Catching up a bit...

It's official. I am TERRIFIED of this blog. So I'm sitting there minding my own business, waiting for my sound system to be set up at Long Beach Veteran's Memorial Stadium, enjoying the warm afternoon sun, the nice breeze, and the sounds of The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps ripping my face off. And up comes Jeff McGinnis, current contra--oh sorry...TUBA coach for Impulse, a volunteer coaching position he's had since the corps was started I believe (THAT is actually AWESOME dedication!!), former director of Brea-Olinda HS (just down the road from my palatial estate in the hills of the Canyon of Carbon), and just all around nice guy. Comes up, shake hands, the old "how ya doin's...boy isn't Academy kicking ass...what's new" back and forth...and then...he drops a bomb.

I REALLY LIKE YOUR BLOG.

DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMIT.

Someone else found me!!! I don't want people reading this swill! WHAT THE?? But in all seriousness, he paid me some nice compliments and I humbly bow to you and your tuba/contra greatness and say "GET OUTTA HERE...but thanks for reading." Heh!! To think. Someone ENJOYS what I have to say!

Speaking of which, apparently I had a LOT to say. I wrote a review off the top of my head, complete with some rather ridiculous grammatical "creative license" (to say the least) up on Drum Corps Planet. Now, if you're one of my readers that for some reason has no clue what drum corps is, which is fine in and of itself, could you do me a favor and get to know it. Because in about 3 weeks Pasadena is going to be rocked by some of the best drum and bugle corps in the world as they descend upon the Rose Bowl. Anyway--if you'd like to see where I was on Saturday night--go to http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=100870 and read what I had to say. 'Tis better than wasting a perfectly good and obviously WIDELY read blog on my drum corps blatherings.

Outside of the fact that there has been this consistent "behind the scenes" hole in my heart because of the loss of Dixie, I have been rather busy. Getting set up for 7 schools to write for, a possible 8th coming on line soon, in the middle of correcting one drill I already wrote, writing an opener for someone else, and having a great time!!! NO REALLY. I am. My computer program called Pyware is just amazing. Allows me to think differently about drill design. Maybe that means I'll actually get GOOD at it. Doubtful. But I'll try by George...

But yes, the hole in my heart has been there. LURKING in the back of mind. I really do appreciate the fact that people--like my dad for instance--don't give a crap about dogs. If they die, move on. Buy another one. But dog's have feelings and personalities and quirks and what not, and I don't know. I don't want to HUMANIZE so much a dog to the point of being stupid about it, but on the other hand, you look at the picture I posted of that big ass lug of a dog on my lap...and it's CLEAR she's a happy camper. She had a ton of other special "things" about her--like her penchant for turning into the dog you all hear about on the news, but only when in my passenger seat driving on the freeway past an 18 wheeler. Apparently she must have been a small car in a previous life because she would SERIOUSLY freak out at 18 wheelers. Not bobcat trucks. Not pickups. Not even those little reefer half truck dealy bobs. No....18 wheelers. FREAK dog. Her hair would stand up, she'd snarl and spit and growl and stamp her feet and bark...then I'd use my "outdoor voice" (cough cough) and tell her to KNOCK IT OFFFFFFFFF YA FREAK!!!!" And she'd stop and look over her shoulder at me as if to say, "But dude, I just protected you from the large mass of rubber and metal hurtling itself down this road!! KMA!!!" Hahahaha...ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...that dog. She killed me sometimes. And BOY could she rough house. We'd have wrestling matches and she was NOT shy and letting me know where the teeth in the family were, so to speak. And she LOVED grabbing a towel and trying to pull it from me, and then I'd let her "win" and she shake the ever-loving CRAP out of the towel...and then I'd try to grab it back and she'd try to scare me off by doing the low "grrrrrrrrrrrrrr" that rumbled more than anything. Ahhhh those were the times. Or the time I'm trying to announce a Winter Guard International "Friendship Cup" marching band show at RCC several years ago, only to get a call from The Warden saying that Dixie had just eaten an ENTIRE bowl of Hershey Kisses...complete with FOIL!!! Knowing chocolate is poison to dogs, I told Nyleen to get her to the hospital. Well the fat bitch...sorry...I mean my dog was so overweight that the doctor said, "Well, the chocolate won't hurt her, but be ready to pull foil out of her ass!"

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you did NOT just say "Pull foil out of her ass did you?" The Warden was none-too-pleased to be a dog owner.

And yeah.

We pulled foil out of her ass for a week after that incident. Idiot dog.

What else to report on!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH yes. Before ALL of this went down, I got a phone call from ANOTHER voice from my past. Ended up talking to him for about an hour. And it was really great to hear from him--another reader of this blog--HOW I know not--but he found it. Anyway, Eric Dirksen, who may have been responsible more than anyone else in my life besides John Formia to get me interested in public safety as a career versus what I thought God had put me on this earth for and that was band directing. Eric went to PHS but was a year ahead of me. He went on to PCC, and was part of their Cadet Program for the Police Department. He kept encouraging me to apply as a cadet which I finally did in February of 1985 and got picked up. Worked there for the next two years, and eventually was promoted up a couple of levels and ended up being the Cadet Program Coordinator. I was pretty proud of myself for that accomplishment. Then I left on my final tour with VK and I never returned, opting instead to head off to Cal State Long Beach and get my damn teaching credential. Things in life have a way of happening in such a way that make no sense sometimes WHEN they happen, but in retrospect, you're happy that it did.

Someday I'll share with you the serendipity of how I got picked up by Orange County Fire Authority, and how that all played out. VERY interesting--because there's like simultaneous OTHER stories that go right along with it. Later though.

I need to get out of here, which I now will encourage YOU to do. But first--here's a pic of Saturday night. And that would be me on the track at the 5o yd line--and you're looking at the Kingsmen Alumni Corps which ABSOLUTELY set Veteran's Stadium ON FREAKIN' FIRE Saturday night. Enjoy...and then...GET OUTTA HERE!!!!!

That would be me, the red and tan speck, holding the paper--that was my script. Cool?

Good. Once again...GET OUTTA HERE.

Hope you like the new look!

Didn't realize Blogspot had made their templates a tad more user-friendly. So I thought I'd update the look and throw in a few pictures. You need to scroll down to the very bottom and you'll see a few. Ya know--I appreciate those of you who may read this on a regular-semi-regular basis. Thanks for checking. Sorry to be a bummer in my last posting. It's later in the day and I'm doing better with everything.

See ya...

Tribute to an old friend...

Haven't posted much up here for a bit, but that's not for a lack of anything happening in my life. Quite the contrary. As any "Type A" personality person can relate to, it's just been one long stream of "things to do". The other day I actually tried to imagine what it would be like to not have something to do, and to just sit, and watch TV or sit on the porch and read a book. After about 30 seconds of that, I started to feel guilty that I was actually taking time to think about this stuff and what I could have done with those 30 seconds I just wasted!!!! LOL!!! Actually, I'm not THAT bad. But...close.

Well--hate to start this blog entry on a downer but I have to tell a little story. Back in 1997, I being married for only 2 years, living in a condo in Placentia, began to worry a little about my wife. She came from a very large family (9 bros and sis's), so needless to say, it was a noisy household. To get married and move away from that was a big change. But on TOP of that was the fact that I worked 24 hr shifts 10 days a month, usually more because of overtime, and I was not sleeping at home during those shifts. Worse would be if I got a 48 or 72 or even a 96 hour stretch. It was a little hard. On top of that, The Warden's whole family moved to Gig Harbor, Washington with the exception of one brother who stayed back.

