Wrong Tool for the Job

This postcard landed in my co-worker's mailbox this morning. Besides setting off a ribald session of gratuitous captioning, the main image of the wrench (tool) and too-small hex fastener (nut) raises questions about whether these people are qualified to tell us how to do anything at all.

Good Day for Music

I was going to call this post "Catching Up," but when it auto-filled after "Ca," I decided to try a bit harder. There's been a lot going on lately, but it's been a challenge to keep on blogging. 

Yesterday was indeed a good day for music in the Styffe household. As soon as I arrived home from work, I made sure John was cleaned up and dressed, had his trumpet so we could head over to the Fullerton Downtown Plaza for opening performance of the Ladera Vista Junior High Jazz Band. John has been playing trumpet for 2-1/2 years in the Fullerton Elementary School band and now at LV under the direction of Mr. Hastings. To be honest, the 5th and 6th grade concerts were kinda rough, and without a strong measure of parental pride, would have been difficult listening.

But these kids rocked last night! It is heartbreaking to think that school music programs like this throughout the state will be shut down due to the budget crisis.

The Ladera Vista Jazz Band

John (far right)

But wait, there's more!

Last night at our regular Thursday choir rehersal at church, we were continuing our work for the Easter cantata to be presented on Palm Sunday morning April 5. Our director Mitch Hanlon, asked daughter Emily to take a solo part. The first run-through left us all slack-jawed. Can't wait to hear it in further rehersals and performance.

In the Oh-by-the-way Department, we added to our growing collection of grandchildren last month on 2/10/09 when Melissa gave birth to Aurora Anne Schweitzer. 

Aurora Anne with her Auntie Em

Off to a Bad Start

So a month-and-a-half goes by without a post, what are you going to do…sue me? Truth is I've been seeing someone else, at least for the past day or so. Yesterday, I joined Facebook. 

There, I said it. 

I'd also like to say I'm very, very sorry.

It started innocently enough. I noticed that some friends of mine had a group on FB which posts some information which I could use to good advantage. Combined with a slow work day, one thing led to another, and before I know it, I'm friends with any number people that I don't normally communicate with. They are all fine, intellegent, (mostly) young people with much better social skills than I have. I don't think I'll be able to hang around to get used to throwing my every thought up on the wall, but I'll stick around for the group info and occasional nugget of real consequence.

One reason that I haven't posted here for a while is that I'd run out of any ideas of consequence. 

Or so I thought. 

Then I thought I'd suggest a more accurate branding of the concept to the people at Facebook. 

Before

After