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Rossini

Clarinet soloA few years ago, probably the last time I played thru a top-tier piece, I was alone on the local hs stage using Smart-accompaniment on a laptop and audio recording via phone…. I was probably preparing to assign it as I had made cuts for solo festival limits. I did flub the final 38-note run up to that high Ab (couldn’t hold onto it)…. but the rest of the 7-pages went well and fast, phone audio microphone considered.

Anyway… I recently shared the online link for someone to listen for some of the things we’re working on … (scales, arpeggios, chromatics, articulation, ornaments, etc). Told the parental I was going to look for the music. FOUND IT, well Joan did. No, not going to assign (yet), but do intend to use it for the above-mentioned fundamentals.

Rossini Read More »

From the River To The Sea

When you hear “from the river to the sea”….yes, that is what God promised… from the wilderness (Egypt) to Lebanon and from the Euphrates (Jordan) River to the Mediterranean Sea… “will be yours” and “no one will be able to stand against you”. -Deut 11:24-25 This map of the tribes of Israel pre-date anything called Palestine. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is built on top of a Jewish Temple. So who was there first? Yes, Israel conquered the land….but what land is there anywhere on earth that has not been conquered? China, maybe??

From the river to the sea

From the River To The Sea Read More »

You know you’re getting older when

These have happened in the last few days, so it merits a post, imo.

YOU KNOW YOU’RE GETTING OLDER WHEN…..

— you realize that the clarinet you are using to demo for the student is older than the student’s mother who brought student to the lesson.
— a friend posts about being in a type of medical office of a type you’ve never heard. …. but then that friend’s friends are talking about their experiences with that type of doctor.
— you make a pot of coffee and forget to go back and get a cup.

You know you’re getting older when Read More »

Unwanted texts

Most who use it receive dozens of emails daily, but most email services allow you to filter or select and delete multiple messages at a time.

But what about those increasing annoying texts?

  • Political, especially if (like me) you’ve ever made even a small $10-20 donation to a candidate.
  • Advertisements, restaurants, credit cards, and more
  • Medical: I just got one today. It went something like this
    • Would you like us to schedule your flu shot? (Selected the “no” option)
    • Why did you say not? (Selected the “I want to make my own appointment: option)
    • Thank you for your feedback

Especially because some texts could be coming from a family member, I ALWAYS stop and look.

I originally wrote to Kim Komando (komando.com), a tech expert who claims to personally read every message.

Listen to the slightly edited conversation that was broadcast on 11/22/23 on the Kim Komando Today Podcast and Radio Show.

I had two questions:

  1. Is there a way to stop unwanted texts
  2. Can I assign unique sounds to individual text senders so I know it is them

I found the answer to the second question on my own. If an iPhone,

Select messages
Select an individual message
Tap the name
Tap “Info”
Go to “Ringtone” and/or “Text Tone” and make a selection that will only be for that sender

To my surprise, I received an email from someone at the Kim Komando show telling me Kim wanted to call me and put my call on her show. After I agreed, she told me I’d get a confirmation the following day and my call would be during a 1.5hr window the day after that.

The confirmation email included the number that would show when I got the call and instructions to put that number in my phone so it would be sure to receive the call. Also, to not use a speakerphone and to talk to Kim as if she were a friend……

At the beginning of the call window, I received a call from the show. It was another assistant who detected I was on speaker phone (I was having the call go into my bluetooth hearing aids) and she asked if I could just use the phone on my ear. She said she would call back with a 5 minute hold and a 45 second warning. Then, I would hear the show…. and Kim say, “And now we have John from Fort Wayne”…. and we were connected.

The call lasted under a minute. I received the following in an email after the show with the details of what we discussed. I hope you find it interesting and helpful.

I did not ask for or receive permission to post the assistant’s phone and email info, so that is blanked, but the rest is an exact copy/paste.


Question:

Getting increasingly annoying political and fundraising texts.  Is there a way (other than replying ‘stop’) to make them at,

    • Do Not Call Registry:

      • Register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry. While this is more effective for unsolicited calls, it can sometimes help with texts as well.

      • Visit DoNotCall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to register.

    • Use Your Phone’s Built-In Features:

      • Most smartphones have features to block numbers or filter messages from unknown senders.

      • For iPhone: Go to Settings > Messages, and under ‘Message Filtering’, enable ‘Filter Unknown Senders’.

      • For Android: The process varies by model, but you can typically block numbers and manage spam through the messaging app’s settings.

    • Third-Party Apps:

      • Consider using third-party apps that specialize in blocking spam texts and calls, such as RoboKiller, Hiya, or Truecaller. These apps have features to identify and block spam.

    • Contact Your Service Provider:

      • Many cell phone carriers offer services or advice for blocking unwanted texts. Contact your provider to see what options they have available.

    • Report Spam Texts:

      • Report spam texts to your carrier by forwarding the message to 7726 (which spells “SPAM” on the keypad). This helps carriers track and block spam number.

Amber Barnett
Kim Komando Show Logo
Director of Finance and Human Resources

cell:

ofc:
6135 N 7th Street, Phoenix AZ 85014www.komando.com

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Unwanted texts Read More »

Busy dedication

A cheerleader who cheers first half, runs to the band lineup to perform halftime, and then back to cheer for the second half.

Busy dedication Read More »

This has happened twice, and I didn’t like it the first time either

This has happened twice, and I didn’t like it the first time either.

Several years ago, toward the end of a lunch period, there was a threat called into the school that resulted in the entire 1500 student/staff population’s immediate exit from the building. We were instructed to go to the football stadium. It was a bright, sunny day and we sat in the stadium until dismissal, about two hours later.

It was a mess as parents started coming to pick up students, but all the computer equipment with identification and information on students/parents was in the vacated building. A lot was learned for future.

