Table Topic Bakra

The first meeting after Eid-ul-Azha, of the Professionals Toastmasters club was on November 10^th, 2011. Thin attendance was the issue of the day but the resilient leadership of our members and attendees protected us from its perils.

Meeting was called in order by the Sergeant-at-Arms, Madam TM Neel. The Presiding Officer was Madam TM Dr. Avan. The theme of the meeting was Eid-ul-Azha. The dedication and efforts by Toastmaster of the evening, Madam TM Neel and Topicmaster, TM Adnan were the real reasons for the success of the meeting. TM Jaan was the General Evaluator.

Madam TM Neel decorated the entire room with pictures of goat, cow, sheep etc to give it a look of a Bakra Mandi (Market for selling the animals for the purpose of sacrificing on Eid-ul-Azha). She also divided the audience into three teams. First team, Team Cow, consisted of TM Maneck, TM Haris and TM Jaan. Second team, Team Goat, consisted of TM Fazal, Madam TM Dr. Avan and TM Adnan. The third team, Team Sheep, had TM Shahrukh and TM Hammad. She asked all the teams to come up with reasons of why they should not be sacrificed on this Eid. And at the end of the meeting, every team was asked this question and Team Goat failed to convince the Toastmaster/Butcher of the evening.

The Topicmaster, TM Adnan prepared the Table Topics Bakra on the pattern of M-TV Bakra. He had prepared a PowerPoint Presentation but VP-Education, TM Shahrukh, couldn’t take care of the projector. However, the Table Topics Session was a success. TM Shahrukh was the Funny Bakra and then the Angry-Bakra. TM Neel was the Jealous-Bakra. TM Fazal and TM Jaan were the Ghost-Bakra. TM Avan was the Angry-Bakra and then the Sad-Bakra. And TM Haris was the Style-Bakra.

Team of General Evaluator included TM Haris as the Grammarian and Word-Master. Word of the day was “Pragmatic.” Madam TM Dr. Avan was the Timer. TM Hammad was the Vote-Counter. And TM Sharukh was the Ah-Counter. With the permission of the General Evaluator, Ah-Counter also reported the number of “Pauses” while submitting his report. This practise was introduced by the Central Park Presenters club in Burnaby (October, 2011 issue of Toastmaster Magazine). TM Shahrukh was the Table Topics Evaluator and also the Speech Evaluator for a Prepared Speech.

In the Prepared Speeches session, Madam TM Avan presented her Project four from the Interpersonal Communication Manual. The title of her speech was “Motivate.” She performed the role playing exercise with Madam TM Neel. The scenario was Madam TM Avan was the teacher and Madam TM Neel was the student who couldn’t complete and submit her assignment on time.

Winner for the Table Topics was TM Haris and Madam TM Dr. Avan was the runner-up. Winner of the Prepared Speech was Madam TM Dr. Avan.