“Say the secret word and the duck will come down and pay you 100 dollars.” Some variation of this line was used on the radio and TV show, “You Bet Your Life,” which was a small part of my childhood. The show combined the wit of Groucho Marx, light-hearted interviews, and a game in which … Continue reading Spirit and Truth →

As a young musician, I was taught, "Early is on time. On time is late." Often there is a specified “call time,” 15-30 minutes before the “downbeat,” or “start time” of the gig – excuse me, the engagement. Like the military, “if you’re on time, you’re late,” and “late is unacceptable.” A band I played … Continue reading What’s the story? →

I remember reading the syndicated comic strip, There Oughta Be a Law! From 1944 to 1985, Harry Shorten and Al Fagaly highlighted many of the ironies, absurdities, and hypocrisies of the time – the worker who was often late coming to the office but was always on time for golf – the neighbors who paid … Continue reading Control →

I'm grateful to my mother for getting me stories on records when I was in elementary school. For example, I listened to “Tale Spinners for Children” stories of Robin Hood and The Knights of the Round Table among others. I have written about how stories like these helped shape my sense of right and wrong. … Continue reading Camelot →

Once upon a time, as I prepared for a sabbatical leave, I made notes on each of my trumpet students, so my replacement would know what they had worked on and what I planned to cover that semester. I made a list of warm-ups, studies, solos, and duets for each student, with a short paragraph … Continue reading Reactions →

For Father’s Day, here are some of my dad’s best remarks. Dad is 95 and I doubt he would remember saying most of these, but somehow, they have a way of resurfacing in my mind, usually at odd moments. I believe most fathers and father figures have said similar things to pass along what they … Continue reading Thank You, Dad →

Four decades ago, there was a scandal at my university. One of the pastors from the founding church sent an “open letter” to as many church leaders as he could. Given that this was well before the advent of the worldwide web, such a scandal would likely be far greater today. In short, the man … Continue reading Making Stuff Up →

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that's all.” – Lewis Carroll, … Continue reading Warped Words →

The idea of time travel fascinates me. I’ve seen far too many movies and television shows related to time machines. In the interest of full disclosure, I believe the past is the past. What has happened has happened. There is no “going back.” It seems to me what matters most is what we do in … Continue reading Hindsight →