Spring Trip Report #2

This report is a little bit late, since we actually got home from Myrtle Beach about an hour ago. I haven't had any opportunities to post in a few days.

We spent all day Friday at the band festival. We got to the school and discovered that several people had forgotten to bring the proper shoes. One girl forgot her tuxedo jacket and two boys forgot their tuxedo pants. Therefore, they had to make arrangements with people who played in other bands to borrow concert clothing. Once they finished playing they could change into their street clothes. I missed the first performance because I stayed on a bus to chaperone one girl and three boys in various states of undress. The girl was just missing a jacket. The boys, however, were wearing tuxedo shirts, ties, vests or cumberbunds, black shoes and socks - and boxer shorts. Another parent took my place on the bus for the second concert. She had to wait with one boy in a tux and boxers. By the time the third band played, there was enough concert attire for the remaining players, so everybody got to listen to the final three bands.

After a day of music-making, we spent the evening at Broadway at the Beach. This is a fairly nice outdoor mall/tourist attraction. Then we went back to the resort for free time - meaning the chaperones were watching the pools, hot tubs, etc. - until curfew and lights out.

Saturday was a free day (for the kids), then we went to Medieval Times for dinner, the band festival award presentations, and a medieval show. The Oakton bands got superior ratings and large trophies, and several of the students got outstanding soloist trophies. All in all, they were pleased with the results.

Today, we returned home. Unfortunately, our departure was delayed about 1/2 hour. One of our chaperones fell and broke her ankle and at least one other bone in her leg. She's at the hospital in Myrtle Beach and will have surgery on Monday. A nurse/chaperones stayed behind to help her check into the hospital and to keep her company. Her husband drove down and is probably with her now. Her daughters came back home on the buses and will stay with friends for a couple of days. The rest of us left the resort at 9:30 AM, stopped for lunch at about 2:00 PM and got back to the school at 6:30 PM. It was a quiet ride home since most of us were trying to catch up on sleep.

Myrtle Beach Report #1

After a ten hour bus ride and a one hour shopping spree at Kroger, we got to Myrtle Beach at about 1:15 AM on Thursday morning. By the time everyone got luggage and groceries into our condominiums, and the chaperones made sure the students were all in their rooms, we got to bed at about 3 AM. We woke up at 7 AM and had a nice day at the resort yesterday before going to the Hard Rock Cafe for supper and Ripley's Aquarium.

Our resort has six swimming pools and a huge stretch of oceanfront beach. So, when we are at the resort, the chaperones all spread out and watch kids swim. Some of the chaperones are slightly pink today and some of the kids are red. One girl who fell asleep on the the beach wins the Red Lobster award for worst sunburn ever.

Here's a photo of Joshua in the ocean yesterday. What you don't see here are the three girls who were with him.


Here are some of our students playing football on the beach, with some of the parents cheering for them - and watching out for the kids in the water.

Last night we all got a full night's sleep, so we're ready for the three concert bands and two jazz bands to compete today. Joshua is playing in the three concert bands and one of the jazz bands. His chops are going to be so sore he probably won't be able to talk this evening.

Myrtle Beach, Here We Come!

Today is the big day. I took Joshua and his luggage, plus my suitcase to the school this morning. I hung around and helped search student luggage for contraband (we didn't find any), ate some coffee cake that another parent brought over for us (thanks, Jen) and then came home to nap for awhile. I have to go back to the school around 1PM to help load the buses. I'll be taking my carry-on stuff at that time too.

These photos are from the Myrtle Beach Resort web site. This is where we will be staying until Sunday morning. As you can see, the resort overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.








This is a photo of the snack bar. Since we are responsible for making all of our own breakfasts and some lunches, we will be shopping for groceries tonight just before we get to the resort. I suspect some of us will check out the snack bar too.







This is a view of the beach. The weather will be pretty warm, so I'm sure people will spend lots of time here. Since it's only April, however, I don't think people will be in the water very much, since it's probably still pretty cool.







Tomorrow we have lots of free time, then we will go to an aquarium in the evening. On Friday, the bands play in a festival all afternoon. On Saturday, we have lots of free time, then we go to Medieval Times for dinner and the awards ceremony. On Sunday morning, we head back home.

Our rooms will have wireless internet access, so I'll try to keep the blog updated during the trip.

