I joined the orchestra.

I joined in January after years of prodding from my friend JaNee R, a flutist and longtime orchestra member. She knew I played the clarinet in middle school and high school, so she's been after me - and I haven't not wanted to, it was just a matter of getting my instrument from Mom and not being crazy busy. We're still crazy busy but too bad, I decided to do it anyway.

Here I am practicing like the wind after my first rehearsal. It had been so long since I played the thing, I had to relearn how to play some of the notes. Fortunately Grandpa Bob's clarinet (the one I'm using - Mom's is messed up) was last used by a middle school-age child in his town and she left her book with it. Thanks, nameless middle school-age child, you saved my bacon with your eighth-grade clarinet book. I feel pathetic.

And here I am, taking a very important nose-emptying break.