Meeting the Students

I met a lot of my recorder students for the first time today! My more advanced students didn't return this year, so besides one 3rd year and one 2nd year student, the rest of them were all beginners! It was also the first year I'd be teaching music theory!

In one of my classes I had two sets of sisters, who were quite lively. One set of sisters were Eurasian! Go Eurasians!

I had a younger class of five-year-olds who were understandably quite quiet and reserved. My music theory class was also like that, even though they were a bit older.

I discovered that one of the students in my last class is a sister of a boy who I used to go to primary school with and also learn the recorder together with at the very school I teach now! That was interesting. I could see the resemblance!

What was funny when I was explaining the different parts of the recorder to all my first year students was that when I explained the top part of the recorder was called the head and the middle part the body, I asked them what they thought the bottom part was called and everyone thought it was called the legs! I tried telling them to think of a cat and they immediately realised that it's called the tail!

This will be the sixth year I've been teaching recorder, and fortunately I've got more students this year than any other year. Equally exciting is I've got my very own key to my classroom (or at least my classroom for Saturday morning). Roll on 2010!

What an Accurate Personality Test!

I tried this personality test on Facebook, thinking it was another one of those cheap rubbishy tests, but it actually came up with a description that sounds like me!

Dear Calum Anderson, below are your Personality Tests result:
Who is your true self: You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.
Your view on yourself:  
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You are down-to-earth
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : People like you because you are so straightforward
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision that usually appeals to both parties
The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking:  
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You like serious
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Smart
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Determined people
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You don't judge a book by its cover
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : So good-looking people aren't necessarily your style
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes
Your readiness to commit to a relationship:  
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You prefer to get to know a person very well before deciding whether you will commit to the relationship
The seriousness of your love:  
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Your have very sensible tactics when approaching the opposite sex
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : In many ways people find your straightforwardness attractive
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : So you will find yourself with plenty of dates
Your views on education:  
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Education is very important in life
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You want to study hard
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Learn as much as you can
The right job for you:  
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You're a practical person
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Will choose a secure job with a steady income
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Knowing what you like to do is important
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Find a regular job doing just that
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You'll be set for life
How do you view success:  
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You are afraid of failure
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Scared to have a go at the career you would like to have in case you don't succeed
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Don't give up when you haven't yet even started! Be courageous
What are you most afraid of:  
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You are afraid of having no one to rely on in times of trouble
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : You don't ever want to be unable to take care of yourself
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ : Independence is important to you



I have to agree that I'm not necessarily attracted to people by their good looks. I do find education very important and try my best, and I am definitely afraid of failure! I am scared of having a go at the career I would like to have in case I don't succeed!

I don't know if I'm that straight forward though?

A Wedding to Remember

Today was Jeremy (my cousin) and Asumi's wedding. The week leading up to the wedding my brothers and I had been practising our accordion trio quite a bit, and I had also been trying to improve my violin solo!

It didn't help that yesterday, I had to spend the entire day at uni for training for the Student Ambassador position I'd be taking on the following week during Orientation Week. We pretty much just had to sit in a lecture theatre and listen to a few people from the various departments/services talk about what they do, have a little tour around the university, and get paid for it! Oh and they also provided morning tea and lunch for us! It made me really want to stay at uni beyond this year!

On that night before the wedding and on the morning of the wedding, I was still frantically arranging music for our accordion trio! I managed to arrange some James Morrison music along with some Phil Collins, Backstreet Boys and Aqua (we never got around to playing Barbie Girl though!).

Admittedly we left for the wedding a bit late. We only got to the vineyard about ten minutes before it started at 3.30pm and we went straight to the field where the wedding would be held and set up our instruments. 

There weren't many seats to sit so most people gathered around. 

My dad who was leading the procession on his bagpipes began playing all the way from the other side of the field by the main building. He slowly made his way to the platform, followed by the two flower girls and then Asumi in her kimono and her father.

The actual ceremony was quite quick! The celebrant got the bride and groom to read some vowels before requesting the rings, doing the whole 'I do' and then the 

"You may kiss the bride!"

It was already time for my violin solo! I was standing to the side of the platform playing Largo from "Xerxes" by Handel as the bride, groom and the parents signed the book. I don't know how I sounded but fortunately I didn't stop or screw up!

I had to quickly switch to the accordion and Hamish and I played the Wedding March as Asumi and Jeremy walked back down the aisle! 

After the ceremony Jeremy and Asumi took group photos with their workmates, friends, extended family (that's us!), immediate family, parents...us Anderson brothers only just managed to get a photo together with them, with us wearing our Chinese hats!

We were just mixing and mingling for a little while after Jeremy and Asumi left to take some photos as couples. We weren't too sure when we were supposed to start playing our accordion music though, as we were asked to play in the background while they were off-site. Once everyone went into the building we finally started playing music!

