Indianapolis is much better than Pasadena, anyway

I just met with my advisor. I've committed myself to finishing my degree in three years. What this means is I will not be marching Carolina Crown this summer; instead, I will be doing some internship somewhere. But if all goes well I can march my age-out in 2008 after I graduate and begin "real life" when I return.

I would have loved to march this summer, but the possibility of cutting a year off school, to me, justifies everything. An equivalent of $30,000 a year in tuition feels a lot better than $40,000. Plus, I'm sure I will earn enough money for that tour, maybe even for plane tickets so I can go to more than couple camps.

Yeah, I have the drum corps itch, but let me tell you, it is nowhere as bad as it was last year when I decided that I would do drum corps.

One thing drum corps taught me was that there is at any moment always something productive to be done, and it's been rare for me to waste days without doing anything when I could be getting ahead on work. I used to do that all the time last year and just play Smash for 6 hours straight. I think this newfound (or "refined" as Bob Medworth described it) work ethic will help me through this.

So I'm sorry to my band of brothers that I will not be riding with to Pasadena this summer. I hope they will still accept me for my age-out, if I can pull it, and I hope they will respect my decision. Carolina Crown has changed me for the better. "Something that I have come to find I'll never behind.

"Yes I'm goin' to Carolina in mind."