The wearing of the green...with Khaki pants

Symphonic band members prepare for Ireland by rehearsing music (and by wearing green evidently!)

According to the incredibly accurate source, Wikipedia, "'The Wearing of the Green' is an Irish street ballad lamenting the repression of supporters of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is to an old Irish air, and many versions of the lyric exist, the best-known being by Dion Boucicault.  The song proclaims that "they are hanging men and women for the wearing of the green".  The revolutionary Society of United Irishmen adopted green as its color, and supporters wore green-colored garments, ribbons, or cockades. This was considered sedition by the Dublin Castle administration which included British occupying forces, and often resulted in prosecution by the authorities or violent reprisals by loyalist mobs." 

There were no loyalist mobs in rehearsal today, but green seemed to be a prevalent color, perhaps a sign of excitement about the upcoming Ireland trip!

A few things to remember this week as you begin packing:
1.  Have you exchanged your currency yet?  If you are planning to take Euros with you, you need to contact your bank or AAA this week to allow time for the transaction.  A credit/ATM card is a option as well, but remember to let your bank know that you will be traveling in Ireland so that your card isn't suspended due to a fraud alert.

2.  Do you have Khaki pants that fit?  I only ask if they fit because I am a middle school band director and every year at our first concert the students (no offense, but read boys here) are stumped at how their pants are too short!  "But they fit last year!"   Morale of the story:  have Khaki pants to wear with your official band jacket for performances.

3.  Do you have an extra SD card for your camera?  If you are planning to go old school and use your camera for photos instead of your phone remember that you'll be taking loads of photos and you don't want to run out of storage space.  SD cards are pretty cheap these days, you might even consider using a new SD card just for your Ireland photos.

4.  Did you weigh your suitcase?  Remember, the weight limit is 50 pounds.   If you weigh it at home you will be better prepared to reconsider some items if it is too heavy.  I would plan on keeping the weight under 45 pounds if not lighter so that you can save room and weight for any souvenirs that you want to bring home.  Flute, oboe and clarinet players may wish to include the instrument in the suitcase so that it doesn't have to be considered a carry-on item.

This weekend is a great time to pack! Even if there are clothes that you need to wear and wash again before you actually pack you can get everything in your suitcase this weekend and keep a list.  If you start packing over the weekend you have plenty of time for any last minute purchases.

Happy packing!
 -Mrs. Granlund
By the way, only 9 days, 11 hours, 34 minutes and 45 seconds left until we depart!