h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Did you go to Northwestern?

No...I went to Ball State University, Muncie, IN.

Why? Did you know someone who went by the name "Andyman" at Northwestern?

No, just curious. Music ed or performance? I was a music ed major for two weeks. Then I realized I could never teach in a public school (the politics). Thought about performance, but I like having a steady income.

I was a performance major. I wanted to be a teacher in the 4th and 5th grades, but my mother is a teacher, and I got to hear some of the things she had to put up with. In high school I realized I didn't like teaching.

And then, in my senior year of high school, a semester and a half away from a performance degree, I realized that I don't really enjoy getting up in front of people and performing.

So now I'm a proofreader. one of the few jobs in which they don't worry if you are a "people person" or not.

I'm confused. How were you getting a performance degree while in high school?

Eventually I would like to get back into the kind of semi-pro stuff
I was doing a few years ago. Weddings, recording with garage bands, that kind of thing. It was fun. The wedding stuff was great because I got to play jazz and danceable rock & roll and funk and get paid $250 for an afternoon's fun. Weddings are a very good gig for a 'gifted' amatuer musician.

If I'm not in front of people, music is as good as any meditation or prayer (actually even if I'm in front of people). Keeps mental health. I miss the rush sometimes.

My error. That should have read "my senior year of college"...not high school.

It sounds like you have done a lot more with your music than I have. Right out of college I got a job as a clarinet repairman. After a year of that I got married and moved to St. Louis. If I hadn't moved I'd be managing my own store and would probably be a member of the big band run by my old bosses (whom we hireed to play at our wedding reception).

I haven't gotten my clarinet out yet this year. I'm sure it needs to be oiled, at least.

Big band? That would be interesting. I never played professionally in a group bigger than maybe a sextet. It's tough sometimes to be the only horn player, but I liked the freedom. Play the melody, take a solo, piano solo, melody, next song, etc., etc.

Instrument repair is something I would enjoy doing later in life (when I get free from my day job). I once bought an alto sax for $40 and repaired it to the point that it could be played. I had to get new steel rods and a fresh set of pads. I even had to get bolt dies to put threads on the rods. It was pretty challenging!

It never did play well enough, though, so I made it into a lamp. It's a nicer lamp than an instrument.