slimzim

BLACKLISTED: In September the Knoxville Symphony invited me to their blind audition for Principal Clarinet, which I won by unanimous vote. Two days later their CEO called and refused to hire me, citing my ousting from the Nashville Symphony six years ago for resisting DEI as the reason, and instead gave the job to my runner-up, an obvious DEI hire who’s still in college. In response I sued the Knoxville Symphony two weeks ago for a year’s salary plus $25k for the 100 hours I spent practicing for the audition. This isn’t just about money though, it’s also about pushing back against these symphony CEOs who continue to put race and politics above merit and skill. Someone has to save our symphonies from being sacrificed on the altar of “diversity” and no one is better positioned to do it than me. Wish I didn’t have to do it but I’m doing it anyway. I was excited to take the stage with the Knoxville Symphony but instead I’ll see them in court. If Knoxville thought I’d walk away from this they were sorely mistaken.

No one says ‘flautist’ by the way – except Brian on ‘Family Guy’ which is what makes this joke funny:

Surprise, I didn’t play clarinet at my mom’s church, I played flute. I’m not a serious flutist (don’t have a nice horn, never took lessons) but I can pull it together if I have to. Always fun playing there, between the flute and my new haircut the congregation was quite confused!

Had a little time between Mass and mom’s church so got McDonald’s, perfect opportunity cause my family doesn’t care for their breakfast but in my opinion it’s the best by a mile. Maybe it’s a girl thing.

Mass fit for Mother Teresa Catholic Church out in Nolensville, one of only two ties in the building. Much different than my beloved St. Mary’s downtown but I’m playing at my mom’s church this morning so I caught an early Mass down the street .

Gm daily bread This is the day the Lord has made

Ironically I’m worse off having won the Knoxville audition and been denied the job than I would’ve been if I’d lost the audition. I put the whole process online from start to finish, posting clips of me practicing all along the way. If I’d lost it would’ve been a bit embarrassing but it would’ve blown over and that would’ve been the end of it. But in refusing to hire me the Knoxville Symphony broadcast my ‘unhirability’ to the entire industry and tried setting the precedent that orchestras don’t have to honor the results of blind auditions if they don’t like the winner when the screen comes down. They essentially dared me to challenge them in court and that’s what I’m doing. Knoxville Symphony has been humiliated in the court of public opinion but the leftist stranglehold on the institution hasn’t been loosened. That’s the ultimate goal of this lawsuit, not just my personal benefit but doing damage to the leftist leadership class fighting phantom injustices while running our orchestras into the ground. This fight has taken years off my life and at times I feel totally alone on the battlefield but the end is near. Not giving up.

Guy must be new here and therefore unaware of my skin in the game: I laid down my dream career in defense of principle, suffered social death, then birthed a successful software career. I take endless vitriol online and off, I won the first blind audition I took after getting canceled, then sued the Knoxville Symphony for refusing to hire me. I’ve been SWATted, had lunatics show up on my doorstep, and been stabbed in the back by people I thought were my friends (whom I’ve since exposed as the traitorous frauds that they are). Yet in spite of all that I have a beautiful family, strong faith, a top physique and an interesting life. I also enrich the timeline with exquisite clarinet playing, pictures of bread and even insightful thoughts now and then, all under my own name. If this isn’t “manning up” then show me what is, anon.

For those asking about my Knoxville Symphony lawsuit: It’s ongoing, can’t talk about it but I remain optimistic. Regardless how it ends up, me getting the job I rightfully won via blind audition is not a possible outcome. My symphony career is permanently over. I don’t have another audition in me because I’m too rooted in Nashville to relocate and I have no faith in the audition process anymore anyway. The lawsuit will blow over, everyone will know I won my last audition fair and square behind a screen and I’ll never play in a symphony again. I look forward to the next thing, whatever it is.

Posting less because I'm all reruns at this point. Every 2018 prediction I made about DEI's demise of the symphony industry came true, I fought against it in my own orchestra but the bad guys won and now they control everything and I'm out forever. Finally admitting defeat, don't feel like kicking against the pricks anymore. The bad guys won and the wealth of knowledge I spent my best years acquiring has no relevance in the world they are building. The glorious life I enjoyed as a symphony musician is no longer available to anyone. Glad I experienced it for a dozen years but at times I wish I hadn't because it's impossible to live up to. The more I think about it the harder it is. Hence I've been saying less lately.

Is there a way to block every post containing this

Gm daily bread Chaos

Playing clarinet all day every day instead of working in tech would fix me.

Gm daily bread Fish on Friday

Hard day for my wife, got her some Pad Thai from our favorite place. Chatted with sad-looking owner who said his mother died last week at age 94. “She opened this place, right?” I asked, he nodded saying “50 years ago this year.” I said “My wife’s been at the hospital with her mom all day today, your Pad Thai’s her favorite, I’m bringing her some to cheer her up.” Owner looks up and smiles, I say “No doubt your mom’s looking down very happy about this.” Feels so good when the right words are there. Nice moment between friends.

New picture obtained by the Russian National Museum of Music showing legendary composer Dmitri Shostakovich with his cat in July 1973. Nice seeing the sensitive side of the most "Stick it to the Man" composer who ever lived, he's one of my favorites.

Gm daily bread Stay focused

Giving software demo at work, use name ‘Beatrice Alighieri’ during demonstration and get a DM from very smart team member. Turns out prior to tech she taught Dante’s ‘Inferno’ to high school students, she’s visited the relevant sites in Italy and she gave her daughter the middle name of Beatrice. You need to be hiding Dantean Easter eggs in your work and finding the noticers.

“Equinoctial”, new song by Bonobo with Ichiko Aoba. Hadn’t heard the word, then I encountered it in a summary of the opening of Dante’s “Inferno”: “It is the Easter season, the time of the resurrection, and the sun is in its equinoctial rebirth.” Beautiful word, beautiful music:

Old guy walking his dog as I'm checking the mail, tells me he almost bought my house when he moved into the neighborhood. "Want to buy it now?" I joked, he laughs and says "That was 34 years ago, I'm all paid off now." That'll be me someday.