Formal Winter Wear | Blogmas

Blogmas Day 4

*cue instrumental Christmas songs*

Last night, our Toastmasters club had a little club competition. It was a Humorous and Table Topics – which is when the host gives the speaker a topic which they have to speak about on the spot, in under 2 minutes – speech competition. I was competing in both of them. 

I had to also write a humorous speech – which I finalized just the day before – for the humorous contest. I wrote that I was freaking out about it on this post. And I had also said that I would like to at least try to place in something this year, since I barely even tried with speech contests. I never really saw the point of it all.

But yes, I did try. I rehearsed and rehearsed whenever I could – which is while driving home, or doing my make up. And on the day, I got to the venue early to rehearse some more. I didn't feel like I was ready, but the entire night I felt like "Meh, whateves. Does it really matter if I forget my speech?" So the entire night I went on feeling like the happiest, jolliest person there. It was my way of covering up that I was nervous and freaking out as hell. Smiling all the time, hopping around, flipping my hair – you know, weird stuff that people do when they're jolly. 

And when it was my turn. I suddenly went blank. I completely forgot my speech. COMPLETELY. I just stood in front of everyone for a good whole minute trying to remember what I was shouting out at home, in my car, and while doing my make up. But I breathed and smiled like I was about to laugh – because I was – then I remembered what I was going to say. 

I won 2nd place in the humorous contest. I was literally expecting someone else to win, but yay for 2nd place. 

Now I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Next month – which is next year!! >.< – there is going to be another competition in which I will have to write an International speech – which basically is speech that's deep, heart felt, and meaningful. Yay for that too.

Oh and what do you guys think of pairing a sweater with a blazer? I really like it. It looks so smart, like a grad student or something. I'm so happy it's cold enough not to sweat through three layers of clothing. 

| Blazer - Forever 21 | White Button up - Next | 

| Pants - Bershka | Shoes - Paprika |

 How is everyone's day going so far? Doing good I hope! 

Have a jolly day!

And remember to keep that frown upside down! :D 

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Know your troll-self

Remember that Toastmasters workshop that I went to last weekend and got a flower thrown at me. It was in my last post, yeap that's the one. 

One thing I realized while I was sitting there listening to Mr. Dananjaya Hettiarachchi speak and tell us his secrets to becoming the World Champion in Public Speaking, my mind would contradict almost every question he asked. Whether it had a positive or negative impact, I didn't seem to care because my troll self was on fire! 

I know it was mean, I tried to stop myself, I really did. I held myself back long enough to let the sarcastic comeback pass through my head and laugh it out so I can breathe easily, but there were instances when they would just slip out like word-vomit. Okay gross image. Sorry folks. But you know where I'm getting at.

An "Are you all ready?" being screamed out into the audience would be the perfect opening question to reply with the obvious answer as "No!". Hear that faint "No!" in the wave of "YEAH!"'s? Yeap, that's me, and a few other trolls that are farthest from the stage.

This is the outfit I wore to the workshop. Semi-formal with a very messy bun. I like this button up but it feels a little too short since I wanted to tuck it in a bit. My favorite part of the button up would be it's military uniform cut, and the gold plated collar cuffs. The cuffs are the reason I bought it, it looks elegant in a way.

| Button up - Red Tag | Blazer - Forever 21 | 

| Jeans - Bershka | Shoes - Paprika | Necklace - Ebay | 

Photo Creds: Najla Qamber

Have you ever trolled before? Isn't it fun? 

Don't over do it though, people may seriously get hurt, emotionally.

Troll-safely! 

Have a wonderful day everyone! 

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Lucky Rose

Last night I attended a toastmaster workshop by this years World Champion Public Speaker; Dananjaya Hettiarachchi. He spoke about really inspirational topics such as journeys, success, mentors, perseverance, believing, and gave us pretty good tips on delivering and writing a speech. 

After he won World Champion in Public Speaking, his winning speech got viral within the Toastmasters community in Bahrain. I mean, like, seriously, even my mom watched it and made everyone in the house watch it.

