Time Flys...

         Isn't the title true? Actually, maybe this blog post should be titled "Summer Flys," but in the end, the message is the same. Where has the summer gone? June was a lot of Disney preparation, and then, of course, the band trip itself. The beginning of July was a trip to Northern Wisconsin with the High School Band, but the rest of July? I have no idea. I guess the fair was a week of July and I was occupied with that, and when I wasn't at the fair I was at work... or at a friends house watching my new favorite TV show series. Other than that, tomorrow starts August and I really don't know what to think of that. I like it because band events start back up, but it is kind of difficult to build my schedule because of that, but I make it work. You always make it work. When you have a passion for something like I do for band, it comes first. Even before your job... because your job will always be there, the workforce will always be waiting, but high school band and the experiences that come with it are priceless. The month of August is also good because my birthday is coming soon, but along with a birthday comes a birthday list... one that gets more expensive every year. This year was a little bit different because I really didn't know what I wanted to ask for. Last year I asked for my own alto saxophone which I got with the help of my amazing band director, but this year when I sat down and honestly thought about what I wanted at a reasonable level of course (excluding a car and all those other super expensive items) I really couldn't come up with much. I think the main thing I asked for was clothes for my Senior pictures. I am intentionally getting my Senior pictures taken very late in the year. I wanted fall Senior pictures and because I was selected for a "Senior Model Session" at a local photographing center I already have photos that are available to use for the yearbook. In late September I am going to go on an adventure with the wonderful people at Countryside and my family and really anyone who wants to tag along, and head up north in the fall with the Menominee River, and the beautiful trees and nature. I got my indoor pictures taken, enough of that, my band pictures are done and I don't have any other super great ideas for props so with the outdoors we are going to go! 
Getting back on track, my birthday list is kind of being left up to my parents this year which makes it all that more exciting, but along with my birthday in August comes another special birthday! My friend Jonathan has a birthday exactly one week after mine :) Now, here is where we run into a problem. The only time I have gotten him a gift was when his sister picked it out, handed it to me and said "Here Jonny would like this!" I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO GET HIM! He can't drive anywhere so its not like gift cards would be a big help. I have no idea I seriously just don't know. I'll figure it out... some how. After August comes starting school, back to the work grind and everything that will make to be my last year of High School. All I want is the best for everyone. I am not only leaving all of MY family and my friends, but I am leaving a friend who I consider a brother, and his entire family as well. It is going to be hard, but goodbye is not forever and I hope to be within distance that I will be home for band concerts and other special events. I just want to cherish the moments that I have left with the people around me because I love them so much because a year will go by in the blink of an eye and pretty soon my life will change. I am going to do my best to make it a happy year. A year full of laughs and memories and times to cherish and treasure, but for now, in the words of the band director at UW-Madison: "Thanks for the memories!" 


Keep Calm and Visit "Home"
Where ever that may be for YOU!

A.B 

Everything in Between...

         In my previous post I had three days left before I left for Disney with the one and only, SHS Band. Now, the trip has gone and passed and I am now starting to look back at all the fun and memories made :). After the three seemingly longgg days had passed, I got up at the crack of dawn (actually it was still dark) and went to the band room. Our director as well as many band parents helped pack our coach bus tight. We totally should have had two buses, but that is a story for another day. We headed off on a 24 hour ride to Orlando, but our ride included many rest stops and other things that added more time. We went to NASA first, but due to a lovely traffic jam in Nashville, Tennessee we were running behind so our time at NASA got cut in half. For me this wasn't such a huge deal because I don't know a lot about space and had my heart set on that evening, which meant going to downtown Disney with the people I love. However, my friend Jonathan (who will most likely be called Jonny or "kid" in this post) was quite disappointed. As much as he wanted to go to Disney, he LOVES NASA and space and weather and all that. I promised him a day at NASA some day when we make our venture to Florida on our own. He agreed. One problem... I sat there and thought as we were leaving NASA, how the heck do I intend to get back to Florida any time soon. Anyway, I left the deal go and to this day still owe him a day at NASA. We then proceeded to go to the beach. For those of you who know me personally, the beach is not my comfort zone. At all. I hate being in a swim suit in public, and I hate things larger than myself. Needless to say, I went in. Thanks to my friends and my director who are constantly helping me through my greatest fears in life. We spent some time at Ron Jon's Surf Shop and got some priceless video of our director saying that surfing was "his calling." Later that evening we ventured out for our first time on Disney property. We ate dinner at Downtown Disney, listened to an amazing saxophonist, shopped, and then returned back to the bus. When we did finally return back to the bus, we had a funny story to tell, that of our dinner experience there at Downtown Disney. We ordered food from an Irish themed restaurant and waited a while for our food (in their defense they were busy), meanwhile I saw a very attractive waiter (you will sense a theme in attractive men), we got our food shortly after and we went off exploring for a place to sit. We found a bench (which was filled) and a garbage can. So this entire trip the joke was that my friends dinner started on a garbage can and ended on the ground (because the bench was full). I know, not as exciting as you thought, but you just had to be there. We then all headed back to the hotel and crashed for the evening. I slept on the floor. Don't ask. It's a long long story. The following morning we got up and headed to EPCOT for our clinic. This turned out to seriously be the best experience of my life and it really made me reconsider my career path ahead. We then headed to Hard Rock Cafe in Universal Studios. Marching down Main Street U.S.A was probably one of the best things I have ever done, aside from the panic attack I had during the parade, I made it through and seeing my director so proud of us at the end of that parade was the be vision ever. We have all worked so hard to get to the place that we are. No, not just me, not just my friends, but each individual member, the band as a whole, and our one and only director. Think of where our group would be had our director NOT applied at SHS almost 7 years ago. We would be a whole different group of people, and I am proud to say I am 100% satisfied with where our group stands. 
            Honestly, IllumiNations, aside from the clinic, was my other favorite moment on this band trip. Yes, I did cry... a lot. More than anyone in our group needed to see, but it meant a lot to me. I waited 294 days to see that. That one 15 minute firework show, and I cried before the show even started. You see, it rained that evening and the show was delayed 10-15 minutes due to the weather. It could have easily been cancelled right then and there, but God above was looking down on Walt Disney World and the SHS Band that evening and let the show go on. On the way out they played "Promise," which is one of my favorite songs on the planet. This part of the trip I don't know if I regret or not. We were on our way out of the park and Jonny was on one side and Megan was on the other, and i just took their hands as we walked out, I just walked, cried and held on for dear life. The reason it is possible for me to regret this is (I might as well just explain it all now) the majority of the band already thinks Jonny and I are dating. Long story short, we are not. I have had countless conversations with people in the group and his sister and none of them have serious problems with it, but honestly it is between Jonny and I and us only. Our lives, our relationship/friendship, sure I will gladly listen to your input, but don't pull the rumor crap please. As we were waiting for our bus to pick us up outside of EPCOT, Jonny and I just sat and talked about how we didn't want to leave "home." Jonny had been there 17 times previous (at least I think it was 17) and he had told me that this was his best trip ever because he was able to share some of his favorite things with me, this, coming from a friend perspective, warmed my heart. He too cried, which honestly, I was okay with. I think I would have felt more awkward if nobody else would have cried, but thankfully I was not the only one.
              This is not even close to an accurate description of this trip, and honestly I could write all night long about this stuff, but I don't have that kind of time right now. I am sure I will have more stories to tell in the future, and probably a venting post coming up in the next few days, but for now just remember, adventure is out there. 

Keep Calm and Visit "Home"
A.B