1. 1
CONTENTS
MESSAGES Page
 Editor’s Message 1
 Area Director’s Message 2
 President’s Message 2
FEATURED
 New Crew on the Flight 3
 Associate Crew to assist 3
 8th Presidential Installation Ceremony 4
 It’s the Contest Season of the Area 4
 Enjoy ! Engage ! Enrich ! 5
EDUCATIONAL
 How to achieve your next Promotion? 6
 The Style of Evaluation 7
 It’s about Coaching and Mentoring? 7
 Toasting Etiquette 8
 It’s about Managing ourselves… 9
 What is TLI ? 10
MEMBER WALL
 Thoughts to Ponder Upon… 11
 Let your Ego Speaks… 11
 Let’s have a chat with an Enthusiastic Toastmaster 12
 Miracles of Humour 13
 Is Social Media bad for Teenagers 14
 Let’s be Positive 15
 Experience of “Master of Ceremonies” 15
 Garlic is a Magical Herb 16
 Let’s have a chat with an Enthusiastic Guest 16
 Fail Better… Fail Forward… 17
 The Butterfly in You 18
 Thought of a Toastmaster 19
 New Member Wall 20
FUN ZONE
 Travelling Toastmasters 21
 Upcoming Events & Birthdays 21
 Pizza Puzzle 22
 How to join Toastmasters 22
CLUB MISSION
“To provide a supportive and positive learning experience
in which members are empowered to
develop communication and leadership skills
resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth”
EDITOR’S MESSAGE
It is with great pleasure and excitement
that I take over the responsibility of
being the Editor for the Newsletter,
“Allure” published by the Printcare
Toastmasters Club. Although my
engagement with the Printcare Toastmasters Club is relatively
new, I was much impressed by the warm invitation given by our
President, TM Sheron Mindya to be the Editor of the first
Newsletter for this Toastmasters year.
Over the course of this year, “Allure” would be the source of
information on Club News, Views, Updates, Contests and also the
voice of our own members who present their stories of
transformation into better communicators and leaders. This
Newsletter is presented through five segments to provide a clear
understanding for the readers. “Messages”, “Featured”,
“Educational”, “Member Wall” and “Fun Zone” are the five
segments incurred in this Newsletter. It is enriched with
messages of respectable positions, special events of the club,
stories of our own members, fun activities and informative points
for your knowledge. Hence, we are quite sure that it would be a
balanced reading experience which covers a wide spectrum.
I take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our
President, TM Sheron not only for giving me this opportunity but
also for being a lamp unto my feet through my victories and
through my failures. A special token of gratitude should also be
extended to our Area Director, TM Chaya for her guidance who is
a fruitful result of the home club. I also wish to thank the
Associate Editor, TM Roshani for the support and encouragement
given to make this release a success. Special thanks also go out to
both veteran toastmasters and newly joined toastmasters as
their enthusiasm and commitment paved the way for the
newsletter to have plenty of valuable content. Finally, not
forgetting our Management; without their constant support we
couldn’t have achieved this.
Many people have worked hard to keep this issue light, breezy
and fun while being informative at the same time. Thus, I urge
you all to read “Allure” for it will give you desire, courage and
strength to reach a new height once you thought you would never
do. Your valuable thoughts and remarks on this newsletter are
highly appreciated to make the future releases more impactful.
Happy Reading !!!
TM Sherine Weerasinghe
Club Information
Name : Printcare Toastmasters
Type : Corporate
Number : 0131631
Part of :
Area : 2
Division : F
District : 82 (http://www.d82.org)
Region : 13
Allure
10TH EDITION

2. 2
AREA DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
I have heard of a saying,
“Team work makes dreams
work”. This is absolutely true,
because one alone can do so
little but together we can
achieve more. Even great
companies have begun at
least with a team of 2. Paul
Allen and Bill gates founded Microsoft. Steve Jobs and Steve
Wozniak together founded Apple. Beatles, the great musicians
were a team of 5.
None of these success stories would have been possible if not for
the cooperation among the team members. Without cooperation
real success is impossible. By channeling efforts, talents and
resources of other members, we not only can succeed faster but
also help others to showcase their talents in different areas apart
from work related skills.
And that is what exactly we did when we initially started our
newsletter, “Allure”. First, I contributed to the newsletter as the
Editor, then as a Past President and today as your Area Director.
In each and every stage, I remember and have witnessed the
enthusiasm and cooperation every Toastmaster had towards
putting out the best newsletter. And that is how we have been
successful in releasing the newsletter.
It is definitely the team work that leads to our dreams work. So I
hope this newsletter will also pave the opportunity for members
to work together, complement each other's talents and produce
another success story.
TM Chaya Wickramadara ACG ALB
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
It was September, 2012 when
TM Chaya then VP Education
was searching for a name for
the storybook of Printcare
Toastmasters family, which
brings about the achievements
of our very own members,
knowledge and experiences
gained throughout the Toastmasters journey and the memorable
times we all spent together. Therefore, emphasizing on the
quality of being attractive, interesting and exciting, the storybook
was named ‘Allure’. By the initiation of TM Chaya, ‘Allure’ came
to life 4 years back. All of you Toastmasters could be proud, for it
is your support that has molded the storybook to reach greater
heights at each publication.
“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from
overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t”
Rikki Rogers
As a firm believer in the above quote, it is with great enthusiasm
that I took over the responsibilities as the next editor to continue
the story to roll on in style. In time, I was able to reap amazing
benefits from this immense opportunity. Having made close
connections with the fellow toastmasters in giving life to their
thoughts helped me grow not only as an individual but also as a
part of a friendly family. In the mission of seeking talent to take
Allure into new heights, we came across a team led by
TM Prashanth Vasudevan. Thereafter, crossing the paths with
TM Sherine, seeing how beautifully she brings out the best in her,
she was given the opportunity to give the wings of new direction
to ‘Allure’. Without a second thought, she accepted the challenge
of being the Editor of the newsletter. Adding icing to the cake,
TM Roshani joined in as the Associate Editor with her passion and
enthusiasm in lighting up the spirit of the fellow Toastmasters.
This new edition will be a unique magical piece of artwork which
all of you will enjoy.
Finally, I am grateful to all of you for the encouragement and
contributions made to Allure’s success and for being the glue that
holds this PTM family together thus far, providing constant
support to keep the Toastmasters Spirit Alive!
Yours in Toastmastering,
TM Sheron Mindya ACB CL
TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL MISSION
We empower individuals to become more effective
Communicators and Leaders
TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL VALUES
Integrity
Respect
Service
Excellence
TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL ENVISIONED FUTURE
To be the first choice provider of dynamic,
high value, experiential communication and
leadership skills development

3. 3
NEW CREW ON THE FLIGHT
Vice President – Education
TM D. Radhakrishnan
Quality Assurance
Vice President – Membership
TM Kaushala Liyanage
Quality Assurance
Vice President –
Public Relations
TM Prashanth Vasudevan
Sales
Treasurer
TM S. Mathamohan
Finance
Sergeant-at-arms
TM Roshani Abeyratne
Production - PSL
Secretary
TM S. Ilangovan
IT
ASSOCIATE CREW TO ASSIST
Asst. VP – Membership
TM Kusanka Fernando
Human Resources
Asst. VP – Public Relations
TM Sandeep Nicholas
Marketing
Asst. Secretary
TM Sherine Weerasinghe
Human Resources
Asst. Sergeant-at-arms
TM Kasun Siyambalangoda
Sales & Business Development
Asst. Treasurer
TM Chathurnika Nawarathna
Finance
TM SHERON

4. 4
8TH
PRESIDENTIAL INSTALLATION CEREMONY
@ JAIC HILTON, GRAND BALLROOM
ON 10TH SEPTEMBER 2016
Let us rejoice the success of seven years and wish all the best for a fruitful eighth year !!!
Engage !
Enjoy !
Enrich !
Where
Leaders
Are
Made
@
Printcare
Training
Room
0n
23rd
Sep. 2016
With
Dimo
Wattala
Lyceum
Printcare
Toastmasters
IT’S THE CONTEST SEASON OF THE AREA
A new Toastmasters Chapter is turned out today with a new troop of dedicated toastmasters
Awaits a great year ahead filled with new knowledge, fun & entertainment and networking
TM Anuk Munasinghe from DIMO Toastmasters was awarded the 1st
Place of Humorous Speech Contest
TM Arshad Nizam from Wattala Toastmasters was awarded the 1st
Place of Evaluation Contest

