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Non Drum Corps Spouses...How do we explain what we did


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As soon as someone figures out how to explain this to my wife, please let me know.

I've been trying to explain it to her for 24 years.....its still like trying to explain quantum mechanics to a cranberry. :tongue:

Tell her "it's sorta like a marching band..."
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Tell her "it's sorta like a marching band..."

I used that line on someone (not my wife) in an effort to explain.

And her response was, "Oh! Like the movie Drum Line!!"

(My trial for assault and battery begins in about six weeks.)

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Wife #1 always felt it was a "silly hobby" until our daughter decided at the age of 10 that she was going to go with Daddy and be in the guard. Then it became a "cult" and I was brainwashing our children. 11 years later we still love the activity and friendships made.

Soon to be wife #2 is pushing for me to go back this summer and is bummed that she isn't able to join me.

She is looking forward to DCA finals weekend and spending time watching everyone perform!

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I used that line on someone (not my wife) in an effort to explain.

And her response was, "Oh! Like the movie Drum Line!!"

(My trial for assault and battery begins in about six weeks.)

Thanks for a great laugh. :cool:

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wow. That's like selling your soul.

no it's not. the average person on the street has more than likely seen a marching band, either in high school or college. i've had to use marching band as a starting point to explain drum corps many times. why try to reinvent the wheel and start from scratch? giving people a reference point of what they know, then explaining the finer differences, isn't a bad thing.

i guess i have to ask, though probably will regret asking, would be why is using a similar activity to help explain ours "selling your soul"?

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no it's not. the average person on the street has more than likely seen a marching band, either in high school or college. i've had to use marching band as a starting point to explain drum corps many times. why try to reinvent the wheel and start from scratch? giving people a reference point of what they know, then explaining the finer differences, isn't a bad thing.

i guess i have to ask, though probably will regret asking, would be why is using a similar activity to help explain ours "selling your soul"?

Gotta agree with Liz, my usual is "it's like a marching band with only horns and drums". Ehh, if it works, it works....

If I don't get a "so what" look then I can add "sounds a lot better/more exciting without the #### woodwinds".

But I can really grab their attention by saying "We have a slight range of ages in my group. Youngest person is HS age and the oldest folks are only in their 70s". :devil:

Edit: First/Only time my in-laws saw me play was with Westshoremen Alumni at the Forum in 2004. Before the show it was "Oh that's nice you found a group to play with". After 60+ horns got thru the first number my sister-in-law picked her jaw off the ground and told my wife "I didn't know Jim could do THAT!!". One of the best compliments I got.... :cool:

Edited by JimF-3rdBari
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no it's not. the average person on the street has more than likely seen a marching band, either in high school or college. i've had to use marching band as a starting point to explain drum corps many times. why try to reinvent the wheel and start from scratch? giving people a reference point of what they know, then explaining the finer differences, isn't a bad thing.

i guess i have to ask, though probably will regret asking, would be why is using a similar activity to help explain ours "selling your soul"?

Liz,

You are correct. When I start out a conversation with the term Drum Corps I see the blank look then I mention that it is similar to Marching band you can see teh light switch go off. I then go into the differences and the switch is turned off again. LOL.

Joe

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Liz,

You are correct. When I start out a conversation with the term Drum Corps I see the blank look then I mention that it is similar to Marching band you can see teh light switch go off. I then go into the differences and the switch is turned off again. LOL.

Joe

I have been married 16 years and my wife has never seen a show or exhibition of any sort (DCA/). She has been to parades to see us play the same music over and over, she then asked me why we need to rehearse so much if we always play the same music. LOL. My kids, on the other hand, all love the activity so by taking baby steps I may get my wife to a show sooner or later.

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We've been married 39 years now. We've had our rough spots over time but who doesn't? Drum Corps has never been a problem. I met my wife at a Drum Corps friend's wedding. She was a fan at that time because two of her sisters had married Drum Corps people. Anyways, I marched through the '60's and we were married in '69. I left Drum Corps in the early 70's and pursued my other love, drag racing. Through the early 70's until the mid 80's I raced professionally. She hated it with a passion! She said all we did was sit around in the sun and wait, it was the most boring thing she ever saw. Even though we were doing well and were financially solvent, we decided (my partner and me) to hang it up. We tried some other activities but I was bored. In '89, our kids got into school marching band. I couldn't resist helping. Finally in '91 I was talked into marching again with the Empire Statesmen. On one Saturday night in '91 I was marching in Michigan, My wife was watching a DCI show in Indiana, our daughter was marching with the Rochester Patriots and our son ws playing with the Air Force Drum Corps. The next year my wife played Cymbals with Empire. It was her only year but she loved it. Now I'm retired but think of Drum Corps all the time. It's in my blood...

Wink

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