I drum. It is what I do. My nervous tick is tapping my foot and drumming on my knees. In high school, when I was in band, drum line was literally my life. Now, as I have grown older and only drum as a hobby when I have the time, I have taken the foundation of my passion and turned it into an everyday lifestyle. The drummer in a band is an integral component. Necessary to keep the beat steady, to provide rhythm and continuity, occasionally being appreciated, but never the center of attention. The drummer is always a valuable support for those around him. I feel that this is the way I live my life. I do the things that I need to do to keep things going steadily, to provide a comfortable routine, and to allow the people around me to thrive. I'm perfectly fine with working behind the scenes to make the bigger picture appear. I try to keep things on an even keel, a comfortable routine, and a steady beat. I do what I do to be the backbone of my world.
I have never enjoyed confrontation. I like to live a calm life with minimal conflict and optimum balance. I have a tendency to fall into a routine that I will keep up for months, even years, at a time. When someone around me gets off beat, a bright red flag goes up in front of me and I do whatever it takes to get them back on tempo. When a bump in the road comes along, I do my best to smooth it out. I act as a mediator and try to return myself, and those around me, to harmonious homeostasis as soon as possible... in the same way a drummer controls the tempo and pulse of music. Even at times when I have to sacrifice a little glory for the good of the group, I do what I do. A drummer never loses the beat; he keeps it steady and even. I am a drummer. It is who I am.
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