Author: Benford

Ain’t She Sweet

Today was so much better. All the EVERYTHING that was going on last week and through the weekend has ended and things have calmed down a smidge at work. I have all my grades entered and verified for the progress report and I can actually see the top of my desk at work!

Tonight, I came home before dark (a first in about 2 weeks), had a yummy dinner (Taco Cabana) and now, I’m going to do a load of laundry and pay my bills.

This recent exhaustion really put me in a mini-depression over the weekend. Luckily, I managed it fairly well by not drinking and trying to get in sleep when I was home. When I was around my students, I tried to take a long breath before I snapped at them and tried to spend a little time just hanging out with them in the band hall. I’m really proud of myself in not getting wrapped up in being tired and making it more drama than it was. Don’t get me wrong, I did my share of whining. LOL. But I kept it minimized (as much as I could) to the people who would understand and help me through it, rather than just anyone who would listen. It’s the little things, huh? 😀

The musical was a success. We made over $8000.00 in ticket sales and with that, donations and the little bit of money we got from the school’s budget, we broke even on the production. AND, everyone involved did a spectacular job. There isn’t one person who worked on this production that shouldn’t be proud of the outcome and compliments. It’s all well earned!

Playing in the pit orchestra of the musical was another great experience. There is A LOT of music in South Pacific and we played almost constantly. It was a lot of fun. During the first act, there was a little bit of down time and I got to catch up on reading magazines and getting some school paperwork done.

I read an article in February’s issue of Marie Claire about Tony and Heather Randall and their marriage before Tony passed away. They had a May-December romance but it seems like it wasn’t in any way like the Anna Nicole Smith/J. Howard Marshall thing. They seemed to truly love each other, despite all the life differences their age difference seemed to hold. When asked if she would marry an older man again, she said, “Yes, yes, yes. Life is such a crapshoot that even when a relationship doesn’t make sense on paper – and even when it’s fairly easy to predict that not everything will be ideal – having love for whatever length of time is always better than not having it at all.” Pretty smart, if you ask me.

February will be an interesting month. We start with Crystal’s birthday, move into TMEA week and then I leave for Japan for a week. We finally and painstakingly got the itineraries set and the tickets bought. I’m just glad that I keep my passport up to date because this trip is happening way faster than I’d have a chance to get it renewed!

I know, I still have to write about the end of my New Years trip and it really won’t be a long post but I guess this is the post that I really need Crystal to talk it through with so we don’t forget anything. Our memory of that part of the night really is patchy! LOL

OH, has anyone watched the Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles? I don’t watch it but someone said one of the characters looks just like me. I looked it up on IMDB but I’m not so sure. What do you think?

Well, I hope you all have a nice week.
Love you, mean it!
~C

Maxwell’s Silver Hammer

Have you ever reached the point that you’re so exhausted, you can’t sleep? And pretty much brought to tears? It’s official…I’m there. And with still another performance of the musical tonight and a board meeting (at my house) tomorrow. Okay, vent done. Thanks.

Magical Mystery Tour

When I was a kid, my mom told me that whatever you are doing on New Years Day is what you’ll be doing through out that year. On New Years Day, I was traveling (back to Austin from New Orleans). Turns out that this old saying may be true because I have had several offers to travel at the end of February. I can only take one because my students can’t have me not there that many days but still, I’m honored to have been thought about for the 2nd one. The first trip (not counting TMEA) is to Japan for my cousin’s wedding. My mom, sister and I will be in the Tokyo area right around a week for it. I’m so excited! The second was an offer from Music For All (and/or Bands of America) to go to Indianapolis to be Shelly Berg‘s personal assistant type helper person as he clinics the BOA Jazz Honor Band during the National Music Festival the last week in February. Let me tell you how HARD it was to turn that down. But, if this opportunity came up once, I believe it won’t be the last.

If you haven’t heard yet, this is the weekend that Stony Point Fine Arts Department is putting on their production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific. We had opening night last night and everyone that went is raving with their reviews!! If you’re in the Austin area and are interested in coming to see the production either tonight (Friday) or tomorrow night (Saturday), it’s at the Round Rock ISD Performing Arts Center (next to McNeil HS) on McNeil Dr. Doors open at 6:00 pm with the show starting at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for students.

Also, if you’re a jazzer and are interested, IAJE-Texas is having a Jazz Symposium on Saturday from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm at McNeil HS (on McNeil Dr) this Saturday. Cost is $25 for IAJE members and $40 for non members. There are two main sessions – one about teaching improv and the other about working your rhythm section. Lots of good clinicians working this event. Bring your instrument!!

If you’re interested in either thing up there, let me know and I’ll get you more details if you need.

Have a wonderful day and weekend.
Love you, mean it!
~C

Crying, Hoping, Waiting

I’ll finish my New Years in New Orleans wrap up soon.

The Oscar nominees were announced today. Many wonder what’s going to happen with the Oscars since the Golden Globes had to be cancelled. I never actually looked up the winners once they were announced and after looking up the Oscar nominees just now, I realize why. I never saw a movie in the theatre this past year. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I watched Superbad at home and laughed all the way through it. But the last movie I saw in the theatre was The Pursuit of Happyness. The crazy thing is that I live right next to a Tinsletown…where I know one of the managers and rarely have to pay to see a movie!!! I guess I’ve enjoyed my time with my friends by being able to converse with them while we hang out. I’m not opposed to seeing movies alone, either. I just haven’t. Just an interesting tidbit about my last year.

Which brings me to the question, “What do you think will win out: BlueRay or HD DVD?”

Love you, mean it!
~C

Lady Madonna

One day, when a seamstress was sewing while sitting close to a river, her thimble fell into the river. When she cried out, the Lord appeared and asked, ‘My dear child, why are you crying?’ The seamstress replied that her thimble had fallen into the water and that she needed it to help her husband in making a living for their family.

The Lord dipped His hand into the water and pulled up a golden thimble set with sapphires. ‘Is this your thimble?’ the Lord asked The seamstress replied, ‘No.’ The Lord again dipped into the river. He held out a golden thimble studded with rubies. ‘Is this your thimble?’ the Lord asked. Again, the seamstress replied, ‘No.’ The Lord reached down again and came up with a leather thimble. ‘Is this your thimble ?’ the Lord asked. The seamstress replied, ‘Yes.’ The Lord was pleased with the woman’s honesty and gave her all three thimbles to keep, and the seamstress went home happy.

Some years later, the seamstress was walking with her husband along the riverbank, and her husband fell into the river and disappeared under the water. When she cried out, the Lord again appeared and asked her, ‘Why are you crying?’ ‘Oh Lord, my husband has fallen into the river!’ The Lord went down into the water and came up with George Clooney. ‘I s this your husband?’ the Lord asked. ‘Yes,’ cried the seamstress.

The Lord was furious. ‘You lied! That is an untruth!’ The seamstress replied, ‘Oh, forgive me, my Lord. It is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said ‘no’ to George Clooney, you would have come up with Brad Pitt. Then if I said ‘no’ to him, you would have come up with my husband. Had I then said ‘yes,’ you would have given me all three. Lord, I’m not in the best of health and would not be able to take care of all three husbands, so THAT’S why I said ‘yes’ to George Clooney. And so the Lord let her keep him. The moral of this story is: Whenever a woman lies, it’s for a good and honorable reason, and in the best interest of others. That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it.

Signed All Us Women