Why Taiko Players Are So Happy On Stage

Today I went in for our rehearsal for the Drum Camp. Turns out I'm going to be the Demo-girl. Janet will do her talking thing, and I get to hold a steady beat and add the spice and drama to make things interesting. I'm just glad I don't have to talk, but I've got 24 hours to get down my "gallop." Today I was shaking and nervous. Don't know why. Also I was listening to the things she was saying, and they were really interesting, so my steady beat would get off. But I have to also listen for my cues, and tonight is my only night to get things down, and I have a little of tomorrow too, but I didn't record anything, so I'm going on memory here. I'll be fine, but remember how before I said I was a perfectionist, so I'm over-worrying, and I'm discovering lately that that's one of my flaws. But at least I realize that, and that's a start.

Anyhow, the real challenge of today was trying to figure out how to get all the drums and equipment into our two cars. We've got something like 15 drums for the taiko class, plus other drums for the other classes we're allowed to take, plus stands, and other miscellanity. I think Janet is going to have to take 2 trips, and my faithful jeep is packed. But since I live in a fairly urban area with lots of foot traffic, I didn't want to leave all that stuff just sitting in my car overnight. So I brought up some of the stuff to my second-floor apartment:



I'm telling you. Moving the equipment is a giant task in itself. And today was hot. And the drums are heavy. And there are steps, and lifting. And stuffing. And reconfiguring and unpacking and repacking once you get things in there. As we were doing some particularly heavy lifting, Janet was saying that the reason why taiko players are so happy on stage is because they have to do all this before they even get to be on stage. So true. Playing taiko is so much funner and happier than digging out things from their resting spots and then lugging them up and over and downstairs and around the cats and into the car. But you know what? I'm not complaining. I don't mind at all. I love it actually. Love touching and moving the drums. Love trying to figure out the puzzle of how it's all gonna fit, cause it always fits. You ever notice that? Always.