Adventures with the Geriatrics – The Conclusion

Greetings from the Geriatric Ward! We made it home this evening just after 6:30pm. The original plan was not to make the entire drive in a single day, but given the circumstances, it became the best option. Everyone is very tired, but I don’t think I broke the Geriatrics during our eleven hour journey.

The weather forecast suggested additional storms moving into Austin and DFW by late morning. Neither of the patients do very well in heavy metropolitan traffic, so I didn’t want to add the stress of rain to that equation. In an effort to outrun the rain, I was greeted by the alarm clock at 6:15 this morning; we had loaded the car and started our trip east by 7:20.

The first part of the drive was lovely. We all enjoyed looking at the beautiful vineyards in the area and having a leisurely start to the drive. Austin traffic was nearing the end of the morning rush hour as we traveled through the city ahead of the forecasted rain. So far, so good.

When a pit stop became necessary, I noticed that Buc-ee’s was nearby and decided that would be something fun to experience together. I had never been and it gave the patients a little extra time to walk about and stretch their legs. Buc-ee’s was extremely busy and I think the sheer number of people and the store’s massive size were all a little overwhelming for Mom and Dad. We will have to stop again during a future trip now that they have a better idea of what to expect so we can do a little more exploring.

Our good luck continued as we moved through Waco and Dallas. We experienced a few showers in both cities, but not the downpours that we were hoping to avoid. As we were leaving the Dallas area, it was time to grab a bite to eat. Jack in the Box was convenient and has been a favorite treat for several years. Sadly, this location left much to be desired and a very greasy taste in my mouth. Ugh!

I had explained to my parents that generally check-in time for a hotel is at 3pm. So we knew we would be traveling until at least that time. When 3pm rolled around, we were driving into Hope, Arkansas. Truthfully, by the time you have driven that far and you still have daylight to burn, I would rather just head to the Geriatric Ward — just about 3 hours further. I was thankful that the patient’s didn’t boycott because I was looking forward to spending the night in my own bed.

That is….I was glad we were driving home until I began to deal with the frustration of Arkansas traffic. Our only major traffic jam occurred in Little Rock as a result of another vehicle having a blow out. The most frustrating thing about the traffic was the insane number of extremely rude, inconsiderate drivers. It is a good thing that God did not bless me with the ability to “zap people to Kingdom Come” at any moment. Today, there would have been several drivers that would have met their fate at the hand of that zap! So frustrating!

I’ve been pretty pleased with myself this week that I remained patient and flexible. Today with the arrival of a stress headache that would not let go, I found myself much shorter with people and easily annoyed. That’s not a person I like, but it’s just a reminder that I’m a fallen man and that I have bad days where I don’t necessarily like myself. There are a few things that I would like to see banished from existence though. (I am sure you are noticing a running theme.) After today’s drive, I forbid anything to be wrapped in cellophane. I also want to see the end of polyester pants if there is the slightest chance that extremely dry hands will be rubbed across the knee as a result of boredom at any time in the remains of all human history! Is that really too much to ask?

Thank you all for joining us on our Geriatric Adventure this week. Next week, I’ll hit the road again — alone this time — to attend the Oklahoma Music Teachers’ Convention in Stillwater.

Adventures with the Geriatrics – Day 5

Our vacation is quickly coming to an end, so today meant that we needed to do several things in order to mark items off of everyone’s to-do list. There were a couple of periods of rest included in all of the activity, so I don’t think I broke the Geriatrics entirely. After dinner, however, they were both ready to come back to the hotel and wave the white flag at the end of a very busy day.

The day began with more rain here in Fredericksburg. I was worried that the entire day might be awash. Since I knew that the stores on Main Street did not open until 10:30, I kept the pace slow and hoped that the rain would pass for a bit. Just after 10:00, the rain slacked significantly and we were able to venture out without too much difficulty.

The shops on Main Street are *mostly* connected by a covered sidewalk that made travel much easier. Shopping included visits to the Five-and-Dime, a General Store, a couple of clothing shops, and finally the Christmas Store. I was good and walked away with only two new snowmen for the tree (I’ll include pictures next week when I’m back in Arkansas) as well as a snow globe featuring a snowman crèche.

