I didn't mention about the MOST IMPORTANT thing about the Toastmasters' party last Saturday.
That was; my friends came to the party even though they aren't Toastmasters!!
Here are special thanks to...
Mayumi, thank you for coming to the party! She is my former co-worker at the Labor Standard Bureau. She has still worked for it as a government employee, but now, she has been taking a maternity leave. Her adorable girl is only 6-month old, but she has been trained as a coaching teacher. Since she is very friendly & a great conversationalist, she seemed to mingle a lot of people there. We have a career counselor, Reiko, at the club, so it was a great pleasure for me to introduce them each other. I took Mayumi's "coaching" session once. She listened to me very patiently, and guided how I could aim to my goal. Thank you, Mayumi! If you're interested in her coaching, please let me know! Because she has been under the training, so far, her session is free. Don't miss the great chance!
Erica, thank you very much for coming to the party even though we have met in person just ONCE. She came to the Toastmaster's meeting once, and we kind of "fell in love" each other.
You are so my type of a girl ( I'm not lesbian!!) and I'm very happy to feel connecting you whenever we talk. (It sounds weird? It's just a friendly talk!!)
I'm sorry you should leave during the party because our time schedule was behind very much.
But I'm very looking forward to having lunch & talking A LOT with you soon.
Also, thank you for bringing your friend, Shu Sai!
Shu sai, it was VERY nice to meet you at the party! Thank you very much for coming to the party. You're an amazing trilingual Taiwanese girl. I was very proud of you & Erica, because you two were so outstanding at the party. I'm looking forward to seeing you again!!
Chiho, (my cousin,) thank you very much for saying, "OK, I'm coming!" even I asked you just a few days ago from the party! Even though you have a conservative job (a pharmacist,) you have had such an adventurous life, and I love it! You have lived in England & France, taking working holidays. Because of your various life experience? you looked so comfortable with coming the party alone & communicating international people in English. I'm proud of you!
Mayumi, (my emcee friend, ) and Kaori ( my friend from primary school,) thank you very much for trying to get to the party until the night before! If I had introduced you two (my most wonderful friends) to my friends & Toastmasters' members at the party, that would have been great! But thank you very much for your nice try even though you're busy with your job & raising your kids!!
Also, Nozomi, thank you very much for saying, "I really really want to go to the party and see your English emceeing, but the night is my engagement ceremony night! I tried to come up with a good idea to get to your party, but it seems impossible... I'm very sorry!"
I AM SORRY for inviting you to the party! I didn't know that was your engagement ceremony night, so, I'm sorry to bother you! But I always appreciate your sincere attitude.
Last, but not the least at all, because she is the one whom I want to say "thank you" the MOST.
KUNIE!!!
Thank you so, so, so much for coming & taking beautiful pictures!!!
She was originally one of my clients. I mean, when I was a wedding emcee, she was a bride.
We have been friends since then, and she consulted with me how to be involved in a bridal industry. I was very glad when she asked me to, and she became a professional bridal photographer after awhile. Recently, she was back to that bridal job from her maternity leave.
I didn't imagine she could come on a WEEKEND because she was so busy with raising her boy & her job!!
But she was so kind that she said, " I would like to take pictures of a "non-wedding" party. That would be my great experience as a photographer! And I want to listen to your emceeing!!"
Since our club is NPO, I said we couldn't pay for her, but she came & took so many pictures as a volunteer!! Even though she was a guest, she was so professional & took many pictures all the time. Especially, when we took group pictures, I felt really thankful for having her. It had been so difficult to take pictures of 70 guests if we wouldn't have had a professional photographer like her!! Thank you SO much Kunie, and I'm very looking forward to meeting you next week!!
Before the party, actually, I was reluctant to invite my friends to the party. Basically, I'm lazy & reclusive... So, I thought it would be tiring for both of us. But eventually, several of my friends came to the party & I was really glad about that!
Because I received their kindness, now I'm trying to find what I can do for them.
That is a wonderful "give & take," and I think I need to do it more!
Just until ecently, I had rarely sent a text message to my friends if I don't have a business to them.
But, just saying "Hello! How have you been?" is OK!! I tried to improve my skills, so I tried to make time for that... But networking is as much as important than improving my own skills.
Today, I called one of my old friends to ask her advice about my job-hunting as a bilingual emcee. Keep asking for a help! Keep asking for some advice!! Then, it would be easier for them to contact me the next time.
...Am I annoying???
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Milestone
June 5 was the day of my Toastmasters' club's anniversary party.
The venue was Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi, and participants were almost 70. And the emcee was...me.
I had buried myself in the preparation since I published the last article.
