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Just finish my ABRSM grade 4 piano exam but end up in failing likely for my first time taking music practical exam.

I had not been practicing much before exam. In end of January 2015 where a switch piano teacher in her first lessons we agreed to have exam in grade 4 about 6 month times and grade 5 next year. So she said grade 4 exam need to register soon about next week as the deadline is near.

Beginning of last month I intended to stop her lesson a while and maybe revise on my own, so see her the 4th lesson in mid of last month to discuss with her what are we going to do moving forward to the exam as the schedule is not out yet should we stop in 4th lessons or given a month of notice so that once the schedule is out we are just in time for exam and having a break after that as schedule should be out soon one month before the exam.

She taken that I want to stop lessons already immediately no need to come as on Saturday I send her a message that effectively tomorrow I may want to stop lessons want to discuss about it. Sunday afternoon is my regular piano lessons with her on 1.30pm. So she message me back said I can stop lessons anytime I want. I did not reply her back then. On Sunday 1.30pm, she message me again that what is my decision. I replied is she coming my house for lessons soon as this is the time normally we have lessons message come in right at the dot. So she message me to stop lessons. I replied her next time could she let me know earlier to stop lessons. So I decided to forgo S$50 for one lessons as I paid her every 4 lessons during the first lessons. She ask me for my bank account number so she refund me S$50, I replied my bank account number and she use ATM to do fund transfer. She message me again should I continue lessons with her once exam is over, I replied that I need to think about it told her to give up my time slot to other student instead now. She replied that she will kept her word to reserve the timeslot as after exam in beginning September I need to let her know if I continue lessons with her as the timeslot is taken away if not confirm.

So Monday mid of last month I approach music agent to recommend me piano teachers, so shortly in evening she message me after piano exam please find other piano teachers. I replied why. She said she knows from a piano agent that I looking for piano teachers, so she reckon I found piano teachers already. I told her I have not find piano teachers yet and said she is a horrible piano teacher and irresponsible too. I message also might as well no need to go exam and just wasted S$260 better. She encourage me to go for exam. Tomorrow she refund me S$260, replied this money just take it from her as encouragement to go exam. I replied to her this is simply crazy. She replied about Last Sunday she is having fever so last min cannot come my house for lessons. This money is simply out of her own pocket money not direct refund from ABRSM representative office. Tomorrow she message me that she called ABRSM representative office that send via to her e-mail in 22 July 2015 to know the exam date time and venue.

Later end of last month the exam schedule is out.  Exam date is Thursday 20 Aug 2015 10.42am near my house. On the exam day I took half day leave from work in the morning I receive her message that examiner is sick do not come for exam, later on she message make up is done same place same time in Sun 30 Aug 2015 so I no need to take leave from work as I wasted my leave already.

On the exam days, most scales I anyhow play so wrongly in many notes due to I learn the scale front to back the whole book in sequence. I already know my weakness that once they just randomly select scale ask me to play from my heart I couldn’t play well proper enough at least for many. Songs A part as I done video recording previously about 3 months could not play more than half skipping a lot of it as I cannot repeat. Song B no problem as I done video recording previously one year ago and in my youtube channel and this blog I improve as recorded three times before. Song C which today just record is a easy song, a bit of notes played wrongly 2 to 3 of them. Sight reading many notes almost all notes played wrongly and no rhythm. Aural manage to clap and sing well as it is easy, except the three question like is the notes play smooth or detach, characteristic of the music and the timing 2,3 or 4 I think can be at least two or all questions are wrong. Then I left the exam room and spoken to my teacher sitting outside explain to her how is the exam.

I will be moving house at the end of the year or year start.

Right now I just move in to this house brought under my eldest sister single name for 389K Singapore dollars. It was brought in July last year and I move in start Oct. 4A model flat about 104 square meter 11 level build 29 years old.

Right now at the end of this year or start of the year, I will be moving house as my second elder brought another flat quite near bus interchange or Train station but same town a bit near to where I stay now. Instead of 5 family member stay in this flat, I and my second elder sister two person stay in a much bigger unit. It is 5A model flat about 142 square meter 11 level build 21 years old at 452K Singapore Dollars. My eldest sister is able to apply for HDB loan so using CPF saving of about 200K to pay half then half get loan. My elder sister also have CPF saving of 200K cannot able to get HDB loan as pay is too high above 5K Singapore dollars monthly so got bank loan is principal approved right now we getting a deal of this bigger flat last month end, loan is under processing currently and evaluation report just out now about 450K for this flat. So end up three person or even lesser will stay in this flat as this bigger unit have three bedroom have option to partition another one maybe next time from one of two big living room. It also have front balcony at front entrance and kitchen service balcony at the back link to toilet.

My job contract is extended for a year

After this 5 month extension, my job end of last month had extended for a year, and it will be on a yearly extension basics. After this 5 month extension ended in 05 Aug this year, I will be getting a pro rated gratuity bonus in this month September pay. After that it will be a month gratuity bonus on every  year extension job contract completed. Every job contract extension there will be increment of basic pay to about 5% each.

