Saturday, September 25, 2010

What? French Horn Edition

Ryan with his new pet
Some kids bring puppies or kittens home, begging parents to let them stay. Not my kid, though; my kid came home with a French horn.

Apparently my 7th grader, randomly and without warning, wandered into the band room last week and asked to join. Even though we are moving in three months, the teacher let him join, let him chose an instrument, and let him bring a loaner home. Since he already has chorus for his music option, he is taking band lessons after school.

He is already in piano lessons. He has never played a French horn before. I’m not exactly sure how he knew it existed.

Nevertheless, we are now the proud guardian of a more-than-slightly-used French horn.

I don’t know if I should be proud- he does love music and takes initiative; confused- why French horn, why now?; or just plain scared- how much more noise can my poor ears take? At least I now know my Random Gene has been passed onto my children.

(I hope this doesn’t give any other family members an idea. I still won’t let them keep a pet.)

What weird things have your kids/husband come home with, leaving you scratching your head?

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25 comments:

  1. The Atomic Baby seems to always come home from the play ground with random lost toys. Not very exciting, but still he's happy with his cache of stuff.

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  2. I had a roommate who plays piano amazingly well, all of a sudden start playing the french horn in order to try out for the college's band and gain a scholarship. All this within a month time period? Since so many people play the piano it would be harder to get a scholarship, but the french horn, piece of cake apparently! She got the scholarship too! So just imagine what can happen in three months! Good luck with your ears!

    (I just started teaching recorder and ukulele lessons to the 4th-6th graders, yikes! I hope my ears last until the end of the year!)

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  3. I had one that came home with the French Horn also. He gave it a year. Then, gave it up.

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  4. Oh man! French Horn, eh? That is random.

    My first year in college, I was a music ed major, and took a year of brass instruments. The quarter I spent with the French Horn was miserable! I never had hte breath support to play it, and I remember very nearly passing out in class one day. Plus, the case was so awkward to carry! But, as someone else mentioned, there is tons of scholarship money available, so I say more power to him! (And invest in some good quality earplugs, girl! You're gonna need them!)

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  5. Ha!! Hey, much better than an animal.

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  6. I've had 10 used iphones pass through our home in the last week. My husband has also come home with a car that looked like mater. And once he sold our house without telling me he put it on the market. But all of those things ended up being financially brilliant, so I've stopped complaining.

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  7. They have brought home various things, but now that I think about it, they all make noise!

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  8. Haha! Very random :). I guess when inspiration strikes, you just go along for the ride, right?

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  9. Can't wait to hear him play, I'm sure he will do great! Trevor can start band next year if he wants, not sure if I want him to, but we will see.

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  10. Random! That would be pretty cool if he stuck with it. He has a talent with music. I've heard him play the piano (even if it is the same song over and over ;)) He's awesome at it!

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  11. Ryan's story sounds like Kent's, and it could also prove to be very advantageous. One day in junior high, Kent asked the band teacher if he could try the tuba. Six years later BYU was paying him a small scholarship to be in the marching band (all band members get some money) and he had a free pass to all the home games and travel arrangements for the bowl games (as well as a few other away games). He's also played with community bands and a little brass sectional that our ward forms every Christmas. It's been fun, and I've always been grateful it wasn't drums!

    On the subject of strange items, my mom's friend once came home to announce that he had bought a private plane, which was truly unexpected because he didn't know how to fly. When he took his wife to the hanger to show it off, she was even more confused to discover that it had no wings. This guy later went on to purchase a private island. (You might wonder if he was mentally ill, but I think he was actually a creative genius.) I wonder if he started with a French horn?

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  12. I kinda like the French horn. It has such a rich, mellow sound. My husband just took up fiddle and it doesn't sound quite so good when he messes up as say, a trumpet might. Anyway . . .

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  13. So far no weird things have come home to my house yet, though my oldest has started a rock collection. THAT should be interesting. Keep us posted on where this one goes!! It's fun.

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  14. Hey, it could have been worse (drums anyone?) and at least it sounds better than say, a recorder.
    He is a renaissance man. French horn is only the beginning for you, I just have a feeling.

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  15. My husband came home with a cello a few years ago. He was in his early forties then. I told him he was having a mid-life crisis. He started lessons and has enjoyed it ever since.

    Turned out to be a good thing, but at the moment I thought it was random.

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  16. At least you are moving... maybe this will be a short-lived infatuation. Good luck!

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  17. I like french horn. Good choice, he could have picked drums.

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  18. The french horn is one of the most difficult instruments to play well....but it does sound like he might be one of those kids that can play any instrument well!

    I think it's great. Even if it's a little random. :)

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  19. Yes, that is random! And unique. Nice that he's interested in it on his own. Mr. V comes home with odd projects. Like a huge canvas to paint, with paint supplies, when he's not really painted before, ever. He would totally be a Hoarder if not married to me. I keep him and his random projects in check.

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  20. My husband retired from Caltrans after 35 years. He brought me freeway finds on a regular basis. Let's see, 80 pounds of green bananas, 2 gallons of green olives, blankets that say U-Haul, a sleeping bag, bicycles, tricycles, hot wheels, golf balls, baseballs, a table--and oh yes--a frozen turkey--I blogged about that one: http://lauriebeesfamilyhive.blogspot.com/2010/02/dannys-turkey-find.html

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  21. My niece plays the french horn.

    In other news... I am mailing you earplugs, excedrin, and a large trunk if you ever need to hide something. ;-)

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  22. In case you decide to hold voting on the strange items dragged home, I'd say LaurieBee wins the prize. What does one do with 80 pounds of bananas? Yikes!

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  23. Uh, good luck. The french horn can make some pretty bad sounds if given the opportunity. :)

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  24. he is so dang cute...maybe you better not tell him i said so! i love that he just randomly wants to try something new, & that you encourage it! i wasn't lucky enough to grow up like that & i still have a lot of "randoms" to try. it's also something i am trying to instill in my boys, so you make me know that i can do it!

    part of jared's autism is being attached to paper; maps, fliers left on windows, newspapers he finds in trash cans...anything. the paper "trail" is like nothing i've ever seen before.

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  25. My oldest decided to play the French horn in 6th grade. We were a little surprised too. But he's in 10th now, and he's still playing. :)

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