If you haven't already, I suggest you watch it before you continue reading.

The speech was pretty good. It was funny too, and his message "I see something in you, but I just don't know what it is" gives out quite the motivation and inspiration to the audience to see something in themselves and work towards attaining something great. 

But as time went on after the announcement that Dananjaya was coming to Bahrain to give workshop on speaking, his message "I see something in you..." was starting to get really annoying. No offense Dan, but people just continue to say it over and over and over again, trying to fit that sentence into everything they say, it just cooks up that annoying brew of a back slap to the person saying it. 

The entire workshop lasted about three hours. Dananjaya spoke for an hour straight, and we didn't even notice time pass. I thought he spoke for about 30 minutes or less, but I was surprised that he spoke for an hour straight with the audience on the edge of their seats. Congrats to him!

But why this rose in the photos?

I'll tell you. Being Vice President of Public Relations of my toastmaster club, Young Adult Toastmasters, I was spamming the clubs instagram, facebook, and twitter with photos and quotes during the workshop. And I'm not going to lie, I spent 30% of the time on my phone and just half listening to Dananjaya speak.

Towards the end of his session, Dananjaya, spoke his final inspirational words and of course his; what I now assume is his mantra, "I see something in you, but I just don't know what it is" He plucks the rose from the side pocket of his blazer, and throws it to the audience.

I did not see this happening, because at the time I saw four notifications on my facebook that I decided to check out. So as facebook was loading, I suddenly hear a gasp from the audience and something red land on my lap.

"what the hell? -.-" was what was going on in my head when I found the rose on my lap.

What are the odds of having something thrown into the audience and having it land on a persons lap. HOW?

People around me then started saying "Nada, you're going to get married soon!" "Nada it's a sign" "You're so lucky you got it" 

And I just smiled, nodded and gave a little haha every now and then.

Haha. 

Yay for a rose. But what's the sign? who am I getting married to? and why am I lucky? 

Have a great day everyone! 

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The Weather Forecast

"This is Halloween, This is Halloween!"

Okay halloween isn't here yet. Chillax Nada! 

Moving on...Just like many of my previous posts, I enjoy talking about the weather. How hot it is, how much I crave for the cool air, or how cold it would become which then would result to me craving for the hot rays of the sun. It's like we're stuck in the small talk level of conversation by the constant mention of the weather. 

On to the Bahrain's weekly weather report. *cue news anchor background music*. Bahrain has cooled down a bit with slightly cool winds that caused a little bit of a sandstorm today. Yay for that. But based on the iPhone weather app, it says that after today's windy experience the country will continue to be bright and sunny for the next few weeks along with the slowly depleting temperature. It will stay above 30 degrees for the next week, so keep your sandals and short sleeves on and enjoy the sunny weather while it lasts. But then again, do we really trust this iPhone weather app?

| Blazer - Stradivarious | Blouse - Forever 21 | 

| Pants - Bershka | Shoes - Paprika | 

Photo creds: Yasmeen Abdulla & Najla Qamber

Haha

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Don't let the weather bring you down! :)

 

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It's a Gala!

It's a gala y'all!

I went to my first gala dinner during my trip to Oman. Now when people say "Gala Dinner" my first though was, red carpet, photographers, savory dishes, and the waltz. I know, that's not how regular gala's go and that I read too many red carpet articles. But I'm not the only one who had the red carpet fantasy, a friend of mine who came long on the trip had the same perception, so I'm not alone!

Anyways, the gala was to celebrate the conference or to give those uptight toastmasters a chance to let the crazy in them free. There was dancing. ALOT of it. First, everyone was okay, swaying to the music the live band was playing, and then the DJ stepped it. We all know what happens when the DJ steps into the building. People start to dance, jump and woohooo...It was weird watching those once serious toastmasters shake their booty up on the dance floor. And that was my cue to step out and sit down.