Just before the night, the speakers' number and kinds of events had been increased.
I had asked Sally, my former America tutor, to have a Skype session, and she checked all of my script the week before. And I memorized all of it, but I needed to rewrite it & practice the new one again.
I had an emcee partner. Let's say, her name is Alice(she is Japanese, it's a fake name!)
She was too easy-going, so I was a bit worried if she was capable. But I thought it was OK because a Toastmasters' club is basically, a hobby circle. Alice is not a professional emcee!
But I decided to work in a professional manner. I was confident to cover up Alice in case, and I was so ready for the party.
I knew I would be filled with fulfillment after the party even though I was very busy... but after the actual party, I was filled with...not FULFILLMENT, but FRUSTRATION, and I was even FURIOUS.
Why? Because the committee team didn't work as a team!
A party should have a floor manager, a planner, floor staff members, and an emcee.
A floor manager is supposed to manage the time allotment during the party, and direct an emcee when she should proceed events.
A planner, (I know every committee member was a planner for the party, but, I mean, "during the party") was supposed to confirm every details for the following events.
Floor staff members should manage every details for the venue and guests' convenience and of course, serve dishes and drinks.
However, there were no floor manager ( a kind of director) and a planner at the party.
I thought the director would be our president , so I asked her if I could start the next event all the time, but I think she was busy with entertaining guests as a president. The venue was large, so it took time to find her every time. I was desperate because we were behind the time schedule very much. We had too many events & so many speakers. But I couldn't scream her name nor cut into her conversation between guests during the nice party.
Because there was no planner, I needed to take care of every small details. Even I had to follow up receptionists and ushers, cause they didn't know what to do!
Even from the start, that was chaos to me. Floor stuff members at the venue weren't accustomed to parties like those at a hotel or restaurant (the venue was basically, so exclusive to a prestigious mansion residents in Roppongi,) so even they didn't know where they should set a microphone up, and they were reluctant to move tables. Because they were not reliable, one club founder talked to ME "Turn the music's volume down!" or "Clear the projector up!" while I was speaking on a mike.
As an emcee, except for actual speaking, I had jobs;
- Confirm speakers' names and details
- Tell speakers when they would appear, where they would perform
I wanted to do my job precisely, but sometimes I didn't have time to do because of...these jobs I mentioned above. (Don't worry, this blog IS EXCLUSIVE to my very close friends...so, no committee members can read my complaints.)
I needed to introduce all former presidents, so I intended to talk to all presidents & confirm their names and presidency terms, but I couldn't. I felt sorry when one former president interrupted me, "that's not true!" when I announced her presidency term.
Oh, I forgot to tell you about my partner, Alice. How was she? I told you she was not a professional emcee, but I didn't imagine she was so unprofessional.
I wrote all of her script and told her about our program, but she seemed not to read the script well. She started to jump to the other event once, so I took a microphone back from her and mentioned what would happen the next. She asked me all the time, "what I should say next?" or "How should I pronounce the word?"
...I was very, very exhausted.
Would you understand why I was furious after the party?
I can hear you, saying, "Yes, you told me ENOUGH!!"
Yes, I might become vindictive sometimes...
Actually, I spoke out what I felt JUST A LITTLE to committee members, after the party.
Our president said, "Hooray, Keiko! Our party was SO SUCCESSFUL!!"
I interrupted her, "Successful!? No! It has so many problems!! I nearly thought I wanted to quit the club!! All members became GUESTS at the party even though we had so many guests from outside. Be a staff!!"
...I am the newest & youngest committee member, so I couldn't ask something to other members during the party...but my efforts & desperation had accumulated like volcanic ashes, and after the party, "Keiko volcano" just explored.
For honor of the Toastmasters' members, (is it too late?? but, seriously!!) all of them are so nice people. So, they turned pale and apologized to me. I knew I can't blame them. They didn't mean to bully me. They just didn't know what to do at such a big party!
But my frustration hadn't disappeared for awhile. Why am I so angry? I kept asking to myself. There was a problem inside me. I used to work as a professional wedding emcee, so I was surrounded by professional staff members. But at the party, there were no professional party staff, so I felt the big gap.
Why am I working hard as a volunteer? Toastmasters' club is very good extracurricular activity to improve in public speaking, but it IS an EXTRA curricular activity. Why isn't it my job? It WAS my job!! My ultimate dream is "being an English teacher on weekdays, and a bilingual emcee on weekends." For some reasons, I quit my former emcee agency and I started to get a medical treatment...
But isn't it an excuse not to follow my dream? I am not under medical treatment 24/7.
Some people are following their dreams even under severier situations. I may be able to do the same!
