Hi all--nothing profound on this post. Just a quick note to let you know that I'm working hard on my classes, getting my son to finish his Eagle requirements before he ages out on July 12 (AGGGGHHH), and generally trying to keep the house fixed up. Smoked two chickens this morning, used the meat for tacos at lunch. Numms.
It's 1220 am Monday, and I really need to get to bed--and I really need to make progress on my papers. I have one due on Friday, two on Sunday, so I'm concentrating on writing the first and laying the groundwork for the other two. Add two quizzes, doctor's appointments, and everything else that goes with being a semi-retired dad and it's a wonder I don't go cuckoo. Praise God!
Cheers.
*--Johnny Burke and Bob Haggart, 1939. Recorded by many devotees of the Great American Songbook.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Secret Agent Man*
First and foremost, allow me to welcome my new reader from The Netherlands! Welkom vrienden! Please make yourself comfortable, and make yourself known by responding to one of the blog posts.
Leadership and the teaching thereof has always been an elusive subject for me. Who knows what it is? What constitutes effective leadership? Who needs to know how to lead? Where does leadership ability fall on the Nature/Nurture sliding scale? If you have any ideas on this, let's have a conversation. Cheers.
PS: Welcome to my new reader from Malaysia! Greetings! Feel free to send a comment, a question, or a greeting!
*--Johnny Rivers, 1964. Written and used for the Secret Agent television program (Originally entitled Danger Man for the BBC).
Leadership and the teaching thereof has always been an elusive subject for me. Who knows what it is? What constitutes effective leadership? Who needs to know how to lead? Where does leadership ability fall on the Nature/Nurture sliding scale? If you have any ideas on this, let's have a conversation. Cheers.
PS: Welcome to my new reader from Malaysia! Greetings! Feel free to send a comment, a question, or a greeting!
*--Johnny Rivers, 1964. Written and used for the Secret Agent television program (Originally entitled Danger Man for the BBC).
Friday, June 7, 2013
All Summer Long*
Just a quick note on this rainy Friday to let you know I'll be starting an internship on Monday! The Montgomery County (PA) Historical Society has offered me the opportunity to be their intern in Digital Archives this summer (and beyond, if I so choose). This will be in addition to my duties at Spring City Library.
This is kind of a weird twist to the career path but not unwelcome. I used to say that as a musician, I went where the work was. No different here, I guess. Even though it's unpaid, it'll give me a chance to try out my newly-learned knowledge from Dr. Clark's Digital Libraries class, Wish me luck!
Cheers!
*--Kid Rock, Rock and Roll Jesus, 2007 (Atlantic/Warner Bros.)
This is kind of a weird twist to the career path but not unwelcome. I used to say that as a musician, I went where the work was. No different here, I guess. Even though it's unpaid, it'll give me a chance to try out my newly-learned knowledge from Dr. Clark's Digital Libraries class, Wish me luck!
Cheers!
*--Kid Rock, Rock and Roll Jesus, 2007 (Atlantic/Warner Bros.)
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
In The Stone*
This morning is a bit of a cause for celebration on several fronts.
1) I was privileged to participate in one of the most extraordinary conversations of my lifetime last night, and I'm proud to say I initiated it. If you've been following this blog for any length of time you know I've been openly critical of the Boy Scouts of America for their handling of the current membership/leadership requirements issue--that is, should boys and men who have a homosexual orientation be allowed membership in Scouting as Scouts and adult leaders? Although many parents--not to mention the scoutmaster and two assistants--begged off the monthly committee meeting, the five parents and leaders who attended spoke at length with The Reverend Dwayne Mosier, pastor of our chartering organization, Reformed Church of the Ascension UCC, about the United Church of Christ's stand on the Boy Scout's new membership policy and our present and future relationship with the charter organization. Pastor Mosier's comments lent clarity to some rather cloudy internal issues, and the tone of the conversation, while lively at times, was always civil and never mean-spirited.
Out of this landmark meeting came several ideas:
First, that we as an organization are in dire need of training about what to do if a boy (or leader) "comes out" to us, or is actively questioning his orientation. For most of us that will be a new experience, truly one for which we as members of this organization are unprepared.
Second, that safeguards are in place to help protect the boys (and leaders) from any troubling behavior that may occur. I suspect that while some will want heightened scrutiny as an edict from National, individual troops and their councils will engage in greater vigilance using existing rules and procedures, individually and in cooperation with each other. I just hope it doesn't turn into a witch hunt.
Third, upon reflection, it is clear that implementation of the new rules will not be as simple as an edict or series of edicts from National; Individual Scouts, Parents of Scouts, Scouters, Troops, and Councils will have a LOT to say in the months leading up to 2014. National, are you listening?
Finally, Assistant Scoutmaster Paul Errington brought up the crucial point of how to address bullying. While we have guidelines in place as a national organization, It would be a valuable exercise to revisit those guidelines in the fall in the interest of educating and protecting the boys.
