A Behind the Blank Look Speech

Returning to Sunway Mentari on Thursday for a SAL meeting, I did what comes naturally: I took the stage. 

I delivered my CSL2(4) project, "Behind the Blank Look". The speech explored my transformation and focused on using volume changes to emphasise vocal variation.

I revealed the twisted truth that my old, vibrant, and cheerful self has actually died, leaving a silent, non-communicative ghost in their place. 

When people look at my expressionless face, they aren't seeing a lack of emotion or simple boredom. Ultimately, my empty stare is a living headstone for the spirited self I have lost.

And what's even stranger, this "new" me has brought me a sense of sanctuary. A sense of stillness. A sense of peace.

FYI, this was my speech assignment #958. And if you must know, I was voted Best Speaker.

Centred around the theme of "Conflict", the 'That’s One Minute' segment featured participation from all five of the project speakers, followed by a period of self-reflection session and a group photo. 

Below are photos of the Meeting Leader and the speakers:

A SAL The Beautiful Full Stop Speech

Returning to a familiar venue in Sunway Mentari for the Speakers and Leaders Club meeting yesterday, I delivered my CSL2(3) speech titled "The Beautiful Full Stop". 

This was my speech #954 – and if you know me, it's not stopping anytime soon. In fact, I've already booked five speaking slots this month, and I'm hoping to secure one or two more!

The presentation itself explores why embracing death makes life worth living. It serves as an inspiring reminder to live intentionally and purposefully, showing how acknowledging our limited time adds deeper value and meaning to our everyday lives.

And so, my advice is for us to stop running from the end – death is the beautiful full stop that completes the story of our lives.

This was followed by the "That's One Minute" challenge, and the one-word topic was "egg". 

I chose to confess that during my varsity days, my absolute peak of human culinary achievement requires exactly three ingredients and zero talent: steaming white rice, a fried egg, and an aggressive splash of soy sauce. 

Truly, a simple and affordable meal! And still satisfying! 😋

Finally, a session of self-reflection.

And here's the proof that we had a good meeting:

A SAL Error 404: Emotion Not Found Speech

"Error 404: Emotion Not Found". That was the title of my latest CSL2(2) "Lead with Clear Structure" speech, which I delivered this past Thursday during our regular SAL meeting at Sunway Mentari.

The lineup was packed with 12 speeches, highlighting five project presentations alongside seven quick elevator pitches. With my plate already full from delivering the two speeches, I also took on the roles of speech evaluator and language observer.

Before I summarize my speech, a quick disclaimer: this recap is a highly edited, best-case scenario of what I just said, mostly because I didn't write a script and my brain was actively malfunctioning. 

To recap the core message, my face has exactly one IBL – Instant Blank Look – setting, and if my head were a webpage, the banner across it would permanently read: "Error 404: Emotion Not Found". 

Therefore, it's not true that I don't give a damn about anything; it's just that my facial muscles completely missed the latest Windows driver update. I swear, beneath this utterly frozen exterior, there is actual human activity happening. My face is simply operating on a tragic 14-second delay, so if I look entirely expressionless, just give me a minute to reboot. 

The ultimate takeaway here is simple: never judge a book by its cover – even if that cover looks like a glitched computer monitor. At the end of the day, whether your system runs on high-energy, real-time animation or functions like a quiet, living corpse, the underlying software is exactly the same. We all possess the same core human feelings and emotions; some of us just happen to have a much slower rendering speed.

The one-minute speech topic is "light". I decided to turn it on its head and talked about L.I.G.H.T as in Let's Incite Good-Hearted Trolling. And it's not about being mean, malicious, or leaving moronic comments online. It is about using harmless, clever humor to disrupt the mundane and bring people together through shared laughter. 

Looking back at my speech during the self-reflection session, I have to admit it wasn't up to my usual standards. It was a good performance, but there is definitely room for improvement, and I know exactly what needs to change.😅

A good meeting overall.  Photos:

A SAL No Regrets Speech

On Thursday, I was back in Sunway Mentari for our regular SAL meeting, where I delivered my CSL2(1) "Lead with Clear Structure" speech titled "No Regrets". 

In it, I shared how our mistakes are truly our teachers, urging everyone to view past events as lessons that shape our current wisdom rather than wishing they never happened. This requires us to forgive ourselves and release any lingering guilt, recognizing that we made the best possible choices with the knowledge we had at that moment. After all, dwelling on the past only traps our energy, so we must focus forward – letting yesterday's outcomes guide today's choices without carrying the weight of old pain.

Following the project speeches, it was time for "That's One Minute". The topic was the three-letter word, "Cat" 🐈. 

I must confess I am not a cat person. Still, I tactically chose laziness – skipping the metaphors to talk strictly about whiskers and litter trays. 😁😁😁

Photos of the said meeting:

👇RESPECT!

If you didn't know, Mark Ruffalo plays Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.