5. 5
ENGAGE ! ENJOY ! ENRICH !
It is the dawn of Halloween for Printcare
Toastmasters!!!
A wonderful evening spent with ghosts, bats &
spooky pumpkins!!!
The moon has awoken with the rise of the sun
The light has been broken and the spell has begun

6. 6
HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR NEXT PROMOTION?
Do you love Promotions? “Yes, of course “is the usual answer. But how
do we get promoted is the next mind blowing question. Isn’t it? Well!
Some would say, “Be committed to your work”, “Meet your targets”,
“Uplift the quality of your performance” while some would also say
“Do whatever that makes your Boss happy”. All right all of those are
essential for your next promotion. But have you ever thought that your
next promotion should lift you up to a level where you’d feel satisfied
on your own growth along with your new title? Titles or Designations
often can be gained either by hard work or making your Boss happy.
But the self-growth often cannot be achieved with your new title.
Promotion refers to a career advancement. In order to advance your
career you must cultivate good Communication skills and Leadership
skills in yourselves. If you are well equipped with such skills, you would
truly satisfied with your next promotion. Because it would make you
feel really powerful.
So, do we get adequate opportunities to develop our Communication
skills & Leadership skills at the work place? Too often we have tight
schedules at our work places which refrain us from communicating and
leading in the appropriate manner. Then, what is the platform we could
develop those skills? It’s none other than “TOASTMASTERS”.
There comes a day in the life of any professional where we are asked to give a speech, present our idea, offer an opinion, provide feedback, facilitate
a meeting, or show a vision to our teams. In short, we are asked to communicate. How do you improve the basic skills that every leader needs? How
do you improve your communication? What you have to do is join and actively participate in Toastmasters!
Toastmasters Educational Programme consists of two tracks. They are the Leadership Track & the Communication Track. A new member who joins
Toastmasters may walk along those two tracks either parallel way or one after the other. As demonstrated below, the Communication Track consists
of four segments; CC, ACB, ACS & ACG respectively. The Leadership Track consists of three segments; CL, ALB, ALS respectively. A Toastmaster who
passes all those milestones would be recognized a Distinguished Toastmaster.
COMMUNICATION LEADERSHIP
Competent Communication
The 10 speech projects in the Competent Communication manual help
you develop your speaking skills one step at a time. When you finish all
of the projects, you are eligible for the Competent Communicator
Award.
Advanced Communication Track
After receiving the Competent Communicator Award, you can begin to
develop more advanced speaking and communication skills through
the Advanced Communication Series manuals. There are 15 in all, each
containing five speech projects. Many of the manuals are career-
oriented. You choose the manuals you want to complete and the skills
you want to learn.
Competent Leadership
This is the core of the Leadership track. The Competent
Leadership manual features 10 projects that you complete while
serving in various club meeting roles. An evaluator will give you
feedback on each project, helping you to improve. When you complete
the manual, you are eligible for the Competent Leader Award.
Advanced Leader Program
After earning the Competent Leadership Award, you can further refine
and develop more complex leadership skills by completing projects in
manuals that are part of the Advanced Leader Program.
Through Toastmasters, leaders learn core communication skills such as:
 Connecting with others – connect with individuals at some level through the words you speak, body language, and gestures. Make people
feel special through your communication. This differentiates successful leaders from others.
 Keep it clear and simple – the message that is conveyed should be clear and consistent so that it instills trust in the minds of the audience. If
the thoughts and ideas that are conveyed are unclear and contradictory then it can create mistrust and misunderstanding.
 Be a good listener – leaders should have excellent listening skills as communication is not just about talking. There is often a misconception
that good communication skills involve only talking and it is important to understand that this is not true. Listen and understand what the
other person is saying, so that you can respond in an effective way.
 Observe – it is important to observe and look around the organization. This can help create an environment for dialogue. Employees not
contributing to the conversation can be encouraged to participate and work for achieving the overall goals of the team.
Do you feel confident? Yes you do. It’s not the language that matters. It’s your passion, determination and commitment which helps you to achieve
your goal. Promotions await you. Go & grab them. Join Toastmasters today !!!
Source : www.toastmasters.org

7. 7
THE STYLE OF EVALUATION
For many, the most valuable aspect of Toastmasters is the evaluations
they give and receive. In successful clubs, members support each other
through evaluations that encourage speakers to continue practicing
and learning. Members who receive thoughtful evaluations feel great
and motivated to walk forward.
When giving evaluations :
 Approach each speech with honesty while remaining positive
 Pay attention to the speaker’s goals for self-improvement
 Evaluate what the speaker does and not the speaker
 Report what you see, hear and feel about the speech
Delivering an evaluation is an excellent way to practice and
demonstrate your speaking skills. Remember these five points:
Before the Speech
Review the evaluation guidelines for that particular project and
approach the speaker to discuss the objectives for their speech.
Address any concerns.
Personalize your language
Before giving your evaluation, put yourself in the position of the
speaker. Use “I” phrases and stay away from phrases like “You
didn’t…”, “You should have...", “You failed to…”
To encourage improvement
Use words like “I believe…”, “My reaction was…”, “I suggest that…”
Evaluate the Speech – Not the Person!
Always keep your main purpose in mind; to support, help and
encourage the speaker. Don’t assess personal qualities – only assess
actions related to the speech
Promote Self – esteem
Motivate and inspire the speaker to deliver another speech by giving
sincere praise and constructive suggestions on what they can improve.
Always end your evaluation with positive feedback.
IT’S ABOUT COACHING AND MENTORING
Coaching and Mentoring are increasingly used mainly for professional
development, to indicate a positive change in individuals and to
encourage the transfer of knowledge from the coach / mentor to the
individual. Organizations find coaching and mentoring highly beneficial
for the career growth of their employees so coaching and mentoring
has been applied by many entities in their organizational practices.
At the workplace, coaching and mentoring is used when
the management finds that there are individuals who need to enhance
their potential to perform better in their jobs and to be more
productive. There may be skills that need to be strengthened, lapses in
working behavior and issues with the performance output which need
to be corrected with certain employees. Once this is assessed, these
employees will be recommended for coaching. The coaches are usually
the supervisors and managers. The company may even have a
delegated coach for that particular department.
The importance of coaching and mentoring extends broadly from the
coach / mentor to the learner and the organization as a whole.
The coach / mentor plays a very important role in transferring
knowledge to the individual and helps the person in enhancing his
personal and professional growth. The following reasons explain the
importance of coaching and mentoring to the people who are involved
in the process.
Benefits to the Coach or Mentor
 Increased job satisfaction
 Further enhancement of their own skill levels
 Advantage of their own professional development
 Enhanced skills in problem analysis and strategic thinking
 Develops self-esteem
Benefits to the Learner
 Increases self-confidence and self-esteem
 Promotes professional career growth
 Enhances skills
 Identifies weak areas and turns them into potential successes
 Develops good relationship with the supervisor
 Enhances problem analysis
 Reduces the feeling of low self-worth and frustration
 Provides an opportunity to think about a better work role
 Gives a focused attention in training & development aspect
Benefits to the Organization
 Higher employee retention
 Competitive advantage with more skilled and well-performing
employees
 Increased skills sets and knowledge levels of the people
 Greater chances of attaining goals
 Succession planning
 Full utilization of human resources
 Enhancement of communication within the organization
 Strengthening of company culture and ethics
Source : Internet
KNOWLEDGE FACTS???
Laughing 100 times is equivalent to 15 minutes of exercise on a stationary bicycle
Sitting for more than 3 hours a day can cut 2 years off a person’s life expectancy
1 can of Coca-Cola a day increases your chances of getting type 2 diabetes by 22%
A Father’s diet before conception plays a crucial role in a child’s health
Working past age 65 is linked to a longer life
Exercise like walking can reduce breast cancer by 25%
People who read books live an average of almost 2 years longer than those who do not read at all

