smileyjess

warning: extreme sentimentality ahead.

i love you pep band.

these three years have flown. a set list hovering just above 40 songs. the greatest bunch of people gathering twice, sometimes three times a week to do what they love. a passion fulfilled. an interest augmented and a talent intensified exponentially. crazy lengths of cables and power. always encouraging and with ear to ear smiles amidst calculus books and drama that you couldnt even write for days of our lives.

i, for one, thank madeleine. the most unbelievable tuba-ist ever, her presence was missed tonight, though i felt her there in spirit. she convinced me to join, and then ross (in all his plaid striped pants glory) said i needed to fill his shoes. i joined the first day of school when haj asked me if i played an instrument during my period c honors chemistry course.

i met ben and was positively blown away, really kind of scared away. his immense talent was seriously just that overwhelming (correct me if i'm wrong, but he's currently the recipient of the jimi hendrix scholarship while studying at berklee school of music in bawston.) and then, there was of course, andy, who was kind enough to drive me to and fro at my whim, only in retrospect am i really able to realize just how much of a pain i must have been. silly sophomore! not only that, but to be welcomed by the other members of Blue Midnight Special (whose cd, i'll have you know, will forever sit atop my cd rack, surpassing even all 23 of my DMB cd's.) Will and Aaron, polar opposites, but beautifully collaborating to compose some awesome jazz for a quartet of 18 year olds. and mattie camp, whom i befriended despite his seat being all the way in the trumpet section. cris ryan. aka god of the bass. it seems so essential for me to never lose touch with the core of that year's graduating class. andy will ben i love you guys so much.

and then last year, realizing that in a year it would be me. wow.

and then tonight, when it was me.

i'm a senior, and this is my last home game.

one third of the band stood on the court tonight, and i was so proud of everyone. i never thought it possible, but nick more than filled ben's shoes, and will - so inspired by cris - is unbelievable. corey = utter insanity. there ain't a drumstick he can't break. i love just sitting there and watching him thrash, and nick solo like no one's business. my love pit. my rhythm section. you guys literally rock my socks.

and you - you who may laugh when we freak out over a flyaway basketball, you who mock the way of the toga, you who underappreciate nick's licks, you who leave a game right after it ends without having to take down 1,000,000 pounds of equipment - you, yes you.

well, i feel sorry for you. because i know i have had something you will never have. the harmony that results when a bunch of wickedfriggenawesomelytalented musicians come together for a good time. hot to go, indeed.

thanks, pep band 04-05. (oh! and emile, our roadie / my groupie)