WLCALUM Entry 179

These are pictures of the HS reunion I attended a week ago today. The 2nd one has a couple I've known for a long time (Carl, for 29 years, and Mona for 37)  (Mona is 2nd from right, Carl 3rd from right. Mona and I didn't attend the same grade school, but we were part of the same band system and we kept bumping into each other at volleyball games, BB games, spelling contests--Mona and I attended the same HS and she met Carl while in college after that.

The top picture has my best HS friend, Kevin, standing upright in the background. Mona is on the far right, Karen, Linda and Terry from near left to right were in the group she hung out with back in the day. Given the economy, those on the planning committee scaled it back some (informal setting), but a good time was had by all, nonetheless. One classmate came up from New Mexico, 2 from Texas, respectively. 

WLCALUM Entry 178

Subtitled:  "To Parade or Not to Parade, That is the Question!"

Haven't done any parades in nearly 2 years. I guess it'll depend upon how badly Greendale needs me on the 4th. (if I have the presence of mind to get sunscreen before then, I think I'll be OK).

Speaking of parades:

Some 15-20 years ago Greendale did 2 parades back to back within short driving distance of each other. We got through the first one all right, but on our way to the second, one of the rear tires on the wagon we rode in started to go flat--so as we were pulling in to a filling station to pump the tire up, one of our dry-humored trumpet players started playing something that fit that situation (down, bluesy), and a guy driving a convertible right ahead of us turned around and gave this player the dirtiest look--after that the rest of the band burst into a peel of laughter. We still had to pull out of the second parade only 1/3 of the way through, because the tire was still giving trouble.

The following year, at the last rehearsal prior to the 4th parades, a humorous whoop went up after I asked the director how the tires were, and wouldn't you know, history almost repeated itself,--fortuately, one of our trombone players just happened to work for a filling station, so he got an air pump, filled the tire up, and this time, things ran smooth as silk, thank you very much.

(Wonder if all us musicians will ever meet at an eatery, and just swap humorous stories--we'd be there all night!)

WLCALUM Entry 177

Should've thought about including my horn in more pictures! Other than 1 or 2 in which I was asked to tilt my head way back and pose with the horn as if I was doing a drum corps move to increase general effect --I was able to find a few pictures I liked.

Another Greendale rehearsal tonight. 

WLCALUM Entry 176

WLCALUM Entry 175

Began to get the ball rolling as far as determining the future of the Greendale Concert Band. A survey was handed out during the last rehearsal. (I promptly filled mine out and turned it in--indicating I wanted the band to continue).

Developing. . .

A one time Concordia-Chicago baseball player was just drafted in the 20th round by the Washington Nationals--he'll probably end up starting out on their Rookie League squad. Another fellow who played for a D3 school earlier this decade was just called up by Oakland earlier this week. (I don't expect these guys to be major league stars--I'm just interested in how long a look they get when they get one.)