After traveling up and down one side of Main Street, Mom was done walking for a bit and was ready to get back in the car. She was not, however, ready to bring our morning outing to an end. So that meant we needed to make a pitstop at Pritzer Sweet Shop on Main. Dad and I both had a salted pretzel — AMAZING!— while Mom opted for the sweet pretzel. Her choice was not as pleasing. She had really wanted to try the salted caramel cookie, but feared the impact that the salt would have on her blood pressure. (When she shared that bit of information with me later this afternoon, I told her she worried too much. There is no way the cookie would have contained enough salt to make a significant impact on her BP.)

To give the Geriatrics a little down time, I drove up and down this section of Main Street to let them have a look at the other shops along the way in case there was something else they wanted to make sure they did not miss. I extended the drive a little more before finally arriving at our next adventure – The Red Baron Antique Mall. This stop was all about Pop. He enjoys looking at all of the antiques in the store and comparing with the items that he has in his collection that is spread between his overstuffed shed and the water plant in Crawfordsville. He calls these things “treasure”; I personally have a different view. I know….I’m horrible.

The rain moved back in shortly after noon, so we decided to grab a quick lunch before returning to the hotel. There was not an In-n-Out around anywhere….so I had to settle for Whataburger. Our light lunch turned out to be very filling and made us all ready for an afternoon nap.

But before nap time, while sitting with Mom and Dad in their room, I surfed the internet and discovered another establishment that needed my attention. I ran over to Fredericksburg Pie Company to pick up a couple of slices for an afternoon snack! OMG! These freshly made pies were amazing. I had a slice of chocolate meringue that made me consider stopping by the shop again before leaving town tomorrow. Mom (with a little help from Pop) cleaned up on a serving of peach cobbler that definitely hit the sweet spot. Now we were all REALLY ready for an afternoon nap.

Dinner rolled around and we headed to The Ausländer on Main Street. I parked a little further from the restaurant than I had intended, but walking along the sidewalk was going to be much easier for Mom than navigating the slight incline of the parking lot in the rear of the restaurant. Once seated, it was really fun to see Mom and Dad taking in the sights of the Bavarian dining room. After helping them work through some of the German specialities on the menu, I got to share memories from my own trips to Bavaria. In reality, I probably won’t be able to take them to Germany in this lifetime, but it was nice to share stories again. Yes, we had a lot of food. Schnitzel was the feature of this trip. Mom opted for Schweineschnitzel (pork) while Pop tried the Jägerschnitzel (pork with mushroom gravy). Both tried the red cabbage and hot potato salad for their side dishes. Schnitzel was a hit (although there was certainly some food left over because of all of the eating we had done earlier in the day), but the cabbage was not as enjoyable. Just too much vinegar for their palettes.

The weather forecast this evening suggested another round of rain moving into the area late tomorrow morning. The plan is that I will check the late night forecast before crawling in bed. If it looks as though we can avoid some of the rain by getting an early start, we plan to hit the road around 7am (ugh!) and begin making our way back to the Geriatric Ward. We are still not certain if we will make the entire drive back tomorrow or split it up over two days. I’ll make sure that you get all of the details at the end of the day.

Adventures with the Geriatrics – Day 4

Today was largely a travel day, so there aren’t as many stories to share. I am really tired after driving, but here’s the update of what we’ve done on this Wednesday.

I hit the ground running this morning in order to have a 6-month check on my recently diagnosed diabetes since I was actually in Plainview on the day of the appointment. Good reports all around. No change to the current treatment and no additional check-up needed until December (for this condition anyway….plenty of doctor’s visits ahead this summer).

The Geriatrics and I left Plainview this morning around 10 and began our journey to Fredericksburg, Texas. Fredericksburg sits in the central region of the state and the best way to get in is by using state highways instead of major interstates. Mom and Dad enjoyed the sights along the way, but as we were closing in on our destination, it was clear that they were both ready to stop driving for a bit.

Upon arrival in Fredericksburg, everyone was ready for dinner. We had our hopes set on checking out Ausländer Restaurant and Biergarten to experience a little of Bavaria in Texas. (Can you tell that I’m ready for another European adventure?) I had read numerous times that the restaurant was closed on Wednesdays. I had fully processed the information. I had failed to process all day long that it was ACTUALLY Wednesday! I somehow finally pieced all of this information together — with an assist from Pop in the backseat — and realized that we will have to visit Ausländer tomorrow evening.

