Well today ended up being a long, but great day! In one day I got to be both a teacher and a student of sorts, and both experiences were rewarding.
So first my experience as a student… (and don’t laugh). I learned how to drive a stick-shift today. Yes I realize that I am 23 and am just learning how to drive one. You may laugh now, but NO MORE LAUGHING AFTER THIS!!!
I didn’t do as bad as I thought I would. It took a little getting used to for the first few minutes, but I managed to get the knack and did some pretty good driving. Driving a stick is really not that much different than playing drum set: both your feet are working separately, but also have to be in time with each other. I drove down from Fort Collins to Loveland, then to south Loveland to get gas (where it’s $1.98 a gallon!!!) and then drove out to I-25 to trade cars with my sister. A lot of stop & go traffic, I think I am ready to give up my Explorer in 10 days.
Now my experience as a teacher… I ended up teaching a 4 year old about drumming! Okay so I wasn’t really a teacher, more like a babysitter, but I did manage to teach her something…
After I finished cruising town in my sister’s Mazda I went back up to Fort Collins, got my drum set and went to church to play. Usually our choir has anywhere from 5-7 people. Well today we had 2… Myself (the drummer) and Pete the guitar player/singer. We also had a piano player on loan from one of the other choirs. So needless to say we were in dire need of singers. Luckily our on-loan piano player managed to call his sister who was happy to come and sing, along with her husband and her three kids. Next thing we knew the choir platform turned into Romper Room. It was chaotic, but at the same time it was pretty sweet. Their 4-year-old daughter was so interested in the drum set that she parked up a chair right next to the drumset. It was really sweet, but at the same time hilarious because all throughout Mass she kept asking me "What does that pedal do?" "What sound does that stick make?" "Why are you using those red brushes instead of the blue weird-looking sticks?" "I bet I know what sound the tambourine makes".. It was really funny. I answered all of her questions and ended up giving a mini drum clinic right there. It was cute, and I got really good at being able to play all my parts, (try to) sing, and entertain a 4 year-old at the same time. Way to go for multi-tasking!
This was also a great affirmation that a LOOOOOOOOOONG ways away from having kids!