Trying to think proactively about this situation, and having grown up with dogs my entire life, I went to the Orange County Animal Shelter and started looking around at dogs. They have their shelter pretty organized--the big dogs in one section, the small ankle biters in another, the vicious and mean quarantine area in another. Pretty cool. I especially liked the quarantine area because you could actually look face to face with some truly terrifying dogs. Well, this day I went down to nose around I wasn't seeing anything note-worthy. I decided to go to the quarantine section, and nothing was there to entertain me (like the one time the pit bull that saw me had a freaking fit and almost chewed his way out of the cage--or so it seemed--what a whack!). As I was about to leave, I checked one more area that is "off the beaten path" so to speak. Saw a goat, a rooster, a HUGE tortoise (no lie), and then...a Rottweiler. Just hanging out in her cage. She was laying in the back area. I walked up to the cage (I remember this like yesterday), and kneeled down. She didn't move but her head was up and her ears were "up" (as much as Rottie can do that). And I smiled and said, "Hey there...". She lumbered up, and immediately I noticed two things. One--she obviously had had a litter of puppies within the past 6 months or so, and two, she was pretty dang skinny.

She slowly walked up to the door, and in my customary way, offered the back of my hand. Felt that cold nose through the bars take a sample of my knuckles, and then....she sat down and leaned up against the bars of the door to her cage and looked up at me with THE SINGLE most pitiful but strangely BEAUTIFUL brown eyes (with EYE BROWS!!!!) that I had ever seen. If dogs could talk, she was saying, "Please...just be nice to me." I read her tag...her name was Dixie...age approximately 1 year, maybe 2. Brought in by family and reason for leaving the dog at the pound--"Unable to continue care for dog". WTF DID THAT MEAN?!?!? So after I had a long talk with Dixie and made sure I scratched her ears ("Both sides please, Ryan") and scratched her chest ("Ryan, I believe you are going to be owner someday if you keep THAT up!"), I got a worker and asked about the non-reason given for leaving Dixie at the pound. She said that typically when a reason is given like that it means that the people are either moving and can't take the dog, or they are having money problems and can't afford it. So I made sure it didn't mean "Has killed small babies and will rip your throat out if given half a chance". She laughed and said, "No no no...if that was the case, we'd have her in that special section over there", pointing at the ever-entertaining quarantine area. AHHHHHHHHH...so she's ok then. "Well...you risk anytime you want a dog that you're getting someone else's dog, so you don't know what you're getting personality wise." And with that, broom in hand to go do her crap-cleanup-detail, she left. I went back to the cage, and there was Dixie, still sitting at the door, looking at me. Big. Brown. Eyes. Must not look. MUST NOT LOOK. Big. Brown. Eyes. DAMN. So, defying any semblance of normality, I actually leaned down and looked right at her, and I said, "Look, I'm going to go home, but I'll be back tomorrow to come say hi again. OK?" And I left.

And then I came back the next day.

And then the next day after that.

The fourth day, I broke the news to The Warden. "Honey, get your shoes on--no need walking around pregnant and barefoot making my dinner--let's go out." OUT??? WOW!!! The Warden got all excited. WE'RE GOING OUT. "Where we goin' baby?!?!?" A surprise...

...which really didn't go over too well when I pulled into the Orange County Animal Control parking lot. "They have a restaurant here?" Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeah...so I had to explain my surprise. I got the patented Warden response--13 years of this--there's an art to it...but her response...

"Turner...what did you do???" How many times have I heard THAT?!?!?

So I take her to the cage where Dixie lived. She perked RIGHT up. VERY happy to see me, but not like hyper-hump your leg-slobber happy. Her personality was very clear to me. She WAS happy...but reserved if you will. Definitely happier than when I first saw her 4 days ago. And she knew me for sure. She demanded I give her a nice chest scratch. I complied. She's a Rottie. What do you want??? The Warden will never admit this, but there was an immediate affection present between these two "ladies". And then...the impossible happened...she actually said, "Well...you want to get her?"

And the rest as they say...is history. We brought her home to our quaint little condo, which was right across the street from the massive Tri-City Park. Let her smell around, get used to everything. And then...after sufficient sniffing, I believe The Warden and I received what can only be called a "Sign of Approval". Dixie lauched herself into the air, did a half twist, landed on her back, and started doing the "Dixie Dance" as we later coined it. She was rubbing back and forth on her back and making that little "ruhhhhhhhhrrrr" sound. And I swear...call me nuts...but she was SMILING. We were off to a great start.

What followed was two moves, and our first baby, Sarah. Dixie was with us the entire time. She would have been in the dang delivery room had she had her way. Dixie and Nyleen established a really solid relationship because I believe that Dixie knew, or figured it out, that when I was away at the Fire Department, she was The Protector. And Nyleen would tell me stories about how she was literally protected by this moose of a dog. And boy did Dixie love Sarah. I have a video of her hanging out with Sarah in our garage of a house we had in Placentia. Sarah was in a bouncy seat deal, just banging away, making all kinds of noise (she's a Turner--rock on sister!!). Dixie was either laying right next to the bouncy seat completely oblivious to the racket, or she'd stand up and walk around and sometimes stick her nose right in front of Sarah's face and out would come the tongue....SLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLURP!!! We didn't actually like that but Dixie had to sneak a few in. Of course, Nyleen would run off to get disinfectant and bleach and surgical gowns thinking that Sarah was going to surely contract some "Rottweiler disease". LOL!!!

Women.

Well...I guess I have to get to the point of this tribute.

We had our second kid, Michael Ryan, and our small house (another one--we had downsized from 2400 sq ft and a backyard to 1300 sq ft and NO YARD). The Warden now was overwhelmed with kids and dog. There was only one thing to do. And off Dixie went to go live with my brother and my dad up in Pasadena at the family estate (LOL!). There she'd have a backyard, two guys that would love her to death, and a safe house. I wasn't happy, but I had vistitation rights...hahahaha...so, it was the smartest thing. I'm grateful my dad and brother stepped up to help out. Very cool.

Yesterday, I was swimming in the pool in our complex with my daughter. My wife and boy were at home. My cell phone started to ring, but I missed the call by the time I had swam over to get the phone. Something about making sure I was keeping an eye on my 6 year old sort of slowed me down. About 2 minutes later, my phone rang again. It was a fellow supervisor from work. I picked up--it was my buddy Chris Funk. "Hey dude, you need to call your brother asap." Thinking the worst of course, I just blurted out, "Oh crap--what's wrong?" And Chris didn't soften the blow any, and he didn't have to. I don't think Chris knew about the set up I had with my brother and Dixie. "He said he had to put his dog to sleep." My stomach sank. I said thanks and called my bro. And the story came out...

Apparently a few days ago, Dixie started really limping badly, favoring her rear left leg. We knew she had some hip dysplasia issues...but this was different. Yesterday, he said she was crying and not putting ANY weight on the leg. He rushed her to the Animal Hospital. Tests, xrays, exam...diagnosis was bad. Big tumor on the leg--bone cancer. Adding everything up--age of the dog, she was miserable, etc--it was time to say goodbye and put her down. I asked my brother if he was with her and petted her and was by her. And he said he was. So that was comforting. I guess the process of putting a dog to sleep is relatively "easy", and Rob described to me that she just laid her head down and closed her eyes. And then that was it.

Not to sound bitter but I wish I could have come up. Dixie really like McDonald's french fries. Maybe she would have liked to have a last little bite. And I could have looked into those big brown beautiful eyes (WITH EYE BROWS!!) and told her how much fun I had with her, and how much she meant to me. Like I said earlier, I've had dogs all my life, but Dixie was really pretty dang special. Probably because she was truly MINE--and not something my parents got.

