......Beginning with the Halloween concert
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It all started last weekend with the community band rehearsal. Went down to UT (on time for a change!) and had two fantastic hours of sight reading and rehearsal time with the group in preparation for the concert we are going to participate in in December.
Monday night, the firstborn and I attended the "University Bands Halloween Spooktacular", a yearly event featuring the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble (of which his Ann is a member) The hall was decorated, the band and directors were all in costume, and there was candy available for the little ones who attended. It was a fun program of music for Halloween, including Greig's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (one of my favs!), and Whitacre's "Godzilla Eats Las Vegas". The performances were wonderful (as always) and the firstborn was very proud of his Ann. There are so many great musical events happening at the university all the time...If you are interested in a fantastic FREE afternoon or evening of very talented performers giving it their all for you, check out the UT Department of Music schedule of events at http://www.music.utoledo.edu/.
On Tuesday, I began work at my new job in Maumee. The company is in the real world, not education, and as such I have been exposed to so many new and challenging IT issues already that it has been a fast-paced and exciting week. The best part about the move to the new position so far has been my experience of "on-boarding"...I have spent many hours this week becoming acquainted with the people I will be working closely with and the jobs that they do, as well as becoming acclimated to the IT environment. All the folks in the office are generous with their time, kind when I have questions, and the atmosphere all in all is very cohesive. It is a company driven by very creative folks, and their products are all very much children of their collective brain trust, so they are very dedicated and intense about their work, but also very team oriented and there is a huge collaborative feel to the entire organization. I have very much enjoyed the past week, and look forward to getting a handle on my place in the business so I can begin supporting these folks and adding value. If you are interested in learning more about this terrific company and what they do, please visit Root Learning's website to explore....There is a lot there to get you started. Tuesday was also the EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY of my young one...His Sara spent some time with him on the day, so he was happy...We planned a dinner for Saturday night which happened last night...More on that later in this very long entry!
Wednesday, the marching bands in the district did their junior high tours, which are meant to give aspiring junior high musicians insight into the "coolness" of being in marching band in high school (not the official party line on that, but that is what it basically does) The bands visit the junior highs and play loud and proud in the gyms for all the kids, they get to ask some questions, and then they move on to the next school. The band members are out of building all day, so they like it, and it must be successful, because the Wildcat Marching Band is always HUGE!
Thursday was the Marching Band concert at the high school, the recap of the marching band music from the season, and a time for the band directors to acknowledge the kids that they have chosen for merit awards. The band then has a small party afterward where they cut loose a little bit and have some fun. The young one was confused somewhat by his reaction to this whole night...There was a hollow feeling for him as the season officially came to a close and this part of his high school life was closed with the finality of a slamming door. The marching season has always been special for him (he is truly a field percussionist by preference) and knowing that with the exception of the few odd parades and some spirit events for sports, that the marching experience for him in high school is over has put him in a bit of a funk. He is already looking to his future at UT and is beginning to lack enthusiasm for his daily high school responsibilities.
The one bright spot for him in all this is his Sara (in photo at right, center - baritone player - pretty impressed with myself that I actually got her in the center!) She has been his girlfriend AND his friend for well over a year now, and they appear to me to be a very good match. She is a very sweet and funny girl, a nice balance for the young one's sometimes quietly sarcastic social commentary...And she likes him just the way he is and he her, which in my opinion is the best thing of all.
Friday night was a nice quiet time for me and the young one...The firstborn and Ann both had to work, so we had the house to ourselves and were left to our own devices as far as what we wanted to do....We opted for some pizza and sodas and some Daily Show and Colbert Report on Comedy Central...Well worth it..He also shared the latest with me on our current favorite weird web project Men with Cramps - Cyclical Non-Uterine Dysmennorhea...This is the absolutely most hysterical site I have seen since Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, which is also definitely worth a visit!
Yesterday, I was in the opposite situation and able to spend some time with the firstborn, since he was not scheduled to work....Our choice for the morning was viewing the first four episodes of the new season of House MD (one of the family "must see" shows) from the video/music server....Personal opinion, this is the best show ever, and the only reason that TV is on right now except for CartoonNetwork's "Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy"...I could definitely be hooked on Hugh Laurie specifically, although the show is so tight and every part of it so dead on perfect, that I am really hard pressed to decide what about it appeals to me the most.
To close out the day, the firstborn, the young one, his Sara and I went out for the delayed dinner for the young one's birthday. The intent was to have an evening of food and merriment at Outback Steakhouse....Silly us, 6 o'clock on a Saturday night, no reservations anywhere for a party of four...We can just walk in and expect to be seated after a short wait, right....hmmm...Not so much....After several drives up and down Monroe Street and stops at several of the restaurants of choice, we finally lit at Shorty's Barbecue....After a reasonably short wait (considering) we took a tall table in the bar area so we could watch football if conversation was lacking (which it definitely was NOT!) Had a great meal, lots of laughter and fun and then back to the house for young one and Sara time....Had bought an ice cream cake from Coldstone earlier in the afternoon, but everyone was so full that there were no takers when we got home...Not sure if it has been cut yet, because after a beer and a half with dinner, I came home, left the youngsters to their privacy in the living room and retired with the intention of watching TV in my room....Eight hours later, here I am recapping the week, having fallen asleep and staying that way throughout the night...Good thing the house did not burn down...I would have never known!
Today, the young one works early, so he is in the shower now preparing...Tonight is another community band rehearsal 7 to 9, which I am looking forward to, as always. Tomorrow, we start a new week, doing the whole work thing again...Nice to look forward to it with excitement instead of trepidation....
Breathe a sigh of relief...That is all for now...Hope you are all well and happy....I miss you all....Till next time (hopefully sooner, so the post can be shorter, huh?) much love to you....
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