It's stopped raining long enough for me to mostly unload the truck and unpack today. Laundry is whirling downstairs, the plastic ground cloth has been unrolled and dragged to the back of the alley to air-or-get-rained-on some more and the tent has been semi-unrolled inside the truck. Hopefully I can get it out in the sun for a few hours soon to dry properly. Also hopefully, I'll try to get some tripod shots of me in the plum blossom shibori kosode because I know people want to see it.
Took a deep breath and decided to show Shannon-sensei one of the "okey-dokey-daiko" last night - and fess up as to what I'd been doing with it. Instead of giving me the stink-eye for being presumptuous enough to teach a couple of basic drum drills with a whole ten months of taiko experience* under my belt, he pronounced it nifty and gave it a couple experimental whacks. (*Yes, it IS presumptuous, except for the part where I freely disclosed my experience level to my students, taught at the most basic level, and encouraged them to seek out real instruction if at all possible in their own areas.)
Class went well. I suspect whaling away on a paint bucket for three days in a row has actually improved my form somewhat. I found myself "sitting" comfortably before the drums last night, probably because they were all taller than my makeshift rig at war. The new piece is beginning to gel very nicely and Shannon-sensei has revealed a plan to combine it with two other pieces we mostly know or have been working on for a future class recital. Reminds me, I need to sign up and pay for the next set of classes soon....
Took a deep breath and decided to show Shannon-sensei one of the "okey-dokey-daiko" last night - and fess up as to what I'd been doing with it. Instead of giving me the stink-eye for being presumptuous enough to teach a couple of basic drum drills with a whole ten months of taiko experience* under my belt, he pronounced it nifty and gave it a couple experimental whacks. (*Yes, it IS presumptuous, except for the part where I freely disclosed my experience level to my students, taught at the most basic level, and encouraged them to seek out real instruction if at all possible in their own areas.)
Class went well. I suspect whaling away on a paint bucket for three days in a row has actually improved my form somewhat. I found myself "sitting" comfortably before the drums last night, probably because they were all taller than my makeshift rig at war. The new piece is beginning to gel very nicely and Shannon-sensei has revealed a plan to combine it with two other pieces we mostly know or have been working on for a future class recital. Reminds me, I need to sign up and pay for the next set of classes soon....