Thought I'd post a pic from a few years back that probably best shows what a happy dog looks like. I know some people can't relate to it--and that's fine. Dogs are just animals. I get it. But if you're one of those that think that dogs maybe are a step higher than "just animals", take a look at this pic, and tell me what you see. I know what I see. I see a goofball dog, and I see a smile on her face...and I see those eye brows...and those big brown beautiful eyes that were once really sad...but look incredibly happy as she pretended that really, it WAS OK to be 100 pounds AND a lap dog.

I'll miss you Dixie. A whole bunch. Stupid dogs...they're not supposed to make grown men's eyes leak.

Dixie Turner

1997-2007

WOW...another person checked in...

MAN! I swear. It's crazy stuff down here. I sort of forgot to put in the last post from yesterday that yet ANOTHER person from my past has said hello. Greg Weist, who I first met in 7th grade, is alive and well in the SF Valley. I last saw him many years ago at a Christmas party at his house that was--well--THAT particular night was not a good night for a couple of reasons but I'll move on and not relive it. But anyway--it was cool to hear from "The Big Ox". We used that term to describe him because he was a BIG BOY when we first met him. I think he was already 6 feet tall in 7th grade. I remember DISTINCTLY the first day I ever saw him--a transplant from Arizona--and sat behind me in Mrs. Honzay's English class. I remember turning around in my seat and looking at him, and he gave me a dirty look and pushed up his glasses on his nose and sort of scowled at his desk. I swear I can see it in my head like it was yesterday. Anyway--Greg and I fast became best friends and had many adventures together in junior high and high school, our lives centered around I think three incredibly important things--FOOD, GIRLS, and MUSIC. Make that four. Add on Maynard Ferguson. We were freaks about Maynard Ferguson. Don't know who Maynard Ferguson is? Oh...well...go to www.maynardferguson.com to learn more. BIG inspiration in my life. Right up there with William Shatner!! :-) Geez...now that I'm sitting here thinking about it--Greg and I did a TON of stuff together when we were kids. Obviously band and orchestra gigs, but we toured to Mexico twice with the Boys' Club Youth Band, once to La Paz and the other time to Mazatlan, I had my first beer with Greg in the back of the bus in downtown La Paz (Tecate Beer--it tasted like SWILL), we learned how to drive "illegally" on West Drive by the Rose Bowl with a mutual friend who should have known better, we almost got mugged one summer night but were "saved" by a car load of guys that went way out of their way to turn around and come back and sit with us until the "threat" passed us..........man....I'm regugitating things I haven't thought of in a long long time. I better stop. I may say something I'll regret. HAHAHAHA!!! Some things better left unsaid--ohhhhhhhh yeah. ANYWAY...

Great to hear from him.

AND...I just got some intel that a former GREAT friend of mine, Tom Corbin, THE LOUDEST TUBA PLAYER I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY FREAKIN' LIFE, is on my radar. Need to track that boy down. He used to come pick me up every morning to go to school in our senior year--him in his old beat up I think it was a Duster but I can't remember, and he always had some weird chick in the car that carpooled as well. Didn't say much. I think she was Goth--about 20 years prior to Goth being popular. Nice enough. Just...unsettling. I also was in my first traffic accident with Tom--he was pulling out of my driveway and car slammed into us. That was fun. Got a mild concussion out of that particular accident.

No wonder there's so much crap wrong with me!!! :-) Anyway...TC...I'm hunting you down brother. Oh....hold the door...another memory just hit me...I better watch the term "hunting down" with TC. I believe rumor had it that after high school he actually disappeared and became a real bounty hunter. Which I believe. 'Cuz TC was sort of a bad ass in high school. NICE. But bad ass. And I remember my mom really liked him. Weird.

OK...I really need to get back to work. I have a ton to do--until next time--thanks for reading and putting up with my friends!! :-)

NOW GET OUTTA HERE!!! GIT!!!

Sometimes...you just get surprised

Hey there--what's HATTENIN'? I'm just chilling here at homestead, sipping on a glass of finely aged water, sort of pinching myself, because I have heard from over the last few hours some really cool people. First, I heard from my long-time friend Lou "Just GIVE me a reason" Tartadian, a fellow trombone player from my high school and junior college days. He's also the guy that one day when cleaning out my closet at my house in Pasadena, that I realized he was in Little League with me and his mom was friends with MY mom. GET OUTTA TOWN! We knew each other, yet, strangely, we didn't. I can't even remember what team he was on--but hopefully it was the evil green MG team (Meguirre's Glass). Led by the infamous STONE BROTHERS, I knew they were bad, but proven the day I was playing first base coach for the JC's and watched one of the Stone brothers give my friend from school John Jones a deliberate sign to pitch one AT one of our batters. FUNNY WHAT YOU CAN REMEMBER, HANH!?!?! Rat bastards. ANYWAY....so it was ULTRA cool to hear from Lou. Lou was part of the gang of me, John, Jim, Lou (the core) and then others. We'd bowl, play raquetball (me in biker shorts playing racquetball...holy crap...the thought almost made ME barf), hang...LOTS of really really cool memories. Lou actually was a great friend because he listened to me whine AD NAUSEUM about my girl problems back when I was in junior college.

SPEAKING OF WHICH...I also heard after a two year silence from one of those "problems" (but I really do mean that very lovingly--time and maturity goes a long way to put the past into focus--and really, it was IIIIIIIIIII that was the problem)--Maria Cacciotti. Yeah--even got a couple of pics of her and her sister Paula who now lives in the Country of Northern Mexico--oooo, sorry, I meant, the Country of Texas. I actually like Texas a lot, but truthfully--it really is another country down there. Did some touring down there with VK--not sure I ever want to go back. BUT NO MATTER--we're not talking about Texas. Maria has a family of her own, doing well, and it was stupendous to hear from her again. Funny how life turns out. The way my life went and where I ended up--I'm pretty sure I'm where I'm supposed to be. But you know when you're young, and you think and dream. I remember distinctly having an aversion to dancing. And Maria would joke many, many moons ago that we'd end up getting married and she'd have to force me to dance at our reception. It was always good for a yuckyuck between us. Ended up marrying someone who--LIKE A FREAKIN' ECHO--said the exact same thing. AND ENDED UP FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH IT. She FORCED me, against my will, kicking and screaming, to dance to that love song from "Robin Hood", "Everything I Do...Blah Blah Blah, I Do It For Meatloaf". WHATEVER that song was. Yeah...we danced to that...and I had to freakin' dip her at the end and everyone sitting there at our reception--like 400 people rolled 800 sets of eyes at the CORNINESS of the moment. That is, until I stood up and gave my patented pissed off look, at which time we were the recepients of MASSIVE and THUNDEROUS ovations.

Yeah. Whatever Turner. But anyway--mucho coolio to hear from Maria. She had quite the impact on my life. I just wish she would have taught me how to take care of my hair better. I have probably the worst hair imaginable for our prom picture. I might as well had stuck my head in a Cuisinfrickenart blender and called it good. For the love of all that is holy...so I apologize to you Maria should you be reading this. You deserved someone with better hair.

She got him actually. His name...oh crap...I can't remember now...Glenn something. SEKINS? No no no...that's a captain for Orange County Fire. Glenn....Glennnnnnn...hmmm...I remember I hated him. Why can't I remember his name. Anyway...he had nice hair.

I really shouldn't have partied so much in college--I sort of drifted away there for a minute...

SO WHERE WAS I???

Oh yes...speaking of ovations...uhhhhhhhhh...we'll get back to that...I can't remember what the hell I wanted to say.

(insert Jeopardy music whilst I stare at my computer monitor)....