8. 8
TOASTING ETIQUETTE
Toasting to love, friendship,
health, wealth and happiness has
been practiced by almost every
culture from the beginning of the
history.
WHO TOASTS AND WHEN
Traditionally, the host or hostess
offers the first toast. Around a table with friends, however, a guest can
propose the first toast (and often does), usually as a way to thank the
host for bringing everyone together.
The "host toasts first" rule does still apply at receptions and other large
functions (though the best man usually leads the toasting at a wedding
reception).
 Make sure that all glasses are filled before toasting.
 The glasses don't have to hold champagne or wine; nondrinkers
may toast with water, juice, or a soft drink.
GETTING THE CROWD'S ATTENTION
The host must attract the crowd's attention before making his toast,
which he does by standing and raising his glass-not by banging on a
glass with a utensil.
SIT OR STAND
 When it comes to sitting or standing, do what comes naturally.
 If toasts are made over pre-dinner drinks in the living room, the
toaster may want to stand.
 At the dinner table, the toaster may remain seated if the group is
fairly small.
 A table of a dozen or more usually requires the toaster to stand so
that people will be able to hear.
 Although the host often stands during a toast, everyone else -
including the person(s) being toasted - remains seated. The
exception is when the toaster asks everyone to "rise and drink to
..." or "stand and raise your glasses to ..."
 The guests respond by taking a sip of their drinks, not by draining
the glass; save enough of the beverage for any toasts that follow.
 On ceremonial occasions, a toastmaster or the chairman of the
committee often takes charge, sandwiching the necessary toasts
between the end of the meal and before any speeches. Toasters
are usually expected to stand on such formal occasions.
Shall we make a Chocolate Fudge???
It takes only 15 minutes…..
WHEN TO TOAST
 During meals, the first toast usually comes at the very beginning.
 Traditionally, the first toast is offered by the host as a welcome to
guests.
 Toasts offered by others start during the dessert course.
 Toasting isn't confined to a meal or special event. Spontaneous
toasts are in order whenever they seem appropriate, as when
someone raises his glass and offers good wishes or congratulations
to his companions.
REPLYING TO A TOAST
 When toasted, the "toastee" does not stand, nor does she drink to
herself. What all the recipients need to do is sit and smile
appreciatively.
 Once the toast is finished, the toastee simply acknowledges the
toast with a "thank you." She may then stand and raise her own
glass to propose a toast to the host or anyone else she wants to
honor.
PREPARED TOASTS
 Make sure to keep your toast short and on point.
 If the toast is the primary toast of the evening, a short speech
should be prepared. You can use notes if you like when giving your
toast.
Including a few personal remarks - a reminiscence, praise, or a
relevant story or joke - is always a good idea, but they should be in
align with the occasion.
 Toasts at a wedding should tend toward the sentimental, those in
honor of a retiring employee toward nostalgia, and so forth. And a
touch of humor is rarely out of place.
SPUR OF THE MOMENT TOASTS
Joining in a group toast is easy, with glasses raised and shouts of
"Cheers!" "To your health!" or "To Stan!" ringing out. Similarly, a
spontaneous toast is relatively effortless in that it can be both brief and
generic: "To Stan-God bless him!"
Should you draw a blank when you're suddenly asked to offer a toast,
just remind yourself that a few sincere and complimentary words are
all you need: "To Stan, a terrific guy and a friend to us all!"
It's easier still when you can tie the toast to the occasion (what a good
toaster should do in any event), whether you're at a dinner party or
barbecue, an office party or a gathering of your high school classmates.
Source : Internet
Ingredients :
1 small tin of Milkmaid
550g of Dark cooking chocolate
1 ½ tea spoons of Vanilla extract
150g of Chopped nuts
Directions :
Step 1
Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil, extending it over the edges of
the pan.
Step 2
Melt dark cooking chocolate with Milkmaid and salt in a heavy
saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Add the nuts and vanilla.
Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Step 3
Chill for 2 hours or until firm. Remove from the pan by lifting the
edges of the foil. Cut into squares.
Do you like to have a Fruit Sherbert?
It takes only 20 minutes…..
Ingredients :
1 small tin if Milkmaid
30 ml of Lemon Juice
30g of Butter (melted)
2 Egg whites
Approximately 400 ml – 500 ml of
(Fruit of your choice, skinned and
pureed)
Directions :
Step 1
Blend the Milkmaid with lemon juice and butter. Add pureed fruit,
pour into a bowl and chill
Step 2
Whisk egg whites until very stiff and fold into the chilled mixture.
Pour into a refrigerator tray and half freeze.
Step 3
Remove from tray and beat until smooth. Chill again and serve.

9. 9
IT’S ABOUT MANAGING OURSELVES
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Have you ever found yourself in a
situation where your to-do-list seems
endless, deadlines are fast
approaching and you find yourself
saying “Errr! I feel stressed’?
Stress is primarily a physical response.
When stressed, the body thinks that it
is under attack and switches to “fight
or flight” mode, releasing a complex
mix of hormones and chemicals such as adrenaline, cortisol and
norepinephrine to prepare the body for physical action. This causes a
number of reactions from blood being diverted to muscles to shutting
down unnecessary bodily functions such as digestion.
You may feel that there’s nothing you can do about stress. The bills
won’t stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day and your
work and family responsibilities would always be demanding.
But you have a lot more control than you might think.
Stress Management is all about taking charge of your lifestyle,
thoughts, emotions and the way you deal with problems. No matter
how stressful your life seems to be; there are steps you can take to
relieve the pressure and regain control.
Move your body frequently – don’t sit for more than one hour
Make positive face to face connections with other people
When you can’t change the stressor; learn to avoid, alter,
adapt or accept
Reduce your intake of alcohol, nicotine and caffeine
Do something you enjoy everyday
Get all the restful sleep that you need to feel your best
ANGER MANAGEMENT
Anger is a completely normal
and usually healthy human
emotion. But when it gets out of
control and turns destructive, it
could leads to problems –
problems at work, in your
personal relationships and in
the overall quality of your life.
Anger can be a tricky emotion to
work with. Because it can make you feel really powerful. Just think…
when you shout at someone, you feel like a lion. Isn’t it? So even when
you can see that your uncontrolled anger is causing lots of problems in
your lives; still you would be reluctant to give it up. Because you feel
so strong. You feel so powerful.
We all feel angry once in a while and sometimes we say things that
we regret later. This is a normal part of life and doesn’t mean that we
need help. But if your anger has a negative effect on your relations, if
it makes you feel unhappy always or if it leads to a violent or reckless
behaviour; then visiting a therapist would make sense.
We wouldn’t attempt to manage a fire in our houses. Because any fire
no matter how big in size can do unwanted damage. That’s why the
best kind of fire management is fire prevention. By the same reasoning,
the best kind of anger management is anger prevention. There are
many steps that we could take to nurture anger prevention within
ourselves.
Keep a diary of your anger outbursts to try and understand
how and why you get angry
Learn relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation
Visit a counsellor or psychologist if you could not control your
own feelings
Exercise regularly
Go day outs
RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
What can you do to build up good
relationships?
Develop People skills
One easy way to identify the level of your
people skills is to undertake a test on people
skills which is freely available on the
internet. These self-tests will point you to
tools that will help you deal with any
weaknesses you possess with respect to
people skills.
Schedule time to build relationships
Devote a portion of your day towards
relationship building, even if it’s just 20
minutes, break up into five segments. For
example; you could pop into someone’s
office during lunch, reply to people’s
postings on Twitter or LinkedIn, ask a
colleague for a quick cup of coffee. These
little interactions help build the foundation
for a good relationship.
Appreciate others
Everyone; from your boss to the office
cleaner, wants to feel that their work is
appreciated. So, genuinely compliment the
people around you when they do something
well. This will open the door to great
relationships.
Be Positive
Positivity is attractive and contagious. It will
help strengthen your relationships with your
colleagues. No one wants to be around
someone who is negative all the time.
Focus on your Emotional Intelligence (EI)
EI helps you to recognize your own emotions
and understand clearly what they tell you.
High EI also helps to understand the
emotions and feelings of others.
Avoid Gossiping
“Gossips” or “Office Politics” are major
relationship killers at work. If you’re
experiencing conflict with someone, talk to
them directly about the problem. Gossiping
about the situation with other colleagues
will only exacerbate the situation.
What about Difficult Relationships?
Occasionally, you may have to work with someone you don’t like or someone that you simply can’t relate to. But for the sake of your work, it’s
essential to maintain a professional relationship with them. When this happens, make an effort to get to know the person. Make the first move by
engaging in a genuine conversation or by inviting them to a lunch. Ask about their background, interests and past successes. Instead of putting energy
into your differences, focus on finding things you have in common.
Just remember – not all relationships will be great, but you can make sure that they are at least workable!!!
By : TM Sherine Weerasinghe
SAY CHEEEEESE