I had gone for some job interview to send out my resume but at this time I had stop my job search for the time being. I spend a few days at the end of may this year to send out some resume and attended one interview, stop a while and last month middle started a few days to send resume online or e-mail attended one job interview. I find that my current pay is quite high and hard to ask to match my pay or even higher so stopped the search. The reason is to start job search early as this job may not be renewed but now I accepted the pay offer and extension end of last month.

Moved back to Virtual Private Server (VPS) from Reseller Shared hosting.

The price which I paid monthly from second month is US$12.99 just two dollars more than US$10.98, I having free cpanel, much faster web site loading, unmanaged, more bandwidth and free space, daily R1Soft backup.

Reseller hosting can be slow at sometimes, space is 30GB and bandwidth is 300GB. This VPS is running in SSD XEN virtualization, total space is 80GB, free incoming bandwidth and outgoing of 2.5TB, thus I think can manage the VPS myself with cpanel no need fully managed plan. Had been running for one day the performance is great and cheap too. In the first month, there is 50% discount which I paid.

This is the limited time offer, especially the free cpanel which is going to be no more at this URL http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1485338

Web site for this hosting company is http://www.cpanelhosting.com as I move from reseller shared hosting server located from Singapore to US VPS.

Downgrade from VPS to reseller hosting plan.

Now I been using web hosting reseller plan but location is in Singapore. Last time is using KVM VPS server which is much faster but host in US. There is a saving of over S$40 Singapore dollars as compare now paying US$10.98 to US$44.99 last time monthly. Since my sites are using word press not so resource hungry, this is a good option to me to save. My uploaded video works well too by using a video converter from my PC to just upload. For the VPN access, I looking for a better solution rather than to use my KVM VPS.

I now under debt repayment scheme (DRS)

Due to overspending of credit card and line and pay min amount, I am now under this scheme for 5 years to pay off all outstanding amount which is about 89.7k Singapore dollars which bear zero interest rate. The annual membership fee is about $300 for first and second year, S$350 for year 3 to 5 maximum. Before this plan come in, I need to file a bankruptcy which cost over 1.8k to file and swear an oath in high court unable to pay the debt need to apply for DRS plan. So I engage an consultant to pay S$2950 include 1.8k which the remaining are the service fee they charged. Before the DRS approval, I have to pay assessment fee of S$350 and review fee of S$250.

The installment plan are 57 months 1.5k each month as there are condition like half of AWS bonus receive to be contributed to pay off the debt faster. If after assessment once my debt is over 100K Singapore dollars or does not prove to have regular income the DRS will not be eligible that will put be under bankrupt or I have to arrange payment plan with bank instead. Once I have a case, it is very hard to apply for any credit facilities with the bank for many years very long time.

I had been spending over 22K for sliming and facial, 12K on buying a piano, 4k plus on traditional natural treatment, 15K on gym and personal training. So add up like 53K, last year Dec, with interest rate of 24% on credit cards and some interest rate 18% on credit lines, I had been alone pay about S$1.3k interest per month to bank only, exclude any principal. If now I did not apply for DRS and interest rate is increase slightly, I will be paying at least 1.5K interest to bank alone exclude principal if always pay min since two years ago at start Apr 2013 where many credit card and line approved from many bank.

Lastly, my elder sister help me to pay 7K to one bank credit card and line which was canceled and demand full payment, and 3K to the consultant to apply DRS add up to 10k in last year Dec.

Updates of finding care group in new creation church Singapore

Since last Feb this year, I had been contacted the church care group ministry staff in charge and also send them a letter but till now I receive no outcome. I had this time just now send a letter to Pastor KE Mathews via courier and here what I wrote with attachment of previous letter and print out of my NOAH ministry profile online:

Hi Pastor Mathews

Please see attached. I had contacted the church care group ministry and also written to them but I did not receive any outcome in regards of what I have requested to visit another care group. I treat it as your church is unable to find me another care group to visit to with effect from now. Since you are the pastor in charge of the north zone care group, I currently have no care group to attend to in your church right now. I will have to leave your church now to find another church where there is cell group to attend. This letter is written for your info and my sharing.

Regards

Remembering Lee Kuan Yew 1923-2015

11072497_951926721514444_2252936457534746615_oSource: Photo from Mrs Lee Kuan Yew’s collection, taken from Lee Hsien Loong

Lee Kuan Yew First Prime Minister of Singapore had passed away in Monday 23 Mar 2015 0318H Singapore Time GMT8+

From this I had been thinking about few days to write Condolence and here is what I going to say in my blog and maybe post in my facebook.

“Hi Mr Lee, you had really run a Good RACE, building this nation not by any kind of unmerited favor, give more receive more or simply resting for increasing from any of this easy talk or teaching by others. This is what GRACE is which I really believe in. With  you, we all now have Good life a safe country place to live in, Good Education, Good Housing,  Good job with good and stable income. Hope you are fully perfect now and we will remember you always.”

Maybe later I going to Yishun nearest People’s Association community tribute to pay respect by just bowing down and write Condolence if there is chances there instead of parliament house.