneru
It was a very scary day for me. Why not? I was going to participate in the Table Topic Contest. That was going to be my first ever table topic I delivered in front of the audience. The whole day I was not able to concentrate on anything other than my Table Topic Contest. I spent the whole day cogitating about the topics I would be speaking on. Seriously speaking, the prayers I offered to the God were at maximum on that day! The curiosity and eagerness in me to know which topic I would pick up spread through my nerves. Frankly, I was awfully in moments of terror. As soon as I came home from school, I quickly went through some of the quotes and proverbs that I felt would be useful. Finally, the big time had arrived. I wasn't talking to anyone throughout the journey from my home to Al-Jude Village where the contest was being held. Various thoughts began confounding my brain. What if I didn't understand the topic? What if I didn't know what to speak at the nick of time? What if people laugh at me? Suddenly some words of my Dad came into my mind, ''You can do it. Just be cool and speak as it you were speaking to some friend''. Those words boosted in me a spark of confidence and thats all. I went on the stage and picked up my topic. Then there was no coming back for me.

YL Zehra Siddiqui
Youth Leadership Program has been a life-changing event of my life. It was something I can never forget. It branded me with new perception and gave me a new paradigm. At the inaugural meeting, we had a workshop on Getting Acquitted in which we all were given partners and we had to introduce each other. We were also given demos of Icebreaker Speech and International Speech. Icebreaker Speech was the easiest one as we just had to speak about ourselves. In the beginning Table Topic was something I have always wanted to escape from; however, it became the most exciting session later. We were taught that we should not judge a person but evaluate them, thats how Evaluation Session came up. After the first meeting, YLP became my choice. We had many workshops like Voice and Vocabulary, Art of Listening in which I learned that we need to listen to learn and proceed in our lives, Group Discussion where we learned how to discuss and come to a conclusion and many more.

In our 5th meeting we had elections for a new Ex-Com committee and we learned a whole new process of elections that day. We were also assigned to an important role every week. I got to be the Word Master and Grammarian. The Word of the Day I chose was Exquisite I enjoyed pointing out grammatical errors because I do that a lot in my class. One of the meetings I enjoyed a lot was when the Theme of the Day was Unity in Diversity. And for this theme we had to wear our traditional clothes. We also had the Best Dressed competition for that.
Drafting the International Speech was tough. Usually when we made speeches for school purpose, they were only 2-3 minutes long, but these were 5-7 minutes long. So learning such a long speech was quiet challenging. I also got the opportunity to become the Youth Leader of the Day. As YLOD, I had to conduct the whole programme. The Theme of the Day I chose was Parents-We Love You. And for this theme we invited all the parents and I had also asked the Youth Leaders to prepare a Thank You card for their parents. I also brought a cake for the parents. In the last meeting we had Debate Competition too. But then unfortunately as all good things come to an end, YLP too had come to an end. The Grand Finale was on 27th January, 2012, which was the most memorable day of my life. We usually watched Grand Finales on T.V but this time we were actually participating in it. I was assigned for International Speech in which I got the 2nd Position. I learned a lot of new things and made many new friends. To conclude, I thank all the Toastmasters for the encouragement and support they gave me and especially my mom who was the one who had forced me to YLP and my dad who was my mentor and trained me very well.