Earth Day

Earlier this month, Jenn wrote a favorable post about Al Gore's documentary movie, An Inconvenient Truth. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I agree with Jenn that people (I'm thinking primarily of North Americans, or - to narrow it more - Americans) need to get much more serious about taking care of our planet. I pointed out in a comment on her post that some high-profile evangelical Christian leaders don't believe Christians should get involved in environmental issues. Dave also added a bit more about this subject in a later comment.

Since today is Earth Day, lots of environmental articles are being featured on the Internet. Here's one view of the Christian Right's stance vis a vis the environment. The author mentioned, but did not link to the web site for, a group of environmentally responsible Christians who disagree with the highly visible, shrilly vocal and sadly out-of-touch yet familiar evangelicals and fundamentalists. Andrew Sullivan, a columnist for The Atlantic Monthly, calls the latter groups Christianists. It's his parallel to the term, Islamists, which many apply to radical, militant, fundamentalist Muslims. Sullivan, a gay Catholic Christian, wants to distinguish between the general body of Christians and the extremists who give the rest of us a bad reputation. Follow the links to the article and web site. You'll learn some interesting stuff. But before you go away, check out my Earth Day story:

When Dave and I were corps officers (pastors) at the St. Marys, Ontario corps (church), nearly 20 years ago, we had an opportunity to help the congregation take a small environmental action. Our ladies groups (there were several of them, attended by anywhere from 12 to 100 ladies each month, depending on the particular program) had gotten into the habit of using styrofoam cups for our refreshments. They were cheap and convenient: use them and throw them away, no dishwashing hassle. How could you not love that?

It so happened that several of us watched a news program about the destruction of the ozone layer one Sunday evening. The next day, the Home League secretary (a key leader for all the ladies' groups) and I talked about it and decided to encourage the ladies to start using china tea cups, even though that would create more labor. At the next general meeting, on Tuesday, we discussed it with the members. Several of them had seen the same show and all of them agreed that we had to do something, however small, to act responsibly. We all agreed that it was a matter of Christian stewardship - caring for what God has given us. That afternoon, we began using china cups, washing them, putting them away, etc. I was proud of "my" ladies. And you know what? They were all ages 65-85. They weren't young, college-educated, sophisticated liberals. They were older, small-town ladies who knew how to use the common sense that God gave them. Environmental responsibility is not just an issue for the young, the brilliant, the beautiful, the sexy - it's an issue for all people and, in fact, for every living being.

My challenge to myself, my family (immediate and extended) and friends is to celebrate Earth Day by thinking about what we can do to be more environmentally responsible. And then to do it.

In Praise of Pope Benedict XVI

I just read that Pope Benedict has repudiated the traditional Catholic belief that unbaptized babies spend eternity in limbo - a blissful place, but still not heaven. The pope has stated that baptism is a rite of entry into the Church, not into salvation. Kudos to him! A few weeks ago, he declared that Christians need not object to evolution as a means by which God works in His creation. John Paul II also said this. You all know where I stand on this issue. Double kudos!

I greatly admired John Paul II. I'm beginning to admire Pope Benedict XVI even more. He has displayed great willingness to engage in theological contemplation that is informed by contemporary scientific, sociological, psychological and historical knowledge. What a wonderful example for Christians everywhere.

Female Bluejay

I went to the park for a little while after work yesterday. I veered away from the path, wandered down by the edge of the creek and was rewarded by the sight of a female bluejay (I believe) bathing in the creek. This is the best photo I got of her.

An e-mail from Virginia Tech

One of Joshua's friends sent the following e-mail message to the president of the Oakton band boosters yesterday. It speaks for itself:

I am writing to tell you all and the band community about some Hokies I know about in order to further the information in your E-mails today. I'm currently in Roanoke with a group of friends staying at a friend’s house for the evening; (name deleted) is with me and he is doing well. On top of that I know that (3 names deleted) all made it through this morning's events physically unscathed.

Emotionally, however, is a different story. Personally, I am a wreck. While I am currently less upset than I was earlier today, I'm still shocked, stunned, and very very very sad. The sadness is the emotion that currently holds me the tightest. To think that each one of the thirty three people that died today were just like me, were just like (name deleted), just like (name deleted), just like any student that has passed through the Oakton band program, is positively bone chilling. Please, please let the Oakton band community know the pain that Blacksburg and Virginia Tech and former Oakton students are feeling tonight and will be feeling for some time. Please, please keep the victims and the families in your prayers.

