Friday Photo Flashback

My high school band director was born on this day in 1935. He was a mentor and a friend. He was one of the most important influences in my life both in high school and after. I have told this story before, but for new readers it is worth repeating. My junior year was a … Continue reading Friday Photo Flashback →

Friday Photo Flashback

37 years ago this week I graduated from high school. I was such a band nerd in high school. Band was my life in high school. It was a place where you were accepted, you worked together, and core memories were made. I remember my sophomore and junior years playing music before the commencement ceremony … Continue reading Friday Photo Flashback →

Friday Photo Flashback

This Sunday (6/9) will mark 36 years since I graduated from high school. Coincidentally, I graduated from college with my Associates Degree 25 years later (11 years ago). I mention this because there have been so many graduation posts on Facebook over the last week or two. Many of my friends have been celebrating the … Continue reading Friday Photo Flashback →

Friday Photo Flashback

Time for another edition of the Friday Photo Flashback. Today, we go back to May of 1987 to the annual Band Banquet. I stumbled on the above photo in a stack of pictures from my dad. I realize that the photo is a bit blurry, but if you look carefully, you will see that I … Continue reading Friday Photo Flashback →

A Remembrance Day March

Yesterday was Veteran's Day. Facebook will filled with photos and stories of men and women in uniform yesterday. It made me proud to know so many friends who served in the armed forced. At the same time, I was saddened to see photos of those who lost their lives while serving our country - grandfathers, … Continue reading A Remembrance Day March →

Why I Want My Children to Be in Band

While scrolling Facebook this weekend, there were lots of pictures of high school Homecoming dances and football games. Hoco, as it is now called, was one of those events I always looked forward to! I loved marching in the parade and playing the halftime show. This morning a link to this article came up and … Continue reading Why I Want My Children to Be in Band →

Something’s Missing!

Warning - Band Alumni Rant To Follow! It is no secret to anyone who follows my blog that I am a Band Nerd through and through! I have many wonderful memories of playing in band when I was in school. Many memories surround the high school Homecomings. Homecoming was always on a Saturday. We'd start … Continue reading Something’s Missing! →

Challenger

I was a sophomore in high school 36 years ago. Space shuttle launches were nothing new to me, as they had done 24 launches since 1981. On January 28, 1986, the entire country watched as the first teacher (Christa McAuliffe) was on board. It was a Tuesday and it seemed like every classroom was watching … Continue reading Challenger →

Holiday Grief

The song says, "It's the most wonderful time of the year," but for some, it isn't. Some are dealing with grief and the loss of a loved one and I tend to think that the holidays make that grief a bit more difficult than it already is. I have written about death and grief before. … Continue reading Holiday Grief →

Hindsight Really is 2020 – A Recap

The saying goes, "Hindsight is 2020," and many of us are rejoicing that 2020 is really truly behind us! I often wonder if you were to make a list of positives and negatives of the past year, would one outweigh the other? What about 10-15 years ago? Was that just as bad, but we only … Continue reading Hindsight Really is 2020 – A Recap →