Khusboo
Angels are spirits who spread the message of divine love. They are capable of taking physical existence. Such two angels brought me to this world and I started experiencing what we call as life. Back home in India years back were the lovely days, days at the meadows, days at the river front and days at the orchards. Those joyful days still linger as unforgetful memories. Pain injuries do not count but memories live for all time to come. How do these happen? Our parents inspired us to look forward, be optimistic and be positive. Why do parents behave so? Why are they so caring? Today having got the opportunity, I would like to share some of my thoughts about parental role in our life. We are always advised by our parents for our well being, our progress and our prosperity. Parents aim their progeny to one direction only and that is upwards. No other direction is acceptable to them. And this upward direction doesnt come without a cost. Our parents have to pass through vexing and waning phases of life. Childhood is a gift but it also has weakness too. We were not able to walk erect. Once twice thrice, many time we tumble but those caring hand keeps away the injury that might occur in their absence. Those hands give us the much needed sense of security. Moving to the school we face a different world. The fight, the struggle and the quarrels a new experience altogether. Our parents groom us to deal with such situations. These teaching that descend from our parents demands immense patience, selfless love and endurance. Introspect, and then tell me. Do we have the patience the care the love to the extent we got it from our parents? Do we have the time to listen to their advice? No! We are wiser and we do not think it to be important. We are busy engrossed in watching TV and computer games. Whom are we living for? What is our goal in life? Dear youth leaders. I firmly believe in Giving is getting What we give, comes around. Also it is said Love begets love Do you want love? If yes, than let love be in the air. Human beings cannot live without love. In other words human cannot live without the warmth of a heart. We are not machines, designed to work and live in solitary confinement. Our parents too need love from their children. Let their heart be filled with love. And let the bliss radiate on their face through a smile and then will come the inner satisfaction. No one in this world has succeeded without Parents blessings. There is a value fixed for each and everything that is present in this world. But nobody on earth can fix a value for Parents love. Many do not realize it, because anything that comes for free is not valued. I will tell you a story ,once upon a time there lived a small and happy family they had one son and he was in 6,he loved his grandparents very much but then his parents send their parent to old age home due to which the boy was very disturbed along with his friends he made a plan one day suddenly he stopped obeying his parent and started giving back answers one day his father became very furious and scolded him and said are we spending our money one you for this day to disobey us or give back answers then he suddenly and politely said my grandparents expected the same thin from you. God made us raw and blessed us with love from the parents. He said dont be miser spread it as much as you can. It is an every spreading thing the more you will spread the more it will grow. This is the message I preach and practice, My dear youth leaders, you too are no different than me; you too are made a child like me. Let us not forget to love these angels of love.

YL Shifa Verma
How long your life will be is not in your hands but how worth it you make your life is surely in your hands. Human life is like a bubble which must burst after a brief while. To every man, death must com sooner or later. But whether ones life is longer or shorter than the others, really matters a little, because our deeds and actions, not months and years are the true measure of our life. Our real worth is to be judged by the use which we make of our life. Men there are, who live only for themselves, they live an animal life so to say. The coming and going of such men are taken no note by anybody. They are unhonoured, unwept and unsung when they passed away.

Again there are men who dedicate their lives to a noble object, to the service of mankind. Such men , serving as they do as an example and inspiration to others , are the real salt of the earth. They don't die. They continue to live not in flesh and blood , but in the grateful hearts of their fellowmen. By their golden deeds they live more beloved in death than in life. The imperishable footprints left by them on the sands of time make them immortal.
Thus we find that the worth of a thing depends upon quality and not quantity. Swami Vivekananda did rather early . He did not reach even forty . We have read what he had done for the Indians in America and Europe and in India also. His life has been an inspiration to many . Can we ever forget? It is the good deeds of such great men that shine in the world, and it is because they so shine that these men live for a long long time even after their physical frames returns to dust . Truly has the poet sung " He most lives who thinks most, feels the noblest and acts the Best".

YL Shifa Verma
"In good times, in bad times I'll be on your side forever; I'll be on your side forever,

We humans stand distinct among all other species because of its Sophisticate d social life.. friendship is one part of it.. it started since long.. from the origin of mankind..
By the way.. is there anybody here without a friend.. no chance.. the Value that is found in friendships are unlimited.. its a tendency to desire what is best for the other.. its where sympathy and empathy comes into action.. its where honesty prevails.. its where mutual understanding and mutual compassion become meaningful

Parents of course are the most integral part of our life.. but they do have limitations.. friends on the other hand dont have any limitation.. It was rightly said by Aristotle Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies
Is there any dos and donts in friendship? I would say yes.. its not easy to identify true friends all on a sudden.. we could come across some friendship which are just for the sake of relations.. or to gain something from you.. here come the importance of the words of Buddha.. An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.We need to be courageous enough to filter our friendships.. we need to have transparency in our friendship.. Parents need to know who are your friends.. there is a greater tendency to get spoiled. Be aware of it and Beware of it A true friendship is when you can tell a person something in confidence and they don't freak out... you can tell them anything and they don't judge you... when you are able to go up to them crying and they make you feel completely safe... when you're having a bad day and you talk to them and the day gets better... Identify them and acquire them and cherish them in your memories.. Remember - True great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget. Poem on FRIENDSHIP "In good times, in bad times I'll be on your side forever, I'll be on your side forever, that's what friends are for." That's what friends are for"

