RIPPED OFF!

Funny thing. As far as thefts have been in my life, I've been pretty lucky.

The first thing I had stolen was an 8 track player out of my '72 Pinto. I KNOW someone I knew stole it, because it was installed in the glove box, and the only way someone knew it was in my car, was if they got a ride from me and was sitting right beside me in the passenger seat!

While playing a run of "Annie" up in San Francisco, my wallet went missing. The person who got my wallet charged $3,500 on my ATM card at a porno shop. And spent several hundred dollars on another card at a Chevron buying groceries. That person was also using my driver's license. Really, Mr. or Ms. Cashier, the guy using my cards looks like me? I had to get a new license. New number and the whole thing. I can remember the number I had on my old license (I've had it since I was 14) but I have been unable to learn the new number. Luckily, I was on a first name basis with my banker, and since I had the foresight to fill out a police report, I was out NO money. All charges cancelled, case closed.

The next theft was pretty recent. Someone stole my ladder. Linda bought me one of those really cool ladders that you've seen advertised at 3 AM on the local access channel. The ladder that can be used as a one-piece or can be folded in half, or dismantled, and used as a frame, like a scaffold. Nice ladder. Heavy, expensive. SHIT!

The next theft was just last night, at BCMW. We have a cash box that we use to hold cash for photo sales, and t-shirt sales and various other cash transactions, like grocery shopping. In addition, we do an 'opportunity drawing' for various items, such as music stands, instrument stands, and other Objects d'Art. The way the game goes is you write your name on a 20-dollar bill and throw it in a french horn case. On Friday night bills are drawn and the winners chose their prizes. Bastard took all the bills out of the horn case. This money is used for scholarships. This means that due to the theft, there will be a number of people will NOT be able to attend BCMW next summer.

I hope the person who ripped us off, is hungry, homeless or down on their luck and they really need the money. If not, I hope they get hit by a bus.

Funny Story

Chris Waage, a friend from FB, mentioned something on my page that made me think of this funny story. I was talking about Benny Hill and he (Chris) told about an episode of Benny Hill where the short, bald guy was playing trombone, and he couldn't hit the high note, so he SANG the pitch.

Years ago, with the old San Jose Symphony, for a Pops Concert, we had Cleo Laine & John Dankworth. These two do a GREAT show and it was a pleasure being on stage with these two jazz legends. On one of the tunes, there is a tuba solo that has an optional double high c (above the "Encounters II" high Bb). There are two alternates, one of which goes to 3 ledger line g, and the 'easy' one which falls to middle c. I CAN play the double c, but it is a little more that a squeal some days. At the time, I was preparing "Encounters," so my falsetto was in good order and singing & playing was in my wheelhouse at the time. I practiced Mr. Dankworth's solo with the 'safer' high g options. But at the rehearsal, I just couldn't help myself and at the last minute, I SANG the double c, clearly and strongly as if Pavarotti himself were belting it out. Of course, the colleagues to my right (the trombones) were laughing their asses off because they knew what I had done, and, honestly, it wasn't pretty. Dankworth's eyes LIT UP and he stopped the orchestra. He said, "Ladies & Gentleman, I have NEVER heard a tubist play that note with such strength & clarity before. Well, done!"

Each of the next 3 nights, I did the same, and each night I got John's thumbs up.

Ya just never know.

Outdoor Concerts

As a professional musician, I have always hated playing outdoor concerts. It’s hot, or it’s cold. The music gets blown off the stand. We play crappy music, or crappy arrangements of good music. Kids yelling, planes flying overhead. I did a concert where there was goose poop all over the stage. One concert we played, they passed out recorders, or was it kazoos? Anyway this racket was heard throughout the entire performance. Are these people even listening to what we are playing? I did an outdoor concert once (1812 Overture) and the cannon dudes got carried away and their actions generated a a whole SLEW of legal actions. OY! Pop Schlop, is what I call it. I recognized it as an evil necessity so that when music issues are raised, someone somewhere remembered that they went to a nice outdoor symphony concert and they will vote for the bond measure, or send a few bucks to the local arts organization so that we can play ‘real’ music, indoors as God & Beethoven intended.

The logistics of playing outdoors is also a daunting task. You have to move the percussion gear, make arrangements for chairs & stands. Shade cover, clothespins, water for musicians, local permits & fees. And what about parking? Some of these places you have to park in the next county and walk a marathon.

Ok, Last weekend (May 9) I did an outdoor concert with the Ohlone Tuba Ensemble - http://www2.ohlone.edu/instr/music/tubaensemble.html and the Ohlone Community Band - http://www.ohlonecommunityband.org/ and I had the BEST time! We had a potluck beforehand. The weather was perfect. We played good music, WELL. There were kids yelling and a blimp flew overhead. Central Park in Fremont is an IDEAL location for an outdoor concert. They have a wonderful pavilion that actually has excellent acoustics. From the podium, I can see over Lake Elizabeth and Mission Peak. There were folks there that had never heard ANY of the ensembles from Ohlone College. This was fun for us; the audience loved hearing the tuba ensemble & the OCB. It was good for the community, a fun, rewarding experience for the musicians and good exposure for the College. My music got blown off the stand, TWICE.

