STOMP

[BigDale]

youtube vid right here...

Hmmmmmmmmm....truly bitter sweet. + + +

[Tapper7]

Sometimes information (even in 2011) ...

It takes awhile to filter down through the various channels. The means by which we communicate.

I don't "Facebook" and I tore down my blog and my myspace page. I have found that social networking gets you into trouble on a personal AND professional level. Something you wrote in 2003 that you thought was funny gets read by a loved one in 2010 who finds it not so. It just isn't worth the drama and the potential for drama.

Oh but I am starting to go "off-topic" as me and my best friend did so many times.

I knew he was my best friend because every time I called him he usually said,"Tapper I was just thinking about you," or "I was just talking about you today," or "I was just about to call you."

When he would call me ... he would usually begin with, "Tapper, whats up, man? I miss you!" Always said with heartfelt sincerity.

A scheduling mix-up led to my boss calling my cell phone ... "CHRIS - WHY AREN'T YOU AT WORK!?!" *growl*

"Ummm. what? I'm off this week? I'm in Chicago? Remember I'm in this musical thing called Drum Corps? I have shows all weekend?" When I got home it was the assmgr who forgot to put the days off on the the calender - my word against his, guess who lost? I was fired immediately. With my BS from Cal Poly complete, unemployed and my apt. lease up in 2 weeks --> It was time to say goodbye to San Luis Obispo, my home for 7 years.

So I drove up to Santa Clara (again). Homeless, unemployed and broke. Again.

My best friend opened up his home to me ... there were two couches and the legendary Roland Garceau was already sleeping on one of them. That couch was my bed for almost two years. He gave me a job - I became the office manager of Cleanway USA Carpet Cleaning. He put a roof over my head. And he kept me from starving. Weekends became religion - whether it was rehearsal, a show, a gig or Bluegrass music and too many Miller High Lifes. Every minute of it seemed precious.

Everyminute of it was.

I still don't know exactly what happened to my best friend ... just that he's gone and that he left either on, just b4 of just after Thanksgiving.

He called me just days before. Maybe it was the last day. The topic was would I come up and march in 2011. So we could march together. To create a million more memories to add to millions we already have. That's a lot. Not nearly enough though. We were supposed to create memories well into the billions and I did NOT think I would out-live him.

Rich Skare is my best friend. He always will be. I AM CRUSHED BY THIS LOSS.

But that's the way information filters. If I had logged on to ANY drum corps page in the last 2 months I would have known. But I didnt. I guess I figured someone would call me. I posted my work-email on another forum on Dec. 8. I guess I figured someone would have emailed.

Finding out that your best friend has departed by logging onto a corps Web site is not the ideal way to receive this type of news. I have a lot of catching up to do in terms of grieving. Shock, despair, desperation, exhaustion (I fell asleep at my desk at work last thursday). Anger. Now I'm in denial. I just can't picture life/reality without my best friend.

I could write 20,000 pages on this topic. I'll stop now.

S---

I Stomp them.

Edited January 17, 2011 by Tapper7

[SomeGuardChk]

Sometimes information (even in 2011) ...

It takes awhile to filter down through the various channels. The means by which we communicate.

I don't "Facebook" and I tore down my blog and my myspace page. I have found that social networking gets you into trouble on a personal AND professional level. Something you wrote in 2003 that you thought was funny gets read by a loved one in 2010 who finds it not so. It just isn't worth the drama and the potential for drama.

Oh but I am starting to go "off-topic" as me and my best friend did so many times.

I knew he was my best friend because every time I called him he usually said,"Tapper I was just thinking about you," or "I was just talking about you today," or "I was just about to call you."

When he would call me ... he would usually begin with, "Tapper, whats up, man? I miss you!" Always said with heartfelt sincerity.