Mr. Kumar Vijay, S/O DTM Jagadeesan Kumar HULT International Business School, Boston, USA
There were eight of us in the plane, four of us shivering with fear and anticipation, and four making sure that we understood that everything was going to be alright. My instructor was making the final checks, ensuring that everything was tightly secured so that no mistakes were made, because mistakes at this height could only lead to fatality. As we leveled off at 13000 ft, the pilot switched on the green light indicating it was time. My instructor and I were seated in such a way that we would be the last ones to go, my anticipation emulating a musical crescendo with every passing moment. With my ears pounding and the whole body vibrating with the plane, I pushed with weak legs to the edge of the plane. It was a beautiful sight; I speculated if the world was flat, this is what it would feel like standing at the edge. The next thing I knew, the earth was rushing to embrace me, the wind forcing me stay afloat in mid air and my lungs filling with pain as I sucked in the cold air. For 40 adrenaline pumping seconds, I had felt more alive that I had ever felt before. I was ready to face the world with absolute confidence, with no doubts of failure and only the strongest belief that I was going to succeed. I made sure that no matter how scared I was, I did not close my eyes, that I did not miss a moment, so I could remember every exhilarating, heart stopping moment.

And then it all stopped. With a painful tug at my shoulders the parachute opened and we were suspended in mid-air for the briefest of moments. The sight in front of me took away my breath for the second time as we slowly glided back to solid ground. The confidence boosting plunge forgotten, as I stared below, at the enormity that was before me. I felt small, irrelevant, lost in the grand scheme of things.
In the three minutes from the plane to landing on gravel I had gone through a roller coaster of life philosophies. I did not learn anything new, but I finally experienced what I knew. Life is too beautiful to be afraid of, and too beautiful to live in the shadows of society. Understanding this will give us the confidence we need to face anything that life throws at us. But we must also keep in mind that no matter how successful, rich or powerful we become, the world will always be bigger. In the grand scheme of things we are all the same, we come and go from this earth the same way. So we must aim to throw out our egos, forget the superiority or inferiority complexes that feed the egos, and live life as if we are constantly jumping out of a plane.

Master Aadit Jeyasankar , S/O TM Jayasankar

Master Aadit Jeyasankar participated in the 7th International UCMAS Abacus Competition Photos, held in Kulalambur, Malaysia on 4th December2011 was placed 5th in the Category F. (Addition / Subtraction 100 Nos & Multiplication 100 Nos, Total 200 Sums in 8 minutes)

Srinivas Arasu
S/O TM N. V. Arasu

Miss. Kumar Lakshmi, D/O DTM Jagadeesan Kumar Environmental destruction, we Humans cause
HumansHumanityWe fight, we destroy, we mutilate, we killWhat value do we have? None.

The world would be a better place without humans. All we do is make it a worse place than before, and overall we dont contribute anything positive for this earth. People may argue that were doing all we can to make this place better by fixing problems, but in reality, the problems that were trying to fix wouldnt
even be here if it werent for us. It must be said that we are smart and of we tried, we could actually achieve something, but instead, we fight for land and power and kill for no apparent reason. Why we, humans, are on top on the chain boggles my mind. We mindlessly abuse our power by claiming everything as our own and force other organisms to adapt to our ever-changing environments. We then try to save endangered species, which we ran to extinction in the first place. We think we are better than everything else, not only as a species, but as individuals as well. Kings think they are better than the civilians they rule, and civilians think they are better than people who dont have as much money as they do who, in turn, think that they are better than the creatures that cant think like they do. We are constantly at war, with the world, with each other and even with ourselves; we are not peaceful creatures, and our value is greatly diminished because we cannot see the bigger picture; that we are in this together and if we dont do something about it, we might destroy whats around us. We cut into the, for a lack of a better phrase, circle of life by trying to shape everything to our satisfaction, with our big buildings and environment-destroying factories and vehicles. Humanity has no real value, every value that we have is so miniscule, that it doesnt really make any difference. There are those of us that genuinely care about the world and the things around us, but these people are so overshadowed by that mass that dont care that it doesnt even matter. So, what is the true value of humanity? Think and act, before it is too late

