Well, a nice surprise for us drum corps fans. These links are to the first, second and third parts of The Cadets show that was performed at what apparently is a parent's night performance. The videos speak for themselves...what a great hornline, rocking drums, decent guard...and the WORST most ANNOYING narration I have ever heard out of any outdoor performance group. Truly astounding....and poorly written in my estimation as well...and hiding behind this crappy narration is a very very talented hornline. And some pretty cool drill if I do say so myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTdM3hUBjos - Part I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkkpiF1QYD0 - Part II
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggGcGz_XsTc - Part III

I went to lunch today to a new place called Padera Bakery (Pandera?). Whatever. It was so-so. But I went with the normal I.T. guys that I hang around with. Cool bunch of guys. Kind of an interesting cross between geekiness, anal retentiveness, and funny ass stories. So, I can sort of relate. Other than the anal retentiveness part. I'm just a slob.

But anyway, we had a new dude come eat with us today because, well, we're popular and people like to hang with us. And so all six of us are sitting at this table and it's your typical sandwich place--but brand new. They literally opened last week, so it's all nice and shiny and the employees are all perfect and "How can I help you?" and "May I serve the next guest in line?" are thrown around with abandon. So I'm sitting there at this table, munching on something called a Turkey Bacon Bravo...decent...not anything you can't get for a few bucks cheaper out of the vending machine, but whatever...and I'm listening to the ambient sounds that surround me. I can hear the nerds sitting behind me to the left yapping about "....well, we need to increase the rate at which we are able to continue with the procurement of the necessary developmental..." Oh SHUT UP. I heard the 3 yr old to my right scream at the top of her lungs "Mommy...Mommy...MOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYY!!!". But I didn't tell her to shut up because she's a kid. But I did throw a roll at the mom. And I heard old "Justin" 4 or 5 booths away, yelling into a cell phone, "It's Justin. No...Justin. Duuuuuude...it's JUSTIN. JUSTIN DUDE. Dude. JUSTIN." I'm going to kill you Justin if you say you're name again. Or maybe it was Jerrod. WTF.

So anyway...I'm sitting there, not really engaged in conversation, shoving the food with great glee into my gullet, chewing away, sort of scanning the room, randomly thinking about drill design, dispatchers, training, my car, terrorist attacks, illegal immigration...and I start hearing a voice that I recognize. And for an instant, I'm transfixed. From whence does this voice come? For whom does this voice belong? WTF IS HE SAYING?!?!? And I'm perplexed. For I have heard this voice before, and it was from my past, but I knew not how to identify the voice. It was striking a Bb Major Chord in my head, but it was slightly out of tune...if you get my metaphorical allergorical ancedotal syllogism. Yeah...me too...WTF?!?!?!

So...I scan my immediate surroundings, and find the voice to emanating from the piehole of the "new guy" that joined us for lunch. He was rattling on in some fashion or another about prospecting and gold dust and mining and permits and what not. And I'm thinking, "Dude--I have no life. You're worse. WTF does that make you?" But the VOICE. THE VOICE I SAY!! It was driving me mad. So since I had identified the owner of the voice, I then took another gigantic chunk of turkey-bacon goodness and shoved it into my mouth, began to mastigate, and closed my eyes. And that voice was still there. And then...

Like a lightning bolt, it hit me. My eyes shot open as my jaw came to a halt, unchewed bread and turkey parts lining my mouth, cheek and chin, and I realized who I was listening to...

...I was listening to Laskey, The Security Guard...at Walleyworld.

WHO!?!?!?!?

JOHN CANDY, you simpletons. JOHN CANDY, one of the great comedic geniuses of our time. JOHN CANDY, that big lovable oaf who stuck his hand between the butt cheeks of Steve Martin in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." JOHN CANDY, who played everybody's favorite whacky "Uncle Buck". That was it. I was listening to an exact replica of John Candy's voice.

And then I opened my eyes.

And the voice was emanating from a lanky 6ft 5 computer dude. But it was WEIRD!!! REALLY WEIRD.

Speaking of weird, I'm so tired I can barely stand up. So--I'm signing off now. Drum corps is in full swing by the way. Impulse and Capital Sound, two of the three corps I wrote for, are undefeated. COOL!! So far, so good.

Til next time...