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high school life

A Week of Ups and Downs

Just like to start by giving my condolences to ‘neone affected by Katrina. Being so much closer to home, the effects seem… bigger. But I’d rather not get into all that.
So this Labor Day weekend has been relaxing. Spent most of it doing nothing, until about 7 tonight till about 1/2 hr ago, finishing all the work I put off.
Had a good game of ultimate on sat, though I had hoped more would turn out. A lot of ppl gone for various reasons, but it was still fun, even if my team did lose, like, 15-3.
Because of the Labor Day sale, I picked up a Michael Buble album and the Episode 3 soundtrack. The soundtrack is good, but Buble is brilliant. His first CD is all remakes (Moondance, Come Fly with Me, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, etc), but he has quite an interesting take on the pieces. I love it.
Progress report was… interesting, though I try to make it a policy not to bliatch about my life in my blog (though I’ll break that rule for one exception in a bit).
The game this week was better. In particular, stuff actually happened in the game (Taylor wins, w00t), a lot more excitement in the stands, and the show was much better. The forms were a little better, but the playing/sticking-togetherness was great. I was quite pleased with my section’s marching, for the most part. The couple of ppl I was watching cleaned it up a bit, though I think everyone could work a bit on keeping the form together. The section’s playing still wasn’t brilliant, so I guess that could use some work. In general, good game, ‘cept the Thursday part.
So I’m gonna rant a bit right now, about a particular kid in my section, who shall remain unnamed. And I hope to hel that he doesn’t find this, because if he does, I’m in serious sh*t.
He is probably the least inspired kid I’ve ever met.
From New Marchers, I could tell he was going to be a problem. Not exactly the easiest guy to get along with, not the most motivated, and according to TAKS scores, not the smartest either.
But I was willing to work with him. I admit, I felt my job would be easier with him gone, but I really didn’t want to give up on him.
Summer Band comes around, and things are exactly the same. He finds every opportunity to sit down on the sidelines while we march, constantly refusing to carry on the field, play indoors, or hang out with the section.
…okay, so if you don’t like marching, playing, or socializing, why are you still in band?
Problems continue, as he complains quite a bit about the section, even berating us for our playing(and, as I hear, other sections for their marching), as he continues to not play or march in step in his alternate position. The guys in the section complain, but I just take points off his daily participation, feeling that I’m not getting him on my side by doing ‘nething else.
I’m really cheesed now, however.
So at this past game, I come off the bus to retrieve the tuba kids, with one notable exception. Apparently, he got a cramp from sitting on the bus too long… wow. Gotta give him credit, even if his excuses suck, he doesn’t try and bs me with the same one more than once.
So it goes so far that he doesn’t carry his instrument in, and he has ice on his leg, being wheeled in by the chaperones.
Sorry to say, but that’s the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen.
So, I come to learn that he really doesn’t want to be there, but his parents are forcing him to stay in band. Great. I get to try and motivate a kid who doesn’t want to be motivated and insists on doing everything possible to piss me or Janda off to get kicked out.
‘Neone got ‘ne ideas?

Now I’m all depressed after writing that. Oh well.
But I did have an astronomical amount of fun during inspection.
1 kid, Poncho on, tie shoes together, run
another, poncho on, shoes off, shoe on one hand, using only other hand, must put on his glove
another, putting shoes on opposite feet
It was fun. For me, at least.

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