2) I was shown a small but significant kindness by a professor at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. recently. Thank you, Dr. Ha! Took a significant load off of my mind.
3) The back of the house is done (for now) and it looks great. Thanks, Ernest!
Classes begin again Monday the 10th. Bibliography of the Humanities and Integrating Technologies in Libraries. It'll be an intense four weeks, but after that it's the home stretch into the fall and graduation in December--almost "written in the stone"! Cheers.
*-- David Foster, Maurice White, Allee Willis, I am, 1979 (Columbia)
1) I was privileged to participate in one of the most extraordinary conversations of my lifetime last night, and I'm proud to say I initiated it. If you've been following this blog for any length of time you know I've been openly critical of the Boy Scouts of America for their handling of the current membership/leadership requirements issue--that is, should boys and men who have a homosexual orientation be allowed membership in Scouting as Scouts and adult leaders? Although many parents--not to mention the scoutmaster and two assistants--begged off the monthly committee meeting, the five parents and leaders who attended spoke at length with The Reverend Dwayne Mosier, pastor of our chartering organization, Reformed Church of the Ascension UCC, about the United Church of Christ's stand on the Boy Scout's new membership policy and our present and future relationship with the charter organization. Pastor Mosier's comments lent clarity to some rather cloudy internal issues, and the tone of the conversation, while lively at times, was always civil and never mean-spirited.
Out of this landmark meeting came several ideas:
First, that we as an organization are in dire need of training about what to do if a boy (or leader) "comes out" to us, or is actively questioning his orientation. For most of us that will be a new experience, truly one for which we as members of this organization are unprepared.
Second, that safeguards are in place to help protect the boys (and leaders) from any troubling behavior that may occur. I suspect that while some will want heightened scrutiny as an edict from National, individual troops and their councils will engage in greater vigilance using existing rules and procedures, individually and in cooperation with each other. I just hope it doesn't turn into a witch hunt.
Third, upon reflection, it is clear that implementation of the new rules will not be as simple as an edict or series of edicts from National; Individual Scouts, Parents of Scouts, Scouters, Troops, and Councils will have a LOT to say in the months leading up to 2014. National, are you listening?
Finally, Assistant Scoutmaster Paul Errington brought up the crucial point of how to address bullying. While we have guidelines in place as a national organization, It would be a valuable exercise to revisit those guidelines in the fall in the interest of educating and protecting the boys.
2) I was shown a small but significant kindness by a professor at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. recently. Thank you, Dr. Ha! Took a significant load off of my mind.
3) The back of the house is done (for now) and it looks great. Thanks, Ernest!
Classes begin again Monday the 10th. Bibliography of the Humanities and Integrating Technologies in Libraries. It'll be an intense four weeks, but after that it's the home stretch into the fall and graduation in December--almost "written in the stone"! Cheers.
*-- David Foster, Maurice White, Allee Willis, I am, 1979 (Columbia)
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Be Prepared, part 2*
Thursday, May 9, 2013 will be a day I remember for better or for worse. No, it's not my wedding anniversary. It's the day I decided to act on one of the biggest imponderables in my life--whether or not to continue in a leadership position in the Boy Scouts of America.
I started in Cub Scouts in the late 1960's, and continued through Boy Scouts in the mid-1970's, when girls and sports captured my attention. My son is one merit badge and his Project away from making Eagle. He'd be the first on my side of the family and the fourth on my wife's side.
I'll put off writing the rest until after the vote tomorrow. You know which vote.
UPDATE: Gay Scouts are in, Gay Leaders still out. Vote split 60-40 in favor of the resolution. I still contend it was a dumb proposal, and that we'll be going through this again in less than three years and allow gay leaders.
*--Tom Lehrer, Songs by Tom Lehrer, 1963.
I started in Cub Scouts in the late 1960's, and continued through Boy Scouts in the mid-1970's, when girls and sports captured my attention. My son is one merit badge and his Project away from making Eagle. He'd be the first on my side of the family and the fourth on my wife's side.
I'll put off writing the rest until after the vote tomorrow. You know which vote.
UPDATE: Gay Scouts are in, Gay Leaders still out. Vote split 60-40 in favor of the resolution. I still contend it was a dumb proposal, and that we'll be going through this again in less than three years and allow gay leaders.
*--Tom Lehrer, Songs by Tom Lehrer, 1963.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
How can I keep from singing?*
Just some quick catch-up, post-final project, from last weekend: We had 54 eighth graders become fully-confirmed members of the church at Noon Mass. Church was full--Christmas/Easter full--of families with young children. Many, MANY Hispanic families. I was amused to see a dad and mom seated a couple rows in front of Sarah and I with four young boys and a daughter--who I assume had a child being confirmed. The girl was an infant, and the boys were, well, being boys--gloriously wiggly, squirmy, full of mischief. I LOVED it.
Not only that, but--
There was an opening prayer in Spanish.
There was a hymn printed in the program (and sung!) in Spanish.
