March 22, 2010 Concert at YST

The gamelan concert at YST went well........it was sooooo fun!!! :) Here are just some pictures. :)

The Audience :)


Me on the bonang; Javanese gamelan


Javanese gamelan; Last piece


Blocking for Tari Karonsih (Javanese) before the concert

With our dance teacher Nunuk (right) and dancer Ferninda (center)

Me stressing out on the wayang gender Bali with Jan


Rehearsing the Balinese gamelan before the concert
Our amazing guru for Balinese gamelan, Pak I Dewa Ketut Alit, is on the right in green

Helena and I "messing around" with the Steinway grand, which was in a corner of the hall, at the end of the concert :)

Name in Arabic :)

Benjamin, a piano student of mine, went to Egypt recently, and he very thoughtfully brought back this key-chain for me. :) It has my name in Arabic. I thought it's pretty cool, so I thought I would share it. :) i wonder if it sounds the same in Arabic. It is very sweet of Benjamin to remember to get me a meaningful oleh-oleh. I appreciate it lots! I am now hanging the key-chain on my bag. Thank you Benjamin. :)

Gamelan Concert March 22, 2010 :)

Nodame Cantabile :)

Since it is my week of break this week, I went to watch the Nodame Cantabile movie yesterday. This was my first time watching Nodame Cantabile, in that I haven't watched the popular series before. It was cute! I found it amazing how the movie was so true to its manga feel.........I felt that I was totally absorbed "reading" a manga, but in a movie format! ;) Of course I love the music in there too.....so many beautiful masterpieces from the classical western music repertoire! The piano music in there is performed by Lang Lang.

I must admit I do identify with the vivid imagination of Nodame character, though hopefully, I am not as nutsy because life is not an anime after all. ;) At the end of Nodame's playing of Alla Turca by Mozart, pearls were coming out of the piano and happy cartoon characters were dancing/marching in time together in exuberance.....I could sooo totally see that as I was teaching that piece to a student recently, though not in those exact pictorial forms. I must admit I naturally do translate things, not limited to music, pictorially in my mind, and tend to go off at tangents/be "distracted" in my own world......or as a friend of mine say, I have a vivid imagination. After seeing Nodame, it makes me wonder if other musicians do that too. Or is it just a made-up anime characteristic after all.....but art emulates life ya? ;) Ha! So I am not alone in my "nuttiness". ;) I love the curry incident in there......so funny!!! ;) Maybe I find that especially most amusing because, unlike Nodame, I am a super-neat person. Plus, the words, germs, death, etc, put in by the animator, makes the situation super-cute.....Haha ;)

I love how the movie gives a little informative historic background background/introduction to the music being performed, which I imagine, makes the music all the more interesting for those not into classical western music. So to all classical western music fans out there, it's a must-watch movie!!! :)

Happy Lunar New Year! :)

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR! :) 新年快乐！ :) May the year of the Tiger bring prosperity, happiness, good health, peace, and roaring success to all! :)

Happy New Year! :)

Happy New Year 2010!!! :) Yup, it's been a long time since I last wrote on my blog....sorry O:) I had been busy because my dear sister, Esther, came back to Singapore for her holidays, for two whole weeks! :) So there were many family outings & gatherings, and extended family gatherings etc. to attend, especially since it was the festive season too! :) Esther is currently doing her MBA at Sloan MIT.....way cool, isn't it?!? :)))))))

I would like to thank all my students who gave me Christmas presents this Christmas 2009!!! :) Also, thank you too to all my students who came back from their vacations with various souvenirs for me!!! :) I deeply appreciate the sweet thoughts, and being remembered!!!.....awwwwwww :) I am too a little child at heart, who love little surprises ;) Thank you!!! :) I apologize for not putting up the photos of those beautiful pressies this year....The holiday season 2009 was really fun, but super-duper-busy! :) However, the sweet thoughts and pressies are definitely very much appreciated and well remembered in my heart. Thank you very much again!!! :)))))))

Some of my students did a one-hour performance at Orchard Central during this Christmas 2009 season. We were invited by Charmaine, the organizer of such events at Orchard Central. Charmaine is sweet, friendly, and easy to work with....it was way fun!!! :) Below are some photos of the performance. I was so busy emceeing that I had forgotten to take pictures. ;) Thank you to Helena for sharing her photos. :) However, we have been invited back for the upcoming 2010 Lunar New Year season....I must remember a group photo the next time....hee hee ;)

