One Crazy Month

Hello? Anyone still out there? Miss me? Frustrated that I haven’t kept this darned thing updated?

Yeah, me too.

So if anyone is listening, let me give you an update on what has happened since that fateful concert weekend.

The LGBA Board of Directors traveled out to the West Coast the first weekend of May for our annual Mid-Year meeting. It was a great trip; albeit there was some tension among some of the board members. I think we did get a lot accomplished and look forward to continuing to work with the team over the next few months leading up to the Deliciously Wicked conference Halloween weekend in NYC.

While in Portland, we stayed at the cute Kennedy School hotel. The hotel was a renovated schoolhouse turned hotel/conference center and was perfect for our little outing. We made a trip up the Columbia River Gorge and drove the Old Columbia River Highway out to Multnomah Falls (a staple for the PDX visitor) and then made a return to the Multnomah Falls Lodge for dinner on Sunday evening before flying home Sunday night.

The following night was DCDD Marching Band’s first rehearsal… sorta. I didn’t really know who would show up so I planned it to be more of a sight-reading session for the musicians to see how some of the music from the DCDD Library sounded. Wednesday of that evening, my friend Travis from Indianapolis was in town so we went to dinner (after a no-show DCDD Colorguard Open House at Mr. Henry’s) and talked about trying to get him a job in DC. HURRY UP TRAVIS!

Before I knew it, it was Friday and off to NC for Carolina Gold Drum Corps rehearsal. It was also Mother’s Day weekend, so I ended up going to Durham to take Cory her Mother’s Day present – some cooking sauces that I thought she would like. Don’t worry, I gave the Biological mother some roses since I couldn’t be in Arkansas on her holiday.

Drum Corps is going very well and I’m very pleased to be part of it, even if I am driving 600 miles round-trip each (30mpg = 20gal gas at $3.95/gal = $79 in gas for my little trip, but very much worth it). I won’t talk much about it, but we will be debuting our 2008 show on July 5th in Manassas, VA and will continue performing on July 26th in Chambersburg, PA. I’m told that we might be marching with the DCA “Big Dogs” at a show in Syracuse, NY the weekend of Aug 2 and if that falls through we might be doing 2 shows in the Atlanta area the following weekend. Finally, we will do a “Friends and Family” show in Raleigh on Aug 23 and then off to Rochester, NY for DCA World Championships over Labor Day weekend. And hey, I’m getting a farmer’s tan too!

But back to the travel, the following weekend (May 15-19) I was back in NC. I picked up Lisa at BWI on Thursday evening and then we drove in the POURING rain to Durham arriving around 1AM Friday morning. What for? We were down for the North Carolina Pride Band’s concert. We joined our favorite piccolo player Eddie and a whole group from Atlanta’s MetroGnomes who came up to perform in the concert (not to mention Alfred Reed-killer Erin Frawley from Boston). It was a great time and reminded me a lot of the first days of MAFB when there were more BandTogether “guests” performing than there were MAFB members.

I drove Lisa back to BWI and then home to crash. I was beat and needed to get ready for DCDD’s first outdoor rehearsal the following day. Which I think was a great success. We have 2 more rehearsals before Capitol Pride, but I think we will do very well!

On Tuesday night of that week, my friend Jared and I made our way to the new Nationals Stadium. The entire evening went very well, minus the small problem finding an open car on the Metro getting down to Navy Yard on the Green Line, but we made it with time to spare. Sadly, the Nat’s lost 1-0 to the Phillies. No celebration for us.

Then last weekend was Memorial Day and where was I? Back in North Carolina for Drum Corps rehearsal. I’m told we have 6 minutes of drill on the field (but it seems like so much more!) Only 4 more minutes to go! I’m so looking forward to this season. After camp on Sunday, I drove to Durham to pick up the Sousaphone that Jinx worked on for DCDD and just couldn’t muster the energy to drive home, so I took a shower and fell asleep on the recliner love seat. I’d have felt guilty, but Jinx and Cory were partying it up in the woods near Boone, NC so I had the house to myself.

I got up on Monday morning and made a bee-line for DC. After fending off 2 firey crashes, 1 motorcycle that fell off a trailer and a semi whose front tire fell off – all on I-95 – I finally made it to Matt and Terry’s BBQ on Memorial Day. What better way to spend the holiday than with some of your favorite people – most of them from DCDD. It has only taken me nearly 2 years, but I’m starting to feel like I belong in DCDD – not an outsider. I had a total blast! After the BBQ, I met up with Shawn at Circa in Dupont Circle for dinner and we just sat on the patio and watched the people walk by.

Now fast-forward to last week. Work has been very busy – I’ve been working to put together a venue for a “Day of Learning” event for work and trying to get my training schedule put together for this year. And then last night, I met up with Shawn and his friend Jason for dinner at Lorial Plaza and then we went for a drink at Duplex Diner. Lots of fun!

And this weekend? Nothing! Zero! No Plans! Nada! Ok, that’s kind of a lie, but I stayed at home mostly and watched Season One of 30Rock. I went to a movie with Parag Friday night – either IronMan. Saturday night I hung out and saw And Then She Found Me with Shawn. Then Sunday night, I saw the Sex in the City movie with Jared. And sleep… lots of sleep. I’m exhausted!