spicewin's Xanga

Sunday salsa workshop

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 09:01:14 GMT

Went to a 3.5 hr salsa workshop in Reading and a 2.5 hr class in the evening on Sunday. I'm now completely shattered !!

The workshop was excellent! I managed to memorize the ladies shines at the end of the w/s and had to 'demonstrate' in the advanced class later on!! But can someone give me some tips on doing a perfect body roll ?? I personally find that the reverse body roll is easier than the normal one for some reason. Strange ...and those arm and shoulder movements while doing a Suzie Q - how does that work ? It's really amazing how some ppl can do it so naturally... I wish I can figure it out soon !

G.salsero: wow ! I was amazed at ur 'tap dancing', especially in those shoes !! You're a PRO !!! ;) luv ya.

Salsa addiction

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 19:13:37 GMT

This blog is dedicated to G.Salsero:

Thanks for showing me how much fun SALSA is! Went to The Bar in Wimbledon with you on Wednesday and had a really great time! hehe... was so glad that I'm still as good as 4 weeks ago, although it took me 3-4 bars of basics to figure out what to do with my shines! *lol* Your private lesson teachers were amazing too !! so energetic and passionate about salsa and teaching. It reminds me of our plan B - teaching salsa in HK one day! ;)

I love love love dancing, especially when I could collect compliments from so many ppl on the same night. It really made me feel like a diva ! haha ! We should go more often.

It's been tooooooooooooooo long

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 18:56:48 GMT

Can't believe I haven't updated this for 1/2 a year!

Thanks creamy Winnie for the inspiration! I miss you so much - and it was so nice chatting with you the other day! *kisses n hugz*

My good friend and part-time salsa buddy in London is leaving for Hong Kong and a conference in China tonite. Am gonna miss her so much while she's gone - our 'girly guy' and 'manly girl' conversations over lunch and much more! Hope her first trip to HK is as enjoyable as she expected!

Met EM's friend today - it was a surprise actually. He looked cuter than I remember. I was like 'OH MY GOD! Look at you! You look sooooooooo smart in that suit!!'. Apparently he came in for an exam. Hope his sniffing around my neck (quite literally) hasn't affected his concentration at the exam !! *LOL* I'm sure, as a girly guy he'll be alrite. Anywayz, CONGRATS on the good job, Dr Y!

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 17:26:43 GMT

You scored as Theater. You should be a Theater major! Like a bohemian actress, you are seasoned and confident and not afraid to express yourself!

Theater

83%

Art

75%

Dance

75%

Engineering

75%

Philosophy

67%

Journalism

67%

Psychology

67%

Chemistry

58%

Linguistics

50%

Mathematics

42%

English

25%

Sociology

25%

Biology

25%

Anthropology

25%

What is your Perfect Major? (PLEASE RATE ME!!<3)
created with QuizFarm.com

This surely is an interesting quiz, which does seem to be true. Perhaps that explains why this gal has been so obsessed with her hobbies but is also mad enough to play around with philosophy and chemistry?

Monday, January 16, 2006

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:27:37 GMT

You Are A: Kitten!

Cute as can be, kittens are playful, mischevious, and ever-curious. Kittens are often loving, but are known to scratch or bite when annoyed. These adorable animals are the most popular pets in the United States--37% of American households have at least one cat. Whether it is your gentle purr or your disarming appearance, you make a wonderful kitten.

You were almost a: Bunny or a Duckling
You are least like a: Squirrel or a Groundhog What Cute Animal Are You?

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Sun, 06 Nov 2005 22:45:54 GMT

YanSui ! You made my day sweetie. I can't stop listening to that song. Guess what? There's a certain BBC (British Born chinese) who's very determined to learn how to read those lyrics and sing that song - after I played it so many times. heheeeee.... I'm sure this BBC will eventually learn those dance moves too. *lol*

Johnny: Can't believe you're leaving so soon. Although I've only met you for a couple of times, I'll certainly miss you loads. Hope you won't forget this girly you met @SOP during course A pharmacy practice tutorial too~ xXx

Monday, October 31, 2005

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:10:54 GMT

Your Kissing Purity Score: 37% Pure

You're not one to kiss and tell...

But word is, you kiss pretty well.