Jayasurya V.
Wahoo, Wahoo! I shouted when my father said that we were going to a beautiful water theme park. I wished to go to a water theme park and my wish was fulfilled after a year. While driving to Bahrain , I dreamt of enjoying myself in the water, what a fun it would be! I had my goggles, swim suit and all other items needed to enjoy myself in Wahoo. Finally our car stopped at the City Centre, where Wahoo is situated. I ran inside the mall and went to the Wahoo counter straightway. My father along with his friends family bought tickets for us and in a moment we flashed outside. We changed our clothes in the dressing room and headed to a medium sized swimming pool, which is called Waves Pool. I saw a lot of people enjoying with their water guns, and we too enjoyed ourselves in the pool. After a while, we were out of the pool, and walked towards the giant slider, which was my best part in Wahoo as the giant slides take us long way to drop us in the water. I enjoyed the giant slides with different colors and sizes. Next we went to the Surfing and then to the Mat Sliders, which took us outside the mall and brought back inside. . To enjoy each of the sliders , we had to walk up the stairs about 100 Feet high. We were in Wahoo about two hours and enjoyed to our hearts content. This was and is my life long experience. I am looking forward to visiting this theme park again to have more fun.

Gavelior Kuriakose Jacob President- Periyar Gavel Club

Are you happy was the question asked by a reporter to the legendary singer Elvis Presley at the peak of his career.
I am as lonely as hell, he replied If there is one single factor that can give man the ultimate satisfaction and contentment in life then it is, true happiness. One can achieve great success, fame and wealth, yet could live a life that is empty and miserable if happiness eludes him. Today in many parts of the world even well placed executives are known to be ,dependent on anti depressant pills to cope up with their stressful lifes. If one were to probe into the lives of the rich and famous, it would be astonishing to note how miserable their personnel lives are in spite of the all the glamour that surrounds them. The case is no different in the case ordinary people. Happiness just seems too elude many . I know of a teacher who was very good and successful in his field but always unhappy simply because his ambition was to be a doctor and he could not become one. His inability to fulfill his ambition to be a doctor seemed to overshadow his success and popularity as a teacher and he remained dissatisfied and unhappy with life.

How then can one pursue and achieve happiness . Let me share with you a true story that answers this question to a large extent. Jamie Scott , a little boy was trying for a part in his school play. He had set his heart on being in it and would talk of it all the time though his mother feared that he would not be chosen. On the big day, when the parts were awarded and when Jamies mother went to collect him from school , Jamie rushed up to her , eyes shining with pride and excitement Guess what Mum he shouted I have been selected to clap and cheer This little boy had so much wanted to be in the play but all that he got was a part outside the play just to clap and cheer the real participants. Instead of being disappointed he chose to be delighted at what was given to him. Happiness is in our attitude and the first step to experience this beautiful feeling is to be satisfied with what we have however small it may be and to utilize our talents and capabilities to the best of our abilities Ralph Emerson said to different minds, the same world is a hell and a heaven. There will always be a few unfortunate things in our life if one focuses on it, then life becomes Emersions Hell. The real trick is to keep moving and acknowledging its a part of life and seek to construct experiences that make you happy. In this connection, I am reminded of a discussion between an Englishman, a Frenchman and a Russian on the true meaning of happiness. Happiness said the Englishman is when you return home after a hard days work and find a hot supper waiting for you. You English are so unromantic said the Frenchman. Happiness is having a candlelit dinner with your wife in a beautiful restaurant. You are both wrong said the Russian. True happiness is when you are home in bed and at 4 AM in the morning hear a hammering at the door and when you open the door there stands the police, who say to you Ivan Ivanovitch, you are under arrest, and you say, sorry sir, Ivan Ivanovitch lives next door All three of them had found happiness in one thing or the other for it is found in those small things in life , the surprises and twists that it brings along . One just does not have to look too far or pop a fill to find it. It is often close by. We just need to learn, to notice it. More than everything else lets learn to give thanks many a time a day for all the blessings that we have and then we will see how easily happiness enters our life s .

Lets learn to cultivate happiness and pass it on like a benign virus to all those round us for life is something that is so very beautiful , so precious and to be enjoyed to the fullest for we get the chance to live our life just once. There will never be a second chance.

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