Growing up, I was this odd combination of a fine arts geek in a jock’s body. I played football for two years, basketball for two years, ran track for a year, and generally kept myself in fairly good shape.

The problem with all that, I wasn’t a jock. I was (still am) painfully quiet and never fit the jock stereotype of weightlifting, partying muscle head.  While I loved to compete, all the other stuff that went along with it never felt good to me at all.

What I enjoyed all throughout high school was fine arts. I was a tuba player in our concert band and a value trombone player in our jazz band. My last small group solo was a dud because senioritis had started to set in, but otherwise, I loved playing a big bass instrument.  I sang in every high school chorus I could, and frequently performed solos and small group pieces during our variety show.  In speech, I consistently got Division I ratings in any individual/small/large group speech piece I performed.  My one regret in all this: never participated in drama. I don’t know if it I wasn’t pushed or asked or was just stubborn. For whatever reason, I never did this.

I bring this up because last night, both of my daughters played in the “Parade of Bands”, a concert highlighting the 5th through 12th graders in the elementary, middle school, and high school programs. It was said that 237 students participated, in all those grades, an awesome number of kids.  Two weekends ago, we went to Ames so my oldest daughter could receive the award for their all-state speech group. She participated in large group speech three years, with this year her group earning all-state considerations, something she is extremely proud of. Our youngest will be performing at the state small group competition in Dubuque this weekend, doing a musical theater piece from the musical, Les Miserables.  The two of them also performed solos at the last music performance at the high school as well.

All of this while the oldest participated in track and basketball for a couple years, and swam all four year of her high school career.  Our youngest, two years of cross country so far, a year of basketball, and a year of dance. They have the athletic things down, but I love the fact that thrive in the fine arts. Both have beautiful voices, can act, and can play well with their respective instruments.

Fine arts geeks. I was certainly one, my wife was one (basketball, track, volleyball, singing, drama, speech, band) and it’s nice both of my children joining their parents in the geek category.

Who says geeks can’t be cool anyway? 🙂