Introduction
Introduction Statistics Contact Development Disclaimer Help
Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Jack's House
https://jackshouse.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
Return to: Updates 2025
*****************************************************
#Post#: 2004--------------------------------------------------
Van Wells
By: Jack Date: December 7, 2017, 5:00 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
There is a lot of stuff going on just now. I'd love to be
writing about it, but I'm trying to stay ahead with the Advent
Calendar, and I'm working on another story as well. However, I
felt like this really needed to be shared now.
I think I mentioned elsewhere that Van has been doing really
good with his online classes since he got in trouble over that
last winter. He almost finished the classes he was doing for
this sememster several weeks ahead of time, but I'm letting him
cut back.
You see, the Music Coordinator at BCA is working closely with
Van on this years Christmas Show. While Van's not actually
playing as much this year, the Phantom's are doing a bit more
than they have.
The Christmas show usually runs twice. The longer version,
which includes the younger kids performing, is done one night
before school lets out (Monday, 12/18 this year), then the HS
(and sometimes the Middle school, or part of the middle school)
perform on the last day of classes, along with classroom parties
and usually some other type of entertainment (one year a movie,
another was a magician). This year, Van suggested they could do
a third performance and make it a charity drive, inviting the
entire community.
The MC liked it enough that, after getting the okay for it, he
contacted the BISD to see if they could hold it in the HS
auditorium, which holds MANY more people than the BCA
auditorium. They liked the idea so much that they waived the
normal rental fee, except to pay security and janitorial. Toby
heard about it and liked it so much, he got volunteers to work
security and maintenance, so this is happening with basically no
costs. I even coordinated funds with the Huff Foundation to buy
the raw material for concessions. All that means basically 100%
of the money will go to the charities.
We're working with the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, and the
local food bank, along with a couple of others.
This is all going to happen the 16th, which means it'll be a bit
close, but we're hoping to get a lot done.
Heck, we're even printing up programs to sell. While people can
show up and get in with food or toy donations, we're also
selling reserved seat tickets ahead of time.
The great thing is, word of this started getting out, and the MC
was contacted by other bands and choirs wanting to participate,
so it's going to be pretty good size.
And in the meantime, Van's been doing most of the work. He's
coordinating to make sure we don't get 37 versions of O Holy
Night, and trying to get people to do some non-traditional
stuff. He's asking for help from various people, but he's done
an impressive amount of the work himself. He's even doing some
writing - like for a small scene that includes the lighting of a
menorah, while someone explains the origins of Hanakuh, and then
one of the choirs does We Are Lights.
I'm really proud of him over this - not just the hard work, but
the idea for it. However, the best part has been the time he
and I have spent listening to Christmas music, with him picking
what he really liked, and even modifying things in some cases.
#Post#: 2007--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: David M. Katz Date: December 7, 2017, 5:23 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Great news for Van!!
Will there be playing of "Welcome Christmas (Fahroo, Forhes?)"
#Post#: 2010--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: Leti Date: December 7, 2017, 7:37 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Wow, lot of work for a great thing that Van is doing!!
I hope that Fido has a part in the show :)
Hugs
Leti
#Post#: 2017--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: afinch Date: December 8, 2017, 2:35 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I can only imagine how proud you must be of him. I know I am,
and I've never met him. I am sure he is going to have a very
bright future.
#Post#: 2021--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: Jack Date: December 8, 2017, 3:51 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Leti link=topic=230.msg2010#msg2010
date=1512697033]
I hope that Fido has a part in the show :)
[/quote]
Fido should be making a couple of appearances during the show.
There'll be so many people, and so much moving around, and Van
will be making at least three costume changes, so he probably
won't be able to be on stage for the entire show, but Zeke and
Kenny are able and willing to handle rabbit wrangling duties.
#Post#: 2024--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: kalico Date: December 8, 2017, 9:26 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Omg that's so amazing and you have every right to be a very
proud daddy
I wish them all a great performance and hope y'all enjoy.....
Way to go van!
Hugs kal
#Post#: 2287--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: Jack Date: December 17, 2017, 4:46 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I just wanted to say we (and by we, I mean Van) had a great
night last night. He did fantastic.
