A Memorial to a Great Man...

"Extra work is the key to life"

Yesterday I found out that the man that had founded and lead the camp I attended to become a better drum major, passed away suddenly on Thursday from a heart attack very close to where I live. I couldn't believe it when I heard it, and if I had to compare it to coming, it would be when I found out that Steve Irwin had died. Both figures seemed untouchable in my mind, but for different reasons

It's a surreal experience for me, because I had just met George this summer at the camp, and while the camp itself was very difficult to get through, at the end of the day, he always had a speech that would make me smile. He would teach us a lesson in a way that we could understand. He taught us how a real leader should act, and the thing is, even though he never yelled at us, we listened! My other teachers continually tore me down, but he would build us all back up.

No one knows what will happen to the Drum Major Academy without him. Will it just end? I mean, his name is in the camp! The George N. Parks Drum Major Academy! It's his brain child! I've never met a man more passionate for band, or a man that could have inspired so many young people in the short life he lived. They said the cause of death was a heart attack. I guess his was just too big.

"Starred thought: life never was worth it until you've inspired at least one person"

Well, his life had more worth than many people more famous than him.

I try to think of the UMass band, his band, which he had been traveling with when he died. They slept in a high school gym, and when they did reach their destination, the Michigan band played their Alma Mater in his honor.

I don't really know how else I can describe George, only knowing him for 4 days, and I'm not used to writing stories about death. It's a shame. I guess George can describe himself.

"You know how there is a football captain, basketball captain, and cheerleading captain, just to name a few? You are a drum MAJOR! YOU OUTRANK ALL OF THEM!!!"

"Did you want to be drum major to make the band better?To be a leader?

LAIR!!!
You want the uniform and for everyone to say your name!"

"If you have to tear someone down, you need to build them back up."

" 'I am the field commander; Field...GROW' "

"When things get tough, get good."

"Raise your right hand has high as you can. Now go two inches higher. THAT'S WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR LIFE"

"How many of you didn't think that a George Parks was actually going to teach you this week?" *raises hand* 

Every self respecting leprechaun has a beard, but that guy doesn't! *points to Lucky from Lucky Charms* I went through college, and I decided to shave my beard, and HE shows up! I feel like I should say 'Detail: Present CHARMS' !"

"Give me your eyes!"

"Detail, sparkle HUT"

Now he may seem like a total cynic, but all these quotes were in good fun, to make us realize who we really are as field commanders/drum majors. I'm honored to have been taught by him this year, and I hope his legacy lives on forever in all the people he influenced.

 

Eclipse Ecstacy

I have a bit of a confession to make. I'm a fan of the Twilight Saga, but anything dealing with gross Mary Sue (Bella) and Gary Stu (Edward) just makes me want to gag. No, I go to the movies and read the books for Carlisle, Esme, Jasper and Alice. Why can't the books be all about them? Those four hardly get any screen time, and it's a bit sad for my friend and I. Then again, it makes us appreciate it more when they are on screen. Most of the time it's just "I can't have you" or "Oh Edward, I love you sooooo soooo much" *gag* I mean, I'm a romantic story person, but that's not romantic. That's just CLICHE. I mean come on. New girl, pretty, gets loved by every boy in school on the first day, including the mysterious boy from across the tracks that no one can get through to. When does that ever happen? I mean, I'm sure there are girls like that, but in my experience, they're hoes. It's just disgusting. Carlisle and Esme, as well as Jasper and Alice, have a sweet kind of love, the kind I like. It's not cliche, but it's what it should be, undying love that isn't showy or gag inducing. Plus, I have a soft spot for guys in uniforms and doctors, as well as mothers and fashionable nice people. So yeah, there is my rant.

I realize that I haven't updated in like 3 weeks, but I just haven't been up to it. It's weird. I just have some writing depression, and it sucks. I know this is just a little update, but I've been feeling guilty, so here it is!

Happy Blogging!

I think writer's block is simply the dread that you are going to write something horrible.

                     -Roy Blount Jr.

Paging Nurse Devon

Wow, I've been slacking off lately. Actually, no. I've been working hard, kind of. Working hard and moping around being depressed, which hasn't happened in a long time. I keep feeling like a fifth wheel with my friends, and it's really bumming me out, even if they say that's not true. When they have a choice between me and someone else, it's always someone else. I don't know what's wrong with me. Actually, I do. I'm no fun, and I'm not obnoxious or random or funny like the rest of my friends. I've found myself getting jealous of my friends, one for a concert and another for a boyfriend and the rest for friendship I don't seem to have. I only have one good friend and I can never see her because she's always traveling or working. I never tell her how much she means to me...

