h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yesterday was a blast. Sure, it started bad enough. I had to get to school by ten in the morning (Saturdays should never be spent before ten, in my opinion), so that I could get my instrument, uniform, books, etc. ready for a long band trip. We managed to get a run-through of our first two songs before leaving. This years show was called "Broadway Showstoppers", and we play/march The Phantom Of The Opera (from Phantom Of The Opera), The Old Gumbie Cat (from Cats), Somewhere (from Westside Story), and highlight songs from Miss Saigon (such as The Overture, Sun & Moon, American Dream, etc.). Anyway, after the first two songs, we loaded the bus, and left.

When we got to the first competition (yes, you heard me: two competitions in one day), we put on our uniforms and marched. I used the term marching loosely. We pseudo-marched the show, marched off the field, went to the busses, changed back into our regular clothes, went back to watch other bands play, and then watch the awards ceremony. All the while we were telling each other how bad we did, and wondering what punishment the Band Director would have for us.

Then came the judging. Much to our surprise, we were one of the only two bands that got a first rating! We were extatic, and we ran back to the busses, jumped on, drove for about an hour, and then celebrated in this handy area just off the highway where we could buy fast food from McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Long John Silvers, and about twelve other fast food joints. We ate and partied and celebrated for an entire hour before we had to get in the busses again and go to the next competition.

This competition wasn't as important, but we were still a little nervous. However, our first victory of the day gave us a strange feeling of confidence and unity that we didn't have before. For the first time in the entire year, we were truly a band. A group of people who all had their minds set in the same direction, towards the one goal. I can't explain it any better than that. I guess you just had to be there.

Oh, and one other thing: because it was raining and snowing on and off, we wore the marching raincoats over our uniforms. And guess what? They helped a lot. The uniforms, while they *did* show that we were all members of the band, only helped show how different we were. Uniforms were larger for taller people, more rugged for those who were in band longer (in other words, those with seniority), etc. But these uniforms were all exactly the same, and just multiplied that feeling of unity and togetherness a dozen times over. We were all incredibly psyched and then finally, it was time for us to go to the field.

We got into our lines, and the drum majors asked whether we would prefer to walk to the fied, or march. "MARCH!" we shouted together. We marched, (very well, in fact) and had fun. We marched to the field (it was a pretty long march, and so we all got lots of exercize in the process), and got onto the field. The judges gave us the signal to begin, and we marched out, played our warm-up tune, and then the judging began.

You have never felt togetherness unless you've done something like this. That old phrase "Too many cooks spoil the broth" is sometimes effective, but not there, not then. We made mistakes, yes, but the skills and other mistakes of our comrades truly helped us all to look better. We had progressed from the form of band that was math and harsh words to the part of band that was art and beauty. When we finished marching, each of us could probably list dozens of mistakes, but we felt so great! Not one of us would be capable of saying that it was not our best show of the year.

Needless to say, we got a first on our ranking, as well as two special awards for our music and appearance (once again, I think the raincoats helped their, along with our horn flashes, and different styles we used in some of the swing melodies), and went home feeling like we were the rulers of the galaxy.

Before leaving, we had one more moment of unity. We all sang a song together (I can't remember the song or the words, however) that had, apparently, been taught at the band camp I was unable to attend. But the simple lyrics and good mindset of everyone else allowed me to easily guess what the next words would be, so I was able to sing the beautiful melody with the rest of my band.

On the way home, I managed to get a few people to sing some Weird Al songs (The Night Santa Went Crazy, The Saga Begins, Harvey The Wonder Hampster), but it was an otherwise uneventful trip home. When we got back, there were still a few hours left before anyone would really feel the need to get to sleep (it was about 9:30 by the time I got home).

And then, that wonderful, beautiful day was topped off by what happened when I woke up today: it was snowing outside my window. It's been a long time since I'd seen snow that hard, so it was great. It looked like a postcard outside the living room window. You know, once in a while, real life isn't that bad. There was a period in my life when I couldn't see the hope. I knew it was there, I had friends, but I didn't know what that hope was, aside from the promise of a better life once this one ends. But mark my words, through the depression and the coldness brought on by the cloudy mists of life, you will be able to find the true meanings of what joy is, if only you look for it and don't let the discouraging things in life discourage you. If you're feeling low, believe me, you can get up again.

The only problem is that you have to actually leave h2g2 to do it. Oh, well. At least you'll be able to put something nice in your journal entry when you come back.

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Just saw the journal entry, Affy. Sounds like quite an experience. Congratulations. Makes all the hard work meaningful, I guess. How large were the competitions? It sounds like you were rated on a scale, rather than against the other bands - is that corrrect?

And the snow! I find THAT incredible. Here I am, most of a continent north of you, and there has been no snow here. And I wouldn't think there are mountains on the coast where you are. Was it a freak storm? Do you normally get snow at all?

Oh, that's right! I knew I forgot to mention something to you, GL. You see, I moved during August. Sorry, but looks like you'll have to throw out those old lists and start with "Fact 1-Snows In His Area".

In any event, the competitions weren't pretty average in size. Well, the first one was kind of small. Only about seven other bands, I think. But the second one was average size. I've been to a lot bigger, but I've been to a lot smaller.

YOU MOVED????? Just when I was homing in on you

So that was why you had the IP trouble. So, are you in the same time zone? Seems like it, from the times we have crossed here. Wanna tell me what state?

Do you move just to keep us all guessing? :-) There's some marching band chit-chat over at the 24-Seven if you'd like to join in: http://www.h2g2.com/F49574?thread=82002

Well, I don't move to keep people guessing, no, but it was just so convenient. Gary was starting to home in on where I actually lived, so I kept online as long as possible, and made sure that the computer was one of the last appliances to get packed. Unpacking took a while, still, and getting the Internet up took even longer. But just so you know, Garius, I was honest when I was talking about those IP problems. That was just a convenient way I could explain my absence without lying to anyone. In any event, I will tell you some things: I did not live on the shore of Louisiana as you had guessed, nor did I live near New Orleans. Where I currently live is still in the same Time Zone, and far north enough that I'll be able to see snow again. Oh, and I can no longer boast a band as big (or, in same cases, as good) as my old band.

And Witty, I'll be glad to check out your conversation. I was starting to wonder why the 24-7 forums weren't showing up anymore.

Drat, drat and double drat. Now I have to start over.

So, where you used to live, you had to start school early to compensate for the extra time you got off at Mardi Gras. Does that mean that you started early for nothing now? And you must have lived near water, since you went sailing and you told me yourself that you lived in Lousiana. Does La. have lakes?

Oh, a few, here and there. There's countless bayous that I may have gone sailing in, though. While most of those are so full of seaweed you can barely canoe through 'em, a few are clear enough to sail through...

Well. So at least we have established that you used to live in LA somewhere close to water. I'm sure that is crucial in some way. You forgot to answer about the extra school time. Do you lose that? Bummer if you do.

Actually, I'm only going to school a day earlier now. This late into the year, there's no need to complain about it.

I don't really mind, though. LA has, like, the second worst school system out of the fifty United States. In Indiana I was only considered to be slightly above average (and that's not too great a system), but they practically threw me into the more advanced classes. One reason why I take pride in being a nerd.

Only slightly? That isn't what I would have said

I wonder if there is an Indiana City in Michigan?

Oh, and about starting early - I think I got mixed up. I was thinking that you started school in La this year, then moved. In that case, you would have started school early for nothing. Now I remember (I think) that you moved before school started, so it is a moot point. Never mind.