Whatev
So, I haven't used this thing in a long fucking time...and it'll probably be another while before I use it again. i dont feel like punctuating anymore either, hence i wont do it. anyway, so much shit has been going on in my life its unbelievable. i quit my job a petsmart over the summer so i could persue a career in teaching because i was hired by two high school bands to be an assistant. later on i was told by a friend that they told him i was asked to leave, how fucking hilarious is that? oh well though, im gone and thats all that matters. so first on the plate was centerline band camp in august. i worked with them last year as well and knew what to expect. i went in with the mindset that i was going to have to kick their asses if i wanted them to be good and damnit i sure as hell did it. i felt like hitler and sure enough they began to fucking salute me and were saying "hail dan"...i didnt know how to react to that shit. they did well though, and i think im going to have a few people i can talk to now and then about shit if i need someone. a great group of kids that really stepped up during the week no matter what i threw at them. they did a broadway show, music from rent, phantom, and chicago. it was pretty decent and i think they pulled it off well. its too bad i never got the chance to go back and see them perform it at a game or festival because i was always with my other band. the week right after i worked with linden high school marching band. greg called me a few days before it started to ask if i could work with them and i was like, "what the hell, i dont need a REAL job anyway" so i went. i quit petsmart to work with linden for the season. at precamp i had no clue what to expect and honestly didnt expect much out of them. i didnt really know anyone there except brandon who was only instucting for that week. i volunteered toward the end of the year before but only for a few weeks and didnt really get to know anyone. i walked in, filled out the paper work and basically went to work. they showed me that with the right motivation and if they were pushed enough that they had tons of potential. i just had to find a way to exploit that potential and use it. i had help from volunteers that had been there before to get me through the week and then the week after i took over at band camp. band camp was loads of fun. i got there late the first night because i had to play a gig and i caught the end of their first camp rehearsal. they seemed to be doing well but i only got to see a few minutes. after that they had an evening activity in the cafeteria. i walked in and all the parents were setting up for the kids. they all greeted me very warmly and were very nice with conversation. it reflected a lot about the program because every other place seems like the parents dont care as much or are just pricks to the staff. i felt welcome though, which was a good thing. i got to know some of the parents, students, and other staff members and overall had a good time. then of course the staff went to the bar afterwards where i really got to know them. i ended up drinking a pitcher of killians (i wasnt the only one who drank that much) and we all had a great time. it was a small redneck bar in town, a place we'd visit a few more times during the week. during the week i got to know a few of the kids better and had a good time with most of them. the staff and students pranked eachother a few times but i think the staff had the best one. we put 600 crickets inside the senior girls cabin. they were freaking out and we just couldnt stop laughing. it was a fun week and we all had a great time pranking, teaching, and drinking. the kids showed a lot during the week too learning a little more than half of their show. in the following weeks school started and so did competitions. they dropped a bit after coming back from camp, most bands do, so i had to restart there energy again. the first competition didnt go so well but everything after was great. a couple people in the band amazed me so much with how much heart and dedication they had. we did well at the rest of the competitions but really got screwed on judging. (check yourself on the mcba site, we really got fucked over) they didnt qualify for states but i wasnt dissapointed in the way the season went. most of them began to realize that shortly after. they had a great season and performed a great show and thats really all that matters. i think i made a few friends that i know i can talk to about anything in the future and ill definitely be going back again next season to work with them again. the bands closing banquet is this upcoming thursday and im working on something special for the seniors, i just hope they like it.
all the while ive been keeping up with school and lessons. im having a good semester so far despite having less time to relax. the past week has been hell though. last sunday my grandmother died and saturday was her funeral. now, i dont really have too many memories with her because i really only saw her a few times in a year, but its still so depressing. it was the first time i saw that side of the family since christmas last year and the first time i saw my godfather in a few years. not exactly the setting i was hoping for, but still nice to see everyone though. my godfather, uncle kenny, just looked horrible though. hes living in chicago and really hasnt talked to anyone in the family much over the last few years. he looks like hes aged about 20 years since ive last seen him. a lot of us are worried hes sick and not doing anything about it but at the same time we know we cant force him to stay close to the family while he is working in chicago, and we cant force him to see a doctor. my godmother talked to him about it though and he said hes been a little sick. she told him he should go to the doctor and he agreed, i just hope he follows up on it though. the day after we celebrated my other grandmothers birthday. that side of the family gets to see everyone all the time, we all live within 15 minutes of eachother. it was still nice seeing them though and i love them all so much. my brother flew in for the weekend too though. apparently hes pissed off at me about something but doesnt have the balls to say anything much less even look me in the eye. ive tried and tried the past few years to mend whatever the fuck was bothering him. as far as im concerned now, i have no brother until he proves otherwise. harsh, yet why should i care anymore? i can only give so much before its someone elses turn. my mom realizes the problems and said shed talk to him but i dont buy it...shell believe anything he says and ill end up getting blamed for something i dont even know about. fuck it, i have no brother.