Now it was time to punt. So we decided to check out Bella Sera for a little Italian dinner. The place was quaint and very clean. They were also severely understaffed, so service was less than ideal. The Geriatrics thoroughly enjoyed their meals (Chicken Marsala and a seafood medley served over thin spaghetti). My Chicken Parmigiana was a little too sweet for my personal taste, but it was prepared very well and was extremely tender. All in all, we would recommend a visit to Bella Sera if you ever find yourself in the area.

If the weather and Mom’s knee cooperate, we plan to visit some of the shops on Main Street tomorrow. We know that we want to check out the Christmas Store to continue our search for snowmen and snowflakes; decorating the tree in this new theme is a joint activity by everyone in the Geriatric Ward right now. (So if you find any really cool or unusual ornaments, let us know!) Personally, I’m hoping to hit a few of the art exhibits in town. I expect there will also be visits to the cowboy hat establishment and the kitchen supply. One thing is certain, I will update you on what actually goes on in tomorrow evening’s post.

NB: Mom’s knee began giving her a slight bit of trouble this evening after a day of riding in the car with limited mobility. We are hopeful that an evening of rest and careful movement tomorrow will be just what the doctor ordered. Your prayers are appreciated.

Adventures with the Geriatrics – Day 3

Sometimes plans change unexpectedly. A last minute cancellation of an event scheduled for me for the evening resulted in a wonderful day with the Geriatrics in Plainview, USA. I love it when things work out just as they should — even when it was very unexpected.

All three of us enjoyed the luxury of a morning without any major commitments. The Geriatrics slept until nearly 8:30 this morning (compared to their normal rising at 4 or 5 each day with the sun). I woke around the same time, but decided to spend another hour or so just resting in bed. That gave us a calm start to the morning.

After a quick trip to the bank, I took Mom and Dad to the campus of Wayland Baptist University to give them a brief introduction to the amazing Spirio|r technology that they have been hearing so much about. (If you are interested, you can learn more about this instrument at http://www.steinway.com/spirio.) It was fun to get to share part of my work with my parents and see the shocked looks as they experienced the instrument in person. Truly, there is no other way to fully understand the power of a Spirio|r than experiencing it in person.

While we were on campus, Dr. Ann Stutes, the Dean of the School of Music at WBU and my good friend, stopped by to say hello to my parents. I must admit that it was a bit overwhelming to hear my parents express their pride in my work and successes to another colleague. I think that today may have been one of the first times that my dad truly understood a small sliver of my career path and that I am quite good at what I do. As we left campus, his statement that he was incredibly proud of me carried much more weight and understanding than it ever has before. That moment alone made the entire trip back to west Texas worth every mile for me.

After leaving campus, it was time to grab a bite of lunch. I hesitated to suggest another sandwich shop, but I was fairly confident that the Geriatrics would enjoy a trip to The Brew. (Apparently, I had missed seeing Joe Vandiver and Colton Langston by just a few minutes!) The Brew was a resounding hit with the patients. They clamored over the freshly baked cookies as well as the sandwiches. (Mom enjoyed a turkey panini — just like me! — while Dad dove into the Veggie Sandwich.) I think the biggest hit, however, were the kolaches that I had ordered. I’m a huge fan of these pastry-wrapped sausages and knew that my parents would enjoy them as well.

The afternoon brought more rest for everyone while I ventured to the chiropractor for a much needed adjustment. It’s never a good thing when the first thing the doctor says after beginning treatment is “oof!” Dr. Nate is amazing and got me walking a little straighter and with a lot less discomfort in a short half-hour. I am constantly amazed at how much chiropractic care improves the quality of my life.

Now that I did not have an evening event to attend, we set out for Amarillo to enjoy a steak at Hofbrau Steak and Grill House. As we began the drive north, Mom noticed the dark clouds and suggested we just have dinner in Plainview tonight. She had her fill of traveling in rainy weather yesterday. (I’m really hoping that tomorrow is a clear travel day as we go into central Texas!) Since it was still a bit too early for dinner — Am I the only one noticing that the only activity we really participate in on this trip is eating? — we made a quick stop at Panhandle Popcorn before taking a tour of some of the city’s residential areas. As we discussed dinner, Mom decided that we should visit a Mexican restaurant; the mildest option for her tender palette is Leal’s, so that’s where we ended up.

