Brass Opportunity

Last night, Eli and I went over to our friends' trailer and played some good ol Wii. They got a Wii Fit board for Christmas, so that was the major enticement for going over there. Though I know Eli is sometimes reluctant to go (this couple is about 10 years older than we are, engaged to be married, and are somewhat extreme versions of ourselves), I know he had a good time. :) At some point when we were talking, a comment was made that Eli and I have done a lot together. And you know what? As much as I sometimes lament how much time we have spent apart over the last 8 years (including the 2 years I lived in Austin), we have done a lot of neat things together. And I hope that even when our family changes we will continue to do so.

Today, we went to the Auburn vs. Alabama men's basketball game. I'm pleased as pie that Eli wanted to go to a basketball game to begin with. When I first met him he didn't know anything about the sport. Now, he knows more, but still thinks it's a stupid, arbitrarily refereed game (which, okay, it is). And yet he's willing to stomach it--even suggest it as an outing--because he knows I enjoy college basketball. (When I first met his parents, his mom's comment was something like, "She's just like you...except...she likes...basketball?" Very confused-like.) Today's game was not very good. Auburn isn't very good, but Bama lost to them, so what does that say about Bama? I'm not even going to go there. Auburn did have a 3-point ace, though from our seats in the nosebleed section I couldn't keep track of who that was. It was still pretty impressive. I wore my University of Alabama shirt, and I didn't get assaulted, so I would say that it was a good experience overall.

The last thing I want to comment on is Auburn's courtside pep band. Wow! I could hear them from the concourse and wasn't sure if it was a recording or a live band. Turns out that it's only a drum-and-bugle ensemble, which was surprising, a little upsetting, and then eventually satisfying. Every single horn was shiny silver--8 tubas, 10 mellophones, and around 15-20 trumpets and trombones each; plus they had a standard drum section. Every player wore a sharp navy polo shirt (sporty, not plain), and wore white gloves. Again, wow! They were very impressive as a group.

I mentioned the all-brass-ness of it to Eli, and he told me it sounded like it was missing something. But, for that venue, I thought it was perfect. I always felt redundant in a sports atmosphere anyway because the clarinet line was always carried somewhere in the trumpet section.. I think if Baby Beaver is interested in playing an instrument, I'm going to steer her toward the brass section. There are just so many more opportunities for brass players. And I'm sorry if this sounds like blasphemy, fellow woodwind and percussion players, but it's how I feel. :)