Sunday, November 16, 2008
Music
Recently, i re-watched a japanese series 'Nodame Cantabile'. Basically, the background of the series is classical music which includes the orchestra and piano. It makes me reminded the times when i was in secondary school where i joined a band. In the series, it talks a lot about music. There is a lot in a music. It is not just a piece of work which includes a lot of crochets and semiquavers. It contains messages which the composer wanted to tell us. To present the piece well, we have to know and understand the messages underlying the notes. When it comes to the orchestra music, it is not just the communication between the composer and the player. There are communication between the players of different instrument; communication within the conductor ,the performers and concert master(the 1st violinist, the person who lead the orchestra members). And different tone colour can express different kind of mood. A very great performance can only be shown when there are communication between the players.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
life and miscommunications
life is not as easy as i thought it would be. there are so many challenges that one has to go through. at times tackling these challenges can really drain a person. some may even give up. things can get so complicated at times that you just feel like running away.. it gets even worst when miscommunication happens.
miscommunications can cause many things to happen. a relationship can be affected badly by it. sometimes people may not intemperate things the way you think they will. they may take what you say in a whole different way. thats how things get bad. and when they do, we tend to try to make things right. instead they just get worst. sometimes the less you say the better you are. so choose your words wisely. and as we all know LIFE IS TOUGH, SO SHUT UP AND LIVE IT. ( 2008, simren gill ) hahaha..
=)
-simren
miscommunications can cause many things to happen. a relationship can be affected badly by it. sometimes people may not intemperate things the way you think they will. they may take what you say in a whole different way. thats how things get bad. and when they do, we tend to try to make things right. instead they just get worst. sometimes the less you say the better you are. so choose your words wisely. and as we all know LIFE IS TOUGH, SO SHUT UP AND LIVE IT. ( 2008, simren gill ) hahaha..
=)
-simren
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Impromtu Speech....
Since we are going to have an impromtu speech soon, let me introduce some tips that i had research on. It actually sounds quite reasonable. Good luck for all of us....
When we get our topic, the first thing we have to do is to relax and keep our mind clear. The next thing is to create an outline as it can help us to keep us going when our mind are blanked. When we plan our speech, we have to plan it according to these points:
1 Examine your topic. Does it lend itself well to a comparison? Examples? A demonstration? Decide on one method and begin your outline.
2 Consider your strengths. Are you best at making people laugh or explaining things to other people? Identify your strengths to help organize your thoughts.
For instance, if your impromptu topic concerns dress codes in school, you may want to joke about your own wardrobe during your introduction, then re-visit that thought during your ending.
However, you may be more comfortable expressing your opinion to others. If so, don't try to be funny. Pick a style that suits your personality.
3 Make an outline. Think of several points and organize them. Keep a great line for the ending.
If you do nothing else, write down an introductory sentence and an ending sentence.
Practice your beginning and your ending. These are the most stressful parts of your speech, and the most critical when it comes to good delivery.
When you are comfortable with your beginning and ending, then practice your body. List several points and find ways to elaborate on each one.
4 Give yourself a minute or two to relax. Wrap up your practice at least a few minutes before you speak. Give yourself time to reflect and relax.
5 As you deliver your speech, concentrate on diction and tone. If you are thinking about this, you are not thinking about the eyes watching you. This really works. Your mind can't think about too many things at once, so think about enunciating your words and controlling your tone, and you'll maintain more control.
But what if you draw a blank?
1 Pretend like you're pausing on purpose. Walk back and forth slowly, as if you're letting your last point sink in.
2 There is always a joker or popular person who will stand out in the crowd. Stare at someone like this and try to draw a response from him or her while you think.
3 Keep walking or staring and put the crowd or audience out of your head for a moment and go over your major points.
4 Picture your outline on your hand or use whatever mnemonic trick you developed.
5 If you need more time to think, you may want to ask the audience a question. Have a few prepared ahead, like "Do you have any questions," or "Can everyone hear me okay?"
6 If you still can't remember what to say, make up a reason to pause the speech. You can say, "I'm sorry, but my throat is very dry. Can I please get a glass of water?" Someone will go to get you a drink, and you will have time to think of two or three points to talk about.
If these tips can't work, just crap anything you can. However, make it sounds relevant to your topic. The main point is keep yourself calm. Lets see if the tips will work in our impromtu speech. Good Luck!!!!
When we get our topic, the first thing we have to do is to relax and keep our mind clear. The next thing is to create an outline as it can help us to keep us going when our mind are blanked. When we plan our speech, we have to plan it according to these points:
1 Examine your topic. Does it lend itself well to a comparison? Examples? A demonstration? Decide on one method and begin your outline.
2 Consider your strengths. Are you best at making people laugh or explaining things to other people? Identify your strengths to help organize your thoughts.
For instance, if your impromptu topic concerns dress codes in school, you may want to joke about your own wardrobe during your introduction, then re-visit that thought during your ending.
However, you may be more comfortable expressing your opinion to others. If so, don't try to be funny. Pick a style that suits your personality.
3 Make an outline. Think of several points and organize them. Keep a great line for the ending.
If you do nothing else, write down an introductory sentence and an ending sentence.
Practice your beginning and your ending. These are the most stressful parts of your speech, and the most critical when it comes to good delivery.
When you are comfortable with your beginning and ending, then practice your body. List several points and find ways to elaborate on each one.
4 Give yourself a minute or two to relax. Wrap up your practice at least a few minutes before you speak. Give yourself time to reflect and relax.
5 As you deliver your speech, concentrate on diction and tone. If you are thinking about this, you are not thinking about the eyes watching you. This really works. Your mind can't think about too many things at once, so think about enunciating your words and controlling your tone, and you'll maintain more control.
But what if you draw a blank?
1 Pretend like you're pausing on purpose. Walk back and forth slowly, as if you're letting your last point sink in.
2 There is always a joker or popular person who will stand out in the crowd. Stare at someone like this and try to draw a response from him or her while you think.
