Return and rules

Returned from a 1 night trip over at Batam, Harris, Spa included.

The trip itself was good, the Spa was -very- nice and the people at Harris were fantastic.

But I'm feeling inexplicably foul.

I don't understand why.

Either
1: I returned home to a lot of work left hanging
2: I returned home fairly broke
3: Work
4: Broke
5: I expected it to be fun-ner (if there was such a word)

Bah, I think it's bad timing on my part. Life doesn't seem to go the way you plan, no matter how you plan it.

Still, all the knots in my shoulders are completely kneaded out and I never knew I had such vampirically pale skin after a good scrub down.

Definitely going again, just for the Spa and Pool.

Harris is good.

---

Ack, feeling used again. When will I be able to spend time with humans who won't take advantage of my time/money/emotions?

It's tiring to keep watching out for my own well-being. Do everyone spend their entire lives like that? I certainly hope not.

I've had had enough.

-Ask me, never expect from me
-Talk with me, never at me
-I won't be around if you've never been around.

Three simple rules.

A little pat

Taught at school, and had a most rewarding lesson thus far today.

One of my kids, a young girl. When I first took over her lessons, she was one of the students who always had a terrified look plastered on their faces when they enter the studio. Like I'm a fire-breathing, ten-armed, blue-skinned monster. Asking her a question will always make her whimper, getting her to learn a new song was like giving her a death sentence.

You get the idea.

Today, after we had the practical lesson (where she had been very enthusiastic about perfecting the song we learnt last week), I sat down to mark her homework. She stayed at the piano and played songs we learnt previously. On her own. Flawlessly and with very obvious enjoyment.

At that moment, it felt like a pat on my back.

This girl had been phobic about playing in front of me. And most kids usually don't bother replaying old songs they learnt long ago.

But she played, every single one, in the book. It was like a mini-recital of her own.

I'll never forget that moment.

Enough!

Wake up peeps!

Constant complaining, moaning, groaning, bitching, swearing, cursing your life or your situation never makes anything better.

Don't get me wrong, everyone bitches once in awhile.

So watch what you say, always think before you say anything. Do you complain too much to the people around you?

If you do, ENOUGH!

Constant whining just makes you lose your friends.

Take a deep breath, think about something happy to talk about instead.

How beautiful the sunset was today, your latest buy or accomplishment that made you happy, something funny your family or pets did. No matter how minor it may seem.

Share the love and joy, not the pain.

Everyone has pain, don't impose yours onto others unnecessarily.

Talk WITH people, not TO people.

Heh

Heh... was trying to figure out my expenditure this month and realized that I went over-budget. Like waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy over. Luckily the VS spree didn't have the clothes I wanted in stock.

Or I'd be eating grass for the rest of the week.

Muaha.

Last Song in Piano/Guitar Vers.

Welp, was searching Youtube because I felt like listening to the song again, when I found a Live version of this song, in Guitar. (There was another one that was nicer, but it got taken off Youtube.)

Last Song Live with Guitar


And Last Song Live again, with the Piano


(I'm ready to cry all over again.) I need someone to teach me the Guitar! RIGHT NOW!!

The Musician

Not me, the song is called 'the musician', at least, by the fans. A piece of music Allen Walker played in the D.gray-man anime.


Heh, listening to it again made me realize how badly out of tune the piano is. Also, at least 3 mistakes, pedaled too much and rushed at one whole section. Can you figure out where?

---

Details
Title: The Musician
Composed by: Wada Kaoru
Transcribed by: Xald Balghostriped
Played by: Ginny
Score can be downloaded here (Look under D, D.gray-man, and Musician)

Process: Took me 5 whole runs to get all the notes in, about an hour to sort out the fingering on the right hand and working out kinks. Total time spent practicing was about 2 hours, video taken properly after the 8th try. (The rest was full of mistakes.)

Review: Need to keep reminding myself never to rush songs especially at climaxes and be more aware of my finger position. Noticed that I keep sticking my R.H 2nd and L.H 5th out.

Strange Day

Had a really strange day. Well, it was actually frustrating and infuriating but I've simmered down quite a bit thanks to a complaining session with Sis. Okay, let us start with the good.

