HI...JUST CHECKING IN....sorry, I was yelling...just checking in real quick because I have a couple of things I absolutely have to get off my chest.

• For those that are curious, the dotted line has been signed and I'm in. I'm back at Rancho Buena Vista. This is a long-time coming. I missed working with that group. The three years I was there we really turned the program around. We actually were quite good, winning the prestigious Savanna Tournament in my second year there and lighting the crowd on fire with our Kansas show. It was definitely a high point of my design career. So it's good to be back. And we were thinking of going one direction--but now...we're going a whole new direction, and I'm VERY excited. This is a band not afraid to take a few chances, to march challenging drill, and play challenging music (AND LOUD!!). Anyway...more to come on that. I'm pumped.
• Confirmed another large school just this morning. They missed 5A championships by a .10th of a point. We'll work on that. I'm also very excited about this opportunity because the guard guy there is a current member of the Cavaliers (Homer Lopez) and I've had a couple of nice talks with him. He seems VERY down to earth, knowledgeable, and not a "diva", which is nice to work with. I'm looking forward to this.
• Had a Strategic Management Meeting with Impulse last night, and our special guest was Pat Siedling, who I've heard so much about over my years in the drum corps world but never have met. He showed up with his wife last night and preceded to give us a 3-hour tutorial on how to get into Division I, and I just have to say this. I literally could have sat there for 3 more hours and listened to him. Sometimes in this activity, there are people that you would rather not listen to give you the time much less pontificate about how to take a corps to the next level. Pat was in a word--AMAZING. He was encouraging, brutally honest, optimistic, down to earth, and full of incredible knowledge. I was literally blown away last night. His experience and his willingness to be "behind the scenes" with Impulse is ABSOLUTELY the best thing that can happen to this organization. I'm very energized. The 6 Sure Signs of Success...and the 4 Legs of Stability. DUDE!!! In the words of Lee Rudnicki...GENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIUS!!!
• Got close to signing on a HUGE talent for our guard situation with Impulse--that situation is still developing, but if we can get this guy plus some other talent, we could start to build up the fledgling guard situation and get some PROFESSIONALS that care about the kids into key positions. I believe in to a certain extent that things that are meant to be WILL be. We'll see how this plays out.

And lastly--my experience at the gym. As some of you know I've been very ill for about 15 days, and it totally knocked me out of going to the gym and trying to work on my stellar physique (yeah Turner...whatever). Anyway...I AM happy to say that I have been conscious and careful (carefuller?) of how I've been eating, so I'm maintaining the weight loss from the previous month's body bombardment and 24hr Fitness. THAT is encouraging. I played basketball with some of my youth at my church on Wednesday, which was with the exception of a three mile walk I took on Monday at work, the only exercise since being down and out with whatever the hell kicked me in the butt. Playing basketball. A pudgy white boy out there running around with a bunch of kids. THAT in and of itself should be the most hilarious thing you've ever seen. But it was a good work out.

So--this morning, up I get, take Sarah to school and off to the gym I go. Read on--because I have a major rant about ready to spew forth.

I have noticed (and I'm going to be very sexist here--so just deal or don't read) that not sometimes, not most times, but EVERY SINGLE DANG TIME I go to the gym, inevitably, there are going to be 2 or more women just yapping and talking and blabbing while they work out. What's wrong with this? Nothing in and of itself. You're obviously free to talk. BUT AT A GYM!!!???? Puhleeeeeeeeeeeeze. There's really nothing more grating on my nerves than middle aged women PRETENDING to work out, coked out of their gords having had a triple expresso latte cappucino with a side a block of caffeine before coming to the gym, discussing such interesting topics like A)What's wrong with my husband, or B)What's wrong with going to the mall and spending lots of money on stupid worthless things that don't matter anyway, and what's wrong with my husband and how come he doesn't get why I have to go there and do this, or C)What's wrong with the schools? or D)What's wrong with my ass?? I can't get it any smaller...I just don't get it?? And on...and on...and on...

