For The Glory of Old State

I was a freshman in the fall of 2010. The October night was chilly with the autumn air slowly shifting into the winter freeze. Roughly 7:45 pm on All Hallows Eve 2010. I came rushing out of the tunnel onto the perfectly green grass of Beaver Stadium. It was a night game. Against Michigan. A huge game. I looked up at a white mass of people. Students. All between the ages of 18-22, screaming their brains out. For a marching band. The Pennsylvania State University Marching Blue Band. As I got into my fanfare block position, I was on the verge of tears. I had waited my entire life for this moment. The sound of the percussion roll-off signaled me to spin my horn up. Air flowed out of my mouth, through my horn, and cut through the night. As we got to the end of the fanfare I could hear the excitement of the crowd heighten. Ian Kenney, the drum major was on his way down the middle of the field. He hit the fifty yard line and did the infamous 'flip'. The crowd erupted in a huge cheer. I literally couldn't find my breath because of how amped up I was. My legs pumped down the field and finally stopped on the 40 yard line. I faced the students and played America's National Anthem. Then moved into the famous PSU formation. As the introduction to the alma mater started, I got chills thinking about how I was connected with every student, alumni, and fan in that stadium. Seeing the students joining together and singing. I knew that I was where I needed to be. It was where I wanted to be. It was somewhere that I belonged. Everyone was linked together, through Blue and White. Through the chanting of WE! ARE! PENN! STATE!

This is my definition of Pride. This is my definition of Tradition. And of Excellence and Success with Honor. This is my Penn State.

In spite of all of the allegations that have happened in the past few days, every Penn Stater has their own Penn State that they know will never change.

My Penn State is about having PRIDE in my school. The reasons that I am here. Why are you here? Why did you come here. Why do you want to be a part of Penn State. It could be a major, a class, a professor, a sport, a memory, a family tradition, or a desire to go above and beyond what you believed you were capable of. Find the reason and always keep it with you. Never forget it.

You may have your own opinion about how these need to be handled. But I just want you to remember why you have Penn State in your heart. The actions of a few wrong people does not change my definition Penn State. It shouldn't change yours either.

Day 24: Fourth of July

Today was the 4th of July! Everyone had to wake up at 6 am this morning to get individual pictures taken. So that means I had to get up and 6 because everyone else had to. I went and ate breakfast and waited for things to get a little settled down and then I fell asleep again. I slept until 9 and it felt amazing. Dare I say it was the best nap of my life. I woke up and started helping out with parade preparations. I was on the Mobile Hydration Unit (MHU). I basically followed them in the parade and helped fill water bottles.





After the parade we had a quick lunch and drove to a kind of community festival at a pretty cool park looking over a half dried up lake.





















The crowd loved the show. After we were done, we were allowed to walk around for a little bit. They had the usual festival food. Funnel cake, fries, Hawaiian shaved ice. We got on the busses and prepared for the long haul from Seattle to Boise, Idaho. It's a 12 hour ride according to the bus driver, Mark. I'm just going to let the pictures tell the story of the drive. It was cool because we don't normal drive during the day, so I'm starting to wonder what I have been missing because of the dark.





















We got to the top of a ridge and then started going down the other side. Here's what we saw. Pretty cool.




















I can't really explain what the landscape was like. It looked almost whimsical. Like something out of a children's book about a family that lives in the mountains somewhere. They looked like giant sand dunes. But they weren't. It was cool. I never realized that eastern Washington was like a desert. There was nothing really around. Hardly any houses. Not many buildings. Just land.

We stopped at a rest stop at the bottom of the mountain pass. Night set in. And we pulled out. We were able to catch some fireworks from on the bus.











It's 11:30 and we just crossed into Oregon on our sojourn to Boise.

It's time for some bus sleep.

Goodnight. And happy 4th!

-Drew

Location:McNary Hwy,Umatilla,United States

Day 23

Today we had a free day in Seattle. But first more rehearsal!



Ok. Now to the good stuff.

