OK, so I went to the Renegade Review with Reba last night. And today....well, after sitting for five hours on hard bleachers with no back support....today, I am a might stiff and sore. But that is not the point.
As I watched all of the top bands for this particular contest I was mildly entertained. But mostly I was longing for the good old days of military marching. You know, way back when bands marched with precision in straight lines and the spectators could tell what was happening on the field. Back in the good old days when the band was what the people watched and not the flags. And no wonder they watch the flags, I mean, never mind the fact that they are dressed in wild costumes which have nothing at all to do with the music the band is playing, never mind the fact that what they do does not even remotely resemble anything to do with marching... and now, nothing to do with flags or even rifles....more dancing and gymnastics, and never mind they seem to be from a galaxy far far away, at least they capture your attention. At this particular contest, the music was....well, not even enjoyable listening, except I still don't know how they made their instruments sound like organs....oh, maybe that was from the pit. And don't even get me started on the pit. You know, the place in front of the marching band, on the sideline. They don't march either, but they do offer something else to watch instead of the band. And when the band I came to watch, because it is the school band that my children used to march in.....back in the good old days when this school did military marching and the people when wild with excitement when they finished and loved it and begged for more! When that band took the field....it was more of the same.
Now, my children tell me that there is some value to the current style of marching and band presentation. And perhaps there is, I don't know. I just know what I like when I go see a band march. I want to see precision and not be able to keep my own feet still from the beat of the drums, recognize the sounds that come from the insturments and if they have flags...have them be the secondary show that compliments the band and not upstage it. I want a marching band to look like a marching band and not actors from Star Trek and I want to hear music that I can't get out of my head.
After the band I came to watch finished I was ready to go home. "How many more bands are there anyway/", I asked Reba. Four. The next band up was from Kickapoo High School in Springfield, KS. The show was named something about sleepy time. Huh, pretty good sized band. Pretty good marching, hey look, the flags compliment the show, and did I hear, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in there? LOOK! They made a star! WOW! A star! When they finished, the crowd stood to their feet. They loved it!
A woman came down from above to talk with me. She was the mother of another "former" band member. One who had marched with my children. Her words to me were. "Did you see that star? Is it just me, or do you miss the old style of marching too?!" No, it is not just her.
When the awards were handed out, it was just as I expected. The band I came to see took first place! They always do. But, right there, right behind them....with the award for overall technical effects....was the Kickapoo band in second place....only .20 behind 1st place. And the crowd literally gasped!
I wonder what would happen, if someone was brave enough to do a full military marching show!
I know I would love it and go wild with excitement!
I think I will go find that tape with the show my children did when they were in the band.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
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CHA-CHING!
For those of you who are too young to remember....this is all Doogie Houser's fault...all this blogging! Doogie Houser was young doctor, just a boy really. He graduated from High School at too young an age and then attended medical school graduating at the top of his class. But genius had nothing to do with how he related to the world socially so he suffered the same things that "normal" teenagers did. He would come home from his work at the hospitol and put his words to computer keys and keep track of his daily thoughts and happenings much like most teenagers did in diaries or journals. So...here we are.
I have been contemplating this blog thing for awhile, but just today finally decided to make it a reality.
Much of life is changing right now, so why not try some new things along with all the other changes.
I don't really like change very much. They say that becomes more common the older you get, and I suppose it is true. I like routine, status quo, the way things used to be. And yet, one of my favorite quotes is, "If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got!" That means if you don't want what you always got....you have to change!
So, change we do. Right now, Thor, the love of my life, is going through change on his job. What he is doing he has done before, but not for almost a decade. At first, when he told me he felt like an old dinosaur and would have to learn "how to" all over again I thought he was being silly. Until I was interviewing for jobs after 16 years and had to learn "how to" all over again. He was not being silly at all. He was being honest. There is a great deal of difference in approaching a task when you are fresh out of college and ready to take on the world idealistically and doing so when you are aware of reality. But...I am happy to say, Thor has come through with flying colors, as I knew he would, and doing a great job...at his "new" old job!
Our son, the Bohemian, has just taken a new job assignment in a new town. He has been struggling with living without his family until they can sell their house or at least rent it and move to his new location with him. It has been difficult and is getting really tiresome after five months. But, there does seem to be some parting of the clouds. The Bohemian, the Busy Bee, Mr. Golden Curls, and the Lil' Spitfire are all looking forward to the one change that will bring them all under one roof!
Our daughter, Lizardbreath, and her husband, the Rock have just returned home after being gone for nearly a month attending a business convention in Nevada and visiting Thor and I in Oklahoma. Today they are having a Princess Birthday Party for The Princess. She will be six on Tuesday! That does not seem possible. And yet another change is occuring....we are not able to be there! This is the first birthday we have missed for any of our 6 grandchildren....and I hope it will be the last. But gas prices and the fact that I will be leaving for Colorado with Tickle Sister on Tuesday made the trip impractical, especially since they were just here last week. But, we called her today and the Princess said it was alright, she got the present we sent her.
Well, time for another change. I must leave this computer and go keep Thor company....I know he is just waiting for me to add conversation and comments to his television viewing pleasure.....What?!
I have been contemplating this blog thing for awhile, but just today finally decided to make it a reality.
Much of life is changing right now, so why not try some new things along with all the other changes.
I don't really like change very much. They say that becomes more common the older you get, and I suppose it is true. I like routine, status quo, the way things used to be. And yet, one of my favorite quotes is, "If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got!" That means if you don't want what you always got....you have to change!
So, change we do. Right now, Thor, the love of my life, is going through change on his job. What he is doing he has done before, but not for almost a decade. At first, when he told me he felt like an old dinosaur and would have to learn "how to" all over again I thought he was being silly. Until I was interviewing for jobs after 16 years and had to learn "how to" all over again. He was not being silly at all. He was being honest. There is a great deal of difference in approaching a task when you are fresh out of college and ready to take on the world idealistically and doing so when you are aware of reality. But...I am happy to say, Thor has come through with flying colors, as I knew he would, and doing a great job...at his "new" old job!
Our son, the Bohemian, has just taken a new job assignment in a new town. He has been struggling with living without his family until they can sell their house or at least rent it and move to his new location with him. It has been difficult and is getting really tiresome after five months. But, there does seem to be some parting of the clouds. The Bohemian, the Busy Bee, Mr. Golden Curls, and the Lil' Spitfire are all looking forward to the one change that will bring them all under one roof!
Our daughter, Lizardbreath, and her husband, the Rock have just returned home after being gone for nearly a month attending a business convention in Nevada and visiting Thor and I in Oklahoma. Today they are having a Princess Birthday Party for The Princess. She will be six on Tuesday! That does not seem possible. And yet another change is occuring....we are not able to be there! This is the first birthday we have missed for any of our 6 grandchildren....and I hope it will be the last. But gas prices and the fact that I will be leaving for Colorado with Tickle Sister on Tuesday made the trip impractical, especially since they were just here last week. But, we called her today and the Princess said it was alright, she got the present we sent her.
Well, time for another change. I must leave this computer and go keep Thor company....I know he is just waiting for me to add conversation and comments to his television viewing pleasure.....What?!
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