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Blog Entry 2 of 6 Shutterbug Blog
Until something more eloquent strikes me ... this blog will be exclusivley for pictures I've taken.

Blog Url: http://denver.yourhub.com/~Shutterbug

For the love of Gockblocks ... and Gatorade

Contributed by: Meagan Savage   on 7/28/2006

For those of you not familiar with the term "Gockblock," a Gockblock is probably the most hideous instruments known to man ... well, maybe not to all of mankind, but certainly to all of those involved with marching band. Forever I have etched in my memory that first day of band camp freshman year trying to learn marching techniques with Brandon Specht (a Chaparral alumn studying music) walking up and down each and every row of our misshapen block formation, pounding on that dumb glockblock trying to drill the concept of "beats" into our heads and piercing our eardrums at the same time.

Yeah, marching band was rough ... to put it lightly. Never in my life had I been happy and miserable at the same time like I was those three years I spent in band. And never had I felt so connected to a particular group of people (which was a great feeling as a freshman). I slept as though I were at attention; had nightmares of hot asphalt, un-memorized music, and sunburns; and lived for thirty-second water/Gatorade breaks after three hours of rehearsing. It was official ... I was a band geek, and I was proud to be one.

Unfortunately for the band geek in me, life happened and things changed ... people changed. Rehearsals seemed to become more brutal and far more strict. Then, the seniors graduated. When my classmates and I were freshmen, it was the sophomores who took the biggest interest in us, who befriended us the most, who tolerated our inability the most ... and suddenly, they took their diplomas and left all of us behind. They left me behind.

The band I knew and loved was gone, but I can't blame the fact that I quit band on the seniors graduating. There were so many other factors. Band was a big commitment and my grades took a hit every year that first semester, and senior year was upon me. College applications were upon me. AP classes were upon me. And yearbook became more than just my fourth hour class ... it became my passion and I was being considered for the editor position.

I knew in my heart that I didn't want to go anywhere with music. It was a fun hobby, but I thought it was time to focus on finding something that I might want to do for the next fifty years of my life. And it just so happens I found it in yearbook.

I made the right decision for me, be sure of that, but that band geek within me still smiles when I see these pictures I took as an outsider looking in.


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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments
Submitted By: Meagan Savage
posted on 8/6/2006 @ 9:21:46 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Thanks, Rob. Funnily enough, I played the french horn (after freshman year when I played the flute) and had it damaged by a color guard girl who passed out on it. It was brand-new, too. Right out of the case. And then there was this other time that the color guard was supposed to pass through the horn line, and I caught a flag right in my bell and I swore my teeth were going to fall out. Oh yeah, those were the days. Yes, the wool suits ... how I miss them and all of their "hot-in-the-summer-cold-in-the-winter" glory."
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Submitted By: sally morton
posted on 8/4/2006 @ 10:03:59 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Great pic of the "glowing" drum at CHS band camp. I printed out and will post your pics up at school today during band camp - black & white only as my color cart. is out :( Nice work, Meagan! A CHS Band Mom
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Submitted By: Tabitha Dial
posted on 7/30/2006 @ 11:01:26 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Wow! When was this? Oh my goodness. I was such an ultra band geek in high school. I fell in love with the Color Guard when my older brother was a freshman. For four years I waited, waited, waited for my chance (and nearly blew it because I put so much pressure on myself to be as great as my brother, who played a different instrument every year, almost-- and did it really well). But, I made the Color Guard and was co-captain my senior year and I get to see the ol' co-captain in a week. Wow. Hooray marching band. Thank you so much for the read and pictures.
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Submitted By: Rob Guthrie
posted on 7/29/2006 @ 8:05:26 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Great pictures, Meagan, particularly the second one of Mr. Otis in his tower! I was in marching band in Iowa as a seventh-grader (it was big back there). Remind me to tell you about the time I passed out and crushed a french horn. I was standing at attention (in a WOOL UNIFORM) at a cemetary after a parade. Talk about bringing back memories...great job! P.S. What instrument did you play?
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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Meagan Savage

Parker , CO

Meagan Savage has posted 6 blog entries and 7 comments since joining on 7/26/2006. Meagan Savage 's average blog rating is 4.92.
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