Little Ironies

Life is certainly full of ironies. We have to learn to take ironies with a pinch of salt and perhaps even season it with a little pinch of sugar so that the taste is really soothing and pleasant.

I had not intended to be a contestant in the current humorous speech and evaluation contests in our club. However, as we did not have enough contestants, I felt obliged to participate so as to encourage Michael Chu and Peter Tay, our new and enthusiastic members.

Since I won in our club contests, I had to represent Dennis Wee Group Toastmasters' Club in the Area U3 contest. Ironically, I felt I might have a chance to win at least the 1st runner up in the humorous speech, but instead I was the champion in the Evaluation Contest! Evaluation is not my forte, as most of the time when I visit clubs, I am the language evaluator. Hence, I have very little practice. Morever the topic the test speaker had chosesn was a sombre one....Opportunities in Crisis where he touched a lot on the economic turmoil! I was so tired during the 5 minutes of writing that I simply scribbled my points. I decided I would go by the acronym "GHO". What is good, how it can be improved and the opprtunities the test speaker should have given himself in his speech." To my surprise, there was some laughter. How ironical! When I expected people to laugh more during my humorous speech, few laughed; and when I did not expect anyone to laugh, almost all did!

There were two very outstanding evaluators in the contest whom I expected to clinch the championship title! I was desperate and made a beeline for the Div. Z contest which was to be held at 2p.m. at Queenstown Community Centre. I hope to observe and learn more from the contestants.

I would be contented to be a second runner up in the Division Contest. Meanwhile....help.....I better scour all the articles on evaluation!

Gan Chau