Just today...on my first time back to the gym since being out, I get on a Precor Elliptical and start going. I'm literally off by myself, not bugging a SOUL. On the end of a row. And I like to concentrate and make sure I'm setting little mini-goals as I go and what not...it's a mind game for me. Two women show up and take the next two machines next to me. And they started. I like to do 60 mins on a machine, because then I know I'm really burning calories. Well, these two show up 10 mins into my workout, and procede to compare notes about their kids. My ear is naturally drawn to them because A) they're next to me, B) they're freakin' loud!, and C) they both have that southern California nasally coked out on Starbucks super fast high pitched oscillating sing song voice that makes me want to go get weaponry and...and...well...I better be careful now. I don't want to scare anyone! :-)

But SERIOUSLY!!! I mean...it was just NON-STOP!!! They NEVER EVER EVER EVER stopped talking. But was worse was that they tried to up one another, and they talked...get this...freakin' women...they TALKED AT THE SAME TIME. There was SUCH a need to get their point across that simple give and take and listening was just out the door. And how many times did I hear "Well, MY daughter is..." Uggggggggggh. But it got worse. YES. This was just the beginning. Because after 30 mins of pretending to work out and this back and forth yapping about NOTHING, they both stop "working out" (and I use the term lightly), and stood on the ellipticals...

....(gulp!)...and KEPT FREAKIN' TALKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!!!

I sooooooooo wanted to yell that. Really. I just wanted to hear the sounds of the gym, concentrate on my numbers, my pulse, my breathing exercises...but I had Chatty Cathy on Crack next to me. I'm SINCERELY going to invest in a IPOD. I hear those things are cool.

'Til next time...and now...GET OUTTA HERE!!!

This world...she's a spinin' fast...

Let me give you some brief highlights...

• Much healthier, mostly due to large does of illegally obtained Cipro because I was too damn lazy to go to the doctor. Sue me! I used some Cipro that my wife couldn't take because it made her feel like her head was a nuclear reactor on meltdown. I am in the throws however of the beginning of my annual sneeze fest. So Clartatin and me will start our affair soon.
• I've had reason to talk to separate people over the last week about the same damn regret I've had for many many years, and I'll probably go to my grave with the regret. I know we're not supposed to have any. But I can't get this out of mind. I regret not doing what I needed to do to get my degree and become a band director. I've seen many band director friends of mine--Tim Bryan, Phil R. Mortensen, Larry White to name just a few--successfully move up into admin positions. And I think I cheated myself out of a rewarding career in education because in my tender 20's, I was convinced that band directing was "dead end" in terms of career. What was I? A complete buffoon back then??? When one has a regret, one shouldn't assume that the regret has a twin regret of what is CURRENTLY going on in one's life. No no no...that's not the case with me. I actually have it pretty good. I'm not trying to say I'm NOT grateful for the path my life went and where I am today. But I can't get the thought out of my mind. And I kick myself when I think back to the time a certain band director had a very long heart-to-heart with me and GREATLY encouraged me to get up to Azusa Pacific College and finish my degree because big changes were coming to his district. And I didn't listen. Dang. STUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPID. About as dumb as me selling my 1970 Dodge Challenger back in 1988.
• Had an Excel class at OCFA, taught by an instructor from New Horizons, the same company I worked with back in 1992 and 1993. And based on what he told me, their business model still sucks. How they stay in business and how people STILL get sucked into working for that crappy company is BEYOND ME. No...I'm not a big fan of New Horizons. Anyway...found out some things that Excel does that may or may not help me in my job at OCFA. Cool stuff though. That program is pretty dang impressive.
• Forgot to ask if it was OK to announce to the world who I am writing drill for that I sort of hinted at in my last entry. All I know is that they do feel the rhythm down there at the ranch, and they are happy to have me back. I'm happy to be back. Now can we pick a freakin' show?!?!?!?!?
• Called my old stand by Greg Flores yesterday from work to tap into his creative genius and see if he wants to join the team with this previously aforementioned band. He's game. Greg was the magic behind the hornline and brass book for VK from 1991-1996, and I hired him on and he took over for me after my 6 year run with Fountain Valley came to a crashing and dramatic (and sad) end. He knows how to make a hornline play and can write great music. He's been writing for Long Beach State's "Basketball Band" which is basically like "Tower of Power", as well as teaching and gigging and judging. Matter of fact, I hired him at the last minute to judge music when I was asked to be the Chief Judge for the Pacific Northwest Marching Band Championships at the 11th hour--and I pulled together an all-star judging crew from southern California and TORE UP WASHINGTON STATE!!! That was fun. Those northwesterners didn't know what hit them...Dan and Ron Zeilinger, Robert Whitaker, Greg Flores, Paul Locke, Dale Leaman, ME...holy cow!!! It was VERY fun!! i'll never forget that weekend.\

