Thursday, February 26, 2004

Snow all around

...Had to come to work anyway... gotta get paid

QUOTE OF THE DAY
Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't.
- Pete Seeger

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Tempest in a teapot...

Nothing like fielding questions from the band directors about decisions other people have made. But I am a big boy, and I can handle it. Part of the territory, I guess...

...this gay marraige thing is going to be a big one. As far as I'm concerned, what people do that makes them happy is their own business. However, I am of the thinking that civil union is the best idea. As soon as you open the door in this marraige question, it allows room for people to sue for men to marry their daughters, women to marry chickens, and so forth. I agree that recognition of the union between gays and lesbians should be granted, therefore allowing for medical and inheritance benefits. But anything else allows for the slippery slope to become very, very slick...

... Sara Goldrick (Bodie, for those too young to know) sent Jessica pictures of when I asked Jessica to marry me. Brought back cool memories...

... Lisa Keasler (Moore, for those too young to know) is just days away from having her kid. I look forward to going to see TJ and Lisa's first addition to their family...

... saw the end to Philadelphia(the movie) last night. That simply has to be one of the saddest endings to a movie that I know of. I have seen it many times and it always strikes a cord in me, seeing the little film at the end of the movie... and that song is so haunting...

...our house is a disaster area. But it isnt that bad...just very cluttered. Rylee and Ian get into EVERYTHING, making it difficult just to keep the place clean. But it is just so cool so see the wonder and the learning. Everyday is something new for them, and for me.

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Circle?

Consequence is no coincidence.
- Lauryn Hill

After talking to my friend yesterday and her telling me she was pregnant, I come home to see a huge group of cars at the house across the street. Seems the man who lives there passed away in the front yard yesterday. Life begins..life ends...

Furman is in exams for their Winter Term, then they will be out a week and a half for Spring Break. Must be nice.... of course, the fact that they will be in school until the first week of June is kinda telling too...

Monday, February 23, 2004

Wow

QUOTE OF THE DAY
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
- Peter De Vries

Just found out today that a dear friend of mine is pregnant with her first child. I wont reveal her name until she is farther along (those of you who have had kids know what I mean) but this is just weird. But it is time. She turns 30 in a few months, so it was gettin about that time. Now, all we need is for my boy Erik to settle down and find himself a woman...although, I guess I didnt get married until I was 32, so I have no room to talk....
... some people upset with me because I seem to be a proponent of musicality being a part of being a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi. Well, if you aint tryin to be musical, are you Strivin for tha Highest within the fraternity? I mean, you have to at least TRY...nobody is saying everyone has to be Winton Marsalis on Trumpet, but if you are not tryin to be the best on your instrument you can be while you are playing it, then you are not promoting the ideals you profess to live up to. There is a place within the fraternal ranks for the marginal musician...but if you are settling for being marginal, then there is a problem. I guarantee that Dr. Spede, Dr. Hosler, Dr. Goodstein and Dr. Buyer would all rather have a marginal 3rd clarinet player that is trying hard, is enthusiastic and participates, than a marginal 3rd clarinet player that just sits there and uses the excuse of not being talented to not try... so..no, I dont buy the "I am lucky to be in Kappa Kappa Psi because I suck on my instrument" argument. You can suck, but you better damn well be trying your hardest, or else you are not following the ideals of the fraternity.

Sunday, February 22, 2004

well, I cant say that I was surprised...

...I have seen it happen before, and i will probably see it happen again. Cant say I didnt warn them. Cant say i havent tried to get them to see what a lack of humility will set yourself up for... But they have decided to raise the bar even higher. i wonder if they realize that this will mean that me, as well as the band directors, will expect them to live up to that bar?

Saturday, February 21, 2004

lets see? how many sharps in your A concert scale?

it flat out stunned me that people in the Frat didnt/dont know how many sharps or flats are in scales? How can you just blindly play your instrument and not learn the most basic details of your craft? I mean, come on.... all you have to do is start fingering your instrument and that should tell you in two seconds....

...I had intended on going back to the retreat, but some sort of weird stomach thingy overtook me on my way home, and I basicall spent the rest of the day with fever and in bed. kinda sucked as it was a great day outside... it looked like the retreat was on its way to being a success. Should be interesting Sunday night as some discussions are supposed to happen.

Thursday, February 19, 2004

and I was beginning to think we might make it all the way...

