Catchin' Up (On Everything Except Sleep)

We had a three-day weekend in my district, but it sure didn't feel like it. After coming back from TMEA on Saturday night, yesterday was spent recovering--doing laundry, napping, catching up on reading and other such minutiae--so I felt like I was playing from behind rather than "stocking up" on rest.

Last night was the Team Demon/Dingus monthly bowl-a-thon and air hockey tourney. I owned everybody in the bowling part, winning all three games, but my supposedly "mad air hockey skillz" ain't so mad no' mo'; I slaughtered Dingus but lost horribly to both Demon Matt and Coop. (I also lost badly to Ben a few weeks ago at the college band retreat; I really need to learn to play defense again.)

After that, Demon Matt called it a night, but Fizban, Dingus and I went down the street to Whataburger--one of the few whose lobby is still open all night. We get to talking, and all of a sudden it's 2 a.m. (we had arrived at 12:15). Next thing we know, it's 3:40. Holy crap, I have lessons to teach at 11! At least they're here at the house...

So after way too little sleep, I taught my three middle-schoolers (I don't normally teach on holidays, but these folks would've missed their last lessons before solo and ensemble this Saturday) and then helped Halfling with his jazz audition for quite a while before teaching at the store (they almost never take holidays there, for which my wallet is most thankful).

Tomorrow night is the Maynard concert, and then Halfling owns me for most of the rest of the week till we do his audition tape. But first, a little bit of housecleaning from the trip:

Weirdest item seen at TMEA: A tie between the Tubone, a device that lets tuba players play bass trombone parts on a valved instrument with a tuba mouthpiece and a front-facing bell (Fizban gagged upon hearing of it), and Flavoreeds, a set of, that's right, "flavoured" clarinet and saxophone reeds, including such exotic tastes as pina colada and bubble gum. (What would keep sixth-graders from eating them?)

Most hideous item seen at TMEA: Again, a tie, between the burgundy-colored trombone (it was almost Texas A&M maroon, actually) and the purple straight tenor sax. Why, oh why?

Coolest news out of TMEA: I got to talk to Ron Wilkins, amazing trombonist and my old fraternity brother, on Saturday. Even though he wasn't playing in town that weekend, he has a new agent and hopes to score some gigs in Dallas soon. Fizban and I are so there when that happens...

Funniest mishap at TMEA (since it happened to someone else): While walking in front of the Rivercenter on Saturday, I noticed some shady-looking characters leaning up against the wall at Dillard's. The guy in front of me, walking with his girlfriend, noticed them too...so much so, that he didn't notice the bus-stop sign up ahead, upon which he subsequently conked his head rather forcefully (he wasn't hurt, just really, really embarrassed).