This is it!

I'm about to sign off my computer in work, go teach the Ryan-ites and then get ready to leave early in the AM for Rochester, NY! We've been waiting all year for this trip...all of the hard work, all of the sweat; all of the nonsense comes down to THIS!

I've said it before...this is a strange year for us at Bush. I still don't really have a handle on what kind of corps this is. There have been times where I thought they were fighters, and there have been times where it would have been really easy to just give up. Tomorrow we have rehearsal from 2-8. I would say that by about 4 we should know what kind of weekend we're going to have.

Just in talking to a lot of the members via email and other communication outlets, it appears as though the corps is fired up. And why shouldn't they be? We're ranked 5th. Does that suck? Yeah...by our current standards it does a bit, but to put it in perspective, there are years where we would have killed to be ranked 5th. There are corps that won't make finals this year. We're very fortunate to be where we are, regardless of whether or not it's exactly where we want to be. And, we're still in this thing.

In 1986 the Bushwackers won the first show in their history...DCA Championships. They were ranked 3rd after prelims going into finals. It can be done. Are we slotted? Do we have a chance? Does it even matter?

I don't think it really matters. The only thing you can control is your own performance and let the numbers take care of themselves. This is a championship caliber show. If we pull it off and execute...each one of us having an awesome show at the same time, who knows what can happen.

Either way, I'm going to have a fun weekend. This weekend, for me, is a celebration....not just of the season, but more so the 12 seasons I've been a part of. This year is a milestone for me...10 years as a drum major, both in corps and in band. A decade is a long time to do any one thing, especially something as lonely as being a drum major. I consider myself blessed and lucky to be the longest tenured drum major in the history of the Bushwackers. I have tried my hardest to fill the shoes of other great Bushwacker drum majors of lure, like John Gough, Laurie Kunzel, and Laurie Nielsen-Hall.

In my experience here I have run the gamut of emotion and competitive success (or lack thereof some years). I have been scared, like in 96 when I was a rookie ADM filling in for a legend while she had a baby. I have been proud, like in 2001 when we surged from 10th in 2000 back into the top 5. I have been angry, like after retreat in 2000 after coming in last...I turned around and my drum corps had already left the field. I have been upset, like in 2005 when we got a penalty that dropped us from 2nd to 3rd (we have never placed 2nd in our history). I have been nostalgic, like in 2007...um, now! I've been in love, I've been out of love, I've been in love again and now I'm getting married. I've conducted victory concerts, and I've consoled a drum corps defeated. I've been booed, I've been cheered. I've been told that I'm a classless A hole, and I've been told that I'm the best drum major in the circuit.

In the end, I just want to be known as a Bushwacker who did his job to the best of his ability, and did all that he could to put his corps in a position to succeed. I love the Bushwackers. I love the silly name, the logo, the people, and the memories. I don't love everything ABOUT it, but I love the philosophy. I live QUALITY. I am a Bushwacker.

...and no matter what happens this weekend, or what my future holds...I will always consider myself a Bushwacker at heart...and that's where it counts.

If we have internet access in our hotel, I plan on posting my thoughts and impressions immediately upon returning from the hotel on Saturday and Sunday. I hope you tune in. Root us on.