Well, if any of you want something to do, come on down to the Corps at Crest Drum and Bugle Corps show at Mt. Sac College in the fine city of Walnut, conveniently located just off the 57 freeway at Temple St. Featuring a lot of corps in competition, including TWO of which I wrote the drill for...Impulse (currently undefeated in Division III competition), and So Cal Dream, a "old people" corps. I'll of course be providing the in-between corps entertainment as the VOICE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Come on down...and sit with me in the press box for a spell...and then leave because I really don't like visitors. You make me want to talk and laugh and giggle and act stupid, and then I forget that I'm actually running a show.

So about those ovations--what the HELL was I going to say? It was funny. DANG IT!!! I hate my gray cells.

OK--that's it. I'm out. I have a million things to do and about enough time to do about 10 of them, so I need to be like a baby and head out.

GET IT!?!?

Head out?? Yeah? Be like a tree and leave.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! BAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! Be like peanut butter........wait for it....AND JAM!!!

COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!

Wait...what did Biff say...."HEY, WHY DON'T YOU BE LIKE A TREE.....AND GET OUTTA HERE?!??" LOL!! Did you know that the guy that played Biff was a drum major for his high school band and played tuba? DID YOU?!?!?! Did you also know I went to a talent scout in 1984, and he told me I looked like I could be cast in a movie by a friend of his that would be about Vietnam, and then a couple of years later, "Platoon" was released? DID YOU???? Did you know my mom got to meet one of my idols--WILLIAM SHATNER--and shake his hand, and then didn't want to tell me because she knew I'd go ballistic? DID YOU???? She told me obviously. And then? I was calm. After the policeman told me to cool it. And the fire trucks drove away. And we promised to repay the neighbors for their house that I torched. BUT I WAS CALM.

OK...I really need to go. This stream of consciousness thing is really starting to freak me out...HEY GUYS!!! Thanks for reading. It really blows me away to know who the heck keeps checking up on me.

I should be worried.

Actually...I'm sort of creeped out by it.

NOW GIT...GIT OUTTA HERE!! :-)

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...

Hey there...

Just checking into ye' old blog--haven't said "Hey" and "now get outta here" for quite awhile to you fine folks that check up on me . I'm hanging in there. Just busier than I ever thought possible. I've had some cool things happen over the last few weeks since last posting--and I've had some pretty crappy things happen as well. Situation you read about earlier with family members has been partially resolved. Other issues NOT resolved. Probably NEVER will be resolved. Sad.

I have lots more to write--but be that as it may, I can't now. But I am alive and I'm doing ok.

Now go. Be off with you.

Another week...another step down the rabbit hole

To say I have a lot to talk about is a vast, vast understatement. And how to approach it all...chronological, alphabetical, importance...HOW? I just don't know. So...let me start by saying this. In my last post, I indicated there is a family issue that I am dealing with as I go about my everyday stuff. That situation is getting neither easier nor better, and in some ways, it's getting worse. I do my gut-level best to keep it "under control" and quiet, but it is so bad that it's starting to affect my work. Something is going to blow soon and unfortunately, I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to do much to keep it from happening save somehow finding a way to "walk on water". In case you don't get that symbolism, I'll say it simpler.

Unless I can somehow pull a rabbit out of my ass, boiling point will be reached very soon. In any event, this particular family situation is "behind the scenes" and weighing on my mind quite a bit. Quite a bit. I know I'm not the only person with "problems" right now, but there's a part of me that feels because of who I am and how I come across to people, that I'm not "allowed" to have problems. I guess that's why I'm posting this. Oh yeah...I have problems. I tend to make other people laugh a lot to take the focus away from me...

Speaking of laughing. While I am having these issues, I had the opportunity to go to Ventura this past week for a two-day fire department-related conference. Some sort of...uhhh...strange things occurred...

--Found out, by accident, that one of the chiefs from my department marched in the very same drum and bugle corps that I did, albeit, about 10 years prior to me. That was VERY strange. We ended up knowing a lot of the same people, but I could tell he was not remembering a whole lot from "way back then". But it was WILD to be sitting there and sort of comparing notes with him. Reminded me of the time when I found out that our admin assistant in our command center also marched in the same corps back in the 70's. That would be the Velvet Knights. Small world. And I know there's a lot of you that read this blog that wouldn't know the significance of this if it came up and hit you over the head. Just trust me. It was a pretty cool moment for me.

--Because of my personal issues, I was more in "rare form" in Ventura than I have been in a long time (guess it helps me deal). It actually reminded me of the time about 5 or 6 years ago that I went to Vandenburg AFB with my friend Jon Dumitru for some fire department training. We both were invited to "hang" with the instructional staff at a dinner up in a nearby city. And uhhhh....well...let's just say, between me, Jon, and several Diet Cokes, we made quite the comedic impression. Jon and I played off of each other PERFECTLY, and damn near had people in hysterics in this restaurant. It really was very funny. Fast forward to this past week...it was me solo. In a lounge. In the large lobby of the hotel. Let's just say I didn't make friends with Kern County Fire when I did a bit on their "dispatching by banjos". Apparently the dispatchers thought I was a riot. Their chief? Not so much. And Chief Dave Pierce. I think his pancreas was bruised. By Chris Funk's NOSE. GAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWD!!! But it was funny. Never saw my own chief laugh so hard. Good times hanging with Chiefs Pierce, Concepion, Wells, Robinson, McIntosh...JoSAYYYYYYYYYYY Valbuena...holy cow...Funkalicious, my own boss DJP....ahhhhh yes. It'll be a historic night... or two.

--Here's another bit of weirdness. On Thursday morning, I woke up early. Couldn't sleep. Stress does that. Anyway, instead of going for the $11 breakfast buffet in the restaurant downstairs in the hotel, I just did what I do best. I went exploring. I love driving around and just looking at stuff. Found a McDonald's. COOL. Got myself a Sausage McMuffin. And a large Diet Coke. Life was good. But then...it took a strange turn. As I returned to my parking space at the hotel to start another fun-filled and exciting examination of the California mutual aid system, I finished sucking out the last remnant of the dark brown liquid goodness that is Diet Coke. And I thought to myself, "Self, I think I shall take this cup of ice with me into the fun-filled conference so as to keep myself from actually slipping into a freakin' coma!" So...I pulled off the top of the cup, and lo and behold, what did I find? Right...what you'd expect to find at the bottom of your ice in a large cup from McDonalds. A $20 bill!!!! That's right. Imagine my amazement as I stood in the parking structure of the Crowne Plaza Resort in Ventura. Slack jawed. Staring into my cup. At first, I thought..."Oh my gosh. I'm going to die. I just drank contaminated Diet Coke swill." Then I thought, "I'm impervious to all poisons. I've been drinking the aspartame in Diet Coke for 10 years now. If I'm not dead, I won't die from any stupid poison." And then the 2nd thing I thought..."I'M RICH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And the good news didn't stop there. I fished out the 20 from below it's icy demise, flattened it out, and put it in my center console for drying. Looked back into the cup--per chance I was going to find a lottery ticket. Better!!! I found 37 cents. I'm not kidding. Needless to say...I threw the cup and ice away. And thought that MAYBE I need to be aware that I MAY start spontaneously vomiting in the next 2 to 6 hours. LOL!!! :-)

That's about it for now.

Oh wait. One more thing. My wife told me that her youngest brother, 17 year old Joseph, was going to his prom tonight. And I got a little melancholy about that. I mean, I was happy he was going and all. But 13 years ago when I first met him, he was 4. And he and I really got close. Cool to see him growing up. Not cool to know while he's growing up...I'm just growing OLDER.

Dammit.

Get outta here....

Wow--this getting older crap is for the birds...