Had a lesson with WsB again after a 2 week holiday break. Click here for details. Lessons with him is a challenge in witticism, and a battle to the death on who can out-smart the other. (Hey, I wasn't the one who initiated the battle! Seriously!)

Round 1:
We started on a new song, Happy Birthday, found in the practical book.

WsB: I tried out this song a few times during the holidays.

Me: Oh really? Why? Is someone's birthday coming up?

WsB: My Dad, next week! HELLO~?! *smirk*

(Yes, he did mention about the Dad's birthday like a month ago, which I clean forgot.)

Results of Round 1: He got me good.

Round 2 (ding ding ding!)

Theory time, he did not do his work at all, so I sat him down and made him plow through his assigned homework.

WsB: That's... an F!

Me: Nope.

WsB: What?! Okay then... C!

Me: Nope.

WsB: What??!! It's a B!

Me: Stop guessing and count the letters properly!

WsB: I KNOW!! It's an E!!

Me: ....G.

WsB: Bah.

Round 2: It's a draw! (I think.)

Round 3:

After losing to me in theory (boys, lol), he proceeded to grumble to himself which sounded suspiciously like a couple of spanish words thrown in.

Me: Spanish? You know spanish? (Yes, I was shocked.)

WsB: *looking smug* Yes.

Me: Where did you learn it from? Your parents?

WsB: TV. Duh. You know spanish?

Me: Coupla words here and there.

WsB: Senorita?

Me: Miss.

WsB: Senor?

Me: Mr.

WsB: Bueno?

Me: Good.

WsB: Bleh.

End of lesson: 2:1, winner goes to me! Heh!
Think about it. A 6-year old quizzing you Spanish. How strange is that?

---

Bad thing:

I lost all my Sunday students. I'll just summarize it into four words. Bad planning (NOT ON MY PART!) and Foreign Talent. I'm gonna miss my kids. *sigh* I just hope they will take to this new teacher. *double sigh*

The news came as quite of a bit of a shock. Been teaching these kids (and adults) for a couple of months, they were already getting used to me and my teaching tempo, and now, they are suddenly shuffled a new teacher. Sheesh.

As Sis said, I'll just fill up my slots with private kids. But I will miss these kids. *Sob* How discouraging. Oh well, time to chin up and plough on!

Whoops

Yesterday night, lolling about in bed replaying Crisis Core while recalling my behavior the past half year.

Whoops, I've been a real ass.

I haven't been nice enough to the people I should be nice to. Haven't been talking to the people I should have more.

Schedule aside, it's time to catch up on the lacking areas.
It's time to be less calculating.

Talks

Hour long talks, each with a beer in hand.

I miss talking, really talking with Dad. He is one of the few people who takes me seriously, listens to my questions and thoughts, processing it properly and giving me answers that make sense. Never a single unnecessary word uttered, every word that comes out of his mouth is weighed, measured to have no other hidden meaning from what he literally says.

How many people out there talks like that now?

I've had a question that had been weighing on my mind for awhile. It's about a decision to make, one that will alter my career path. I had asked several people close to me the exact same question, all giving either answers that are non-committal or simply doesn't make sense.

Yes, I weighed the pros and cons myself, but I was simply asking for more insight and opinions.

Dad listened, took three seconds to think, listed down pros, cons, responsibilities, dangers, all in verbal bullet point form and we spent the next half an hour discussing possible routes and hiccups.

That was all I needed people. Logical answers.

New lesson learnt: Only Dad can give answers that are truly answers for now.

I refuse!

No No No! I absolutely refuse to allow myself to be put down again. Reminder to self: No comparison, no envy, feel no contempt, let nothing bother you, yet do your best in everything you do.

MY LIFE, MY WAY!!

Fight-o!

---

Bought a PSP today. (Finally.) I shall call it Dory. Set me back SGD$355, but it's a must-buy now. (Ever since Sony belched out the 3000 series.)

Moving on

Received an email and smses from someone I don't really wanna hear from for the rest of my life. Why can't people just move on? Block out the bad things and get on with life?

Don't inconvenience others, or make them recall things they don't want to remember.

Move along peeps, move along.

You only live once, so live without regrets, and don't dwell on the unhappy occurrences in the past. Don't regret your decisions, don't regret your life.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Spend your life with your conscience at work every waking minute and you will live your life without guilt.