Furthermore, please try to keep the list of alumni who are safe updated. It's great to hear that people are safe and sound after such a terrible day.

Virginia Tech Tragedy

It just so happens that, since I came down with a bug or something yesterday, I have taken the day off of work today. Another weird circumstance is that Joshua was dismissed from school this morning because of turbulent wind storms in the area. The storms are expected to get worse throughout the day, so kids were sent home before it became more dangerous to send them home on buses later in the day.

Shortly after we finished eating lunch and watching, "The Price is Right," Joshua was channel surfing when he caught a CNN headline proclaiming a tragic shooting at Virginia Tech University. He's been pretty much glued to the TV for a couple of hours now. I've been watching TV with him and looking up related stuff on the Internet.

Joshua has a couple of reasons for being especially interested in this event. For one thing, VT is on the short-list of colleges he wants to attend. For another, he knows several people who attend Tech now. He just told me that some of his friends are updating their status through their IMs, blogs, etc. He's gotten one positive statement that someone is okay. In at least one other case, he's assuming that "no news is good news." I'm friends with the parents of some of these kids and I can't imagine what they're going through.

Initial reports indicated one person dead, 17 injured. We've watched in horror as the casualty reports keep increasing: 21 dead, 21 injured; 22 dead, 28 injured. . . The latest report, as I write (about 2:30PM), is that 31 people have died.

Even as events are unfolding the tragedy is being politicized by gun-control advocates, gun-control opponents and even anti-Iraq war advocates. It seems to me that it would be decent for all of these interest groups to stick to offering condolences at this point and leave the political statements for at least one more day. Is that too much to ask? With that thought in mind, I'll save my thoughts on the 2nd Amendment for another day.

Update - 5:30PM: Joshua just learned that several more of his friends from the Crossmen drum corps - current students at VT - are okay. Current casualty numbers = 33 dead, 15 being treated for injuries.

Update - 5:45PM: I just had a weird thought. Jonathan worked at Star Lake Camp in the summer of 2001. When 9/11 occurred he went through a process very similar to what Joshua is experiencing now. Jonathan knew people who lived and worked in NYC and was hungry for news of their welfare for several days. Email was an important link for him then, just as it is for Joshua today.

Update - 7:00PM: The Oakton High Band Boosters are sending messages through the band's Yahoo group and email lists. Positive reports have been received regarding roughly a dozen students so far.

Update - 8:30PM: Just learned that another 6 former Oakton High students at Va Tech are safe.

I knew there were connections between current OHS families and Va Tech, but I didn't realize how many there were. Remember, we're only learning about band/music students (we've heard about some choir kids too). I have no idea how many other families in this one school are affected by the day's events. Extrapolate that out to Fairfax County and northern Virginia in general and one just begins to realize how close to home this tragedy really is.

Videoblogging Stupidity

I came across this blog while surfing the 'net today. I've seen the second and fourth videos before, but the other two were new ones for me. I realize that they are heavily edited to magnify their impact. Still, they are pretty embarrassing. Have a good laugh.

Why I Love Flying (NOT)

Jenn recently wrote that she enjoys airports and airplanes. Sad to say, I don't share her enthusiasm. My feelings about flying vary in inverse proportion to the length of a given flight. In other words, my tolerance for long flights is lower than my tolerance for short ones, and it decreases precipitously as the flight time increases.

Why don't I enjoy flying? Well, let's start with arriving at the airport. In the Washington, DC area, passengers are expected to arrive at the airport a minimum of 2 hours before boarding time! How can passengers possibly keep themselves occupied for two hours in an airport? Some pass the time sitting rigidly upright in luxurious comfort in plastic lounge chairs. Others, however, are not satisfied by such extravagance. They, instead, avail themselves of the awesome array of shopping opportunities and elegant cuisine offered by the many fine business establishments scattered throughout the airport. Upon exhausting all of these exciting possibilities, passengers eventually commence their flights by indulging in the pleasures of post-9/11 security routine. This begins at the check-in desk, where passengers must prove, via appropriate government-approved documents, that they are who they say they are. If they do this right, they are given boarding passes.

Having arrived at the gate, boarding passes in hand, hapless air passengers must empty all of their pockets, remove their shoes and subject all carry-on items to x-ray examination. Moreover, the passengers themselves must also pass through metal detectors and, upon emerging from those contraptions, stand with outstretched arms while more metal detectors/security wands are waved around them.