Kissing Purity Test

Monday, October 31, 2005

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 16:47:25 GMT

After reading the story below, I have many thoughts. Here's just a few:

1. Never knew that some professional music teachers would send angry emails to students. Don't they care about their reputation anymore, especially when words can spread so quickly? Don't they wanna find out what exactly has happened and understanding the situation before losing the temper? Think about it this way, it's really stupid for a service provider to yell at the customers and say things like 'Who the hell do you think you are?'.

2. Would it be too much info for the student - I mean, a student doesn't want to know that the teacher only has £25 spare for food etc. and I have to say, I'm really surprised to see these figures - if they're real.

3. At the end of the day, there must be a reason for all the cancellations and having only 4 students a week when the teacher is getting one new student per week on average. Where have the students gone?

4. Can't believe that ppl can get soooooooooooo mad, totally out of control. I wonder what life would be like for the teacher's gf/bf?

5. I'm relieved that my colleagues at work are all normal ppl and not bad-tempered monsters. ;o)

Monday, October 31, 2005

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 10:27:24 GMT

An interesting incidence between a music teacher and student.

Once upon a time, a student keen to learn how to play an instrument found a teacher on the website. The teacher seemed very professional, and had some useful advice on playing the instrument listed on the website. The student eventually booked the lessons, and had 2 lessons before this incidence below took place. The student had the impression that the teacher was very critical, and thought that it was a good thing cuz that's how one's technique could be improved.

Just minutes before the 2nd lesson, the student got a sms from teacher, asking the student to give the teacher a 'missed call' when the student arrived, so that the teacher would know that the student was there.

The next week, the student could not attend the lesson, and so cancelled her lesson via sms, thinking that it was fine.

About 2 days later, the student received the following email:

Dear Student,

I was disappointed that you didn't have the manners to notify me about you missing the lesson, instead of leaving me sit around waiting. Please let me know if you still require lessons, as the student I travel to every fortnight on Wednesdays, requires a lesson day change to Monday, which means shuffling people around, and I need to know if you still want lessons, so I know where to fit everyone in - particularly as I get on average, one new student every week, and am running out of space (assuming everyone turns up in a week - which they don't!).

You must understand that this is how I make a living, and when students don't notify me in advance, it means that I have an empty slot where I could have changed someone else's lesson time to, because of their inability to make their regular lesson time that week (it happens every week!), which means I've lost more money than needs be this week.

These days when a student cancels without notice, I charge them a cancellation fee of ££. Because of regular cancellations, I have now emposed a cancellation fee of of ££ if students give me 48 hours notice, and ££ for under 24 hours, unless they change days, or notify me of their inability to make that lesson, during the previous lesson. This is because cancellations sometimes bring me down to about 4 students in a week, which means I can only just manage to pay the rent and have £25 spare to afford to eat that week. I've even been known to only teach TWO in a week due to cancellations. You must understand that despite the extremely high level of training a classical music undergoes, practicing between 5 - 16 hours a day and spending £130 PER LESSON to study with a famous teacher, they are left in debt after their studies, and don't even earn a steady income after graduating. When students mess them around, as you have done, it doesn't make earning a living any easier.

If you want to continue lessons, I suggest you notify me in advance of a cancellation in the future.

Teacher.

And so the student replies:

Hi Teacher,

First of all, I apologize for not being able to attend the lesson. I sent you a notification on Friday saying that I would not be able to attend due to work- obviously this text has never been received, or checked. I cancelled my 1st lesson via text, and did not get any acknowledgement from you. Therefore, I assumed that you have received my text regarding the 2nd cancellation.

Secondly, I do share your frustration when a student doesn't turn up for a lesson at the agreed time. I am self-employed who also charge the same rate as you do so I totally understand that there's a loss of income upon cancellation. As such, I did not have the slightest intention to 'mess you around'.

Thirdly, I know that the importance and the amount of time being spent on practising an instrument - I have finished all the grades on piano few years ago.

Finally, I am afraid I no longer require lessons with you. My instrument teachers were all very strict teachers, but I believe that I can only learn with a teacher who does not make judgements on his/her students too quickly by commenting on one's manners.

