The days are just packed

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Reason (and Day) #14,926 that I love living in the Bay Area

Yesterday was an absurd, hilarious, serendipitous, and memorable afternoon on the Coast.

Since mid-March, I have been extremely cautious regarding physical interactions with others during this pandemic – wearing face covering, maintaining appropriate distancing, and avoiding physical contact. Saturday afternoon was only the second time since mid-March that I had seen close friends face-to-face in person (mouths and noses covered).

A few days ago, one of my Montana Crew [our group that has vacationed together in Big Sky Country for many memorable adventures this century] inquired about getting together on the Coast for a brief (and safe) visit. I recommended a coastal bluff a 4-mile bike ride from my home, where parking was generally available and there wasn’t much foot traffic, and with enough space to spread out. We agreed to meet at 5 PM, BYOMask, etc. We observed all appropriate guidelines re: spacing, facemasks, outdoors, and no physical contact [which was difficult for everyone, given how huggable I am]. Additionally, I arranged for a 5:45 video call with our Montana-based MT Crewmates in Bigfork.

We were having a great time seeing and catching up with one another. At around 5:30, about 30 or 35 yards away, a band of 5 percussionists and their party set up and began playing Latin rhythms. The first two things we thought: well, this should add some spice to our video call; and Santana’s performance of “Soul Sacrifice” at Woodstock was amazing.

Our 15-minute video call was warm, funny, and just what each of us needed – and you could dance to it. I stuck around until 6:30, talking and laughing and grooving to the rhythms, with friends I hadn’t seen in 7 months. After I hit the trail, as my friends were packing up to go, they chatted with the musicians. It turns out that one of the percussionists was Chepito Areas, who played in Santana at Woodstock.

Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart, when I can hear it beat out loud.

P.S. I subsequently took credit for booking the band for our get-together.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

A Letter to the Antietam High School Class of 2020

To the Antietam High School Class of 2020:

Congratulations to my fellow Mountaineer alumni for the achievement of your commencement and all the efforts and lessons that brought you to this inflection point in your lives. It’s a big deal, and I hope that you’ll be able to celebrate together soon.

Thank you to the faculty and administration for your commitment and sacrifices to public education, and for your work and guidance that brought the newest graduates to this occasion.

Thank you and congratulations to all the parents, guardians, family, and friends for providing the community that has nurtured, mentored, motivated, and protected this class of graduates.

I cannot overstate how honored I am to have been invited to speak at your commencement ceremony, 41 years after my own ceremony on that same stage in my old school. I was looking forward to meeting you, celebrating your successes, sharing handshakes and hugs, and catching up with local friends. I am crushed that you’ve had to be grounded and physically separated from one another, missing out on the traditional events and activities of your final AHS Spring Quarter, alongside people who have been, and will be, your life-long friends.

I was going to wax a little nostalgic about some of the shared experiences you and I have had growing up in this community, even separated by four decades: summer days at the pool; winter snow days shoveling neighbors’ sidewalks; first jobs at local restaurants and other businesses; and mostly, the spirit and ethos of this community. Some of you will be moving away from here soon, but you will find that when you return and reunite with your classmates, time slips away quickly. Old stories and inside jokes resurface. Embrace this bond you share and take it with you wherever you’re headed next. That bond with Antietam will still be here when you return.

I also planned to speak about framing our lives as individual journeys with various inflection points or crossroads along the way, and that how we respond to them makes each of our journeys unique. Some of these points, such as your commencement or whatever your next steps will be (be it continuing your education, serving in the military, or beginning some other professional vocation), are events for which you can plan. As you find your way to and through these inflection points, I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone. Try something new: maybe public speaking; zip-lining over a forest canopy; learning another language or musical instrument; or introducing yourself to that person you think is totally out of your league.

Other times, circumstances and inflection points find us. (Ya think?!?) When I drafted my speech in January (which seems like years ago), I was going to tell a story about my brief college-football career, and how a very negative experience eventually led to some moments of grace. As all of us work toward the other side of this pandemic, please keep your eyes and mind open to opportunities for growth and enlightenment.

Once more: Class of 2020, congratulations to you and to the community that has been with you on your journey. This is your time.

Go Mounts!

Gary Tyrrell

Mount Penn High School Class of 1979

Monday, July 22, 2013

Polebridge (MT) Independence Day Parade 2013

Having attended the same parade in 2012, we decided that this year we would participate by entering a float. Fueled on wine and Pisco Sours at a dinner party in April, we formulated our plan. For this community on the North Fork of the Flathead River, we would present [in high-concept, low-budget style] "A Tribute to Fly-fishing: Tie Me, Fly Me, Bite Me, Reel Me".

Our efforts won us the hearts of the people of Greater Polebridge, and, according to the Hungry Horse News, 2nd place in the parade. We'll likely take the next couple of years off from "marching", but look out for us in 2016!

Monday, July 15, 2013

One year between posts...

The days are just packed, and they fly by...
The next photo posts that I upload will be from our July 2013 holiday in Montana, featuring our 2nd-place-winning performance in the Polebridge Independence Day parade.
Hopefully, I can back-fill the blog with photos from my activities/adventures between my Montana visits, including: visit to the Homeland and the Philly Folk Festival in August 2012; Big Island in September 2012; Mom's 95th birthday celebration in October 2012; 115th Big Game in October (October???) 2012; Stanford-Colorado football in November 2012; Thanksgiving 2012 in Half Moon Bay; 4 generations together for Christmas 2012 in Lake Havasu City; Rose Bowl 2013; Boston in June 2013; and spending many a great day on my bike on the Coast over the past year.
Whew!