Seattle was actually a pretty cool place. I liked it there but from what I hear about the rain there kinda turned me off.

On the way into the city I snapped some pics of the space needle.






We got off of the busses and walked and found the famous fish market in Seattle, where they throw the fish to the person behind the counter.



It was packed because all of the cadets went straight there because of Hopkins 'fish philosophy'. The ideas were started by the people that worked at this fish market. The basic principles that a person can follow to live better. Play, make their day, be there, and choose your attitude. They seemed to be following these things very well. They had cadets catching fish and even had Hop join in.












After the fish market went to a sushi bar. Now I know what you are thinking. And yes. I DID try sushi.


I ate a total of 3 California rolls and one spicy tuna roll. It was a very different texture. I'm still not sure if I liked them yet. I'm not going to lie, my gag reflex definitely kicked in on one piece. But I powered through it. And a washed it all down with a sprite. I'm not sure if I'll be ordering sushi anytime soon.

After that we strolled around Seattle and just saw some cool stuff. The original Starbucks, Hard Rock Cafe, Puget Sound. Here are the pictures.















Panoramic view!


We found some brass pigs and I got my picture taken with them






When we got back to where the busses were going to pick us up, some people started the cadets drum and vuvuzela corps.






We got to the housing site and had a Hop talk. We talked about making choices about our attitude. And then he started talking about the one thing that we all don't like about ourselves. And yet we justify it so we feel better about ourselves.

I'm going to bed tonight thinking about that. I want to make my life better. Without lying to myself about things.

Goodnight everyone.

-Drew

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Pike Place Hillclimb Walk,Seattle,United States

Day 22

Today we were near Seattle, WA. We got up and rehearsed all day until around 5.

I was with the drums for the most part. I really am not a fan of the drum rehearsals. They are just so long and drawn out. And also kind of frustrating because it is SO easy to check out an screw up. And they do the same things over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over... AND OVER and over and over and over .... (get it?) AND OVER AGAIN.

But there was a little upside to today's rehearsal. We were rehearsing in the shadow of Mt. Rainier.



The big white spot in the middle is the mountain.

It was cool. I didn't really get a good picture of it. That picture doesn't really do it justice.

Ensemble seemed to fly by after drum sectionals.

I noticed that the trees here are all coniferous.





And the turf wasn't exactly desirable. It got EVERYWHERE. and it looked like people were growing out of the ground.


On the way to the show, I snapped another picture of Mt. Rainier.



It still doesn't do it justice as to how high I looks in perspective to where you are.



This one is ehh. It's just really far away. Trust me. It's cool. I'll stop trying to convince you.

At the show during intermission they had a little drum crops band playing some tunes on the track. They played mostly newer 'rap' songs. It was pretty good. Nice screaming trumpet.










The show was good tonight. We were definitely better than last night. It seems that the more crowd reactions we get, the better we do. That make sense I guess.

The demons made a particularly awesome entrance. Filling in through a small opening in the back fence acting all demonic like. The crowd went nuts. The demons always get a good crowd reaction because the angels come on, and the crowd is wondering why are we so small. Then the demons come on and they 'get it' Angels and Demons. Everybody goes. Ohhhhhhhhh. And ahhhhhhh.




After the show I was sitting outside the bus and one of the medical staff came over with an entire pizza. Needless to say, I was intrigued. First of all I'd like to give a shout out to all the medical staff and what a great job they do. They job is really a thankless job. Everyone just kind of expects them to do it. And some of them bring me pizza. So thanks DJ for being awesome and giving me some pizza. I hope this continues as the tour progresses.

Now it's a 10-15 minute bus ride back to the housing site, eat, drink, be merry, (for tomorrow we die).... Anyone? Anyone? Dave Matthews Band reference? Ok.

And then sleeping on my almost comfortable Aerobed inflatable mattress until tomorrow comes and this whole things starts over.

Goodnight everyone.

-Drew

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:191st Ave Ct E,Bonney Lake,United States