MY LIFE AS SPINNER DUDE

Posted by admin at July 4th, 2008

An annual barometer of summer for me is the arrival of the drum and bugle corps season.  And in usual form, like the swallows returning to Capistrano, I dragged LD to a local show which highlighted some of the top drum corps in the country.

LD and I arrived in time to watch the last five corps of the night.  I know, call me a drum corps snob, but I guess when it comes to watching this stuff, I’ve run out of patience for the lower division corps.  Open class?  Yea…later folks.  I  am not interested in watching it when I don’t have to. 

So, The Academy (AZ), Pacific Crest (Diamond Bar, CA), Santa Clara Vanguard (CA), Blue Devils (Concord, CA) and Phantom Regiment (Rockford, IL) rounded off the top five last night.    All turned in good performances, but the last three, SCV…BD…PR, were extraordinary.  Each of these corps had their own unique twist to this ever changing activity.  Some brought a superior sense of brass and percussion excellence while others brought story telling and creative staging to the drum corp table. 

SCV’s  ”3HREE”, was a play on the mind, body, soul notion.  Their music was from the modern era (The Chairman Dances to name a few) with great choreography from the color guard.  Their sound is what makes them unique not to mention the fact that they always kept the show moving forward and didn’t wait for applause.  Their sets were intriguing to the eye.  Textured forms, use of motion…wow!  Can’t wait for the color guard book to be finished and for the guard to have uniforms. 

PR told the classic story of “Spartacus” based on the ballet music of Aram Khachaturian.  The color guard was dressed in slave costumes and entered the field with chained hands.  Spartacus himself was one of the featured guard members.  Love, enslavement, the quest for freedom,  battles between slaves and soldiers — it was all there.  What is missing with PR is the ability of the CG to tell the story.  They looked more annoyed that they had to do choreography and the fight scene.  C’mon PR…you’re PR….get it together CG and engage us. 

And, of course, BD.  They are the reigning champs and won the DCI crown last summer in Pasadena.  Clean precise drumming, a CG that can dance (although they could stand to send the energy to the audience more) and spin and that wide open jazz sound was the winner for the night.  Their drill design was way too cool.  What looked like regular kaleidoscopic changing forms had parts of drill sets breaking away in a stylized “running” movement motif.  That caught my interest right away.  One note for BD though.  Honestly?  I need more from BD than just technical excellence.  Sure everything is right but they are just a little soul-less to me. 

Sooooo, DCI now packs up its circus tents of glitz and glamour (in my eyes anyway) and heads towards the grand boo bah of outdoor pageantry and marching arts…the DCI World Championships in Bloomington, IN.  Stayed tuned for more and yes, I will be checking scores.

Posted by admin at June 20th, 2008

So it’s official.  I am now a married man.

LD and drove up to SLO for our “let’s decompress after school let’s out” vacation.  And this year, LD had to scrape me off the floor and pack me in the car.  I just needed to get away.

Enter the hotel.  The Cliff’s resort in Pismo Beach was fantastic.  Diego was able to come along and the resort was oh so accommodating to our four legged baby.  Our morning walks were fantastic.  Diego was able to run off leash on the beach every morning.  I think he got a little spoiled. 

Anyway, back to the important date, Wednesday, June 18, 2008.  Friends RS(S. Pasadena) and P&SF (San Jose), drove in to Pismo to help officiate the ceremony.   The gang met us at Louisa’s Cafe in SLO for breakfast and then we headed over to the SLO County Clerk’s Office.  Sophie was sworn in as a Deputy Justice of the Peace for the day while LD and I applied for our wedding license.  After that was in order we walked to the Mission San Luis Obispo, found a nice little shaded area in front of the church and Sophie did her thing. 

Disaster was averted when we pulled out the rings.  We had a case of fumble fingers and almost lost one fo the rings dow a sewer grate that was situated right where we stood.  <Whew>…thank goodness for all those quick reflexes. 

Sophie was a pro and manuevered us through a lovely little ceremony.  Yea, I got all choked up while reciting my vows but was happy nonetheless. 

It was a brilliant day.  It was a great celebration of LD and me with some great friends and some wonderful memories. 

I am married now to the person I love.  I am very happy.  Pictures following.

Posted by admin at June 17th, 2008

Check it out…

 http://howlingpoint.net/life/?p=2162

Posted by admin at June 15th, 2008

MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2008

Faculty V. Students Softball Game (morning):  Faculty won!  Gotta keep reminding those kids not to throw the bat after they hit the ball. 

Fifth Grade Field Day(afternoon).  I pawned off the 5th graders to the other teachers and spent the afternoon having the 4th grader clean and pack up my room.  Seems Mr. A will be in a different wing this year so…he has to move.  

TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2008

5th Grade “THE WAVE” End of the Year Party:  Way too much fun!  

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2008

My birthday!  A delcious dinner with mom and the family.   LD had to stay with Diego due to dew claw surgery.  Spent the day moving….again.

THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2008

Fifth grade promotion rehearsal at Bella Vista Middle School…Walked a lot…park….back to school.  Promotion ceremony was that night.  Cried a little and will miss my kids I’ve had for 2 years. 

FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2008

DONE!  DONE!  DONE! 

