TAMS and Bits

Sitting in the restaurant of the beautiful Austin Hilton Airport Hotel eating breakfast, I am reflecting on TAMS, my career, good food, friends, and even Willy Wonka. This odd but stunning hotel, once a substantial military armory/barracks, has a large open round atrium area surrounded by five stories of rooms. Looking up I see a glass dome-like structure that allows for natural light to stream into the room, providing a glimpse of the sky yet allowing for careful climate control of the hotel. But it reminds me of the final scene in Willy Wonka.

Willy and Charlie and Grandpa climb into this pod looking spaceship and sit down awaiting the next adventure. They suddenly lift up, accelerating toward the magnificent glass ceiling above them. Grandpa exclaims in great fear that they will be "cut to ribbons." Willy, with a gleam in his mischievous eye (played to the tee by character actor Gene Wilder), says, "Probably." As the odd little pod approaches the glass and the three cringe in terror, it suddenly bursts through, breaking the glass but staying intact, and begins flying above the world.

I think that scene, while appealing in and of itself, is ironically incongruent with the rest of the movie. Much of the movie seems Wonka contrived, smooth, prepared, and mystically eventful. As though when things seem hopeless and frightening, it all works out correctly and humorously. Yet in this last scene, the glass actually breaks. I guess I think it would have been more consistent to open up, allowing the pod to fly without the shards of glass everywhere. Oh well, I didn't write it and nobody has ever cared about my thoughts on this anyway!

But I am not at this motel to stare at the dome-like ceiling, but rather to enjoy and learn from the membership of TAMS (Texas Association of Music Schools). This is short conference comprised of music executives from colleges and universities around the state of Texas. We come together to share ideas, hear about concerns, manage a substantial scholarship fund, and learn how to improve our schools and improve our own administrative abilities. It is a solid organization and the conference provides a welcome opportunity for growth with other people sharing the bond of music administration.

Of course I did a little running as well, getting up early each morning and putting in a couple of miles before breakfast. Without the hills that normally interfere with my stride and rhythm, I found the running to be easier and consistently comforting. In a metaphorical interpretation, my life as a music administrator is often full of tough hills to manage, hills that often seem greater when I am on them than after they are crested. This is true of supervision at my work. But it is nice to have a couple of days of no hills, with straight roads that allow for ease of work. Still, no laziness for me--time to return to my post.

I did get some more music writing in, finished a book and started another, and had lots of great conversation with friends. Oh, and did I mention the food? Chicken, fish, salad, pie, cheesecake, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and various cheeses. All good. Plus some folk and classical music of guitars, ukeles, pianos, clarinet, marimba, and trombone.

Nice hotel, good food, great music, friends, running, books, ideas, conversation--just a great couple of days.