Anyway friends...I have some political/world views I want to spew out but I can't right now. Suffice it to say...things are soooooooooooooo nuts right now. If you don't spend time looking at the news...you'd be amazed at what's happening.

Hijinks and Tiddlywinks--WTF?!?!?!

Dudes and dudettes...welcome back to my blog, long forgotten but not totally dissed. I'm on a drug that I am convinced has caused me to regress to the days before I actually knew how to type. Yes...I do know how to type for I took a typing a class in 9th grade at the behest...request...the command of my dearly departed mother, who in her infinite wisdom back in 1980, was able to tell that the ways of the future would demand that I at least know how the hell to type. Little did she know (or did I know in my freshman wisdom) that one day in fact, typing would be CENTRAL to my life. So...thanks mom. And sorry about the drugs. Wait. I mean, sorry about my typing. Or lack thereof. I'm sick!!! That's the ticket!!! I'm sick. I got sick on Sunday morning, the morning of a large vegetation fire that roared through the eastern part of Anaslime Hills. I rolled out of bed and came into work on Monday, and actually went to the fire, only to suck in a bunch of smoke and crap which didn't help me much. Had a really bad cough, laryngitis...the typical. But I was REALLY run down. Then, when I thought I was getting better, I go to Pasadena for a training class, and could barely make it through the first day. Fever of 102, body feeling like it was hit by a truck...really bad shape. I decided to leave early and forego the certificate saying that I was smarter than when I went in...and here I am. I stole some Cipro antibiotics from my dear bride, and apparently it's working. Fever is gone, body aches are all but gone for the most part, but the cough is still there. Also had a very weird throat thing going on. It wasn't strep. I know strep. It was different. It would be like someone just out of the blue would grab my windpipe--and I'd all of a sudden have a need to cough or actually choke. VERY strange. I also had a "croup" cough on Tuesday morning....CROUP!! I'm freakin' 40 years old!!! But it was the same painful dry nasty cough I used to get when I was a little kid. I still remember those days. And this was the exact same thing. VERY STRANGE. But what's worse--I've been sick for a LONG TIME. When I get sick, usually 3 to 4 days and the worst is over. This has just been lingering. Probably the government spraying crap on us...or the aliens. Or both.

Anyway...word got to me that somehow this blog has been viewed by more members of the OC"EFFIN"A. Great. As if my reputation as a Monster-drinking, Rockstar-snorting, rebel rousing loud mouth at the OC"EFFIN"A isn't enough. Well--I would like to say hello to my fellow OC"EFFIN"A-ites that read this. And I would like impart...empart...import...give you some knowledge and a helpful hint. With all the warts and issues we may have to contend with during our day-to-day schlepping we go through here to get our job done, I DO have to say without a doubt that, warts and all, I still believe the OCFA is a great place to work. There are SO many ways that the OC"EFFIN"A can be better, but IN COMPARISON, we do many things right. And I'm no company man. I'd just as soon rail on what's wrong. But sometimes, getting out of my hole/cage and looking around a little at what else is out there, I have to be honest with myself and simply be grateful for what I DO have. That's not a license to settle for less. But it IS a license to not feel sorry for oneself. Does that make sense? In the dispatch world, I may not know everything there is to know, but I know enough. And I'm glad that I am where I am. Hopefully, no matter where YOU work in the OC"EFFIN"A you can feel the same way. Be grateful, strive to be the best, don't kill yourself if you're not, and don't settle for less from the powers that be.

