Lots of stuff to fix when you are the band teacher. The instruments, of course. Loose music stands are a constant issue. Electronic keyboards and amps need love occasionally. Ms. Vasco and I would do as many repairs as we could in-house. Many an afternoon she stayed late and slaved over a hot soldering iron. [previous sentence designed to elicit a "tsk!!" from the aforementioned Ms. Vasco] The school nurse would send kids who broke their eyeglass frame to me. Tiny screws for flute and clarinet often work in glasses. Superglue is always good.

I spy with my little eye ...

Top shelf - a green tool box filled with different screws, washers, nuts, nails and various metal thing-a-majigs - bottom half of a clarinet to be stripped for parts - old broken microphone for use as a prop in the school play - misc power bricks - oil can - WD 40 - battery tester - bleach wipes - ground lifter - liquid glue - a candle my sweet wife gave me - valve oil - a trombone mouthpiece stashed there by a kid who was too lazy to carry it to his backpack.

Middle shelf - assorted light bulbs - rolled up leather pouch containing all materials and tools needed to make oboe reeds. It is handmade and was given to me during

my time as a legitimate oboeist. The razor knife has a straight blade so it can be used by both left and right handed people - several long skinny light bulbs for music stand lights - several plastic cups filled with gently used 9 volt batteries. These will be used for wireless body mics at rehearsals for the next school play. We use every battery until it is dead dead - a guitar tuner - cup of AA batteries - several broken SM57 microphones - a piece of granite left over from my kitchen - a deck of playing cards

Bottom shelf - the actual tool box - weatherstripping - potentiometer cleaner - clarinet being repaired - drum pad - string - gorilla tape - tie wraps - several plastic parts boxes containing stick-on clarinet/sax/flute pads and corks, small screws and springs, other very cool stuff.

I played the oboe for 20 years, beginning in junior high school. I mostly struggled with it. However, I was really good for 14 minutes. Shubert's Symphony #8 in Bm, D.759 "Unfinished" movement I - allegro moderato. For 13 minutes and 57 seconds I was a god. My reed was perfect, my embouchere felt relaxed. I WAS IN TUNE!!! A hauntingly beautiful oboe part. I nailed it.