Year Two, Day 106: The Blues Bandit Strikes Again!

Me: The Blues Bandit. Piano Blues Camp Day 2!

Lunch at Toms Restaurant after class.

Time to relax before I hit the gym.

I had a lovely cup of split pea soup, a tossed green salad and a glass of unsweetened iced tea with lemon at Toms Restaurant, a family favorite.

I needed time to breathe after today.  Mind if I vent?

My blues camp continues.  We all chose our "Blues" names yesterday.

I am "Blues Bandit"

There are six students.  Five boys and one girl between the ages of 10 and 14.  One boy ("Sleepy Eagle") is autistic- pretty mild.  He was actually one of the best behaved! He loves playing the piano and learned the blues scale lickity split!

Best behaved was the girl. She is a private student of mine. Mature and focused for a teenager.  She missed classed yesterday.  This morning I woke up happy knowing she would be in class. I was hoping she would be my angel of deliverance to balance the energy with the lively boys. 

She was indeed. I do not know if I would have survived with out "Hungry Dog E".


One boy ("Screaming Pickles") has cochlear implants.  He is quite musical, but with his hearing impairment, it is challenging communicating with him. Especially when he seems to think the piano should be turned on full volume.  And he is quite outgoing, i.e. likes to make the class laugh.

Another boy, ("Speedy Tortoise") who joined class yesterday is also very musical.  He came to class already knowing his blues scale. And he came with a hat. A blues hat!

I was thrilled.  A serious blues student!

Maybe, but also another wise guy.  Likes to make the class laugh. Especially while bouncing jokes off the young man with the cochlear implant. They were like Laurel and Hardy.  Or was it Abbott and Costello?  Beevis and Butthead?

Are you getting the picture?

The other boy is the youngest of the group. A private student of mine. Was very excited and a bit nervous about the class.  Was afraid he would not be good enough. 

Even he began to deteriorate into silliness along with B and B halfway through the day.

OY!

Well, I nipped it in the bud, I did!

I gave them one warning. Ok, it ended up being two. Then I grabbed my walkie-talkie - first time we have had these available! And I radioed for backup!

The director came rushing up the stairs. I called B and B out into the hallway and suggested they have a sit down and talk about proper class behavior.

They came back into the class much better behaved. 

For at least 15 minutes.

But there is a happy ending.  I was firm, but kind. I told them I was glad they were having fun, but they needed to be focused and respectful.  I again told them the rules (Listen to teacher, do not play the piano when teacher or anyone else is speaking, no banging on pianos, no throwing hats across the room. Yes that happened. Sigh)

But this was just day 2. 

We had a nice snack break and I got to know everyone a bit more. 

And the best part?  We had an awesome jam session at the end of class. 

Which got me thinking.  The blues is about feeling.  It tells a story.  It lifts you up.

And it is about relationships. 

And we experienced all of this today. In blues camp!

On that note, I am "Blues Bandit". Signing out!

Happy Tuesday!