10. 10
WHAT IS TRAINING LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (TLI)?
The Toastmasters Leadership Institute helps Toastmasters across the
district to come together to network, share ideas, and be inspired. It’s
where newly-elected club officers receive training on how best to serve
their clubs. TLI not only helps the current club leaders – but also to
anyone who may be interested in becoming a club officer in the future
or those members who just want to learn more and groom themselves
in their Communication and Leadership skills, who want to contest and
also to know about our wonderful organization.
TLI events are one of the most important and sought after events in
District 82, where Toastmasters from all walks of life, meet each other
to train and mentor newly installed club officers, and also to get a fresh
perspective on club officer roles from the attendees, to coach the
contestants for the upcoming contests and help the clubs organize
their contests. Attending TLI is very essential to be a successful club
officer, to organize the contests effectively, to help oneself trained to
be a proper Judge and know the updated rule sets from the
Toastmasters International. It helps ambitious toastmasters meet their
leadership goals efficiently.
What’s in it for every Toastmaster
 Chance to spend quality time with seasoned leaders
 Opportunity to mentor the next set of leaders
 Knowledge about the significance of training and club officer roles
 Chance to exchange leadership ideas and network with other club officers
Printcare Toastmasters participated for certain training programmes conducted by TLI recently. Let’s ask them to share their views on those
programmes.
T
L
I
We understood
that there are lot
of things which we
do not know.
Thanks TLI
We saw new
talents. There’s a
long way for us to
go…
We made new
friends. Our
network is
growing faster.
HOME MADE JOKES
- I followed my Heart
and it leads me to
the Fridge
- With your current
savings, which apple
product can you
buy?
“Apple Juice”

11. 11
THOUGHTS TO PONDER UPON....
A FRIEND IS ONE WHO KNOWS ALL ABOUT
YOU AND STILL RESPECTS YOU.
A true friend is a priceless gift. When we
reveal our hopes, our dreams, and our
deepest secrets to others, and they still like
and respect us, such people are to be
cherished. All too often, the only reason
others wish to spend time with us –to be our
friends –is because of what they perceive we
can do for them, not the other way around.
A real friendship is reciprocal, one in which
each friend benefits equally. You can earn
the friendship of others by being the kind of
person who deserves respect from friends.
When others look up to you, it should make
you even more conscious of the
responsibility you have to treat them with
the same respect you would like them to
afford you.
LET YOUR EGO SPEAKS…
IF YOU TRY AND FAIL, MAKE ANOTHER EFFORT, AND STILL ANOTHER, UNTIL YOU SUCCEED.
BEFORE WORRYING ABOUT HOW TO GET MORE PAY, THINK HOW YOU CAN DO A BETTER JOB
AND YOU MAY NOT NEED TO WORRY.
MOST MISFORTUNES ARE THE RESULTS OF MISUSED TIME.
LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT WERE YOUR LAST, AND YOU WILL DEVELOP A KEEN RESPECT FOR
OPPORTUNITY.
A RESOURCEFUL PERSON WILL ALWAYS MAKE OPPORTUNITY FIT HIS OR HER NEEDS.
The ability to recognize opportunities is a critical element of success, but it is only the beginning.
An idea is valuable only if it can be put into practice-by you. Highly successful people know that
there are many ways to capitalize on an opportunity. They evaluate and shape it to fit their
capabilities. Or they put together a team composed of people with the skills necessary to take
advantage of it-whatever it takes to make it work. Seldom is there any single right answer in
business. Often there are any number of right answers.
IT’S A SURE THING THAT YOU WILL NOT FINISH IF YOU DON’T START.
An ancient proverb says, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” You have
probably known people nearing the end of their life’s journey who looked back and said. “If only
I had done this differently….. if only I had taken advantage of that opportunity when it came
along. “Unfulfilled lives are filled with “if only’s”. They are the refrain of the timid souls whose
lives were finished before they ever really got started. Life is filled with many opportunities-for
great successes and spectacular failures. It’s up to you to seize the initiative, to take advantage
of the opportunities that come your way. You are condemned to a life of mediocrity-unless you
get into action. Don’t delay; do it today.
FAITH IS A COMBINATION OF THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS.
When you apply your faith in yourself, your faith in your fellow men, and your faith in God, the
result is positive course of action that when persistently followed will almost always lead to
success. When you believe in your ideas and in your abilities, and you trust in the infinite
Intelligence of the universe, you know that your thoughts and deeds will ultimately lead to a
successful conclusion. You cannot fail.
THE SAFEST AND THE BEST WAY TO PUNISH ONE WHO HAS DONE YOU AN INJUSTICE IS TO DO
HIM OR HER A KIND DEED IN RETURN.
Source : Extracted from the Book of “THOUGHT FOR THE DAY” by Napoleon Hill
Look at the amazing soul dwells within you, are you a great leader or yet struggling to achieve that unique personality? Don’t tuck up to your shell. Paddle in your
journey of life slipping miles away to reach your goals.
You may be that person who is well skilled with all the knowledge required, yet mudding the interpersonal situations where your unspoken thoughts doesn’t meet
the ear of the audience.
Yes, if you are not a great communicator, you are never a great leader. It’s a simple phenomenon that the vital element of leadership becomes excellent
communication. What is more important to understand is that communication is not about talking.
Communication is all about the ability of developing external awareness where your exact thought can reach the deep root of listener’s mind and touch their void
of understanding. It’s not only about the words. A great communicator is always a good listener and a perfect observer who can sense the circumstances. Reflect
back on what you gathered.
Speak direct and be steady. Your confidence can affect the listener in a way you can uplift their trust towards you. When your target is to uproot the unneeded
from the mind of audience and plant your words to grow, developing a meaningful relationship with the listeners matters. So at the end, you will realize how
effective your communication has been. So let your ego speaks. Let the crafted communicator within you boost up the leader in you. You are never too young
never too old to recreate your journey. Make today your first step. Join Toastmasters Today!
By : TM Roshani Abeyrathne

12. 12
LET’S HAVE A CHAT WITH AN ENTHUSIASTIC TOASTMASTER
(TM Sherine with TM Ishan)
What motivated you to join Toastmasters?
Curiosity. Actually I didn’t know about Toastmasters until Mr. Jayewardena introduced the club to our company. In parallel to this I
accidently got the chance to witness “All Island Best Speakers Competition” conducted by Colombo Toastmasters. To be frank, I didn’t
understand what they did that day. So this curiosity along with the invitation of Mr. Jayawardena encouraged me to join Toastmasters.
If we talk about some milestones of your TM career… ?
Well, I’m a Charter Member of the Printcare Toastmasters Club. My first milestone was achieving the Competent Communicator Award.
Thereafter participated for Club, Area & Division Contests. I participated for Evaluation Contests at the Division Level. Then comes another
great milestone which was my Presidency. We were able to achieve the “President Distinguished Club Award” during my Presidency. Those
were some of the milestones which I came across during my TM career.
How did being a Toastmaster help/affect your career & personal life ?
As we all know “Communication” is the most important aspect which makes life easier. I would say the 10 projects of the Competent
Communicator manual is quite enough to improve our communication skills. Today, when I’m heading a division of this company, I
experience those valuable skills I’ve nurtured through Toastmasters especially when it comes to our day today transactions with people,
addressing individuals & giving them evaluations. Not only the communication but also the leadership skills I’ve cultivated through
Toastmasters had helped me to be a Head of a Division today. Moving towards the impact of Toastmasters on my personal life, I would say
that I was able to guide my loving daughter with her academics. I mentored her, developed her to work within time frames, evaluated her
and encouraged her. She was very weak in Maths some time back but now I would proudly say that she has scored best results in O/Ls and
aspiring to become a Doctor within 5 years. I strongly believe Toastmasters was what helped me to become a good mentor to my daughter.
Adding to that, the presentation skills acquired through Toastmasters helped me to do my presentations for my MBA in an effective
manner. I was able to score a GPA of 6.7. Therefore I should extend a big thank you for Toastmasters for helping me be who I am today.
Tell us about your mentor & mentoring experience ?
TM Gamini Jayawardena is my Mentor. He is a person who possess vast knowledge. He always guided me with my speeches. He has lot of
facts in his memory, always talks to points and elaborate them in an impressive manner. One would certainly be mesmerized with the way
he summarizes points. He is a HR Professional and I believe that his career background had also helped him to become a great mentor.
Do you think Toastmasters in only for English Speakers ?
No. Actually speaking we learn English from Toastmasters. During the past nine years I have added many words to my vocabulary. I improved
my Grammar to a large extent. Toastmasters gives us many opportunities to improve English, but we should have that interest to grab that so
that we could be much eloquent in English. Having said that, possessing basic knowledge of English would also help you to become an
effective Toastmaster. But still, if you have the willingness, there are plenty of opportunities.
In your opinion, what are the essential traits that one should cultivate in order to become an effective Toastmaster ?
The most essential trait is that the positive attitude. No one can force you to become an effective Toastmaster. You must have that passion &
willingness to learn through mistakes.
We like to know about your Ice- Breaker experience ?
Oh!!! That was a killing experience. As I still remember I practiced my Ice-Breaker for 20 times. I felt nervousness at its best.
What is your message to Young Blood at Printcare Toastmasters ?
Printcare Toastmasters had given wide opportunities for your development. So grab them without delaying. Participate for events, build
your network, and brand your image. This is a rare opportunity to gain recognition as your talents would be disclosed to the Top
Management. So do it with passion.