3 Keep walking or staring and put the crowd or audience out of your head for a moment and go over your major points.
4 Picture your outline on your hand or use whatever mnemonic trick you developed.
5 If you need more time to think, you may want to ask the audience a question. Have a few prepared ahead, like "Do you have any questions," or "Can everyone hear me okay?"
6 If you still can't remember what to say, make up a reason to pause the speech. You can say, "I'm sorry, but my throat is very dry. Can I please get a glass of water?" Someone will go to get you a drink, and you will have time to think of two or three points to talk about.
If these tips can't work, just crap anything you can. However, make it sounds relevant to your topic. The main point is keep yourself calm. Lets see if the tips will work in our impromtu speech. Good Luck!!!!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Reflection
What we say and do reflect on ourselves. It's like people know what type of person we are by the way we act and by the way we say things. Usually the things we say most differentiate us from others. For example, everytime my parents asked me what I want to eat, I always reply by saying "Whatever." And when they ask my brother what he wants to eat, he will always say "anything." One day, my mum went to Singapore and she saw two drinks that reminded her of my brother and I. It's literally called 'Anything' and 'Whatever'. She bought it and gave it to us. Now they actually sell it here. I went to 711 that day and saw it.
People say it so often that a company actually decided to create such beverages. The interesting part is the drink has mystery flavours. You don't know the flavour until you drink it. Hence, the name. I guess what I'm trying to say is that certain things we say can remind people of ourselves. Hopefully, it's good things.
-Peace-
People say it so often that a company actually decided to create such beverages. The interesting part is the drink has mystery flavours. You don't know the flavour until you drink it. Hence, the name. I guess what I'm trying to say is that certain things we say can remind people of ourselves. Hopefully, it's good things.
-Peace-
Sunday, November 2, 2008
WE, as a group.
Well, last Thursday, we had finally finished our Human Comm movie analysis assignment. Hooray~
We managed to get things in the right place at the very last moment where Mr. Murali asked us to make some adjustments on our paper. At that moment, we were just rushing and rushing like mad, just to make sure that we could pass up the paper by 3.30 pm. Things got a little easier as we were in group. Our members helped each other by doing our own parts after the jobs were seperated. Fortunately, we were able to hand in the paper to Mr. Murali on time. *wink*
Group work was always not an easy thing for me as I prefer doing my college work by myself. To me, group work is hard as members in the group will always need time to tolerate with each other before coming to a point where desicion can be make. But, we, in a society will always need to work in group, and that is when we need to communicate. Communication is important as things need to be done quickly and correctly.
Anyway, since Mr. Murali had taught us about "Group" last week. I shall do a simple analysis on my Human Comm assignment group based on what I have learnt from the lecture.
Group size: 5 people
Type of group: Learning group
Goals:
Individual goal: [Task-oriented] To get marks in the assignments and pass Human Comm.
Group goal: To finish and pass up the assignment on time.
Norms in the group:
- All members present on time in each meetings.
- Things have to be done before due.
- Works are divided equally to each members.
Pattern of interaction: All-channel network
Gate-keeper (who keeps the information flow through the group): Jaime
Decision-making methods: Consensus and Majority control.
And.. That's what make us - Me (Yin Foong), Jaime, Liza, Afiqah, and Simren a group. *wink*
=Yin Foong=
We managed to get things in the right place at the very last moment where Mr. Murali asked us to make some adjustments on our paper. At that moment, we were just rushing and rushing like mad, just to make sure that we could pass up the paper by 3.30 pm. Things got a little easier as we were in group. Our members helped each other by doing our own parts after the jobs were seperated. Fortunately, we were able to hand in the paper to Mr. Murali on time. *wink*
Group work was always not an easy thing for me as I prefer doing my college work by myself. To me, group work is hard as members in the group will always need time to tolerate with each other before coming to a point where desicion can be make. But, we, in a society will always need to work in group, and that is when we need to communicate. Communication is important as things need to be done quickly and correctly.
Anyway, since Mr. Murali had taught us about "Group" last week. I shall do a simple analysis on my Human Comm assignment group based on what I have learnt from the lecture.
Group size: 5 people
Type of group: Learning group
Goals:
Individual goal: [Task-oriented] To get marks in the assignments and pass Human Comm.
Group goal: To finish and pass up the assignment on time.
Norms in the group:
- All members present on time in each meetings.
- Things have to be done before due.
- Works are divided equally to each members.
Pattern of interaction: All-channel network
Gate-keeper (who keeps the information flow through the group): Jaime
Decision-making methods: Consensus and Majority control.
And.. That's what make us - Me (Yin Foong), Jaime, Liza, Afiqah, and Simren a group. *wink*
=Yin Foong=
Facebook. In today's world, it's like "Everyone has a Facebook". I learnt this phrase in a movie that I've watched recently, which is the "Disaster Movie". Well, it is undeniable that Facebook is a quite successful online-networking tool.
I have joined Facebook last month. Before that, when my friends asked me to join, I was quite reluctant to sign up for Facebook (FB) as I think there is nothing interesting. However, after I got an account in FB, I started to learn why people got addicted to it that easy. It's not really about making new friends, it's about the applications within it! The main application of writing on the "wall" on one's profile allows people to express their comments easier. In addition, the "wall" will also displays the activities that one have done in FB. To view these "walls" or profiles of others, one will have to add that person as friend. One by one, when one keeps on adding his friends list, his network gets larger.
Other interesting applications include tagging of photos. People who have account in FB can tagged themselves in someone else's uploaded photos. So when others are viewing one's photos, they can identify the friends of their friend, and then get into the profiles of their friend's friends. Once again, people are connected.
There are also some other gaming applications. The one that I am so into right now is the "Fluff Friends" where people can adopt cartoon pets. After adopting a pet, one can pet it, feed it, decorate its habitats etc. So, you might wonder: How does this application help in connecting people around the world? Simple, people are "encouraged" to pet, give gifts, and feed others' pets as there will be "munny" (which is so-call money in the Fluff World, people use it to buy items, foods, decorations etc.) granted. In every "fluffer"'s (those who use this application) profile, there will be information of other fluffers displayed randomly. Therefore, one can click on one's profile to pet their pets. The network can be spreaded so widely that a fluffer from Malaysia can pet a pet owned by a American.
