Amber & Heavy Metal

James has done it again.

Sometimes, when James seems movies that I am not going to see, usually because they are too scary, I ask James to tell me the movie. He recounts the basic plot, throwing in some analysis and notes about the direction and acting. It's the next best thing to seeing it myself, and even better when it's a scary movie. So, I asked James to tell us the story of the medal. He relates the following.

When I started competing this summer for the first time, I was hoping to maybe get a medal eventually in Grade IV, which is the entry level. The best would be to get an AGL, Above Grade Level, on my score sheet. If you get a bunch of these, it means you're playing well enough to be in Grade III.

So far this summer I won a Silver and a Bronze in Piobreachd. And nothing in the March competition, which I feel is my weaker skill.

Today was the last competition before my wedding. I played well in Piobreachd, but I didn't realize I mixed-up a bar in the tune, and so was disqualified from placing. Then I had an hour to go before my March competition. I was very nervous and played the March many times off in the woods. I didn't like how I was playing at all and was filled with despair over it. I finally decided I'd just play the tune slow and try to express it fully. In front of the judge, as I was playing, I thought it sounded well, and I had fun playing it.

After it was over, the judge chatted with me and gave me a lot of helpful feedback. He also told me he was going to give me an AGL, the only one he had given so far that day. Later, when I went to check the results, I found out I had won First Place in March. So with the summer almost over I have a Gold, Silver, Bronze and an AGL. Now I can retire from the bagpipes and take up competitive Glockenspieling.