Just when I thought I’d see nothing sadder than an eating competition, LG Electronics sponsors a text-messaging competition. (Translation of entry title: Be the Fastest Texter, Ever!)

Behold the Winning Pumpkin, by flickrite Fredosan

My office building decided to hold its first annual pumpkin carving contest last week. Each company or organization in the building was allowed to enter one pumpkin.

Internally, our office held a mini-contest to determine which pumpkin would go into the building-wide competition. There were about 8 or 9 entries, and my department’s entry — the Pumpkin Burger — won.

Everything in our entry was edible, too… in theory, at least.

Today was my band’s first competition of the year: the Southern Maryland Celtic Festival and Highland Gathering. (Yes, the name is that long-winded.) To almost no one’s surprise, we placed third of three bands. That’s not to say we’re awful–because we’re not–we just haven’t perfected our playing yet.

I managed to do something astounding today, though–I, as the stand-in bass drummer, received a rather nice complement on the drumming scoresheet. I “blended well” and my drum was “nicely played.” Off the record, I heard from a couple of my drumming colleagues that the drumming judge said I had a nice touch. (This was at the end of the day, though, and by then I was so tired that at first I thought he said I had a nice tusch!)

The comment surprised me quite a bit. I’m usually pretty humble to the point of self-deprecating about my musical abilities. That was easily the best comment I’d ever gotten in my 12-year pipe band career. Naturally, it gave me something to smile about.

Normally, I play as a rhythm tenor, a rather expendable member of the tonal drum section. The comments I usually get then aren’t horrid, but they’re not exactly stellar, either. Today was different, and a pleasant surprise, as well.