Zackie Chan and the band

Our family is charting new territory: middle school.

Last week we attended the middle school band's instrument selection event (say that ten times fast).  Zach would like to join the 6th grade band, but only as a drummer.  Fortunately for him, the two years of piano lessons I have forced upon him paid off; that much piano experience is required for playing in the percussion section.  Zach did a great job with his mini audition.  Garry and I were pleased to be able to tell the band director that Zach is a good boy and a great student.  The director said he needs kids like that in percussion because they sit in the very back of the band room and have weapons in their hands.  (Nice.)

So, with visions of weapons in his hands, I took Zach to the high school band's end-of-year concert.  The top band played with the Air Force Academy band (correct me if I'm wrong, local friends), and the concert was fantastic.  Afterward, a young man in our ward gave us a tour of the band room and showed him every drum, cymbal, and noise maker there.  Zach got a better idea of what fun things happen in the percussion section.  It was great.  I'm looking forward to the adventure ahead (trying not to think about the noise) and so is Zach (he can't wait to make noise).

In other Zachary news, he has given himself a new moniker: Zackie Chan.  I'm not sure what the name means (he's never seen a Jackie Chan movie...), but he writes it on all of his school papers, notebooks, and things at home.  Whatever his name, we are proud of our boy.