right now i dont have a girlfriend either. i still have a best friend but thats all we are now. we realized our career choices are heading seperate ways and together chose to be friends rather than end up hating eachother. im glad we never lied to eachother about anything, thats the worst possible thing that could happen in a relationship. ive seen what it can do to people and know what it can do to relationships and friendships. i know ive made mistakes but at least i have the balls to fucking admit it. i hope one day someone will realize that. as for everything else, i think im going to enjoy the single life for a while. depressing as it might be id rather graduate and start a career than fuck around. im expecting a new horn any day now that is going to kick some major ass. for what it cost it better kick ass too. definitely looking forward to it though. i think im going back to pizza bobs this week. its a pretty good job and im going to need the money after i buy this horn. all that ive earned from teaching band is going into this horn, literally. hopefully things begin to look up though. my life is going through changes and i know ill have to adapt to them. maybe i will look to go out with a girl, maybe not. i had a good talk with mike earlier, havent talked to him in a while. it was funny as hell for some of it, and i think ill go for what we talked about. itll be a good thing.
for those of you still here, please let me know you're reading this. just leave a quick comment or something...i might begin to use it again.
as always, PLUR,
~DMC
all the while ive been keeping up with school and lessons. im having a good semester so far despite having less time to relax. the past week has been hell though. last sunday my grandmother died and saturday was her funeral. now, i dont really have too many memories with her because i really only saw her a few times in a year, but its still so depressing. it was the first time i saw that side of the family since christmas last year and the first time i saw my godfather in a few years. not exactly the setting i was hoping for, but still nice to see everyone though. my godfather, uncle kenny, just looked horrible though. hes living in chicago and really hasnt talked to anyone in the family much over the last few years. he looks like hes aged about 20 years since ive last seen him. a lot of us are worried hes sick and not doing anything about it but at the same time we know we cant force him to stay close to the family while he is working in chicago, and we cant force him to see a doctor. my godmother talked to him about it though and he said hes been a little sick. she told him he should go to the doctor and he agreed, i just hope he follows up on it though. the day after we celebrated my other grandmothers birthday. that side of the family gets to see everyone all the time, we all live within 15 minutes of eachother. it was still nice seeing them though and i love them all so much. my brother flew in for the weekend too though. apparently hes pissed off at me about something but doesnt have the balls to say anything much less even look me in the eye. ive tried and tried the past few years to mend whatever the fuck was bothering him. as far as im concerned now, i have no brother until he proves otherwise. harsh, yet why should i care anymore? i can only give so much before its someone elses turn. my mom realizes the problems and said shed talk to him but i dont buy it...shell believe anything he says and ill end up getting blamed for something i dont even know about. fuck it, i have no brother.
right now i dont have a girlfriend either. i still have a best friend but thats all we are now. we realized our career choices are heading seperate ways and together chose to be friends rather than end up hating eachother. im glad we never lied to eachother about anything, thats the worst possible thing that could happen in a relationship. ive seen what it can do to people and know what it can do to relationships and friendships. i know ive made mistakes but at least i have the balls to fucking admit it. i hope one day someone will realize that. as for everything else, i think im going to enjoy the single life for a while. depressing as it might be id rather graduate and start a career than fuck around. im expecting a new horn any day now that is going to kick some major ass. for what it cost it better kick ass too. definitely looking forward to it though. i think im going back to pizza bobs this week. its a pretty good job and im going to need the money after i buy this horn. all that ive earned from teaching band is going into this horn, literally. hopefully things begin to look up though. my life is going through changes and i know ill have to adapt to them. maybe i will look to go out with a girl, maybe not. i had a good talk with mike earlier, havent talked to him in a while. it was funny as hell for some of it, and i think ill go for what we talked about. itll be a good thing.
for those of you still here, please let me know you're reading this. just leave a quick comment or something...i might begin to use it again.
as always, PLUR,
~DMC