Hey, I guess, I uh, never really wrote about state!

Well, my school’s band did the best in our school’s history, 84.78, 10th place out of 28 bands. The best band in our county once again.

Yeah, that’s great. It really is.

Success does not really matter if you didn’t enjoy it, though.

Yeah, I liked winning…who doesn’t? It feels good. It made me feel happy.

But the journey, it truly is what counts. And this year, my journey with this band was…un-fulfilling. I mean, I was with my baritone, and that’s all that really kept me here. Baritone has made my band life worthwhile. This year I realized that home truly is my baritone.

And you can’t take away my home.

“But rather than let chance take me,
I’ll take a chance on leaving
It’s that or stay and die
I loved you once and though
You love me still I know
It’s time for me to fly.”

My [former] director tried to do this, so I knew I simply could not stay. If I’m not needed here, I’m needed somewhere else, and I know somewhere I am wanted and I will be there next year instead.

It took me a lot to stand up to him, but I stood my ground. And now I have never been happier!

Explicitly, he was trying to make me play clarinet. And I simply do not derive joy from playing clarinet anymore; sort of heartbreaking, but it’s true. I wouldn’t have given it my all had I played it. I would have been miserable and I would have brought the band down in the process. The best thing I could have done was leave and I am glad I did.

“Sometimes the clothes do not make the man.”

Though I hold the ability to play clarinet…sadly, I am not a clarinetist anymore.

Most of the band doesn’t understand right now (well, of course, they’ve only heard one side ;P) but…they’ll move on. They don’t need me.

Everything’s going to be fine.

We’re not going to the mall after semi-finals. We’re driving straight to Tropicana Dome to wait for finals to start. Everyone keeps saying, OH THEN WE’LL JUST HAVE TO MAKE FINALS.

Here’s the damn thing. We’re NOT getting finals.

WE ARE NOT.

Okay? I said it. I fucking said it.

Everyone is kidding themselves. Everyone must be on some meds. I wish I could have some of those, where you could be optimistic and stuff. But no, we are not going to make it to finals and I am so tired of hearing about it!

We are not a finals band. You can’t make a finals band in two weeks. We’re making our band. We’ve made our band better this season. We can’t jump from 17th place to 5th. It’s. Not. Logical.

Better yet, we can’t go from 10th place at Santa Fe finals, being beaten out by 1A bands. We can’t go from barely beating Eustis and Umatilla. We most certainly cannot be a finals band if we can’t even make Hurricane Pride finals.

I wish I could yell this to our band. I wish, how I wish. But I would be branded negative, I would be branded pessimistic, and you know what? I am. But I’m also realistic, which is more than what I can say for them.

Can you tell I’m burnt out yet? I’m done with this season, these people, these seniors. Get them out. I’m done.

Ugh, I have band practice tomorrow.

—

State: 5 days.

FBA: We did not receive straight superiors, I expected this. Moving on.

—

State: 5 days.

Two separate posts to update: here’s your Santa Fe post, which is very much long overdue.

I went in tired, watching Wesley sleep and listening to Frankie Rose and the Outs. Not very much hype music as much as calm-the-fuck-down music. Which…I was calm to begin with. I went in with semi-high expectations. I thought we would do very well, and I very much wanted us to make finals, but I was scared of Winter Haven. They had no FMBC traceable history for the past two years. I thought we were doomed.

We went into warm-ups and we did okay. And then we went on the field and we played our show and, you know, stuff like that. I got my chili cheese hot dog and chili cheese fries and everything was glorious.

Awards came and we got a superior in…everything…all the captions. I was scared because some of the “best in” caption awards went to other 2A bands but…then we ended up getting best in our class…so.

We made it to finals. At the Southern Showcase of Champions.

We didn’t even do that when we came to this competition in 2002 and stuff. My band has made history.

We were the first finalist band on, so our director came to our stands and told us that warm-up was in 20 minutes. We ran out of the stands, and it was so…beautiful. I loved those moments.

We warmed up and…we went on the field and our score went down a bit of course but we still did well and oh my gosh that night was…perfect.

I don’t care what the hell happens at the end of the season now. We’ve got our Grand Championship, we’ve got our full retreat. I am a happy camper.

Well…I guess I can’t still say that. This year, I want to break 79. That’d be sweet.

FBA post up next ~

—

Last football game: 3 days. State: 12 days.

Lol that year that Citrus won 2A state (2002), Santa Fe was a 1A…figures. Still awesome, and I love Citrus band, but I figured something like that happened.

Freaking Santa Fe with their awesomeness and intensity. They’ve always been this good.

Our line-up for Santa Fe’s Southern Showcase of Champions this week looks good. Key word: Looks. I’ve done some analysis and I invite you to witness my novice statistics-crunching.

Here’s exactly what I’ve written in my notes.

Class 2A

Crystal River: The underdog and one to look out for. 63.95 10/8
Citrus: Not looking too good. Might be a comeback kid. 62.93 10/15
Winter Haven: Cannot find any records from this season or last. WTF? According to Wikipedia they’re made of awesome, so I’m a bit scared.
North Marion: Feel a little threatened. 65.1 10/8
Lecanto: {insert bias here}. 68.1 10/15.

