I used to be in a marching band (back in the day). There were a whole bunch of kids in the band fretting over their uniforms, and one of them asked me where my uniform was. They were freaked out I wasn't going to be in uniform.
I told him "Hey, I don't play in the band anymore."
I then stepped through a hole in the floor and found myself in a house. That's when the zombie problems started.
Hah. I did my time in marching band, too - but it was something we had to do to be a part of the regular band. Our uniforms were deep purple polyesther leisure suits. They were not flattering and definitely were not made for women to wear.
I also actually, honestly, went to band camp. Twice.
By the time I was going to be a senior, our band had dwindled to a truly pathetic size. I ended up switching schools and ended up in a much better music program.
But yeah, band camp was a horror. They showed a cheesy horror film about dogs that triggered a memory I had of being chased by a German Shepherd when I was very young. I freaked the hell out, and no one understood why. Bastards!
I hope your band experiences were more... interesting.
Our camp actually showed whatever that Star Trek movie is about the whales every year. I mean every year. The one year that I went to both the jr. and sr. camp, I had to sit through it twice.
Band camp was a bit better for me, though. I actually got my very first kiss at band camp (I was a purty late bloomer, I guess). Although there was an incident where I kind of had a psychic flash about someone breaking their arm that kind of disturbed me... In all, band camp = good memories.
Ha! I played sax, too - alto - but I hated it. My first choice had been the French Horn, but they were all out when the musical instrument guy came to our school. They told me the sax was "just like it." Ptewy were they wrong! I finally switched, my last year of band - my jr. year, to the French Horn and learned more about music in that one year than I had in all previous years of playing.
I started on the trombone a looooong time ago, then switched to cello (which I wish I kept up with). In high school I started on the alto sax, played a little tenor before being forced to play baritone for two years. When I switched schools I went back to alto. I tried clarinet for a year, but the one I used was perpetually broken.
I took a little piano when I was quite young. I inherited a piano from my great-aunt when she passed away - which was apparently a big clan controversy. Everyone wanted the damned thing! At any rate, I took lessons from a Catholic nun. It was not inspiring - and there's nothing I regret more than not going back to it!
I think the Cello is lovely, and anyone who says that Cellos are for girls is insane! I have a friend who's a very talented cellist, but apparently throwing all of that away to become a corporate lawyer - and everyone always freaks out that he's a he. -shrugs- I don't get it.
My first real boyfriend (also from my high school band and band camp) was a trombonist named Tyce Toothaker (I'm not making this up). We didn't kiss, though. Oddly enough, I made it through my entire first relationship without doing anything more than handholding.
I'm totally having a glorified "Wonder Years" kind of moment over that first kiss thing, now, btw. I remember we kissed on a park bench somewhere on campus, and when we came back into the dorms we were all glowy (and shiny, because it was summer! ;p), and someone took our picture just because. Odd little moments like that, trapped on film. :p
Oops. I forgot about my one week of piano. It's hard to practicd when you don't own one! I was going to save up to buy a Yamaha DX-7 keyboard and be a music major. I actually started as a Film and Video major, but I couldn't afford classes and ended up in English.
Cellos are for girls? My friend jasonlizard plays a cello, and he's pretty damn good.
The Tyce thing is kinda refreshing, considering how young people are actually having sex. God, I know it makes me sound old, but if they would just wait until college it would get much better. Or at least Senior week!
Yup. I think about that phenomenon frequently and marvel at how jaded one's palate becomes. It's an interesting concept, really - becoming inured to the thrill of something like simple handholding.
Seriously, I don't get it. I have no idea where people came up with the notion that the cello is a typical female instrument. The flute? That I can understand. But not the cello. I, at least, never picked up the notion.
I would never be able to handle a synthesizer in place of a piano. As a separate instrument, sure. But never in place of...
Thank goodness! At my school, band geeks were lower than others. In fact, I don't remember an actual nerd/geek social set. There were all the jocks, all the cheerleaders, non-athletic rich kids, the Unnoticed, and the Band.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-10 05:42 pm (UTC)I told him "Hey, I don't play in the band anymore."
I then stepped through a hole in the floor and found myself in a house. That's when the zombie problems started.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-10 05:47 pm (UTC)I also actually, honestly, went to band camp. Twice.
Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 06:31 pm (UTC)But yeah, band camp was a horror. They showed a cheesy horror film about dogs that triggered a memory I had of being chased by a German Shepherd when I was very young. I freaked the hell out, and no one understood why. Bastards!
I hope your band experiences were more... interesting.
Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 06:45 pm (UTC)Band camp was a bit better for me, though. I actually got my very first kiss at band camp (I was a purty late bloomer, I guess). Although there was an incident where I kind of had a psychic flash about someone breaking their arm that kind of disturbed me... In all, band camp = good memories.
Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 07:18 pm (UTC)I'll focus on all the jazz stuff we did and the shiny new baritone sax they got for me as far as memories go.
I really need to break out my old saxophone, get it cleaned up, and play.
Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 07:21 pm (UTC)Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 08:01 pm (UTC)Don't hold my saxophone playing against me!
Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 08:06 pm (UTC)I think the Cello is lovely, and anyone who says that Cellos are for girls is insane! I have a friend who's a very talented cellist, but apparently throwing all of that away to become a corporate lawyer - and everyone always freaks out that he's a he. -shrugs- I don't get it.
My first real boyfriend (also from my high school band and band camp) was a trombonist named Tyce Toothaker (I'm not making this up). We didn't kiss, though. Oddly enough, I made it through my entire first relationship without doing anything more than handholding.
I'm totally having a glorified "Wonder Years" kind of moment over that first kiss thing, now, btw. I remember we kissed on a park bench somewhere on campus, and when we came back into the dorms we were all glowy (and shiny, because it was summer! ;p), and someone took our picture just because. Odd little moments like that, trapped on film. :p
Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 08:58 pm (UTC)Cellos are for girls? My friend jasonlizard plays a cello, and he's pretty damn good.
The Tyce thing is kinda refreshing, considering how young people are actually having sex. God, I know it makes me sound old, but if they would just wait until college it would get much better. Or at least Senior week!
I'm glad I could help bring back a good memory :)
Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 09:40 pm (UTC)Seriously, I don't get it. I have no idea where people came up with the notion that the cello is a typical female instrument. The flute? That I can understand. But not the cello. I, at least, never picked up the notion.
I would never be able to handle a synthesizer in place of a piano. As a separate instrument, sure. But never in place of...
Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 06:50 pm (UTC)And I was too busy being called a geek in general to get any band-related geekage, so it was cool.
Re: Three. Years. Band Camp
Date: 2005-11-10 07:20 pm (UTC)Band Geekdom
Date: 2005-11-11 06:01 am (UTC)