Dearie Helena in deep concentration :)

Me emceeing ;)

The audience at Orchard Central :)


In addition, here's a photo my sister took, with her camera, of me & one of my adorable students, Jarryl, during one of his lessons.....heehee ;)
That's all for now. Thank you again to all my sweet students, and Happy New Year 2010 to all! :) May happiness find you always! :)

October Birthday :) and Panji :)

This year's birthday was nice and fun, despite spending the day itself being ultra-busy. ;) It was a busy week, occupied by the usual piano teaching, as well as extra rehearsals, due to the Panji performance. The gamelan group I am in, SingaNglaras, celebrated my birthday with & for me with a thoughtful card, as well as a yummy green pandan cake with a froggy chocolate on it! Thank you to my dance partner, Xinwei, for organizing it! Xinwei is a very sweet, thoughtful person. :) I am lucky to have him as my friend and dance partner. :) Here's a picture of the celebration! :)

From left to right: Pak Sidik, Nunuk, Helena, Didik Nini Thowok, Jan....
In addition, my dear student Nicole got me a card, which she thoughtfully chosen to match the musical theme of my piano studio. ;) Thank you Nicole! :)My sweet students Natalie and Nadya made a lovely card for me, as well as gave me some home-fried ikan bilis & dried mango, which I love to snack on! Natalie's and Nadya's handwriting are beautiful! My mum was especially amazed at their handwriting, since both of them are only in primary school, and yet their handwriting is so neat, mature & pretty! ;) Thank you Natalie and Nadya! :)Thank you all!!!!!! :)


Below are some pictures from the Panji performance:

The group picture after the performance....
Didik Nini Thowok, Sherina, Pak Slamet.... Thank you to Xinwei for the picture :)
Sherina, Nunuk (Sherina's Javanese dance teacher), Cisy....
Xinwei and Sherina....Panji was a fun performance! :) The Head of Cultural Department of the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore, who attended Panji with his family, thought that Panji "was indeed a spectacular event that helped promote Indonesian culture in a language which was close to the heart of young spectators." Yippee!!! ;)

What a happy & fun month October 2009 is for Sherina! ;)

Panji: A Javanese Mask Dance Drama

Happy Children's Day & 中秋节快乐！ :)

First of all, I missed including this Ponyo DVD from Wende for Teachers' Day.....Sorry. O:) Thank you Wende! :) The cartoon is way cute! I loved it! ;) Wende is a hardworking and intelligent Grade 2 piano student, who is full of character. ;) Thank you Wende! I appreciate your thoughts and present lotsy! :)
Next, I want to wish all children a very HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!! Have lots of fun!! :) I hope that my students like the Children's Day goody bag this year.....quality candy and snacks, NOT from China.....I was so shocked/sad at the China milk scandal last year. I always make an effort to check the goodies thoroughly, before I buy them for my students. :) HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!! :9

中秋节快乐!! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!! :) I love the festive feel of this festival, and I love playing with paper lanterns every year!....heehee....there's definitely a little child in Sherina I guess ;) I do hope the skies will be clear, and the moon round and bright this year!! 中秋节快乐!! :)

Teachers' Day :)

The ABRSM examinations have finally ended for my studio, and the results & certificates are all out. :) All students passed well, with 2 Merits and 3 Distinctions. :) Congratulations!!! :) I am very happy for my students, who put in a lot of effort and hard work practicing & improving! :)

Thank you to my sweet students who thought of me this Teachers' Day! I am very touched. :) Aawww..... ;) Below are the presents from my students for Teachers' Day 2009! Thank you very much! :) I appreciate the thought & care & pressies lots! :)


This pretty box of yummy English orange & lemon cookies are from Ling Kee, a student I have taught since he was in primary school. ;) Now, he is way tall!! ;) The beautiful box makes a nice sewing box, after the cookies are finished. It was beautiful wrapped by Ling Kee's parents, who has always been very thoughtful. :) Thank you Ling Kee! :)

