lol

It's finally sem break.. Glad it's going slow cause we only have 1 month of it. I'm trying to cut down on my meal portion cause I'm no longer exercising as much as when I'm going to school everyday.

Supposingly I'm writing weekly blogs about my job but it's been 6 days since last Saturday so I can't remember anything from that day anymore, aka not blogging for job this week.

I'm occupying myself with these activities this holiday.

- doing some work for Campap competition. I spot it's poster in my college.

- getting a hair cut

- meeting poh yen, hui mei, elaine, jyu li

- meeting my ex-class mate

- sharpen my violin skill by practicing more often

- read 2 story books

- eat more fruits and drink water in the morning to detox^^ cos my pimple's quite active lately

I've

- banked in some money

16/10/10

-Ziqi got her own violin today but she have to leave it in the skul. I've put fingering stickers on her violin. She didn't learn much because I was busy tuning and fixing her violin.

-Chew Ming came in first. He was better than Nick in terms of concentration. Nick was tired after his piano lesson with Amy when he came in, but he was still hyper in the end when he recover, therefore he learn nothing today. He doesn't have his own violin and so he doesn't practice at all. At least Chew Ming learn a song today. Next month, I'm surely separating them. These boys like games maybe I should put that into teaching them more effectively.

-Zhi Xin didn't bring her practical books so we did theory today. I explain time signature too complicated to her. She can't understand at first but I teach her as she did her work, a little more effective. I can see she's understanding it but still not confident.

-Christopher got his result today. He got 111, a pass for Grade 1 practical. The examiner wrote he's techniques were not strong yet. He mentioned bow and timing. His aural test got full marks. I gave him a patience lesson again today. He overcome shifting form A to D string. He was playing more in tune.

-Ruvisha, she practiced. Her violin strings keep loosening. I spend most of the lesson tuning her violin. She can do straight bowing now, it's just that she haven't make it a habit to implement it when she plays. Which is what makes her music sound imperfect.

-Sao Chyi didn't bring her old books as I told her to. She did well in learning and playing the new exam piece. She now know the correct D Major (separate bows) in the exam syllabus. D major's ok but she can't play G major smoothly yet.

-Xue Ying was unable to realize her weakness again today- her tempo. She know today she's been clicking the fingers too high. I told her to be careful not to draw on other string but I think she doesn't get it. She failed to do well in those songs that I've ask her to practice, I ask her to keep practicing. I know that she's packed with one week of schedule of where to go, what to do. She said she have no time to practice because she's got a drawing to complete. She's playing violin in front of her mom every Saturday.

-Yu Hang was absent.

Penny did not bring her viola today. Amy ask me if any of the students is ready for exam. I gave him only Sao Chyi for sure and Christ for maybe. I think she doesn't look satisfied. Exam is one of the income of the skul what.

9/10/2010

this is the first post for 'at job'. basically it's to record the progress of my students in learning violin, and therefore to improve my teaching skills. it's also to record whatever happened at work with all the wonderful teachers.

- 9/10, it's the second lesson for Ziqi, my new student. The skul is out of Strictly Strings which is more suitable for her use in this more matured age of 9. So, I let her use this new green book, I haven't use this book for any other student yet so it's kind of experimenting with a new book. Ziqi is a quiet girl, but she was very curious when she saw a lizard's broken tail. Her mom requested to talk to me about her progress, how was she doing. I told her mom, she's good and can carry order's well. She can learn quite fast because of her basic in piano.

-Secondly, it's Nick and Chew Ming's lesson. Nick's as hyper as usual and Chew Ming's late again. I thought them more on theory this week. At the end of the class, I tried to rush them to do some practical, but I can't control them. Finally I can't get anything out of it and send them out. I told Amy Nick needs to have a violin to practice at home now she says ok. Nick's finishing his theory at home.

-I let Zhe Xin do theory this week too, while I put on fingering stickers on her violin. She's good in getting all theory done and understanding them. She's finishing her theory at home.

- Christ learns practical. I was teaching him the first song in his new book. He made some progress today, to play slowly and patiently. He was frustrated when i keep asking him to play in tune and play slowly. He does these body movement when he plays a song so I ask him too to not dance when he plays. When he's able to play in tune, then he can dance.

-Ruvisha started her lesson late because I was having KFC for lunch. Thanks to Karen, the bday teacher for buying everyone KFC. We also had Secret Recipe that day too, so nice! Anyway, Ruvisha learned practical too. She had problem playing in tune and shifting fingers between A string and D string. I told her mom I've cancel her out of the practical exam next year.

