My birthday is February 23. On the 23rd of each month, I've taken to posting a couple of random bits of information about me. So for the month of December, here 'goes...
9) I am a band nerd at heart. I started playing the trumpet in the fifth grade, and I was hooked. Throughout middle school and high school, I lived and breathed it.
My most memorable Christmas present was a Bach Stradivarius trumpet. I wanted it so, so much…but it was expensive, and I really didn’t know if even Santa could cook up something like that. Still, I got up on Christmas morning when I was 13, excited as I probably ever was at the age of six. As we worked our way through the gifts under the tree, I began to realize that there was no trumpet to unwrap. When the last gift had been opened, my dad said there was one more thing...he left the room and came back with a very oddly wrapped package. As soon as he handed it to me, I knew what it was…he had wrapped the trumpet outside of the case. I was so incredibly elated.
In a surprising turn of events to most, I opted not to even be in the band in college. I couldn’t quite explain it at the time, but in hindsight, I think I was tired of being defined by music. In further hindsight, I regret not being in the band in college…but I did have a heck of a lot of fun as an athletic hostess – specifically a “Bama Belle” – and cheering on the Crimson Tide from the student section.
I dusted off my trumpet a few years ago and joined the Southern Kentucky Concert Band, playing free concerts in the park during the summers. I quit in 2008 when I was pregnant (as I had trouble breathing deeply, even when I wasn’t trying to blow into a musical instrument!). I haven’t played since the girls were born, as my husband is afraid I’ll damage the girls’ hearing. :) I am looking forward to them being a little older and introducing them to the beauty of brass…even if Hubby makes them wear ear muffs for me to do so.
10) I have no idea if I’m a “morning” person or a “night” person. When I was in college, I remember one summer during which I waitressed. I wouldn’t get home until 11:00 or so, and then I was still up for at least a couple of hours. Waking up before 9:00 seemed inhumane.
In sharp contrast, before the girls were born, I would get up before 5:00 most mornings, getting into the office around 6:00 to enjoy a couple hours of “quiet time” to work before the phone started ringing. I was in bed most nights around 9:00. Both schedules suited my purposes at the time, as long as I could manage seven or eight hours of sleep.
These days, I laugh that I am both a “morning” AND a “night” person…I am up around 5:45 to enjoy an hour and a half of “quiet time” before the girls are up and at ‘em. And I’m usually up until about 11:00, buzzing around the house after the girls go to bed at 7:30. As for my seven or eight hours of sleep? I cave in and take a nap with the girlies once a week or so, and there’s usually one night a week when I’m in bed at 8:00. Maybe it all averages out…
To check out past randomness...
August
September
October
November
Ticker
4 comments:
No wonder we get along...I was a total band nerd and tear up every freaking Christmas when I hear "Sleigh Ride" or any song from the "Nutcracker" because of high school band memories. I hope my kids get into it as much as I did...as nerdy as it was, I believe it made me a well rounded person (as much as I'd like to be skinny)!
:) love these posts.
BTW, I stopped speaking in front of groups when I was pregnant because I also couldn't breathe. I believe I was 11 weeks pregnant at that talk and then nothing til July this year (1 year old twins) so I'd say.... it's time to haul out that trumpet for some Mama time :)
Can I coach you a little on the morning/ evening time? If yes, I'll send you one of my worksheets that I use with clients :)
I also love these posts :) it's fun to learn more about you. maybe also b/c our birthdays are so close :)
i'm not sure i've ever been a night person! i like getting up early and find it hard to sleep in. (if marcia sends you a worksheet that you think would benefit me pls share it!)
maybe you should start the concert band again? low commitment, right? and you still get to get in a little playing! :)
Of course, you know that I too share the band nerd gene. It took me a while to settle on an instrument, but I ended up with the bassoon for 9 years. (Sadly, I never owned one of my own and am not even sure if I could play one at this point.) In high school I was part of the pit percussion team and played the marimba, suspended symbol, and gong (since one cannot march with a bassoon). I was such a band nerd, in fact, that I took summer school courses and did an independent study in English just so I could participate in both band AND orchestra in college. Fortunately, my high school had tons of kids involved in fine arts programs, and it was great because I was able to travel to so many places as part of my involvement with both musical ensembles (our marching band played the half-time show for the MN Vikings twice and our orchestra participated in a festival in New York City!). Although I'm sure no one from my high school would describe me as "cool", I've never regretted being a huge band nerd. I would be so proud to have one (or two) of my own. :o)
p.s. I LOVE the sound of a big, bold trumpet. If we'd been married in a church, I would have selected a trumpet/organ duo to supply the music. But we ended up getting married outside (at an art museum where T and I had our first date) and the noise ordinance of the town did not allow us to have a trumpet at our outdoor ceremony.
Thanks for sharing! It's always fun to learn something new!
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