This beautiful and thoughtfully-chosen Japanese pencil case is from Hilary Mah. :) Hilary and her mother chose it out together for me. What touches me most is the fact that later, I found out from Hilary's mother, that Hilary actually bought it for me using her own pocket money, but Hilary's mother (probably upon seeing the cost of the pencil case relative to the child's savings) volunteered to sponsor half the cost. Hilary is a kind and sweet girl. Makes my heart melt. :) Hilary is rather shy, but I remember her face was beaming the whole lesson when she gave me the present, and I didn't understand why till later when I knew the story from her mother and opened the present. Now, I carry this pencil case, which holds my handcream, lipbalm & perfume, whenever I go out. I feel the kindness whenever I look at the pencil case. :) Thank you Hilary! :) Congratulations too to Hilary for her hard work/practicing and her obtaining a Merit on her first ABRSM practical examination at Grade 4! :) Continue practicing lots ya? ;)

This card is from Jia Shan, a LRSM diploma student. :) It's very adorable! It must be that I use the word "good" a lot during lessons.....I love encouraging my students. :) Jia Shan is a very diligent student, who learns very seriously, and has a mature, responsible, yet relaxed attitude. She is currently learning Chopin's Ballade in G minor at an admirable pace. Thank you Jia Shan! :)

This box, which I termed "Happy Box" is from Sze Wing, a diploma student. ;) It was stuffed with cute, adorable stuff....very cute....hee hee ;) Sze Wing has a natural feeling for rubato, and is now learning a Liszt's Liebestraum. Thank you Sze Wing! :)

This box of yummy bean cakes and bookmark is from Candy, a diploma student too. :) These are my mother's favorite pastry, so her eyes lit up when she saw them....hee hee :) Candy is currently awaiting her diploma results, and is learning Ravel's Sonatine and Rachmaninov's Prelude in g minor. Candy is a very enthusiastic and responsible student, with high note accuracy in her playing. Thank you Candy! :)

In addition, Candy gave me this pretty straw bag as an early birthday present. :) I love it and carry it around lots. :) I am nuts about the summer-straw look! Thank you Candy! :)


These are more yummy sugar cookies from Ee Meng! :) Ee Meng is an adult student, who has improved lots with her persistence and hard work and lots of practicing. :) Thank you Ee Meng! :)

These pretty flowers are from Jarryl, who is a beginner going into grade 1. :) Jarryl is a very intelligent and sweet boy. Teaching him is always fun. :) Jarryl if you are reading this though, practice more practice more! ;) I very much wish Jarryl will fulfill his potential in music and piano, and do justice to his gift and intelligence. ;) Thank you Jarryl! :)

These two bottles of delicious honey are from Kelly. :) Kelly is also a beginner, and she lives just right upstairs...haha ;) So I get to know if Kelly has been practicing patiently & correctly, or not. Kelly practices a lot. ;) Thank you Kelly! :)


This yummy bar of chocolate is from Isabel, who is going into grade 1. :) She is too my neighbor, and actually started her piano lessons with me on Teacher's Day! Isabel is an intelligent girl, who learns/corrects very quickly, and I believe that she will be doing her grade 1 exam sometime soon. :) Thank you Isabel! :)


This card and pretty blue pen are from Natalie and Nadya, who recently passed their ABRSM practicals grade 4 and grade 2 with distinctions. Congratulations! :) Thank you Natalie and Nadya! :)

Last, but definitely not least, are well-wishes from Ruiyee, Grade 7, who is currently taking a two-month break to concentrate on her upcoming PSLE in October. I wish her the best of luck too! ;) I hope she'll get into the secondary school she wishes to attend! :) Miss you Ruiyee, and see you soon in October again! ;) Thank you Ruiyee! :)

Thank you very much again to all my students!! :) It makes my heart all warm and happy. ;) I appreciate all your thoughtfulness lotsy!! :) Thank you!! :) Smile ;)

Sad :'(

Mr. & Mrs. Lin & Connie have just left to return to the United States after being in Singapore for two years. It was very enjoyable teaching Connie, who was always very attentive during class and ready with relevant questions. Although admittedly, like most teenagers, Connie did not practice a whole lot, especially for her advanced level, her attitude in class was always very positive and responsible. It was very enjoyable to talk to Connie about musical history and details because she would actually listen and think about what I have said, and try to perform to the best of her ability, despite her lack of time to practice. Connie is very sensible, intelligent, and always enthusiastic. :)

In addition, Mr. & Mrs. Lin are wonderful employers. They understand that the teacher's time and schedule are just as important and precious as theirs, and that the teacher is human too, and not a servant at their beck & call just because they are paying. True relationships are cultivated and not bought with money. I always look forward to teaching Connie at their place in Cuscaden every Monday afternoon. Sometimes I would pop by earlier, or stay a little later to chat with Mrs. Lin and Connie. The lesson was always happy and relaxed, yet very productive! Mrs. Lin would always give me something to drink and snack on when I was there probably because I teach Connie at the time of the day when people normally snack during their work. Mrs. Lin is very thoughtful. Kind people always make me want to try harder and give more of myself.

