Southbound and Down

Friday evening, Candy, Dusty, and Christy Jayne S. piled in the Roland-mobile. We headed for the megalopolis known to many as “The City” – Waycross, Georgia. The mission was to spread the Gospel of Marching Band to the youth of Greater Southeast Georgia in a one-day clinic.

The storm system, which had greeted Atlanta and environs in the afternoon, kept us company all the way down. After a primer on the difference between Macon Highway and Old Macon Highway, we experienced many laughs and only one wrong turn on the way. We were housed at my 24th favorite hotel chain.

The next morning, I had a few minutes to spare and had a great biscuit from Jerry J’s. Mmmm. Off we went to Memorial Stadium for our day of instruction. It was empty as we pulled up, in contrast to my previous engagement at this venue. Being there was a bit spooky.

I began the day with four students, all of whom would be learning the fundamentals of being a drum major. Teaching drum majors away from Athens is always interesting, as you have to be careful not to completely destroy the style they learned at home – they learned that style there for a reason. It can be very difficult to make things work within that context, and this day was no exception.

That afternoon, I met with the majors and several auxiliary members (and one percussionist) for a discussion of leadership issues. I usually find this to be a waste of time, because it seems like there is little to be said that hasn’t been already. I always try to find a way to inject something new into the activities, and I make it a point to remember that many of these people are half (wow) my age and may never have heard many of the things I have. This group of kids was particularly receptive, however, after one young lady asked a question that would seemed to have been impossible to answer.

She presented a seemingly fatal failure of leadership to which she had been subjected as a rank-and-file member of an ensemble. As I thought of what to say, I realized that I could not “solve” her problem. It was then that I realized that the solution she sought was not to her problem, but rather to her limited field of perception. I took a chance at an answer that might have been controversial. I reminded her that she was one person in a band of about 250, in a town of several dozen-thousand, in a county that is one of 159 in the state, in a state that is one of 50 in a country that is one of 192 recognized by the UN. Of course these countries are on a planet that is one of 9 (or so) in the solar system, which is one of thousands of solar systems in our galaxy, which is one galaxy of mbtrgazillions in the universe. By simply asking her if she felt like she still had a problem, her solutions became obvious. It doesn’t matter.

Sometimes, I need a dose of my own medicine.

Long drive home, but very nice. Quality time with Trina last night.

Fired up the grill for Sarah’s birthday cook-out and I had a really nice time with her and her friends, along with learning a new game. For the record, Dan C. might be the funniest person on the face of the earth, and I hope he knows how much he makes people smile.

Nap. K-bob (by the way, the Lumpkin Street store is closing… many good memories and one really bad one there). Hangin’ with the Gunner, and K-rashing.