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

Ahh! Forgot to Post!

Wow! I was so bored yesterday after school, and yet I didn't blog anything! Well, I have a legit excuse (yes, legit. I don't say it often, but it slips). Yesterday was our final band concert of the year! That is, unless you count graduation, but that's not our showcase, plus, it's SOOO BORING. I hate graduation, because it depresses me, at least it did last year. I see all of these people going onto another part of their lives and becoming successful, while I'm just doing NOTHING with my life. But I'm trying to change that. 

Anyways, last night was the band concert, and we had a great program. The concert band did an awesome job and the symphonic band killed it, sometimes in the good sense and sometimes in the bad. We played 5 songs: Timestorm, Disney Blockbusters, Space and Beyond (Star Wars, Star Trek and The Planets), Pie Jesu (pronouced Pee-ay Yee-sue Dx) and Phantom of the Opera. I think Phantom was my favorite. In the middle, one of our members had to scream, and then a girl in the concert band in the audience screamed back. It was like an echo, but different tones and I just wanted to laugh. Someone always seems to scream at these concerts. Two years ago, as a freshman, the concert band did a song called "Electricity" and at one part, all the lights in the auditorium go off at once, and one girl screamed. It made us laugh in the dark. 

Tonight though, was the band banquet, a time when most of the band, colorguard and their parents, come together for a night of food and recognition. We get to cheer with our friends, wish off the seniors, and get pepped up for a new year ahead. Awards were given to outstanding people in each class, amazing seniors and to a junior for a senior picture package (too bad the girl was already a rep for another company!) Anyways, there was a lot of happiness and fun in the room, and it was nice getting cheers after being so shy for so long. I've been coming out of my shell with this wonderful group of people, through the hard times and the bad, and I just hope to make it an even better and more enjoyable group of people, as the head field commander and now historian on the Council! It was bittersweet though. All of my friends got on council except for my best friend in the whole wide world, who has wanted it for years. My other friends just want it for a college resume, and she wanted it because she loves the band, and I hate how she felt and looked after the whole thing. She's such a happy, bubbly and amazing person, and I hate to see her upset. I hope I can do something, anything to help her out.


I'm looking forward to a hopefully awesome senior year with the band kids, and hope that everything plays out well! (haha, band pun)


Happy Blogging!
-Devon

It's our senior year and will be closure for our marching band experience

                     -Katherine Smith

Clarinet Chaos

Seven years ago, I took the step in middle school to join the fifth grade band with about a million other people, and me, being so lucky, was chosen to play clarinet with about 20 others. My two best friends across the street played clarinet, and I wanted to too! Little did I know what a hassle it would be for me now a junior in high school. (almost a senior, can't forget that!) Last week, we received our audition music for next year, something new. Usually, we don't do auditions for concert band until after marching band, but my band director finally decided that this would be better because it better shows our playing abilities and some people don't play the same instrument in marching band as they do in concert band. That KILLED me this past year. It was my first year as a drum major/field commander/student director and therefore, I didn't play my instrument for about....5 months. I went down six chairs placements, from 5th chair and playing 2nd part, to 11th...last...playing 3rd. Now for all of you who aren't familiar with all these band terms, even though the directors say that's not the case, chair placements show one's proficiency within the band. First chair is the best player in the band, and last chair is the "worst". Also, there are first, second and third parts, with the first part being the hardest and the third part being the "easiest". While still in the top band, being last chair made me feel horrible, so I signed up for lessons to prevent this next year.

Lessons were awful. I'm a very sensitive person, and I was on some major hormone pills, which made it all the worst. Every Wednesday (pretty much) my mom would drive me out to my teacher's house, and we'd play. I'd feel horrible about my lack of ability, because he would always play complicated pieces from memory, and he taught the best 3 players, as well as the only freshman in the top band. Here I was, a junior, last chair, while the top player was a junior and had only been playing the instrument for a year. Yeah, I felt like crap, often having to hide tears. We stopped the lessons after about 2 months, and I felt even worse when I was called a quitter. Part of me wants to go back, now that I'm a bit more chill, but another just says "save your mom's money." After all, I'm only going to be in band for one more year, since I probably won't play in college.

