It's a wonderful life.

While the days get longer and longer, and my body more and more sore, I’m starting to get the hang of things and certain things are becoming easier. At the beginning I was having trouble with connecting sets, but now I can go through the whole show knowing where I’m supposed to be (almost) all the time. However, my technique doesn’t always let me get there. I can’t take big enough steps or move fast enough.

This one old guy who hangs around during visual is helping me out a lot. He’s a very sweet man and knows what to say to help me get going and struggle through. I talked to him the other day and said that I’m doing well for never having done anything of this sort before.

I’m having a hard time getting to know people still. I’m not the most outgoing person and everyone is already friends with everyone, so those two things combined don’t really help much. I’m trying my best, and slowly but surely I’ll hopefully become better friends with everyone. And I’ve got my eyes on a seat partner, so hopefully that’ll work out…

Today started off horribly. Drill was fine, but I somewhat enjoy drill. Sectional block when we bring things together always sucks. I can never remember things from the morning, but I get it eventually. I was really down on myself about this whole experience, and wasn’t do well at all, but things turned around.

By the end of the night we had run all of the drill we have learned thus far, and I did very well. I talked to one of the visual staff to ask her how I was doing and she said that although I’m still not very good, I’m making steady progress which is promising. I learned how to jazz run yesterday, and today I got to apply that in drill and nailed the halt that I kept on missing at the end of the jazz run. It’s little things like that that keep me going.

Also, today in sections we worked on this one lick and he went down the line and a lot of people were having troubles with it. I went last and played it and he said to everyone else, “that’s how it should sound”.

It’s little things like that that keep me going and think I might be able to do this.

It’s only the end of day 3 and I already feel like I’ve been here for a month. The days are long and hard. Most of my body is sunburned, including my lips, and my legs and mostly my feet hurt like hell. I’m doing a lot better at visual than I thought I would, but not as well as I need to. I’m becoming best friends with all the visual staff, and not for the good reasons. I feel like I’m making progress, but I don’t know if it’s enough. I’d like to talk to someone and see if I’m headed in the right direction and I’m not as screwed as I think I am.

The playing is the best part because I’m actually good at that. Except all we play is show music and I dont have that memorized. However tonight we sight read a piece and it was very clear that some people are only here for their marching skills and not trumpet.

Everyone has actually been very nice to me, even though I’m terrible. They check in and see how I’m doing and answer all my stupid questions. I figured that everyone would hate me cause I suck so much, but they are helping me out a lot. But they could hate me underneath, I don’t know. Except i think that some of the trumpets really don’t like me. And surprise surprise, it’s all the females. I don’t really get along with them, not that I really get along with anyone else though.

That’s it for my soap box, now to bed for a 7am wake up.

Yay drum corps!

Today was mostly a day of transport and getting settled into our place of residence. We had “PT” which was mostly just stretching and the the visual block we worked on basics which was very nice. I struggled a bit with the more advanced stuff (advanced for me anyways) but I managed.

I’m starting to get really excited to learn more and get better at marching. But more and more nervous with what the real day one will bring…

I’m currently on a train with about 15 BAC members, on our way to move-ins. A few are rookies, and a few are vets. They’re mostly telling stories, reminiscing about previous years, talking about thinking to look out for and to look forward to. It’s a ton of information to take in, and I’m trying my best to learn about the drum corps life and to pick up as many tips as possible to make this as easy as possible.

Everyone that I’ve met is very nice. I thought there would be some people that weren’t as nice as others, but all of the people here are great.

Whenever I tell vets that I’m an alternate, they always tell me not to worry, and that I’d be marching by the end of move-ins. It’s very reassuring to hear this, as well as how other people are concerned for PT and visual block.

However, I’m still very nervous. Tonight we have PT and visual. I don’t even get to play on the first day which is unfortunate because that’s the only thing I’m good at. But I just need to struggle through and do what I need to do.

I am slowly starting to freak out. I can’t march. I don’t know what I’m doing. All of these people are skinny, have been doing this forever, been to all the camps, know the music, know how to march. What the hell have I gotten myself into? Why did I think I’d be able to do this? I’m in San Francisco right now… Holy shit.

This summer, I will be marching with the Boston Crusaders as an alternate.  This means that I join them at move-ins and fill in spots when/if I’m needed and if a spot opens up, then it’ll hopefully be mine.  

I leave for California today.  In 10 hours.  This whole thing was done so quickly that I found out I was leaving on monday, and here it is thursday.  That means that I ran around everywhere the past two days, and spent a LOT of money.  

This past month has been one hell of a month.  I have been working on marching, sending in audition videos, waiting to hear back from those videos, sending another video, waiting to hear back from that video, all the while I’m finishing up at school.  It’s been a lot to deal with, but I have been doing well so far… 

Thankfully my friend Sean (who is in my studio at school) is in the Crusaders and has been there to help me along, and theres no way in hell I would have been able to even make it as an alternate without his help.  He’s there to answer all my stupid questions, let me know what drum corps is really like, and to help encourage me whenever I’m doubtful.  And unfortunately, I’m going to need a lot of help like that this summer because I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.  

But I’m going to do it anyways.  I am going to be pushed further physically and mentally than I’ve ever been before, and I’m going to do my damndest to see that I make it out on the other side.  As a Crusader.