Hello there, loyal reader. I apologize for the delay. I hope that you will agree that it was worth it.
However...
I know the blog stresses my penchant for observations of the snarky, dare I say curmungeonly nature. But, today's post is more of a memoir of sorts. Some snark, lots of truth.
When I was in 4th grade I decided I wanted to play the trombone. I wasn't very good, my braces got in the way, and I hated practicing. But I stuck with it. At the same time, I was taking piano lessons. You can guess--I wasn't very good, my giant sausage hands got in the way, and I hated practicing. But I stuck with it.
I had to make a decision in the 5th grade: piano or trombone. Trombone won out.
Played in junior high. Played in high school. Switched to tuba. Love the tuba. Tuba is fun.
Found out I really liked music--particularly, I loved watching the conductor in the band. I decided that I too wanted to be a band director when I grew up.
Went to college as a music education major. The thing about that decision is on day one of registration, you get handed a sheet of paper that has every class that you have to take in the next 4 1/2 years. If you want to add anything that you may actually LIKE you have to do it in the summer, add a semester, or take 20+ semester hours at a time. I chose the latter.
I liked theory, I liked composition. So, I knuckled down, took a lot of classes [did you know I graduated WIU with over 200 credit hours as an undergrad? Usually takes 120 to graduate]. Got to the point where I was to do my pre-student teaching student teaching [sound confusing? it is.] At the time, I did not have a car. The ladies in the education department wanted me to go 45 miles for the pre-student teaching student teaching. Told them about the car situation. Their response: "guess you can't be an education major any more." Way to go Western. Remember all those other classes I took? Thank heavens. I was able to graduate one semester late with a degree in theory.
Went immediately to grad school. Got a degree in conducting. Always wanted to finish that teaching degree...
Ah well. Graduated. Masters. Done.
Got a job. In retail. You know, that's what people who have two degrees in music do.
Fast forward 7 years to fall of 2009. Get the wild hair up my ass to go back to school and actually finish the coursework to become a teacher. Finally have a car. Finally get the pre-student teaching student teaching done.
Get to student teach. Yes! Actually student teach. Love it.
Where's all this going, Erich?
It's going to Elmwood, Illinois.
Because that's where I just got hired as the new band director.
Only took 25 years.
E
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