13. 13
MIRACLES OF HUMOUR
TM Nalindra Fonseka (ACS ALB) is a Charter Member & the Immediate Past
President of the Printcare Toastmasters Club. He is a Passionate Toastmaster and
widely known as a Humorous Speaker in the club who brought much fame to the
club through winning numerous contests.
We like to know about your background?
When a Toastmasters club was established at Printcare, I was forced to join the club by our Chartered President TM Gamini
Jayawardena. I did not have a choice other than joining the club. So by default, I became a Toastmaster. My only intention by
then was to support my daughter in public speaking. But eventually I found out that there are things for me to learn as well.
So I grabbed every opportunity and participated most of the Toastmasters events in the region, created good vibes which
made my journey more fascinating.
Some people have a humorous content in speeches and some have humorous appearance. Out of
that, what is your area of expertise?
Both (Laughing). But humorous speaking is not only about the content or appearance. It is more about how you present it. It's a
combination of elements, the way you deliver the message, punch lines and response at the right time to the demand of the
audience.
Your speeches are always fabulous. How do you choose the subject?
I choose areas which are closer to my heart and most often they are my personal experiences.
Your flow of the speech and the presentation is always irresistible and captivating. How do you practice
and get ready for the speech?
Initially the outlines are jotted down and the most appropriate words are selected. Finally I mind map.
Making people laugh is not an easy task. What is the secret behind your success?
Being genuine works.
Who do you look up to as a role model when you are delivering humorous speeches?
I want to become Nalindra Fonseka. I believe in my own personal identity.
What is your advice for the toastmasters who is tackling to deliver a great humorous speech?
I personally believe that not everybody can be humorous speakers because we all have areas that we are gifted. Initially
it's good to start with all types of speeches to find out the area that you are most skilled. Then you will identify which
direction to head. Once when you identify your talent, always practice! Get feed backs, take up challenges, compete,
collect experience and grow.
TM ROSHANI
WITH
TM NALINDRA

14. 14
IS SOCIAL MEDIA BAD FOR TEENAGERS ?
The digital landscape has put increased pressure on teenagers today, and we feel it. There are so
many social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, you name it. I
made a conscious decision to avoid Snapchat and Instagram because of the social pressure I saw
them putting on my 14-year-old little sister. If my mum turned off the Wi-Fi at 11pm, my sister
would beg me to turn my phone into a hotspot. She always needed to load her Snapchat stories
one more time, or to reply to a message that had come in two minutes ago because she didn’t
want her friend to feel ignored. If I refused, saying she could respond in the morning, I’d get the
“You’re ruining my social life” speech. Even as a teenager as well, I sometimes find this craze a
little baffling.
A new study has found that teenagers who engage with social media during the night could
damage their sleep and increase their risk of anxiety and depression. Teenagers spoke about
the pressure they felt to make themselves available 24/7, and the resulting anxiety if they did not
respond immediately to texts or posts. Teens are so emotionally invested in social media that a
fifth of secondary school pupils will wake up at night and log on, just to make sure they don’t
miss out.
Perhaps the worst thing about this is that teenagers need more sleep than adults do, so night-
time social media usage could be detrimental to their health. Research has shown that teenagers
need 9.5 hours of sleep each night but on average only get 7.5 hours. Lack of sleep can make
teenagers tired, irritable, depressed and more likely to catch colds, flu and gastroenteritis. These
days, I am always tired at school, and I’m not one to stay up until 2am chatting with a boy.
Homework and the pressure to have the perfect set of grades mean I’m up late working. And it
seems that at school, most of my mates are exhausted too.
During the summer holidays, I lost my phone. And for the week that I was phoneless, it felt like a
disaster. I love my phone. It gives me quick access to information and allows me to be constantly
looped in with my friends, to know exactly what is going on in their lives. So when I didn’t have
my phone for a week, I felt a slight sense of Fomo, or if you’re not up to speed with the lingo,
fear of missing out. By the end of the week, I’d got used to not having a phone and I’d quite
enjoyed the break from social media. But there was still a lingering sense of sadness at the back
of my mind that there would be conversations I had missed, messages that had been sent, funny
videos shared and night-time chats that I would probably never get to see.
A separate study by the National Citizen Service found that, rather than talking to their parents;
girls seek comfort on social media when they are worried. The survey also suggests that girls
are likely to experience stress more often than boys – an average of twice a week.
It’s becoming more and more obvious how the pressures of social media disproportionately
affect teenage girls. I can see it all around me. Pressure to be perfect. To look perfect, act perfect,
have the perfect body, have the perfect group of friends, the perfect amount of likes on
Instagram. Perfect, perfect, perfect. And if you don’t meet these ridiculously high standards, then
the self-loathing and bullying begins.
What is really worrying is that time and time again, these studies pop up and demonstrate that
the mental health of teenagers, especially teenage girls, is on the line. We know this. We know
the perils of the internet, we’ve heard about online bullying and the dangers of Ask.fm, we know
the slut-shaming that goes on in our schools. We know these things. We know that these studies
demonstrate that we have to make personal, social and health education (PSHE) statutory in
schools and ensure it covers a range of issues from healthy eating and sleeping to consent. And
yet, I ask: what are we waiting for? Inaction on these issues is harming the physical and emotional
well-being of young people in this country. What has to happen before we do something?
Source – The Guradion, Udorie, J.E. (2015) Social media is harming the mental health of
teenagers.
ARE YOU ADDICTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA ?
FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO AVOID SOCIAL MEDIA DISTRACTIONS….
Start your day elsewhere not on Social Media
Follow Inspiring personalities
Take intentional extended breaks from Social Media
Don’t worry of seeing people’s amazing lives on Social Media. Because you are not
seeing the whole picture. So be grateful for what you have received in your life
Remember that this is a waste of time

15. 15
LET’S BE POSITIVE
Do you remember how you wake up every morning for the astonishing beauty of the sunrise and
walk towards the window to experience the fragrance of the gleaming day? Do you remember
how you gaze up at the spear of light piercing through the clouds in the blue sky and listen how
your heart sings as it feels like it's a good day to have a good day?
But how long does that feeling lasts? Since you step out of the door, you meet many people who
have lots of things to say just to hurt your feeling. Your good day starts to scatter. Isn’t it?
It’s not only the negative things people would say to our face, even it could be a thought which
we by our own think about ourselves that ultimately turns us negative and heartbroken. Think of
all the compliments you’ve ever given to yourself. Also think of all the times you’ve said
something negative about yourself. Which group of memories is easier to recollect?
Obviously the latter !
Because as humans we tend to attract negative things very easily. We are so comfortable with
easy things. Staying just survived. Of course, we have dreams, but surviving seems to be a good
idea for the time being because we are busy worrying about the things we don’t have, we
couldn’t do. When we have thousands of reasons to be happy about, we keep on thinking the
same oppressive thoughts over and over again. Moreover we think negative the more it grows.
Think of the last time you wanted to follow your dream. Your heart says, “Yes” but your mind
says “No” Those inner dialogues continue and ultimately negative thoughts win.
If you are like most of us, let me remind you the story of Wilma Rudolf who was the fastest
woman of athletes.
She was born prematurely, a sick child who had to wear a brace on her left leg
Stricken with double pneumonia, scarlet fever and polio as a child
Her doctors told her she would never walk again. But her mother told she would. She believed her
mother. She challenged her doctors, she challenged her fate, with the least chance of walking she
held on to her hope and ultimately ended up being the youngest member of the U.S. track and
field team at the age of 16 in summer Olympic games and was the first American woman to win
three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympic Games. If a Polio affected girl could
overcome all the disabilities just by transforming a single negative attitude to a positive one, just
imagine what surprising things could be taken place within us.
EXPERIENCE OF “MASTER OF CEREMONIES”
REMEMBER
Despite hundreds of reasons we have to
start a good day, we keep on carrying
something that happened yesterday or day
before yesterday. So try to re-frame
negative thoughts, detach them and focus
on the next small, positive step forward that
could be taken in the present moment. It
actually opens and awakens the sleeping
mind of a person. It’s important to
remember to let go of your stress and
worries. No matter what happens during
the day, put all your burdens down as
evening dawns. Don’t carry them through
the night and into the next day with you.
Your day does not depend on anything. It
only depends on your attitude. Every day is a
good day only if you are ready to see it.
So Let’s be Positive !!!
“Having been given many opportunities to be a compere for
PEDP, Toastmasters Installations and other functions in the
company, I felt like those were thrilling but yet self-realizing
experiences which I have come across in my life. Looking
back at my life journey, being a “Master of Ceremonies” had
converted myself to an extrovert who once spent time as an
introvert. Possessing language eloquence, good preparation
& self-confidence is not only adequate to become an
effective MC, but also a good networking with people
around you. This network was what I built up through
Toastmasters and it had created who I am today.
On completion of such events, the encouraging feedbacks I
received truly motivated me to go further and I believe that
those are immense learning experiences for life. After
undertaking this role, I learned that you should follow 3
fundamental rules to be a great speaker. That would be
Preparation....Preparation....and Preparation.
After all, as I have learned from toastmasters, it is not only
about your own growth but also brightening up and bringing
out the best in others to explore the massive potential lies
within them. Therefore I urge you all to grab opportunities
that Toastmasters had provided us for our self-
development.