So I am sad that Mr. & Mrs. Lin & Connie has left. I am so happy that they valued piano lessons/education so much that Connie had lessons till the week before they left. They sold their piano one day after Connie had her last piano lesson with me. I gave Connie a personalized pink leather crystal handphone strap and earrings, and Mrs. Lin a handprinted batik scarf. Connie made me a sweet card, and Mrs. Lin made me a pair of silver/pearl earrings.....so sweet!! ;) That day we had lunch at the American Club, and they brought me around the club after lunch....it's a very nice place :) ....I heard membership is pricey though. ;) It was a very memorable and happy/sad day.

I will miss being in constant close contact with such a kind and thoughtful family. I called them to say best of luck and bye a day before they left. Sad. :'( However, on the bright side, Mr. & Mrs. Lin & Connie say that they will visit Singapore again sometime though! :) And I hope to visit them sometime in the future too! :) Best of luck to Mr. & Mrs. Lin & Connie, and best of luck for Connie's last two years of high school & university application! :) Well, these are one of the times when I feel glad that I live in the age of the Internet, which makes keeping in touch a lot easier. ;)

Congratulations :)

The ABRSM theory certificates finally arrived! Congratulations again to my four students who all passed, and three of them with merit, with 2-3 marks towards distinction! :) They looked really happy when I handed them their certificates, which made me really happy. :) Granted yes, I chided them for being careless in certain areas, but I know they tried their best, and it makes me happy. :) Congratulations :)

The schedule for July ABRSM practical exams are out. Interestingly, all my students who have July ABRSM practical exams are all scheduled on the exact same day, even though my July diploma student signed up on an independent account with my help. Plus, they are consecutive in time, though different in venues. Therefore, I will be receiving a row of consecutive calls that exam morning day after their exams. It will be an exciting morning for me that day! ;) I am glad the schedule worked out so magically. I do hope the exam schedule for August comes out soon too. :) Practice hard students! ;)

I am looking forward to the Piano Festival coming up! :) The last piano concert I went to, Boris Berezovsky playing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30, was simply breathtaking and beautiful!! :) He played my favourite Rachmaninoff prelude in D, Op. 23 No.4, as his first encore. :) He even had stamina to replay part of the concerto's third movement, as well as the famous Rachmaninoff prelude in g minor as his two other encores. Simply AMAZING!!! :) I got my tickets for the upcoming Vladimir Feltsman concert way early. I am so looking forward to that! :) I have also gotten my Li Yundi concert ticket too ;) I heard from one of my students that the tickets for Li Yundi's concert sold out completely five days after it is opened to the public. I got early tickets to Mozart's Requiem too....I love that piece a lot.....I love Mozart ;) For my students reading this, if you would like me to get any concert tickets, please feel free to ask me. :) I have received my Friends of SSO card, and I am always happy to help get tickets. :) I am always happy if students go to more concerts and have more exposure. It's a good thing. :)

On the last minor note....I think I am FINALLY slowly recovering from my pimples.......very happy about that one ;)

Father's Birthday :)

Today is my father's birthday! :) Here is the cake and present I got him. :) The idea for the present was suggested by my mum. ;) The cake is from Rive Gauche, Takashimaya. I am not a huge fan of pastry/cakes/sweets, but I absolutely love that patisserie store! Their flavors are subtle, interesting, refined and yummy! This cake flavor is bitter chocolate, tinged with Jasmine flowers, complemented by raspberries...amazing combination of flavors in just the right proportions! OOOoooooo......... ;)
Okay, I couldn't resist getting the additional cute buttons on the Crocs for my dad to add a sense of fun...I think presents are stuffs that you don't absolutely need, but would be nice to receive/have. ;) Guys usually are not picky about such stuffs anyway....haha ;) Nice color ya?...Electric blue! ;) I know guys probably prefer electronic gadgets for presents anytime, but I am far from a gadget expert, and it's sometimes difficult to get an affordable present for someone who can get those gadgets himself in the first place anyway. ;) In any case, my dad love the shoes and he is wearing them now! :)

