April 2025 I enjoy being a sub. One of the primary reasons I practice sight-reading is the potential to get a last-minute call to sub in a band. Dear students, Yes, you can and should practice sight-reading. It will make you a better musician and get you more calls when the word gets out that you have good sight-reading chops. Sincerely, Me That is my Public Service Announcement to all students…
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When people learn about the three major career paths I have enjoyed, I usually get the following reactions. “Oh, you were a firefighter. I could never do that!” “Oh, you are a trumpet player. I used to play fourth chair harmonium in my post secondary grammar school when I was in kindergarten.” “Oh, you taught middle school band. ARE YOU CRAZY?” My responses to their reactions are pretty simple…
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The Curse of Oak Island has been a series my family and I have watched since its first airing in 2014. If you have never had the opportunity to watch the show, I will attempt to supply a brief synopsis. Two brothers read about a possible buried treasure on a Canadian Island when they were young. They always wanted to search for it, so they became successful in business, started buying land on…
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Happy New Year everyone! I have had an interesting battle with myself while writing this month’s blog. The original January 2025 blog began as follows: Ignorance - Lack of knowledge or information. Stupidity - Behavior that shows a lack of good sense or judgment. After the definitions, I had written a rant about the inability a majority of school administrators have to understand the importance of…
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“I can’t”. “I don’t want to”. “I will never be able to”. Those phrases, and many others, are typically followed by words of encouragement by a friend, teacher, or mentor meant to squash the negative talk. The intent is to boost the morale of the person who muttered the “no-can-do” phrases of defeat. A few replies would be pontificated after a person states they cannot do something. Such as…
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Every day is a training day. Never stop learning. Learn something new every day. We have all heard or read the above phrases at some point in our lives. Every day is a training day, which was like a mantra during my time in the fire service. Even when we didn’t have company, crew, or multi-department training, a majority of us did individual training. We would look over building designs from…
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Have you ever said, done, or thought something that you wish you could take back or give an apology? I will use this blog to apologize to Kenny G. I know he will never see this, nor was he ever affected by what I have said, but, I still need to apologize. The time I spent in college was a time of quick learning, a lot of trumpet playing, and too many opinions given by me. I was never the party…
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My parents were incredible. They showed me and my brother what a strong and healthy marriage looks like and they loved us unconditionally. We were punished when we did stupid stuff and we were praised when praise was appropriate. They never gave us participation trophies or accolades to ensure our egos were never damaged. We rarely went away for vacations for the simple fact that we couldn’t…
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August 2024 Keep on Keeping On Last year my August blog began with the acknowledgment of my 31st wedding anniversary to Sheryl. So, keeping with tradition, I will begin this blog with acknowledgment and deep, heartfelt love for my wife of 32 years. Sheryl and I are relearning how to do life since I have retired…once again. It is a fun adventure and I cannot begin to imagine I would do this life…
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I have seen the picture I chose for this month’s blog several times throughout the years. Each time I see it I nod my head and say, “Yup.” I have been in that position many times during my prayer time. I have been in that position many times a lot in my life. Speechless, clueless about what to say, with a million questions and requests continually buzzing through my mind. Once again, I am not…
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I am still amazed I was accepted as a music major at ISU. (GROW TREES!) This will not be a self-deprecating essay to try and gain people's sympathy, support, or saltiness. I am truly amazed that my professors, at the time of my audition, could see past what I presented and offered me a small scholarship to attend school. I have shared a little about my ISU audition, but, for those of you that…
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What does, “Living the Dream” mean? Really? Does it mean that once you have attained your dream, your goal, or what you have always aspired to be, you are finished and will be comfortable riding off into the sunset? Just like many cliches or mottos in life, it has a different meaning for everyone. My wife and I have recently had a conversation about our dreams and how will we pursue and attain…
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Originally, I was going to title this blog, “Ignorance isn’t always bliss”. The blog was going to discuss a little bit about continually learning and pursuing excellence once you are no longer ignorant about a topic. Part of my rant was going to reiterate my request that we should renew our vigor in learning. By pushing past the desire to remain ignorant. I tell my students, “There is nothing…
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In a previous blog, October 1, 2023, to be exact, I wrote about a listening exercise I subject my students to every day. I call it, “Love it, It’s okay, Throw it away”, and it has been acknowledged by my administration as having a positive impact on the students. The administration mentioned that through the listening exercise, the students write, discuss, and defend their views about a subject…
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Last month I discussed a piece of music I composed for my 7th grade band. The students named the piece, “Hot Cocoa”. I still have no idea why they decided to name it “Hot Cocoa” when they had so many other cool names they could have named it, but it is in the music files and will forever be known as “Hot Cocoa”. I also mentioned that I decided to expand the piece of music, change the key, and…
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And we are off to a new year! “Hey Dan, guess what?” “What?” “You are going to retire from the fire department, and move to Florida with the desire to play your trumpet full time, but, instead of playing your trumpet full time, you are going to be teaching middle school band full time. Pretty cool huh?”
