TCATS #489 - New Kids on the TabChoir Block

I went to Choir Thursday night feeling rather low. The seating chart had come out earlier that day and as soon as I noticed it, emotions hit all over again from last week and I just cried. However, I was bolstered up by the fact that I was assigned to sit next to my good friend Siope and my good friend Dave.  But an hour or two before rehearsal, Siope regretted to inform me that he wouldn't be able to make it. :(

Still, there was Dave!

Until there wasn't. As I sat there in my seat and my watch read 6:59 PM, it was clear Dave wasn't going to show up either.

And then all I could think about was Wes filling one of those empty seats.

Warm-ups started and Farrell (one of our seating managers) started rearranging everyone to fill in the empty spots. He moved me to the aisle seat and then asked one of the new guys, Andrew, to come sit next to me.  

Andrew is just one of 30+ new members to officially join the Choir after completing Choir School this past week. I blog about this event every year because it's a significant happening and because usually the excitement of these new folks helps infuse new life into the Choir's overall energy level. 

I talked to Andrew a little bit, trying to make him feel welcome. He lives in Utah County, tried out for the Choir on a whim, and is a choral conductor at a junior high. Or used to be--since I overheard him saying today that he just got a new job. He's also got to be one of our youngest members I'd think. Don't know for sure, but I'd be surprised if he's a day over 27. :)

I guess I should thank Andrew, actually. Knowing he was new sort of forced me out of my sad mood and helped me focus on trying to be friendly and helpful as we worked our way through the music. And today, it being his first broadcast and all, I remembered back to my own first broadcast and how nervous and excited I was. 

So thanks, Andrew. You're a good guy, a great musician, sang the songs perfectly today, and will fit right in with the rest of us basses. 

And to all the other new people, welcome! May the excitement and energy you felt today continue to be with you in the months and years to come. And when things start to become commonplace and the routine has set in and you've sung songs over 15-20 times, may you be able to reach down inside yourself and restore the excitement and energy you once felt.

Until next time, God be with you.

 

Patrick and I. We sent this to Wes today telling him we missed him.

 

TCATS #488 - Wes

I first met Wes in June of 2018. He had started his choir experience earlier that year, but even though he also sang bass, our paths never really crossed until the seating manager put us together one Thursday night. I remember the feeling I had when I sat next to him and after we had talked a little bit: lighter. Sort of like all the burdens I was carrying weren't so heavy anymore. I remember telling him afterwards something like "I don't know if fate will sit us together again, but I sure hope so."  He smiled at that and said "I hope so too!"

Little did either of us know that fate certainly intended to do just that. Over and over and over again for the next six years. In fact, it actually became unusual that we didn't sit together--even for concerts and General Conference. The times we weren't together though, we were still near each other, and we quickly fell into the routine of talking before rehearsals, giving commentary on the music we were singing, and then walking back to our cars after it was over--which gave us a chance to catch up on the highlights of each others' lives. And since Wes is one who always appreciates openly giving and receiving hugs, we'd end with one of those before saying goodbye.

That's how things played out year in and year out. Occasionally we'd text during the week just to check in, talk about life happenings and our families, and talk about 80s pop/alternative music (which we both loved). 

I'm not exactly sure why our friendship worked so well from an external perspective. Wes is a much different type of person than I am. He's extroverted and checks almost every box for yellow personalities:

Optimism
Enthusiasm
Talking with others
Spontaneous in actions and decisions
Creative
Persuasive
Sociable

Wes also really likes sports. All sorts of sports. Not really playing them so much (though I know he plays some), but watching them and knowing the make-up of teams, who's who, and how they perform week to week (especially BYU). I even think his dream job would be to become one of those sportscasters, providing all of the background commentary on sporting events as they happen real-time.

Wes is also a solid, orthodox member of the Church, and a young dad with three little kids at home which makes for a very busy life. I remember how that was for me over twenty years ago...

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that even though I don't match up with any characteristics or commonalities as described above, our friendship just works. And the thing I've benefited the very most from our friendship heralds back to what I noticed the first time I met him: his ability to lift me up, to paint the world in brighter colors, to help me focus on the good, and to help me feel like things are all going to work out. I can't begin to tell you what a lifeline Wes became for me, especially as I had so many life challenges I was going through.

I think our friendship worked, too, because singing songs that touch our souls, side by side, can't help but form a bond. Particularly when there's such a solid friendship to begin with. The sacred music just builds on that friendship and it becomes something that's not explicitly talked about that often, but exists as this invisible thread...

