Wow...life...and the curve balls it throws

I had a relatively productive weekend. Did a lot of drill, made a lot of calls, met with a lot of people, and actually got to sleep in (but only a little) on Saturday morning. Today, Sunday, I came home from church choir rehearsal about at 5:30pm and hastily started making dinner (grilled garlic chicken and "pink sauce"--which is 2 bottles of Alfredo with 2 cups of marinara--over fettucini, broccoli, and some penne pasta just in case), and got ready to feed my family plus my brother in law, his "friend" :-) , and his daughter. Plus I had to do this within 45 minutes because I had yet ANOTHER choir rehearsal that I had to be at by 7pm (what's with all the freakin' CHOIR crap, Band-o Boy!?). Anyway...

As the water is starting to boil and I was quick thawing 4 pounds of chicken boob in the microwave, I sauntered over to my computer (now relocated to my front room as part of a larger remodel plan that is yet in its infancy) to check my email. And lo and behold, the world famous Alan Irons had emailed me. However--his email was anything but what I would expect from him, as he and I have stayed friends and have corresponded over the years since he graduated from Fountain Valley HS in 1996. This was probably one of the toughest emails for me to get, as it came out of NOWHERE and I had NO CLUE what to expect.

He wanted to let me know that the flute section leader from the Fountain Valley HS Royal Regiment from 1994-1996, Anne Coleville, was tragically killed two nights ago in Huntington Beach in a horrific traffic accident. I sat at my keyboard literally stunned. I was VERY fond of Anne as she was a natural leader, TOTALLY committed to the RR, and probably one of the best students that I or Gary Wampler ever had the pleasure to teach. On top of that though, I would see her every so often over the years at shows or what not. She had grown up to be sure, and was working a real career (some kind of analyst or something), and still living in Orange County. Out of the blue, I got an I.M. from her, and I would like to say it was about 1 1/2 years ago, and we spent a good half hour "chatting" back and forth. She filled me in on her life, on her parents (who were great band boosters), and just stuff. I was stoked to hear from her back then. It always nice for instructors like myself to run into or keep contact with the kids who really made a difference in the programs I've been involved in. I can guarantee you that Anne WAS that type of person. A director's dream in my eyes.

And while it's 2nd hand information, the CIRCUMSTANCES of her death really really disturb me. A GREAT deal. It's being said that she was in a car being driven by her apparently intoxicated boyfriend, who suffered serious injuries in the crash and is apparently still hospitalized. You know...for all those that drink and drive, if you want to go out and kill YOURSELVES...go right ahead. I played that silly ass game back before something slapped me upside my head, and now I have no tolerance for it. But kill someone else, and that just absolutely boils my blood. Anne Coleville, if she continued to be anything she was like when I knew her as a stellar high school student, had much to offer the world and the people in her life. But if what is being said is true, she had no chance for that because of a STUPID #(%ING DECISION made by her boyfriend. Since I have no tolerance for it, I will say this. I hope he suffers for the rest of his life and THEN some for what he did. NO SYMPATHY FROM ME...sorry. I've known too many people that have had their lives cut short because of alcohol--just check out one of my first posts in my blog to know of just one.

This is exactly why I stopped drinking voluntarily and totally on my own back in late November of 1992. I knew I had a problem when my at-the-time roommate Phil Mortensen said, "Dude...you need to chill out on the drinking." And I did. Cold. I was following in the footsteps of my parents, and I need not go down the route.

I was really rattled by this email from Alan. Death, for whatever reason, has been on my mind a lot within the last few months (and maybe I'll talk about it later...and nooooooooooooo...I'm not contemplating anything if you are thinking THAT...homey don't do the suicide thing!). I've "felt" the deaths of people lately more than ever before, and I'm sure it's because I'm 40 and I've hit the halfway mark. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh jeeeeeeeeeeez...I need to stop now. Not a good subject.

Later.

Anyway...the world has lost a very special person. And I'm quite saddened by the senselessness of it, and the loss. It's my hope that I can get to a memorial or funeral for her. I'm sure there will be MANY people there, as she probably touched a lot of people. I know she did in the Royal Regiment.

Thanks Alan for letting me know...