Yea, yea I know. I never post! It has been well over a year since I last felt the need to write something for the blog and here we go with a post that has nothing to do with being a Redcoat. Or does it? Have these last three years of my life managed to teach me something? Have they actually changed me?
Here recently I've been doing a lot of contemplation about my life and where it is going, and to be quite honest, these contemplations have returned rather negative. I am 22 years old, living at home, working a job that barely pays for gas, and just getting by in college. I honestly don't have a clue as to what I am going to do once I finally graduate, and the idea of having to figure it out terrifies me. It really does feel like I have spent the last 4 years of my life (my college career so far) setting myself up for the most epic failure of all time. Oh but how people will respond to these feelings! "But you are brilliant, I mean you are at The University of Georgia! Also, you must be talented because you made it in the Redcoat Band! I don't see how you could feel unsuccessful!" I can hear the voices ringing now. However, I must ask what will I have to show for these accomplishments December 13, 2013 when I graduate? A piece of paper with my name on it and some stupid/funny/crazy/odd stories of Redcoat trips? What will that buy me?
One of the biggest failures of my life is my relationships. I know what you are thinking, "Oh crap here he going whining about not having a girlfriend..." and you are partially right, but you also are missing the true sentiment. Even my friendships suck. Everyone I know sees just a part of me and that is all they want to see. My church friends see me as the musician and youth Sunday school teacher that I am on Sundays and Wednesdays. My work friends just see me as some random guy who hates his job and wants nothing more than an excuse to no longer work there. Finally, my Redcoat friends mainly see me as a middle tier musician (if not bottom tier) who happens to be at every event. It is really irritating that all of my friends fit into tidy little groups like this because it leads to one really sad fact, no one truly knows me. On the whole "girlfriend" side of relationships, it is even worse. I am able to act in a way that is acceptable to some particular types of girls, but then I look at them and realize that they are just going to get me in trouble, but then when I decide to straighten up and find myself a 'good' girl, they won't have anything to do with me. It is maddening! Most recently, I met this incredible girl. She is pretty, talented, funny, and a little (a lot) geeky. We hung out (with a group of mutual friends) and had a great time. Then I learn that she has a boyfriend (just like every other girl that I have ever been interested in... I'm cursed) so I stop getting close to her to avoid being hurt and in the process I do something stupid (which I will not go into detail about on the internet) and she looks me in the eyes and says "I do not approve of this." (I kid you not, direct quote) and that just broke me. Here she is, the girl of my dreams, and all I can do is to do the one thing that she hates most. I don't know why, but those six words just cut me really deeply and made me question... well basically everything.
So, I know what you're thinking "What did he learn?" so here it is in TL;DR format. I need to get my life together and stop messing around. I need to be more transparent and actually let someone in to my life and stop being afraid of being hurt. If I don't, I'm going to be a very lonely person sitting alone at home after work clinging to my degree and saying "BUT I WAS A REDCOAT!"
Friday, January 4, 2013
Monday, October 17, 2011
Stadiums of the SEC (and beyond!)
I have recently realized that I have been doing quite a bit of traveling with the Redcoats, so here is a short little post featuring all of the stadiums that I have been to!
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| SANFORD STADIUM!!! |
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| Jacksonville Stadium (UGA vs Florida) |
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| Jordan-Hare Stadium (UGA @ Auburn) |
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Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (UGA vs Central Florida)
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| Neyland Stadium (UGA @ Tennessee) |
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| Vanderbilt Stadium (UGA @ Vanderbilt) |
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Well... I had planned on posting earlier than now...
I had originally planned to post a blog entitled "Redcoat Band Camp 2011: The Wrap-up" a while back, but I never got around to it, so it's just not going to happen! :)
The football season starts in just ten days, so I am very excited about that, but there are exciting things happening before then that I need to talk about!
Tomorrow (Thursday, August 25, 2011) will be a very long, yet interesting day. First, we are starting rehearsal off with a marching test that will determine who will march in our pregame which is very old school (8-5 steps all the way). Then, after practice is over, the first round of Battle Hymn solo auditions will be held. I am so nervous/excited about this!! If I am selected to be one of the lucky few that get to play the solo in the Battle Hymn, one of our most sacred traditions, it will not only make my day, but also my week, and probably my year! After that, I get to book it over to the School of Music for Volleyball Band rehearsal.
Speaking of Volleyball Band, our first games are this Saturday! The first one is at 12:30 and the second one starts at 7:00! Also, between the games, I am playing with the Derbies Pep Band at the Chic-fil-a on Beechwood in Athens. I think it goes without saying that I am going to be very musically tired after this weekend!
The football season starts in just ten days, so I am very excited about that, but there are exciting things happening before then that I need to talk about!
Tomorrow (Thursday, August 25, 2011) will be a very long, yet interesting day. First, we are starting rehearsal off with a marching test that will determine who will march in our pregame which is very old school (8-5 steps all the way). Then, after practice is over, the first round of Battle Hymn solo auditions will be held. I am so nervous/excited about this!! If I am selected to be one of the lucky few that get to play the solo in the Battle Hymn, one of our most sacred traditions, it will not only make my day, but also my week, and probably my year! After that, I get to book it over to the School of Music for Volleyball Band rehearsal.
Speaking of Volleyball Band, our first games are this Saturday! The first one is at 12:30 and the second one starts at 7:00! Also, between the games, I am playing with the Derbies Pep Band at the Chic-fil-a on Beechwood in Athens. I think it goes without saying that I am going to be very musically tired after this weekend!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Redcoat Band Camp 2011 Part 2
Sorry for the long wait for this one folks! Its been difficult for me to find the time to write a new blog! In fact I had to find an app for my iPhone so that I could even type this!!!