Anyway, although some of the applications are really fun to play with, one will maybe get bored someday. In the end of the day, the thing that really matter are still your friends that you made on FB.
PS: For those who know me and have a FB account, search me by this name: Yfoong Liew(http://www.facebook.com/s.php?ref=search&init=q&q=yfoong+liew&sid=f49f8b16b9b52e7bf89037731846358d) and add me as friends ya~ ^^
*wink*
=Yin Foong=
I have joined Facebook last month. Before that, when my friends asked me to join, I was quite reluctant to sign up for Facebook (FB) as I think there is nothing interesting. However, after I got an account in FB, I started to learn why people got addicted to it that easy. It's not really about making new friends, it's about the applications within it! The main application of writing on the "wall" on one's profile allows people to express their comments easier. In addition, the "wall" will also displays the activities that one have done in FB. To view these "walls" or profiles of others, one will have to add that person as friend. One by one, when one keeps on adding his friends list, his network gets larger.
Other interesting applications include tagging of photos. People who have account in FB can tagged themselves in someone else's uploaded photos. So when others are viewing one's photos, they can identify the friends of their friend, and then get into the profiles of their friend's friends. Once again, people are connected.
There are also some other gaming applications. The one that I am so into right now is the "Fluff Friends" where people can adopt cartoon pets. After adopting a pet, one can pet it, feed it, decorate its habitats etc. So, you might wonder: How does this application help in connecting people around the world? Simple, people are "encouraged" to pet, give gifts, and feed others' pets as there will be "munny" (which is so-call money in the Fluff World, people use it to buy items, foods, decorations etc.) granted. In every "fluffer"'s (those who use this application) profile, there will be information of other fluffers displayed randomly. Therefore, one can click on one's profile to pet their pets. The network can be spreaded so widely that a fluffer from Malaysia can pet a pet owned by a American.
Anyway, although some of the applications are really fun to play with, one will maybe get bored someday. In the end of the day, the thing that really matter are still your friends that you made on FB.
PS: For those who know me and have a FB account, search me by this name: Yfoong Liew(http://www.facebook.com/s.php?ref=search&init=q&q=yfoong+liew&sid=f49f8b16b9b52e7bf89037731846358d) and add me as friends ya~ ^^
*wink*
=Yin Foong=
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Write and Deliver a Great Speech!
1. Breathe, deeply & Relax your mind.
2. Think of what to write in the speech, considering who are your audiences, the settings, time given, and other relevant factors that are important.
3. Talk a topic that you are familiar with (if you are given a free-topic).
4. Scribble some rough ideas on what you are going to talk about, what you want the audiences to know; roughly about 3 main ideas, and don't forget about your thesis statement!
5. Start to develop your ideas in creative way whereby people could understand it better such as making it like a story! Conclude your speech either by calling them to action, motivating them to do something positive, and understand what you are trying to talk about.
6. Arrive early at the presentation area, talk to strangers and get to know them better. Talking to some of your audiences will make you feel a lot closer and less afraid when giving speeches later.
7. When you arrive at your conclusion, do not rush it as it is one of the most important part in your speech, which must have a 'bang' and 'wow' to the audiences and you.
8. Don't forget to smile at your audiences! You make both the audiences and you feel relaxed and less worried!
9. Enjoy the whole process when you are delivering speeches as it is the the most important instruction you must remember. Only then, everything will turn out fine.
sources: Thomson, B 2005, 'Write a Great Speech in 5-7 Minutes, Don't Agonize Over your Next Presentation, Associated Content Inc, viewed 30th Oct 2008,
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
Do & Don'ts when everything goes wrong in your BIG day
Imagine that you are going to present your speech one day. You are so prepared; you rehearsed, you remembered what you are going to say, you have everything with you complete: laptop, battery extension, pen drive, basically everything you need to make your speech "a wow". Suddenly, when you arrived at the place where you are supposed to do the speech, you discovered that everything suddenly goes wrong. Your mike won't work, the lights were off, you can't on your laptop, the noise next door are loud. You starts to panic, perspire, running around like chicken with no head searching for whatever you think will help you. In such scene, you must remember a few do and don'ts! Written by Gene Perrett in Laugh Line Section, Toastmasters Magazine 2006, it talks about what you should and shouldn't do when everything goes wrong.
Don't!
1. Don't blow up! Control your adrenaline! Because things do not (suddenly) work that way, you must control how you going to react; in front of everyone else. When a problem arise, it's your problem. Take it as a responsibility and try to solve it, ask people (in charge) what you can do (if you don't know how to fix it). Be like a leader; the audience will then realize that by your action, they will know they should listen to someone like you.
2. Don't surrender to the situation! You must remember that problem is a temporary situation that will eventually go away; after you have solve it. When something happened in between of the speech, don't be bothered by the problem; continue what you prepared for the last few sleepless days and weeks for that speech. Don't let anything distract your attention.
Do!
1. Be sensible, maintain your dignity, don't throw tantrum if you are having problems. You have to remember that you are the focus in the speech, so the audiences will see you as who you are suppose to be.
2. "No matter how, the shows must go on", keep your sense of humour. When problem arises, try to make it as a funny situation which would bring laughter instead of hushes and yawns to the audience. Tell them it's ok to have the problem, tell them you are ok with the problem; and everything will be over in matter of seconds.
sources; Gene Perret 2006, Dos and Don'ts for When the Mike Won't, Toastmaster magazine jan 2006.
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
Don't!
1. Don't blow up! Control your adrenaline! Because things do not (suddenly) work that way, you must control how you going to react; in front of everyone else. When a problem arise, it's your problem. Take it as a responsibility and try to solve it, ask people (in charge) what you can do (if you don't know how to fix it). Be like a leader; the audience will then realize that by your action, they will know they should listen to someone like you.