It's Tuesday morning, I'm back at work after a VERY well-deserved 5 day break from the OC "EFFIN" A. I've got so much to do. Tons. Many things are lining up here at work that need to be completed--training of dispatchers on some new EMD protocols, getting the Dispatcher Academy up and running, dealing with losing on my instructors (leaving the OCFA), etc, etc. Just the "normal" stuff of helping to run this place. But found out over the weekend that one of the two people above me in a Senior Supervisor position is most likely (about 98% sure--pending a final physical check up) leaving and going to another fire agency to be their Director (a gig, might I add, that is over 100K a year, AND I'm DIRECTLY responsible for her even KNOWING about the opening because I'm the one that told her about it!!!! DO I GET A ROYALTY?!?!?!). In any event, that creates an opening for some upward mobility on my part. Her position is in charge of what is called the "GEO File" portion of dispatch. It's the main database where addresses and streets and locations are entered and used by the Computer Aided Dispatch system to "locate" callers and send the right equipment. It's relatively important as you can imagine to the overall operations. HOWEVER--that being said, this upward mobility opportunity is a little daunting to me. Of course, becoming a floor supervisor was "daunting" to me, but I seemed to, after a hiccup or forty, seemed to do ok. And then, moving over to this new position created out of thin air, the TEMD Supervisor, was "daunting" as I had NO clue what was coming. But on the other hand--I look out on the floor and see other "talent" out there and wonder...is it going to be another blood-bath competition for this senior position? I distinctly remember that it was VERY VERY difficult as for whatever reason, when I was named the new floor supervisor (5 years ago??? 4???) , I was met with some--how do I say this?--anger? Resentment? All I know is that I was really hurt inside. I didn't get mad. I was just saddened. I tried to understand where some folks were coming from, and I had a hard time understanding that, but on the other hand, I was wondering if it was all necessary.

And now--with this new opportunity, should I go for it and then get it, is it going to be the same thing again? If it is, I truthfully would just rather NOT go for it and not partake in the blood bath. I think it's rather unnecessary to have resentments and hostility like I faced. It's a promotion. You get promoted partly on skill, partly on "job fit", partly on forecasting HOW you'd be in the position (trainable, open to suggestions, etc). So...I don't know. I'm sort of babbling--but that's on my plate now. Of course, The Warden is like "HECK YEAH YOU'RE GOING FOR IT!!!!" Great.

Another thing on my plate that I sort of never wanted to talk about in my blog is that underneath my "busy-ness" and relative successes I've been having, I'm dealing with a personal family issue that is really bumming me out. It deals with my dad and my oldest brother, and I won't bore you with the details. EVERY family I assume has their issues they have to handle behind closed doors. So I'll leave it there. But this is weighing heavily on my mind, so much so, that I....GASP!!!....actually spent time talking in depth with The Warden last night about. Did you know that politics figure into family relationships sometimes??????? LOL!!!! My goodness--we made some decisions last night not so much based on what was "right", but what would be smoothest and most expedient? Does that make sense without me going on and on about the specifics? Let me just say this...

One, wherever you are in your life right now--PREPARE FOR YOUR OLD AGE. THINK NOW!! Don't speculate. Get something going NOW that's conservative, and will grow and be there for you. Think about long-term care insurance as well and get it going NOW. Second...families are diverse as anything else in life, but the common bond SHOULD be love. And some people are certainly more difficult to love than others--boy do I know that concept. But try. Just try. It's damned difficult. Especially with those that challenge you on levels that are way way deep and way hurtful. TRY anyway. I'll leave it at that.

Sorry to be sort of a downer--there's REALLY a lot for me to be happy about. I got the DCI gig, openers are complete for So Cal Dream and Impulse, Capital Sound is coming along, developing new business for the fall, OCFA outside of the above concerns is actually going well, family is finally healthy, especially after me getting sick YET AGAIN with a fever and weakness ON MY FREAKIN' BIRTHDAY...but yeah. All is well. And I even installed some shelves in our laundry room ALL BY MYSELF (for those that REALLY know me will understand the significance of this accomplishment--especially considering that plugging something in sometimes can be above me!!!).

Anyway--that's it from me--hi. Hope YOU are doing well and all that happy crap.

NOW GET OUTTA HERE!!!

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

Ladies and gentlemen...I'm freakin' as happy as I've ever been!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! You can't begin to know...wait...you don't even know what the heck I'm talking about do ya?

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN--it is an OFFICIAL done deal. I have "verbally signed on the dotted line"...

I AM THE OFFICIAL DRUM CORPS INTERNATIONAL DIVISION II/III CHAMPIONSHIP ANNOUNCER!!!! Boooooooooooooooooooooooooo yah!!! Even if that means NOTHING to you, let me be the first to tell you that this is just a freakin' BLAST to get this gig. WHY!?!?!?!

BECAUSE.

That's why!!

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

There's a back story to this--where is there NOT a backstory to something in my life--but yeah. It's sort of cool. Because of the way I'm wired, it's these "strange" things I realize about certain events in my life. WHAT THE HELL TURNER???? You're babbling.

OK OK OK...let's start at the top. This past summer, I went to DCI World Championships in Madison, Wisconsin as a guest of my friend, John Donovan, publisher of Drum Corps Planet, and with the loving support of my wonderful wife. I was doing "live blogging" for Drum Corps Planet from, what I refer to as, "The Ninth Level" of the Camp Randall Stadium Pressbox. That's basically where the VIP's could sit in relative comfort and watch the show. Great vantage point.

Anyway--as the story goes--I flew in and out of O'Hare. When I was at O'Hare to leave, I ran into Tom Hope, the DCI-Pacific Coordinator. He basically runs all the west coast/western states drum corps shows, at least from the DCI side of things. I've worked with Tom several times over the years. He's a demanding, no-nonsense, "get 'er done" type person that expects a lot, and I like to work with him. Well, at O'Hare, we got to talking. He told me, and I quote (to the best of my memory), "By the way Turner, next summer, don't go anywhere." Curious, I said what most would say..."WTF?!?!?" No, I said, "Why?" He said there was a chance--and he made it clear he was NOT OFFERING ME A JOB..lol!!--but that there was a chance that there would be a need for DCI to have an announcer for the Division II/III Championships at Pasadena City College. He said for me to not make plans, especially during DCI Week. Well...duh...I'm not going to be anywhere BUT in Pasadena that week, but cool. He was opening a door for me, and I appreciated that. He said he'd get back to me...and that was that.

Fast forward to about 3 weeks ago, and the suspense was killing me. Now remember, the last time I talked to Tom was in August in Chicago. So I emailed him--typical Ryan H. flair--"Hey Tom, just letting you know that I'm camped out by my phone and I'm ready to rock and roll for DCI. Just say GO and I'm all over it." In typical Tom fashion, he types back almost instantaneously, "Name forwarded to Dan Acheson and Sue at DCI." Ahhhh. In other words Turner, PIPE DOWN. And at that point, I knew that there was literally nothing else for me to do. Besides, I have a ton of things on my plate anyway, so I put the DCI announcing possibility back on the back burner and plodded on. Today...THE CALL. A very nice sounding young lady by the name of Missy called, left a message, and I called her back a bit later, and not wanting to sound TOOOOOOOOOOOOO desperate, explained to her my extensive background in announcing. After 15 minutes of dissertation, all in one breath, she said "YOU'RE HIRED YA FREAK!!! WE'LL CALL YA LATER!!!" No she didn't....but she was laughing [at...with...] because I was VERY VERY VERY VERY enthusiastic. THE H WAS PLAYING THE GAME!! Ya know what I mean???

Good.

