Savannah, the city (not the dog)

Hello from Savannah, the City of Brotherly Love! (looks up into his inner brain, quickly checks his facts, then smiles and nods, knowing he's right).

To say that the that this year's conference has been eventful would be somewhat accurate, and somewhat inaccurate, but mostly amibiguous. So I will elaborate and let you decide.

I brought my friend Bryant with me to Savannah. He is starting a new business geared directly toward bands... specifically, he supplies alcohol to band directors, and needless to say, business is booming!

(Editor's note: Bryant does not supply alcohol to band directors)

We arrived at the Hyatt to find that it is in the midst of what is known as "renovation" which is a big word that means "Tow thu hell up." I was thrilled to find that I had to pay $15 per day for valet parking, which makes perfect sense, as sitting there not watching my car probably pays very well. I pay with a smile!

The conference is in its first year of being held at the new International Trade Center. It's rather charming. The best method of getting from the river district to the new center is by....

Ferry. Yes, you ride a boat. It's probably pretty awesome for summertime conventions, but the suck factor is greatly increased as the winter winds mock your skin for being exposed to the elements. Thanks, God. Nice job on winter. It's a real hit.

We sound checked the Wind Ensemble in the ballroom in which we were to perform. It was just that, a sound check. We were then treated to a fine dinner of sandwiches brought to us by the trade center. They forgot the napkins, which was really cool. The performance came and went, and was received enthusiastically. People clapped and sometimes stood and clapped, rarely in the middle of a piece of music, confirming that the tradition of concert ettiquette is not lost on modern society. JNC received a couple of awards and was built up by his colleagues in public in order to make a point. Though he would never knowingly allow this to happen, it did and needed to.

Following the performance, we moved promptly to The Office, and many drinks were consumed. This was pleasant.

The following morning we returned to the center for the "reading session" which was just that, a reading session. There really is nothing like sight-reading a piece of music in mixed meter in front of 300 of your colleagues. It was the best.

A nap was in order next. The 30-minute nap turned into a three-hour nap. I managed to plan much of my life during this nap. Unfortunately I did not write it down, and forgot the whole thing as I was startled by Housekeeping. There's always next year. Wait... there's not.

After returning briefly to the conference, I ate dinner, and (you guessed it) we returned to The Office. It was quite fun listening to individuals tell others how highly they viewed them, then turn around and call that person a gutter slut to someone else. I had to pretend to be our harp player's boyfriend for a few minutes as we attempted to get rid of a gentleman in an Auburn hat who thought she was purty.

As you in the great white north (greater Atlanta) were waking up to ice this morning, we were waking up to cold winds and rain, the knowledge that we had nothing to do today, and the inability to travel. Neato! So all day, we have been tooling around the Hyatt, talking about farts, and finding other ways to waste time. I'm sure there will be exciting events tonight that are financially unwise.

That's pretty much all there is to tell. I'm hoping the streets clear up a bit tomorrow. I have no desire to be trapped in Sandersville, Georgia again.