2. Don't surrender to the situation! You must remember that problem is a temporary situation that will eventually go away; after you have solve it. When something happened in between of the speech, don't be bothered by the problem; continue what you prepared for the last few sleepless days and weeks for that speech. Don't let anything distract your attention.
Do!
1. Be sensible, maintain your dignity, don't throw tantrum if you are having problems. You have to remember that you are the focus in the speech, so the audiences will see you as who you are suppose to be.
2. "No matter how, the shows must go on", keep your sense of humour. When problem arises, try to make it as a funny situation which would bring laughter instead of hushes and yawns to the audience. Tell them it's ok to have the problem, tell them you are ok with the problem; and everything will be over in matter of seconds.
sources; Gene Perret 2006, Dos and Don'ts for When the Mike Won't, Toastmaster magazine jan 2006.
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
Sunday, October 26, 2008
as time passes...
today, i had a talk with 1of my best friend...we remembered a lot of memories we went through together...and we realised that we actually knew each other about 10 years or more than that!!! i am going to celebrate our anniversary this december!!!i met her when i was in primary school.. Actually we do not rememeber how we met each other.. But we have been became good friends since standard 5. It is not easy to maintain our relationship. We quarelled when we had different opinion. We cried together when we graduated from primary school. We laughed together when we were sharing our happy moments. We shared our secrets. The relationship is built as time passes. As time passes, i realised that we do not need to communicate a lot if our relationship is strong. She can simply catch up what i am trying to say although we do not see each other frequently. Perhaps we meet each other once a month. The bond within us is strong and unbreakable. I hope that our friendship will last forever...Cheers!!!!
Super Sunday
Do you know what Super Sunday is? Well, it's actually scheduled English football on Sundays. Tonight was Liverpool v.s Chelsea. Usually big games as such are watched at places that televise the match for large crowds. The atmosphere there is spectacular. It's where people come together for one reason-to support or boo football teams.
Personally, I'd go to Hartamas Square to watch big games. The food is good, the screen is huge, and they always play the 2 team's anthem before the game. People actually sing the anthem together. It's really fun. It's amazing how football unites us. We express differnt feelings together. For example, when the team we support is at the attacking mode, adrenaline rushes due to suspens. We clap for everything( depending on which team we support) when the opposition gets yellow or red cards, when our team gets fouled, when our team manages to clear the ball, we'd all be screaming if our team almost concede goals.
The best part is when our team scores. The atmosphere is really amazing. People scream and clap in delight. They even exchange hi-fives with people from the same table and different tables. It's like when your team scores, the stranger next to you suddenly becomes your best friend. It's interesting to see how one sport can bring tonnes of people together. Tonight, Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0. There were so many Liverpool fans compared to Chelsea fans. There will always be rivalry but in the end, we all go to watch good football.
-Peace-
Personally, I'd go to Hartamas Square to watch big games. The food is good, the screen is huge, and they always play the 2 team's anthem before the game. People actually sing the anthem together. It's really fun. It's amazing how football unites us. We express differnt feelings together. For example, when the team we support is at the attacking mode, adrenaline rushes due to suspens. We clap for everything( depending on which team we support) when the opposition gets yellow or red cards, when our team gets fouled, when our team manages to clear the ball, we'd all be screaming if our team almost concede goals.
The best part is when our team scores. The atmosphere is really amazing. People scream and clap in delight. They even exchange hi-fives with people from the same table and different tables. It's like when your team scores, the stranger next to you suddenly becomes your best friend. It's interesting to see how one sport can bring tonnes of people together. Tonight, Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0. There were so many Liverpool fans compared to Chelsea fans. There will always be rivalry but in the end, we all go to watch good football.
-Peace-
Festival of Light
Firstly, Happy Deepavali to everyone! Deepavali is a major Indian festival- also known as the Festival of light. It is celebrated by Hindu's, Sikh's, and Jains across the globe. But because Malaysia is a multiracial country, it's celebrated by all Malaysians. We are not Chinese, Indian, Malay, Bidayuh etc.. We are Malaysians! I enjoy festivals as such, 1. because holiday! 2. open house 3. it brings us closer.
My favourite part of deepavali is Muruku! I dont know if I spelled it right, but it rocks! If I'm not mistaken, this day is to celebrate victory over evil and the uplifitng of spiritual darkness. That's probably why it's celebrated so "meriah". But then again, what's a celebration if it's not happening? On the festival of light, people celebrate by decorating their homes with lights, they have fireworks, and also have open houses(gathering of family and friends) .
Apart from serving awesome food, the gathering they have is to bring friends and family closer. It's really a great way to strengthen relationships,repair broken ones and also build new ones. Celebrations in Malaysia is beyond holding just one culture together. This is one of the ways we can overcome racial issues. It helps us see that we may be different in skin colour but we are all the same. We should treat each other with the same level of respect despite differences in race and culture. With that, I end this post by saying that all celebrations in this country rocks!
-Peace-
My favourite part of deepavali is Muruku! I dont know if I spelled it right, but it rocks! If I'm not mistaken, this day is to celebrate victory over evil and the uplifitng of spiritual darkness. That's probably why it's celebrated so "meriah". But then again, what's a celebration if it's not happening? On the festival of light, people celebrate by decorating their homes with lights, they have fireworks, and also have open houses(gathering of family and friends) .
Apart from serving awesome food, the gathering they have is to bring friends and family closer. It's really a great way to strengthen relationships,repair broken ones and also build new ones. Celebrations in Malaysia is beyond holding just one culture together. This is one of the ways we can overcome racial issues. It helps us see that we may be different in skin colour but we are all the same. We should treat each other with the same level of respect despite differences in race and culture. With that, I end this post by saying that all celebrations in this country rocks!
-Peace-
HSM3
HSM3 is finally out in cinema's. The day that most teen's have been waiting for. I said most-I'm not one of them. If you've been following, you should know what High School Musical is all about. It's a story about teenager's in high school. But what's different here is that they express themselves through singing. All the challeneges they face in high school, all the feelings they feel, they express it with their voice.
