If you want to read this, go to the bathroom, get something to drink, and prepare for some time in front of the 'puter. Also... feel free to skip this one. This one is for me and for anybody who is at all interested in the "how I got here" question. Given that I anticipate this to be a lengthy post, I am going to go for getting the point across instead of worrying about how I am saying it. Quite a few of my sentences might start the same way... Quite will grammatical errors have. My spelling will also suffeer. When I write this kind of stuff down, I embrace the stream of consciousness approach over taking time to think about how I am saying it.
Disclaimer done... time to start.
I was born a poor black child.... oh wait. That is Steve Martin's line.
Try again....
-------------------------
I like to think I have more than the average number of friends. When I want to go out, I can go out and not be alone. I have friends that are new, and those who are not so new. My old friends date back to around the time I attended UGA. I have kept in touch with a bunch of them and some even know the basic story that leads me here. Most of my new friends have just gotten bits and pieces of the story and if they ever read this might even be a little shocked at my non-tech-geekness from years ago. There are a precious few like this guy who have pretty much been there every step along the way. I would say that we have been through a lot together, but that sounds a little gay. Not gay. Just fortunate enough to have a good friend from back in the day.
I want to start from the beginning, but the beginning isn't that interesting. To breeze over what you must know I guess this story should start the day the middle school band director showed up at our school for what I have recently heard referred to as the "instrument petting zoo" or something like that. One look at a saxamaphone and it was done. I wanted to be in band because band was cool. I was quite mistaken about that notion until I got to college where it actually was cool.
When it came time to start, the band director said they had enough sax players but not enough bassoonists. I took home the school bassoon. The next day I took the school bassoon back to the director with a note from my Mom. That night I took home a saxamaphone. (grin) I was 'ok' but nothing special. At the end of 8th grade, my family moved to Peachtree City. I was not consulted about this move. I am still a little angry. I HATED it there. From a small mountain town in Virginia to (with disgust here... ) Atlanta... yech! I didn't have friends and didn't like it there so I didn't want any friends. I passed the time by playing my instrument. I would play 4-5 hours per day for lack of anything else, other than riding my bike, to do. I got stacks of music from the band director of my school because my interest was in just playing new things and hearing how the little black dots on the page turned into music as I played them. This is when I fell in love with music. Not in a dirty way...
To my great satisfaction before high school started (about 8 months later) we moved to a little town outside of Augusta. While living back in Bristol (mtn town) I had marched with the high school band due to the band having rather low numbers. So when we moved to Augusta, my new band director accepted me with open arms. (again... not in a dirty way. :-p) This school had a good sized band and I was introduced to some great musicians. I was stuck in freshman band my first year where half the people didn't know how to put their instruments together properly, but it was great because the assistant band director was a saxamaphonist and took me on teaching free lessons. I am forever in her debt and will never forget all the positive marks she made in my life.
Note: I just realized I am going into WAY to much detail here... I will pick up the pace some.
Shortly after 10th grade started and I was able to get placed by my ability, I was the number 1 player in the top band. From there on out I was one of the top players from my school and got to go to all kinds of music festivals and honor bands. The saxamaphone was a great avenue for me to experience wonderful things growing up.
Outside of music, I was also a better than average student. Got mostly A's peppered with some B's. Good musician, good student, well rounded... I was most definitely college material. When it came time I wanted to go to FSU. That is where my brother went. That is where I wanted to go. nuff said. Mom and Dad made me go to visitors day at Georgia. I explained to them I was not interested in Georgia. I wanted to go to a real school. Regardless of arguments I went for visitation day. When the band started playing outside the stadium, all thoughts that I could exist anywhere but right there for the next four years were beyond even a memory. I wish I could remember more about that whole day because I know it was wonderful, but I was in a haze. I was reborn a Dawg and that was that.