Since two days ago, I started to search how I could be a bilingual emcee.
I have been contacting some people in the field. ( I want to explain about that more, but I need to go to school to teach now!)
I had a very negative feeling after the party, but I've been trying to replace it to a very positive future. The party last Saturday will be a milestone of my life? or just a disappointing experience? That depends on me, and I want to "attract" my dream.
Most importantly, according to participants' reputations & the party's success, I realized I'm capable (I don't know yet, but please let me say so! I can't make my dream come true unless I believe in myself!) of professional emceeing.
...AND, also importantly, because of the Toastmasters' committee members' kindness, we've still been a great team even after my tongue became VERY sharp.
My tongue might kill someone, someday? ...Don't worry, "someone" is definitely not you!!
The venue was Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi, and participants were almost 70. And the emcee was...me.
I had buried myself in the preparation since I published the last article.
Just before the night, the speakers' number and kinds of events had been increased.
I had asked Sally, my former America tutor, to have a Skype session, and she checked all of my script the week before. And I memorized all of it, but I needed to rewrite it & practice the new one again.
I had an emcee partner. Let's say, her name is Alice(she is Japanese, it's a fake name!)
She was too easy-going, so I was a bit worried if she was capable. But I thought it was OK because a Toastmasters' club is basically, a hobby circle. Alice is not a professional emcee!
But I decided to work in a professional manner. I was confident to cover up Alice in case, and I was so ready for the party.
I knew I would be filled with fulfillment after the party even though I was very busy... but after the actual party, I was filled with...not FULFILLMENT, but FRUSTRATION, and I was even FURIOUS.
Why? Because the committee team didn't work as a team!
A party should have a floor manager, a planner, floor staff members, and an emcee.
A floor manager is supposed to manage the time allotment during the party, and direct an emcee when she should proceed events.
A planner, (I know every committee member was a planner for the party, but, I mean, "during the party") was supposed to confirm every details for the following events.
Floor staff members should manage every details for the venue and guests' convenience and of course, serve dishes and drinks.
However, there were no floor manager ( a kind of director) and a planner at the party.
I thought the director would be our president , so I asked her if I could start the next event all the time, but I think she was busy with entertaining guests as a president. The venue was large, so it took time to find her every time. I was desperate because we were behind the time schedule very much. We had too many events & so many speakers. But I couldn't scream her name nor cut into her conversation between guests during the nice party.
Because there was no planner, I needed to take care of every small details. Even I had to follow up receptionists and ushers, cause they didn't know what to do!
Even from the start, that was chaos to me. Floor stuff members at the venue weren't accustomed to parties like those at a hotel or restaurant (the venue was basically, so exclusive to a prestigious mansion residents in Roppongi,) so even they didn't know where they should set a microphone up, and they were reluctant to move tables. Because they were not reliable, one club founder talked to ME "Turn the music's volume down!" or "Clear the projector up!" while I was speaking on a mike.
As an emcee, except for actual speaking, I had jobs;
- Confirm speakers' names and details
- Tell speakers when they would appear, where they would perform
I wanted to do my job precisely, but sometimes I didn't have time to do because of...these jobs I mentioned above. (Don't worry, this blog IS EXCLUSIVE to my very close friends...so, no committee members can read my complaints.)
I needed to introduce all former presidents, so I intended to talk to all presidents & confirm their names and presidency terms, but I couldn't. I felt sorry when one former president interrupted me, "that's not true!" when I announced her presidency term.
Oh, I forgot to tell you about my partner, Alice. How was she? I told you she was not a professional emcee, but I didn't imagine she was so unprofessional.
I wrote all of her script and told her about our program, but she seemed not to read the script well. She started to jump to the other event once, so I took a microphone back from her and mentioned what would happen the next. She asked me all the time, "what I should say next?" or "How should I pronounce the word?"
...I was very, very exhausted.
Would you understand why I was furious after the party?
I can hear you, saying, "Yes, you told me ENOUGH!!"
Yes, I might become vindictive sometimes...
Actually, I spoke out what I felt JUST A LITTLE to committee members, after the party.
Our president said, "Hooray, Keiko! Our party was SO SUCCESSFUL!!"
I interrupted her, "Successful!? No! It has so many problems!! I nearly thought I wanted to quit the club!! All members became GUESTS at the party even though we had so many guests from outside. Be a staff!!"
...I am the newest & youngest committee member, so I couldn't ask something to other members during the party...but my efforts & desperation had accumulated like volcanic ashes, and after the party, "Keiko volcano" just explored.
For honor of the Toastmasters' members, (is it too late?? but, seriously!!) all of them are so nice people. So, they turned pale and apologized to me. I knew I can't blame them. They didn't mean to bully me. They just didn't know what to do at such a big party!
