This evening, I braved the unbroken traffic to attend the Advanced Communicators Meeting, or ACM # 45, for short. This was my first time here. I have been told that this meeting is open only to Toastmasters who have completed at least 10 speeches. What is different is that each speaker will face a panel of three Toastmasters to evaluate him or her, in addition to the Open Evaluation session. Moreover, members of the audience could seek further clarification from this panel and the speaker could also present his or her rebuttal. Overall, I found this an interesting meeting. As I have said, I had mixed feelings – on the one hand, I had enjoyed the meeting, but on the other hand, I had to get used to a barrage of questions coming from the floor on my "evaluation", and this can be a needling experience.
1Q 2010 Progress Report: 2010 Resolution List
1Q 2010 Progress Report: 2010 Resolution List
1. Start writing my Marketing textbook (Still to get started)
2. Start my second Masters (Still to get started)
3. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for approval (Still to get started although the University has been identified)
4. Write two short stories and get them published (To begin in May)
5. Complete 10 ACG-qualifying speeches and achieve Toastmasters’ ACG and ALB recognitions (To begin in April)
6. Teach 1000 hours for period October 2009-September 2010 (As at March 31, I have completed 355 hrs of teaching, i.e. 35.5%)
7. Direct 45,000 visits to my blog (As at March 31, As I See It recorded 24,880 hits, i.e. 55.3%)
The British government announced Monday that party drug mephedrone will be banned in the U.K. within a month, after a spate of deaths were linked to “miaow-miaow” (as it is popularly known here). Home Secretary Alan Johnson said mephedrone – currently freely available to buy on the Internet and in shops selling legal highs – would join amphetamines and cannabis as an outlawed class B drug, the second most dangerous kind.
2. Start my second Masters (Still to get started)
3. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for approval (Still to get started although the University has been identified)
4. Write two short stories and get them published (To begin in May)
5. Complete 10 ACG-qualifying speeches and achieve Toastmasters’ ACG and ALB recognitions (To begin in April)
6. Teach 1000 hours for period October 2009-September 2010 (As at March 31, I have completed 355 hrs of teaching, i.e. 35.5%)
7. Direct 45,000 visits to my blog (As at March 31, As I See It recorded 24,880 hits, i.e. 55.3%)

This is not to be confused with the local version of Miaow-miaow, which is legally sold in Malaysia and does not contain banned substances! What's more, it is safe to eat even if it may be addictive! I am referring to Miaow Miaow Food Products Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian company that produces leisure food for snack lovers under the Miaow Miaow brand name. I sure hope this company doesn't plan to export their products to the UK anytime soon – unless they opt for another brand name that will not make them come under instant suspicion!