If you can't beat them, join them! ;)

Friends of SSO is in effect a monopoly (deleted post) because the only choice of obtaining decent tickets to their most popular concerts, without subscribing and thus buying a whole bunch of tickets, is by joining the Friends of SSO. By the time the public has a go at buying the tickets, the more desirable tickets are basically sold out, or the concert is almost sold out. I made a phone complain feedback to that effect, and in the end, I was told by the representative of the Friends of SSO that I could get tickets at the Victoria Concert Hall if I went down personally, since I was buying a total of 6 tickets. However, when I got there, I was told that actually I had to buy 5 different SSO concerts, which are not inclusive of the Piano Festival, in order to buy my tickets early, since tickets sales to the public has not yet commenced. I was helping my friend & her boyfriend to get tickets too, and we are going to 3 different concerts in all, of which 1 is a Piano Festival event. Therefore, I was actually not eligible to get tickets, although the concerts I wanted are almost all sold out! I was certainly upset.

However, the person at the box office, Rose, was really nice, and said that since I didn't know earlier and did made a call, and made a trip all the way down already for the purpose of getting tickets, she would just let me get tickets early this once. After her helping me to choose the seats and all, before I paid, the weirdest thing is that I suddenly decided to join Friends of SSO because Rose seems really nice (I respond to kindness), and I felt that it isn't really fair that I get to get my tickets early because I am not a member of Friends of SSO (fairness is very important to me....might seem silly to care about fairness at this point huh?). So in the end, I paid my S$75 membership fee, and the representative said that Friends of SSO is a non-profit organization, and that the membership fee is basically a donation, thus tax deductable. Rose patiently redid all my ticket order and seating since, surprisingly, Friends of SSO also obtain more advantageous seats for the same price category and a discount....I did not read the rules beforehand -_-". I still feel that Friends of SSO is a monopoly and it is not fair, but I guess, if you cannot beat them, join them! ;) On the bright side, I will be more than happy to help my friends and students get tickets when I get my membership card, which lasts a year.....perhaps we can all go to concerts together!!.....Yippee!! :)

My friends and students know that I have been recently plagued by a current outbreak of acne/pimples....It's been 1.5 months now. I finally decided to go to the doctor's! :) (I do not like going to the doctor's....like a little child, so it took some effort.) But, I am glad I went to the doctor's. :) Because the outbreak is actually bad....(and yes, if you were wondering, I have been feeling really butt-ugly and embarrassed)....the doctor prescribed me two weeks of antibiotics. I still do not really know the cause of the outbreak....maybe it's the make-up remover or the conditioner.....but the doctor said that perhaps it's because my immune system is low and suppressed recently. He said to take it easy and not stress out too much. I certainly am not going through hormonal changes: puberty/menopause. Haha ;) However, I do not consciously feel stressed out more than usual these past 1.5 months. But perhaps sub-consciously I do?!? I find it difficult to decode how I feel a lot of the time....it takes time for me....perhaps it will dawn on me sometime much later ;) Haha ;) Anyway, hope the antibiotics work. :) I hope to feel prettier and happier soon ;) Sigh.....however, it's nice that friends accept you for who you are, butt-ugly or not butt-ugly...... ;) Thanks :)

Teaching Break May 9 - May 14

There will be a piano teaching break from May 9, 2009 to May 14, 2009. I will be relaxing, practicing the piano, and listening to music, reading etc during the break! I am looking forward to the relaxing days coming up! :)

My students did well for the February/March ABRSM Practical Exams. :) However, the ABRSM theory results are not out yet....that is taking quite a while isn't it? ;) Thank you to Mr.&Mrs. Ang, Ling Kee & Kar Leong for the beautiful presents below:



















Ling Kee passed his Grade 7 ABRSM piano exam after much hard work. Congratulations!! :) I am very happy to know that he will continue with his music/piano education, undertaking the challenges of Grade 8! :) Thank you very much to the Ang family for their sweet thoughts, kindness and presents! I appreciate them lots. :) Thank you! :)

Mother's Day is coming up! I do not know what exactly to get for my mum, but I got her some Japanese sweet potatoes, which she loves, from Isetan. :) I also attempted a little card for her:
To all the mothers and mothers-to-be out there: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! :) Have a beautiful day! ;) Smile lots! :)