Not too many people really took much notice of us playing music except for the few who took photos of us, and a young boy who came right up close to us to stare at us, which was much appreciated!

We were given warning that Jeremy and Asumi were about to return, so Hamish and I got ready, and as everyone was asked to stand, we played the Wedding March as they entered the building. We couldn't see what was going on, so we just kept playing and playing as everyone remained standing! I think the bride and groom had reached their seats long before we got to the end of the piece and so the MC (Martyn, our cousin) asked everyone to be seated as we kept playing! We took that as an indication to stop playing of course!

Our family was seated with the then-deputy principal of Jeremy and Asumi's high school, as well as Jeremy's grandma and aunty. It was cool as at each seat there was a name printed on a card!

Martyn started off the evening by giving a speech before we all got served the entrée which consisted of a lot of seafood such as oysters and mussels.

After the entrées, it was time for the speeches. Jeremy's mum and dad (my uncle and aunty) both gave some touching speeches, before Asumi's dad gave a speech. This was followed by Jeremy's speech and Asumi's speech. She was quite moved by the whole event! There were quite a few toasts along the way, with one making use of the sake sets! Each family got their own sake set. Because we don't drink alcohol, we didn't pour anything into our sake cups and just toasted with empty cups. When my mum was playing around though, she found an orange liquid inside and asked if the sake was orange, only to discover it was actually orange juice! 

We were then served dinner, which consisted of lamb, beef and vegetables. There was a little concern the meat wasn't cooked properly, but we discovered it was supposed to be cooked like that so it was all good! 

After dinner, anyone else could make a speech, and so Martyn went around the room getting people to give speeches. As usual my dad gave a speech which went on and on about the family tree! He was originally planning to talk about how multicultural our family has become but he must've gotten a bit side-tracked!

Graeme and Samuel, my cousins and Jeremy's brothers gave a bit of a speech with Graeme ending with this joke for Asumi:

"Knock knock. (Who's there?) Jeremy, and he'll always be there for you."

hahaha that was quite.....touching....

Asumi's classmates got together to give a speech before dessert was supposed to be prepared but it was then decided that the first dance would take place while dessert was being prepared. Asumi and Jeremy danced to 'Can't Help Falling in Love with You' by Elvis Presley after the bouquet toss which got a bit brutal!

It was back to dessert aterwards, which was buffet! I could only handle one serving before feeling quite bloated! 

After a short break, we went into the room to do a bit of dancing, and watching Jeremy and Graeme pull out their dance moves! Asumi's older sister who was still in her kimono was dancing hard-out as well which was quite amusing!

People eventually started leaving and it was soon midnight when we had to wrap everything up and finish.

When we finally got everything packed in the car, my mum and dad left in one car ahead of us while us brothers were in another car behind. As we were pulling out of the driveway we saw our parents' car go down into the ditch! Our dad turned too widely and drove into the ditch on the side of the road! We were trying to figure out what to do when fortunately our cousins came back, telling us the road had been closed by police due to a major accident. They helped push the car out of the ditch and headed off in the opposite direction. 

We had no idea what the alternative route was, had no cellphone signal and our petrol was low, so we decided to drive in the opposite direction and hope it'd lead us back to the main road. Aonghas was adamant a turn-off we passed would get us there, but once I found where we were on the map, we discovered it would've led us nowhere!

Fortunately we made it back home safely!

Congratulations to Asumi and Jeremy though upon getting married! It feels quite weird thinking of Jeremy as being married, because I've always imagined us cousins to be young and now with Jeremy married, it's like we're all growing up and moving apart! Well hopefully not, but we'll always be family and now Asumi is part of ours too! 

Last Catch-Up

Originally I wasn't going to, but after some last minute planning and negotiation I caught up with my good friend Diane for breakfast this morning in the city for one last time before she goes back down to Palmerston North for uni this weekend. 

We, or maybe just I, had breakfast at McDonald's while she just had a coffee or whatever you call one of those drinks, and we just sat around talking for a while. Originally we had planned to go to the park to just sit around and talk, but the weather was quite grey and it was spitting slightly so we just spent a bit more time at McDonald's before we decided we'd leave.

We went over to the nearby pharmacy for her to buy a few things while I spent the time revising drug names and ingredients (how useful!).

The weather wasn't too bad then, so we decided we might walk over to the AUT quad to sit and talk, but I then reconsidered and decided we'd go one better and head over to Auckland University! Usually whenever we meet up and I suggest something or somewhere we could do or go, she always says she's already done that, but I guess no one had bothered to take her around our uni and show her, so I showed her our flash Business School and we just sat outside for a while till it started spitting and we walked to Albert Park and just sat and talked for a while. It started spitting again so we headed back down to Queen Street where she met up with another friend who she was going to have lunch with.