...just when I thought there might be smooth sailing, waves of discontent and pettiness start stirring. It is sad to think that if I was pledging the FRAT today, it probably would be different. Lets see...I am not one to yuk it up at all the parties (Strike 1)...I am not very outgoing (Strike2)... kinda opinionated about the fraternity (strike 3)... downright rude to people i dont know (strike 4)... all that despite the fact that I play Bari sax in Jazz ensemble and Symphonic Band, Alto sax (section leader) in marching band and basketball band and Clarinet in concert band, volunteer for EVERY service project, volunteer for EVERY pep band, and go to ALL district and National functions... amazing to think that people might not vote for me because of pettiness. Sad..just plain sad.... and pathetic. And to think I went on to be first Historian, then Secretary, then President of the chapter 3 times, DIstrict Vice President, District President, National Vice President for Student affairs and Board of Directors for National Alumni association. Would have been a shame if people would have held things like (mentioned above) against me... a shame...and pathetic...

Quote for today?

As you journey through life take a minute every now and then to give a thought for the other fellow. He could be plotting something.
- Hagar the Horrible

Black History Month thoughts...

I always enjoy Black History month in that I usually learn something I didnt know before, like learning that the first open heart surgery was performed by a black man. But I think i saw a quote that pretty much sums up how I feel about the idea,in general... "Don't get me wrong: Black History Month has value. White kids learn that black folks invented stoplights and peanut butter, and if it weren't for those token tidbits of information, the young honkems wouldn't respect any nonmusical, non-athletic Negroes at all. Sadly, they don't learn much about African Americans the rest of the school year. Public school curricula are slow to integrate history lessons because blacks don't insist upon it: instead we settle for one month, the shortest month of the year, to espouse tales of a gloried past." ... now, I for one am proud of my heritage, although I am not the type to go around throwing it in everyones face. I feel that my children should be/will be taught that aspect of their past, but that all aspects of black history need to be honored, not just the Hallmark drivel thrown out there... Just as important, my children will know their history in general, not just the black thing. Oh, and the gentlemen (jimi izrael) i was reading closed with another paragraph that I totally agreed with....I agree that it's important to honor great men, but the Starbucks promotion and the hundreds of others like it are something less than honorable and delineate what the MLK holiday and Black History Month have both become: a bait-and-switch to create one feel-good moment, in hopes that you will forgive and forget the rest. America takes a day off, totally absolved and refreshed, and nothing changes. They get a vacation day and you get another dream deferred, murdered by assailants unknown, for you to mourn and benevolently forgive. For me, Dr. King was real , a man more like me than not. He told dirty jokes at inappropriate times: he was a drinker and womanizer — me too. He was imperfect, but rose above his imperfection to become a measure for lesser people. He didn't put his life on the line for the T-shirts, the parades or the "I Have a Dream" sound-bite used to sell soda, feminine hygiene products, hamburgers and airline tickets. Black Americans have gotten caught up in the pageantry of Black History Month, of Martin Luther King Day, and the myth of Rosa Parks without realizing an obligation to live the legacy. Black History Month has been cross-marketed and copyrighted to the point where pretty soon you'll be able to buy a McMartin burger with Malcolm X-tra cheese. I have little time for it, because every day at my home is Black History Month. Every family dinner is an opportunity to teach....

That is my little ramble for this morning.

Tuesday, February 17, 2004

want to go to a race?

Anybody want to go to a Nascar race with me in MAY?

The children over at KB are amusing me again. They never seem to get it that all the infighting is counterproductive, no matter how much they all say it to themselves. They have a retreat coming up this weekend. I will be interested to see who tries to make a productive time of it, and who just sits around and mopes and complains...These type of events can be so great memorable if people will just drop the attitudes and try to make the best of the situation...but...NOOOOO...cant do that. Somebody, somehow will try to creat some artificial drama so they can play 90210/Dawson's Creek... sigh...

Candidates are probably starting to get a little bit weary of this MEP stuff... I just hope that KB is doing the best it can to develop the beginnings of strong careers within the Fraternity, not a group of whiners who complain about what the leadership is doing and try their best to sabatoge everything...

Ordered an Aeron chair for my new office...to the tune of $900.00. My new office is going to the sweet... I will have my new webcam in it...alas, it will be July before I really get into the room....

Quote for this entry...

"You can not teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself."

- Galileo (1564-1642

jokes

what is Michael Jackson's Alma Mater?

Brigham Young.


why was Michael Jackson calling the music group Boys to Men?

He thought it was a delivery service....

Monday, February 16, 2004

well, well, well...

Valentines day has come and gone. I had fun with Jessica as we got to hang out without the kids for an evening...even went to Huddle House.