Indonesian Music & Dance Evening; March 21, 2009

Pictures.... :)

Funny Teaching Habits ;)

ABRSM Theory Exams are coming up on March 14, 2009. And recently students were busy with their school exams, which had just ended, so last Saturday, many of them have not yet fully finished revising for their upcoming theory exams . Therefore, as a responsible teacher, I chided/scolded a few of my students for not being better prepared for their upcoming theory exam, as evidenced in their sample test papers, emphasizing that they have to be more thorough and careful in their revision and during their exams. And although it is clear that my students realize the seriousness of the situation, and I have no doubt that they will do wonderfully in their exams that day in the end, they could not help but giggle embarrassingly when I scolded them. I found that amusing. ;) It's good that none of them cried, which could have been an alternative reaction. I supposed that I perfected the art of scolding effectively with a smile....ha ha ;) It's also wonderful that I have such mature-thinking, understanding and responsible students. :)

Another funny habit that I seem to have is calling my students "dear" in a very strict edgy tone of voice, when they are not perhaps fully paying attention during their lessons, and I want their full attention. It usually works, and because they sense something is amiss, they start to pay attention....The term "dear" is certainly more polite than "heeey" etc to me, and when I am absorbed in teaching/explaining something, "dear" just comes more fluently than names. Besides, I really do love my students! :)

Talking about love. Somedays, I simply cannot keep my hands off my piano keys. I play and demonstrate to students of all levels how musically amazing I think their pieces are. By sharing with them my sound world, it really helps the students a lot in their playing and understanding of their pieces. Words like "crescendo", "sweetly", "peacefully" etc, though useful, just cannot fully describe the intention and beauty of music. Last Sunday was one of these days. I must have been really enthusiastic in elucidating the beauty of a Mozart sonata to the student because she suddenly asks me if music were my greatest love. I gave a simple enthusiastic answer "YES!" The question that followed was most adorable....She asks if I love music more than my parents. I was surprised and amused, and answered that there are different types of love that can be at equivalent levels. I said that love for music is different from love for my parents, is different from love for my future boyfriend/husband, is different from love for my friends etc. This student has a most sweet view of the world. I find it really relaxing and touching a lot of the time conversing with children because they are so uncomplicated, sweet, honest, kind, and without hidden intentions.

What a nice teaching weekend! :)

An Evening of Indonesian Music & Dance

Ubud; February 2009

I enjoyed tremendously the trip to Ubud, Bali. :) I went with the NUS gamelan group which I participate in. Basically, we had group practices learning Balinese gamelan every morning, and in the afternoon I had gender wayang lessons, and in the evening we would go watch performances. I wish I had time to take Balinese dance lessons too, but perhaps another time. :)

Balinese gamelan music is faster in general than Solonese gamelan music. It has kotekan/interlocking. I was at the reyong for one of the Gilak pieces we learnt, and it was really fun! However, I hope that the teachers we had, Mas Kadek and Mas Wayan, were not too exasperated with my not-so-quick speed of learning the polos part for the interlocking. They were really patient, and never gave up on me. :) I finally got my polos part in the end by heart. Somehow, my musical brain fixes itself automatically with time and patience. However, it wasn't actually that musically difficult nor fast....blush blush....haha ;) Thomas, who was playing the sangsih part, got it so much quicker, and he is great at rhythmic notation! My rhythmic reading/notation is as wonderful as my number conceptualization. ;) The gender wayang lessons were interesting too, except that my brain shut down completely on the third day of intensive lessons....haha....I do not remember a thing now, and I only had to learn the polos part.....Yikes I hope Jan, who learnt both the polos and sangsih parts much faster than I did, is not reading this....we are suppose to play one of the pieces for the upcoming March performance....hopefully my brain will fix itself before then ;) I wish I had time to learn dance. ;)

It was all rather sad when it was all over, and it was the last day of lessons. The teachers gave us each a CD of rebab and suling playing as a souvenir. How sweet ya? I must remember to obtain their e-mails from Precious, my wonderful roommate, and e-mail them to say thank you. :) They are really friendly. :) I notice that in Bali, circular breathing is used to play the suling.