I went to the bus stop to catch the bus and caught up with one of my friends Zahir who I always seem to meet up with at the bus stop!

It was actually a good catch up with Diane this time, as we didn't have any of the awkwardness like past catch-ups, and we talked quite a bit! I think our fresh start actually worked! Too bad I won't be seeing her again for another year.

 

Preparing for the Big Day

Wednesday morning was the inorganic rubbish collection! The Waitakere City Council have been doing it differently now, requiring people to pay for their rubbish to be collected (with a maximum of one cubic metre), rather than just let everyone leave their rubbish on the curbside.

We dumped a few old computer monitors and some blinds on our front lawn for collection in the morning. My parents had put out a fridge and microwave on our neighbour's lawn (with her permission!) the night before, and not too long after our neighbour rang to say someone had already taken it!

On the morning of the collection we decided to add our old, broken 29" TV to the collection. We were wheeling it over to our neighbour's lawn as the truck was collecting the rubbish further down the street. One of the workers saw us putting the TV on the lawn and started shouting to us

"GO AWAY!!!"

He must've been thinking we were just random people dumping rubbish on someone else's lawn! Fortunately our neighbour came out to explain to the guy that we had her permission.

We also decided to dump one of our old couches, which was a last minute decision. Just as we got it to the curb, the truck had made it's way up to our house. We thought that they would be collecting our rubbish to restore and sell to someone else, but to my parents' horror, they just chucked all the stuff into the back of the truck, only for it to be crushed! My parents were really gutted, especially since we had so many memories of that couch. They've had it for many, many years and while it may be broken, it's one of our most comfortable couches! Hamish would often sleep on it during the day when he's bored. I don't know where he'll sleep now.

RIP OLD ORANGE COUCH

Later in the afternoon though we went over to the vineyard in Kumeu to check out the place where our cousin Jeremy will be getting married to his fiance Asumi this Sunday. It was quite a nice place. If it doesn't rain, they will be having their wedding outside, with the reception inside the nearby building which looks very much like a barn (which of course it actually isn't!). 

We just went through what they will be saying during the ceremony, who will be standing where, saying what. Aonghas had to figure out which camera angles he would be shooting while I was figuring out where all our music performances would fit in. 

We got everything confirmed. Now the only thing to do is practise, practise, practise!

One thing I am really freaked out about is that I have to play a violin solo (unaccompanied!) during the signing. Now there is a reason why I've never performed the violin solo before....because I'm not good! I sound terrible! I'm hoping we have the wedding outside so that hopefully the sound I make will get distorted or something so that people won't hear just how bad I am! 

Second Time Just as Good

Last night my family and I went to watch Avatar at IMAX. While it was the second time for me, it was the first time for the rest of my family, and the first time my dad had seen a movie since Ghandi in the 80's! 

The movie was on at 8.50pm and we thought we had left home with plenty of time to spare, but when we got to the cinemas, there was only four minutes till the movie started, and the queue by the counter was huge! We were wondering whether it'd be worth it, but after paying $8 for parking it was a bit too late to pull out now!

We got our tickets and literally ran up to IMAX, only to find out we hadn't missed any of the movie, except for a few movie trailers. Our seats were slightly to the right but it wasn't too bad. 

 

What was slightly annoying though were the people sitting behind us! I couldn't make out what language they were speaking but two of the children who were sitting directly behind my mum kept talking to each other, leading to my mum and I turning around and looking at them several times during the movie!

I could also feel my seat moving a few times, probably because the guy (who was part of the same group as the children I'm guessing) had his foot against my chair!

Fortunately it sort of died down later in the movie, or maybe the sound just drowned out their voice! 

I also had to keep a constant eye on my dad to make sure he didn't fall asleep! He did pretty well though, which is surprising seeing as he always falls asleep in the middle of anything! Violence also isn't really his thing so I wasn't too sure if he'd be interested, but he seemed to follow the movie!

 

At least now we can say the last movie he saw was Avatar!

 

Celebrating Chinese New Year Twice in a Day

We didn't actually do much to celebrate Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day on the actual day except had this combined game with most people at church where groups of people had to pop balloons to find a Bible verse and then give it to one of the team members to write it with one of those Chinese ink pens. My group sent me up, even though I had no idea what was going on since I couldn't understand Chinese! I think most of them were chicken to go up! When the game finally started, I had to find the Bible verse in the Bible and I was looking at the front of the Bible but the rest of the group got frustrated at how long it too me to find it so they took over! Our church also had a shared lunch to celebrate Chinese New Year though.

We also did attend two Chinese New Year Festivals the day before on Saturday. It was good to finally get out of the house after spending most of the week at home doing little more than washing the house a few times!