I loved it!

Maybe I'll bring kazoos for the kids next time.

Home!

Wed - April 29. There IS no place like home. After a wonderful week in RI, and some time on the train, it is nice to sleep in my own bed, snuggle with the poochies and watch some TV. I have a ton of laundry to do, more when/if my suitcase comes from Providence, and I am ready to start preparing the next concerto, to be played in two+ weeks.

Thanks for following me on my journey, I hope you had as much fun sharing the experience, as I had sharing it with you. OCB tonight, I can't wait!

Tuesday, April 28 - Home tonight!!

Yesterday was kind of a weird day. I wasn’t feeling very well and managed to sleep most of the day. There was some beautiful scenery in Colorado as a result of the storm the day before. We stopped here & there and I took pictures of the train in the snow. They are posted on FB. Like I said, I slept most of the day. After lunch I came back to my room, put on “Bourne Supremacy” and promptly fell asleep. The dining car steward came around and took my 7:15 dinner reservation. When I didn’t show, he came and knocked on my door; I never heard him. My neighbor in Room D who DID hear him knock confirmed this. Anyway, I have been eating so much I really wasn’t hungry. At 10:30, I had Linda, my train attendant make up my bed. I put on “Bourne Supremacy” but didn’t make it through the opening credits. I woke at about (what I think was) 5:00 AM. I took a photo (posted on FB) of the desert, and went back to sleep. I got up at 6:00 showered; put on fresh clothes and went to breakfast. Broke fast with a nice couple from Denver (he runs a hotel in Aspen) and a retired gentleman from Pittsburgh. I am anxious to get home as I have SEVERAL Union matters that need tending, I need to start working on the Gregson, and I have my last 4 concerts of the year coming up.

The train is on time. If it STAYS on time, I’ll be in Emeryville at 5:20, taking the 547 Capitol Corridor at 7:20; home before 9. I hope, I hope.

On the Home Stretch.

2 more stops: Martinez then Emeryville. Then I catch the Capitol 547 home to San Jose. I had lunch with a young couple, he works for the railroads (Union Pacific) and she is a nursing student, working on her BA. Nice couple, just starting out we had a nice lunch together. I’ve been on FB most of the day, and answering emails. I have an important meeting with Team San Jose, regarding the shows in 153 jurisdiction as well as a broiling pot at OSJ. I am anxious for a report from my groups about my subs as well as sleeping in my own bed and snuggling with my spaniels.

Looking back, it was a great trip. I LOVED being in RI and hanging with the kids, soloing, conducting. Young musicians sought me out, asked for advice obviously wanting to spend time with me. It was really nice to feel respected, useful, appreciated.

Still, I missed my OWO, SVBB, TE & OCB guys. Can’t wait to see everyone at Zorba’s tomorrow.

Monday AM

As I write this, I am looking out my window at a beautiful winter snow scene. The ground is dusted with snow. It is either 7:00 or 8:00 (depending on if you believe my computer or iPhone). The sun is blocked by clouds and there is a peaceful serenity about all that I can see. I'll have coffee in a moment, but for now, I am enjoying the scenery. We are at about 4700 feet in elevation. Last night, in Iowa, we went through QUITE a thunderstorm, so I can only surmise that that storm was responsible for all this snow.

Last night, I had a wonderful steak dinner with a woman from Sacramento and her dad who lives in Pennsylvania. There was also an asian fellow who didn't speak much english. Try as we might to include him in our rather animated discussion, he didn't really get involved.

I DID manage a long hot shower in my room (WENDY!), and it really felt great. I tried to post some picts on FB of my accomodations, but only one managed to get uploaded. I also uploaded 2 picts of crossing the Mississippi.

Well, dear friends, I'll sign off for now, get my coffee and head to the dining hall.

More later...

Sunday, heading home

Last night, after dinner. I went back to my room and promptly fell asleep. I guess I was more beat than I thought. At about 8:30, Sharon knocked on my door to make up my bed. After she did that, I went right to sleep and slept through Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Erie & Cleveland, where I BRIEFLY woke up. After we left Cleveland, I slept through Elyria, Sandusky & Toledo. I breakfasted in Bryan and as of about 9 AM, I am 1/2 way between South Bend, IN & Chicago. I'll be at the Union Station for 4+ hours, waiting or the California Zephyr, which departs Chicago at 2:00 PM. One of my OWO guys, Mark Beyer is in Chicago on family business. I'm hoping we can meet for lunch.

I got into Chicago right on time. I couldn't make a connect with Mark, DARN! I posted a pict of the Sears Tower (the best I could under the circumstances) that I posted in FB. There is a really nice lounge in which the sleeper car passengers wait. There are snacks available as well as baggage storage so I put my stuff there (tuba, too) and walked around Union Station. I purchased a Chicago T-Shirt and got a smoothie that in California would be called Horchata, cinnamon-y vanilla. I upgraded my ticket from a roomette to a deluxe room. The cost: $13. Thirteen bucks for all this extra room?!? I am waiting for the dining car steward to come to take my dinner reservations. After which I am going to take a loooonng hot shower!

I can't WAIT to see my Bay Area friends.

More later....