[Sigh]

So...with all that as a background, yesterday I said good-bye to him. I stood next to him as he sang his last broadcast. I cried as we sang the last song: "Come Thou Fount". I couldn't help but think of all the "little" things--all Wes-related--that have made my choir experience what it has come to be. 

As I gave him a final hug following the Release Program, he gave me one of his big smiles and a reminder that this wasn't "goodbye" just "see you later".  

I walked back to the car as more tears came. And those tears continued throughout the day as I tried to picture how my Choir-Minus-Wes experience would be in the weeks ahead. 

I'll end with a few things I'll miss most about my friend, along with a few of my favorites pics of us.

*I’ll miss the fist bumps we'd do after successfully performing songs.
*I’ll miss witnessing his kind, genuine, and sincere interactions with others.
*I’ll miss the back-and-forth commentary we made on certain songs we sang.
*I’ll miss seeing the reactions of all of the people he complimented everywhere he went.
*I’ll miss his shared sympathies when we'd sing the two songs we mutually dislike the most: “I Think the World is Glorious” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”.
*I’ll miss his smile, optimism and laughter.
*I’ll miss our impromptu singing and talking about 80s songs.
*I’ll miss shooting the breeze with him during the breaks.
*I’ll miss knowing that someone will always be waiting for me.
*I’ll miss his bro hugs.

Take care my friend!
You changed my life.

Until next time, God be with you.

 

 

 

TCATS #487 - Worked Until it Didn't

I'm going to save my tribute to Wes until next Sunday seeing as how that will be the official day he leaves the Choir. That said, for some reason my emotions didn't want to join my tribute and wait until next Sunday.

Instead, they showed up during this past Thursday night's rehearsal. 

It's true that there were several things on Thursday--during the day--that caused my tear ducts to get warmed up. Part of that had to do with where I'm at in life. The other part came from watching a tv series that depicted a lot of teens going through some really hard things in life. I easily get sad when I see or hear about all of the difficult things people have to endure. Sometimes I even tear up when I'm out and about (particularly at Walmart) as I see the wear and tare of life reflected on the faces of many people. 

But I digress.

I went to Thursday night's rehearsal feeling OK. My tears had stopped from previous events and I was looking forward to sitting next to Wes and engaging with the music. That worked until it didn't. About 2/3rds of the way through, I just started imagining Choir without my Choir best friend and it went downhill from there. My mouth got all quivery (as it does) so I couldn't sing and my tears started up again.  Even though I tried to push it all away, it wouldn't go away. Wes tried helping me out the best he could, but it almost made it worse because it was just one more thing I was going to miss (his continual efforts to help me feel better about whatever is going on in my life). By the end of the rehearsal, I was ready to go home. 

I walked to the music lockers with him and he gave me a hug and then we started walking to the outside door. He had to stay after to get a little video taken (which they do for all of those being released from the Choir) so I just started for the door but he pulled me back and gave me another hug as my tears just kept coming. UG! I don't mind being an emotional person, but sometimes it's entirely inconvenient! As I walked to my car trying to hide my face from others around me, I got to the car and just sobbed until Willy and Ben came (it had been my turn to drive our carpool). 

After getting home, I had no more tears left. The day had taken its toll. Wes was nice enough to send a follow-up text expressing hope that I'd be OK. Indeed I will be OK. Life is full of just being OK, isn't it? If YOU are one of the lucky ones who actually has more net positive days than hard ones, well, good for you. Sometimes I wish I were you.

At any rate, the broadcast today went well. Things were all pretty positive and I just tried to enjoy the experience. During the break, Wes, Patrick, and Matt and I walked around the Temple Square grounds enjoying the beautiful weather and the beautiful flowers. Wes had several people come up to him sharing their well-wishes  (which was probably a result of Mack having all of the members who were leaving stand up in rehearsal today to be recognized). We took a few pics and then went back in to perform for the world. 

After the performance was over, we just sat there. Wes looked over at me with a smile and said "Yeah, I know". To which I said "yeah, it's weird." Referring of course to the fact that he has one Music & the Spoken Word left. Ever. He's done about 175 of them, give or take, and now he is down to just one more.

Change. I know it's part of the natural order of things and is tied into the rhythm of life. But man! It's hard. 

Until next time, God be with you.

Me, Patrick, Matt, & Wes