Surely You're Joking

Some time during 1996, while attending Austin Community College, a physics professor of mine recommended the book, Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman! to the class.  Impressed by the recommendation and review, I read it.  Here was a Nobel prize winning physicist, a noted professor, and a hand drummer.   Mr. Feynman seemed to be having all kinds of fun and he enjoyed immense popularity with his students and the staff.  

Having just finished this book, I felt redeemed and liberated.  If an intellectual  of Feynman's status and character could get away with having so much fun on the hand drums so could I, even if I had already decided to study and become an engineer.  

Wait, I'll back up for a moment.  In case you've been following the timeline of the blog:

• 1992-1993, Ken, Daniel, and Marc Geraci went off to form a new band called Restless Native.
•  Fall 1994, Gary Geraci, age 30, enrolled back in community college
• not really sure however of what to major in. 

• 1994-1995, Restless Native members split
• Ken and Daniel Geraci  join/form the band Midnight Sons and
• played a performance at Rock Island in San Antonio and
• performed a show at Raul's Reunion in Austin, TX, 
• Gary Geraci mixed sound for the band.
• Gary Geraci receives a US Patent and declares civil engineering as his course of study.

• 1996, Ken, Daniel, and Gary Geraci, all three at once, find themselves working in computer sales at Austin Direct/Austin Computers (remember Scottie , the Star Trek engineer (James Doohan);  for a short time, he was the commercial spokesman for  the soon to fail Austin Computers).
• Gary Geraci begins attending UT Austin, College of Civil Engineering

Though I had sold all of my music equipment relating to guitar playing by then, I had not completely given up on music - in fact, music never leaves you,  even though you may leave it. 

During October 2006 I took a big leap and purchased my first set of Toca congas.  I began to teach myself to play by following the instruction and lessons provided in hand drumming books and videos.   By June of the following year I was confident enough to answer and ad for private conga lessons and call famed Austin percussionist and founder of One World Theatre, Mr. Hart Stearns.  

After a few lessons, Mr. Stearns was kind enough to offer me a performance opportunity, with other hand drummers playing together, on the stage of his new theatre.  Surely you're joking! I think it was for a charitable event for children, but I declined, terrified of course.