- Much healthier, mostly due to large does of illegally obtained Cipro because I was too damn lazy to go to the doctor. Sue me! I used some Cipro that my wife couldn't take because it made her feel like her head was a nuclear reactor on meltdown. I am in the throws however of the beginning of my annual sneeze fest. So Clartatin and me will start our affair soon.
- I've had reason to talk to separate people over the last week about the same damn regret I've had for many many years, and I'll probably go to my grave with the regret. I know we're not supposed to have any. But I can't get this out of mind. I regret not doing what I needed to do to get my degree and become a band director. I've seen many band director friends of mine--Tim Bryan, Phil R. Mortensen, Larry White to name just a few--successfully move up into admin positions. And I think I cheated myself out of a rewarding career in education because in my tender 20's, I was convinced that band directing was "dead end" in terms of career. What was I? A complete buffoon back then??? When one has a regret, one shouldn't assume that the regret has a twin regret of what is CURRENTLY going on in one's life. No no no...that's not the case with me. I actually have it pretty good. I'm not trying to say I'm NOT grateful for the path my life went and where I am today. But I can't get the thought out of my mind. And I kick myself when I think back to the time a certain band director had a very long heart-to-heart with me and GREATLY encouraged me to get up to Azusa Pacific College and finish my degree because big changes were coming to his district. And I didn't listen. Dang. STUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPID. About as dumb as me selling my 1970 Dodge Challenger back in 1988.
- Had an Excel class at OCFA, taught by an instructor from New Horizons, the same company I worked with back in 1992 and 1993. And based on what he told me, their business model still sucks. How they stay in business and how people STILL get sucked into working for that crappy company is BEYOND ME. No...I'm not a big fan of New Horizons. Anyway...found out some things that Excel does that may or may not help me in my job at OCFA. Cool stuff though. That program is pretty dang impressive.
- Forgot to ask if it was OK to announce to the world who I am writing drill for that I sort of hinted at in my last entry. All I know is that they do feel the rhythm down there at the ranch, and they are happy to have me back. I'm happy to be back. Now can we pick a freakin' show?!?!?!?!?
- Called my old stand by Greg Flores yesterday from work to tap into his creative genius and see if he wants to join the team with this previously aforementioned band. He's game. Greg was the magic behind the hornline and brass book for VK from 1991-1996, and I hired him on and he took over for me after my 6 year run with Fountain Valley came to a crashing and dramatic (and sad) end. He knows how to make a hornline play and can write great music. He's been writing for Long Beach State's "Basketball Band" which is basically like "Tower of Power", as well as teaching and gigging and judging. Matter of fact, I hired him at the last minute to judge music when I was asked to be the Chief Judge for the Pacific Northwest Marching Band Championships at the 11th hour--and I pulled together an all-star judging crew from southern California and TORE UP WASHINGTON STATE!!! That was fun. Those northwesterners didn't know what hit them...Dan and Ron Zeilinger, Robert Whitaker, Greg Flores, Paul Locke, Dale Leaman, ME...holy cow!!! It was VERY fun!! i'll never forget that weekend.\
Anyway friends...I have some political/world views I want to spew out but I can't right now. Suffice it to say...things are soooooooooooooo nuts right now. If you don't spend time looking at the news...you'd be amazed at what's happening.
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