Well anyway...the story goes...we're chatting, and I tell her about the announcing I've done (SCSBOA, WBA, DCI-P, the old DCW, WGI, WGASC, The Voice of the Kingsmen, 911 Dispatcher, voice over for video projects, blah blah blah...I threw more acronyms at her than she's ever heard in her life). I guess she was impressed--oh wait, she was snoring. ANYWAY--she starts telling me a little about what they need, what they're going to pay for, blah blah...and she says, "So...are you available for the times we need you at Pasadena City College?" Uhhhh...yeah. There's no issue. THEN she says, "So, do you know where Pasadena is and everything?" And I say, "WELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL, as a matter of fact, I was born and raised in Pasadena. And you know what I just realized if you want to hear some truly useless trivia [really--I DID say that...ask her!! LOL!!!!]? The VERY first time I EVER announced...was AT PASADENA CITY COLLEGE!!! Would you look at that???"

Stunned silence.

Then the tentative, "Ohhhhh ahhh hanh...that's great. So...." IT WAS CLASSIC!!!

Oh I love it when I geek out and people go...WTF IS WRONG WITH THIS GUY!!?!?!?

Anyway...she hired me for that AND for the Bakersfield doo hickey show the weekend before...and THEN...

In typical "this just ain't enough for Ryan H. Turner" fashion, I say, "So, I'm good to go, but I'm not going ANYWHERE this summer, so, I know that you guys are going to be busy out here with shows and what not. And I'm sure Mr. Crocker will be busy [to my non-DCI readers, "Mr. Crocker" is Brandt Crocker, THE Voice of DCI for the past MILLION years]. But if he needs a day off, let me know. I'm your go-to guy."

The chutzpah. The noive.

More stunned silence.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhkay, I'll be sending you more information shortly." CLICK.

No...actually she thanked me for my willingness to help and looked forward to meeting me [you freaking whack] and...well...THERE YOU GO!!!! I'm in like Flynn baby!!! The call I've been waiting for. BREATH TURNER!!! Now...I'm going to go through all my yearbooks I've purchased off of EBAY and practice my ASS off reading show descriptions and getting names down...because I'm not going to do just a good job for DCI.

Oh no no no no. This represents to me a MAJOR door opening. HENCE, I will do a SUPREMELY PERFECT job for DCI.

So...share in my happiness...it doesn't come often, this kind of elation of reaching a major goal like this. And really...when you step back and look at EVERYTHING that you COULD be freakin' overjoyed about...this is really small potatoes. But for ME...it's the BOMB. I'm on Cloud 9.

NOW...to go put in my vacation time.

Oh....there'll be more updates coming shortly. Lots of OTHER news, including The Tale of The Laser Printer (and How The ATM Network Failure Almost Killed Me The Other Day), the SONGS drill experience (what?????), the WGASC experience, friends, my kids and my daughter's teeth....ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND....

MORE PICS!!! Because this blog ain't CRAP without pics. I just figured out how to get the pics from my digital camera to my computer. Oh yeah. Time for kid pics and sorts of fun things.

Thanks...

Now get OUTTA here.

I blame Lee Rudnicki for all of this...

I think the human body and mind can be pushed to extreme limits, especially the mind. I think we are WAY untapped in that department. THAT being said...I'm at that limit. Thank you. I'd like to get off the ride now. I've had fun. Thank you. Hello?? Anyone?? Can we stop this ride now? I just want to take a breather for 5.

Anyway...the reason I type this was because I came to work, and opened my email, and there was an email that is a GIGANTIC door opening for me in the world of the marching arts. Really and truly it is. Until I can get a formal deal on this and everything is kosher, I won't say for now what it is. But I'm HUMBLED AS HELL to be given the opportunity, and now, I'm putting my skills WAY OUT THERE FOR SCRUTINY. Time to put up...or shut the hell up. And how, pray tell, did I get into this situation?

Because...this opportunity I'm talking about falls right into the plans I formulated about 8 years ago--basic as they were--to build bigger the Empire of the H. MANY things have occurred over the last 7 years that I directly attribute to this goal. It really started as a plan to get my name out there NATIONALLY as both a drill designer AND a quality adjudicator. The dividends of setting a goal like that--stupid as it may seem to some of my non-marching arts-related readers--is actually a testimony to the strength of "focus" and goal-setting. I'll be honest. The timid, doubtful part of me is ALWAYS there trying to trip me up saying I'm not qualified, that I'm not good enough, that I can't nor will I EVER be as good as this and that or so and so. But part of this journey we go through in life is learning how to peservere. And I think I am doing just that, and sometimes, the payoffs are unbelievable. It seems like this past year and a half has been EXCEPTIONALLY telling in what's happened. And of course, my LOVE in life surrounds my participation in the activity of marching arts and pageantry...that's not to say I'm not grateful nor am I unhappy at the Fire Department, which is my career. But this career in the Fire Department fills the need for a stable and secure income, benefits, and protection for my family. I don't necessarily love it. As for the pageantry world, it fills the need for me to have a creative outlet and to give back to something that I think helped mold me into the person I am now.

SORRY...PREACHY ALERT...SORRY...didn't mean to get preachy.

But one more thing. You see--I only started a blog because my friend Lee Rudnicki had a great one going (still does--duh!!) and because a couple of people at work sort of pushed me to. But there are two people that come to mind when I start feeling sorry for myself that I am overworked or too tired to go on...my father in law, who is the hardest working man on the planet, and Lee, who by his example to me, showed what setting a goal and laser sighting on it was all about. Completely independent of me and in a totally different arena of life, he did what I did. He was just better and faster at it because he was clearer about what he wanted than I was. Still is for that matter. But when I read his blog I marvel at how he can juggle what he juggles, and since he has one of his many arms of influence in MY world of marching and pageantry, than HIS example becomes even more meaningful to me. And I know he probably hates this because I'm talking about him and I always seem to talk about him. But I have always been a person that--good, bad or indifferent--holds up those I respect and don't mind talking about it one bit. At least people know where I get my inspiration from at times.

OK...so anyway...sorry about all this deep stuff, but this email to me--and maybe I'm the only one it will mean this to--was just awesome. And I hope it comes to fruition. And I hope I can rise to the challenge. More to come...

NOW GET OUTTA HERE!!!

DANG IT!!!!!!!!!!

Sick again!!!!!!!!!!!!

WTF, OVER?!?!?!?!?

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!!!!

It's supposed to MELT away...that's what they said!!!

One of the BIGGEST disappointments of losing weight and working out and trying to be at least SEMI-conscious of what you're eating is to get on the scale and look down, and you're NOT going anywhere. It really sucks. It's disheartening. It can really tear into your ability to maintain that motivation that gets your fat ass up at 0430hrs and on the road to torture and pain--all self-inflicted--for about an hour every morning. I did this bad thing--getting on the scale--last week. And I felt that old feeling come rushing back, where I wanted to go find the nearest gallon of Dreyer's Cookies and Cream and make shake after shake after shake and sit on the couch and watch TV. But THIS time...somewhere...somehow...I said, at least in my mind, "NOOOOOOO!!! I am NOT going to do this crap!!!!" And here I am...a week later...and I'm happy to report not one but two amazing things.

#1. I try to "report" to Nyleen how good it is to be working out again, because I want to make sure she supports me. In regards to working out, she's been very supportive as long as I'm not killing myself or hurting myself which I tend to do because I can get enthusiastic to the point of stupidity. In any event, last night, as I was unloading groceries I was telling her about my workout yesterday, and joked about the fact that it was a MAN that noticed me losing weight first. It would have been nice if it was a chick--and she laughed, and then said, "Well, I actually do notice it myself. I can actually see your cheek bones on your face." I actually looked at my wife there for a minute and felt pretty dang proud of myself and was feeling those warm fuzzies you feel...then...after a slight pause, she looked down at my belly and said, "But it would be nice if you'd start losing it there, fat boy!!!" DANG!!!!!!!!! Got me again!!! Nice one. We shared a good laugh...sort of. I didn't let her see me cry. LOL!