WHAT IS UP WITH THE YANKEES??? I mean...come on...seriously, this is like when I play Madden on the computer and I make a super team with guys with awesome stats... I mean...come on now, enough is enough.

Rylee has pink eye..I desperately hope that I dont get it too. SO far, Ian and Jessica seem fine so I think I am going to be fine...

paid taxes today..or actualy, I did the tax forms...we didnt owe the governement money so it is all good. did efile so we should have our refund within 2 weeks. That will be nice...I need new glasses, some shocks and brakes for the Jetta, as well as preparing for SED, formal and any other outings that might be coming up soon...

Tuesday, February 10, 2004

quote and fact for today...

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
- Theodor Seuss Geisel

FACT OF THE DAY
Alcohol consumption causes dramatic rises in estrogen levels in the body.

Monday, February 09, 2004

A few thoughts...

...kinda wierd to be driving down the road and have your backdoor open on your car, especially when you have doors that supposedly can not be opened unless unlocked by the driver. But somehow, ian seems to have figured out how to open them, when i can not.... the door didnt open all the way, but it did crack open and I noticed it immediately as the roof light came on and confused me for a second.

Heard a brother at Kappa Beta mention how they felt about sitting through a meeting with candidates watching them figure out how to do stuff... hmmm, imagine how it must feel to be me sitting in on the KB meetings...I thought that observation to be profound...

...Nascar season started this past weekend...My guy...the 29, did pretty well and seems to be poised to have a big year, except his engine tuner defected to DEI...and my secondary guy, the 88, actually won the BUD shootout. The 88 used to be my #1 car until last year, when Jarrett seemed to mail it in all year, and Harvick came on strong. It was always my intention to "retire"the 88 and have the 29 step in after a couple of yeasr, but last year excelllerated the process....

Baseball season lurks, and my number one favorite sport and team (Braves) are about to start spring training...here's to at least one more "run" for the Braves....

Tuesday, February 03, 2004

Janet shows her breasts

...wow..i must admit that when it happened, I was in disbelief....And it really didnt bother me...i wasnt shocked. Surprised maybe.... not shocked. And while there has been all this uproar, i guess it isnt that big a deal to me, except that i would prefer that that type of thing not happen on "public" tv. I guess if my twins were a few years older, I would have been a whole lot more annoyed...

...hey, anybody reading this want to go to the Nascar race in May at Charlotte (teh All star race)?...let me know....

I watched the superbowl on a hdtv. The picture is absolutely awesome compared to normal TV. I now get to take the TV back and let it serve as a 30 inch monitor for my laptop for a few more months until my new office is ready.... then it will go up on a wall in the Computing and Info services conference room...then I will have to go back to my regular flat panel monitor... sigh...

Ian just walked up to me and whispered "i pooped"...kinda funny....

Monday, February 02, 2004

Top 5 most influential people in my life....

..I heard a question the other day about who are the most influential people. Who are the most influential people in your life (besides your parents)? I thought about it and narrowed it down to five people. If you are reading this and your name isnt here, and you consider yourself my friend, dont feel slighted. The people listed here came along at key moments and had key moments in my life, so far. Doesnt mean that others were not important or valuable to me and all that... just that these people are key (in my opinion).
In no particular order... Lynn - came along at a transition time for me. She was somewhat relentless in attempting to be friends with me at a time when everyonne thought I didnt talk to anyone. Erik - perhaps the one guy I most identify with in thoughts at times, although he is a little more "artsy" than me. Kristen - another person who happened along at just the right time. Always could make stupid jokes with her, and always admired the fact that she and her family were nice to me and invited me to Thanksgiving and all that. Dr. Hosler - If I were a band director, i think I would have been a lot like him. I am always indebted to him for his generousity in letting me help him out. Finally, Jessica - what else can I say. She is my wife, the mother of my children...and my best friend, even though we dont get a chance to just plain hang out anymore with the kids running around and all. I have known her for 91/2 years now and i wouldnt want to be with anyone else.

So...it begins...

First...Panthers lost...oh well...now, the now annual jockeying for office has begun with DLC. Jockeying for chapter, jockeying for District. It always amuses me but I also know that it is serious business, and I take it very seriously. I just wish that the people who really care the most about the fraternity and its future would get elected...too often, it seems that personal grudges and past mistakes outweight what the brother could do for our chapter or district. Too often, the best person gets screwed because they ticked somebody off sometime in the past... too often the fraternity gets screwed because of personal stuff...