Am in Ventura with LD.  Gettin’ hitched on Wednesday!  Diego is surviving his first road trip just fine.  Had lunch with D and B (LD’s old friends from Cal).   

Posted by admin at May 25th, 2008

What a weekend!

So far, LD and I took in two movies.  On Saturday, we saw “Indiana Jones/Crystal Skull”, and on Sunday, “Narnia/Prince Caspian”. My reviews?

IJ/CS gets a hearty five star out of five star rating from me. Way cool! N/PC…I hold out my right hand, teeter it from left to right, and emit a non-committal “so-so” sigh. And movie producers…make sure your period pieces don’t have extras with tribal tattoos on their arms.

And now onto the food and family part of the weekend.  There are things that couples experience in the course of a relationship that are difficult to explain until the unknowing partner experiences it. Enter the Arnayro/Karns Memorial Day Celebration.

LD got a taste of this time honored tradition. For years, our families have celebrated the day at Coronado Cays Park, a large grassy area across the way from the Silver Strand. The families gather there for a potluck barbecue and to catch up on stuff. Brother-in-law Greg had the grills fired up.

LD, Diego and I arrived at about 2 pm and stayed until 5 pm. We feasted on bbq chicken strips, hot dogs, burgers and steaks along with the obligatory potato and macaroni salad. Diego was OK until the volleyball.

One of the things we do at these things is play volleyball. Not just your run-in-the-mill backyard volleyball, but your bump, set spike volleyball. Diego couldn’t get over the fact that I was playing a game of 3-on-3 and that it wasn’t with him. His barking and whimpering gave LD a headache and set the tone for the rest of the afternoon ride home. Let’s put it this way….LD had a tequila sunrise when we got home. Note to self…I am not 20 any longer and I need to stretch before I do this “volleyball” thing.

All in all, it was a fun afternoon. I found out some pretty juicy gossip about Greg’s brother Steve. It was to die for. Seems his wife left him because he didn’t shave. There you go!

Happy Memorial Day all!

Posted by admin at May 15th, 2008

There are events that I will always remember…9/11 (going to the Rancho Del Rey 24 hour fitness), Dad in my arms.   Today is no exception, however, it is a day of happiness for me, LD and all of our LGBT friends. It’s the day that the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on same sex marriage in the State of California. The emails from friends starting pouring in at about 10 am today and I’ve been watching news feeds with LD and Diego ever since I returned home. Got all teary eyed when I read the news and when I told colleagues today.

Happy? Yup!

I’ll have to practice my proposing technique and I need to get to the jewelry store to look things over.

Posted by admin at May 8th, 2008

I love my job.  The altruism that is so deeply imbedded in me becomes palpable when I see the faces of my wards light up when, “they get it”!

However, life in teacherland in our faire state hasn’t been pleasant as of late. 

California State Testing is this week.  LD celebrated by waking me to Don Ho singing, “Tiny Bubbles” and directing Diego in a modified dog hula.  Try opening your eyes to that.    I would hate to think that my students’ favorite memories from school was the time when, “Mr. SD taught us to bubble in the right answer!”.  Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

Next, some of you may know of my deep involvement in my teacher’s union.  Coupled with upcoming budget slashes to California’s education budg, I had the unpleasant task of telling a pregnant teacher whose husband had been laid off from his job, that she had been given the sack as well.  NICE! 

Where’s the pool of sorrows when you need to drown yourself?

Posted by admin at April 26th, 2008

Yesterday in Solana Beach, a retired veterinarian was attacked and fatally killed by an alleged great white shark.  While my sympathies go out to the family and friends of one of Solana Beach’s native sons, I think we need to remember that when we go in the water we are entering an ecosystem that, yes, has predators.  These predators eat things and if Homo Erectus is thrashing in the shark’s backyard….well….it’s just the chance you take.

The cry from observers and the ubiquitous press is “Hunt the shark down and kill it!”.  It’s just like out of “Jaws”.  The villagers with their boats take to the high seas to rid their once happy little hamlet of this intruder.  I disagree with this approach.

As one who takes to the sea quite often, I have  a very deep respect and understanding of the biome known as la mer.  I look at it this way.  The ocean is allowing me to be there.  Waiting between sets with LD,  the boards, the wet suits and flippers forces you to contemplate the vastness of its reach.  This epiphany humbles me.    I know the risks.  I know what’s out there.  Lord knows creatures have swam by my feet millions of times.

The E-Ticket ride on the great Pacific comes with a price.  Will I be out there again in June? Absoultely.

Rest well, Dr. Martin.

Posted by admin at April 21st, 2008

Can’t seem to shake this bronchial thing I’ve got going on.  Been hacking up my lungs all weekend.  LD is even getting concerned.  I’ll call the HealthRus and see if I can get an appointment.

Posted by admin at April 17th, 2008

The mythical hen was on to something. Picture this.

While driving home on 15-s, I noticed two red tailed hawks engaged in aerial combat. The focus of their battle soon became apparent as the remains of an unknown rodent splatted on my windshield. The Land of Make Believe soon turned to reality as I realized the mutilated head of Peter Cottontail did a Jackson Pollack on my car.

You don’t get this stuff on Animal Planet!