...........

It comes in waves. At first you're stunned, you don't believe it's actually happening. Then the first wave hits. To fight it, you busy yourself. We had to clean the house up in the aftermath of the chili cookoff to get it ready to host some sad, stunned people. I had to wake up several residents of the house and tell them the news, plus make several phone calls. It's something I never want to do again. You should never have to wake up your friends because a friend has died.

I called work and told them I wasn't coming in. Instead, I went to the Symphony Band/Wind Symphony Concert. At several points during the concert, more waves hit. When Symphony Band played Holst's First Suite, it hit me. It was one of Branden's favorites. When the Wind Symphony played that Eric Whitacre piece, it was so beautiful, and you could feel the sadness coming from the band. You could see it on their faces. And even though half the audience had no clue what had happened, they were silent. Stunned.

Then, standing in the lobby after the concert, you see people you haven't seen yet. Andrea, bless her soul, was able and willing to come see her friends. She said that after leaving the hospital it was the only place she could have thought to go.

I went out to dinner with Ryan and Phil's folks, and was fine. They're always such happy people, and it was good to be around that. But when I got back home, reality moved back in, and as I am typing this another wave hits. It sucks.

I've never lost a close friend before, never knew anyone so young to go so soon. Branden was one of my favorite people, and was a great friend. He died doing something he loved; he loved marching band and he loved to teach. It's a shame that future kids won't be able to be taught by him.

My sympathies are also extended to the rest of the Chippewa community. They lost their band director of 22 years who loved nothing else but that band, and I can't even imagine what they are going through.

This is going to be a strange and difficult week.