But my frustration hadn't disappeared for awhile. Why am I so angry? I kept asking to myself. There was a problem inside me. I used to work as a professional wedding emcee, so I was surrounded by professional staff members. But at the party, there were no professional party staff, so I felt the big gap.
Why am I working hard as a volunteer? Toastmasters' club is very good extracurricular activity to improve in public speaking, but it IS an EXTRA curricular activity. Why isn't it my job? It WAS my job!! My ultimate dream is "being an English teacher on weekdays, and a bilingual emcee on weekends." For some reasons, I quit my former emcee agency and I started to get a medical treatment...
But isn't it an excuse not to follow my dream? I am not under medical treatment 24/7.
Some people are following their dreams even under severier situations. I may be able to do the same!
Since two days ago, I started to search how I could be a bilingual emcee.
I have been contacting some people in the field. ( I want to explain about that more, but I need to go to school to teach now!)
I had a very negative feeling after the party, but I've been trying to replace it to a very positive future. The party last Saturday will be a milestone of my life? or just a disappointing experience? That depends on me, and I want to "attract" my dream.
Most importantly, according to participants' reputations & the party's success, I realized I'm capable (I don't know yet, but please let me say so! I can't make my dream come true unless I believe in myself!) of professional emceeing.
...AND, also importantly, because of the Toastmasters' committee members' kindness, we've still been a great team even after my tongue became VERY sharp.
My tongue might kill someone, someday? ...Don't worry, "someone" is definitely not you!!
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Family Gathering
Hi, June has come already!
I said keeping this blog became my custom, but why didn't I do that for a few weeks?
(I always start with an excuse when I have an interval between articles!!)
I've been very busy with preparing the big party of the Toastmasters (still I'm doing that for this upcoming Saturday night,) I had more classes than usual as a substitute, and, the biggest event was...my parents were visiting us!!
They stayed at our place for three days. It was their first time to visit our new condo, and my hubby and I showed them around Tokyo. Surprisingly, my brother showed up from Shizuoka and joined us for one day.
I had a great time, and I found some interesting things about my family.
My dad;
He is retired. He had worked for 40 years as a public librarian. He is very organized, very serious guy... But I found his uniqueness during his visit.
...He is always drinking when he has a meal! Of course, he doesn't drink during breakfast.
However, when we had lunch & dinner, he always tries to find "Sake" corner on the menus in a restaurant. At home, I had bought a bottle of sake, and I believed it was enough for him (out of my family, just he drinks sake, neither of my mom, brother, nor me and my hubby!) for two nights.
...However, at the first night, he almost drank up the 720-milliliter bottle. I had another bottle coincidentally, so it was OK...but I was wondering why he drinks so much during traveling (he is usually moderate in drinking!) and how capable he is. None of us has inherited his "big-drinker" constitution. Even he drinks much (to me,) he doesn't change! He blushes a little, and starts to drift off at night...But he is still quiet as usual. What a mysterious guy!
My mom;
To me and most people, she is a "person who is aloof from the world."
Because her voice is very small & talks very slowly when she speaks on public, rumor has it when I was a kid. My friends said, "Keiko has a maid at her house!"
When they called my house, they believed my mom was a servant because of her very very small voice & polite way of saying.
However, (I don't know why!) when she speaks to family members, she talks with a big voice as if nobody is around us. Also, even though she is a quiet & refined lady, sometimes she talked about people around us as if they don't listen to us, but they are close enough to be able to listen to what she says!
For example, when I go out with her, sometimes I am surprised by she says, "Keiko, look at the girl! (to a young girl with clingy fashion)Is she a slut or something? Why does she reveal her cleavage so much?" or, "How poor the young guy is!! (to a young boy with the baggy clothing) Is he homeless? Why is he wearing a very worn-out clothes?"
...Because she looks a quiet & elegant lady, those young people seem like, "Did she said just slut? homeless? Maybe I misheard! She must not say such a slung!"
...So far, she hasn't been in a trouble about her slips of the tongue.
During her visit, when we were waiting in a line at a restroom of Jindaiji, a temple near my condo, she just said, "Wow! This is a popular place for OLD people!!"
...I'm sure ladies around us heard that, but they just ignored what she said.
My brother;
Basically, he is a very boyish boy. He loves cars, motorbikes, and races. I've been a girlish girl, so we don't share interests, but I knew he is very nice guy. But he might be...too nice?