There are a combined seven bands competed in the 3A, 4A and 5A classes. Ten bands advance to finals. This leaves room for the 1A champion, 2A champion, and the next placing band (assuming that all 3A-5A bands make finals, which they most likely will). This does not give us too much wiggle room if we do not win 2A.

I am optimistic, however. We are really pushing it this week and have been working on our visuals, GE, and music. We’re touching all the bases and really pushing it.

Crystal River is really making a comeback this year and I am so happy.

Citrus intimidated us at a football game after we performed poorly and I am surprised at their latest score. They will most likely improve heavily.

I am very excited for this weekend. This is the first time in a very long time that the entirety of Citrus County have been competing in a competition together! Exciting. Yes.

I am very dismayed that this season is passing so quickly. It is slipping from my fingertips. I must make it last.

—

Santa Fe: 3 days. FBA: 10 days. Last football game: 15 days. State: 24 days.

theycallmegabolicous:

We won the Ocala Marching Festival Small Band Grand Champion. We beat our rival. We made our drum major cry (tears of joy of course) and our alumni proud. But most of all, our band director.

As we scrambled off the bleachers toward our drum majors and the color guard section leader on the field, my section leader and I noticed that he was standing off a little toward the side. He was looking around at us. His expression was full of pride… and something else. At practices, some members of the band didn’t put their all into it. But I have a feeling that they did at the competition. And I think that he noticed it. I hope that those members are inspired to do their all for the rest of the season.

Let’s bring it at practice. Let’s make this band better than ever.

I’ve never seen him so happy, ever. It gave me hope.

There was no update with the football game because we got rained out. It was their homecoming, so we were to perform after the game. One of our players got injured during third quarter, so our halftime-third quarter break was greatly extended. We met some really kind and nice band members—the nicest I’ve ever met!

And that’s your football update. This week was our bye week. I spent Friday night with my boyfriend instead of going to the optional practice we had. No lower brass showed up to it…ouch.

This did not impair how we performed at the Ocala Marching Band Festival, however.

At the conclusion of band camp, August 5th, I wrote that Umatilla would have to watch themselves, as we were out for blood this year.

We completed our show a week ago and were cleaning it throughout practices. If you don’t know the plot of our show, Journey Home, here it is:

Soldier (a volunteer from our school’s ROTC) has been away from home a long time. Has a wife (our colorguard captain) at home that misses him. The wife represents him throughout the show as he can’t exactly spin a flag. Intro “Coming Home” has the solider realize he is finally returning home. However, opener “Apollo Unleashed” reveals problems that the soldier will face, and the path created in the intro is blocked. Ballad “Home” further reflects on the theme of wishing to return home after a long journey. Once again, the soldier believes he is very close to home. But just as before, Frank Ticheli cannot let him get what he wants (closer “Profanation”). At the conclusion of “Profanation”, the sun has risen on the soldier’s problems and the path is illuminated, bringing him home at last to the triumphant “Paradiso”.

Our drum major always cries at the end, out of happiness.

I tell you this because we nailed the show yesterday. I have never seen our drum major so proud at the conclusion of a show. She described the show as the best we have ever done at the West Port (Ocala) competition.

We were the first 2A band on, so the odds didn’t really look in our favor statistically. We were the smallest 2A band there, with only 31 horns. We stayed for a while before awards. I ate chili cheese fries twice, had passion mango and root beer snow cones, napped in the grass next to my boyfriend, and talked with some Hernando, North Port, and Suwannee kids (many of whom complimented my Oshawott hat).

We, of course, watched a lot of bands, mostly 3A and 4A. My favorites were Eastside, Vanguard, University, and Leesburg. Eastside (a Wizard of Oz show) had a more traditional band spin, and I ended up enjoying it. Vanguard (“Knight Train”, locomotive themed) had a very creative show and TRAIN WHISTLES and bales of hay with the trumpets and mellophones on it and I really liked it. University High School’s show gave me chills. Leesburg (“Bounce”, exactly what it seems like) really used their budget. So much creative guard equipment, and mini trampolines. I especially loved the saxophone soloist: both soprano and alto. It has to be heard to be believed—this kid was fantastic.

Finally awards came and I went in with higher expectations than usual. We proceeded to get the following: Excellents in General Effect, Music, and Auxiliary; Superiors in Marching and Maneuvering and Percussion; and a Distinguished Superior for Drum Major. We were the only band to receive a Distinguished Superior for DM. We won Best in Class Drum Major as well.

The moments I had been waiting for: best in class and grand champion awards. We were completely shocked when Umatilla received 3rd place. The smug grin on their drum major’s face that I had wanted to punch off since one year ago faded completely. When Eustis received 2nd place, I was completely shocked. By this time I was already faint from screaming for the percussion and drum major awards. I prepared myself and then completely gave myself in these moments: 1st in class, 2A. A 1A band even beat Umatilla for 1A & 2A grand champion.

Lecanto High School, Small Band (1A & 2A) grand champion.

I had to sit down within three seconds as I felt very, very faint.

The tears streaming down Alexis’ face. Alexis, Ryan, and Marlee pointing to us. The cheers and tears. The high fives, the congratulations, the pictures, the Kelly trophy.

Yesterday was a fairytale.

I do continue this isn’t the peak of the season. It surely should get even better.

—

Santa Fe: 13 days. FBA: 20 days. Last football game: 25 days. State: 34 days.

-justimagine:

Just sayin’ :D
Oh today was a good day. Very good day.