And now what did you do TODAY?

[agile_one]

Break a leg, Brent.

[shellylh]

This!

[cetoole]

Brent doesn't need any additional misfortunes!

Play real good, Brent.

[jvlgato]

Sweet! I like Ralph VW.

[MexicanDragon]

Thanks guys. I'm the blob of pixels 2nd row, just left of center, over the conductor's left shoulder. This stage is bloody amazing!

I had some friends come out, and my mom brought the kids, and they came backstage and had a good time. It's been a long day, and a few bobbles in the performance, but man, it was a good day. I went out afterwards and got some dinner with a friend and others on his birthday on a rare night sans-kids.

The band is the Mid-South Concert Band, with the Scenic City Chorale in the back. This is our second annual Christmas concert at the Tivoli Theatre. I am still blown away at how good this stage sounds. I can't wait to play here again.



I think we had a real photographer up there at one point... this guy's camera phone is "meh" but it's the best I've got so far. I hope some other pics surface soon.

 

**BRENT**

[crappyjones123]

Finished off first semester of med school with 8 A's, 2 B's and a C in the bullshit careers in medicine class. It was harsh and not easy but I had fun and made new friends along the way. A much needed break until Jan 6th then back at it again.

Very nice Brent.

[shellylh]

I'd recognize that blob of pixels anywhere!

[Voltron]

Are those strings of biscuits hanging down out of your reach?  Must have been frustrating and distracting for you, but I hope you had fun anyway!

[Torpedo]

I'd recognize that blob of pixels anywhere!

Yes!!! with something in the mouth  

Congrats, Brent. I'm sure that was a wonderful moment.

[skullguise]

Nice pixels, Brent!  Sounds like a great event.

[Wmcmanus]

6 hours of Santa events today, 9 hours tomorrow and 5 more on Sunday.  That's actual event time, not counting time to get ready, time to drive to and fro, dead spots in the middle of the day when you don't have a chance to do much of anything but wait for the next one, etc.  

Nothing scheduled for Monday so far, but Tuesday (Christmas Eve) will be a mad house, then a couple more events on Christmas Day and back to the dry cleaners we go for one last trip (with 5 different suits and royal robes, each of which has been there several times already, but all of which are fresh at the moment).  78 events in total this year, new record... but not by much.  

Really looking forward to some of the home visits this week.  I'm getting tired of the public events where there is a long line and not much time for each child so you have to do a rush "interview" while the moms are saying "smile at the camera" and "look at Santa and tell him what you want for Christmas" which of course are mutually exclusive ideas, meanwhile 7 different people spread across an array of 135 degrees with cell phones and other gadgets of every description (some as big as newspapers) are expecting me and the poor child to look at each such device at the same time.  

Meh... just want to go from home to home and actually have a chance to get in character again and to "be" Santa with some story telling, leading some songs, doing big group hugs, and all of those fun and memorable things that got me into this to begin with.  Think I've gotten over exposed with the public events where I see 50+ kids per hour, and may make myself less available for those types of gigs next year in favor of doing more home visits.  

Speaking of which, it's time to suit up.  I've got two preschools back to back this morning, and it doesn't get any better than that.  At least you have a captive audience in a controlled environment in which they're already comfy and have their teachers as a fall back position.  No "lines" to see Santa, thank goodness!

Edited December 20, 2013 by Wmcmanus

[agile_one]

Way to go, CJ!  Rest up and continue the good work post holidays.

[tyrion]

Nice job CJ!  Yup, blob of pixels is how I always picture you Brent.  Looks like a great time.

[Aimless1]

Just got back from the jewelry store.  Note to self.  DO NOT LOOK AT JEWELRY when your eyes are dilated.  Blurry sparkles is all I saw.  Now I have a headache and came home with nothing.

[Torpedo]

do nothing with your pupils dilated

[Dusty Chalk]

It's a good time for selfies.

[Torpedo]

Yeah, you may end up photographing your crotch.

[jvlgato]

Really cool, Brent!

Congrats CJ! I wouldn't worry too much about the C in careers. Somehow I don't think too many residencies will be very concerned about that!

[skullguise]

Wayne, nice stuff on the more "personal" visits.  That much more meaningful for you, and that much more special for the kids.....

 

Lightly related: My wife, son and I volunteered at a local Boys & Girls club for their "holiday" dinner.  Hot dogs and hamburgers for ~700 kids, mostly of Latino descent.  A herculean effort to put it together, but amazingly well done.  Kudos to the people that run this place, and kudos to 2 local 99 Restaurants for donating all the food.

 

They had a Santa line there as well, but the "elves" were passing out the gifts instead of Santa himself (couldn't have all 700 kids sitting on Santa's lap).  Still, it brought tears to my eyes to see the kids light up so much.  Just made me very thankful for all I have.....

[blessingx]

Good luck over the next few days Wayne. 

 

Growing up in Midwestern snow it's always been tough to get into the Christmas spirit my nearly two decades in California. Need something to trigger the emotions and the last few years it's been The Dicken's Fair. Fun again tonight. A few shots...

Edited December 22, 2013 by blessingx

[Wmcmanus]

They had a Santa line there as well, but the "elves" were passing out the gifts instead of Santa himself (couldn't have all 700 kids sitting on Santa's lap).  Still, it brought tears to my eyes to see the kids light up so much.  Just made me very thankful for all I have.....

 

Trust me, those events are the hardest ones on an emotional level.  I do a number of company-sponsored events that are designed to help under privileged children.  They tend to either bus them in to a nice playground or set up the event right in the middle of a public housing development.  In one case, they block off a street for a couple of hours, so there are kids running all over the place.  

 

You get asked for "money to pay the light and water bills", for "shoes for my little sister" for "my dad to get out of prison" for "my dad to stop hurting my mom" and for "just to make sure we all have enough to eat" but mostly you get asked for iPads, X-Box 360s, for a DX (whatever the fuck that is... Ok, I know, but not really) and all kinds of electronics that you know quite simply they're not going to get.

There isn't much of what I'd call abject poverty in Cayman, but there are a lot of people who are really struggling and kids who have really rough lives.  Sometimes they come to the public events as well (outside of their neighborhoods) and you can spot them in one way or another, either through their dirty clothes, ignorant and mean acting parents, or just that blank look that some of them have because despite the fact that they're 6 or 7 or even older, they've never really had much to really feel good about in their lives.  They almost seem tired and beaten down already.  It's hard to describe exactly, but pretty easy to spot.  

[Wmcmanus]

Good luck over the next few days Wayne. 

 

Growing up in Midwestern snow it's always been tough to get into the Christmas spirit my nearly two decades in California. Need something to trigger the emotions and the last few years it's been The Dicken's Fair. Fun again tonight. A few shots...

 

 

Ric, this pic looks like it could have come right out of Dylan's "It Must Be Santa" video:

 

I alternate between finding this song as well as the video really annoying and pointless versus really interesting and uplifting, but come down on the side of the former more often than not.

Edited December 22, 2013 by Wmcmanus

[manaox2]

The Dicken's fair reminds me of "The Night Circus" novel, looks fantastic.

[tyrion]

Putting down mulch Goruck style : Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[ironbut]

Awesome pics Ric!

I always forget about the "fair" so I appreciate your posting some tastes of the event!