Anyways, camp has been pretty awesome. Freshman Freakout (a tradition where returning members blitz through as much music as we can using our hand signals to show the rookies what they have to look forward to) was hilarious! So many of the freshmen just gave up trying to follow what was going on and sat there with looks of exasperation on their faces! Our harassment of rookies pretty well ended here and now I spend all my extra time getting to know some of these guys. The 2011 class of trumpet rookies is a pretty awesome group and I look forward to hanging out with then more of the next two years (or so)! One of them did make me feel old when she said she was only 17... I was like "Holy crap your a minor!!!" lol Kids these days!
Our first show is shaping up to be pretty awesome. It features William Tell Overture, Can Can Music, and New World Symphony. As awesome as it may be, it also may become the cause of my early demise! Moving at 172 some odd beats per minute in close quarters with trombone players may have the very same effect as a guillotine! Oh well, at least it's fun!
We are also implementing a new pregame show that pays homage to both UGA's rich heritage and the very heritage of marching bands as a whole. This translates into a lot of eight to five marching! It's very old school, but I think the fans will enjoy it, especially those who recognize the "new" songs that we haven't played in like 20 years or more!
In the end, the 107th edition of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band can be summarized by on simple word: epic. Go Dawgs!
Anyways, camp has been pretty awesome. Freshman Freakout (a tradition where returning members blitz through as much music as we can using our hand signals to show the rookies what they have to look forward to) was hilarious! So many of the freshmen just gave up trying to follow what was going on and sat there with looks of exasperation on their faces! Our harassment of rookies pretty well ended here and now I spend all my extra time getting to know some of these guys. The 2011 class of trumpet rookies is a pretty awesome group and I look forward to hanging out with then more of the next two years (or so)! One of them did make me feel old when she said she was only 17... I was like "Holy crap your a minor!!!" lol Kids these days!
Our first show is shaping up to be pretty awesome. It features William Tell Overture, Can Can Music, and New World Symphony. As awesome as it may be, it also may become the cause of my early demise! Moving at 172 some odd beats per minute in close quarters with trombone players may have the very same effect as a guillotine! Oh well, at least it's fun!
We are also implementing a new pregame show that pays homage to both UGA's rich heritage and the very heritage of marching bands as a whole. This translates into a lot of eight to five marching! It's very old school, but I think the fans will enjoy it, especially those who recognize the "new" songs that we haven't played in like 20 years or more!
In the end, the 107th edition of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band can be summarized by on simple word: epic. Go Dawgs!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Redcoat Band Camp 2011 Part 1
Well, I am composing this blog post while sitting in the lounge area of (the not yet open) ECV Dining Hall because I am bored to tears! We had a Derbies Pep band rehearsal this morning at 8:00, and that was fun. However, the next thing on the itinerary doesn't start until 7:00 pm. Epic Fail. I am bored out of my mind!!! The Derbies gig tonight is going to make all this waiting well worth it because I get the great honor of being part of the group that makes the first public performance as the 106th edition of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band! In addition to that tidbit of awesomeness, this performance will be the 2011 Rookie class's first introduction to many of the traditions we have in the Redcoats. For some of these guys and girls, it may even be their first time hearing the Redcoat Band live! How cool is that? I remember how awestruck I was last year at this time when I was a rookie hearing the epic sound that comes from the Derbies Pep band, and I am looking forward to helping impress that feeling on this new crop of Redcoats.
Yes, this is technically my second day of Redcoat Camp, but really and truly, a blog post that did nothing but talk about our 2.5 hour long rehearsal would not have been overly interesting, so I decided to spare you, my readers, the pain of that experience! :) All in all, this is shaping up to be a pretty awesome week back in Athens. I have already met some pretty cool rookies and meeting back up with the friends I made during last season has been a lot of fun.
Well, I am now tired of sitting here in this abandoned dining hall, so I'm going to wrap up this post now!
Goooooooooo Dawgs! Beat Smurfs (BSU)!!!
Yes, this is technically my second day of Redcoat Camp, but really and truly, a blog post that did nothing but talk about our 2.5 hour long rehearsal would not have been overly interesting, so I decided to spare you, my readers, the pain of that experience! :) All in all, this is shaping up to be a pretty awesome week back in Athens. I have already met some pretty cool rookies and meeting back up with the friends I made during last season has been a lot of fun.
Well, I am now tired of sitting here in this abandoned dining hall, so I'm going to wrap up this post now!
Goooooooooo Dawgs! Beat Smurfs (BSU)!!!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Counting Down the Days
The time for me to end the dormancy of this blog has come. I haven't recently updated because I haven't really had anything to blog about. However, Redcoats starts back for me on August 7th, so I will have plenty to write about here in a couple weeks! I am very excited about the 2011-2012 UGA football season and I hope to start many of my posts off with "Bulldogs win another one!" Thanks for your patience during the downtime that this blog has gone through!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Collegiate Randomness
The college life is truly an interesting one. Anything can happen at any given time. This has been proven at least three times in my collegiate career.
1) The Dancing Gorilla at Snelling: One night I went to Snelling for a midnight snack and what did I find? Nothing short of a random person dancing around in a gorilla costume. It was hilarious.
2) Impromptu Concert: At the East Campus dining hall, the UGA Accidentals decided to provide us with some good music to accompany our dinner.
3) Dancing Flash Mob at Tate: I didn't personally have the honor of seeing this live, but it was truly epic.
1) The Dancing Gorilla at Snelling: One night I went to Snelling for a midnight snack and what did I find? Nothing short of a random person dancing around in a gorilla costume. It was hilarious.
2) Impromptu Concert: At the East Campus dining hall, the UGA Accidentals decided to provide us with some good music to accompany our dinner.
3) Dancing Flash Mob at Tate: I didn't personally have the honor of seeing this live, but it was truly epic.
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