A scheduling mix-up led to my boss calling my cell phone ... "CHRIS - WHY AREN'T YOU AT WORK!?!" *growl*

"Ummm. what? I'm off this week? I'm in Chicago? Remember I'm in this musical thing called Drum Corps? I have shows all weekend?" When I got home it was the assmgr who forgot to put the days off on the the calender - my word against his, guess who lost? I was fired immediately. With my BS from Cal Poly complete, unemployed and my apt. lease up in 2 weeks --> It was time to say goodbye to San Luis Obispo, my home for 7 years.

So I drove up to Santa Clara (again). Homeless, unemployed and broke. Again.

My best friend opened up his home to me ... there were two couches and the legendary Roland Garceau was already sleeping on one of them. That couch was my bed for almost two years. He gave me a job - I became the office manager of Cleanway USA Carpet Cleaning. He put a roof over my head. And he kept me from starving. Weekends became religion - whether it was rehearsal, a show, a gig or Bluegrass music and too many Miller High Lifes. Every minute of it seemed precious.

Everyminute of it was.

I still don't know exactly what happened to my best friend ... just that he's gone and that he left either on, just b4 of just after Thanksgiving.

He called me just days before. Maybe it was the last day. The topic was would I come up and march in 2011. So we could march together. To create a million more memories to add to millions we already have. That's a lot. Not nearly enough though. We were supposed to create memories well into the billions and I did NOT think I would out-live him.

Rich Skare is my best friend. He always will be. I AM CRUSHED BY THIS LOSS.

But that's the way information filters. If I had logged on to ANY drum corps page in the last 2 months I would have known. But I didnt. I guess I figured someone would call me. I posted my work-email on another forum on Dec. 8. I guess I figured someone would have emailed.

Finding out that your best friend has departed by logging onto a corps Web site is not the ideal way to receive this type of news. I have a lot of catching up to do in terms of grieving. Shock, despair, desperation, exhaustion (I fell asleep at my desk at work last thursday). Anger. Now I'm in denial. I just can't picture life/reality without my best friend.

I could write 20,000 pages on this topic. I'll stop now.

S---

I Stomp them.

Chris,

I sent you a PM on here as soon as the word got out cause I didn't know how else to get a hold of you. Every number and email address I had for you were no longer active.

You and Rich were both my really good friends. We didn't judge one another and we didn't care what other people thought.

Please keep in touch, I'll PM you my number and email.

[Tapper7]

Chris,

I sent you a PM on here as soon as the word got out cause I didn't know how else to get a hold of you. Every number and email address I had for you were no longer active.

You and Rich were both my really good friends. We didn't judge one another and we didn't care what other people thought.

Please keep in touch, I'll PM you my number and email.

Alisha I know you did. When I finally got around checking DCP, I did check my InBox. a message titled: "Re: Skare" from SomeGuardChk ... that we either YOU or Kanika. I still havent read it. If ONE PERSON reached out to me. I am glad it was you. At work ... my boss is gone so I'm functioning @ 1/10th capacity right now. F-them.

We get so backwards in our lives; we put put work first then friends, then family ... its all backwards ... we need to start putting FAMILY first ... then everything else. Cuz thats who will be there when your friends leave and your job downsizes.

Family. That's what we are. You know how I know? I could walk up to SomeGuardChick and say "Casey's a f---ing show-dog," and she would laugh hysterically///you're laughing now arent you sweety? I miss you. You are maybe the only one who knows our inside jokes ... THE REAL ONES.

So much has changed ... we gotta talk. Ill PM soon and send you my cell#. Hugs N' Kisses.

Thanks to the honorable Gilman who shed some light on the tragedy for me - pulling me out of the dark.

All - I am sorry I am not so sure about marching. I wish I could say "it's about the corps this is what Rich would want ...etc." all I want to do is honor his memory. And whether that is to March 2011. Play a solo in his honor @ I&E. Direct a mixed ensemble in his name @minicorps, all three, just one of them, or nothing ... I have to do some soul searching to figure out what is in the best interest of my my departed brother. For once it's not about "The Corps" or The Activity.

Alicia we'll chat soon. :)

There is so much catching up yo do, thanks for PMing me on the day he died. I apologize that you didnt have up-to-date emails and ph#. Ill explain soon.