2002-03-01

Tell that to the 6 tuba players in the room next door.

It seems that this wonderful college is hosting (on a Friday!) a band/choral contest. Now, I have wonderful memories of band contests. Ok not really. I remember being sick to my stomach as I played my alto sax piece, the one I had practiced again and again and again. (actually I think i heard a tuba playing one especially memorable piece). I remember the anguish at not getting a first. I remember cheering on my friends. I don't remember crying, but I do remember my best friend in tears when her flute did.... something, I can't remember what.

These kids are different. For one thing, they all appear to be from Christian or private schools. Most of the busses in the parking lot are from baptist schools. Now, I have nothing against the baptists, but I mention it because it explains the other ways these kids are different. For the most part the choral selections I have heard are all of the modern gospel rock variety. I don't remember any Amy Grant songs in any of the contests I went to.

This group also is way more full of drama than I remember being. When I went to get the video recorder, I had to weave through several gesturing boys (Look out! You are about to poke my eye out! Me the one walking behind you!), several crying girls (oh Ashley your french horn solo was lovely!) and many many oblivious people. I could barely get to the mac lab, all the baptists it seems have never seen 25 macs in one room before. Of course, today would be the day that I would have to make 50 trips through the crowd, about 40 of them carrying a digital video camera in a flimsy box. I figured any second some teenager, overcome with joy at being let out of school to sing Amy Grant songs was going to barrel into me and I'd get to buy the digital video camera (note: if I do ever buy a digital video camera, it will not be the model I used today and by gum I'm keeping it).

I had to make all these trips because I couldn't get my video to capture. Video equipment guy didn't give me any cords, didn't reserve the camera he told me he had and was generally unhelpful. It took an hour filled with ah-ha moments, such as, ah-ha the camera isn't on and ah-ha the box i had to plug my rca jack into isn't turned on and ah-ha for some reason the stupid thing decided to work. I did get my video captured and predictably it is too big for the cd-r and my zip disk. Right now I'm burning a CD, my zip is full and one of my files won't fit. I do get the camera for the weekend, though so I'm sure I'll be back to fiddle with it some more.

Hopefully the high school students will be gone by then.

Oh, BTW take my quiz I'm taking it down soon.

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