Most folks live very secretive lives, are very private and would not want anyone to poke around their personal life.
Not me!
I have learned that if you allow people in your life than you will live a life of abundance. You’ll make relationships that can last for a long time. As long you as you understand the old saying, “If you scratch my back then I’ll scratch your back.”
We all have a bit of selfishness in us. The problem is most folks are full of selfishness and don’t have an ounce of selflessness. I believe their has to be a balance.
I know amazing people that are so selfless that it backfires on them and people take advantage of them. On the other hand I know people that are so selfish that you couldn’t get them to do anything if you had a gun to their head.
Once again… Balance!
Here are 4 scary, excited and embarrassing events in my life.
Drum Major
I was a freshman in high school excited to play in the marching band and orchestra. I played trombone, was pretty good at it too. Towards the end of the school year, as the band was walking out to the football field to practice some band formations. My band director pulled me to the side and wanted to talk to me. I thought I was I trouble, turns out he choose me to be the next drum major. They were gonna send me to drum major camp and pay for all expenses. It is the biggest honor to get chosen as the next leader for the marching band but….
I freaked out!
Who was gonna listen to a five foot nothing freshman. My self esteem was low to the ground. So, I turned it down and made an excuse that I was going to tryout for baseball the next upcoming season.
1st chair trombone
Every year there was auditions for the district honor band. Of course I auditioned for trombone. I was competing against 20-25 trombonists. I always landed 2nd or 3rd chair, never 1st.
My senior came year around I lost hope of ever getting 1st chair. I still went to the audition and made it happen but this time I didn’t stress out.
I played my best and if I got it, then it got it, if I didn’t, then I didn’t.
After the auditions were over we hopped on to the school bus. My band director was the last to get in the bus. He made an announcement.
” The audition results are in.”
As he got to the trombone section. I figured the same old thing. Until he announced, “Trombone first chair, Roland De Aragon.”
I shouted, “Yeah baby, woo-hoo!”
The concert was awesome by the way.
Fish Fear
I had dream when I was 10 years old. I was caught in a fishnet struggling to get out and tons of fish were chewing on me. It was weird, I woke up with a sweat.
The next few months every time I went to the supermarket with my mom I stayed away from the fish section.
My brother and cousins use to grab some dead salmon and hide it behind their backs and scare the crap out of me.
Those punks! Grrrr!!
I eventually got over it.
10,000 Dollars!
I played In a hip hop band in my early twenty’s called Gloryforthepeople. We were very well known in the LA scene. There was this battle of the bands competition on SiTV. We entered in the competition and made it to the Top 3.
The top 3 bands got a spot on their nationally syndicated show to battle who was gonna be the winner.We played our jams as well as the other groups. There was a panel kind of like American Idol.
Then they stuck all of us in a room as we awaited for the results. When the judges came around they started giving everybody critiques. We got the worst critique for some reason, but I knew we killed it.
The results were in.
Gloryforthepeople got First place and a grand total of 10,000 dollars.
It was a fun time. Of course we spent it all like dummies. We were terrible managers with our winnings.
Thanks for spending time to read this and I hope you don’t make fun of me. 🙂
Roland