Regards,
Student

This is the reply email from teacher:

Dear Student,

I'm sorry that it takes so much to offend you. I did NOT receive your second text, and did not respond to your first text as I dropped my mobile the day before you cancelled, and could not make or recieve any outgoing calls or send text messages. I only managed to buy a new phone last Wednesday. If you did not wish to have lessons, why did you not say so over the phone?! - That takes more strength of character than you obviously possess, and clearly you're better at being rude via email than over the phone - or more to the point, to my face. It's easy by email, isn't it?!

I did not make judgements on you at all, but now that you've been so RUDE to me, I am now judging you, and highly doubt you even sent me a second text message. If you did, WHERE IS IT???!!!! - Cyber Space?! When I don't receive a text message, what do you expect me to think when I'm left sitting on my backside for an hour, waiting for you, when I could have slotted someone else in??! As I say, it clearly doesn't take much to offend you, and I hope for customers sake that you're not so "touchy" when you work ...!

You say you had "proper" training for piano... Well, good on you, but it's hardly the level of expertise that I'm talking about, though. My training was of world famous calabre, with the very top people. By the way, you must come to my next concert... One is in Berlin on 16th Decemeber, another proposed for New Year, and I also have a MAJOR gig with XXX on they're UK tour in March, where I play a duet with XXX . They'll be in London. Book your tickets now!

Well, I wish you good luck in your search for a new teacher, and I'm glad you've decided to finish lessons with me now, because being a very strong, open personality, I can only teach students like myself - who don't easily take offense, take the wrong end of the stick, and jump down my throat when I express my disappointment in them, all because they can't take a telling off! -Who the hell do you think you are?! When a message doesn't come through, what am I meant to expect?! It's not as though I was even rude to you - I simply told you the situation like it was, but YOU chose to read things into my email that WEREN'T there, and take offense. Then you have the sheer AUDACITY to turn the blame onto ME, just to get yourself off the hook for not bothering to notify me! But at least you've now finally told me you no longer require lessons, which is a relief, because allowing for no cancellations in a week, my days are fully booked, and I was wondering where I was going to fit in the two new students who called me today.

Regards,

Teacher

And so here goes the final reply from the student:

Hi Teacher,

Well, I did not expect you'll put it this way. I was only trying to
explain my situation so hopefully you'd understand what has happened.

I certainly did not want to end things like this - just not my style.
I don't usually argue, so I'll reply this final email.

Phoning is a better idea. I didn't mean to be rude, so didn't plan to
do it over the phone or to your face, because I won't and pointless.

I hope I can PROVE the existence of the text. But how?

Obviously I wasn't comparing my training with your training - it's
totally different. I'm full-time student in uni and work during the weekend. You're a full-time musician. Not difficult to spot the difference here.

Good luck with the tour!

I also simply told you things happening on my side.
Good to know about your good business. Keep your cool.

Best wishes,
Student

This is the final email between the music teacher and student.

Monday, October 17, 2005

Mon, 17 Oct 2005 21:56:41 GMT

Welcome to Spicewin's 1st blog.

While setting up this xanga thingy, I kept asking myself, 'Why on earth am I doing this? Do I have too much time to spare *certainly NOT* or what? Will someone actually bother reading what I'm typing here?' etc etc. So, my dear friend, pls spread the word to anyone who might be interested - Visit Spicewin's Xanga site !

It's Monday today and I had a lazy day at home - thanks to the terrible pain in my neck. How can this possibly happen? Pulled my neck while I was sitting comfortably watching Friends? So glad it's getting better, and thanks to Mr Nutella who rubbed layers and layers of DEEP HEAT onto my neck. I should really be wearing a stronger perfume in order to disguise the smell of methylsalicylate!

Booked a flight to Graz (in Austria), finally, for my trip in November. I can't wait to go. Should really be booking the hotel and another flight for HK. Still haven't got around to it yet. (Have been saying this for several months). I probably need a PA, don't I?

Back to secret agent tmr after a long weekend. The tube better be running smoothly tmr. Hate the bloody tube.

YanSui: So my ex-public-admirer is now doing a medicine degree huh? I'm really dying to see her again! ;o) Tell her I MISS her! haha. Hey, I'm gonna come back to HK this December for 2 weeks before xmas. Let's organize a reuinion or sth shall we?

LK: Look forward to reading your blog. Luv you xXx