Get Jolly With It

My band director put a hole in the ceiling with a trumpet mute

the band room

When I first stepped into the place that we call

“the band room,”

I didn’t like it at all.

There was paint peeling

off the walls

and there were stains

on the carpet.

The room smelled like wet socks after it rained,

and instrument cases hung out of the cubbies.

But that was when the room was empty.

When my fellow band kids stepped inside

the stains on the floor magically disappeared.

When music filled the air 

no one cared about how much paint was peeling off the walls. 

When we came back in after a long marching practice

no one cared that they were sweaty or cold 

because the room felt like a warm hug.

After we came back from a long competition,

the band room was still waiting for us.

It always seemed to have that effect 

when the people I cared about most were in it.

On the last day I stepped into that room with my friends

they told me that the carpenters had finally painted over the off-white walls.

The old crusty carpet had been replaced with clean, gray fuzz.

I didn’t notice because to me

it had always looked that way with my friends in it.

When it was finally time to leave,

I stopped at the door

and smiled at the one place that had been a constant

when everything else in my life had seemed to change.

I guess that’s the thing about the band room.

It tricked me into thinking

four years

was a very long time.

I just finish a book called The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill and it was very very good much enjoy

10/10 would recommend

Definitely sad it’s over though

Now I’ve never played oboe (my sister has) or bass clarinet for that matter so take this with a grain of salt.

That seems like it’d be a pretty big change if you’ve never played bass clarinet before changing from a double reed to a single reed and also how loose you have to be for lower instruments. It might be easier to start with soprano clarinet since it’ll have similar music to oboe, you wouldn’t have to be as loose in your lips, and it’s also just a lot lighter.

band people, i am considering switching to bass clarinet for marching band next year, what do y'all think

Math is really tiring, im so glad i finally get to relax and do some knitting and crochet and i oh god oh my what the fuck

Congrats on second place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you see bestie at a band competition

@clarinetmushroom

I’d say do the cables because it might be a little warm to wear it soon especially with marching season

Sweater progress! She's cooking up nicely, I'm still debating sleeve cables because I'm halfway speedrunning this. I want it done because dino vest but also fun cables. What do I doooo

You jinxed it now you’ll get third

Leaving for the first competition!! I think we're gonna get 3rd 🤙

Yes, yes, yes, yes, no, and yes