Dinner was enjoyable, but both Geriatrics were shocked at the level of spice. Mind you, I had intentionally asked the wait staff their opinions on the items we were selecting AND requested that they ask the cook to be extremely light in his seasoning. What was on the table? Mom order a taco/tamale/enchilada combo while Dad had the steak and enchilada dinner. This meal was probably one of Dad’s favorites; Mom was just happy that she got more of “that Mexican rice” that she has loved during previous visits.

What’s coming tomorrow? I have a doctor’s appointment in the morning — completely unaware that I was scheduled for a check-up this week, but I’ll actually keep it since I’m in town — and then we will load up the car and begin our journey to Fredericksburg. Who knows what surprises may come along the way?

Adventures with the Geriatrics – Day 2

We safely made it to Plainview this afternoon shortly after 3pm. That makes today a huge success. As the day began, we weren’t sure if we would be spending another day in OKC unexpectedly or end up somewhere in between OKC and the plains of Texas. For an uneventful travel day, today was a bit of a doozy.

Let me give you some background. As we were putting ourselves to bed last night, we learned that two massive rain makers from Texas were converging in OKC during the overnight hours. The expectation was a constant downpour for the metro area — “buckets” as the local weatherman described the projection. I was not looking forward to driving in this mess in an unfamiliar car. Rainy weather and I don’t have the best history. Too many incidents of hydroplaning have left me skittish.

Then life decided to add an additional layer of adventure to our travel plans this morning around 2am. I woke up from a sound sleep only to discover that I was ill and venturing too far away could be problematic. By the morning, I felt so poorly that we inquired with the front desk about the possibility of extending our stay in OKC for another night. They were very accommodating and helpful; we just needed to make a final decision by 11am.

After a quick shower and realizing that the city was getting a brief respite from the storm, I felt energized and decided to proceed with our travel plans. The Geriatrics and I agreed that we would begin the trip and stop for the day whenever we needed to — either because of the road conditions or my health. In hindsight, this was probably not my wisest decision, but I’m happy with the outcome. I was unable to stand the sight or smell of food until this afternoon. It rained almost constantly from OKC to the Texas border. After a little lapse, the rain carried us from Amarillo to Plainview.

Needless to say, there wasn’t a lot of conversation along the way — hearing over the rain was a challenge at times. I didn’t feel like talking. After getting everyone settled for a few days in the Comfort Suites in Plainview, I was able to make a trip to the drug store to pick up a few things that had been left behind — most importantly, Dad’s pomade! Although he doesn’t have a lot of hair, what remains has a mind of its own and has to be reined in with some powerful cream. When I saw him step out of the car when we finally stopped for lunch, I thought he had cotton balls all over his head. LOL!

Food for the day was nothing exciting. Lunch at Cracker Barrel since I thought I might be able to stomach a small bowl of dumplings. (Thankfully, that proved to be true since the breakfast attempt of a plain biscuit was not as successful.) After a late lunch, the patients decided to grab a bite from KFC — a long time family favorite — and just settle in for the night. I have a feeling this week is going to be more about resting and relaxing than it will be about doing anything touristy.

What’s on the agenda for tomorrow? Probably a little antiquing, an introduction to a special piano that they have heard a lot about in the past year, and then an evening at the hotel for the Geriatrics while I attend a work function. Oh yeah…..I’m going to the chiropractor tomorrow afternoon as well!

Adventures with the Geriatrics – Day 1

Summer vacation is finally here. I have experienced a few weeks of much needed rest and recovery. Now, it’s time to resume the annual tradition of vacationing with my parents — the troublesome and beloved Geriatrics. I figured this was as good of a time as any to resume blogging and share the adventures of each day.

Where are we headed? That has been a more difficult choice this year than ever before. With COVID restrictions being eased, we had options, but neither my parents or me wanted to jump into a large urban area for too long. Add to this Mom’s always worrisome knee and Dad’s proclivity for falling without warning…..let’s just say I had to be very thoughtful. The Geriatrics were not much help in making a choice either. Their only stipulation was that they wanted to get away from home for a little while.

