DCI Finals on ESPN 2 September 5th

DCI World Championship Broadcast on ESPN2 Wednesday, Sept. 5, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Check out www.dci.org for more information.

We have a new HOME!!

Our new website is

www.capellawinterguard.com

CHANGE IN AUDITION DATE AND LOCATION

AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD SUNDAY, SEPT 23RD, AT ST BENEDICT AT AUBURNDALE HIGH SCHOOL IN CORDOVA, TN. FROM 1 - 6PM. THIS IS A NEW DATE!!!

MORE INFORMATION TO COME SOON!!

2008 CAPELLA WINTERGUARD AUDITION INFO

Auditions will be held Sunday, September 23rd, from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm at St. Benedict at Auburndale High School in Cordova, Tennessee. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A CHANGE IN DATE!!!

If you have not registered for auditions, please do so thru the website at www.cordovaindependent.com. I need everyone's email addresses so that I can keep them posted regarding any changes and all audition information.

The medical and release of liability forms are now available to download from the website. You must bring these forms along with your audition fee, and copies of your medical card, birth certificate, or drivers license. If you are under 18, your parent MUST sign the forms AND have them notorized before you are able to audition. Sorry...legal stuff. Hope you are all as excited as we are. See you all soon!!! M. Abe

The 2008 Season is HERE!!

I received the formal 2008 invitation to join WGI today! So exciting. Lots of new information is to be added to the WGI site in the coming month. I am working on getting music permissions, rehearsal space, and all of our paperwork, completed. THEN....we can concentrate on the fun stuff! If you have not registered for auditions, please do so. The date will be announced in the next day or two. Wait for it.....................

If anyone has any suggestions for rehearsal spots, please let me know. Hope you are all well. Keep spinning. 2008 is gonna be a GOOD year! Note to self: I feel that tattoo coming. :)

The Show Must Go On

Move over Lindsay Lohan!

Okay. The biggest reason your Mother told you not to smoke...trying to quit is really UGLY.

I am now in my 30th hour, smoke free, cold turkey, and it is not going well. I feel like I should be in the fetal position, sweating in a corner of a rehab facility. I cannot sleep...as you can tell by the time. I am having anxiety attacks and cannot get comfortable. I feel like a drug addict. It is not pretty, people.

I decided to quit yesterday, after I finally realized how pathetic I am. Slinking around, hiding in alleys and behind buildings, so that no one will be bothered by my dispicable habit and hoping that people I know, will not see me, getting my fix. How sad.

When I was a teenager, everyone's parent walked around with a Camel and a highball. That is just how it was. My house smelled like Chesterfields and Scotch. Well, we Methodists, that is. I am sure that the Baptists were not lighting up and slamming toddies, after choir practice.

Note to self: Reasons I quit: Wrinkles, Stinky Clothes and Hair, Yellow Teeth, Social Stigma, and of course, possible death. My death would come from trying to light up and drive at the same time. Cars are about the only place left that you can feel free to light up without someone staring you down, or if they are, you don't know it. But, you would never use the ashtray, because if someone got in your car, they would know that you are a........SMOKER. So you become a criminal by throwing litter out of the window of your car, so you don't leave evidence in the ashtray. But then.....you have to wait to get rid of the evidence, when there are no other cars in sight, to catch you in the act of littering. I have put cigarette butts back in the pack, in my jeans pockets, in old coke bottles....anything from adding to the already unmanageable number of butts that plague our country. If that is not enough, we must endure the endless stares and comments from our friends, family, and coworkers, which only makes us feel more estranged and unacceptable. I was caught coming out of my favorite bush the other day at work, and one of my coworkers said, "EMILY, I did not know that you were a......SMOKER!" The look on her face was as if she were saying she did not know that I slaughtered baby seals on my days off and made them into house slippers as a hobby. Geesh.

So, there you have it. I am recovering from my addiction and have a new found sympathy for Lindsay Lohan. I will never smoke and drive again. The party is over.

It's HERE!

I received my Independent World DVD!!! It is FABULOUS. Thank you, Mr. Postman and WGI! I got my cry on GOOD!

M. Abe

Capella Winterguard Auditions - Registration

WGI will be registering member audition information for their website, very soon. We have received a large number of registration forms for auditions already, but know that there are some of you, still out there, that have not done so. Please go to the website at www.cordovaindependent.com and follow the Audition link to register online. This way, I will have your updated email and information and can make sure we have enough room at our audition facility, as well as keep you updated as to the actual date and location. Be sure and pass this information along to your friends who might be interested in marching, as well.

I hope you are all as excited as we are about the upcoming season. The show is going to be amazing. M. Abe

Welcome Home Memphis Sound!

Sara and I went to the mall to meet the Memphis Sound buses this evening. Everyone looked very tired but fashionable in their GOLD medals. Drew and Justin both said that they had a great summer, but were glad to be home.

Congratulations again to the members and the staff for a great season! Get some well deserved rest! November will be here before you know it!

Old Lady Wisdom

Getting old is not for the faint of heart. It does, however, give you some insight into life. Here are a few of my random thoughts for the younger generation:

1. Don't judge.

2. Be compassionate.

3. Don't waste a God given talent. There will come a day when it will be too late.

4. Live every day as if it were your last.

5. You have the right to your own opinions, but don't force your opinions on others.

6. Live and let live.

7. Moisturize.

8. Be a good friend and you will never be alone.

9. Don't put anything in writing that you don't want the entire world to read.

10.Be kind.

