Mood Ring
Band Camp
Yay For Band
Aug 18th
Hmm… This is my first post in year 2009. Intense. I have sort of been a delinquent and kept procrastinating on blogging. But I am here now! For all of you who may not know me, I’m Allie Koenig. I am a junior (wow, that sounds old) and I play the flute. Oh, and I’m one the the flute section leaders. My marching flute is named Mick St. John and my concert flute is named Josef Kostan. In case I say those names later on, you will know what I am referring to 
Okay, Allie background information is done, so lets move on to exciting story of the day.
I’m excited Michelle hasn’t said anything about our dance at band camp, so I’ll fill yall in on that fun event! Band camp was a week ago, but this is worth mentioning. The last night at band camp we were allowed to stay out a little later to socialize our parents and when they left, just all of the band kids. I was hanging out with my flutes and Lizzie taught us all a cheerleader dance that they use for several songs. Let’s see… There was Lizzie, Michelle, Erin, Sarah, Alyssa, and me all trying to learn this dance. We thought it would be a great idea to perform it for Emily Hill (a flute player as well as a cheerleader) and for the band at our last morning rehearsal. We ended up practicing the routine the whole entire night. Even Michelle and I, who were roommates, practiced in our room before we went to bed to get it perfect. Morning comes too early and it is finally our last day eating Schreiner food. Thank goodness. After the run during morning rehearsal we all lined up in a pyramid form and performed our dance for the band. It was awesome. I think it was my favorite part of band camp. For a bunch of flute players, it was pretty darn good. I’m sure everyone else found it entertaining to watch us do a cheerleader dance. It is exactly what everyone needed to get pumped up for our last rehearsal. Or they just needed a good laugh after sleeping for 5 hours
Well, not too much went down the week after band camp. We got to set 32 (or is it 35 or 36?) which is the beginning of the ballad. That was pretty intense. Everyone is working hard and hopefully we will be able to maintain that mindset when all the craziness of school starts happening. I’m a little worried myself… my classes are pretty hard core this year. I’m super pumped for the season ahead of us though. I’m ready to start performing already! Enough of these silly rehearsals, lets go to a contest or football game! I have a feeling this year will be pretty sweet
I’m going to have to figure out how to turn all of this text purple before the year is over… Now that would be cool.
Band Camp, Sleep, and a Four-Hour Morning Rehearsal
Aug 13th
Yes! I’m finally in my account! I attempted six or seven times (each with a different password) to login before I realized that I had my username wrong. Go figure.
Anyway, we just got back from band camp last week, and after a whole entire weekend of sleep, we were back outside marching on the parking lot this morning at 7:00 am! Talk about a quick turnaround! Band camp was abnormally hot this year and our rehearsals were extended by thirty minutes. In all, I think we spent eight hours a day rehearsing. It sounds like a lot (and it was), but the week flew by way faster than I expected. We got a lot accomplished, including 12 sets of drill marching and playing! I don’t remember ever getting that far at band camp during the years I have been in high school, so that was really impressive. And the best part is, the sets stuck with most of us during our weekend of sleep! When we came back this morning we were able to run the chunk a couple of times and move on to learn more drill! Speaking of which, during our four hour rehearsal this morning we put on five more sets of drill, which brings us to a grand total of 17 sets! That’s more than half of the opener already on the field!
We have two more weeks of rehearsals before school starts, so hopefully we’ll be able to get the opener and the ballad on the field by then!
Band Camp!!
Aug 13th
Band camp is over, my time is no longer property of the band, and I’m doing what just about everyone in the band is probably doing- absolutely nothing. Just a few hours ago, we got back from Schreiner, spilling out of the buses, hot, tired, and ready to sleep. This last week has been very, very trying, with temperatures above and beyond even Texan expectations, less than six hours of sleep a night, and constant mental and physical exercise. And yet, as these things seem to go, all that just made the experience … better? I can say with confidence that the band is better than last year, and the freshman class is better than last year’s (that’s coming from a sophomore… heh), and the concentration is better, ans the music is better, and the drill learning is faster, and… I could go on. In short, This season looks to be absolutely amazing.
