Rebel base on Hoth is routed!

I can't remember if I blogged this already or not, I think I may have.

The youth orchestra that I've been working for the last four years... the one that has been meeting at my school on saturday mornings... has to relocate. This is because our district has raised the room rental rates well beyond what the orchestra can afford (like $500 a day). They want to keep me on as a staff member which is nice, but I'll miss having the rehearsals here at my school.

While it's not the end of the orchestra, it is very sad for me. I always thought the rooms were.... happy again to have so many musicians, and to have such great repertoire being realized within their walls. With the orchestra leaving... it's a little like... well like the movie Awakenings: The patients go back to a comatose state after a brief, joyous return to life.

The orchestra manager asked me if we could make an appeal to the principal to support our casue. I looked her as if she'd asked me to approach the KKK about making a donation to the NAACP.

This year I've actually been trying to keep my involvement with the youth orchestra on the down-low. Not that I think Palpatine has an interest, one way or another, about them using our facilities... but I think Palpy would have found a way to boot them out if it was thought that it would free up my time for... what the Imperial pleasure would have me do.

And recently, Palpatine has also made some mention of what I should be doing with my summers. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a summer music institute that I've been attending for a majority of my life to which I am bound by loyalty until death. I've been contributing to this organization since I was in jr. high... and it is this place that is responsible for me being as music teacher. I'd rather lose a limb than give up my time there. Hell, I even made sure my wife knew before we got married: I'm going to be gone for four weeks every summer.

In any case, my days of working on saturdays in my room until 5 or 6 p.m. are limited. Oh who am I kidding, I'll probably just drive here after rehearsal and do the same thing I've been doing for the last 4 years.