Recently I said “Happy Holidays” to someone in the gym and they were offended that I had not said “Merry Christmas.”  I guess I got in the habit of this more inclusive greeting years ago, but have never intended it to in any way take away from the central celebration of Christmas in our culture.  Maybe the guy was just having a bad day.

Either way, let’s all be tolerant of others’ beliefs, and certainly try to accept a friendly greeting the spirit in which it’s offered.  Or, just keep your disdain to yourself.  I certainly hope everyone has a great holiday season!  and…Merry Christmas!!

The devil really is in the details.  Often at a band competition the difference from one group to another is the level of detail that is in the show.  Judges have told me that they responded to these details strongly, giving them the sense that a show was more complete and professional.  Higher scores were the result!

So what do we mean by these details?  On a musical level, it’s often simple musicality.  Attacks and releases cleanly played together.  Dynamics that are effective and varied throughout a piece.  A great balanced sound throughout the ensemble.   These may seem like basic things, as well they are, but often this clean performance makes the music seem detailed, and can certainly set one group apart from another.

Visually, the details are attention paid to smaller things.   How do you bring your horns down at the end of a selection?  Why not be creative?  Create simple stylized movements that work with your show concept.  Don’t just wait one count and pop down to attention.  Move to a pose, or pop down then up then down, or lunge and over and up…. whatever makes sense with your show.

Performing a show about pirates?  Lunge like a quick swordfight motion and back to attention.  Playing jazz music?  Swing the horns down and wipe your mouth on the back of your sleeve.  Show some attitude, make it fun!  Ask for ideas from your band students and staff.

Often ideas for visuals can be driven by the guard show.  A great guard instructor will write a show in the style of the music, and often a guard will have some certain visual motifs they work with.  A free arm, a leg pose, a way to hold the head…. find out what these are from your guard staff and then mimic them with the band in an appropriate way.  The audience and judge will respond to this cohesive look and these details will give you an edge over your competitors.

Also pay attention to the moments when the band is not playing.  Don’t just march around at attention, but hold the instruments and arms in a way that is in keeping with the show theme.  Create a unique carry position for this particular show, and use it throughout.

Ballad are another place you can take great liberties.  If a group is not playing, use them to set the mood with poses, groupings, interaction with the guard…be creative!

If you need ideas, watch the best.  The top DCI corps and BOA bands all have these details in their shows, so watch recordings of these performances and take inspiration from the way they have detailed their own shows.

I must also mention basic details like pants lengths that are correct, and instruments that shine.  Nothing can kill the effect of a show like baggy pants that puddle at the bottom, or their counterpart, the high water hem.  And make sure the drum major’s pants fit great…we watch this person a lot from the back!

Details can make all the difference.  Take the time to stop and add these things to the show, and it will pay off in great dividends.  I encourage you to add these AS YOU GO and are teaching the show.  Of course, they can be added later, but if you put some of them in as you are teaching, it becomes a natural part of the show from the very beginning and the performance will have fewer mistakes later.  Now get to detailing!

Workouts and exercise can be addicting, and many hardcore gym rats and bodybuilders have a hard time taking time off.  It is completely logical that your body needs time to recover from workouts, so it also stands to reason that looking at the BIG picture, your body would need some significant rest from time to time.

Professional athletes always give their body a rest from time to time.  Serious bodybuilders will often take a few weeks off from the gym after major competitions to allow their body to rest and recover, and to allow their mind to rest and “reboot” also.

However, those of us who don’t compete and are just serious enthusiasts or lifters often fail to take these rest periods.  Workouts are addicting and we can get a bit obsessive about things.

It also follows that often these rest periods are forced upon us.  Case in point: I just strained my back in the gym during a set of squats.  I am now taking a rest from the gym to let the back recover.   It’s not a serious injury, just a muscle strain, but it’s enough to keep me from going in and lifting.  This rest may just be a few more days, or it could be another week.  Time will tell.

Looking back, I should have seen this coming.  I’ve just been through months of serious training and heavy lifting.  Even the occasional “light day” in the gym often turned into a regular heavy day.  It’s just so much fun to move a lot of weight when you’re doing well and have a good workout partner at your side.

But my systems were off.  I was not stretching as much as usual, was under extra stress outside the gym, was not finding time for my regular cardio…. you get the idea.  And then this strain took care of these issues and forced me to get the rest I likely needed.

So if you find yourself forced into rest, don’t beat yourself up, but accept the “upside” of the situation and embrace the rest period.  Also take this moment to re-evaluate your life systems and see what you need to change….or get back to doing…that will help you resume your workouts in a better way and more “in balance.”  You’ll be back in the gym and enjoying your workouts again very soon.

We lost a member of our family last Friday.  Sally, our beloved Bichon Frise, is not with us and we are missing her terribly.  Two days before Christmas I took her to the vet because she was breathing a little strange and I didn’t want her to get sick over the long holiday weekend.  After a set of X-rays and a harrowing drive to the specialist, our fears were realized.  Sally had a malignant tumor in her abdomen which had spread to her lymph nodes.  Three weeks later she was gone.

How much love can you give to one of God’s creatures in three weeks?  Goodness knows we tried to find out.  Suddenly dealing with the loss of a companion we had shared our lives with for 9 years was earth-shaking.  Never one to be cuddly, Sally did stay a little closer, sit a little nearer, and enjoy belly rubs and head scratches more than ever.

Sally lived for food and her day revolved around mealtimes.  Usually around 5 pm she would start her vigil, laying near her bowl and occasionally clanking it to make sure we hadn’t forgotten her.  Even on walks she spent her time searching for food, even dining on dried earthworms on the sidewalk.  This grossed me out to the very end.  The vet said it likely wouldn’t hurt her, but she could clear a room the day after a rainstorm!

Sally loved to run after a ball or toy and bring it back.  I never saw her happier than she was at David’s house in Atlanta, chasing a ball all the way down his incredibly long hallway and bringing it back over and over and over again, almost to the point of exhaustion.  In her last days when she could not run back with the ball without stopping and coughing, we knew it was time.

I never saw a creature be as enthusiastic as Sally was when Lee got home.  As soon as the garage door started up and his car pulled into the driveway, she would start to bark like a three-alarm fire and not stop until he finally stepped foot in the door.  She was just that excited to see him.  In fact, Sally always wanted to meet everyone.  No matter where or when, she would walk up to anyone with her tail wagging and want to say hello.  And everyone always loved Sally.  She was always a favorite at the groomers or vet.  Everyone fell in love with Sally and her gentle soul.

Sally could be stubborn, and there were days that I got my full cardio routine in just by putting her out and in and out and in.  She loved licking things, especially my salty head after a workout.  You could practically see her eyes roll back in her head as she relished licking all over my closely cropped haircut.  It took great fortitude to sit through those “back of the ear” licks, but I did it many-a-time for Sally.  It made her so happy.

She hated getting her picture taken, as the flash always scared her.  (This went hand in hand with her fear of lightening and fireworks, which kept us home many a 4th of July and New Year’s.)  In fact in her very first picture taken by Lee she has her eyes closed…she blinked!  I’ve included a few pictures with this post, including the last two taken, one with one of her favorite toys, and another with her looking out the door (one of her favorite pastimes.)

We really miss you, Sally, your loving wags, your crazy sounds, your loving licks, and your sweet disposition.  I think that Gus misses you most of all, as you were his constant companion.  You were the perfect calm soul to his enthusiastic cuddle.  Thanks for all the joy you brought to our lives.  I love you, Sally.