Judging by the attitude at practice this morning, the trumpets at least share that sentiment. We were all a little crazy and ecstatic during this last practice, influenced by the sleep-deprived, band-drunk seniors, but the delirium was particularly boisterous coming from the trumpet section- I could hardly hear my section leader’s instructions. Now, the trick will be to keep the crazed enthusiasm up come Monday, when we will have woken up in our own beds, and not at 2:30am and 5:30am, and not to the sounds of seniors sharing the joy of their sleepless night. Oh, if only the season were made up of band camp Friday mornings… Zzz.. Oh, right- we’d all be *yawn* asleep… the entire season… sounds nice right about now…
Mmmm… July ’09
Aug 13th
More than anything before it, more than our last home game vs. Hendrickson, more than the week of the LT game, more even than Centennial, tonight was an end. Never again, until July next year, will we shiver or sweat in the freezing wind or under the sweltering sun. We won’t hear the cadence, metal shop, negatives, Crazy Train, Oho de la Tigre (I’m not in Spanish, so if something’s spelled wrong, which it probably is…). Most of all, we will never march beside those who lead us through the year, taught us, and made the band what it was. Next year’s band will still be the Tiger band, but it will be a different band with this year’s seniors missing.
Only so much can be said about the end– the absolute, unconditional end– of marching season without sinking into outright depression, but I will say this: I can imagine no better experience than marching with this band and these people. The last three and a bit months have been indescribably amazing for me, and next marching season seems an unendurable amount of time away. I have to thank the directors for the season, the challenging show, the innumerable things they’ve done for the band. And thank you to the entire Tiger Band, for … I don’t know… existing. And now for sleep. a whole eight months of it. Wake me up in July.
The end of the beginning
Aug 8th
Drill this morning was the most intense experience of my life. Wow. I don’t know how to describe that feeling you get when you finally hit your mark with the right foot, on the right spot, or when a chunk of sets finally fits together in your head, and you can actually remember twelve sets in a row. If learning that much marching makes you feel that high and energetic, bring on some more sets!
After drill, we freshman lost our beanies at last- that’s one thing I won’t miss- and then we split to pack. At best, that could be called a disordered frenzy, as we checked under every surface and ran back and forth with heavy luggage, finally making it to lunch fifteen minutes late, ahead of half the band- yes, we’re all that organized. After one last lunch of, yes, pizza and powerade, Sarah “Puddin’” Johnson had to go help load the luggage truck. She was so smart that yesterday afternoon, when she forgot her beanie, she yelled it to the world, and Daniel Carter overheard. Daniel didn’t just get Sarah for help though- she brought the whole overcrowded table with her. That truck was loaded in record time.
The bus ride was pretty much normal, if a little bittersweet- true, we were headed home, but look what we were leaving- and I ended up sleeping part of the way. Before I drifted, though, that same Sarah (there’s around 8 in my grade) decided to give massages. She’s brave that one- she even gave foot massages. So finally, we were home at last- without the need to hurry anywhere or get anything done, without the sun beating down on us, and without huge distances between us and where ever we might need or want to go…. and I want to go back.
What will it be like tomorrow morning when I wake up at ten… or twelve… or maybe four, rather than 5:30 am, and what will it be like to wake up to the just-before-noon-sun, rather than to darkness, The Magnificent Seven, and a blasting air horn? But even though band camp is over, it was only the beginning. The whole season is ahead of us, and I can hardly wait for Monday, to be back among my friends, my cult, and my new family.
I Think Kate’s on Something
Aug 8th
Last day of band camp! This is pretty sweet, I’m watching the drill from the front sidelines while I’m blogging If you think about it, we never really get to watch the marching show live, so this is pretty amazing! We got to set ten yesterday morning, which apparently is very good for band camp. Speaking of band camp, did I mention it’s the last day?