---

Postscript. I actually used up the whole roll of plastic wrap. All 10 metres of it. And I haven't even finished half of my music book collection, let alone wrapping my manga and other books. Yeesh!

An addiction

I've been wondering for sometime, almost everyone I know who has books they love, they will wrap it in plastic.

I've always thought, what's the point? All books yellow and degenerate over time. It's just how careful you handle them that makes them last.

I had bought a few music reference books not too long ago and this morning, while I was in Popular buying some stationary, I thought, "ah heck, might as well buy some plastic to wrap those expensive music books."

Whoo boy, now I'm addicted. I wrapped up the dictionary, and decided it wouldn't do not to wrap my theory books as well, and before I knew it, I wrapped 8 books in one sitting.

Never wrapped so many stuff at one go in my life.

Now I know why. It's an addiction. Would've have continued but am starting to doze off. Clocked in 3 hours of sleep yesterday, feeling the shortage now. Time to bathe, chill and snooze.

Have fun peeps.

...................................................................................

A short funny story. On the way home after dinner, Mom popped into This Fashion to buy a pair of bling-studded long leggings she saw on the mannequin. When we reached home, Mom went into her room to try on the new leggings. She yelled for me to see if it looks good on her. I was at the dining table, wrapping, too lazy to stand up so I told her to come out and show me.

She came out, wearing only the leggings and her bra. She went, "Nice or not?"

I nearly died laughing.

Appassionata 3rd movement

Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op.57 also known as the Appassionata.

I've been at this piece since December, learning just the 3rd movement (Practiced a little of the 1st movement). Think my neighbors are sick of this piece.

Trivia: Appassionata was composed between 1803-1805, which was also when Beethoven was completely deaf.

Same piece of music, listen to how different it sounds at the hands of different pianists.

First, Sean Bennett, playing Appassionata, 3rd movement.


Now Arrau (god bless his soul) with the same piece, taking twice the amount of time to complete the movement.


I adore Bennett for how easy he makes playing the piece seem. I adore Arrau for the emotion he managed to portray. (Suicidal, I say.)
And no, I can't play like that. Ask me again in 10 years and maybe, just maybe...

I lwost....

Came back from work and asked Dad on the results of the Mahjong game they had here today.

"I lwost. I lwost one hundwred. *sniff* I lwost one hundwred and twen." He replied in a whiny kiddy voice.

BWAHAHAAHAHAHA!

Postscript. Kept being late going to student's houses today. Yeesh. New resolution. Make a habit of being early, never late.

Red Packets

Received a red packet from my student for the very first time.

It's a nice gesture, albeit one that felt a little strange. How often do your student themselves give you red packets?

Piano Questions 101 Part 2

More questions and answers.

1.) I want to learn to play the piano, but I'm too old.
It's never too late to start. My oldest student is a grandmother, learning for leisure, coming for lessons to learn oldies that she loves. Important thing is deciding if you have time, energy and patience to pick up something new, because like all skills, learning the piano takes time.

2.) How young should a child start learning to play the piano?
The youngest I've seen someone start their child on piano was 5. Any younger, they might have difficulty reaching the further keys and doing theory. Most children I see only start going for piano exams at the age of 7 onwards. (That is also when they are familiar with the idea of exams, thanks to Primary Schools.)

3.) How often should I practice?
As often as you can when you can afford the time. Practice here means working on parts of a piece you have difficulty in or polishing up the piece, not mindlessly replaying old songs you have learnt. If you find yourself starting to play without looking at the score, take a break, have a coffee and come back in fifteen minutes. Because that means your brain has switched to auto-mode, not very conducive for practice. On the other hand, when you start getting frustrated and wish you could beat your fingers into submission, it's also time to take a break. Once your hands start feeling strained, stop.

4.) How to improve my sight-reading?
Getting your hands on new songs and playing them. There is no short cut to improving sight-reading. Pay attention to time signatures, key signatures, dynamics, music directions and speed. These are some common things to look out for, but playing new songs and getting used to reading on the spot can only be trained, not taught.