Just to skim here over some things that might be fodder for future entries... Got into GA. Between the national merit, school of music, and band scholarships, things were paid for. A year later, with basketball band scholarship money, more money from Dwight, and a little thing called the HOPE scholarship, I was sittin' pretty. College was wonderful. I had more ups than downs, and more good times than one person should be allowed to have. Through it all there was no doubt I had chosen the right major. Music. What kinda music degree? Well... lots of doubts there. I knew grad school was in my future so I just took what I felt was the shortest route. Music ed.
I went on with my studies and somewhere around the midpoint of my senior year I started having doubts about what I was doing. Hitting the practice room was a necessity due to the difficulty of my impending senior recital, but I was enjoying it less and less. The stress leading up to a performance was starting to outweigh the enjoyment of the performance itself. I was a pretty good player and every time I performed I felt this pressure that I HAD to be really good or I would be letting people down. It was all in my head, but it was still there. The pressure to be great. I hated it. hated it hated it HATED IT!
One of the few times that the stress leading up to a performance actually was ok was when our quartet played a piece for the North American Saxamaphone Alliance in Florida. Some of my best rehearsal memories are from my times spent with Ruthie and Brett. You guys made the hours of rehearsal fun. And we KICKED ASS.
Other performances I didn't stress over where when I was playing jazz. This was by far my weakest musical ability, but my most enjoyable. Whether it be in jazz band with Steve Dancz or playing in our little band at one of many local clubs, those were good times.
So college blew past way to fast. I did that odd thing that few music majors accomplish. I graduated in four years. My student teaching stint was exactly what I needed to help me realize it was time to find a new path. Shit... great timing. I planned on getting married and being back the next year for my masters. As time wore on neither of these options seemed very appealing. The weak after working the Olympics as a bartender at Sneakers I made up my mind. I was done with school and it was time for me to leave. On August 4th I informed my significant other of my thoughts. To say this did not go well would be similar to saying "fill in your own massive understatement statement here." I broke her heart and my own in the process. Less than a week later I packed up my little Grand Am with what I could fit and two good friends for a cross-country trip.
My brother who was living the SF bay area at the time had offered me a place to live rent free and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I wouldn't have to work. Wouldn't have to pay for anything... Just "be" for a little while. For this I owe him so much of what my life has become.
About three weeks after landing in Sunnyvale I was informed by my brother I had to get a job and start paying rent. that ass... So I got a job as a security guard. Worked/hated that job for a while. One night I was almost hit by a stray bullet. Time for a new job. Started bartending at a local reception hall. One night MTV hosted a party there and a riot broke out. Time for a new job.
About this time, bro said "Hey... you know this web page thing looks like it might take off. Here." With that he handed "HTML for Dummies". I started learning HTML. Couple of weeks later started trying to find a job. This was a tough time for me. For years I had this path out before me that seemed like it was right. I walked the path for years not realizing it wasn't for me. I spent years in college getting a degree in something that would never make me any money on an instrument that would never land me a job playing in an orchestra. What the hell have I done?!?! Was I going to be broke working for minimum wage my whole life? Which way was I supposed to go?
There were many nights spent staring at the stars trying to figure out what I should or could do with my life. I considered trying to get back into UGA and get back on track. It was a hard time. I like to see where I am going and the sensation of having my compass spinning is not one that sat well with me. I had friends and family encouraging me but they all felt a million miles away. Many nights spend thinking I had made a mistake.
After a month or two of this and feeling sorry for myself I landed a job interview as an HTML "programmer". The interview took about three hours and it was pretty obvious that my skills were on the weak side of things. I remember overhearing several interviewers talking outside the door. Basically the thought was that I really didn't know much, but if they hired me as a contractor they could just fire me at the end of the week should things not work out. No pressure. This was on a Thursday. I started on Monday.
Way back in the fall of 1996, I put my instruments away and began my new career. Things have worked out well, but I won't lie and say it was easy. I had a lot of catching up to do in the field, but the door was open. I spent many (MANY) nights at home buried in computer books trying to learn in days what others go to college for. I did learn. I did grow as a professional and I am very happy with where my career has taken me. I have met some wonderful people thus far and gotten to work on some great projects.
