I stuffed it! :(

Yes thats right.
I got nervous. I had butterflies. I spoke to quickly, had 18 umms and aahs, and the speech was simply too short!

Dangnammit! not the best way to start toastmasters.

Oh well, live and learn. I think I'll be participating more in the table topics section before moving on.

OMG.. I have to do my first speech tonight!

Well it had to happen, the time has come to do my first 'Ice Breaker' speech tonight at Toastmasters.

Now Im quite nervous as this meeting is a little different. Todays meeting will take place via conference call. This just adds another spanner into the works.

I'll update the blog on how I went after I get back.

2007 will be the year of the "me"

I found this story this morning on news.com.au;

http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,20996760-462,00.html

Not the ideal story to start off 2007, but its not surprising.
Here is the story;

FOR most Australians, 2007 will be the year of the "me", according to a new survey.
A new year's resolution survey for Wizard Home Loans showed two thirds of people ranked getting ahead financially and setting themselves up for the future at the top of the list.
Helping others and the environment ranked at the bottom.
"People are looking at themselves first," Wizard Home Loans chairman Mark Bouris said.
"Spending more time helping others (7 per cent) and becoming more environmentally friendly (6 per cent) ranked surprisingly low on the priority list."
Mr Bouris said 2006 had hit pockets hard with interest rate rises, petrol hikes and even the cost of bananas at unforgettably high prices.
Sixty per cent of people said 2007 was the year to get serious about saving.
Some 37 per cent of people believed saving money was the way to get ahead, while 23 per cent said it was buying property.
The research also showed half of respondents were comfortable with their debt.
When asked whether they thought interest rates would go up in February 2007, 58 per cent said yes, 42 per cent no.
"Rate rises or not, it's obvious Australians aren't getting bogged down by external influences such as interest rate movements and are instead intent on getting their finances in order in 2007," Mr Bouris said.

I agree with the above. We do need to look at our own circumstances. However we should not completely forget about charity and other greater social issues.