#2. Second amazing thing is a two-for-one amazing thing. On Sunday, I wore a new shirt and tie to church. That's not amazing...what IS amazing, is that I wore a pair of 42 black slacks that I haven't put on for, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...about 4 years. And no...these weren't those cheater pants that have that elastic deal where you can be a tub'o lard and say "But I wear 36 inch pants"....yeah...because they expand to like 96 inches. Now--I'm not saying I'm all svelte, because I'm not. But to actually close the clasp on the 42's was reassuring. The fact that they came up over my rump was even more amazing.

Had good advice given to me today by a fellow supervisor. She said don't look at the scale--just judge what you can wear. And you know--truth be told, I have these heavy duty wooden hangers, the kind you can put suits on. Well, I have all my "Docker" and slack type pants on those...but I have one hanger for 44's. One for 42's. And then one for 40's. And one for 38's. SWEAR. I know...it's wacky. But I just torture myself a little by saying "Look how far you've come, fart knocker." Sort of bagging on myself whilst motivating myself at the same time. But yeah...my goal...humble as it may be...to get into those 40's. I only kept one pair of 38's. Don't know if I will ever be able to put THOSE on.

But then again...Hell MAY indeed freeze over.

My little emotional attachment to food that I've grown to understand about myself over the last year or so...I know where it comes from. So I'll leave you with a teaser to get you to come back to this stupid blog...you get to know what drives Ryan and food.

Other than the fact I call myself a musician. And you know how THEY are about food.

TEAMWORK!!!

LOL!!! That's me in the center...of course...because I AM the center of all creation. The guy to your right...he's my boss. The guy to your left. Some computer guru hack. We three have been known to create havoc in and around the OCFA. Just wanted to show you what you can do with Photoshop and half a brain.

Speaking of half a brain...

HI SCOTT!!!

SUCCESS!!!!!!

I've got some GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT news...and some not so great news

The great news....someone noticed today for the first time in 3 weeks since I started my "working out" and trying to eat better that I seemed a bit slimmer. WOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!! That was awesome. And to be honest...my belts are having to be cinched up a bit more...

YEP!!! That makes all the sweating worth it....

Now...the bad news.

It was a dude that told me.

<>

Well...I mean...it was nice and all.

But still.

Couldn't you have been, say, the Intern in HR that I adore?!?! LOL!!! Or that cute waitress at Casa Camino?? Or...I'm really stretching...even my wife? Hahahaha...WELL????

Whatever. Thanks BOB!

A glimpse into my past...

My goodness...where do I start. Well...first off. HELLO!! Been awhile. It's been a crazy 2 weeks...but what fun. I had the chance to put my self-titled self to work as "The Voice of Southern California" and announce for the Kingsmen Alumni Corps at the NAMM Show a few weeks ago. This was a bigger deal than I thought it was going to be. I haven't been to the NAMM Show ever, but man oh man. It's HUGE. They basically take over the Convention Center and all the hotels down in the Anaheim Harbor Blvd South of Disney Kingdom. ANYWAY...the KAC performed to an incoming crowd of what I estimated to be about 500-700 people. WILD applause. WILD enthusiasm. It was cool. And then had a nice sound system set up for me which was good...because I thought I'd have to yell into a stupid Long Ranger. They actually had a real honest to goodness sound system. Got to "coordinate" things with my old trombone teacher/former hornline instructor Dr. Greg Woll. Always very cool to be in his presence--he had a big impact on my life but doubt he really understands that. Oh well...but nevertheless...FUN STUFF. Why...here's a pic of the yours truly doing what I do best apparently--babbling on a microphone...
Cool...

Now on to some more important issues.

I know a lot of people read this blog that may not understand this next part very well, but let me fill you in on the drama. I was involved with a nationally known and competitve drum and bugle corps out of Anaheim, California back in 1985, 1986, and 1987. They were called the Velvet Knights--a strange name but an organization with a vary unique and storied history. If I could provide a link to that history I would, but for now, just take my word for it. In any event, the Velvet Knights were regarded within the world of drum corps (which for all intents and purposes is just a sand pepple-sized activity compared to the rest of normal life) as one of THE most popular and entertaining and at times, FUNNY, drum and bugle corps out there. As you may guess, the activity of drum and bugle corps (or as we call it "in the biz", drum corps) has a military heritage and style, as most corps have that to some extent. We were the anti-thesis to that, at least in our style. We worked our asses off to perfect our shows and to be the best we could be and to learn about what it was to make goals and all that...in any event...VK (as we called ourselves and as the world of drum corps referred to us) was the "IT" corps. We were hip. We had people laughing, dancing, asking for our autographs after competitions (I swear...I'm not making that up)...it was life on the road of a 128-member rock band. Sort of.

ANYWAY...this organization, based out of a dingy, beat up, run down, nasty-ass bingo hall at the intersection of Knott and Ball, was sort of central to the life of Ryan H. Turner. I think a lot of my identity as a human being was sort of formed and molded during my three years as a performer with them. I certainly look back to some milestone moments in my life and some of them were during my tenure with VK. There is a very real and tangible connection between my success with VK and my deep multi-tiered involvement with the pageantry world of southern California (which I take actually sort of seriously believe it or not). In other words, I owe a lot to my time in VK. And I know I'm not alone. There are many of us in the world that can look back to our time in VK and drum corps in general and chart some real benefits that we enjoy today as adults. It's not that unusual. And others can point back to their experiences in the Boys Scouts, or their Little League team, or at their church group...whatever. But the drum corps experience...a very unique thing. It engenders a bond between people that can exist for decades. I know it does for me personally. I'm still very close friends and work with the guy that was in the duet with me in 1985 during VK's closer, "Catchin' the Sun". So--yes...a deeply bonding activity this thing drum corps is.

ANYWAY...I do have a point. The point is this organization, through many missteps and bad decisions, completely "folded" and ceased operations after the 1996 tour (which typically ends in mid August). The corps, both financially AND creatively, was at the end of the line. There was a glimmer of hope as there was some GREAT show programming ideas being bantered around by the then-newly hired David Weinberg, who was going to be the Program Coordinator and Drill Designer (another person who in my life, is CENTRAL to where I am now--which is really nowhere in the grand scheme of things, but still...I remember my roots better than most). VK folded, and it was a dark day in my book. Not only did I get the story as to why they folded, I was convinced that the WHY was completely avoidable. COMPLETELY.

ANYWAY...in 1999, that guy I referenced earlier that I'm still good friends with? His name is Ron Zeilinger, and he started, along with a small group of former VK alumni, a new drum corps called Impulse. When I first heard about this concept, of somehow continuing the "tradition" of the Velvet Knights, I was admantly against it. VK was DEAD...why try to call it something else and put a new name to it. I was confused. Angry. Dead set against it. And I had forum to voice my opinion. It was a discussion newsgroup called Recreation Arts--Drum Corps (RAMD), part of the old newsgroups that I'm quite honestly not even sure still exists. I also had this other forum called World of Pageantry. And I was, believe it or not, pretty anti-Impulse. Mainly based on a really immature, emotional, knee-jerk reaction to it. I can be that way at times, although after 40 years on the planet, I AM getting better at trying to get the whole story before turning into the Taurus that I am.