I’m bald. I have a collection of hats I used for outside rehearsals. I didn’t have a hat for this event and my head burned moderately significantly. It went from embarrassingly red to sore and finally to flaking. I wasn’t happy about any of it. I posted on my personal social media site, something like this:

When they find out who did this, I hope they affix that person to the flag pole in the front yard and give us all an opportunity to walk by and expressure our displeasure.

The next day I was called to an admin office where I was mildly scolded with,

We all feel like what you said — but you can’t say that.

He was right. I deleted my post and that was the end of it…..except for wondering who saw fit to copy my post and take it to the office. Was it a teacher? I don’t know for sure, but I wasn’t happy about who it was, and glad I never found out.

Then, this week…

…I get a letter from the City

“It was recently brought to the department’s attention that you upgraded your electrical panelboard without first obtaining an electrical permit.”

When we hired a contractor to install a new HVAC system, he reported that he had trouble getting our 1950’s vintage “pushmatic” breaker box to engage and recommended we consider replacing it. I brushed it off as an “upsell”, but two days later, our neighbor’s house was completely totalled (on the inside) when their breaker box malfunctioned.

Neighbor house as breaker box malfunctions sending flames throughout the walls and outlets.

I immediately contacted my HVAC contractor to ask him to go ahead and replace my breaker box. He sent an electrician. I was happy with the results and posted them.

Old
New

I want to do the right thing. I worked with my contractor, the city, the city’s inspector and another contractor to make everything legal, correct and safe with the City.

My frustration….

…is with people who need to “turn me in” instead of communicating with me directly.

Rant over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This has happened twice, and I didn’t like it the first time either Read More »

Throw Back Thursday

This is David’s entrance from his hs production of The Wiz. Once he gets fully lubricated, he adds choreography (his own) to the song. Video is under 4 minutes. Enjoy.


 

 

 

Throw Back Thursday Read More »

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

With all the current controversy in women’s sports (which I have been posting about…..), this showcases that in music, it is not about male vs female, it is about excellence. This girl is incredible with the number of different instruments/parts she is playing. and the tune…. well, you’ll get it. (Kudos to my son for sharing this video).

Girls Just Want To Have Fun Read More »

You can’t say that

You can't say thatAccounts of recent separations of news personalities from their employers remind me of a time my boss told me,

“You can’t say that.”

Years ago, on a hot sunny mid-day, our high school was evacuated over a threat. One of my thoughts at the time was wondering what was going through the minds of those stopped in traffic as 1500+ students, teachers, and staff crossed the state highway en masse. After accounting for all the students who left class, we sat in the football stadium bleachers until the end of the school day when busses and parents picked up students from the stadium rather than the high school. The congestion and confusion on that side street was significant.

The afternoon was especially stressful to those who had to work through the safety protocols to ensure students left only with a legal guardian. How do you call the school when the school is evacuated? How and to whom are calls forwarded? And what about student records with parent/guardian names and information in an area without computers and connections? How do they sign out from a remote location? Parents were frustrated as everyone was trying to do the right thing in a setting we had never before experienced. I should note that the communication and information issues of that day were addressed.

My uncovered bald head was significantly sunburned in those nearly three hours. By the time I got home, my head hurt and I was angry, especially after learning all that was the result of one student’s prank. I made an ill-advised comment on personal social media that punishment should include affixing the offender to the schoolyard flag pole and allowing all who spent those 2-3 hours in the stadium sun file by to express thoughts of the experience.

I should not have said that and I deleted the post, but not before someone shared it with the building boss, who called me to his office the next day. With a copy of my post in his hand, he not-quite laughingly said that, although he might feel the same way, “you can’t say that”.

I wasn’t fired.

 

You can’t say that Read More »

Virginia Beach Music Festival and the 3rd Floor Balcony

The Virginia Beach Music Festival was a multi-day event that included competitions in Marching, Concert, Parade, Jazz, and Inspection. 

Normally a band year has multiple seasons. Summer and Fall are mostly Marching Band. Some competitions included an inspection element, which included standing at attention for about 15 minutes while someone went through with white gloves and inspected selected instruments and uniforms. Marching season transitions into Concert Band — and Jazz Band starts up. Late Spring and early Summer is parade season. 

To prepare for Virginia Beach, all that had to be going on simultaneously. 

During school, the concert band would rehearse. Jazz Band was after school and evenings were a combination of marching, parade and inspection practice.

The campus had a long driveway that we used, but would often go through a couple of the neighborhood blocks. Inspections involved Copenhaver’s paddle. We would stand at attention and he would walk in front of us, stopping to stare and to grab and check instruments. If anything was wrong, he’d say, “That’s one”, which meant he would get you with the paddle when he got behind you, which could be several minutes later. And if you moved when he whacked you, guess what. Right. I never got the paddle. 

The first time Holmes participated in 1969, (my Freshman year) Holmes was Grand Champion. We returned in 1970 as “Honor Band” for the event. 

Director Copenhaver was from Virginia and our two Greyhound busses stoped at a park near his hometown for a community-provided picnic. I remember one of the busses got stuck crossing a small creek. 

Two memorable events at the hotel we used. First, was one evening during the week when Mr. Copenhaver was in the parking lot and looked up at many of us on the balconies and said, 

“They know we’re here.”

Other than when actually winning an event, it was the happiest I recall him looking and sounding. 

The other was an evening when a group of seniors came knocking on our door. I was in a room with three other freshmen boys. They were there for “initiation”, which normally included some combination of ice down the underwear with shaving cream there and everywhere else — and then locked out of the room. 

The four of us (I think we all four), went over the balcony. The floors were close enough together that we could go from floor to floor…. Until we could jump to the ground. 

I can’t believe I did that. 

But I never experienced “initiation”. And I never did that to anyone else.

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