It's not that I don't like dancing and jumping to the music, it's just that the music was bad, or well, not my kind of music. I'm sorry but no. So 90% of the night,  most of our group stayed by our table, watched, and laughed at those who were dancing.

| Coral Maxi Dress - Forever 21 | Necklace  - ALDO |  Cardigan (similar) - Bershka | 

| Shoes - Payless | Bag - Charles & Keith |
creds to my sis for the photos

When I saw this dress at Forever and tried it on, I felt so beautiful. Though it's simple, it really makes me feel beautiful for some reason. Maybe it's because I've never worn a dress like this and actually looked good while wearing it.

Has a dress or a piece of clothing ever made you feel beautiful?

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Flying, Toastmasters, and Han Solo

Only a couple of days before I fly to Oman with my fellow Toastmasters for a three-day Toastmaster convention, and I thought I'd be a bit more excited about it, with the heavy heart beats and restless nights thinking about the flight, but it all seems good. Perhaps my excitement for flying will grow once I'm on the way to the airport.

Speaking of flying to Oman, it's been three days and I still haven't finished packing. Thankfully for all the lists and grocery shopping, I'm half way done.

 

| Top - Stradivarious | Belt - forever21 | Pants - BERSKA | Shoes - New Look |

Photos by my sister, Naj

The theme for last week's toastmaster meeting was Star Wars Day. My first thought was to dress up as a padawan, and while picking out the clothes, the outfit looked more like Han Solo's than a padawan's. I decided to go with it.

And a funny bonus from the night! 

Tell me you wouldn't morph into this position when being attacked by a toy lightsaber. Imagine if it was a real one, those things can slice your head off.

 

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Appear, Disappear

Do you all get that feeling when you really want a specific item, you see it everywhere? And you refuse to buy what you see until you find the perfect one. So you stand there contemplating whether this particular object is worth your money.

While I'm out and about at the mall, meeting up with friends, or having breakfast/lunch/dinner. While I walk around and look into the shop windows to see and admire the clothes behind it, my mind suddenly travels to an image of a gorgeous simple pair of ankle strapped heels that I saw online a few weeks back. Seeing those pumps on almost every window I passed, and spending my time going in almost every shop trying to decide if those pumps were exactly as I imagined them to be. I finally settled down and bought what I thought were the perfect pair. My wishes for ankle strap heels have been answered, thank you universe!

| Shirt - Ralph Lauren | Pants - Bershka | Shoes - Payless |

What better place to break into your new pumps then during a Toastmaster meeting, where you will be sitting down half the time. 

So, have any of you ever wanted something sooo bad that it started to show up everywhere?

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Weekend Brilliance

All I can remember from the past week was our very long toastmasters meeting, my birthday brunch. Oh and some little bits and pieces of hanging out with my cousin randomly getting piercings and chilling at a cafe, and suffering the consequences of coffee during the night.

A few years back, coffee would make me sleepy; which is the exact opposite of what it's supposed to do. But I guess as years past of constantly consuming the ever so delicious freshly brewed Starbucks coffee, my body decides to follow the herd of sheep and keep me wide awake at night if I consume coffee after 6pm

As for my birthday brunch, my very close friends from YAT, my siblings and mom, decide to throw me a surprise brunch. But I figured it out in the end. Putting two and two together, going towards a completely different direction as my sister said we're going, and my sister texting on her phone constantly for the past week.

Was I surprised? A bit, but isn't that what matters. At least I was a little bit surprised.

Throughout the brunch, they "surprised" me with a cake and a huge trunk filled with gifts. Apparently I freaked some of the people out by somehow knowing who's gift is from who, and where they bought them. O.O Whopps.
It was fun though, thank you all who came to celebrate my birthday with me. xox

This is the outfit I wore during our Toastmasters meeting.

Blazer, Forever21 | Dress, New Look | Belt,  Forever21 | Shoes (Centerpoint) | Necklace (it was a gift)

And my sister coming into the frame to give me a hug while I was taking photos. 

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