Band Free!

I have a band free weekend. This is the first in many weeks. Just for the record, I have spent 10 nights away from home so far this year on band related trips. Cindy will probably think it is odd for me to be around. I might just start blogging again. Are any of you missing me?

Rest in Peace My Friend

Today marks the beginning of the 2008 NASCAR season. Something will be missing though. A friend of mine. I miss him most on this day. Below is something I sent to somebody and it was put on national website for a while. It was sent to Jim Huber. He asked for our favorite memories of Dale be sent to him. It was sent to him on February 19, 2001. It is as follows:

Mr. Huber:

I guess you could say a part of me was lost yesterday. I am a 30 year old bnad director in South Carolina and have grown up with Dale Earnhardt. I just simply have a hard time to remember when Dale was not in my life. As a kid I remember seeing him on TV and always hearing about him. It has always been a ritual with me on Sundays to sit down with Dale and watch him race. The reason I call him Dale is I have always considered him my friend. I go to about 15 races a year just to get a glimce of that unmistakeable frame. (Anybody that has seen Dale in person will know what I am referring to. There are not many frames like Dales.) The thought of never seeing that smile again pains me so.

I guess my favorite memory of Dale is this. I was a(t) Rockingham for the fall Bucsh race. It was very early and the Winston Cup cars had not began practice yet and there may have only been a few hundred pepole at the track as it was cool that mornig. We had seats near the entrance of pit road and Dale was walking up the track. I think mayb checking something out. Of course I immediatley start yelling his name. He was only about 30 feet away. To my suprise, he continued to walk up the banking of the track to the fence where I was yelling and he simply smiled and said "Calm down boy. It will be alright" He flashed his smile and returned to his car with a little laugh.

No I never really knew Dale Earnhardt but if you ask me I will always consider him one of my very best friends. The turmoil of this tragedy will quiet in the coming weeks and years. But for young mem like myself that grew up in the South and always wondered if we could be successful and look to Dale as our hero, he will not be forgotten or replaced.

Sincerely,

Jon Brady

Today there may be a black mark on the wall in turn 4 but maybe if you look close enougth you just may see something more. Maybe a smile, maybe a 3, or maybe a black Chevrolet. Just remember to look for it.

Drawing a Line in the Sand

So here it is...the line in the sand. Do you or don't you? Do you want to become one of the premier band programs in the state or don't you? I have made a goal. What is it? I want my band to play at the South Carolina Music Educators Convention next year. What does this mean? Well a few things. First, when we go to concert festival we work up 2 concert pieces and one warm up march. For convention we will need to work up an entire 50 minute concert. This will include a grade 2, 3, 4, and 5 or 6 concert work, a march, a band accompianed solo work. But first you have to be accepted. To do this you must submit an example of your work. This is want we are working on now. Today was disappointing in that yesterday we worked on a great piece and made a lot of progress but today...no improvement. It was obvious that not much at home practice had taken place. This just can not happen if we are to be accepted. Maybe I just want different things for the band than they want. That is a problem for sure. Certainly things are better than ever in the concert program at Swansea but I am ready to take the entire program forward. I am ready to grow as a band director. Perhaps the band is ready too or maybe not. One thing is for sure, the entire band will need to work much harder from an individual stand point if they want to play at convention. The problem is that there are always consiquences when you make ultimatus. You have to be willing to back them up.

The Super Bowl

We watched it last night and it was a pretty good game but one thing always comes to my mind when I watch it...Dan Marino. Dan played in his first Super Bowl in 1985. It was only his third year in the NFL. It did not go Miami's way that day but I didn't worry because the future of Marino's Dolphins was bright. He would certainly have many more chances to win one. But alas this was not the case. Dan never played in another one. He still says it is the one thing he wanted but never got in his career. He did just about everything else but it must be hard for him to be remembered as the best football player that never won a Super Bowl. The lessons are these:

1. Don't take oppertunities and successes for granted.
2. Relish in your accomplishments.

3. Live in the great moments. You may not get to relive them.

Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog Day so I went in search of one. I was unsuccessful but I did find these two fine substitutes. It is pretty clear to see that they did indeed see their shadows. So I guess this means 6 more weeks of winter or is the opposite? I don't remember but any way it is always a good sign to see wiener dogs in your backyard.