But I won't go into that, because it will probably get me in trouble

Today, I went to my orientation to become a volunteer at our local hospital, and I'm super excited for my first day, July 6th. I have to wait forever because of summer school, which I need in order to graduate. I'm not dumb or anything, but I'm taking gym then so I don't have to during the year. Anyways, I got to mingle a little with the other people in the volunteer group and it got me working a little more on my communication skills. I'll need to converse with patients, just make them feel more comfortable, get what they need, communicate with other nurses, and keep organized. I'm so excited to be in this environment, and to see if being a nurse is what I really want to do, but if my attitude stays the same, I'm sure it will be wonderful. It really makes me happy to know that I will be able to make people's lives happier and more pleasant if I do my job correctly. This will really help me in the long run, and I can't wait to get started!

Short entry, but I don't know much else to blog on

Happy Blogging!

-Devon

When you're a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.

-Unknown

Gotta Catch 'Em All!

So what's the latest craze from grades 1-12? Silly Bandz! Rubber band bracelets shaped into various symbols, such as animals, princesses, medical stuff, military or food. Now the Silly Bandz are the animals, and everyone else has other brands. They go on your wrist in a squiggly line, and you can get a pack of 24 for $5, which is about 20 cents a band, making them a good toy for a child with thrifty parents. There's hundreds to get, and stores can't keep them on the shelves. I admit, I drove out of my way to get the medical pack at Target, only for them to be completely cleaned out! I was bummed.

Now the thing is, schools all around are starting to ban these bands. Why? Because they're a distraction. Kids are trading them during class, and schools are notorious for banning collectible, tradeable things. Let's name some examples, shall we? There was the Pokemon card craze of the 90s, which was followed by Yu-Gi-Oh later in my school years. I'm sure there was a ban put on the silicon bracelets that had an underlying sexual meaning too, or they just faded away. Marbles were also put away, because kids would gamble with them. Then, there were always CRAZY BONES. Little monster of every shape and size that would sit up, and you'd take your best one and flick it at your opponents bones and the person with the last one standing one? Yeah, those. My friend always had a million of them. She had a million of everything I wanted, and she never used the stuff. She only had it because she could afford it. I had a good sized tin case of them, and we played at school all the time, me and my guy friends, until they were banned because people felt bad if they lost them or they were stolen or gambled away. Elementary school children are very crafty, they are.

Also, while I'm reminiscing, remember Aaron Carter? Nsync? Backstreet Boys? Dream Street? Video and Cassette Tapes? Walkmans? Now we have Justin Bieber, DVDs and iPods. Oh wait, there was something before iPods...

These bad boys!

Hit Clips, baby!

Happy Blogging!

-Devon

What a Wonderful Weekend!

My weekend was one to blog about. It wasn't the usual one, with me sitting around doing NOTHING, wishing I was doing something. It started early Saturday, and my mom and I went to my grandpa's house so we could take care of his flowers. He's unable to do it, and my mom's brothers that live at home just don't do it. Oh well, it gave us some time to all be together. Mom, my aunt and I worked really hard, and the guys couldn't work on anything we asked them to do for any length of time. Mom was right: guys can't work and talk at the same time. My grandpa came out and watched us, and he seemed like such an old man, just like a dad with his son with his "don't talk to me with that attitude!" I asked him to tell me some war stories, but he was ashamed because he said that because he wasn't on the front lines, he's not worthy to be a veteran. It's pretty sad, since he told me when he was giving me my "military service talk" that for every person with a gun, there are hundred's of people behind the scenes to keep everything moving. I don't think it's something to be ashamed about, being in World War 2. Part of me wants to go into the Air Force and become a medic, but the other thinks that I couldn't handle it, while I'm all for discipline. Anyways, we worked for a good 4 hours at least, and I feel it, My shoulder hurt from pushing the broom over and over again, and I did a lot of squatting, moving, and I've gotten pretty red, more than normal. I don't regret doing it though, even if I was exhausted in the end.

Then today, we had church as usual, with the last Sunday School class until next year. We had a pot luck breakfast, but I kept myself from eating too much, even though I had a donut, a waffle and DELICIOUS French toast casserole. I was pulled out early for bell choir, to play music I was supposed to look at, but didn't. I played it well when we were supposed to at least, but until then I was pretty bad...oh well. The service pretty much put me to sleep. After church, dad, my brother and I went to the Towpath to ride our bikes. We go a few times a summer usually, and today was an awesome day to do it, and we weren't the only ones with that idea. We bike 6 miles from the parking lot to a small town, where we stop to have ice cream (I declined...gotta lose 5 pounds in 3 weeks!) and then go back. I lead the way the whole way there, just listening to my music and enjoying nature. When I arrived in town, a Thomas the Tank Engine train was at the station, and it just made me smile.

