Month: April 2004

I’m Still Alive

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My first concert is now completed. As many of you know, since I was hired mid-year, my position has to be reposted to new applicants over the next few weeks. I’ve been getting the impression lately that the administration is looking for someone with more experience than me. After a bad rehearsal, or after the percussion’s performance tonight, I don’t care and I’d be willing to walk away from this place. But by the end of the concert, I just don’t want to leave this school. There are definitely major issues with the job, but I’m starting to think the good parts outweigh the annoyance. And that’s a difficult position to put myself in, especially if the administration decides they want someone else who has had more experience. It would be a big bummer… and I don’t know if I’d want to take any other teaching job.

Anyway, it’s late and I probably shouldn’t dwell on this now. I have to wake up in four hours.

For Anyone Interested

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My school is having their spring concert on Tuesday at 7:00 pm, in which I will be conducting some musical pieces. If you feeling like stopping by, send me an email and I can give you the details privately.

More About DFW

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Here are some more things I would have said in my last weekend update if I hadn’t been so exhausted. Actually, I still am quite exhausted, having just come home from percussion and colorguard rehearsals. I need to wait until the very last student is picked up, and this time it was a colorguard student. Luckilly, the colorguard instructor was there to keep the two of us company… I’m not comfortable with the idea of being left alone with a student, especially a female student, especially considering the reasons behind the departure of the last five assistant band directors.

Anyway, back to what I wanted to say. My weekend in Texas was spent with the loveliest people. Stacey flew out and back with me, and we shared a hotel suite and rental SUV with Hoai. It was great to see Hoai… it’s been many years. We weren’t close friends in high school, but he’s such a cool, unique person. Now that he’s living in Philly, we’ll have to get together some.

The DFW crew is awesome. They are all so friendly and kind, and also so unique. Tina and Leia really helped to make me and the rest of the Jersey Contingent feel right comfortable, and Erica was such a gracious hostess. Alex was also cool to be around, as was Ru. Of course, I always look forward to seeing Becca and I would have been very disappointed if I hadn’t been able to see her for a few hours.

Everyone else I met was great as well, and I don’t mean to leave anyone out. If I could just transplant everyone up here to New Jersey… well, maybe that wouldn’t go over so well.

I have to go write some lesson plans and get some sleep already. Don’t forget to check out my photos from the weekend.

Whataday

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Post-wedding, it was time to really have some fun. Bryan and his band, formerly known as Bender, but due to copyright limitations are now searching for a new name, performed. The gig was their second ever, and a bar in Arlington allowed them to perform in the afternoon. They played a great arrangement of a song from Kill Bill as well as many other fine songs. Also, I helped Bryan serenade his new wife by accompanying him on piano.

A while after the band stopped playing, many of us headed over to the Lucci House for some more socializing. These DFW people are great. I’ll miss them as I find myself back in New Jersey.

The Bells Are Ringing

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Congratulations to Bryan and Lyn! We’ve been through some scrapes here and there but I’ve always been honored to be able to call Bryan one of my closest friends. The wedding went well, and my traveling companions and I are enjoying our time in Texas. At the wedding, I was told that I am the Leia of Central Jersey and she is the Spike of Dallas. Apparently the designation has something to do with planning events.

After a short nap, we’ll be going to the Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival. Following that, Bryan’s band will be playing in a bar in Arlington to celebrate the marriage.

Eternal Muddiness of the Frazzled Mind

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Sorry for the lack of updates lately. Yet again, I’ll use my new job as an excuse. Writing lesson plans, preparing the bands for a concert, and attending rehearsals at night for colorgaurd and percussion are all taking my time. In fact, I’m heading back to the school in less than an hour for uniform fittings for the incoming freshmen in the marching band.

On top of this, I have to prepare materials for a substitute for Friday and Monday because I will be in Texas to celebrate Bryan and Lyn’s wedding. So there’s packing for the trip, booking hotel rooms and cars, and planning for adventure in the Lone Star State.

So maybe I’ll post here again in a few days. Have a great weekend, faithful reader.

Not Much to Say, So

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Every once in a while — or if you prefer, tonight for the first time — I look at the most frequently viewed photos from my online photo album, just to see what it is that people are viewing.

I still haven’t finished coming up with 100 things about me. Then again, I haven’t really put much effort into it. It’s not exactly a high priority.

It’s spring break, and I’m working at my old company. Security didn’t believe that I still worked there, so I had to get a new identification card. Everything has finally been squared away, except I should be getting paid more for the work that I’m doing (database application design, programming, user interface, reporting, etc.). I’ll probably work a little from home after school is back in session as well. It doesn’t hurt having one or two additional sources of income, even if they are infrequent.

Weekend and More

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I traveled to Washingon this weekend to spend time with Barb and Carrie, and to see the Cherry Blossoms in D.C. We also met up with Steve, Dave, Amber, Jody, Lucy, Brent, and Katie at various times. We watched movies, played Clue, Apples to Apples, and Guillotine, ate out in restaurants, and had too many penis discussions. Good people. Thanks to Barb and Carrie who hosted me for the weekend!

I’m on my spring break from school this week. I’m taking the opportunity to go back into my old office, where they agreed to keep me on the payroll as a part-time employee, to make a few extra bucks. Not much has changed around there in the last three weeks, but I wasn’t expecting much change.