So now, I'm wetting my new reed and getting ready to practice my music. The chromatic scale is going to kill me, because I never learned it all the way up and down, while other people just zip up and down the whole thing. I feel like I should ask for help, but when? Yeah, it's just a huge fiasco, and hopefully I won't feel as emotional and crappy once I get my destined last chair once more. I hate being pessimistic, I really do, but it just slips out sometimes. I hope I don't get last chair, because we're graduating five seniors in the section, but we're also getting a bunch of kick butt freshman apparently, and there are a bunch of soon to be juniors and a soon to be senior in the other band that have a change to come up. I just gotta work at it! Tryouts are the week after Memorial Day, wish me luck!

Happy Blogging!

-Devon

I look at my clarinet sometimes and I think, I wonder what's going to come out of there tonight? You never know.

                                    -Acker Bilk

Der Eyes Wuz Watchin' God

Since I am an avid reader, part of this blog will be book reviews and such things. I have a hard time reading more than one book at once successfully, these will be not few, so much as far between. Today's book is "Their Eyes were Watching God" by Zora Neal Hurston. I found out today that it was made into a movie staring Halle Berry, but I'm a bit scared to see the movie because I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I like it because it is a love story and it's actually starting to get cute. I hate it because of the dialect that they use. It's heavy, uneducated sounding Florida speech. For example, "I" is "Ah" and "with" is "wid". It was hard in the beginning, but now it's more normal, but that doesn't make it any more fun to read. I find myself reading with a black woman's voice in the back of my head. What makes it all the more amusing that my English teacher says some of the dialect, but uses a normal "Ohio Accent". It's like...Spanglish in a way.

Anyways, the book is starts off with the protagonist Janie Crawford returning to a town she had left for a while. She is forty years old, and the people in town knew that she ran off years ago to be with a guy named Teacake, and now he's not in the picture. Janie goes to her friend Phoeby, who asks what happened, and Janie, to tell what happened to Teacake, needs to tell the whole story of her marriages. And so begins the story of Janie, starting at about 16 years old, pressured by her Nanny (Grandmother) to marry soon. It's a tale of heartbreak, wealth, hardships and love. I'm not done reading it yet, but that's what makes this exciting. You don't know what happens, and neither do I! I still don't know what happened to Teacake.

This book is slightly confusing, but that's mostly because of the language. If you are up to the challenge, read it independently, but otherwise, have an expert (or Sparknotes) lead you through it and help you realize what's really going on in the story. It says on the back of my copy that this book is as good as a Hemingway, or a Fitzgerald, and perhaps it is, but in a different way. I haven't read much Hemingway and no Fitzgerald, so it's hard for me to judge. This wouldn't be a book that I would just pick up at the store, because it's not exactly the genre that interests me, but I probably wouldn't have read The Scarlet Letter either and I love that book thanks to English class.

Happy Blogging/Reading!

-Devon

"Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life."

 -Mortimer J. Adler

Forgetfulness

So I'm really forgetful, and I hate to admit it. I don't forget things like birthdays or my parents' anniversary, but that's because I have them written down. However, I do have a tendency to suffer from the whole "out of sight, out of mind" thing. Like today. Two months ago we had a big band concert, with the 5th-8th grade and the two high school bands playing. At the end of the program, all of the bands play two songs together, so the middle school band director gets up on this drum major stand that I used last year, and she directs them all while me, the two other drum majors, and the two high school band directors handle the other bands. My friend and I dragged that stand from one end of the school to the other, down a hill and then up a hill. However, the trailer was locked, so we just slid it underneath. 

That was two months ago. 

Where do you think the stand is today? If you guessed under the trailer, you are right!

I was at school for 2 and a half extra hours today for drum major try outs, and while the other auditioners and I were waiting to go into our interview or wait to see who got picked, I kept thinking "I'm going to get those keys from Foster and get that stand in there". Did I? Of course not. I couldn't see it! It will probably be under there until Memorial day, when we need to come to the school and get uniforms. Or maybe tomorrow during band I'll just get the keys and do away with it, because my poor Tommy has been out in all weather, and he can't handle that, my poor metal baby.

...

Yes, I named a stand. He was my support through the months of marching band heaven and hell. He's a big boy, and I put him through much abuse. No one can replace Tommy, not even his big brother Adam, who will be mine next year!...Whoa...need to tame the ego. I will NOT be a dictator!

So this was a pretty fail entry. I wish I could keep a topic going and keep it entertaining like Sarah Thomas but I just don't seem to have that ability yet. Hopefully when life goes on I'll have more exciting things to write about. 

Happy Blogging!

-Devon

"Please stop quoting me. Not everything I say is some witty quotation."

-Mark Twain