Hey Mr. Postman!!

Memphis Takes the Gold!!

Memphis Sound - DCI Division III Finals - Gold Medalist!! Congratulations!!

DCI Div I Semifinals

Sara, Heath, Gary and I watched the DCI webcast last night of Semifinals from Pasadena. It was incredible. I love technology. We connected my laptop to the big screen tv and it was like being there, without a sweaty fat guy sitting next to me screaming, GO JOHNNY! in the middle of a ballad. Shhhhh. You are ruining my DVD.

We all agreed that Crown was the most entertaining of the evening. The guard was OUTSTANDING! Very cute show that was marched and played to perfection.

During the Colts performance, Poops had a HUGE closeup!! Way to grab that air time Jennifer!! You looked gorgeous, by the way!

We looked for Jana & Ashley with Bluecoats but were unable to find them. Their show is wonderful but we wished that they had placed alot higher.....today is a new day. GO BLOOOOOOOOOO! Spinning in handcuffs? Yeah, they do.

Regiment's show was elegant and classical as usual. Gorgeous music, great guard work. I hope they can pull into third place today. It was hard to watch their show without Sara being there, but they are still my fav. SUTA!

Blue Devils took 1st place but by a hair. Cadets are coming up in their rearview very quickly. They better watch out. Cadets march at mach speed in their closer, simply amazing.

My cavies were fantastic as always. Not crazy about the boy's costuming but they are clearly the best guard out there right now. Drill? AMAZING. I love Michael Gaines.

SCV had a fabulous show. The guard costuming is beautiful. Great colors, great effect. LOVED the audience screaming EUREKA at one point. Goosebumps.

All of the corps have really beautiful and inventive shows this year. I would hate to be a judge. Good luck to all who are out there marching...we love you and wish you the very best. Safe travels home.

Div II/III Semifinals

Memphis Sound's bus did not arrive on time to pick them up for semi-finals. It came 45 minutes late, and then drove them to the Rose Bowl. Unfortunately, Div II/III Semi-finals are not held at the Rose Bowl.They arrived at the gate, two minutes late, after running straight from the bus, onto the field, performed, and then ran back off the field to keep within their time limit.After some tense moments, they had an outstanding performance and a 1st place score of 91.525. Way to go Mempho!!!

DCI - Div I Quarterfinals from Pasadena

1. Blue Devils

2. Cavaliers

3. Phantom Regiment

4. Cadets

Disclaimer: Cadets initially received a 2 point timing penalty which was eventually reversed, which puts them in 2nd place. (I cannot rearrange the pics easily, so I am taking the easy way out)

5. Bluecoats

6. Carolina Crown

7. Santa Clara Vanguard

8. Blue Knights

9. Boston Crusaders

10. Glassmen

11. Colts

12. Spirit of JSU

13. Academy

14. Blue Stars

15. Madison Scouts

16. Crossmen

17. Pacific Crest

18. Cascades

19. Southwind

20. Troopers

21. Mandarins

22. Pioneer

SYTYCD

My favorites!

I'm sorry....It's an addiction.

Gotta love Dustin! Thanks for keeping Eric safe. He is a big, fat liar, but that is what makes him fun to watch.

I heart Big Brother!! How sad and pathetic am I?

Hello? Is there anybody out there?

I love to blog, however, sometimes I think that I am talking to myself, and how sad is that? Although, I talk to myself all the time, so why should this be any different? Anyway....I said to myself, "Self, why don't you test this theory?" So I have attached a Guard Survey for you to complete and send back to me in the form of a comment to this entry. Surveys are always fun and when you make it about guard, you have a virtual Mardi Gras!!

1. How long have you participated in guard?
2. How did you get into the activity?
3. Colorguard or Winterguard, which do you prefer?
4. What is your favorite piece of equipment?
5. What is the strangest thing you have ever spun?
6. Describe your favorite uniform that you have worn:
7. Describe your least favorite uniform that you have worn:
8. Favorite Winterguard show of all time?
9. If you could march any winter guard in the world, which would you choose?
10. If you could march any drum corps in the world, which would you choose?
11. If you could write a winterguard show, what piece of music would you choose?
12. Who is your hero in the activity?
13. Worst guard injury, if any?
14. Favorite thing about guard:
15. Least favorite thing about guard:
16. Favorite toss you have ever seen performed:
17. Hardest toss you have ever performed:
18. Do you have a “trick“ that you are trying to perfect?
19. What is your ultimate goal in guard?
20. What word best describes your feelings about the guard activity?

DCI Div II / III Prelims

Memphis Sound - 90.975 - 1st place in Div III Prelims!!! Way to go!!

Waiting for the Mailman

So excited! :)

Summer Happenings

JANA????

JANA??? Oh well....anyway, BLOOOOOOO! We will be watching for you at Finals!!

COOP!

SUPER COOPER!! Go Colts! Good Luck in Pasadena!

Memphis Sound Guard with Babe the Blue Ox

Currently 1st Place in Division III

Go Mempho!!

Sara and Elizabeth in Chicago

Sara and Drew

Send me your pics of what you have been up to this summer. M. Abe