On Trying New Things

So when I signed the papers to take on the Executive Director position, I had a teeny tiny nagging feeling that I'd probably find myself doing some things that I had never really done before.  Well, today, that tiny nagging feeling is now a punch-me-in-the-face reality.

As the title of this blog suggests, I am comfortable being behind the scenes.  My idea of getting wild is to make small-talk to people when I'm in line at Starbucks. I know what you're thinking. You can't just talk to strangers like that, but sometimes I just do it, man.  I'm crazy like that.

So tonight I found myself doing something I never thought I would ever do as long as I live.

Dancing.

Choreographed dancing.

To country music.

And if that's not crazy enough, in a few short months, I will be performing said dance, and several others in front of hundreds of people on a well-lit stage, while some other lucky introvert takes my beloved hiding spot behind the sound desk.

That's right, as of tonight, there's a new skating rink in hell, folks.

So a brief synopsis of how it went. First off, I get partnered with a nice young lady, who is likely half my age, half my size and quick on her feet.  We're paired up like a moose and a cat.  Fear starts to creep in as the choreographer gives a breakdown of the first 8 steps and I'm already lost on step 2 which literally consisted of tipping my "hat" for a 4 count, and then hooking my thumbs in my "belt loops".  We're not even dancing yet and I've already forgotten step one. The cat, on the other hand, only needs to be shown once and off she goes, each step and turn perfectly executed. Great. Fantastic. I'm back in Kindergarten and all the other kids already know how to tie their shoes.

Somehow I manage to stumble and trip my way through the routine like a stiff out-of-sync robot until we get to the end where there's this weird jumpy thing.  Hop once to the right on your left leg, twice to the left on your right leg and then reverse, rinse, repeat.  It's at this point as I'm hopping randomly about in a display worthy of failblog.org that I realize: I'm that guy.  You know, The Awkward Guy.  I'm Will Ferrell with a cowbell, but nobody's asking for more cowbell.

Then comes the video. Now, thanks to the wonders of the digital age, you can totally humiliate yourself and then literally seconds later, relive that humiliation from a totally new point of view.  It's great.  Just in case you weren't sure if anyone could tell that you feel like a cow on rollerskates, you now can confirm that yes, other people are definitely picking that up.

All in all, I'm glad I'm doing this, though.  I will get better. I will find my inner dancer. I will also lose some weight because the camera only adds 10 pounds, which doesn't account for all that extra McLovin I got going on.

Lazy Day

Aaaahhhhh the weekend.  I will be particularly grateful for the time-change tonight as I can justify sleeping in that extra hour tomorrow, although I'm almost positive the kids will be up early anyway.   On school days you can barely drag them out of bed and they are oh-so-tired, yet on Saturdays and Sundays they all pop out of bed like popcorn at 7am while mom and dad desperately grasp at a few moments of extra sleep.  I'm sure we'll miss it when they are teenagers and sleep till 1 in the afternoon.

My theme song for today is The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars which I am enjoying on the couch still lounging around in yoga pants at 4 in the afternoon and trying to do as little as possible.  My body has been telling me to take a break.  Not to just take a day off, but to actually do as little as possible.  To read, rest, reflect... just breathe.  I recognize those ominous signs from previous times in my life when I have gone too long without a real break - the hour long periods of adrenalin that make my heart beat too fast and cause nervousness and anxiety for no reason.  The tossing and turning at night.  The inability to sleep more than a few hours in a stretch without waking up.

I'm not stressed, not mentally at least.  I'm actually quite happy.  But I know from experience that it's best not to ignore those kinds of indicators as they are very much akin to a road sign telling you that the bridge is out ahead.  So today is for relaxing, playing the piano, and sipping coffee.  If I get a moment on the studio computer I might work on my Lights remix and post a sample to check out here.

For now, Namaste.  And enjoy the video.

Welcome and all that...

I absolutely love my job.  It's a little strange to say that, and believe me, I wish that more people could say the same thing.  I haven't loved all my jobs, but this one is truly unique, and truly fits my skills...  Since this is such an interesting job, I thought maybe, just maybe other folks might be interested in a bit of a behind the scenes view of what goes on here.

This is by no means an official or even unofficial blog for the Arts Academy.  It's simply my thoughts, observations and musings of things that happen in and around this environment that is budding with art, ambition, music, drama and all sorts of other wonderful things.  How does one help the arts thrive in a town full of oil workers, rednecks, bible-belters, and retired missionaries?  Well, you'd be surprised. 

I'm surprised every day.

First of all, a bit about me:

1. I'm an embarrassingly poor hockey player. I realized this when I was ten and have pursued other interests since.

2. I have no clue how to fix my car when it breaks. I always hope bad car noises will go away on their own.

    a) Consequently I feel like a 6 year old girl when I have talk to the NAPA guys.

3. I don't own a motorcycle. It's probably for the best.

4. I'm [quite] adept with computers (read: full on geek). I like to sneak in some video game time after the kids go to bed and my wife is at yoga.

5. I have watched exactly one sporting event on TV from start to finish. The commercials were really quite good, I recall.

6. I don't readily fit in well with the typical small town crowd, likely because of the aforementioned points. When the conversation inevitably turns from sports to motorcycles, I tend to find myself slipping away to join convo's with the fairer gender about childrearing and Oprah.

7. Guitar is my companion, the recording studio is a home, piano is my heart, singing is my soul, music is my life.

That's enough about me for now.  

Currently I am settled in my office hearing the sounds of 3 pianos and a handful of violins playing different melodies throughout the building as young prodigies learn the craft of music.  It reminds me of my childhood, carrying my piano books up to my lesson on the second floor of an eerie aged music building.  I remember vividly the smells of old steam-heated rooms combined with creaky floors and the sounds of dozens of unseen pianos playing frantic scales in different keys, Bach, Brahms, Beethoven and one scandalous time, even the Blues.  It was a rather intimidating place for a shy little kid.  That building is long since gone now, but I still remember those feelings when I see the kids come to their lessons here, and I try to make an effort to set them at ease.  

Today I met a bright little guy.  He told me he thinks he's on his second year of violin, but he can't remember.  I tell him that his class sounds fantastic and he smiles and then disappears.  I see him a few moments later peeking at me from behind the couch in the sitting area and I toss a smile his way.

Not every kid is shy here though.  Some come bouncing down the stairs, high five the teacher and start chatting about their school day as they get ushered into their studio.

It's pretty amazing to be in the middle of it all, and it's happening in a little known basement of an old church building in a neighbourhood of a town that's largely unaware of what even goes on here.  

A hidden treasure full of bright little gems.