This show is not just about the pretty faces behind the scenes of high school musical ( Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashlee Tisdale) , it's also about sending a message to the audience. It's their way of communicating with young teens. Apart from entertaining, the songs they sing helps lift up the spirit of the audience, gives hope, and encourages them not to give up in life. Besides that, it shows that you'll always have your friends behind you.
There will always be speed bumps along the way but with support from the people you care about and the people who care for you, you'd definately pull through. It's always easier to remember a song than attending weird self help seminars and reading books. So the way they connect with the audience is definately one of the best ways to communicate!
-Peace_
This show is not just about the pretty faces behind the scenes of high school musical ( Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashlee Tisdale) , it's also about sending a message to the audience. It's their way of communicating with young teens. Apart from entertaining, the songs they sing helps lift up the spirit of the audience, gives hope, and encourages them not to give up in life. Besides that, it shows that you'll always have your friends behind you.
There will always be speed bumps along the way but with support from the people you care about and the people who care for you, you'd definately pull through. It's always easier to remember a song than attending weird self help seminars and reading books. So the way they connect with the audience is definately one of the best ways to communicate!
-Peace_
Speech Preparation
Well, since more and more presentations are coming for this upcoming month; Nov in Week 12, 13, and 14, here's some tips i found in Toastmaster Magazine ed. July 2008 on "the Best ways to Prepare for a Speech" by Christopher Mortenson, ACB, ALB.
Firstly, the 3 magic words: "Practice Makes Perfect". Practice, Practice and Practice is always the key words to succeed in your speeches. By practising, you will understand what you are doing and naturally; by the time you are going to present your speech, everything comes out easily.
Secondly, depends on how many times you practice will gives an impact on how good is your speech. Allocate the correct timing on how much you should spend in your speech; for example, rehearse your introduction and conclusion rather than your content. People will generally remember most about your introduction and conclusion; and if you are prepared about what you are going to say, you shouldn't have any problem about the body content.
Thirdly, it's important to grasp on 'how' you have practiced, rather than 'how much' you have practiced. Find a spot whereby you can rehearse your speech without any interruption; along with your non-verbal communication. When you memorize your speech, do it as if you are presenting in on the stage; instead of just sitting around trying your best to memorize each and every sentence.
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
Firstly, the 3 magic words: "Practice Makes Perfect". Practice, Practice and Practice is always the key words to succeed in your speeches. By practising, you will understand what you are doing and naturally; by the time you are going to present your speech, everything comes out easily.
Secondly, depends on how many times you practice will gives an impact on how good is your speech. Allocate the correct timing on how much you should spend in your speech; for example, rehearse your introduction and conclusion rather than your content. People will generally remember most about your introduction and conclusion; and if you are prepared about what you are going to say, you shouldn't have any problem about the body content.
Thirdly, it's important to grasp on 'how' you have practiced, rather than 'how much' you have practiced. Find a spot whereby you can rehearse your speech without any interruption; along with your non-verbal communication. When you memorize your speech, do it as if you are presenting in on the stage; instead of just sitting around trying your best to memorize each and every sentence.
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
10 Laws to be A Great Leader
Here's an interesting article i have read from Toastmaster Magazine ed. Sept 2006 on "Laws for Positive Leadership-How to be a leader others want to follow" by Victor Parachin.
Leaders who are positive will be able to inspire, motive and unite others which then could produce tremendous results. Therefore, to make sure a harmonious group whereby others would be obliged to follow your words. There are a basic 10 laws to follow:
1. Give more than you expect others to give.
A good leader will always help his/her teammates if they need guidance. Therefore, the leader must be able to give more persistence, passion, and solutions in order to guide the members. A good leader will ask people to do the things that he or she will do themselves.
2. Combine optimism and perseverance.
When the team is having trouble, it is important for the leaders to decide the end of the team. HE or she must remain positive and persistent in the tasks given, and must be able to set the right example and experience to the members. Members will then not only respect him or her, but will tend to follow his or her steps in remaining optimism and perseverance.
3. See everyone as a diamond in rough.
"There are no poor performers, only poor leaders who fail to find ways of helping others succeed." Leaders must understand that each of his members have different talents and skills; and treat them as 'diamond in rough'.
4. Express appreciation; accept responsibility.
Some leaders would accept credits quickly, but they will blame others even faster. However, a good leader will do the reverse pattern. They will give their members the credit and prepare to accept responsibility when a task fails.
5. Remain balanced.
Some leaders are ego. They become proud with their capability, power and position in the teams. Therefore, it is important for leaders to remain balanced in maintaining relationships between the teammates and them. Joey Cheek, a speed-skating champion who once won a gold Olympic medal once said:"Keep things in perspective. I've seen the world and met amazing friends through my sports. But it's not that big a deal. I mean, I skate around the ice in tights. What is important is what I do off the ice".
6.Show respect for people around you.
Treating your teammates with respect will make your teammates to do the same thing on you. People who feel that they are respected are confidence with themselves, be able to do tasks quickly and efficiently and mostly are happier and more cooperative with others.
7. Treat everyone as family.
By treating everyone as family, people will feel much more comfortable in working in and as a team.
8. Be a source of inspiration.
When appropriate, share your wisdom; what you experienced and knew with others. Make sure they do not repeat your mistakes done and be able to do even better than you.
9. Stress cooperation not competition.
When a person hates another person, it becomes a competition among them; they always compete in whatever they do in the team. As a result, works become less efficient. On the other hand, cooperation among the teammates and the leaders will definitely ensure the quality of the teams.
10. Maintain a sense of humor.
No people will like to be with a leader who is serious all the time. Take things easy; and enjoy the tasks along with your members.
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
Leaders who are positive will be able to inspire, motive and unite others which then could produce tremendous results. Therefore, to make sure a harmonious group whereby others would be obliged to follow your words. There are a basic 10 laws to follow:
1. Give more than you expect others to give.
A good leader will always help his/her teammates if they need guidance. Therefore, the leader must be able to give more persistence, passion, and solutions in order to guide the members. A good leader will ask people to do the things that he or she will do themselves.