16. 16
We like to eat different varieties of food. But how many of them are
healthy for us ? It is rather difficult to answer because we do not pick
and choose when eating tasty food or our favourite food whether it is
healthy or not. Let us add some healthy ingredients to our food such
as spices and herbs to make our food healthier.
Do you like to eat garlic? Most of us do not like to eat because of the
flavour unless it is mixed with your food. Garlic is one of the magical
herbs or medicine on earth and it is consumed on raw or cooked, based
on the requirement. It is high in antioxidants. Garlic has got marvelous
track record in health benefits. As it says, “An apple a day keeps your
doctor away”, regular intake of garlic will also keep your doctor away.”
Let us see, the benefits that Garlic possess :
 Boosts your immune system
 Minimizes heart deceases such as high blood pressure, high
cholesterol and artery hardening
 Prevents food poisoning
 Reduces risk of cancer
 Cures fungal infection
Regular intake of garlic will help us to be healthy. Let us add garlic to
our food and be healthy & happy.
Season’s Greetings !!!
“What do you think about the
Printcare Toastmasters Club?”
Hi !!! I’m Binura Anthony, 3rd year undergraduate at the University of Moratuwa who is currently undergoing an
internship at Printcare PLC. Before applying for the internship, I googled and checked about this company. I was so
mesmerized with what I found. One thing was that, I came across a lovely working environment which is so close to
nature. Other thing was, I found out that there is a Toastmasters Club. So, I didn’t think twice. I applied right away.
Just like I expected, everything was great.
Let me explain how I entered the Toastmasters chapter of your company. Actually I got to know about Sheron through
a friend I met in the company. One day, She came an asked, “Binura, I heard that you are interested in Toastmasters.
Why don’t you come and give a try? ”. As I still remember my immediate question was, “Is it possible for an intern to
join Toastmasters?” Because I felt just being a student would be an inadequate qualification to join the club as there
are so many other professionals who came from different backgrounds. But to my amazement, I received an
encouraging response from Sheron. That is, “Of course, you are most welcome”. That was one of the most sincere welcomes I’ve ever received.
To be frank, I felt really nervous to walk into the training room on the very first day. However, with the encouragement of Ms. Sheron & Mr. Radha,
I was able to step in to Toastmasters Meetings. I met new people who work in different SBUs of the company at each meeting. Their friendliness and
hospitality made me feel really proud about my choice. This is one of the greatest experiences I came across at Printcare. I delivered different types
of speeches and received encouraging evaluations on each of those. Printcare Toastmasters Club had helped to develop myself in public speaking to
a large extent although my engagement with the club is relatively new. The experience of addressing real professionals itself is amazing. I eagerly
listened to every speech and learned something new that could be added to my English vocabulary and for the life as well. Thank you for all the
valuable lessons you have taught me. I always felt like that I’m also a part of this club even though I went there as a guest. I’ve never seen that bond
and affection anywhere else. I delivered speeches, listened to speeches, sang carols, partied with you all and I loved every single moment of it. I think
I’m so fortunate to be a part of the Printcare Toastmasters Club and I like to extent my heartfelt gratitude to the President, TM Sheron & VP-Education,
TM Radha and each & every member for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be a part of your Toastmasters Club.
Last but Least, I wish you all the success in your future endeavours to achieve great heights every day in every single step you take. Let this be a pause
until next time. I wish that I am going to be back here for another Toastmasters Meeting but definitely as a Toastmaster and looking ahead for many
more surprising moments.
All the Best Printcare Toastmasters !!!
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 623 kJ (149 kcal)
Carbohydrates 33.06 g
- Sugars 1 g
- Dietary fiber 2.1 g
Fat 0.5 g
Protein 6.36 g
Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.2 mg (17%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.11 mg (9%)
Niacin (vit. B3) 0.7 mg (5%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.596 mg (12%)
Vitamin B6 1.235 mg (95%)
Folate (vit. B9) 3 μg (1%)
Vitamin C 31.2 mg (38%)
Calcium 181 mg (18%)
Iron 1.7 mg (13%)
Magnesium 25 mg (7%)
Manganese 1.672 mg (80%)
Phosphorus 153 mg (22%)
Potassium 401 mg (9%)
Sodium 17 mg (1%)
Zinc 1.16 mg (12%)
Selenium 14.2 μg
Source: USDA Nutrient Database
LET’S HAVE A
CHAT WITH AN
ENTHUSIASTIC
GUEST
GARLIC IS A MAGICAL HERB

17. 17
“FAIL BETTER… FAIL FORWARD…”
"No matter how tough the chase is, you should always have the dream you saw on the first day.
It will keep you motivated and rescue from any weak thought".
Have you ever come across failures in your life? Hopefully YES. How many times you have failed
in life? 1 time? 2 times? Or 5 times? Have you ever heard about a person who have failed
hundreds of times in his life? This person says, "I failed a key primary school test 2 times, I failed
the middle school test 3 times, I failed the college entrance exam 5 times and after all these when
I graduated, I was rejected for 30 jobs I applied for out of college. I was the only one out of 5
applicants to the police force to be rejected and the only one of 24 applicants to be a KFC
manager to be rejected. "I applied for Harvard ten times, got rejected the ten times and YET I
told myself that ‘Someday I should go and teach there.’” How amazing thinking is that?
Who is this person? Any guesses? Well! He is none other than Jack Ma. The richest man in China;
The founder and CEO of Alibaba.com, one of the world’s leading e-commerce web portals. The
man known in the West as Jack Ma was born to parents, who were involved in a profession of
storytelling through music, on the 10th of September, 1964 in China. Like many brilliant
innovative minds, both past and present, Jack struggled academically, especially throughout his
early years in primary and secondary schools, where he failed repeatedly. Jack Ma was not a good
student. Do you believe that he scored only 1 point out of 120 points for the maths paper of his
college entrance exam? It wasn’t because he didn’t have time to prepare. To this day he struggles
with mathematics despite the fact that his company is a tech company. Jack Ma says, “I am not
good at mathematics. Have never studied management and still cannot read accounting reports”.
But as it turns out, he never needed to be good at maths to become a billionaire. Because he was
not alone. He was surrounded by many great minds such as Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill,
Abraham Lincon along with his favourite movie, “Forrest Gump” who struggled in their early lives
with academics but went on to do great things. Also he wasn’t deterred after being rejected from
Harvard 10 times. For this he says that the very important thing you should have in life is patience.
Not only the education, but also when it comes to his career, he came across many failures along
the way. In the mid 1990’s Jack got to know about the existence of the internet and saw this new
trend in technology as a great business opportunity. He then started his own company “Alibaba”
solely focusing on the internet. The intention was to create a website which is more like a one
stop shop for business to business transactions. After starting his company, Jack tried to get
funding for his company and got rejected for running an unprofitable business model.
If I characterize few things on Jack Ma's background, education and path to success; they
are failure, rejection, fighting, resolve, hard work, agility and vision. All throughout Jack Ma's life,
from childhood till building a multibillion-dollar global ecommerce technology giant, he has failed
many times, been rejected and called crazy, even by his father who warned him about his unique
dangerous ideas. Jack Ma, a man of incredible resolve, has learned to fail better and fail forward.
I have a question to you… Have you ever felt discouraged when you consider your professional
progress or financial state? Chinese billionaire Jack Ma has few tokens of advice for you.
The first advice is… 1. Start small and grow big.
Jack Ma says, “We grew from 18 people to 30,000 employees with its own big site in China".
Starting out from a small cramped apartment, Jack Ma built his company from scratch and with
little capital to begin with.
The second advice is… 2. Don’t believe what naysayers tell you
Before becoming a billionaire, Jack Ma was an ordinary Chinese man who experienced rejections
and failures along the way. When he started Alibaba, many people discouraged him that his
company would not survive compared to known tech giants such as Amazon, E-bay and Google.
But did he listen to them?
While we know him for all his major successes, Jack Ma’s life has actually been riddled with
failures. He failed 3 times before being accepted to Hangzhou University. He was rejected after
every simple attempt of applying Harvard. Jack’s failures didn’t stop there. He applied for jobs 30
times but got zero offers. Thereafter he started 2 business ventures which ultimately failed. But
even that didn’t stop him from counting to try. He went on to create Alibaba in 1999 but failed
to find major funding. For the first 3 years they made zero revenues. But, what all these rejections
and failures had taught Jack Ma? He says, “We have to get used to it because we’re not that
good”. It teaches you how to be humble and how will, determination and stone- hard persistence
would pursue your vision. Yes just as he said in September 2014, his company went on public
making the biggest US IPO in history. Because he didn’t believe what naysayers told him.
The third advice is… 3. Overcome the
Roadblocks & Never Give Up
Jack Ma says “When somebody says “NO” to
something, that’s the beginning. If you don’t
do it, nothing’s possible. But if you try to do
it, at least you have the hope.” There were
many days Jack Ma was down. He found
solace and inspiration from watching
movies. His favorite movie is Forrest Gump,
he says that “I love Forrest Gump; I learned
from him to “Never give up!”. Today is hard.
Tomorrow would be worse. But the day after
tomorrow will be sunshine !!!
So dear Readers… No matter how tough the
chase is, my question is do you execute day
by day… over & over again… When you get
tired? When you get frustrated? When you
get upset? Will you keep going?
Just give a thought on that today…!!!