When he appeared at our home, it was almost noon on Saturday. He had been driving more than three hours from Shizuoka, alone. He said he woke up at 6:00 to walk his dog, do the laundry, and cook breakfast for himself...and his wife. While he is touring my condo, his interests were mostly "kitchen." Looking our new kitchen facilities, like an automatic fish grill, a disposer, he was making comments like a housewife. "...Wasn't he a boyish boy??" I wondered, but I got to know.
His wife became a college student again from last spring, and has studied agriculture very hard.
So, he does many household chores for her even though he is a full-time worker.
I know it's good for her, but I also know it didn't happen recently...even when she didn't study or work, my brother has done many household jobs & even held her belongings whey they go out!!
Don't misunderstand! I don't offend her, but I just felt it's interesting!
What made him such a feminist? Or, is he a so-called "herbivorous guy??"
Family is too close to be discovered their uniqueness.
But since we live apart, I found their customs are not every one's! Maybe mines, too...
I said keeping this blog became my custom, but why didn't I do that for a few weeks?
(I always start with an excuse when I have an interval between articles!!)
I've been very busy with preparing the big party of the Toastmasters (still I'm doing that for this upcoming Saturday night,) I had more classes than usual as a substitute, and, the biggest event was...my parents were visiting us!!
They stayed at our place for three days. It was their first time to visit our new condo, and my hubby and I showed them around Tokyo. Surprisingly, my brother showed up from Shizuoka and joined us for one day.
I had a great time, and I found some interesting things about my family.
My dad;
He is retired. He had worked for 40 years as a public librarian. He is very organized, very serious guy... But I found his uniqueness during his visit.
...He is always drinking when he has a meal! Of course, he doesn't drink during breakfast.
However, when we had lunch & dinner, he always tries to find "Sake" corner on the menus in a restaurant. At home, I had bought a bottle of sake, and I believed it was enough for him (out of my family, just he drinks sake, neither of my mom, brother, nor me and my hubby!) for two nights.
...However, at the first night, he almost drank up the 720-milliliter bottle. I had another bottle coincidentally, so it was OK...but I was wondering why he drinks so much during traveling (he is usually moderate in drinking!) and how capable he is. None of us has inherited his "big-drinker" constitution. Even he drinks much (to me,) he doesn't change! He blushes a little, and starts to drift off at night...But he is still quiet as usual. What a mysterious guy!
My mom;
To me and most people, she is a "person who is aloof from the world."
Because her voice is very small & talks very slowly when she speaks on public, rumor has it when I was a kid. My friends said, "Keiko has a maid at her house!"
When they called my house, they believed my mom was a servant because of her very very small voice & polite way of saying.
However, (I don't know why!) when she speaks to family members, she talks with a big voice as if nobody is around us. Also, even though she is a quiet & refined lady, sometimes she talked about people around us as if they don't listen to us, but they are close enough to be able to listen to what she says!
For example, when I go out with her, sometimes I am surprised by she says, "Keiko, look at the girl! (to a young girl with clingy fashion)Is she a slut or something? Why does she reveal her cleavage so much?" or, "How poor the young guy is!! (to a young boy with the baggy clothing) Is he homeless? Why is he wearing a very worn-out clothes?"
...Because she looks a quiet & elegant lady, those young people seem like, "Did she said just slut? homeless? Maybe I misheard! She must not say such a slung!"
...So far, she hasn't been in a trouble about her slips of the tongue.
During her visit, when we were waiting in a line at a restroom of Jindaiji, a temple near my condo, she just said, "Wow! This is a popular place for OLD people!!"
...I'm sure ladies around us heard that, but they just ignored what she said.
My brother;
Basically, he is a very boyish boy. He loves cars, motorbikes, and races. I've been a girlish girl, so we don't share interests, but I knew he is very nice guy. But he might be...too nice?
When he appeared at our home, it was almost noon on Saturday. He had been driving more than three hours from Shizuoka, alone. He said he woke up at 6:00 to walk his dog, do the laundry, and cook breakfast for himself...and his wife. While he is touring my condo, his interests were mostly "kitchen." Looking our new kitchen facilities, like an automatic fish grill, a disposer, he was making comments like a housewife. "...Wasn't he a boyish boy??" I wondered, but I got to know.
His wife became a college student again from last spring, and has studied agriculture very hard.
So, he does many household chores for her even though he is a full-time worker.
I know it's good for her, but I also know it didn't happen recently...even when she didn't study or work, my brother has done many household jobs & even held her belongings whey they go out!!
Don't misunderstand! I don't offend her, but I just felt it's interesting!
What made him such a feminist? Or, is he a so-called "herbivorous guy??"
Family is too close to be discovered their uniqueness.
But since we live apart, I found their customs are not every one's! Maybe mines, too...
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