Just a brief entry into Danny's Diary this week as the writer (that's me) of said diary has been tied up in - gasp - my son's high school graduation.
Yep, that's right. Gregory Allen Jones, the writer of Singing News' "Minor Details" and an all around good egg, has joined the ranks of millions of other graduates and is about two and a half months away from his first semester of college work. I'll have more about that in a moment.
Many Singing News subscribers will remember Gregory as a six or seven year old, standing on stage with me at various concerts around the country as I've pitched the magazine more times that Phil Neikro threw a knuckleball. You've also watched along with his mother and me as he grew...and grew...and grew. Now, he's about half-a-foot taller than me (which, I must admit, is no great feat considering how short I am), and fortunately for all of us, he's much smarter than I.
Please, no comments.
Many of you have asked about his future plans, and will he be involved in the magazine. He'll continue to write his bi-monthly column, and more than likely, you'll see a feature article or two before long.
Now, about that college thing...
About a year ago, I wrote a column talking about Gregory and his pick for a future school. You may remember that I gently hinted that he might consider my alma mater, the University of Georgia. Christina (my wife, his mother) was offering subtle hints that the Georgia Institute of Technology was a good option, although I've questioned her sanity in saying such a thing.
Several other people were throwing suggestions at him. Jim Cumbee mentioned that little school where he got his diploma (Harvard - you may have heard of it); Libbi Stuffle said if he was smart, Gregory would go to the University of Georgia (she's a bright woman, that Libbi); her husband Tracy said that the only real obvious choice was the University of Tennessee (yeah, well...); Kenneth Kirksey pointed toward his alma mater, Auburn University (don't even get me started on that one); Jeff Stice begged him to go to the University of Kentucky (but I think Jeff was just trying to get free tickets to UK basketball games); Then names like Duke, Chapel Hill and Stanford came up. Jerry Kirksey even said something about University of Florida.
So what did Gregory choose?
Tulane University.
Huh?
Didn't see it coming, did you? We didn't, either. But it's a great school and they've been a first-class organization to work with in recent months. If the next four years are as pleasant as the last four months have been, Gregory's college experience will be full of highlights.
In the meantime, I'm trying to return all that Georgia Bulldog stuff I bought for his use; Christina's is fretting that the Yellow Jackets lost a good student; Jim's saying "at least he didn't go to Yale;" Libbi's taken Gregory off her Christmas card list; Tracy is asking just what kind of school would have a team called the "Green Wave;" don't get me started on Kenneth and Auburn; Jeff's calling other graduating seniors, still trying to get those UK basketball tickets; and Jerry's asking "Tulane? Where's Tulane?" (The answer, by the way, is New Orleans.)
Nonetheless, I'm a proud parent, just as is Christina. We've been blessed to have a great child and now that he's a young man, we're as excited as any parent can be to see what is in his future.
Congratulations, Gregory!
Maybe I can dye some of those Georgia Bulldogs shirts green...