“Yeah, pretty cool. I mean, if I had to teach, I would much rather teach middle school than any…
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“You can do it!” Many people will read the preceding sentence the same way Rob Schneider excitedly exclaims it in many Adam Sandler movies. If you have never seen Mr. Schneider in an Adam Sandler movie excitedly exclaim that encouraging earful, you may have heard someone mimic his performance in real life. My wife: “I don’t think can finish eating all of this.” Me: “You can do it!” or Student…
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VIOLET: I’m a gum chewer mostly, but when I heard about these ticket things, I laid off the gum, switched to candy bars. MRS. BEAUREGARDE: She’s just a driven young woman. I don’t know where she gets it- smile for the camera, honey. You’re representing Mommy now. VIOLET: I’m the junior world champion gum chewer. This piece of gum I’m working on right now, I’ve been chewing on for three months…
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“I love this song! It’s an oldie and I listen to it with my dad!” In my new life as a Middle School Band Director, I try to look at the positive and stay away from negativity. However, when one of my students calls “Don’t Stop Belivin’” by Journey an Oldie, the klaxons in my head begin to sound and the desire to defensively reply, “I am not old and Don’t Stop Belivin’ isn’t an Oldie!” Instead, I…
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To me, the images and thoughts I have in my mind at this moment are from memories that are only a couple of years old. Fresh, vibrant, and relative to life. In actuality, the images and thoughts in my mind are approximately 26 years old. I am quite sure if my students were to see my current memories as a movie, they would expect to see them as flickering black-and-white silent movies that have…
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On August 1st, 1992, I married Sheryl Vanderbosch. As of today, if you are reading this on August 1st, she had gone by the name of Sheryl Hauger for 31 years. Typically, I would make self-deprecating comments in my attempt to be funny, but, not today. I will still try to write funny things, but self-deprecating humor is a way to put focus on myself. This is my website, my blog, my writings, my…
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Why? Why are we, musicians? Why do we perform music? Why do we listen to music? “Why,” can be one of the most difficult questions to answer. It can also be one of the easiest questions to answer. Unless it is being asked by a toddler. Many of us have been the recipient of the barrage of “Why’s” thrown at us by a toddler with the curiosity of a detective, the inquisitiveness of a philosopher…
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A Legend, A Legacy, and A lot of Learning I scrapped my first writing of my June blog because it made me sad. The original June blog would focus on one of the closest and best friends I had ever had, George “Buddy” Haynes. When I began writing, I outlined some of his character and personality traits. That didn’t make me sad. Instead, I laughed in remembrance of his humor, friendship, and…
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A scene in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie makes me nod my head in appreciation. Every time I watch the movie, I physically nod my head at that part. Every. Single. Time. If you haven’t seen the movie, I will set up the scene and describe what the deeper meaning is for me. If you have never seen the movie but plan on watching it, you shouldn’t read the next few paragraphs. If you have…
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After I graduated from Indiana State University with a music education degree in 1995, I accepted a teaching position at the Royal Independent School District in Brookshire, Texas. Before I continue with the music story, I need to let you know it is pronounced, Brook-shure…not Brook-shire. I hope that clarification pleased my former students. I had the opportunity to teach one year at RISD, it…
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The Haug Club My little brother is a pretty cool guy. I guess I shouldn’t call him my little brother since he is about four inches taller than me. Calling him my younger brother seems to imply that I may have other siblings that are older or younger than I am. Since Mom and Dad decided to only have two kids and I am the oldest of the two, I will always call him my little brother. Jason is a smart…
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When I write blogs for this website I attempt to write them in a way that honors, acknowledges, and thanks the people that have inspired me in music and life. Before I retired from the fire department, I searched the website of the high school in the town I was moving to in order to contact the band director. I wanted to introduce myself and offer my assistance to the band. Upon my search, I…
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I met Ken Strieby while I was in middle school, at the beginning of my 8th-grade year to be exact. He was the high school band director and a legend. My middle school band director and her husband had attended college with Ken. Whenever she talked about the high school band program, she would always tell us how much we would enjoy having Mr. Strieby as our band director. Most of us had not met…
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A Slidin’ Santa, A Rodeo, and a Rivalry. Sure does sound like the beginning of the typical, “three guys walk into a bar”, joke. Although I do attempt to be humorous at times, the Santa, rodeo, and rivalry is not my attempt to tell a joke. However, I can be very funny at times. My wife will remind me, while tears are streaming down my face as I laugh about something I said, “That is only funny…
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The month of November is known for Thanksgiving, giving thanks, and being thankful. Personally, November also makes me “Think-ful”. In plain English, I am full of thoughts and memories during this time of year. In October’s post, I mentioned that I played the Haydn Trumpet Concerto during my senior year of high school. I began practicing the Haydn in November 1987 in preparation for the Solo and…
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Happy October and I hope all is well. Growing up in the Midwest, the saying, “In like a lion, out like a lamb” was bellowed by all once the month of March arrived. Something similar is not only bellowed, but preached, declared, and prognosticated for hurricane season in Florida. Hurricane Ian roared in, not like a lion, but like a hippo, jacked up on Mountain Dew, Monster drinks, and the largest…
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My listening preferences tend to lean on horn band music. If I hit shuffle while I am listening to music on my phone, I will typically listen to anything from Chicago, Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, Phil Collins, and any of the many groups that use horns in their music. When Phil Collins came out with his Face to Face album, I wanted to be the type of the trumpet players that played in Phil…
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In 2015, my wife and I began to discuss our plans after my retirement from the fire department. "I want to play my horn," I had said, "I want to go back into music full time." Her reply was, "Okay." It was the same reply she said when I decided to get out of music education and become a firefighter. The confidence and trust she has in me will always amaze me and encourage me to be the best I can…
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