That was ten years ago. What will the next ten years bring? Can't wait to find out.
--C
Disclaimer done... time to start.
I was born a poor black child.... oh wait. That is Steve Martin's line.
Try again....
-------------------------
I like to think I have more than the average number of friends. When I want to go out, I can go out and not be alone. I have friends that are new, and those who are not so new. My old friends date back to around the time I attended UGA. I have kept in touch with a bunch of them and some even know the basic story that leads me here. Most of my new friends have just gotten bits and pieces of the story and if they ever read this might even be a little shocked at my non-tech-geekness from years ago. There are a precious few like this guy who have pretty much been there every step along the way. I would say that we have been through a lot together, but that sounds a little gay. Not gay. Just fortunate enough to have a good friend from back in the day.
I want to start from the beginning, but the beginning isn't that interesting. To breeze over what you must know I guess this story should start the day the middle school band director showed up at our school for what I have recently heard referred to as the "instrument petting zoo" or something like that. One look at a saxamaphone and it was done. I wanted to be in band because band was cool. I was quite mistaken about that notion until I got to college where it actually was cool.
When it came time to start, the band director said they had enough sax players but not enough bassoonists. I took home the school bassoon. The next day I took the school bassoon back to the director with a note from my Mom. That night I took home a saxamaphone. (grin) I was 'ok' but nothing special. At the end of 8th grade, my family moved to Peachtree City. I was not consulted about this move. I am still a little angry. I HATED it there. From a small mountain town in Virginia to (with disgust here... ) Atlanta... yech! I didn't have friends and didn't like it there so I didn't want any friends. I passed the time by playing my instrument. I would play 4-5 hours per day for lack of anything else, other than riding my bike, to do. I got stacks of music from the band director of my school because my interest was in just playing new things and hearing how the little black dots on the page turned into music as I played them. This is when I fell in love with music. Not in a dirty way...
To my great satisfaction before high school started (about 8 months later) we moved to a little town outside of Augusta. While living back in Bristol (mtn town) I had marched with the high school band due to the band having rather low numbers. So when we moved to Augusta, my new band director accepted me with open arms. (again... not in a dirty way. :-p) This school had a good sized band and I was introduced to some great musicians. I was stuck in freshman band my first year where half the people didn't know how to put their instruments together properly, but it was great because the assistant band director was a saxamaphonist and took me on teaching free lessons. I am forever in her debt and will never forget all the positive marks she made in my life.
Note: I just realized I am going into WAY to much detail here... I will pick up the pace some.
Shortly after 10th grade started and I was able to get placed by my ability, I was the number 1 player in the top band. From there on out I was one of the top players from my school and got to go to all kinds of music festivals and honor bands. The saxamaphone was a great avenue for me to experience wonderful things growing up.
Outside of music, I was also a better than average student. Got mostly A's peppered with some B's. Good musician, good student, well rounded... I was most definitely college material. When it came time I wanted to go to FSU. That is where my brother went. That is where I wanted to go. nuff said. Mom and Dad made me go to visitors day at Georgia. I explained to them I was not interested in Georgia. I wanted to go to a real school. Regardless of arguments I went for visitation day. When the band started playing outside the stadium, all thoughts that I could exist anywhere but right there for the next four years were beyond even a memory. I wish I could remember more about that whole day because I know it was wonderful, but I was in a haze. I was reborn a Dawg and that was that.
Just to skim here over some things that might be fodder for future entries... Got into GA. Between the national merit, school of music, and band scholarships, things were paid for. A year later, with basketball band scholarship money, more money from Dwight, and a little thing called the HOPE scholarship, I was sittin' pretty. College was wonderful. I had more ups than downs, and more good times than one person should be allowed to have. Through it all there was no doubt I had chosen the right major. Music. What kinda music degree? Well... lots of doubts there. I knew grad school was in my future so I just took what I felt was the shortest route. Music ed.