18. 18
THE BUTTERFLY IN YOU… !!!
Once upon a time there was a caterpillar
who was wondering what she should be
doing with her life? One day she saw another
caterpillar who was painfully stuck inside a
hairy filament. She badly wanted to help him
out but he denied and said, “This....is part of
the process of becoming a butterfly”. She
had no idea what a butterfly was. When she
asked he said, “It is what you and I are meant
to become”. In confusion she asked, “But…
how can I believe there’s a butterfly in me
when all I see is an ugly worm?”
He gazed into her eyes and said “you become a butterfly, the moment you want to fly so much
that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar”.
Like the caterpillar who was wondering what she should be doing with her life, every person
walks in as a guest for Toastmasters meetings wonders how to transform themselves into
beautiful butterflies. Just like every Toastmaster has experienced, the 20 seconds you are given
to speak on your first day at the Round Robin session becomes a nightmare, having knees tremble
and butterflies flying in stomach. However, they realize that every Toastmaster has gone through
the same feeling at the beginning but in time they will learn and grow. Just like a caterpillar
decides to become a cocoon to grow their wings, every new member bravely makes the choice
to step out of their comfort zone and become a Toastmaster to find the butterfly within.
Growing in the midst of fellow toastmasters, we all become very committed Toastmasters having
courage to make lots of mistakes to do our best. Toastmasters is a place where we look for
advices and mentoring to groom ourselves. In Toastmasters we all have mentors who help us to
grow, from whom we can gain wisdom, insight and knowledge. If you are a humble person who
often seek their continuous constructive comments in a positive spirit, you will learn, grow and
ignite day by day. As a result you become Competent Communicators, Competent Leaders,
Advance Communicators and Advanced Leaders in your Toastmasters journey. It is amazing to
experience and realize how competent you become day by day to walk through all the obstacles
with courage and determination. However, if you never step up for challenges that are a bit over
your head, you will never realize how tall you truly are. After all, it is you who holds the power
to spread your own wings and fly…
The contest season of Toastmasters is an opportunity that lights a spark within the members who
have realized that there’s something beautiful trapped within them which they need to give
wings for. Ones who always believe that they are great in their own perfect way. Stepping up for
challenges is something that Toastmasters love to do. We, as Toastmasters believe that…every
king was once a crying baby and every huge building was once a blue print...it doesn't matter
how bad you may feel today but what really matters is where you would place yourself
tomorrow. Winning the club contests, our own Toastmasters have gone all the way up to the
higher level contests in India making a huge transformation in their lives. Toastmasters never give
up! No matter whether you win or lose, the journey towards the challenge itself gives wings of
new directions to your dreams. After all, in life you don’t accidentally accomplish your dreams,
you have to work for it.
Growing in a cocoon for years, every Toastmaster, who once was a caterpillar becomes a
beautiful butterfly experiencing the beauty of a painful transformation. That butterfly will freely
fly far one day reaching horizons no matter how much you had to struggle as a caterpillar at the
early stages of your life! After all, it is you who holds the power to spread your own wings and
fly.
JOKES GALLERY !!! 
By : TM Sherine

19. 19
THOUGHT OF A TOASTMASTER
Do you feel nervous? Do your palms sweat? Do you feel knots in your
stomach? Do you often tell that you don't want to do it? Would you
rather do anything else than talking in front of an audience?
Does it sound like you? I'm not quite sure whether it's you. But I could
definitely say it was me 1 year before.
I was experiencing this situation 1 year back before joining the
Printcare Toastmasters Club. The only thing I understood back then
was that I should get rid of something within me and add something
better. But I was not able to understand what it was. I was searching
for that missing part of mine with much hunger. I knew that there is
some hidden potential inside me which I'm not making use of. I was
continuously looking for a platform to discover this potential where I
accidently got to know about the Printcare Toastmasters at the time of
being interviewed at Printcare.
1 year back, I walked into the Printcare training room as a guest feeling
all nervous. But the moment I entered through the door, a person with
a huge smile drawn on his face very enthusiastically welcomed me
shaking hands and hugging. Then everyone started shaking hands and
offered delicious food which was nicely arranged. For a moment... I
thought it's better to start working at toastmasters where we are
offered smiling faces, kind gestures and delicious food all the time.
Sooner, I felt it like home and simply enjoyed the acceptance by
members. Everything was fine until the time I had to stand up to speak
for the round robin session. I melted. The word I had to start my
sentence with was "knife". Instead of starting the sentence with knife
I felt like taking the knife and stabbing my neck. That day I realized how
long 20 seconds could sometimes really be. It made my knees tremble
and hands shiver. But to my amazement, toastmasters made me
realize that every toastmaster had gone through the same situation
when they started toastmastering. They all had butterflies in their
tummies but now they have mastered the art of public speaking and
have got through their fears.
When you first joined toastmasters didn't you find it weird when the
members applaud for almost everything? I myself found it really funny
at the beginning until I realized the value of it. When I was called upon
to give the icebreaker, everyone was applauding as if I was going for a
contest. I felt confident to speak up. The applauds, the nods, the smiles
and encouragement have raised me up to a level where I could deliver
the best from the bottom of my heart. Not only the welcome, but also
the evaluations we receive for our speeches are really worthy for us to
further improve. Haven't you noticed people rarely have time to listen
to us and give constructive feedback? But it's not the story at
Toastmasters. They listen to us attentively and give feedback to take
our speeches to different heights. Toastmasters is a place where you
would receive energy for the each mistake you do.
Here you are encouraged to make mistakes and learn. It's not just
delivering a speech it's all about improving ourselves. So dear
toastmasters & guests... could you think of a better place where you
get such a conducive environment like toastmasters? Don't you it’s
different? There is no must in toastmasters but a journey full of
freedom.
Moving on to our own growth, I myself experience the skills that
toastmasters nurture in us. Yes truly it's a place where leaders are
made. Leaders are not born. They are made through effective
communication skills, public speaking skills, presentation skills and
interpersonal skills. Youngsters who aspire to become leaders in the
future would gain much opportunity to improve such skills through
toastmasters. For instance; to craft a persuasive argument, organize
thoughts, use evocative phrasing, evaluate what other people say and
connect with your audience, whether it’s one person or thousands. The
table topic sessions conducted during toastmasters help us to talk to
the point by summarizing them within seconds. All these skills are
valuable to face any situation in our professional and personal life.
Apart from these, the mentoring experience is another mind-blowing
segment in toastmasters. It is similar to finding diamonds in the rocks.
There is a shadow to each one of us guiding on the right track always.
However, you could argue saying who wants to improve such skills, I'm
already good in speaking. If that is true there would be many
volunteers for table topic sessions than the usual victims. It's not the
ability to speak that makes the difference but the courage to step up.
Then, the opportunities that could be gained from Toastmasters are
indescribable. During the past nine months; although a little time, I
experienced that there are much opportunities in Toastmasters not
only on local platform but also on international platforms. The club and
area contests I witnessed, international contests I watched, trainings
and workshops I participated, educational meetings I participated
outside the home club truly motivated me to be more active within the
club. There is so much of knowledge, potential opportunities and
power lies in the name of “TOASTMASTERS”.
So dear toastmasters, it's all about a choice you make to walk out of
the comfort zone. Gather courage, be committed and confident to
continuously improve your value as a whole. Just imagine the courage
you would need to get up from your chair, walk up to the podium and
deliver a speech. I felt like a lioness after I gave my icebreaker.
No baby would walk as soon as he is born. He will take months & years
to walk alone without any support. During such time he will fall, crawl
and get the support of others to walk steadily. Toastmasters is also just
like that. You never know, you might end up being like Usain Bolt. Step
out from you comfort zone and
unknown fears. Explore the
wonders that Toastmasters has
to offer you ....! Engage ! Enjoy
! Enrich ! in Toastmasters... !
Source :
8th Presidential Installation
Ceremony – 2016