2. Combine optimism and perseverance.
When the team is having trouble, it is important for the leaders to decide the end of the team. HE or she must remain positive and persistent in the tasks given, and must be able to set the right example and experience to the members. Members will then not only respect him or her, but will tend to follow his or her steps in remaining optimism and perseverance.
3. See everyone as a diamond in rough.
"There are no poor performers, only poor leaders who fail to find ways of helping others succeed." Leaders must understand that each of his members have different talents and skills; and treat them as 'diamond in rough'.
4. Express appreciation; accept responsibility.
Some leaders would accept credits quickly, but they will blame others even faster. However, a good leader will do the reverse pattern. They will give their members the credit and prepare to accept responsibility when a task fails.
5. Remain balanced.
Some leaders are ego. They become proud with their capability, power and position in the teams. Therefore, it is important for leaders to remain balanced in maintaining relationships between the teammates and them. Joey Cheek, a speed-skating champion who once won a gold Olympic medal once said:"Keep things in perspective. I've seen the world and met amazing friends through my sports. But it's not that big a deal. I mean, I skate around the ice in tights. What is important is what I do off the ice".
6.Show respect for people around you.
Treating your teammates with respect will make your teammates to do the same thing on you. People who feel that they are respected are confidence with themselves, be able to do tasks quickly and efficiently and mostly are happier and more cooperative with others.
7. Treat everyone as family.
By treating everyone as family, people will feel much more comfortable in working in and as a team.
8. Be a source of inspiration.
When appropriate, share your wisdom; what you experienced and knew with others. Make sure they do not repeat your mistakes done and be able to do even better than you.
9. Stress cooperation not competition.
When a person hates another person, it becomes a competition among them; they always compete in whatever they do in the team. As a result, works become less efficient. On the other hand, cooperation among the teammates and the leaders will definitely ensure the quality of the teams.
10. Maintain a sense of humor.
No people will like to be with a leader who is serious all the time. Take things easy; and enjoy the tasks along with your members.
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
Monday, October 20, 2008
the Power of internet...
since the exist of internet, a lot of communication tools such as e-mails, forums, blogs, chatbox, skype, msn, friendster, facebook and so on have been created. They help us to communicate with anyone, exchanging information with them. And it does not cost us much!!! We can make use of these tools in other ways.
I actually heard a news long ago. A girl who was kidnapped (forgot the time, date and place) was found within 24 hours with the help of the people from a forum. The girl's sister, who found out that the girl was being kidnapped, post an announcement on a forum immediately. Luckily, the people passed around messages very quickly. The news actually spreaded to the whole country in a few hours. At the end, the girl was save because of the help of the people from the internet. Just imagine, can this happen without Internet which can spread the news to the whole world at anytime, anyplace and anywhere?
Furthermore, we actually received a lot of forward emails which ask us to forward the mail to our friends for charity. The every mails we forward can let the company to donate 15cent to the receivers. Most of us actually did this because it costs us nothing.
those tools such as msn, skype .icq and so on actually help us to talk to our targeted person for free. The only thing we have to pay is the money for the broadband which is very very cheap.
so, Without the internet and those communication tools, will our life be so easy?
I actually heard a news long ago. A girl who was kidnapped (forgot the time, date and place) was found within 24 hours with the help of the people from a forum. The girl's sister, who found out that the girl was being kidnapped, post an announcement on a forum immediately. Luckily, the people passed around messages very quickly. The news actually spreaded to the whole country in a few hours. At the end, the girl was save because of the help of the people from the internet. Just imagine, can this happen without Internet which can spread the news to the whole world at anytime, anyplace and anywhere?
Furthermore, we actually received a lot of forward emails which ask us to forward the mail to our friends for charity. The every mails we forward can let the company to donate 15cent to the receivers. Most of us actually did this because it costs us nothing.
those tools such as msn, skype .icq and so on actually help us to talk to our targeted person for free. The only thing we have to pay is the money for the broadband which is very very cheap.
so, Without the internet and those communication tools, will our life be so easy?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Slang
Here's an interesting article that i have found in the Internet ehow.com, written by Any Stone, on 'how to understand the Cockney slang'.
Cockney rhyming slang originally sprung up during the 1800s in that area of East London which was within hearing distance of the "Bow Bells" of St Mary-Le-Bow church in Cheapside. Although no one knows for certain why rhyming slang developed, a popular theory is that the locals used it to communicate without giving themselves away to the police. One of the famous movie on slang is: My Fair Lady (1964), which tells a story on how a linguistics professor Henry Higgins (Rec Harrison) teaches a cockney girl Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) on proper elocution.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Step1
Learn the basic rules that apply to the formation of Cockney rhyming slang. One word is replaced by another word or short phrase that rhymes with it. For example, in Cockney rhyming slang the word "believe" becomes "Adam and Eve" as in "Would you Adam and Eve it?" Step2
Remember that often only the non-rhyming word is said in the phrase. For example, the rhyming slang phrase for "head" is "loaf of bread." However, you usually would say only the "loaf," as in "Use your loaf!" which means "Use your head." Another common example of this can be heard in the phrase "Let’s have a butcher’s," meaning "Let’s have a look." This comes from the rhyming phrase "butcher’s hook." Step3
Rent episodes on DVD of "Only Fools and Horses," "Porridge," "Steptoe and Son" and "Till Death Do Us Part." These popular British sitcoms were set in the East End and South East of London. They represent some of the best examples of Cockney rhyming slang in popular culture. Step4
Search online for a Cockney rhyming slang dictionary. There are literally hundreds to be found listing the rhyming slang phrases that are used in daily life. The dictionaries produced by BBC America and those written by real Eastenders are the most highly recommended. Tips and Warnings
- Note that not all Cockney rhyming slang is as innocent as it sounds. The commonly used term "berk" – which implies someone who’s a fool – originates from the rhyming slang phrase "Berkshire hunt," which rhymes with a more offensive word.
- Don’t overuse rhyming slang phrases in an attempt to appear more British or to fit in with the London culture. Most Cockney terms are rarely used in normal conversation, even by those still living in East London.