Besides all the amazing music, culture, dance, musical learning etc, we had some time to do some sight-seeing. I loved the Monkey Forest and Pura Ulun Danu. The monkeys in the Monkey Forest are really adorable and very gentle. They seem to be posing for the cameras at times. :) Most sweet! Pura Ulun Danu is beautiful! Except that I had car sickness getting there...thank goodness I had only eaten a little for lunch. When we were at Pura Ulun Danu, it was raining, and due to the elevation, it was cold. Since it was raining, it was muddy and a little flooded, so all of us were walking around bare-footed in mud......that was rather fun.....haha ;) We went to Gunung Kawi and Tirta Empul too ;) I am not too great with the car-travelling thing....haha....although it wasn't so bad after discovering that sitting in the front seat makes it better.......but it was fun!! :) We also took a walk in the sawah. That was nice, not difficult, but it was a little tiring for me....and I walk very slowly......eeks I sound a little old.....haha.....We stopped at an organic shop on the way, and the salad and drinks there were amazing and very fresh! Yummy!! :)

As for the babi guling and bebek, which is the famous food in Bali, they were yummy too. I do not drink coffee, but my friends say that Bali coffee is delicious too. I also did some shopping....got wooden cats for my piano students etc. ;) Bali is famous for celuk/silver too. I got a pair of earrings because mine dropped and lost itself as I was walking one day, but I think I am slightly allergic to silver. I love ceramics and pottery.....got a bowl or two.....they sell many green leaf-coloured ones there :) Got a piece of green batik........haha I guess I do like the colour green, don't I? ;) etc etc Anyway, shopping is fun as always, and shopping with Helena, friend/student, was fun. ;) Helena gave me a cat with bells which I now hang on my phone. ;) How sweet ya? :)

Nice memories...........I do want to go back to Bali again sometime! :) However, it is a very romantic place I feel, and I cannot help feeling that it would be perfect to be there with someone special and the memories created would be magical and lasting....just a thought ;) For now, I miss Sala/Solo.....I want to go back there to learn more gamelan, singing and dance....... ;)

Water Lilies by Sara Teasdale

If you have forgotten water lilies floating
On a dark lake among mountains in the afternoon shade,
If you have forgotten their wet, sleepy fragrance,
Then you can return and not be afraid.

But if you remember, then turn away forever
To the plains and the prairies where pools are far apart,
There you will not come at dusk on closing water lilies,
And the shadow of mountains will not fall on your heart.

Sara Teasdale

Bali; Feb 21 to Feb 27

Dear Students, :)

I will be going to Bali from February 21, 2009 to February 27, 2009! :) Therefore, there will be no piano lessons during that time. I will not be checking my e-mail etc during that time either, but I will definitely reply everything progressively after I come back from the trip. Imagine the pile of laundry too.....haha ;) Thank you! :)

I will be going to Bali to learn some Balinese gamelan music and dance! :) I am really excited because it will be my first trip to Bali. Personally, I love the relaxed, stratified sound, and aesthetics of Central Javanese gamelan. The music deeply resonates with my soul. Balinese music just currently feels to me super-fast, winding, and never-ending, which can make me feel frustrated, although the skilful, accurate & fast kotekan playing never fails to amaze me. However, perhaps I feel this way partly because I do not yet understand Balinese gamelan music/aesthetics, so this trip will be really interesting, relaxed and fun. A good learning experience which I am looking forward to! Hmm......I would love to go visit Solo again sometime soon though...I loved it there, except for the no hot water bit, which is minor to me anyway due to my wonderfully organized girl-friend/roommate who brought a small water heater......hopefully the group will go there again soon....hee hee :)

Okay....don't miss me too much now ya? ;) Smile always :)

Love, Sherina :)

Happiness Is... :)

Here's my short bit on happiness, inspired by a little piano student's poem on the same subject... :)

Happiness Is......

Happiness is the golden sun shimmering on rustling leaves being teased by the playful wind.

It is an iridescent rainbow of colours.

Happiness smells like jasmine wafting sensuously in the peaceful evening air.

It feels like a crisp cool night filled with twinkling sparkling stars accompanied by a full bright moon.

Happiness tastes like an unforgettable delightful surprise lingering on....

Happiness is simple hugs, thoughtful gestures, caring concern -- unconditional kindness.

It is a circle of friends. Fuzzy warmth.

Happiness is a myriad kaleidoscope of sounds.
It is the orchestral music of nature, of past/present/future civilizations & traditions, of eternity, of silence.