ANYWAY...my anger and frustration was picked up online by a man named Charlie Groh. Charlie, who for all intents and purposes, has been in the drum corps activity since the mid 60's and is considered one of the country's leading "visual experts" when it comes to marching technique and teaching drill. I was surprised out of my anger one day when he tracked me down and called me at home. He spent the next hour on the phone with me, trying to get a better idea of what was making me so angry about Impulse and so resistent to allowing Impulse to take the field and spread its wings. I came to understand a few years later that it was in fact Charlie who came up with the name Impulse (a story of legendary importance actually), and so, he was intimately involved in the genesis of this organization. I appreciated his patience and fervor and ability to explain things to me, and was able to use a very effective and persuasive argument to at the very least to get me to shut the hell up on line about Impulse.

ANYWAY...Impulse made an impact on the drum corps community. They were a fledgling corps, and did their best to set their style as their own, yet, they could not help but be compared to VK. But that was OK with the powers that be of Impulse. They had a multi-pronged approach to their organization. One of their goals was to "carry on the tradition of the Velvet Knights and the Bridgemen" (who VK was actually emulating to some extent--so much so that the famous Bobby Hoffman who CREATED the freakin' Bridgemen joined us in 1987 and helped propel us to 7th place in the world!!!!). But another interesting goal of Impulse which, quite honestly, I missed, was something they called "to aid in the proliferation of drum corps in Southern California". Well...now that's odd. Why would Impulse want to PROLIFERATE the southern California region with drum corps? In a nutshell, and I'm only guessing, but Charlie Groh, one of Impulse's founders, was also one of Velvet Knights ORIGINAL members back in the mid 60's...and back then, before and right after I was born, Southern California was a HOT BED of drum corps activity. It wasn't the activity it is today, but the similarities were enough that me, a person that marched in the mid 80's, could embrace Charlie, who is nearing 60 years of age, as my "brother" in the activity. Goes back to that BOND I spoke of earlier. So, Impulse, albeit in a way that was "unique", was wanting to somehow, either by example or by other means, to get the activity jump started back out here in southern Cal after a mid 1990's slump and we had only 2 active corps (Pacific Crest and Westcoast Sound).

ANYWAY--I'm getting to my point...soon...anyway, fast forward to today. It was announced several months ago that the Velvet Knights were starting again. Interesting. However, it started as simply "VK", and there was a large amount of ambiguity about if this was a group wanting to be "sort of" like the old Velvet Knights or what. It was confusing to an extent, as I believed up to the point that this new organization was started, that there was never going to be another Velvet Knights. WHY? Because part of the reason why VK folded in 1996 was because of some IRS issues with a HEFTY back tax and fine levied on the organization. I assumed because of what I had been told that the name "VELVET KNIGHTS" was owned to a certain extent and attached to that name was this IRS "problem", so hence, no more Velvet Knights. Fast forward back to today--and here comes the VKYAO, or the VK Youth Arts Organization. Sort of splitting hairs because I think THEY were trying to stay away from legal issues until they were absolutely positive they actually COULD say they were in fact "THE VELVET KNIGHTS".

ANYWAY--Now...take this for what it is, but I have a "BULLSHIT RADAR" that gets pinged when I see new groups starting or whatever. I can sniff it from a mile away. I was quite well known for haraunging "SHOCKWAVE", a supposed corps starting up north several years ago, as well as something else on World of Pageantry a few years ago. I have NO FEAR of asking questions of groups that may ping my radar. Strangely, with this new "VK", there was only ONE thing that was pinging my bullshit radar, and it was this---WHO WERE THEY!?!?!? I thought it was strange that the issue was being skirted somehow, but I also realized in my 40 years of wisdom, that I wasn't on the "inside" of this organization and perhaps something was on the horizon. In reality and in all honesty, I had several nice online chats with the VK secretary Mayra (last name is hard...I'll get to it later). She was VERY gracious, answered my questions and concerns, and I didn't have any real "reason" to doubt the veracity or legitimacy of this start up. I was however, as a former VK member, a tad confused. I didn't even really understand my own confusion--but I was in a wait and see mode.

ANYWAY--things really got, how should I say, up and running when my previously mentioned friend, Ron Zeilinger, very publicly and quite frankly rather angrily started to question this group, and for his reasons, was not happy at all about what was going on. At first, reading his reasons, I actually could empathize with what he was saying. It felt weird to me as well--but to him, it was an insult. And as always in this wacky world of drum corps, there were hurt feelings and a lot of verbal judo. We have gotten to the point where now I believe Ron is accepting the creation of the Velvet Knights, however, he's still not happy. He doesn't HAVE to be. That's his right. But I think he's thought about the old "proliferation of drum corps" in southern California clause of why Impulse was started, and in all honesty, VK (Part Deux) is living up to this ULTIMATE goal, which is providing yet another entertainment venue for kids to participate in. It's just...well...weird. And I have to be honest...as long as this organization plays by the rules, puts the kids first, communicates honestly with them (especially in regards to whether they'll actually be approved by DCI in the first place), then...fine. I can't NOT say "good luck".
If you've read this far--then look at these wacky pics of me in VK back in the day. I just found these on a VK Alumni Yahoo Discussion Group. Pretty interesting...because I never have seen these.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is me...on the right...nice face Turner...anyway, the guy in yellow is Brian Neilsen, who was my co-drum major in 1986. I don't know where this picture was taken, but apparently it was in a gym. DUH. The guy in the back...that's Mike. I can't remember his last name. But he was a baritone player--I think we called him Brain Dead--he had some issues. But he was basically a GREAT guy underneath the issues. GILMORE!!! That's it. Just hit me just then. Mike Gilmore. Anyway--he cleaned himself up after VK and went on and joined the Army. I actually exchanged some emails with him several years ago, and he was living with his girl back in Arkansas I think--and doing well. Sent a pic of himself and he looked great. He grew up. And became a bad ass. And Brian--jeezo. I saw him 2 years ago at a drum corps show--he looked exactly the same, with a 13 year old trumpet playing son. I think he's a doctor or something. Boy was I in "like" with his sister for a time. Damn that Ron Dettman...DAMN HIM!!! (Note to Ron in case you learned how to use a computer--I KID!! I love you man!!!)

This next pic is of me and Dave Brunken, a lead soprano for VK in 1985 and 1986. Dave was a great guy. He was THE clown prince of the corps that was referred to as the clown princes of drum corps. Absolutely fall down funny guy. And complete with the strangest phobia ever--he hated going over bridges while we traveled across the country. FUNNY!!! He and I were never "close" per se, but he was part of the Bountiful, Utah Graverobbers Club in 1986. This pic of me and him was taken in the parking lot of Mt. Sac College. I have a very very vague recollection of this. I think this was at the Tournament of Champions band show in December of 1986. I actually think that's Arcadia's drum major standing behind us to the left!!! HAHAHAHA...uhhh
I was pretty dang skinny. I apologize for the glasses. That was back when Clark Kent glasses were in...and of course...I AM Clark Kent.

Last pic--that's me in 1987 at a show acting like an idiot. Don't know where that is, but I'm THINKING it's at the Sevierville Show in Tennessee...but I'm really not sure. Memory seems to get crappy after 20 years. That's Malcom Arnold, the contra...and the big scary guy to the left is Bob--and I can't remember his last name. He barely said two words all summer long, but he LOVED VK.

Well...that's for now.

I have LOTS more to talk about but there's only so many miles my fingers can walk in one day. Besides, I don't want anymore messages from a certain band director from the base of the majestic snow capped evervescent San Gabriel Mountains calling me and asking--"How DO you have THAT MUCH to talk about????" (I love you Tom!! And I'm NOT proud to say that...he gets the joke).