Eye of the Storm

So here we are in the opening weekend of Spring Break. The week ended serenely (mostly because of Palpatine being off-planet).

The situation between me and Weasle has relaxed somewhat. I think we've decided to be civil to each other. I have this strange sort of duality when it comes to conflict with students. On one hand, I think I can be a stubborn grudge-holder, and yet when opporunities arise to improve relations with people, I jump on them. I think its because of the damage that a lasting contempt can do to your inner peace. Anyway, I contemplated having a private conversation with Weas to patch things up, but after conferring with some colleagues, I decided against it. I have, however, put energy into non-hostile relations with him. That seems to be working. I hope.

My jazz band performed at our school's Open House event. It went well. I got a lot of complements from people. No more, really, than I had in years previous, but this time I seemed tobe... more appreciative of them. I started to imagine what would happen next year if Palpatine decides to cut the jazz group because of enrollment.

*Tangent*

Lets talk about the jazz enrollment for a second. I saw this happen at our sister school, but I never thought it would happen here. We may lose our jazz group (and any class) because the enrollment is too small (less than 25). Folks, you can have a fully functioning jazz group with 17. I think my enrollment has been as high as 27 in the past, but that was because I doubled up on rhythm section, and had at least 1 more in each horn section than I needed (in the saxes, I had a surplus of four). Understand folks, that when jazz bands get too big, they get muddy. Not to mention the fact that in the rhythm section, only one kid can perform at a time, leaving the others to wait for their turn. So lets say you have three drummers. That means each kid may play on two charts in any one concert, that's assuming we have six charts to perform. We frequently have five. Also, that means that there may be rehearsals where one kids doesn't play at all (leaving him to wonder why he got up early to be at school for 0 period). That's why I cut it off at two, max. Even then it can be hard to manage.

Anyway.... what was I saying? Oh... yes.... I'm trying to imagine what would happen next year when PTA comes to me and says "Hey, how about having your jazz band perform at X function" only to meet the response "I'm sorry, but we no longer have a jazz band."

Allright, enough of this... I'm on break, and I'm going to go make pancakes.