I went on with my studies and somewhere around the midpoint of my senior year I started having doubts about what I was doing. Hitting the practice room was a necessity due to the difficulty of my impending senior recital, but I was enjoying it less and less. The stress leading up to a performance was starting to outweigh the enjoyment of the performance itself. I was a pretty good player and every time I performed I felt this pressure that I HAD to be really good or I would be letting people down. It was all in my head, but it was still there. The pressure to be great. I hated it. hated it hated it HATED IT!
One of the few times that the stress leading up to a performance actually was ok was when our quartet played a piece for the North American Saxamaphone Alliance in Florida. Some of my best rehearsal memories are from my times spent with Ruthie and Brett. You guys made the hours of rehearsal fun. And we KICKED ASS.
Other performances I didn't stress over where when I was playing jazz. This was by far my weakest musical ability, but my most enjoyable. Whether it be in jazz band with Steve Dancz or playing in our little band at one of many local clubs, those were good times.
So college blew past way to fast. I did that odd thing that few music majors accomplish. I graduated in four years. My student teaching stint was exactly what I needed to help me realize it was time to find a new path. Shit... great timing. I planned on getting married and being back the next year for my masters. As time wore on neither of these options seemed very appealing. The weak after working the Olympics as a bartender at Sneakers I made up my mind. I was done with school and it was time for me to leave. On August 4th I informed my significant other of my thoughts. To say this did not go well would be similar to saying "fill in your own massive understatement statement here." I broke her heart and my own in the process. Less than a week later I packed up my little Grand Am with what I could fit and two good friends for a cross-country trip.
My brother who was living the SF bay area at the time had offered me a place to live rent free and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I wouldn't have to work. Wouldn't have to pay for anything... Just "be" for a little while. For this I owe him so much of what my life has become.
About three weeks after landing in Sunnyvale I was informed by my brother I had to get a job and start paying rent. that ass... So I got a job as a security guard. Worked/hated that job for a while. One night I was almost hit by a stray bullet. Time for a new job. Started bartending at a local reception hall. One night MTV hosted a party there and a riot broke out. Time for a new job.
About this time, bro said "Hey... you know this web page thing looks like it might take off. Here." With that he handed "HTML for Dummies". I started learning HTML. Couple of weeks later started trying to find a job. This was a tough time for me. For years I had this path out before me that seemed like it was right. I walked the path for years not realizing it wasn't for me. I spent years in college getting a degree in something that would never make me any money on an instrument that would never land me a job playing in an orchestra. What the hell have I done?!?! Was I going to be broke working for minimum wage my whole life? Which way was I supposed to go?
There were many nights spent staring at the stars trying to figure out what I should or could do with my life. I considered trying to get back into UGA and get back on track. It was a hard time. I like to see where I am going and the sensation of having my compass spinning is not one that sat well with me. I had friends and family encouraging me but they all felt a million miles away. Many nights spend thinking I had made a mistake.
After a month or two of this and feeling sorry for myself I landed a job interview as an HTML "programmer". The interview took about three hours and it was pretty obvious that my skills were on the weak side of things. I remember overhearing several interviewers talking outside the door. Basically the thought was that I really didn't know much, but if they hired me as a contractor they could just fire me at the end of the week should things not work out. No pressure. This was on a Thursday. I started on Monday.
Way back in the fall of 1996, I put my instruments away and began my new career. Things have worked out well, but I won't lie and say it was easy. I had a lot of catching up to do in the field, but the door was open. I spent many (MANY) nights at home buried in computer books trying to learn in days what others go to college for. I did learn. I did grow as a professional and I am very happy with where my career has taken me. I have met some wonderful people thus far and gotten to work on some great projects.
That was ten years ago. What will the next ten years bring? Can't wait to find out.
--C
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