-Sao Chyi still so quiet and she smiles timidly as if to hide the fact that she's smiling. I haven't seen her playing with her playing with her ballet friends too. She's doing well with the scales but still played 2 Gs in the D major scale. I let her play the scales book I've photostat for her. Don't want her to get crazy while keep practicing the exam pieces. Taught her something new this week, the harmonic. I asked her to bring along her old books and pay me rm3.30 for photostat book next week.

-Xue Ying was thought a little bit about her theory. She's finishing her first book with the exams. She got the bass clef notes wrong. Her practical is still not strong. She played in wrong timing and had trouble clicking notes like Yu Hang.

- Yu Hang had some progress. He speaks more than usual today. I think he feels more familiar now with me and he's happy today. He's slow as usual but I give him time. His handkerchief kept falling down and puts them back very slowly. He played a complete song today. He laughed so hard when he hears weird sound. Although not smooth but he really did finish the whole song with the 'gliss'.

-I finally find something challenging to teach Yee Yen. She's starting grade 2 today. She's following my path and Suzuki book 1 is her first grade 2 book. She did Trinkle variation for bowing techniques. And learn harmonic today. Mom says she'll rarely have time to take lessons from me later. By the way, she still have an awkward position while playing the violin.

-I love this job with great people and great environment to work in. I had fun talking and eating with the teachers and Christine. Penny promise to bring her viola to let me have a look next week, looking forward to see the real viola.

Think i have to keep track of when am I teaching practical and when am I teaching theory. Have to balance them to make sure my students are learning both in the same pace.

to do list

on net

- search for next suitable hair style, for keep long

- recipe on 便当food

for hw

- get marbling technique

- get impressionism pict *2 pieces

- 2 pieces of pudu jail photo

- perspectives of mushroom, and shirt

- get some asian art history tv commercial

pressure before the test

I was in really stress mood few days before. I just had my violin practical exam yesterday. It turn out fine. There're stops and errors in the pieces, the others were ok. There was one test in the aural part, the examiner played a song. And I'm suppose to tell him the texture and what period is it from. I was never taugh of that part, I didn't even know that it's part of the exam. So, I tembak la. It's playful and from the modern period. He asked me to give a reason for that. I said it felt pop and playful. But, that didn't bother me really much. I'd say it's a better than pass. A merit? not so sure.

mm.. the reason I'm stress is because of aYen. I haven't cry for a long time, except for the moments that I cry watching a movie la.
2 days before exam- We practiced with the terribly out of tune piano. She, with nothing to do the whole day, practiced her part for hours. And once I'm done eating and bathing, I started joining in. After that, she insist on teaching me sight singing. I said I had to get out for the 7pm drama. But, she keep continuing. So fed up, I was rolling my eye, frustrated. I said (politely) I want to go watch the drama, it's already 7.30pm. You can watch it whenever you want but I can't, let me go. Then, she finally let me go. Out of politeness, I said I'll come back when it's 8pm. Holding the gruch, tired of satisfieing her standard, I went back in for practice. Kept having that sensation like you're about to cry that night.

1 day before exam- It was Wednesday and I got home early by 1pm or so. Soon after, Teng came back too. After seeing me and Teng watching tv for one and an half hour, aYen shouted "you two don't be so lazy!" We both ignored her. Same thing happened after another hour. We continue to ignore her. You might be wondering why is she scolding Teng too. mmm.. she's scolding me for not practicing so much hours as she did. And she's scolding Teng for not revising as hard as her for a BIG BIG BIG HUGEEE exam- pmr. (lol) I think everyone's got their own method of studying. See, Mi used to scold Wan Cheng so much for burning the midnight oil, but she got excellent grades. Every child in our family (I believe) can be trusted to manage their own studies as long as they get As, which we always does. That day, we ignored her, trying to eliminate the stress she's giving out, but i think Mi and Pa got influenced. Pa asked both of us to sweep the second floor, he'll sweeped the groundfloor. We didn't even got us to agree. In that senario, he should have espect us to rebel his suggestion. Can't you see, aYen's trying to boss everyone in this house! And Mi, saw me not practicing before going to my regular violin lesson. she started soft but then she raise her voice and insist that I'm taking it too easy. That afternoon, I was tired and stress out hearing their demand on me. I just finish having bath, and Mi called me twice , "aren't you planning to practice?" Obviously, it's what Yee Yen ask her to say. My anger exploded after the 2nd call. I took my violin and stormed downstairs. I said, "practice! practice! practice! I'll cry if I have to."
Yen replied, " you have to practice, you're terrible."
I yelled, "I'm not you!"
"What to do if you fail?"
"That's my business not yours. I'm the one taking the exam not you."
"Then you go back and sleep. No need to practice!"
My voice was like crying already. I took my violin and stormed upstairs. I said, "don't push me anymore." Before the lesson, I did not practice because I can't play in that dreadful mood, I can't let them make me hate violin. Tiping this now still makes me have that crying sensation under my throat, I'm still angry for what Yen did.
When I reach upstairs, I told Teng that I had to cry because I've keep the stress in my chest for so long. And then my tears rushes out like it's out of control. It last for like 10 minutes and the next few subsequent times. I stop talking to everyone. When Mi said i was taking it too easy, I started recognizing her as an enemy too. I told her we'll go out early so that I can practice in the school. There, I compromised to stop her protest.
When I reach the school, I started talking and smiling. My mood recovered and I played well with the school's IN TUNE piano. In my heart, I consider this proves that it isn't my fault for not playing good at home, it's that piano. No matter how many times I play at home, my pieces won't improve. And it's aYen and that room which collects all my bad memories of working with Yen. After that lesson, me and Yen became sisters again. I think she symphatises me and she approved my good plays, that's why she's good with me. Conditional love..