For example(s):
1. Perah santan (pretty similar to cockney right?)
Origin: Perasan (thinks highly on oneself)
E.g: "Eh, you don't so perah santan lah!"
2. Go-'stant'
Origin: Not sure, old folks (Chinese) usually means reverse (for cars)
E.g: "Eh, go-stant la you, why head straight?? Siao ah? You want to bumped into the front there??"
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
3. Siot
Origin : Unknown, but meaning: crazy (used widely among Malays)
E.g: "Kau ni siot ke apa? Mana ada orang guna cara ini lagi?" (Are you crazy/nuts? Where got people use this method already?"
For more, talk to Malaysian=)
Sources; http://www.manythings.org/slang/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2071022_understand-cockney-rhyming-slang.html
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
Uh Huh....
According to Understanding Human Communication 9th Edition textbook (page 143, chapter 4-listening), Prompting is considered one of the important elements in emphatic listening, which to me, is very interesting fact to know that. I do not know that by just 'uh huh, oh i see, etc' could actually helps a person out; to solve his/her problem. Though other elements of emphatic listening are just as important, but most of them uses long explanations and sentences to tell the other person that 'I am listening to you'. Right? That's just my opinion, though. Prompting of course, is used 'when you can't help others to make a decision'. In some cases, there are certain things you must know when you are trying to help a person out; make sure you give your opinion and advices by weighing both strengths and weaknesses of the choices or dilemmas your friend is having. Do you realize that when some of your friends ask an opinion of choosing something (for example a course), you will tend to give one sided-opinion. Notice this type of conversation:
A: Hey B, i don't know which to choose. This course or that course?
B: Hmm...oh well, what do you think?
A: This course's interests me but i'm afraid of the bad side. I like that course which gives an advantage in my future career, but i don't really into that course's contents. So, how? What do you think?
B: Well, why don't you just try B? I think B is good because..bla...bla...bla.......Oh well, i don't really know. You choose what do you think you like.
A:.....I don't know..
Sometimes, you can see whether is it suitable for you to give an opinion or better to let them decide by themselves.
A: Hey B, i don't know which to choose. This course or that course? Each of them has their own goods and bads.
B: Uh huh.
A: This course's interests me but i'm afraid of the bad side. I like that course which gives an advantage in my future career, but i don't really into that course's contents. So, how? What do you think?
B: Hmm, i see. Well, what do you think?
A: This course, you see, really nice, it provides bla..bla..bla......but, oh...i don't know. Many people said A isn't good. So how?
B: I'm not sure too. But make sure you think carefully which to choose.
A: Hmm...
A: I think i will choose this course.
B: Really?
A: (silence) Yeah, i will choose this course. I don't want to later regret about it; who cares what other people think, right?
However; becareful of selecting your prompting usage (mechanical prompting):
A: Hey B, i don't know which to choose. This course or that course? Each of them has their own goods and bads.
B: Uh huh.
A: This course's interests me but i'm afraid of the bad side. I like that course which gives an advantage in my future career, but i don't really into that course's contents. So, how? What do you think?
B: Uh huh.
A: This course, you see, really nice, it provides bla..bla..bla......but, oh...i don't know. Many people said A isn't good. So how?
B: Hmm..
A: So, what do u think? This or what?
B: Hmm......
A: (angry) You know what? I better ask a wall's opinion than asking you! (Walks away)
B:(huh?) What have i done?
By letting people deciding on their own, (nope, it doesn't really make you an irresponsible person though) you will make people have their confidence in deciding their own choice and take responsibility in what they have chosen. People who generally made their own decision do not regret of what they have chosen, because they know it's their own choice. (They can't really blame other people, right?=D) In short, you made them think for themselves.And most people who made their own decisions are less stressful and more happier.
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
A: Hey B, i don't know which to choose. This course or that course?
B: Hmm...oh well, what do you think?
A: This course's interests me but i'm afraid of the bad side. I like that course which gives an advantage in my future career, but i don't really into that course's contents. So, how? What do you think?
B: Well, why don't you just try B? I think B is good because..bla...bla...bla.......Oh well, i don't really know. You choose what do you think you like.
A:.....I don't know..
Sometimes, you can see whether is it suitable for you to give an opinion or better to let them decide by themselves.
A: Hey B, i don't know which to choose. This course or that course? Each of them has their own goods and bads.
B: Uh huh.
A: This course's interests me but i'm afraid of the bad side. I like that course which gives an advantage in my future career, but i don't really into that course's contents. So, how? What do you think?
B: Hmm, i see. Well, what do you think?
A: This course, you see, really nice, it provides bla..bla..bla......but, oh...i don't know. Many people said A isn't good. So how?
B: I'm not sure too. But make sure you think carefully which to choose.
A: Hmm...
A: I think i will choose this course.
B: Really?
A: (silence) Yeah, i will choose this course. I don't want to later regret about it; who cares what other people think, right?
However; becareful of selecting your prompting usage (mechanical prompting):
A: Hey B, i don't know which to choose. This course or that course? Each of them has their own goods and bads.
B: Uh huh.
A: This course's interests me but i'm afraid of the bad side. I like that course which gives an advantage in my future career, but i don't really into that course's contents. So, how? What do you think?
B: Uh huh.
A: This course, you see, really nice, it provides bla..bla..bla......but, oh...i don't know. Many people said A isn't good. So how?
B: Hmm..
A: So, what do u think? This or what?
B: Hmm......
A: (angry) You know what? I better ask a wall's opinion than asking you! (Walks away)
B:(huh?) What have i done?
By letting people deciding on their own, (nope, it doesn't really make you an irresponsible person though) you will make people have their confidence in deciding their own choice and take responsibility in what they have chosen. People who generally made their own decision do not regret of what they have chosen, because they know it's their own choice. (They can't really blame other people, right?=D) In short, you made them think for themselves.And most people who made their own decisions are less stressful and more happier.
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
What is in a name?