OK...let me take my cheerleading skirt off here. Just a second.

OK...I'm back. Several topics to touch on....

• Announcing for the WGASC every weekend. Been going well, except last weekend, when I could barely talk on the mic. Thank goodness for 200 watt amplifiers. The winter guard activity is VERY strong in southern California, and for those readers that think winter guard is something you buy for your car, go to www.wgasc.org and read up a little on what I refer to. If you're REALLY adventurous, go to www.wgi.org and you can see actually video clips of what it is that I announce for.
• This probably isn't for public consumption yet, but I'm gonna go ahead and at least announce it PARTIALLY. It was just confirmed over the phone with the director that I am now officially on staff for this fall for a major marching band as the show designer. VERY cool. Just an off-chance that I asked about the position, and that opened a door I didn't realize even had a doorknob on it, if you get my drift. Apparently the door FLEW open and well...here I am. Official announcement coming soon just as soon as the dotted line is signed and I'm free to say who and where.
• I'm confirmed now for 7 bands in the fall, and I'm good with that. I had 11 last season, and made the money I needed to get myself for the most part of debt. The CFO of the Turner Empire has now decreed that I no longer need to hustle for writing gigs, that we in fact can live off of less. Gee....thanks honey.
• Openers have been written for So Cal Dream (www.socaldream.org) and Capital Sound (www.capitalsound.org) and response has been the most positive I've received for first drafts. Either means I'm getting better at this, or, people just don't want to argue with me anymore. It's cool to be writing for these groups, especially Cap Sound. First time to write for a corps out of state. I can only imagine doors opening because of this particular client.
• Impulse (www.iyao.org) is up next. Music received and scores are ready--now have to meet with folks and get them a show written.
• Heard a unverifiable yet VERY reliable "rumor" that things are a-changing in the SCSBOA for the field show side of things, and the "what" is interesting. I think SCSBOA is realizing to some extent that there has to be some more controls over the QUALITY of what they provide for their members. And if what I heard is true, they are addressing these issues. I'm not sure everyone will be rip-roaring for it, but hey, you have to keep in mind, molasses usually outpaces SCSBOA, so for changes to happen at all...I'm ALL for it. You see, I used to be very critical of SCSBOA. But they've done some things over the last several years that have been great, annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, I've realized what SCSBOA IS. Plus I'm older. And wiser. And less prone to speak before I think.
• Speaking of thinking before I speak, apparently I didn't when I responded on YOUTUBE to a stupid comment made by a person claiming to be a student of a band whose video was on the website. I called the "kid" an idiot for making that comment, and said I would have kicked his/her ass out of band so fast his/her head would spin. Apparently, someone thought shoving a bass drum mallet down my throat would be a way to solve me (big bad adult) saying something harsh to poor little student. Grrrrrrrrrrr...whatever.
• I'm still sick. Just not AS sick. So shut it, Jon!
• Speaking of Jon...http://jdaroundorange.blogspot.com/ He's one of my long-time friends and has a nice site. He's a dispatcher...and a politician of epic proportions. Today...city council. Tomorrow...state assembly. Soon after that...SENATOR?!?!?! Good GOD all Friday.

OK...I could think of more but the drugs are making me light-headed and ferclempt. So...I need to go. Besides, I have WORK to do. Thanks for reading.

NOW GET OUTTA HERE!!!!