So every tuesday afternoon at 2:50 all the trombones, tubas, and baritones that are taking lessons from my teacher (who is also our band director) get together for a deal called low brass seminar. Basically we just play the stuff we've worked on for that weeks lesson. The director may ask you to play something and he might not, but it's good to be prepared. So this week I decided I was going to have something all practiced and good to go so that I wouldn't look stupid. I was confident about my playing, until the trombone who has the best tone (though not necessarily the best all around trombonist) played a couple of sonatas and sounded awesome. Then another awesome trombone player played an excersize and sounded good. AND THEN the first chair trombone for the touring band played an exercisize and sounded....uh.....below her usual standard. So now I was torn. I REALLY wanted to show my peers what I can do, but at the same time, I wouldn't measure up to the other two trombonists and I didn't want to make this other girl feel worse. At any rate, Doc. called on me to play something. I first explained how my struggles are around the "breath" issue. Mainly because I'm a skinny dude and I have troubles getting a big enough breath, plus I'm playing on a bigger trombone that what I've used my whole life and it takes soooo much more air. So I played this thing.....and I played it well.....and I got a smile and a handshake from the director. I think that makes up for the recent disappointments regarding my playing, don't you think? I was happy.....and still am.