Wood Fillers, Middle School Bands & Military Tattoos

Rebuilt the base of our target box and added a bottom shelf supported by the 2x3s that I used to frame it. The 2x3s were leftover pieces from another project as was the shelf that I added. Have also been doing a lot of filling and sanding due to the modifications and the damage done by my wayward son. But we won't get into that. Again. OK. Enough.

Have been using DAP water-based wood filler which seems to work OK. It's basically beige-tinted drywall compound which I think was DAP's original product line before they acquired the Plastic Wood brand and rights. The original PW product was cellulose-based which made it more durable although maybe a little harder to work with and probably contributed to a shorter shelf life once it was opened.

After a few years in the automotive trades, part of which was spent adjacent to one of the dealership's body shops, I started using the plastic auto body filler commonly referred to as "Bondo," the brand name of one of the oldest and largest suppliers. Because I wasn't "building pianos," as some of my friends in the building trades used to say, I wasn't overly concerned about wood grain, texture, absorption of decorative stains, etc.

It's main selling point, for me, was its extraordinary durability and, once manufacturers started producing and suppliers started selling the smaller "kits" of it for the backyard mechanic, I was all in. Now, 40 years later, it's actively branded and marketed to "wood butchers" like me. Its main disadvantage is that it's a two-part compound which requires the mixing of a base with a small amount of hardener. And once you've mixed it, you've gotta toss whatever you don't use.

Which is probably why I'm back to using the modern version of the more traditional wood fillers. I say the "modern version" because, back in the day, one of the traditional methods of making a wood filler was to combine the sawdust, from whatever wood you were building with, with a small amount of glue and applying it to whatever gaps you needed to fill. Never did that myself, but that story makes me wonder if that's where the idea for the commercially-produced "plastic" wood filler came from.

In any case, I've just applied the final layer of the DAP filler product and now I'm gonna have to let it harden overnight. Hence the time on my hands to ramble on and on about stuff that probably no one else in the universe even cares about. On the other hand, if you're still reading this, I might want to marry you. Unless your name is Richard or Fred. Because I don't like names that begin with "R" or "F," lol.

Anyway, tonight is the long-awaited and anxiously-anticipated combined band concert that my granddaughter Sophia is performing in. She was also in an earlier concert which included only the 5th and 6th grade music students from her middle school. But the concert tonight will include individual performances by all of the bands in the Westhill district followed by a combined performance by all of them together.

Which to me, as a former student musician, is a really interesting idea. It's to be set up in the high school gym and each band will remain in place while the others perform. And my understanding is that the order of performance will be from youngest age group to oldest, thus demonstrating the progressive development of musicianship across the district's music program. Then, as I said, the "grand finale" will be a combined performance of all of the bands.

Honestly, I'm almost as excited as if I were flying to Scotland for Her Majesty's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. I said, "Almost," lol. After all, one of my dad's stories about his time overseas was about being given leave, when the news arrived that I'd been born back in the states, and attending a performance of Her Majesty's pipes and drums in London's Hyde Park. So, you know, I do have my standards, lol.

Seriously, though, I'm really looking forward to it and have arranged the rest of my day in anticipation of being picked up, around 5 this evening, to join my daughter's family at this event.

Thinking now that I'll ask the kid to autograph my program, lol...

LPK
Dreamwidth
3.7.2018

Sophia's Band Concert

Just got back from the district-wide band concert, followed by a late dinner at my daughter's, and both were fantastic! I had offered to pick up the granddaughter, whose performance we'd be attending, and take her to the high school ahead of the rest of the family, because I know how difficult it is to get everyone out the door on time.

There's homework to be done, dinner to be prepped and put in the oven for later, the hair and clothing to be gotten just right, and the youngest to be roused up up and readied after her late nap. All of that in the two-hour window before delivering Sophia and the armloads of equipment that come with being a keyboard percussionist.

And usually my daughter just goes ahead and handles all of this, but tonight she said, OK, that she'd appreciate the help. As it was, the kiddo and I got to the high school 30 minutes ahead of when the program was to start and the parking lot was already full and it was standing room only in the gym.

After getting Sophia and her equipment to the right area, I walked underneath the bleachers to where there was a sort of alcove at about mid-court. And, as it turned out, it was right across from where she and her 5th grade ensemble were set up.

A few minutes later, my daughter arrived and somehow made it through the crowd to the same general area and sat down on the floor just ahead of me with the two younger girls. When I realized she was there, I worked my way towards the front to let her know that I was there.

Shortly after that, it was show time and, as I had surmised, the ensembles performed in order from youngest to oldest. And, as I had also anticipated, it was an amazing journey, musically and educationally.

There were six ensembles including 5th, 6th, and combined 7th and 8th grade bands, followed by 9th grade concert band, and then symphonic band and wind ensemble drawn from the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.

The latter two ensembles will be competing, later this spring, in Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington DC and, needless to say, they were amazing. Overall, the concert demonstrated what a dynamic and effective music education program they've been providing for Westhill kids over a period of years. For me personally, it fulfilled every expectation I had of it since first hearing about this concert just after the new year.

So, even though I understand that she's a busy kid, from a busy family, I'm going to do whatever I can to encourage Sophia's continuing engagement with her musical development over the coming summer.

Much is made, and rightfully so, of how much is lost academically if kids are not kept engaged, at some level, over the weeks and months of summer vacation. And based on my own experience, as a participant in school music programs from grade 4 through my freshman year as a music major in college, I know that this is true of children's musical development as well.

For Sophia, I'm not sure what form that continued engagement might take. If a kid shows sufficient interest and ability, private lessons are the logical next step. Also, at least two of the teachers who were involved in tonight's performance are also organizers of the annual county-wide band camp which is put on by the same school district.

Obviously, there are judgements to be made and decisions to be rendered by those who are closer to the situation than I am and I'm confident that Sophia's mom and dad will avail themselves of every opportunity and resource for their kids.

That said, I'll be letting them know that I'm available to help with the logistics, as necessary, to accomplish this for the kids. Because, you know, that's what grandparents do...

LPK
Dreamwidth
3.7.2018