The trickling & gushing of rivers, the cries of birds, the chirping of crickets...
It is harmony.

Happiness is indescribable illuminating joy radiating forth.

Happiness is a generous sprinkling of mysterious magic........ ;)

Funny ;)

Here's an e-mail full of jokes forwarded to me by one of my piano students. It is soooo funny that I thought I would share it. ;)

The Silent Treatment
A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, 'Please wake me at 5:00 AM ' He left it where he knew she would find it.

The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, 'It is 5:00 AM .. Wake up.' Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.


WIFE VS. HUSBAND
A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word.
An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position.
As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, 'Relatives of yours?'
'Yep,' the wife replied , 'in-laws'


WOMEN'S REVENGE
'Cash, check or charge?' I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase.
As she fumbled for her wallet I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse.
'So, do you always carry your TV remote?' I asked.
'No,' she replied, ' but my husband refused to come shopping with me,
and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally.'

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN
(A MAN'S PERSPECTIVE)
I know I'm not going to understand women.
I'll never understand how you can take boiling hot wax,
pour it onto your upper thigh, rip the hair out by the root,
and still be afraid of a spider.

W O R D S
A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day...
30,000 to a man's 15,000.
The wife replied, 'The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men...
The husband then turned to his wife and asked, 'What?'

CREATION
A man said to his wife one day, 'I don't know how you can be
so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time. ' The wife responded, 'Allow me to explain.
God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me;
God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!

WHO DOES WHAT
A christian man and his wife were having an argument about who
should brew the coffee each morning.
The wife said, 'You should do it, because you get up first,
and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee.'
The husband said, ' You are in charge of cooking around here and
you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee.'
Wife replies, 'No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible
that the man should do the coffee.'
Husband replies, 'I can't believe that, show me.'
So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament
and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says..........'HEBREWS'

God may have created man before woman,
but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! :)

Just want to wish all a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! :) I hope everyone's having a good and relaxing holiday season! :) I intend to practice lots, read, simply relax, and hang out with friends this holiday. I look forward to having a week of schedule-less days, doing anything and everything that inspires me at the moment! ;) I feel the festivity, although I am currently not in crowded Orchard Road. I was teaching in the Orchard area on Monday, and got home as soon as I could after a quick dinner, and it was simply too crowded and crazy....everywhere. There was also a traffic jam, and getting home was rather slow and stressful. A friend invited me to go feel the festive atmosphere at the Esplanade today, and I declined. Somehow, it might be weird, but I simply cannot feel the festivity when it is very crowded; it just makes me feel very stressed out. Perhaps I am not very tall [though not short ;)], but I simply cannot see what's in front of me, most of the time, in a crowd....nor breathe....haha ;) Yes, I agree that the lights and activities must be very attractive and fun though. ;) In any case, I thought Christmas is about family and home anyway, but then again, I am not Christian, so I do not know the correct answer. Perhaps it's anything you want it to be. ;) Any reason to celebrate is always very good!! ;) So, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all! :) May the new year bring lots of beautiful surprises and lots of happiness for all!! ;)

More Christmas Presents from Students

Today, Tuesday 23 December, is my last piano teaching day for the year 2008. :) Below are more Christmas presents from my dear students. Thank you very much!! :)

Yummy cookies carefully baked and wrapped by Ee Meng herself. This looks so professional. ;) Thank you Ee Meng! :)




Belgian chocolates and card from Connie. The card is very sweet & thoughtful, and I love good chocolates anytime. ;) Thank you Connie! :)



This beautiful Jim Thompson hot-pink photo-frame is from William and Samuel. Yup, they are the most adorable pair of twins I have met! I would love to have twins, someday, if it happens, hopefully? ;) I love the card they drew. It's so sweet!! That's our piano space that they drew. They even drew the two photo frames on the wall, the door details, and yes, I usually sit on the left. Children are simply amazing! ;) According to Mrs. Jolene, they chose the present for me....children are very perceptive & naturally intuitive, ya? I love the colour, design and all....perfect photo-frame in Sherina's world. Perhaps the elephants will help my memory somewhat too. ;) hee hee ;) Thank you William and Samuel! :)

Thank you lots&lots all of you again! :) I feel so warm, fuzzy, and loved. ;) I appreciate it a whole lot! :) Hugzzz ;)