Bands of America

Facebook, Internet News, and TV News have become exhausting to me because they see to be full of people screaming at each other. Rather than having thoughtful discussions about difficult topics, we seem to have reduced things to two talking heads yelling their opinions and not listening to each other. The problem is that the [...]

I mailed this letter to Bob Iger about how the new FastPass Plus system has ruined the park experience for me. October 12, 2014 To Bob Iger: Yesterday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios I walked up to a FastPass Plus location and asked if I could get a FastPass for “Toy Story Mania.”  The cast member looked [...]

I found this picture of me sitting on a podium during a band clinic rehearsal.  It made me happy to remember these times when I get to work hands on with students and staff members, trying to make a difference in their show, their season, and hopefully their lives. It also reminded me just how [...]

The past two years, Stanford has played in the Rose Bowl and the Stanford Band has frolicked it’s way down the parade route showing everyone “the fun side” of marching band.  To my eyes, their attitude is that they are “too cool to care” about doing things right.  Why work toward excellence or true artistry [...]

Although getting older does require one to reconsider certain things, it's not a valid excuse for giving up on one's goals or dreams.  This amazing photograph of an older bodybuilder is just one example of what is possible with continued dedication and hard work. Rather than focusing on limitations that seem to be coming our [...]

I lament the loss of some gentle traditions in our culture.  Things like holding doors for people as they enter a building, family picnics, kids playing outside and getting exercise, and the belief that we're all in this together so we should treat each other as we would like to be treated.  (I'm exhausted by [...]