So much happened yesterday. Parents night, rehearsals, drama, and even though I wasn’t part of it, senior night. Speaking of which, it’s great to see all of the seniors to be dead tired and have to run and manage not to trip over their own feet *cough*Allie*cough*. I think they’re all on something, which would explain why they came running to our apartments at 5:45 this morning playing their instruments, screaming, and banging on our doors.
Well, gotta go!
Brushing the Surface
Aug 8th
Drill got progressively harder yesterday, and as we got into right foot stepoffs and a thousand different counts for each set, I found it harder and harder to remember exactly where I was going. Parent night went smoothly, and our first performance gave me just the tiniest hint of the pride I would feel on the final note of our show. The senior-freshan meeting jerked tears from everyone’s eyes as we contemplated what it was to march with the drippiing springs marching band. I haven’t even begun to brush the surface of what this experience will be like, but I’m sure it will be better than anything I’ve ever experienced. We will be leaving in only a few hours, but this experience- my first band camp- will stay with me for the rest of my life.
The Last Day at Last
Aug 8th
Last day of band camp started off with a bang, literally. All the seniors went around at 5:30 to wake the whole camp up. Their senior stay up night was apparently very packed. From vandelizing Mr. Lancaster’s car to a slip n slide to waking us up in the early hours of the morning, they have got to be exhausted. It shows too, they are either falling asleep on the field or going crazy in their extreme grumpiness. Hardcore. The busride home is going to be very quiet… All the seniors will be passed out, except maybe Kate Thrower. We might be learning two sets today so I better get moving before im too terribly confused. Bye!
Day 4: Everyone’s tired
Aug 7th
So we did the fitness gram test yesterday since it rained in the morning and we didn’t want to take time during the season to do it. Guess what we all found out about Mr. Briskey? He has Hannah Montana on his Zune… enough said.
Like I said, the “hurricane” (aka 5 minutes of rain) came yesterday and we spent the first half of our morning rehearsal inside a gym. The rain went away in the afternoon so we were back at the pavilion and field then. The good thing about that was that we got to learn more drill during. Whoo! I think everyone can already tell that the show is much more challenging than the start of last year’s show. We’ve got crazy direction changes, turns, and right foot step-off’s and we’re only seven sets in! This is looking to be one heck of a marching show!
After the night rehearsal yesterday, we did the band camp traditional drill down in the pool. I’ve finally figured out how tough it is to march in water. Unfortunately we saw lightning and they kicked us out of the pool before we got to the whirlpool 
Oh well, there’s always next year!
This morning was like any other morning of band camp. I got up and dragged my roommates along with me in my “section-leader-knocking-on-your-door-to-wake-you-up” routine. It was fun. I like knocking on doors. Anyway, then we marched to breakfast and we’re currently at the morning rehearsal for the day.
Change of subject, tonight is parents night and, I’ve got to admit, I’m pretty excited to see my parents again even though we are going home tomorrow afternoon 
See you all there!
It’s true, Mr. Briskey Does Listen to Hannah Montana
Aug 7th
Now we now for a fact, not just a suspicious rumor, that Mr. Briskey owns at least 2 Hannah Montana songs. Wednesday morning we took the Fitness Gram commonly referred to as the Fat Test. While we were stretching it out before our pacer run, Mr. B decides we could get pumped up with his music. That was interesting. After we finished most of our Fitness gram we did marching basics with adjusted step. Nothing out of the ordinary happened the rest of the day except for night rehearsal and the activity. We learned all the way through set 6 or 7 last night, which is a huge accomplishment for Wednesday. The march to breakfast had been canceled because of the rain, so the weather was super amazing. It was cool and drizzled which was perfect. Wednesday night we had our annual pool drill down. it was pretty sweet except for the fact that it was lightning outside. Once they got down to about 12 people we had to call the activity off. It would be pretty bad if all the parents came on Thursday to find that 140 band kids had been electrocuted in the pool.
Today when I woke up my whole bottom half was still throbbing. Breakfast march was not so fun. The flutes were the third to last section to be allowed to breakfast so my arms were shaking by the time we got to get in line. Michelle is coming to kick me off Mr. Briskey’s laptop, so Bye!