Leverage the hand you've been dealt
"I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way." - Robin Williams in the movie Dead Poet's Society. The film came out in 1989 and I saw it in the theater. I was a junior in high school and I went to see it one … Continue reading DEAD POETS THEN AND NOW
I have found that too often in the professional world of work, disabled adults are celebrated for overcoming barriers that able bodied people can't begin to fathom. By letting it be known that the workplace employs individuals living with physical or mental disabilities, the employers are wonderful people who practice inclusion, equity and diversity at … Continue reading a quiet struggle
I am an older sibling. I now have two young boys of my own and they are two and a half years apart in age. They are best friends. It is a wonderful sight to watch them play, laugh, screw around and have inside jokes with one another. A quick search of the Google machine … Continue reading I BLEW IT
All the years I spent playing drums must add up to more than ten thousand hours. In fact, when playing something that is not technically challenging, I didn't have to focus on what my limbs were doing. Once the groove was imbedded in my limbs and brain, my mind could and did wander. I would … Continue reading DRUMS
Often, we don't realize how and when our words and actions will come back to us. As I write this, it is early in the morning, and though I usually post only once a week, I am sharing some more words with you. They are not my words. This was the first thing that I … Continue reading CONNECTION
As most of you know, I spent 27 years in a middle school classroom teaching band instruments, music and life. I've shared a lot of what went on in terms of awesome moments, funny moments, heart warming moments and goofy middle school antics. A colleague once summed up the age group perfectly: they are the … Continue reading GET OUT
I recently had the pleasure of catching up with a friend from my performing days. He is a spectacular bass player, and he and I made for a tight rhythm section for a while in college We began playing jazz along with his cousin Jake and anyone else we could find in the halls of … Continue reading ROAD TRIP
There is so much in the news today that makes the head spin, the heart ache, and the stomach churn. The internet is alight with people (and bots) spewing hate, demonizing one another, and throwing personal insults. It is difficult to remember a time in my life that current events were as polarizing as they … Continue reading COMMUNITY
Hello everyone! Thursday came up quick this week, so here is the Friday version of my brain: If you have never read my blog before, do not start here, you will be confused. Maybe try this one first. Ok, that's enough housekeeping. Let's see who is up for a memory quiz today. I recently received … Continue reading MUSINGS AND FOLLOW-UPS
Well... I recently told a story to a friend about one of the greatest pranks that was ever played on me and it got me thinking that maybe you would like to hear it. So today, we again swing open the door to the vault that is my memory. I will change the names of … Continue reading FROM THE VAULT VOLUME XXVI
Patrick moeschen 