Fellowship nights

This particular onw was after the MidCon. We all trooped to a nearby bar (who's name I cannot recall anymore),and whooped it up with free beer. This was most likely my first Fellowship night in Toastmasters as I hardly go out after club meetings. You see, in Diamond, I was surrounded by old foggies who just wanted to go home after the club meeting. This one was my exposure to different clubs, Toastmasters that weren't too old and a lot more fun.

As the first picture points out, I was transition form a formal attire to my Pirate look... Arrrr...

I met Toastmasters colleagues, friends, and yes... even new faces. It gave me reason to realiza, there was a fun side after all to being a Toastmaster. Who knew? Well... now I do.

Don't get me wrong, I was no prude, nor total geek - I used to go our a lot after board meetings with my old organization, the Jaycees. We drank a lot and had fun a lot too. So I knew how to have fon. Good thing I discovered this in Toastmasters too. Had I not, I might not have stayed long. This picture shows me with Mike Chua and Mayette Roy. Both were making waves in Division B, Mike became the Division Director before me. Mayette I knew as early as College days.


Seriously, though, I joined Toastmasters to hone my public speaking skills. But having fun nights helped me gain more friends, build my network, and evantually get known enough to be considered, first for an Area Governor position, then... two years later, a Division Governor position for Division B, which by that time had roughly 42 clubs.
Man, this picture brings some memories - specially of the Toastmaster beside me - Michelle Lim. She was with SGS back then, but she was quite an open personality. Loved to talk. Very Friendly. She passed away fairly recently, and I'm glad she sound her life partner and married before she died. The guy on the far left is Butch Bautista, and we just met there, but he stayed in contact - as any real entrepreur would. His business was printing, and being an events DJ. THe lady between Butch and Michelle remains a mystery. Saw her there, but never got to know her. Form what I gathered, my sister-in-law knows who she is. An old schoolmate or classmate.

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Last picture is also with another dear departed Toastmaster, one of my Area Governors, the next Division Governor after me, and future District Governor, Gina Mapua. She's a straight shooter, and always speaks her mind - but she is a font of Toastmasters wisdom. Doing a lot of reserach, specially in Evaluation, where she became a District Champion. That is her with Butch and me

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