Happy Memorial Day

     Up until today, Memorial Day had seemed like just another holiday to me-- I didn't really know the purpose, where or why it was started, or even what it was all about. Of course, I had guessed the holiday had something to do with remembering loved ones or some such thing, but it never really registered. Up until this year, Memorial Day had just been an excuse to miss school and a trip to my uncle's house for swimming, a picnic, and the celebration of summer birthdays.
     This Memorial Day, however, everything changed. Instead of heading off for a day of relaxation and family time, I stayed in town and participated in a parade with the STH (Small Town High) marching band. Now let me just take a moment to point out the fact that all this weekend, it was cool and rainy here in the Midwest. But today, the day when I had to march in an all black wool uniform, it was 90 degrees and very sunny, and extremely miserable. But the heat is incredibly beside the point.
     After the parade, everyone headed over to the town cemetery where the war memorial is located. The band played the national anthem, and then several veterans were invited to speak. They all said good things about today's holiday, but what struck me the most was the speech a veteran from Vietnam gave. She talked about how Memorial Day was in danger of becoming just another payed holiday or an excuse for a get-together with friends, when really, it had been started so that those who died fighting for America would never be forgotten. The speaker encouraged us all to never forget those who protected us and "stood in the gap between our people and evil".  
     In turn, I want to make sure everyone realizes what this holiday's all about-- not hamburgers on the grill or fireworks in the evening, but the men and women who gave everything they had so that we could enjoy our lives as we live them today. It's the sort of sacrifice that you can't, and shouldn't, forget. And hopefully, we never will.


God bless all soldiers and thanks for listening,
Maggs   

Marching Magic

Dut. Dut. Dadadut (two three four). Dut. Dut. Dadadut (two three four). Dut. Dut. Dadadut (two three four). The sharp sound of a snare drum echoes off the brick walls of the local high school as I march in formation. The weather is just warm enough to make marching a sweaty task, and I find myself longing for the cold of this morning, when I had to scrape the frost off the car's windshield and when my breath showed clearly in the air. Welcome to October in Southern Wisconsin- warm days, cold mornings, and night temperatures below freezing. This time of the year is known as autumn, fall, or otono, if you speak Spanish (please excuse the lack of a tilde, by the way). But it has another name too. Autumn is marching band season. And marching is exactly what I'm doing outside on this fine October day. As the sun climbs higher, as it nears the climax of its daily journey, what do we do? We march. Around the school. In the road. 

     I know what you're thinking- you're wondering why I was marching in a road when I should've been in school learning about the chemical structure of carbohydrates or taking a test on Spanish verbs. But to tell you the truth, I don't care about that right now. Right now I'm in the zone. I'm keeping my head high, roll stepping to the beat as if my life depends on it, using my eyes to look around me and make sure I'm in line, make sure I'm "covering down" and "dressing to the form" and all that. I'm remembering the music I so carefully memorized,  letting it flow through me and gather emotion. I'm watching my section leader's feet, making sure my left foot hits the ground at the same time hers does. There is so much to remember that it seems impossible. But for a moment, I've got it- for just a second, I glimpse a bit of what this is supposed to be. 

     And then it's all gone, with one shouted "halt!" from the director. We keep marching for a few steps, and then understand what's happening. Many of us stop, but some keep playing the next few notes, trying to hold on to that perfect feeling when the music, the beat, and your feet are all working together and the practices you've been having since June finally pay off. It sounds perfect to us, but not to the director- no, not to him at all.

     "First of all," he says, "your feet aren't in time. You've got to listen to the beat! And tubas, that can't be so slow. You're the tubas, for Pete's sake! You're the engine of this band- it has to be better!" To him, there are a million things wrong. But to a freshman like me, it's perfect- pure marching magic, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 
Thanks for listening,
Maggs   

Formal Apologies

When I visited my blog today, I was horrified to discover that I only posted once in the month of September. That is why I'm here now, offering you, my group of devoted readers (maybe not so devoted anymore, but I'm going to change that), my sincerest apologies. I now promise that I will write more than once in this wonderful month of October, and do my very best to entertain you all and add some more people to my audience.

And now, for the best part of every apology: the excuses. But please, before you remark upon my rather cynical belief that most people can't admit they're wrong without justifying said wrongdoing, listen to my personal excuses, and you'll see what I mean:

The Writer's Reasons For Ignoring Her Blog

• She has been braving the dreaded high school, and that frankly is enough for one girl to handle
• The homework epidemic grows worse each day, and it's hard to find time to write when there are four tests to study for, as well as a reading assignment and some algebra nonsense to complete
• Extreme lack of sleep
• Two words: marching band
• If she gets any time on the computer at all, the evils of Facebook distract her until she has to go to bed
• A busy schedule: after school, she has homework and more homework, and on the weekends there's band to be considered.
• Lastly, sometimes our intrepid writer is just too lazy to get her poetic heinie down the computer to write for a while

Those were my excuses, dear public of mine. Hopefully they have satisfied your craving for a post from moi (if there was any craving to begin with, that is), and now I'm off to see the Wizard. But never fear, I shall return before the month is over!

Thanks for accepting my apologies.

Love, Maggs