I know. What do I really have to complain about? I’m not living in a war zone or having my house destroyed in a fire. But… there’s always something, right? I’m just going to quickly get this over with and move on.
As I mentioned, we’re in Tampa! My daughter is playing in the All-State band. In addition to the student groups, it’s a huge convention for music educators. My husband has been coming for years and years, so he knows all the ins and outs- for example, the best hotels to stay in.
Last year we were SO LUCKY. We were able to get a room in the hotel where my daughter had all her rehearsals. She could just walk down to her rehearsal, and back up to the room when she was finished. We liked that, because this gave us all a lot of independence. I could do my own thing without having to chaperone her much.
This year, we tried to get a room in the same hotel but couldn’t for some reason (FORESHADOWING…) My husband got a room in a hotel very close, though. It’s in the heart of downtown, just around the corner from the rehearsal venue, also around the corner from our favorite sushi place, and there’s a STARBUCKS IN THE LOBBY. This is going to be the best year ever!
Then… a couple weeks ago we got an email. The hotel where my daughter’s band was supposed to rehearse was damaged in the hurricane, and wouldn’t be able to host the band this year. Instead her rehearsal venue was moved…. to a hotel near the airport.
NO! No! No! No! No! No! This means that, instead of her walking around the corner to her rehearsal, I have to drive her. Driving her involves getting the car out of valet parking (there’s no other way to park the car) and driving on the expressway. Because the hotel is busy, it could take five minutes to get the car, or twenty. Because some of the driving is during rush hour, it could take ten minutes to get there, or forty. There’s no way to judge if we’ll be insanely early, or late. And there’s NOTHING else to do near this hotel- it’s literally on the side of the highway.
Yesterday, I drove her there three times. In the morning for seating auditions, then back in the afternoon for a rehearsal, and then back in the evening for another rehearsal. It took up… a nice chunk of my day.
Let’s talk about the seating auditions! The kids audition to get to All-State, and then audition again when they get there to see what chair they are. My daughter got second chair! Objectively, that is GREAT! I mean, this is supposedly the best in the state, and she got second. The problem is, she wanted to be first chair, so she’s upset.
I think it’s the “Olympic medal” phenomenon, where people who win the silver feel like they lost the gold. And I get it. “I was second chair at All-State.” Wow, that’s pretty great! “I was first chair at All-State.” WOW. That’s incredible.
In spite of this disappointment, I think she’s still having a good time. I say I “think” because she’s not really speaking to us at the moment. I guess it’s a little too much together-ness. When I was sixteen I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed sharing a hotel room with my entire family either, and she’s also probably tired out after rehearsing all day. Whatever- she’s made it clear that she would like to eat her dinners alone, and speak to us as little as possible.
Okay, those are my grievances. But you know what- I’m still in Tampa. I’m not at work. I still have time to myself, and I’ve spent some great time with my son. We will all survive this family vacation, and I’m enjoying myself in spite of everything. It’s not quite like it was in years past, but it’s still pretty great.
Have you ever been to Tampa?
Did you play in band in high school? Did you go to All-State?
7 Responses
Complain away, Jenny… That is A LOT of driving! And you can’t even just get in your car and go…
Congrats to Angie on making the second chair! (Perhaps the rehearsals and the slight disappointment and being a teen all feel a bit too much right now :/, I hope it passes.)
I’ve never been to Tampa. Now I know not to stay in that hotel by the airport 🙂
I have not yet been to Tampa! I am sad for you about the hotel situation. (And I hope she starts speaking to you!)
I did go to All-State Orchestra (violin, went twice I think) and All-State Chorus (once, but I scored #1 Soprano II and it was pretty thrilling). I loved those festivals so much – they were super social AND you got to miss school – DOUBLE WIN!
and yes – as Angie said – 2nd chair at States is a BIG deal (esp in FL – that’s a BIG STATE!!!)
Oh no! The hotel change sounds terrible. All that driving! And it’s not like you’d want to stay at the hotel as it sounds like it’s in BFE (hopefully you know what acronym). That just sucks all around!
But I can understand Angie’s ‘get away from me’ vibe. She’s probably tired and a little overstimulated and disappointed about being 2nd chair (which is an amazing accomplishment in its own right, of course). And she’s 16 (that’s probably the biggest driver of her “get off my lawn” energy).
I hope the trip is still enjoyable for you all despite all the driving! I have only stayed outside of Tampa on the beach. I did meet Stephany for coffee in Tampa proper (or was it St. Pete?? Hmmm…) way back in 2014 when I was passing through on my way from Venica, FL to Orlando. And then I’ve been there for work once but we stayed right by the client’s campus so I did not see anything besides the hotel restaurant and the Starbucks across the street from the restaurant.
All the driving around sounds like a huge hassle, but it seems like you’re making the best of it! Having time off work is always great and getting to be with your son is too!
I was always first chair tenor sax in middle school, and played in the jazz band which I loved. I switched to alto sax in high school and was no longer first chair, and my high school heavily emphasized marching band and I didn’t want to do that, so I ended up quitting after my freshman year. I wish I had kept up playing on my own but it is what it is!
I JUST listened to a podcast about the Olympic thing, and it turns out that bronze medalists are much happier than silver, because the thought is “whew, made it on the podium!” But silver, which is objectively better than bronze, makes people less happy. So interesting.
UGH UGH UGH I hate driving, and I hate when you have to drive to places that you used to be able to walk to. What a bummer!
Also omg I cannot even imagine sharing a hotel room with my family at age 16. Someone would have gotten murdered. Possibly me.
Oh good grief, yes you’re allowed to complain about having to make a bunch of trips that take up “a nice chunk” of your day. Yes it’s all good but it’s a lot! And also yes I feel her on “only” making second chair but YAY SHE MADE SECOND CHAIR!!!!
When we go to Siesta Key we fly into Tampa/St Pete. I can’t remember if any of our stops on the way to the beach were in Tampa or if they were in St. Pete though. I’d definitely like to explore more.
Enjoy the rest of the trip!