Notes from Around Burnsland - January 2017
It is a new year (almost a month into the new year, actually), so here are the latest notes from around the world of Burnsland!
All-West Band Tryouts
A couple of weeks ago, Jaylin and his trombone tried out for the All-West Tennessee Honor Band. Actually, Jaylin did all of the work; his trusty trombone was just along for the ride. As was I, as the official chauffeur. But I didn’t mind, because being there brought back a whole flood of memories of the good times we had back when I would try out for the band. Back in those days, we would go hang out there all day, especially if the tryout was out of town (it was in Memphis this time), and all of us would have a big old time of passing the day away while anxiously awaiting the results of the tryouts.
For their child’s audition, many of the parents chose to wait out in the hall, but I chose to stay in the warmup room with Jaylin. The cacophony of many sounds from many instruments playing many different things while drummers rapped their drumsticks on the tables was music to me. Maybe not the organized music that you might expect, but there again, it took me back to those old days. I even stayed in there and read a book on my iPad while Jaylin was gone to the actual audition.
Unfortunately, Jaylin did not make it this year. But he did learn more about what is involved and what he should work harder on for the next time (like the chromatic scale, for example). And I reminded him that I did not make it the first time I tried out, which was when I was in the eighth grade as well. Not that he is reliving my life or anything, but just a reminder not to give up because you don’t succeed the first time.
A Lit Bash?
Continuing with notes about Jaylin, he recently received an invitation to a “Lit Bash” in honor of a fellow student’s birthday. Interesting. Who knew that one of the popular birthday trends was to sit around and discuss literature, apparently bashing it as necessary? I could have gone on a great discourse all about bashing Billy Budd if we had done that back in my day. The things these kids do today for fun. And they say us old people are boring. At least for our birthday parties we did fun things like miniature golf and roller skating.. The invitation even said, “It’s gonna be lit!” That’s good to know that they are providing illumination so that they don’t have to sit around bashing bad (and maybe good) literature in the dark. Way to be responsible, for whoever is throwing such a grand occasion!
Our Florida Trip
In case you haven’t been reading the posts around here at Burnsland, we went on a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida with our friends the Riedels right before Christmas. It was a grand old time, and perhaps even the most fun such venture that we have undertaken, even though all of the past ones were fun, too.
We had a great time, and we didn’t take ourselves too seriously, as you can tell by some of our group photos that have been posted so far:
The Family at Gaston’s Fountain in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World
In line for Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
You can click those photos to read more about what was going there, or you can find all of the posts about our trip right here. And keep checking back, because there is a lot more to come from that trip. After all, I have been known by some to take an overabundance of photos, so I might as well share them here for your enjoyment, right?
That’s it for the Notes from Around Burnsland for now. Check back often to see what else has been going on with us!