I have a confession to make. Deep down inside, I love trains. When I was a kid, I had an obsession with Thomas, the foundation of my tomboy nature. Something in me was wakened today. A few minutes after I arrived, a huge engine called the Saint Lucie Sound pulls up, blowing it's horn and chugging along. The engineer waved at us and I just teared up. I'm a pretty sensitive person, but this just made me smile, and I was glad that I was sweating and wearing sunglasses, because I wouldn't want anyone to see me crying like that. I don't know what it was, and as I walked away, I was still filled with sadness, because it's only a matter of time before trains become obsolete and no other children can enjoy them the way I did, and still do to a degree. By the way, the picture is of the actual train!

So to wrap up, I'm sitting here with my upper back thighs screaming at me. They don't want to walk, and they hate that I have to march tomorrow. It's my last parade! D=. It's all coming to a realization that I'm going to become a senior next year. It's so crazy...I can't believe it. It's so close, yet so far away. I can't wait to go to college, and yet I'm scared that I won't be able to support myself and stuff. Only time will tell, and hopefully soon I'll have a job to get myself a car and stuff. I still have time to work!

Happy Blogging!
-Devon

It's On!

So I get my senior pictures done in less than a month. More like...3 weeks exactly and I want to look my best. Therefore, I have made it my goal to lose at least 5 pounds by that time. I have never been successful in the whole weight-loss department, and I have been overweight most of my life. I'm sick of it, and many times I have tried to do something about it. About 2 years ago, I gave up Pepsi. Lately, I've had 2 cans and it BURNS. I just wanted something cold and quick. I won't do it again. But now it's summertime, and you know what that means...ICE CREAM. My mom just bought this amazing cookie dough ice cream, and I want some so bad, but I know I shouldn't have any. I need to stay vigilant. Tomorrow I'm hopefully going to my grandpa's and I'll help my mom plant flowers and do some manual labor which will keep me from eating and keep me moving. At our field commander sectional today, we moved the stands from the bottom of the hill to the marching band field at the top of the hill. It's a little slope, but it was work carrying that big stand up. The two other girls had to stop many times for just the little stands, and I laughed, but that was me last year, always bellyaching. I went the whole way with no stopping, and I was proud of myself. I could feel those abs working, but I don't do that everyday. Maybe I should. I just can't wait for my days to be filled with stuff so I don't have to eat all the time. Soon I can start swimming and stuff, and hopefully I can volunteer at a local hospital which will keep me busy and on my feet.

Anyways, to help me with this endeavor, I purchased a bottle of Acai Berry Supplements. I'm a skeptic, but hell, desperate times call for desperate measures. I have about 2 weeks worth of pills, so if I up my activity and down my calories, I should start to see results. If I don't, I'll have wasted my cough drop money. Why do Halls have to be so nasty? Bleh. Well they came in handy for my fellow field commander/cheer leader who was losing her voice, so I guess they came to good use.

I really need support, so anything would be awesome!

Happy Blogging!

-Devon

Pocket God: The World In Your Hands!

So yesterday I decided to spend my $1 in iTunes money, and this app cost $0.99. It's called Pocket God, and it's strangely addicting, probably due to its pointless nature. Bolt Creative brings the world a game where everything is completely in your control. There are five island areas, but the game updates often, so that is subject to change, where 6 little islanders called Pygmies can roam. They can go fishing, swim in the ocean and dance about as you please. Now, sounds sissy right? WRONG. This is where the God part comes in. You can control their demise, and then just bring them back with the touch of a button. You can chose to have a T-Rex come and swallow them whole, spear them through in the ocean, or use them as shark bait, as well as many other things. It's all there for you to explore! Each Pygmy keeps a tally of their "gifts" and "sacrifices". Gifts can be catching a fish, going "Into the light" as a ghost or just becoming a ghost, while sacrifices deal with death such as getting caught in an explosion, drowning or even holding in urine until they explode! It's fun to see what all can happen when you're not even expecting it, and the little Pygmies are just so cute you can't help but love them in spite of your violence toward them. It's a good game for when you're feeling particularly vengeful or just having a violent mood. I use this app a lot more than I do most of the other apps I pay for, so it was a wonderful deal. The thing is though that it's kind of a battery drainer if you play it a lot, unlike many other apps I have, so if you get addicted, you'll find yourself needed frequent charges.

Happy Blogging!
-Devon