20. 20
NEW MEMBER WALL
“I got to know about the Printcare Toastmasters Club at my 1st interview. The
interviewer / my future boss said, “You'll fit right in to it”. But I was bit
skeptical because I knew I still had some nervousness of speaking in front of
an audience. After joining the company, I was encouraged to join the club by
lots of friendly people at Printcare. I joined the club not really knowing about
it. As I still remember, on the first day, I was invited to give an impromptu
speech by the Table Topics master. I felt really nervous and excited but the
friendly and encouraging nature of the club members motivated me to stand
up from my seat. I feel like Toastmasters is far more than public speaking. It's
a personal development programme that improves confidence, self-esteem
and leadership skills. I look forward to start my journey here to improve
myself while meeting some truly inspirational people.”
TM Sachinthana
Quality Assurance
“I was bit nervous when I stood outside the door.
“Is this the best thing to do? Do you really want
this?” I questioned myself. “Don't think too
much. Even if you don't like it just don't come
back” I reassured myself. That was how my life in
Printcare Toastmasters started, and I did not
come back. Printcare Toastmasters gives me the
wonderful opportunity to improve my skills in
speaking in front of an audience. On the first day,
I couldn't even say a complete sentence in the
round robin session but now I really enjoy it very
much and even got the chance to manage one
session as the Round robin Master. I was
motivated by the fellow toastmasters to actively
participate in the meetings. It is inspiring to listen
to the speeches of experienced toastmasters and
their feedbacks on others’ speeches. During the
small time period with Printcare Toastmasters, I
have learned a lot on delivering public speeches.
To all those who struggle with or want to
improve their public speaking skills I recommend
to join Printcare Toastmasters to improve their
speaking skills and leadership skills.”
TM Anuja
Production - PSL
“I have heard of the miracles of Toastmasters from many
people who encouraged me to join Printcare
Toastmasters. Though, I was somewhat comfortable in
public speaking, I had some nervousness which I wanted
to get rid of. Toastmasters gives me enough courage and
confidence to liase with many parties on different issues
which I come across in my day today work life. I attended
my first meeting as a guest with many expectations and
I got the opportunity to meet different people who has
different exposures. Printcare toastmasters meetings
always create comfortable atmosphere which is pleasant
and enjoyable with lots of delicious food. Joining the
Printcare Toastmasters club was one of the wisest
decisions that I have made in my life. Still I have much
more to learn and definitely I will continue the journey
towards the excellence in public speaking to become a
competent communicator & competent leader.”
TM Kaushalya
Quality Assurance
"Toastmasters is mainly about enhancing our
Leadership and Interpersonal skills. One of the
primary motives of Toastmasters is to help its
members eliminate the fear which arises
when speaking in public. As a Toastmaster we
come across with contemporary sets of words
which we constantly absorb them to our
vocabulary during each and every session.
Toastmasters is undoubtedly the best place to
enrich while engaging and enjoying."
TM Sandeep
Sales
“Toastmasters is a great place to make friends and
meet new people. There is mutually a positive
feedback among members. Toastmaster meetings
are very friendly and fun. Club meetings offer a
very supportive environment to exchange variety
of skills and knowledge among members. The
very first day I was so nervous because all the
members had to speak in the round robin session.
Though it is 20 seconds, it helps us to improve the
time management and the organization skills. I
believe toastmasters is one of the largest clubs
which focus on personal development.”
TM Chathurnika
Finance
“If it is to build self-confidence & enhance
interaction among friends, there is no
other place in the corporate world than
Toastmasters. Each and every day,
Toastmasters has its own unique
excitements to the members involved
actively. I have always enjoyed the
meetings from one end by listening to my
colleagues and from the other end
challenging myself to stand in front of the
fellow members. Further as it is an
international network it definitely carries
its value which is passed on to its
members. Simply it’s altogether an
interactive, interesting, motivating and
lively environment with wonderful
individuals. Looking ahead for greater
enthusiasms in the future”
TM Dilini
Finance

21. 21
TRAVELLING TOASTMASTERS
Reverberation 2016 : Semi Annual District Conference
Reverberation 2016, the mid-year conference of District 82 was held on the 4th
, 5th
& 6th
November at the VIT University of Vellore, India. The event was comprised of exciting events
organized by the Reverberation Organizing team.
Our very own Printcare Toastmasters got the immense opportunity of being part of this amazing
conference and have gained a remarkable experience.
JANUARY
TM Keerthi
TM Chathurnika
TM Sherine
FEBRUARY
TM Kishore
TM Pradeep
MARCH
TM Gamini
TM Kaushalya
TM Sachinthana
OVATION 2017
The Annual Conference of
Toastmasters International District 82
will be held in May 2017 in Sri Lanka
chaired by the Past District Governor,
DTM Zameen M Zaleem
Interested right ???
Contact our VP-PR : TM Prashanth
UPCOMING
EVENTS
GET TO KNOW
OUR LEADERS
DTM Mike Storkey
International
President
Toastmasters
International
DTM Sudash Liyanage
District Director
District 82
TM Chandrasiri
Wanasinghe
Division Director
Division F

22. 22
11
12E 13 1
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4
A A
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5
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15C N
6C 17
V E
T 7
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18
E
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8
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D
9
O
10
S N
ACROSS
1. The month in which the Toastmasters International convention is
held.
2. A common negative emotion experienced by first time speakers.
3. A person who inspires and motivates people towards the
achievement of a goal.
4. A skill that limits speaker’s ability to express themselves if not
developed properly.
5. A piece of writing that praises someone or something after they
have died.
6. Name of an amazingly simple graphic designing software.
7. A way of conveying confidence and poise .
8. In toastmaster assignments this light signals us that the minimum
time is met.
9. Red light signal of the timing device tells us to.
DOWN
11. Appropriate usage of this vocal variety technique enhances your
message to the audience and gives them time to absorb your
speech.
12. One of the Toastmasters International Values.
13. Toastmasters International’s 1st female president.
14. The most expressive part of body language.
15. Words which carry special associations or suggestions beyond
the dictionary meaning are called.
16. These people are go getters and consistently report being
happier.
17. Paying attention to this will help speakers make a good first
impression to the audience
18. The panel who vote for contestants.
10. These are quotes or opinions from people with expertise on a
particular subject.
Interested to join Toastmasters ???
You are most Welcome !!!
Where?
@ Printcare Training Room
When ?
Every 2nd
& 4th
Wednesday
At what time ?
5.45 p.m. onwards…
President
0777 146920
VP – Education
0777 660116
VP – Membership
0772 614691
VP – Public Relations
0773 124790
Secretary Come~Engage~Enjoy~Enrich
0777 590680 to Discover Yourself
Treasurer In this Magical Journey !!!
0778 319055
Sargent – at – Arms
0759 878963
PIZZA PUZZLE
The first Printcare Toastmaster
who submits the correct solution for this puzzle
on or before 6th
January 2017
would get the chance to receive a pizza on her / his choice.
So Hurry Up !!!
Send your answer to
roshani.a@printcare.lk
Are you a Real
Toastmaster?
Let’s see !!!