They're having Masses (for holy days of obligation) in Spanish.
I am grateful to have lived so long as to see this happen--and I am equally ashamed of the members of this parish that it took this long. I fought with the clergy on this since we moved here. The very well-ensconced didn't see the need (some still don't) There's a lot of stubbornness, hardness of heart, on this--but it could be that that's starting to change.
I have to believe God was pleased by what he saw at St. Francis of Assisi parish this weekend.
Indeed--how CAN I keep from singing?
Hallelujah!
*--Robert Lowry and Pauline T. (surname not known), 8/7/1868.
Not only that, but--
There was an opening prayer in Spanish.
There was a hymn printed in the program (and sung!) in Spanish.
They're having Masses (for holy days of obligation) in Spanish.
I am grateful to have lived so long as to see this happen--and I am equally ashamed of the members of this parish that it took this long. I fought with the clergy on this since we moved here. The very well-ensconced didn't see the need (some still don't) There's a lot of stubbornness, hardness of heart, on this--but it could be that that's starting to change.
I have to believe God was pleased by what he saw at St. Francis of Assisi parish this weekend.
Indeed--how CAN I keep from singing?
Hallelujah!
*--Robert Lowry and Pauline T. (surname not known), 8/7/1868.
Friday, May 3, 2013
My Back Pages*, chapter 2
In a recent e-mail I wrote to Dr. Steven Wolfinbarger, Western Michigan University's Professor of Trombone and a former teacher, I told him that it was apparent that I'd entered the "elder statesman" era of my musical career, as I felt I was being valued more for advice given than for notes played. In truth I'd known this day was coming for a while. With everything I'd been doing in library school--one more chapter to read, one more article to review, one more paper or project to complete--and everything the kids have been doing, and trying to spend more time with my wife, not to mention take care of my physical/medical needs, it's a wonder I was able to play gigs as long as I have.
But back to the advice part. The conductor of one of the orchestras with which I play asked for "a word" during break. I listen as he starts talking about concertos. Could it be? Am I finally going to get my turn? About 30 seconds in it becomes apparent that he's not talking about me, but rather the orchestra's annual young artist's competition.
Sigh.
So the upshot is that he's tired of the same old, same old (piano/violin/cello tend to dominate these things for a variety of reasons) and wants to change things up (and quite a bit). His idea is to have one division for "the usuals" and one for older students with brass and percussion alternating years with woodwinds, starting with brass in 2014. I told him I liked the idea, and when he asked for suggestions on required pieces for the competition, I jumped right in. After consulting with Dr. Wolfinbarger and others, and a double-check of the Texas UIL Prescribed Music List, I came up with the following list:
Tenor Trombone or Euphonium--
David--Concertino, Op. 4
Gregson--Concerto (beginning to rehearsal 17 or rehearsal 12 to the end)
Grondahl--Concert (two movements)
Guilmant--Morceau Symphonique
Larsson--Concertino Op. 45 #7 (two movements)
Bass Trombone or Tuba--
Gregson--Concerto (two movements)
Lebedev--Concerto #1 (a/k/a Concerto in One Movement)
Vaughan Williams--Concerto for Bass Tuba (first movement only)
Any brass players out there who know the literature as played by high schoolers and would like to comment, please do.
I don't think I'm going to mind being an "elder statesman". Maybe it's my turn now. Cheers.
*--Bob Dylan, Another Side of Bob Dylan, 1964 (Columbia)
But back to the advice part. The conductor of one of the orchestras with which I play asked for "a word" during break. I listen as he starts talking about concertos. Could it be? Am I finally going to get my turn? About 30 seconds in it becomes apparent that he's not talking about me, but rather the orchestra's annual young artist's competition.
Sigh.
So the upshot is that he's tired of the same old, same old (piano/violin/cello tend to dominate these things for a variety of reasons) and wants to change things up (and quite a bit). His idea is to have one division for "the usuals" and one for older students with brass and percussion alternating years with woodwinds, starting with brass in 2014. I told him I liked the idea, and when he asked for suggestions on required pieces for the competition, I jumped right in. After consulting with Dr. Wolfinbarger and others, and a double-check of the Texas UIL Prescribed Music List, I came up with the following list:
Tenor Trombone or Euphonium--
David--Concertino, Op. 4
Gregson--Concerto (beginning to rehearsal 17 or rehearsal 12 to the end)
Grondahl--Concert (two movements)
Guilmant--Morceau Symphonique
Larsson--Concertino Op. 45 #7 (two movements)
Bass Trombone or Tuba--
Gregson--Concerto (two movements)
Lebedev--Concerto #1 (a/k/a Concerto in One Movement)
Vaughan Williams--Concerto for Bass Tuba (first movement only)
Any brass players out there who know the literature as played by high schoolers and would like to comment, please do.
I don't think I'm going to mind being an "elder statesman". Maybe it's my turn now. Cheers.
*--Bob Dylan, Another Side of Bob Dylan, 1964 (Columbia)
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