Music

For those who don't know, I love music. Not just listening to it, but playing it. I'm not biased to any particular style. It is my opinion that musicians should have a well rounded understanding of all styles, especially percussionists. Now sure I can pound some skins, make a little noise. But I like to play guitar also. But drums is where I am free to express things more. Every drummer has his own style. Many can play all forms or styles of music, but when they do, they do it in their own style. That's what I love about playing drums. A drummer is free to play the same song in as many ways as his imagination will allow. But any other instrument is limited as to how they can play. You can always tell when the wrong note is played. But when I hit the snare or the tom, or strike a cymbal, as long as it's in time with the music, it all sounds good. What I love about music most is when you get the chance to just play. I can't stand the credit that comes after a performance, but I love to perform. Just share the gift with others, for the love of music, or to give praise to God. Now that is fun! In my life God has blessed me abundantly. To be able to do my part in making a joyful noise to the point that others catch the emotion, the feeling of true worship, that makes me feel good. But when it's over I just want to shout stop clapping for us, you're missing the point! I prefer to hide in the shadows, one of the reasons I chose to play drums. It is very seldom that you see videos where they focus on the drummer. Everyone loves the singer or the lead guitarist, they leave the drummer alone. I like it that way. Just playing music is what gives me joy. The other night we had the opportunity to play in my wife's parents church. That was fun! What was the greatest for me was different than what most would think. See my mother-in-law (Caroline) went through a lot of effort to put this thing together. All the details were planned, they had a wonderful setup, stage, sound, a great kit, wireless equipment for my pastor, it was awesome. But all that aside, when it came down to show time, Caroline realized that the flyers were printed to say that the show was to start 30 minutes after what was supposed to take place. So I felt absolutely confident that our praise team could play for that 30 minutes without any problems. So we did, and it rocked! Still, the greatest thing for me was to be able to just forget about a program or schedule and just get up there and worship. Play music for God! Forget about the crowd, the set was miked so I could just play and let someone else worry about how it sounded. Just play man... The other thing that I loved was that the drummer for my in-laws was up there with us and he was all over it. He never once played with us before. He is a true jazz drummer, someone who has the infinite ability to play off the cuff or wing it as I like to say. It's nice to be able to play with people in that type of setting. Forget the show, let's just jam! When I looked at Robert and said "We're just gonna play music and have fun." He responded with something along the lines of "Cool let's do it." I love playing with people who are dedicated to quality in their music. The Pastor, "Miss Becky" as my kids like to call her, and I like to practice weekly. That practice is what gave me the confidence in us. We play together every week, beside practice we do two services on a regular basis. That confidence in our ability as a group is what gives us the freedom to "wing it" when situations like this one pop up. We know that we can just jam, and praise God and it's going to sound good because we are used to playing together. No stress, it's all music and it's all good. Now I'm at the point where it's time to push my ability beyond the plateau. I don't like to draw attention to myself, so I don't generally do flashy stuff. But it's nice for every group to have a drummer that can play for 20 or 30 minutes while the band gets a drink or whatever. Good solo work is important for a group to have full flexibility as well. So in my own time and individual practice I am going to be working on my own style. What defines me as a drummer? That is the question I seek to answer.

Hunting

So this will be the first year I will be able to hunt since I was a kid... For animals that is... I mean furry ones... Okay terrorists are furry too... I'm finally going to go and hunt something other than people. There, I got it. I have always loved the hunt, for people or otherwise. But something about being out in nature involved and part of the natural food chain, taking part in the great circle of life, it is... Humbling. The absence of fear is nice, but I find I'm still doing it as if I were hunting people. The other day I decided to take the family on a "Recon" for "Enemy activity in the area." The wife and her sniper eyes had discovered some "displacement" (Tracks) from a Mule deer approximately 150 pounds that had traveled approximately two hours before our arrival in the "area of responsibility." The location is known in standard Military Grid Reference System format, but is from here forward considered classified by me as to protect my future operations in the area. Upon completion of the successful recon, I proceeded to download satellite images of the area, and plan a very detailed insertion and extraction plan, using numerous extraction points, and a primary and alternate insertion route. Upon marking said grids on my version of topographic software, I have decided to give the wife a brief initial oral plan using said graphics to give her a general idea of the plan so far. Upon further ground recon missions in the area, and other nearby areas, I will decide on a day by day route log and plan at which my wife can tell where I will be at any given time in the day throughout the "campaign." I will have designated extraction points throughout the entire zone and will pre-designate Helicopter Landing Zones (HLZ's) for emergency extraction of wounded personnel. (Because you never know?) I have a full combat load already planned to sustain me for the entire season so I can stay in the field and work the area in search of the big Mule deer. I will have some old school technology on hand (Optics and writing material with calculator) to determine range and wind. I will have been to the range numerous times to dial in that SWS (Sniper Weapon System) so that I can place that cold bore shot right where I want it to go. So the question remains... Am I working too hard or what? One thing is for certain - That moss back out in the bush is mine!