Change?

I am surprised that the last post I made did not raise more of a reaction. Can you imagine going into a job interview and making the statement, "I want to change everything."? I bet you wouldn't get that job. The truth is that everybody hates change. If you want to make an enemy, try to change somebody.

I do want to change the way people view band and the performing arts though. They are an integral part of not only what we know but who we are. Even my wife enjoys writing. It lets here express herself in ways she can not in her "real" job. (I am glad I don't have a "real" job by the way. ) I can remember not too long ago when the winning bands at most competitions were simply the largest ones. Then things started to change. Small bands began to develop shows based on their strengths and they began to play and march better than the big bands. What happened next? They started to win and be viewed as true competitors. I am glad to have had a part in that change although there were many before me too.

I here often about taking small steps toward change. I really don't tolerate this well. Given a choice of the following:

1. We are going to change our direction over the course of the next 3 years.

2. We are going to make some major changes quickly.

I will chose 2 every time. Quick change is a necessity sometimes. In nature, quick changes must happen or sometimes an entire species may be lost. Even the Grand Canyon, which we were once told took the entirety of the earth's existence to form, is now known to have been formed relative quickly by the standards of geology. (One of my favorite class I took in undergrad school was geology by the way. Dr. Knoll was cool.) Look it up if you don't believe.

So the real challenge is not whether or not you are going to be asked to change. The true challenge is how are you going to deal with it?

Of the topic but cool - When Cindy and I were going to Las Vegas our plane was apparently early so the pilot got permission to fly us around the Grand Canyon. What a sight it was. I will never forget seeing it from that view.