In communication, name resembles an identity, to differentiate one another, to give oneself a sort of recognition in this world. Names have their own strengths, weaknesses and meanings lie behind it. You can see the meanings of the names everywhere; especially in bookstores or gift shops which sell key chain engraved with names and the meaning of the names. There are some questions that popped up in my mind though; how on earth do they know the meaning of the names? A couple of books on the market actually list out the baby names and their origins. Take for example, one of the common popular name listed: John. Originated from Hebrew, it carries the meaning "God is Gracious"and was the name of the longest-lived of the 12 apostle, who was especially loved by Christ. However, if you just look at the key chains, you can even find the typical attitude that most 'Johns' have. For instance, they are smart, outgoing and nice people, only with more specific details. People who wrote this attitude of 'John' may had made his conclusion by analyzing the attitudes of actors John Gielgud, John Barrymore, John Wayne, John Cusack, John Leguizamo, Johnny Depp; US Presidents John F. Kennedy, John Tyler, John Adams, John Quincy Adams; poet John Donne; Beatle John Lennon; composer Johannes Bach; football player John Elway; lawyer Johnnie Cochrane and interviewed other 'Johns' and its 85 variant forms. And suprising enough, most people with the name 'John' possess the same kind of characteristics.
In addition, because most people have this kind of perception, they tend to assume people with same name have same kind of attitude (similar face also plays a role), right? For example, if a girl is dumped by her boyfriend with the name X; next time when she meets anyone with the name 'X', she will be sceptical about the person!
Furthermore, you will find that some people have trouble to remember one's names. Unless you are familiar with their origins, (like chinese names) you will tend to forget their names. Some are not. But most of people (including me) are. To make life easier, when one find out people have trouble pronouncing their name, they tend to shorten it; "Hi, my name is xyzcbvgdserie......just call me X." Right?
Anyway, there is one complicated name: Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam or Aliaune Thiam in short. Guess who is he?
Answer
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
In addition, because most people have this kind of perception, they tend to assume people with same name have same kind of attitude (similar face also plays a role), right? For example, if a girl is dumped by her boyfriend with the name X; next time when she meets anyone with the name 'X', she will be sceptical about the person!
Furthermore, you will find that some people have trouble to remember one's names. Unless you are familiar with their origins, (like chinese names) you will tend to forget their names. Some are not. But most of people (including me) are. To make life easier, when one find out people have trouble pronouncing their name, they tend to shorten it; "Hi, my name is xyzcbvgdserie......just call me X." Right?
Anyway, there is one complicated name: Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam or Aliaune Thiam in short. Guess who is he?
Answer
Liew Hui Qing, Jaime
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Do it smart!
Since its nearing midterm exams, I guess I'll share an interesting story that I'm sure most people have gone through before in high school. It's about cheating during exams. Nowadays, most high school students cheat during exams. I'm not saying all but most. Ofcourse I was one of them. During my highschool days I was one of those students who would communicate with friends during exams. It's not just about copying another person, it's more of the thrill of communicating without getting caught.
To clarify something, I don't like copying so you don't have to keep an eye on me during exams Mr. Murali! =P Mostly I'm the one who supply answers. Anyway, it's hard to copy for essays and short answer questions,however, it's not impossible but it's easy to copy for MCQ. And ofcourse I've never been caught copying or supplying answers. Here's how we'd do it :
Before the exam, we would come up with different signs and ways of determining different alphabets for MCQ. Important note * We never use the same signs for the next papers* It's to avoid suspicion. If the teacher notices us doing the same thing for every exam then they'd know our devious schemes. Some examples are:
1. We'd either scratch our head for 'A', stretch backwards for 'B', drop a pencil for 'C' or yawn for 'D'.
2. Tap on different corners of the table for different letters.
3. Using other creative signs for diffrent letters.
4. We've even tried SMS-ing each other. Cool right. Sms-ing is usually for short answer questions.
5. Some people actually hid tiny notes or wrote on the table. Usually they'd hide books in the toilets.
But as time goes by the teachers got smarter and always checked our tables and toilets for notes. Haha. By the way, I'm not encouraging copying. I'm just saying that we communicate for different reasons and well, inevitably cheating is one of them. Well, before you conclude that I'm a useless student, I don't like copying just to be on top of the class. There's no point in getting good grades if you didn't put any effort in studying. I like making stupid signs to my friends because I get bored easily and I just can't sit still without doing anything for hours. Plus, its fun and exciting and certainly a normal human reaction to do something when someone says you can't. In this case, it's fun to talk and turn our heads during exams when we are told to sit still. Anyway, good luck for exams!
-Peace-
To clarify something, I don't like copying so you don't have to keep an eye on me during exams Mr. Murali! =P Mostly I'm the one who supply answers. Anyway, it's hard to copy for essays and short answer questions,however, it's not impossible but it's easy to copy for MCQ. And ofcourse I've never been caught copying or supplying answers. Here's how we'd do it :
Before the exam, we would come up with different signs and ways of determining different alphabets for MCQ. Important note * We never use the same signs for the next papers* It's to avoid suspicion. If the teacher notices us doing the same thing for every exam then they'd know our devious schemes. Some examples are:
1. We'd either scratch our head for 'A', stretch backwards for 'B', drop a pencil for 'C' or yawn for 'D'.
2. Tap on different corners of the table for different letters.
3. Using other creative signs for diffrent letters.
4. We've even tried SMS-ing each other. Cool right. Sms-ing is usually for short answer questions.
5. Some people actually hid tiny notes or wrote on the table. Usually they'd hide books in the toilets.
But as time goes by the teachers got smarter and always checked our tables and toilets for notes. Haha. By the way, I'm not encouraging copying. I'm just saying that we communicate for different reasons and well, inevitably cheating is one of them. Well, before you conclude that I'm a useless student, I don't like copying just to be on top of the class. There's no point in getting good grades if you didn't put any effort in studying. I like making stupid signs to my friends because I get bored easily and I just can't sit still without doing anything for hours. Plus, its fun and exciting and certainly a normal human reaction to do something when someone says you can't. In this case, it's fun to talk and turn our heads during exams when we are told to sit still. Anyway, good luck for exams!
-Peace-
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