5.) How can I improve my aural skills?
Eh heh, difficult question because I suck at Aural myself. Getting your teacher to coach you each and every lesson, spending as much time as you can listening to classical songs (Hooray for 92.4 FM!), pretty much exposing yourself to as much classical music as you can.

Now, I am not claiming to be an expert in music, but these are the common questions I keep getting, so yeah, I try to answer as best as I can.

Think I am bonkers?

Think again.

Dad, today, reading the paper.

The funny things our family members do. So lighten up, people, and have fun, everyday! (Dad's explanation for the hilarious pose was that "Because Mummy was mopping the floor!" ........Huh?)

Piano Questions 101 Part 1

Okay, today, yet another parent asked me a few questions which I thought should be clarified. Some common questions, I'll add more when I get asked.

1.) What are Grades?
Piano (along with most Orchestral instruments e.g Violin) have exams to take which are Graded. The most common examination board Singaporean students go to is the ABRSM, which sets exams up to 8 grades. (8 being the highest, 1 being the lowest.) After Grade 8, you may consider going for a diploma. Each grade consists of 2 separate exams, Theory and Practical.

2.) Must I (or my kid) take the piano exams?
Depends on what you want out of playing the piano. Do you want to learn the masterworks? Study Beethoven in detail or play the Chopin Etudes? Then yes, do go for the Graded exams. However, if you are learning for leisure, to play songs for your own enjoyment, then maybe no. Just remember that these exams are just milestones, are marker to show where your skills roughly are.

3.) Can I (or my kid) skip the Grades?
Whoo boy. The question every parent asks for their kids. Yes, and no. How does skipping work? Grade 5 cannot be skipped. Grade 8 is the end of the Grades, so no point skipping it. So, yes, Grade 1-4 can be skipped, but 5 cannot be skipped. Grade 6 and 7 can be skipped, 8 cannot be skipped.

So, to take the Grade 6 exams, you NEED the Grade 5 certs.
With me so far?
Now should you skip?
For children, preferably, no.
For adults, depends.

Exams are exams. People panic during exams. It's a way of life. If you are taking a Grade 5 exam right off the bat without prior examination experience before, chances are you will fail not because you are ill-prepared, but out of fright or nerves. (unless your teacher is one helluva teacher.)

So if you are considering skipping, please discuss in detail with your teacher.

4.) I want my kid to take the Grade 1 exam, but we don't have a piano because we are afraid s/he will lose interest. Can s/he take the exam?
My advice here would be, do try to buy a piano, or at the very very very least, a decent keyboard. (One that preferably at least 80 keys.)

Would you go take a written test if you only see your textbook once a week?
Nope.
Same logic applies here.

Touching the piano once a week for 1 hour during lessons is insufficient to take an exam.

5.) I can't afford a brand new piano, someone told me that I shouldn't buy a second-hand piano and a keyboard's touch is different from a piano. What should I do?
Find a very good keyboard (which is as expensive as a second-hand piano for certain brands) or a decent used-piano dealer who won't cheat you off your money will be the best. My advice here: Save up and scout for a good second-hand piano. If you are planning to take graded exams, a keyboard is will not suffice, because yes, the touch is different.

If you do want a second-hand piano, a few things to remember and ask the dealer.
1.) The age of the piano
2.) Brand of the piano
3.) Model number of the piano
4.) History (Used heavily or for leisure?)
5.) Check the keys and touch
6.) Play some songs, and get a feel of the sound
7.) Check for wear and tear (This, you will need a tuner you can trust to check for you.)
8.) Price

All right, 5 questions. Will post up more when I remember the questions.

Party @ Auntie Pat's house

Sunday night, food, booze, party junk and KTV at Auntie Pat's house.

I kinda like the house, it's a 2 floor unit at Tropicana somewhere in Pasir Ris. Reason why I like it, the pool is just right outside the living room! Hahaha.

Here are some pics.

Zel, looking perfect for the ghost of The Ring 4

Constance

Good 'ol Dad

Me. Sharing a Yam Yam with Zel

Zel and her Dad, Derek.

Gay Dad?!

Gay Dad... (If you were wondering, yes, I was the one who put him up to it.)

Auntie Pat, rummaging for more party junk.

Ackkk! It's the attack of the Gay Dads!

Zel and Constance

I think it's time for me to buy a decent camera again.