In Which Ryan Is About To Take A Break
May 2021 | 2:5
Koopa and Goomba would like you to remember that just because it's getting warmer doesn't mean you can't snuggle.
What's Been Happening
As I begin to reintegrate into society, I’m struck by two things.
The first thing may have been a bus because man, I’m tired. It really is great to have so much to do the last couple months and on the books moving forward, but my appetite for doing things is a little bit like 9 year old Ryan at the seafood buffet; his awareness of if he was full or not had approximately zero impact on if he was going to go get more shrimp.
The second thing is how hard it is to avoid wondering how I used to feel. For instance, if this is just how I always felt when I was this busy or if this is a new phenomenon. This is relevant because I think for once I’m actually noticing something and learning; if I’m wondering that, it’s irrelevant because it means I should take a break. So I’m going to go do that :-)
Chart O' The Month
In honor of DCI starting up again albeit in a limited capacity, this month’s chart is one of the few marching arts things I’ve done that I can freely share since it’s all original material.
Coming out of the 2017 season, I was perfectly content as a mellophone instructor and planned on continuing in that role indefinitely. But, through a sequence of events involving Chip Crotts and probably a trail of candy leading around a corner, in 2018 I ended up adding the roles of brass caption manager and arranger for the open class Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets, and it was one of my favorite drum corps experiences I’ve had.
The show itself was called “Off The Wall” and “Rebound” was the closer, combining elements from the rest of the show in a fun and quirky way. It seems crazy now to think this was my first time working with Fred Emory Smith, and I’m really proud of how we blended between brass, percussion, electronic, and acoustic sounds throughout this particular movement. If you can find a video the visual elements add a ton as well, but it’s always a goal that the audio can stand on its own and I think that’s the case here. There’s also plenty of aural easter eggs, so enjoy deciding which motives I meant to put in and which happened on accident.
Look, Nature!
Spring has sprung! I'm sure that means we'll still get one more snow here in Chicago, but in the meantime enjoy this beautiful picture of Japanese Island at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Education Notes
As the school year finally wraps up, I offer a single piece of advice to anyone involved in education; go feed your resilience. Find the thing that makes you happy, no matter what it is, and go do it as much as you can this summer. You’ve earned it, and it is the sugar that allows you to turn lemons into lemonade.