Today, we began our journey and stopped for the night in Oklahoma City. We left the Geriatric Ward this morning shortly after 9:30am and began the drive. Mom took the navigator position (that’s a scary thought!) and Pop claimed the backseat. Mom and I had lots of opportunities to chat; Dad can’t hear — honestly, he can’t hear — so there wasn’t much communication from the back of the car. We made a quick stop for lunch in Conway before arriving in OKC just before 5pm. Once we got settled in the hotel, the patients decided that we would eat in for the evening so they didn’t have to get back in the car. I ran to the local MacAlister’s Deli to pick up the huge order. (That’s an entirely different story to tell.) As I write, everyone is settled in their rooms for the evening — I can’t wait to hear the stories about Mom trying to climb into the enormous bed! — to get a little rest before we continue our travels tomorrow.

What’s the big plan for the week? Tomorrow, we will head to Plainview, Texas for a couple of days. I need to be in town for a bit to participate in a meeting on Tuesday evening and to run a few errands in town. On Wednesday, I’ve decided that we will make our way over to Fredericksburg, Texas. Every time I pass through the area, it looks like a neat little town that I think will be a nice fit for the Geriatrics. On Friday, we will either head into Austin for a bit or slowly begin the return back to the Geriatric Ward so there is ample time for everyone to rest before returning to their normal routine next Monday.

All I know for certain is that it is sure to be an adventure and that there will be stories to tell. You are welcome to follow our experiences for the next few days here on the blog. After all, I have often heard from many of you how you enjoy reading the stories about my adventures in the Geriatric Ward!

Until tomorrow……

Excitement in the Air

In the midst of all of the uncertainty regarding resuming classes in the age of COVID-19, there is also a lot of excitement. Yesterday afternoon, the Wayland School of Music received a Spirio r player piano that will assist us in our daily work. It’s an incredible tool and I am looking forward to exploring the possibilities it will bring.

I’m not going to try to fully explain what this instrument does. It’s rather unbelievable until you see it for yourself. Plus, I’m sure that I will be sharing lots about it in the coming months. Truthfully, I am writing this post on Tuesday night and am still a little overwhelmed by the knowledge that the instrument we have dreamed about for over a year is sitting down the hall from my office. It’s also an understatement to say that I am more than a little tired after the first real day back in the office to receive the instrument, refresh my mind on its capabilities, and begin sharing the vision with administration. As tired as I am, I am looking forward to beginning to work with the Spirio r tomorrow and continue dreaming of ways that this technology can transform music education on the plains of Texas.

A New Adventure Ahead

Today, I start year 5 at Wayland Baptist University. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been living in Texas that long. Even though family is not nearby, I know that coming here was the right decision for me and all part of God’s plan for this season of my life. The job also came with some nice benefits, and I have finally decided to take advantage of one of them.

It is no secret that I have always been a student at heart. I enjoy being in the classroom and learning something new. For several years now, I have toyed with the idea of pursuing another degree. The timing just never seemed right — until now. This week, I began my first class in a long time — Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling — an entry level course in the Masters in Counseling curriculum.

Why am I pursuing another degree? Throughout my work in the church and academia, I have found myself regularly counseling teens and young adults as they struggle with issues related to family, friends, stress, love, and loss. As strange as it sounds, I really enjoy serving as a listening ear for them and offering advice when they seek it out. The funny thing is that I think I’m good at it…..and I’ve received affirmation from those that I have already shared my plans with. The availability of a faculty scholarship at WBU took away all of my excuses….so I’m taking the plunge.

Will I pursue licensure? I’m not sure yet. It will all depend on what I am able to accomplish while employed — after all, teaching music is my first love and my main priority. My primary goal for the moment is to learn something new that I can apply to the work I am currently doing and enjoy getting back in the classroom again.

Travel Woes

After enjoying a quick break at home, I arrived at Memphis International on Sunday evening to begin my return to Plainview. Little did I know that my journey would be such an adventure.

I was slated to travel to Dallas/Fort Worth on American Airlines. After an hour delay in DFW, I had a connection to Lubbock — the last flight to the airport that night. After sitting in the gate for nearly an hour, I received a text message from the airline that my flight was going to be delayed. Over the course of the next 25 minutes, my fellow travelers and I watched as our arrival time into DFW got pushed further and further back. Finally, my DFW arrival reached the same moment that my connecting flight was Scheduled to depart. I knew this was going to be a mess!