After successfully clearing the security hurdle, passengers walk down a long hallway, part of which is a weird accordion-like tube, and board the plane. Unfortunately, boarding the plane, cramming carry-on luggage into flimsy overhead compartments, and strapping into cramped, thinly cushioned seats is no guarantee that the flight will actually leave anywhere close to the scheduled departure time.


At long last, the plane is in the air. Passengers may sleep, read, or don cheap headphones and listen to the radio or watch in-flight movies and TV shows. They may not, however, stand up and stretch or walk around, except to go to and from the tiny closet-like washrooms. Only the older and more experienced travelers among us remember that, once upon a time, airlines actually fed their passengers. Those days are long gone. I've flown non-stop from Washington, DC to Long Beach, California - a five-hour flight - and eaten no more than a half-frozen sandwich, crackers and pretzels. I've occasionally eaten fruit too. Passengers wanting to drink fluids other than water, milk, juice, or the caffeine staples (coffee, tea and soda - which precipitate repeated visits to the plush washroom facilities) must pay extra for those.


Finally, having arrived at their destination, airplane passengers rise out of their seats, stretch, haul down their carry-on luggage and proceed to the baggage claim cart. Once there, they stare at the carousel as it rotates

round and round
and round and round
and round and round.

By this time, they realize that their check-in luggage did not fly the friendly skies on the same airplane on which they themselves traveled. This means that they get to extend their airport entertainment by joining a line of other passengers in the same predicament to register their loss with the airline.

(My step-father once traveled half-way through Scandinavia as his suitcase trailed a day behind him. It eventually caught up with him several days later, which was a good thing because he was getting tired of washing his shirt and underwear in the sink every night. This past winter, Joshua's luggage only took 23 hours to catch up with him. We picked him up at 2:30 AM on a Monday morning - his flight was delayed several hours by bad weather - and the airline graciously delivered his suitcase to our house at 1:30 AM on the following Tuesday morning.)

At long last, having lodged their complaints with the airlines (and hoping they will see their luggage again, someday) passengers emerge from the airport and resume their normal lives on the ground - assuming that they remembered to pack their toothbrushes in their carry-on bags.

Easter Greeting

Wishing all my friends and family a blessed Easter season.

Two Birds

Yesterday was an incredible spring day with temperatures in the 80s/20s. I spent my breaks in the park and saw lots of robins and mockingbirds, a few cardinals and several bluejays. Check out my photoblogs for some robin and cardinal photos.

First photo for this post, a mockingbird. I was able to get fairly close to this one by hiding behind a nearby tree. Check out the long proud tail on this guy. These birds are beautiful when they fly - their outspread wings make an amazing gray, black and white pattern. Maybe I'll succeed in getting a decent photo of one or two of them in flight this summer.

Next photo, a bluejay. As you can see, he wasn't very happy about posing for me and wouldn't face the camera. These birds are also beautiful in flight, with blue, white and black wings. I'll try to get some shots, but birds in flight are tough because they move so doggone fast. Anyway, I was glad to see this one with some of his buddies. They were quite far away from me. No matter how stealthily I approached, they flew away long before I could get close.

This is a great time of year for birdwatching since the males are wearing their mating plumage. I'll be on the lookout over the next few months. If I'm lucky, I may get some decent photos to post.

Yorkminster Musical Groups Visit

Well, the weekend visit of the Yorkminster Corps Songsters and Band from Toronto is now complete. It was a good weekend, but now I am bushed! I'm posting a couple of photos from their performance at the Iwo Jima Memorial. Actually, the official name is the United States Marine Corps Memorial, but it's usually called Iwo Jima.

The group was scheduled to perform at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, which is an amazing concert venue. People sit on the steps and can look out over the Tidal Basin right into the South Lawn of the White House. Unfortunately for us, the Cherry Blossom Committee vetoed the National Parks System permit. It seems they wanted to kick off Cherry Blossom season with some other stuff at the same time and place. The Iwo Jima wasn't too bad a venue, since it overlooks downtown Washington DC. About every 15 minutes, new bus tour groups come to the monument, so the folks from Yorkminster got to play for several different audiences during their concert.

Dave took photos last night and this morning, so he'll probably post some on his blog. If you want to see somewhat larger versions of these photos, just click on them.