Performance

Usually when I post something that my son has done, I attempt to mask my pride in his intelligence and capabilities under a veneer of psychological curiosity. But tonight you'll have to forgive me. I'm just plain proud.

Archer showed an interest in music notation last year, and we got him a beginning piano book for Christmas. He started taking once-weekly half-hour lessons at my university's community school of music in late January.

This afternoon he participated in his first recital. He played two songs from his primer. Even though a huge clap of thunder drowned out the first notes of his second song, he never wavered. It was -- dare I say -- perfect.



It's been evident for a long time that Archer doesn't suffer from stage fright. The trouble is that you don't know if he graps the seriousness of the occasion. I worried all week that he would treat it like practice. But no. He sat quietly while the other students played. He strode to the piano and played confidently. And when it was done, his huge smile showed that he knew he had done something to be proud of.

[Video titles by Noel. Let this be lesson to you: Spellcheck before you encode.]