He not only played piano for most of the show last night (nearly
3 hours of actual performance), he also danced a couple of
times, and was basically the emcee for the entire show. While I
wasn't back stage, everything seemed to run fine. He did have a
lot of help, but I know he was worried about it, and (from my
perspective, both in the audience and as an incredibly proud
dad) it went great.
This was definitely not just a standard Christmas show. He
really looked around and found some different numbers to
perform, but he also put together a few medleys on his own.
We had a big crowd, and they made a lot of money, and the
audience feedback seemed really happy with everything. As a
matter of fact, I was stuck there almost an hour later with
people wanting to talk to or congratulate Van (and I got my own
share of that as well).
The only disappointing part of the evening is that Mickey still
has two finals, and there was no way he could get them done
early enough to get here. I know Van was a little disappointed,
but Mick was really down about it. At least Parker recorded the
entire thing, and was able to Skype part of it for Mickey to
watch.
#Post#: 2295--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: kalico Date: December 18, 2017, 1:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Aw that's great that everything went off without a hitch and
everyone enjoyed it.....
Congratulations to Van and dad.....
That's to bad about mikey but I'm happy he at least got to see
some...
Hugs kal
#Post#: 3515--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: Jack Date: February 6, 2018, 4:25 am
---------------------------------------------------------
After a good run and some great behavior, Van got in trouble
last night.
We're less than four weeks from his 16th birthday. He doesn't
know that Mickey's coming home to join us (and so are most/all
his UT brothers), but he is excited about it. He doesn't know
we've reserved the entire Family Center for his party, and are
going to let the Phantoms perform, have another live band,
karaoke, and dancing, but he knows we have something going on,
and he is planning to invite his closest friends (Dex, Eddy,
Cole, and Jared).
He's also less than three weeks now from finishing his driver's
education. He's excited about it. He's also taking lessons in
the evening and having to have someone pick him up. Last night
it was Liam.
I understand he came out a few minutes late, and Liam snapped at
him. Van snapped back - hard. It seems Van had stopped in the
bathroom after class and hadn't felt like texting to let Liam
know about it.
They were mad at each other when they got home, and Liam ended
up telling me about it. I talked to Van, and Van and I went,
and he apologized to Liam. Liam also apologized - though I
pointed out to Van that his brother was doing him a favor, and
he has a right to expect Van to be on time or let him know,
though maybe he could have been a bit more polite in commenting
on it. Liam agreed that Van didn't deserve to be spanked or
have his mouth soaped, and the two of them seemed to have
smoothed things over.
I still felt Van needed to be punished, though.
To make sure I've made my point to him, Van's required to sleep
in this morning, stay home from school today, and spend at least
part of the afternoon painting, rather than working on anything
with a schedule or purpose.
Honestly, Van has been doing a great job lately, but I think
he's also getting better about not showing symptoms of stress,
which maybe isn't a great thing.
When I told him my decision and suggested he get cleaned up and
go to bed a little early, he did argue with me a bit, but not
very hard. Then he laughed a bit, and reminded me of last year,
when he wanted to stay home from school and ended up getting his
butt worn out with the brush. We both agreed that this was a
better way of doing it, but that maybe just telling me he was
getting stressed out and needed a break would be even better.
#Post#: 3525--------------------------------------------------
Re: Van Wells
By: Zyngaru Date: February 6, 2018, 3:21 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote]When I told him my decision and suggested he get cleaned
up and go to bed a little early, he did argue with me a bit, but
not very hard. Then he laughed a bit, and reminded me of last
year, when he wanted to stay home from school and ended up
getting his butt worn out with the brush. We both agreed that
this was a better way of doing it, but that maybe just telling
me he was getting stressed out and needed a break would be even
better.[/quote]
Yep, leave it to a boy to point that out.
When I want to stay home from school, I get my bottom smacked.
But when you want me to stay home from school, it is okay.
"Who can figure adults?"
*****************************************************
Next Page
You are viewing proxied material from gopher.createaforum.com. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.