As I spoke with the gate agent, I quickly decided that she was a new employee. (She later admitted that this was her second day on the job. Yikes!) Once the supervisor arrived at the gate — thank Heavens! — we determined that the next available Lubbock flight from DFW would be late Monday evening. I was given the option of spending the night in a Dallas hotel — and spending much of the next day wandering around the airport — or beginning my travel on Monday. I decided that another day at home would be the better choice.

Once Dad returned to the airport to pick me up, the night was uneventful. My intentions were to keep everything packed so I could quickly return to the airport and not worry about leaving anything behind. Karma seemed to have other plans.

As Monday got underway, I was beginning to feel drained. I accompanied Mom to a doctor’s appointment that afternoon as I realized the cause of my weariness. Since I wasn’t expecting to spend another day in Arkansas, I didn’t bring medications to take for the day. My blood pressure was elevated and I felt horrible! The doctor gave me a sample bottle of a related medication and I immediately began to feel better.

That evening, Dad and I made great time getting to the airport and everything was running smoothly. That is, things were running smoothly until I stood at the ticket counter and realized my cell phone was in the car that was on its way back across the Mississippi River! After checking my bag and grabbing my boarding passes, I had a light bulb moment….grabbed my iPad and sent a message to my siblings. Carlene called Dad, got him to turn around, and my iPhone was once again in my possession. I had only lost 35 minutes standing on the curb waiting for his return! (At that moment, I was incredibly thankful that I had allowed more time at the terminal than I normally do.)

As I’m writing this post, I’m sitting at the gate in Memphis….just hoping that tonight’s travel goes much more smoothly than the process has gone thus far. I really don’t think I can handle any more travel woes at the moment.

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What Do You Do?

Since starting my job this fall, I’ve repeatedly heard two questions.

• How do you like living in Texas?
• What exactly do you do?

I feel pretty confident that I have answered the first question. So let me give you — especially my extended family and friends who know very little about musical training — some insight into my work.

 

My official title is Assistant Professor of Piano at Wayland Baptist University. As you might guess, I spend the majority of my day sitting on a piano bench, but I switch hats throughout the day.

 

My primary teaching responsibility is the class piano sequence. Every student who studies music — regardless of their principle instrument — needs to develop basic keyboard skills. That’s where my class comes in. Every non-pianist in the music program takes a 4-semester sequence that meets twice each week to build their piano skills. Much of our time is spent learning scales and chord progressions as we explore late elementary and early intermediate piano repertoire. After students complete the 4th semester of class piano, they take a benchmark exam to demonstrate their level of proficiency. The exam addresses solo performance as well as skills such as sight reading, transposition, and score reading. For many of our students, the proficiency exam is a major hurdle before they begin the upper division coursework in the field.

 

In addition to class piano, I currently teach applied piano lessons to one freshman woman. She is a early intermediate student who is not afraid of a challenge. We’ve had a lot of fun this semester, made some significant progress, and have already begun to plan our repertoire choices for the spring. I’m hoping to have the opportunity to do more private teaching as the piano program at WBU grows.

 

The rest of my week is filled with a lot of playing in rehearsals and lessons of all types. I currently work with eleven vocalists as well as the students enrolled in class voice. As the semester begins to wind down, instrumentalists are beginning to seek me out for accompaniments for their jury exams. At this point, I have received music from five of them. Monday and Wednesday afternoons find me spending 90 minutes with the men and women of Wayland Singers — the department’s non-auditioned choir. This week brings the end of the university’s opera offering; we’re mounting a production of The Mikado. Those who have known me the longest will be surprised to hear that my time in opera workshop is some of my favorite times of the week.

 

Then there’s all the work that comes outside of the classroom and rehearsal studio. Thankfully, I was not assigned to any standing committees during my first semester of work. That has allowed me some time to do some recruiting (phone calls and emails take more time than you would ever expect). I’m working on a new course that will be offered in the spring. I could go on and on about student recitals, NATS competitions, LMTA meetings, master classes, and student rehearsals….but I think you get the picture. I’ve found myself very busy and very fulfilled.

 

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