Category: The Band Director

I was looking at February so far and noticed that I’ve updated almost daily! So, to let you all catch up to my number of posts this month (except Anne, she’s right up with me), I’ll be taking the rest of the week off from posting. Please use that time wisely to take stock in your own lives and share with the rest of us. You will be graded on grammar, as well as content. (Oh, wait, that goes with the assignment I’m leaving with my kids while I’m gone! Sorry.)

Actually, I’ll be off to San Antonio for the annual Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) convention. It’s one of the largest music educators conventions in the nation and I’m sure I’ll be more than overwhelmed with concert and clinics to go to and plenty of people to schmooze and be schmoozed by on the exhibit floor. I’ll take my laptop but I don’t know what type of internet connection I’ll have access to (if any at all).

As hard as it is to do while away from home, I’m going to try to eat healthy and continue getting some level of exercise. Walking the expansive (I’ll take pictures to show how huge it is) exhibit hall as well as to and from the Hyatt daily will give me some exercise and I’m going to keep to my no beer and sodas regimine. It’s the nightly fair that will take the toll on me this week. Catching up with friends happens so much at night that hitting the Riverwalk scene can’t be avoided. But I must be on my best behavior. I’m sure my hotel mates (or my subconscious) will guilt trip me enough. If not, I have a lot of work to do when I get back.

So, I hope to have good things to read when I get back. Have a good rest of the week all!

I’ve just gotta tell ya, band kids are awesome. Here’s what my great group did…

This morning, our band president and vice president and I travelled across town to Bowie HS so we could visit with their band for a bit. As I had posted late last month (year), they lost one of their band members while on their trip to the Fiesta Bowl. It was quite devistating and twice. You see, when you’re on a band trip, you’re kind of out in a timeless zone of sorts. Most time, you’re on such a strict schedule that normal time almost doesn’t count. Since Robert passed away close to the beginning of their trip, they had time to work through some of their grief on the road, with much help from counselors and school administrators that flew in the moment they found out about this situation. Thing is, when they got back to school, they really ended up going through the grief process all over again, this time with all the folks who didn’t get a chance to be there on the trip. So these poor kids really have had to grieve twice over Robert’s death. These kids deserve a lot of credit for their strength.

So, since the Bowie band members were so wonderful in their generosity when they heard of our drum major and her need of an amputation because of the cancer (which she’s doing really well now, btw), our kids decided to raise a bit of money and send it down there. Between the band member, their officers and their boosters, we raised $500 for the Robert Plumlee Memorial Fund!!! What an awesome group of young people. Makes my heart all warm and the future look bright. I love working with them!!! 😀

I now close the book of good for now. I’m sure we’ll open it yet again and soon and often.

Well, today was the first day back to work with the kiddos there. It was a pretty easy day, even though this first day back had crazy elements, as most do.

First thing when I get there and my friend and co-worker Matt is talking to this senior who is talking about quitting band. WHAT??? He’s an awesome kid and good French horn player in the top band. 3rd chair, I think. And the boss man wasn’t there to deal. So, we put Ryan off to talk to Sedatole later and he did and he was talked out of quitting band. The main reason he wanted to quit — to have plenty of time to study for 6 AP exams. He’s a senior. Why does he need to study for AP exams? To get college credit. What’s the point of the adventure of college if you can do it all in high school? It’s all screwy, I tell you!

I guess other than prepping the 150 piece student account statement mailer I did today (and only screwed up 2 accounts a smidge, then fixed them), the only other thing that was out of the ordinary was the heat and humidity in our band hall. Turns out that the damn A/C won’t turn on until the de-humidifying process is done and since we have these HUGE doors that go outside that keep being opened, the de-humidifying process NEVER ENDS. ARGH. I found myself snapping at kids to get out of my office at the end of school because it was sooo damn hot and I was trying to finish up some last bits of that damn mailer and I’m a bit clausterphobic. Again, ARGH!! They just wanted to come hang out, which is cool, but not when it’s hot.

Came home, walked the path (about 3 miles), ate dinner, reading The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger now. I borrowed it from my sister. It’s a pretty good book. That’s about it.

Fat cats sleep.

Good citizen moment:

This makes me really sad. I have NO idea what condition I’d be in if this happened to someone in my band. Hug a loved one. Let your heart and prayers go out to those associated with the Bowie Band.

KXAN.com – Bowie Student Dies On School Trip

My friend Connie is a Bowie Band Parent and her daughter Sami is on this trip. Here are her thoughts:
Connie’s Xanga