I always enjoy these festivals as the crowds, stalls, food and the entertainment always makes me feel a whole lot more Asian! 

The first festival we attended was at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane. This was the larger of the two festivals as there were plenty of stalls and a lot more space. We didn't get there till midday as our parents had to sort something out before then.

I don't know if it's true but it did feel a little like there were fewer stalls or there was slightly more space at this year's festival compared to last year's festival. That may have something to do though with the two Chinese New Year festivals being held on the same day this year. 

 

Nonetheless, there was still quite a lot on offer. Everyone was trying to give us all their rubbish...I mean flyers and pamphlets...while there were some stalls giving away free pens, calendars, etc. While there were a lot of food stalls, I was more interested in those stalls selling gifts and those little toys!

National MP and Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong was walking around and we happened to cross paths! We even managed to get a family photo together with her!

 

After checking out most of the stalls, we decided to take a rest by watching some of the performances. There was a group of acrobats performing. One girl managed to balance all these candles on her, while a group of guys did some juggling and some tricks with hats! 

 

There was half an hour left and so Hamish and I decided to check out the stalls one more time before the festival finished. We came across a stall selling old coins and notes from around the world and from different time periods, and they were quite cheap! We tried looking for a note with the highest value, and came across an old Argentinean note worth 500,000 pesos, so Hamish paid $3.50 for it. Now he's a half-millionaire!

We then drove all the way across Auckland over to the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau where another Chinese New Year Festival was being held! This time they made a lot of the space on the huge field nearby available for car parks, despite the ground being very bumpy. We ended up parking all the way at the opposite end, which meant a long walk!

There were a lot of food stalls outside, while inside the building were plenty of stalls. The space was smaller though so it was quite crowded. There were some stalls selling some interesting stuff. One stall sold bouquets, only they weren't of flowers but of soft toys! There was another stall selling really plush reclining chairs, and one selling electric toilet seats! 

 

We also came across Pansy Wong's stall and Pansy Wong approached us to talk to us. She obviously didn't remember us from earlier in the day! She asked my brothers and I what each one of us were studying and it went something like this...

"Pharmacy"

"Oh you'll have no problem getting a job!"

"Commerce"

"Oooh.....that may be difficult..."

"Engineering"

"You'll have no problem finding a job either!"

We did buy a few things. My mum bought me some traditional Chinese clothes! I don't know when or where I'll wear it but at least I have the option if I ever want to look more Chinese! My mum also bought a Chinese hat for one of us to wear at our cousin's upcoming wedding (they want traditional clothes worn!). 

 

We checked out all the stalls by 8pm and we were going to stay at the festival till the fireworks and the end (which was going to be at 10pm) so we had nothing much to do for another two hours! We went back outside to check out the food and had a little feed before going back inside to have a look at the stalls for a little longer before the fireworks. Grace, her brother Sam and their parents just arrived and we bumped into them inside!

 

As the festival began to finish, my brothers and my dad found a spot outside to sit and watch the fireworks while my mum and I made a last minute ditch to buy a Chinese hat at my dad's request. When we got back, Grace and her family were there with the rest of my family and so we all watched the fireworks together. The fireworks were pretty good, albeit a little sporadic!

 

As soon as the fireworks were over we raced to our car to try get out of the carpark quick and avoid the inevitable traffic jam that usually occurs at the end of this festival every year. However, we weren't early enough and got stuck for almost an hour just trying to get out of the carpark! I was surprised there was no people directing traffic! It was anarchy...almost! 

We ended up getting home about two hours after we left the festival, but just in time to welcome in the new Chinese New Year!

 

14th February Special: Happy.....

So we all know that today marks Chinese New Years, as well as Valentine's Day, one of the worst possible holidays for some all year. Today's post is a look at alternative holidays on the 14th February for you to celebrate to forget all about Valentine's Day, if it's not working out all to well for you:

Happy Ferris Wheel Day! 

The purpose of this holiday is to celebrate the birthday of George Washington Gale Ferris Jr, a civil engineer who invented the first Ferris Wheel!

Happy National Donor Day!

Happy National Have a Heart Day!

Happy Orthodox Cheesefare Sunday! 

This is the last day for dairy and fish before Clean Monday, which begins Great Lent in the Eastern Orthodox churches. (Answers.com)

Happy Race Relations Day!

(Remember a lot of these are from America!)

Happy Shrovetide!

The three days before Ash Wednesday: Shrove Sunday, Monday and Tuesday—a time for confession and festivity before the beginning of Lent. (Answers.com)

Happy Anniversary of the League of Women Voters!

And Happy Birthday to...

Michael Bloomberg - Mayor of New York City

So 14th February doesn't always have to be about love, giving gifts, and sharing kisses. It can be about celebrating Michael Bloomberg's birthday, or even paying tribute to the good old Ferris Wheel!