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My ideal DCI finals weekend...


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My brother actually did this, this year. He got in Friday morning with no ticket to the show, and spent the entire day under a tree at the warm up park watching the corps parade by. He enjoyed it.

But, when we met him that night leaving the stadium, there he was sitting alone (mostly) outside the stadium waiting for us. He said "It sure was tough sitting outside the stadium and hearing 15,000 people scream".

He had a ticket to finals, and his weekend was made complete.

The _kid and I did this last year for several, but not all, corps. While it was fun, I'd much rather be inside seeing the actual end result of all that warming up.

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Wanted to do this for two years and haven't been able to:

Fly in on Friday. Check in, head to a local establishment for food and drink, then head to the warm up area.Spend all evening catching warm ups, get to as many drum lines and some horn lines as possible. When the last corps is done we head to a local pub for some appetizers and a few pints.

Breakfast the next morning, check out some sights, grab some lunch and head to the stadium. In the stadium all day checking out all the shows. After finals, back to the pub for some lively discussions on what just happened. Catch a flight back on Sunday and post my experience here and chill out the rest of the day.

Man I can't wait until I can make this happen.

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I'm in Allentown. I sit for the first two shows and check the program yo see if WGI and BOA spawned. I decide to skip the next corps and hop over the fence behind the press box to take a walk realizing I'm out of another grand flying to see HS marching band members are dating the school dance team members and know who is wearing the pants in the relationship. As a I walk further away in despair hearing only the micd pit and voiceovers...out of nowhere a brilliant light flashes before me, strong wind and smoke. A car does a 180 three feet in front of me. Its a DeLirean. The door opens up and Doc comes out and says Marty.....something has gone terribly wrong. I say...I know Doc...this sucks....its sucked for years....there is no music...just noise...everyone does Pilate's in band uniforms, their playing band instruments, the synths are playing bass notes Doc when there are 16 tubas....the shows are so abstract even Einstein is WTF. Marty, Marty....he says...we don't have time for this....something went terribly wrong....we have to back to 1982 Finals in Montreal and stop George Hopkins from having that drink and thinking. Its up to you....but hurry...if we don't act soon it could be worse....we are talking woodwinds, trombones, strings. Let's go back Finals right this instant.

Dream weekend.

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I'm in Allentown. I sit for the first two shows and check the program yo see if WGI and BOA spawned. I decide to skip the next corps and hop over the fence behind the press box to take a walk realizing I'm out of another grand flying to see HS marching band members are dating the school dance team members and know who is wearing the pants in the relationship. As a I walk further away in despair hearing only the micd pit and voiceovers...out of nowhere a brilliant light flashes before me, strong wind and smoke. A car does a 180 three feet in front of me. Its a DeLirean. The door opens up and Doc comes out and says Marty.....something has gone terribly wrong. I say...I know Doc...this sucks....its sucked for years....there is no music...just noise...everyone does Pilate's in band uniforms, their playing band instruments, the synths are playing bass notes Doc when there are 16 tubas....the shows are so abstract even Einstein is WTF. Marty, Marty....he says...we don't have time for this....something went terribly wrong....we have to back to 1982 Finals in Montreal and stop George Hopkins from having that drink and thinking. Its up to you....but hurry...if we don't act soon it could be worse....we are talking woodwinds, trombones, strings. Let's go back Finals right this instant.

Dream weekend.

You know, there are psychologists who can help talk you through this psychosis of yours. Really, they can help.

Wishing to relive one's youth is not an uncommon affliction, but most would agree that, at some point, you have to make the decision to move on with your life.

With work and constant attention to what's good in the activity you'll be able to destroy these monsters in your head. I promise. And you can look forward to a much more enjoyable future if you'll just trust those around you and be open to the possibility that there's a better life ahead for you.

You can do it. It's really nothing, compared to the effort the MM's expend in the course of a season.

Edited by garfield
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All of you are thinking FAR too small.

My ideal DCI weekend would consist of completing the following checklist, in no particular order...

- Conducting Phantom's horn warm up

- Designing a new, improved uniform for the Oregon Crusaders

- The Cadets tenor line teaching me how to play (as in, from scratch.)

- Learning how to spin & toss a rifle from the Blue Devil's guard (also starting from scratch. I'd bring my own helmet.)

- Listening to the Battlestar Galactica soundtracks with the Bluecoat's music staff and bouncing arrangement ideas off of them

- Creating a handful of drill sets and watching the Cavaliers try them out

- Having a long chat over beers with Dan Acheson, Micheal Boo, Micheal Cesario, and just to keep things spicy, George Hopkins

- Getting fundraising tips from whomever's in charge of such things at the Blue Devils

- Conducting Vanguard in an on-field warmup

- Shadowing a judge on the field to discover what the heck they're seeing & hearing

- Co-announcing Finals with Brandt Crocker

So that's my ideal DCI weekend.

It's not too much too ask for, right???

That sounds more like a DCI fantasy camp. Something for us way-beyond-ageouts who want to experience what its like to be a part of a WC corps, but never did have the skills/time/money/other/alloftheabove to participate. Hmmm...could DCI coordinate such a thing? Would there be enough staff members willing to participate? Or would it be easier for a single corps to try to replicate a one week "corps experience fantasy camp," rather than try to coordinate an "all-star" version?

So, how much would one be willing to pay for such an experience?

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All of you are thinking FAR too small.

My ideal DCI weekend would consist of completing the following checklist, in no particular order...

...

- Having a long chat over beers with Dan Acheson, Michael Boo, Micheal Cesario, and just to keep things spicy, George Hopkins

...

It's not too much too ask for, right???

While I don't drink beer, I would be delighted to sit down with you and chat any time we're in the same proximity. I live in northwest Indiana, an hour outside Chicago not far from Lake Michigan. That same offer goes for anyone who's a corps fan. It would be my honor.

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...

So, how much would one be willing to pay for such an experience?

I can be bought for an order of onion rings.

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You know, there are psychologists who can help talk you through this psychosis of yours. Really, they can help.

Wishing to relive one's youth is not an uncommon affliction, but most would agree that, at some point, you have to make the decision to move on with your life.

With work and constant attention to what's good in the activity you'll be able to destroy these monsters in your head. I promise. And you can look forward to a much more enjoyable future if you'll just trust those around you and be open to the possibility that there's a better life ahead for you.

You can do it. It really nothing, compared to the effort the MM's expend in the course of a season.

"You know, there are psychologists who can help talk you through this psychosis of yours. Really, they can help."

I wonder if this is wisdom learned when you realized you were the only person posting "George Hopkins" and thinking it was a funny response to anyone's question?

Or maybe when you recognized other authority issues at work when you react to people saying they know the type of person you are by the posts you make?

I wonder where this wisdom derives???

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"You know, there are psychologists who can help talk you through this psychosis of yours. Really, they can help."

I wonder if this is wisdom learned when you realized you were the only person posting "George Hopkins" and thinking it was a funny response to anyone's question?

Or maybe when you recognized other authority issues at work when you react to people saying they know the type of person you are by the posts you make?

I wonder where this wisdom derives???

Waffles.

I can't make sense of your second sentence.

Long experience and a sardonic wit, most likely.

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