Day 885: Change of Tempo

It seems that just about every year we all come up with these grand ideas to add exercise into our lives. Whether it be at the beginning of the year as a New Year's Resolution or in the middle of the year like me, more as a summer project, it always ends the same way.

We do it for about three days and then give up or forget about it.

But for once, I've actually somewhat kept up with one of my goals: direct through a few pep band songs every night. It's probably good to keep my arms moving anyway, and since conducting in high school made me probably the most fit I've ever been, it seemed like a natural way to keep up with things. So that's what I've been doing: directing pep band songs that my brother has saved to his computer. And for the most part, it's been working.

Every night I have him pick a few different songs, surprising me with whatever it is he's decided to have me conduct that particular day, but there's one song in particular I generally have him play before I finish for the night: Illuminations.

That's right, there's a pep band arrangement of the song, but apparently, as I just now discovered, it even goes beyond just Reflections of Earth! I just came across the full show and to say that it's a life goal to conduct these doesn't even describe it. You can listen to the recording here:

Yeah, I'm pretty much in love with this piece. I have a need. 

We'll see if I blog about any other of the Disney Pep Band pieces in the future, but there's a ton of them! 

Have a magical day!

Day 155: The Imperial March

I feel like I've had a lot of posts about Star Wars lately, mostly because of Star Wars month, but this one was just too good to pass up.

Although I'm technically no longer a student and am graduated from high school, I've been returning to help out with band stuff. Today, I spent a large portion, ok, all of my time sorting out pep band music so that I can go through and finish organizing it all this week...if I can finish it all! Either way, I have three steps while sorting. First, I have to sort through the miscellaneous pile of music and determine if it should go on it "ok" or the "it's fishy" pile. If it's ok, then it goes to be sorted into alphabetical order in the smaller pile before I sort them out by alphabetical and specific piece. There is currently music all over the band room, and I used probably about 20 stands and six chairs, each with at least four pieces on it, with many stands having six. Either way, in that first step, I found a copy of The Imperial March, and this is what it looked like:

Yeah, they actually crossed out Imperial March and replaced it with Vader. It honestly made my day to see that, and it got a good laugh out of me while sorting too. It didn't take me long to decide that this piece of pep band music would be today's blog post, because it is a little bit of Disney that worked into my everyday life, and this is the exact kind of stuff that I planned on putting on this blog originally.

But I think the lesson here is this: If you ever find yourself with a copy of the Imperial March, be sure to cross that out and write Vader. Or, if you're more like me, and have the music from Star Wars in general, cross that out and write "Han Solo."

Here's today's Disney History: 1990: At Disneyland, the Bengal Barbecue, a quick service food location in Adventureland, opens. (Note: Lizzie absolutely loved this restaurant when she visited Disneyland in 2011).

Have a magical day!

Day 53: Directing

Tonight was an interesting, nerve-wrecking and exciting night. My band director was out of town, and since my high school's boy's basketball team is in the playoffs, it meant that we, as a band, should be at the game. We have another game tomorrow that we're not playing at, but that's a whole different story. Either way, he wasn't around, and that meant that I, as drum major, got to direct. I've never really directed pep band before, other than the national anthem a couple of weeks ago, and my directing in the fall, so I really was only going off of one rehearsal with the band and the things I've seen my director do in the past four years.

But I have to say, it went well. Very well. Now, how does this relate to Disney? I really don't know, but I guess it is kind of like what I'm talking about in my memoir. Through Disney I've been given examples of great leadership, and I'm able to take those examples and develop them into my own skills for instances such as band. Three and a half years ago I wouldn't have ever thought I'd be band president one day, but here I am in that position, and I wanted it!

I remember very early freshman year when we voted for band council. It was me against one of my friends for freshman representative and I won by a couple of points. It was a close race, if you can really call it that, but it started me on my way towards where I am today. Since then I've been Treasurer, Vice President and now President and Drum Major, and I've worked a lot to get where I am. I still have lots of challenges that are thrown my way, like the whole thing with Disney that I talked about way back on Day 3 of this blog, but I really do enjoy what I do.

Plus, our team won tonight's game...so that helps too. =)

Here's today's Disney History: 2001: At Disney World, at bird's nest catches on fire on top of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority attraction, forcing the ride to close for a short time. People on board the ride are evacuated as a precaution and no one is injured.

Have a magical day!