Sing Your Brains Out On The Way Home

I'm going to go ahead and begin this post with our scoring for tonight. We placed 5th out of 18 group 2A bands and COLORGUARD GOT 2nd IN THE STATE, DOWN BY ONLY 2 POINTS! I really, truly couldn't be anymore happier [other than actually winning overall]. I will forever be modest and be grateful for our placement, as long as we had our best show yet. No one dropped, everyone performed, and we marched off that field with smiles - I would like to think we had our best show yet!

Reporting to the high school early morning at 7:45AM reminded me of my first year. Practicing right before a competition wasn't something we knew of and it was fun waking up early. It isn't as exciting, waking up and reporting early, as it used to be, but nonetheless fun. The fact that we had a 9-5PM rehearsal yesterday just had me tired, is all. We left around 8:45AM with a 2.5 hour ride a head of us. I like and dislike these long rides. I love them for the fact that a lot can happen on the bus and sleep is nice. What sucks about them is the entire wait. When we load the buses, I'm pumped and excited to perform, but when we get off, I'm too tired to care.

Warm-up was interesting. While doing across the floors by the land depression, many of us were slightly going downhill. Many of us were a bit nervous. I even forgot a few sets. WE WERE WARMING UP FOR STATES! OFCOURSE WE ARE A LITTLE NERVOUS! Through my extensive time in marching band, I have learned to feel excitement more than nervousness. I don't think I could have performed anymore than I did. All of us were super happy with how we did. Before we performed, I told the girls, and we all agreed, that no matter what happens at awards, the only thing that matters is our own personal improvement and satisfaction with the show. The band was more down than we were, but that isn't really our problem, is it? We did our part, so the band just needs to push forward as we continue to do. On the ride back, we encountered the creepiness of a guy in the passenger seat of a pick-up truck, wearing a Michael Jackson mask and glove. Every time he passed our bus, he was rocking his head back and forth or waving. Ana, Joe, and I were all reading The Crucible. My personal improvement was getting up to page 20.. from page 6. Ana still tried to read with every bit of life that was left before it was completely dark. She was so close to the end of Act 1 and so determined to finish. I on the other hand, was not. Photo is of Bus 1!