I promised to myself that I won't ever choose Yen as my accompament ever again.

week one of back to skul

when i was back in skul, i was kind of alone cos everyone already know everyone except me. but my classmate are ok, they talk to me, it's just that i hesitate to ask people question when i'm clueless about something.

the 1st two days were awful. tracing, drawing and coloring. the tracing was no fun cos it's just copying. drawing was fine and i din do well with that. coloring was NO FUN AT ALL, plus can't finish it in one day. so, i have to accumulate them til weekend (dateline's end of semester). wednesday's project. i got into a group. in the morning, i was so blur, din hear my teammate said they are in the pc lab, and i just sit there and read about Vincent van Gogh all morning. Until, Winnie came back and fetch me there. Then, we do project for whole day and i got a chance to know and speak to everyone in my group. We didn't manage to finish it in skul n i offered to finish it at home. At least i've pay back the blur times i gave them. Thursday,drawing class was great. I manage to draw what the teachers ask for and I was absent last week where they teach these techniques. Friday was boring with english and art history.

I also helped at the school's office this week. it's a compulsory duty for those who got merit scholarship.

As I said to everyone who asked me, the skul is so far from my home that it's very tiring to get to either point. I wake up at 6am to get out with Teng. Arrives at skul by 8am, skul starts at 9.

When it's a day where mum, dad and Yen is getting Teng around 4pm, they'll come to kbu and fetch me home by squeezing through the sandwich traffic. When it's a day that i'm doing duty and finishes at 5.30pm, i'll catch the 5.30pm skul's shuttle bus to Kepong Central ktm station. Pay rm3.10 to get to Serdang. And I'll get home by 7pm which is better than tiring my family, wasting petrol, paying tols and polluting the air.

I'm struggling to find a balance with this time table and i'm taking ensemble by next monday. But that I suppose will work as a energy booster rather than a burden, same goes for my violin lesson. I didn't manage to get a long rest at home after skul b4 the lesson this week, but i was quite hyper when i'm in the class. I talk and talk and talk to Mr. Hong like I've seen a best friend. When i said i hate coloring homeworks, and now i feel like i like music more than art, Yen said maybe the degree that i should take is music, that I can take it when I'm older. mmm... It's not a bad idea^^

ps. I speak fluent english now.

歲月神偷 Echoes of the Rainbow 主題曲(歌詞)

i fell in love with this movie when i watched it on the plane. it's a famous movie which had won several awards this year. the 4 main actor and actress are so good, impressed of all their performance in the movie. the script was good too. these are the few quotes that sticks in my mind ever since i last watched it.

弟弟对生病的哥哥说：我已经偷了所有你喜欢的东西回来了，你到底想要什么啊？

妈妈：开饭了，今天有鱼吃。

弟弟：我不吃！我不吃!

妈妈：小时不吃鱼，大了不会游泳。

弟弟：真的吗？

爸爸：妈妈几时有骗过你呢。。（剧中吴君如-妈，一直都有说这样的话。弟弟都会问哥哥“真的吗？”）

爸爸作了一双皮鞋送给妈妈。爸爸把鞋子的设计一一说给妈妈听。妈妈为这双鞋改了名字- 难佳。左边难，右边佳。 一步难，一步佳- 生活就是这样过的。

每次弟弟哭的时候，哥哥就会把弟弟宝在怀里。

哥哥：学哥哥。你看，哥哥都没哭。你要学哥哥一样，不哭。