I wanna be a rock star...
Who hasn't wanted to be a rock star? It really doesn't matter if it takes the better part of a lifetime to do that, or if you are a one-hit-wonder. It's so romantic in so many ways!
No, it is not. BUT if you have a bit of an opportunity on one particular day, with some limited background in rockin' good music, maybe it can be done.
I just had my day...last week. Crowds were lining the streets! Everybody was happy! Everybody was wearing their favorite colors! Everybody was waving!
I did have two lessons in three weeks. Who wouldn't be prepared coming in with that? Our main-man-leader offered his skills to train folks who wanted to ride on a flatbed truck, and play drums. I don't know how to say the name of the drums...but they are exotic and he owned them. I watched that local Realtor advertisement for a couple of weeks, thought about it, and decided I could do that.
The day of the parade came. We needed to decorate the float, practice, and then head out...number 91 out of about 200 entries. Our town is known for being the longest parade...in the US? That may be a myth but most folks around here stick with that story.
At first I just wanted to do well. That didn't last too long. What's a parade that has serious people in it? A DUD, that's what! So I told my fellow drummers to smile....and wave! The waving activity can be a bit bothersome for a drummer...but I was only a backup. So I did wave!
It had been a long time since I had been in the parade. It started on my bike with our kids in a trailer, hauling around Discover Toys behind us. Then it progressed a few years later to having something like the chaise-lounge-walkers, but we used our small A-frame real estate signs and had routines to music that we tossed our signs around, through, and over each other, all while walking.
Folks loved it..but I learned to hate it because nobody would show up for practice..because they were real estate agents. One year my mom did come up, and she watched and was amazed! I was amazed too, that we actually finished the parade! After that, no more parade participation for me.
What I learned this time, was 1) be carried by a motorized vehicle. 2) to smile. 3) to wave. 4) to look directly at a person, wave at them, and they would just naturally wave back at us. Eye contact was imperative!
I got in the groove about half way through the parade. Nobody cared much if we didn't keep the beat. Everybody cared about the noise. And many were doing a bit of dancing as we rolled on by.
And this week, I got lots of comments about how intent I was about playing the drum. Ah, they must have been at the beginning of the parade. Loosen up, marilyn. See you next year (maybe).
Live richly, marilyn
No, it is not. BUT if you have a bit of an opportunity on one particular day, with some limited background in rockin' good music, maybe it can be done.
I just had my day...last week. Crowds were lining the streets! Everybody was happy! Everybody was wearing their favorite colors! Everybody was waving!
I did have two lessons in three weeks. Who wouldn't be prepared coming in with that? Our main-man-leader offered his skills to train folks who wanted to ride on a flatbed truck, and play drums. I don't know how to say the name of the drums...but they are exotic and he owned them. I watched that local Realtor advertisement for a couple of weeks, thought about it, and decided I could do that.
The day of the parade came. We needed to decorate the float, practice, and then head out...number 91 out of about 200 entries. Our town is known for being the longest parade...in the US? That may be a myth but most folks around here stick with that story.
At first I just wanted to do well. That didn't last too long. What's a parade that has serious people in it? A DUD, that's what! So I told my fellow drummers to smile....and wave! The waving activity can be a bit bothersome for a drummer...but I was only a backup. So I did wave!
It had been a long time since I had been in the parade. It started on my bike with our kids in a trailer, hauling around Discover Toys behind us. Then it progressed a few years later to having something like the chaise-lounge-walkers, but we used our small A-frame real estate signs and had routines to music that we tossed our signs around, through, and over each other, all while walking.
Folks loved it..but I learned to hate it because nobody would show up for practice..because they were real estate agents. One year my mom did come up, and she watched and was amazed! I was amazed too, that we actually finished the parade! After that, no more parade participation for me.
What I learned this time, was 1) be carried by a motorized vehicle. 2) to smile. 3) to wave. 4) to look directly at a person, wave at them, and they would just naturally wave back at us. Eye contact was imperative!
I got in the groove about half way through the parade. Nobody cared much if we didn't keep the beat. Everybody cared about the noise. And many were doing a bit of dancing as we rolled on by.
And this week, I got lots of comments about how intent I was about playing the drum. Ah, they must have been at the beginning of the parade. Loosen up, marilyn. See you next year (maybe).
Live richly, marilyn
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