Grade: 10
Age: 16
Instrument: Trumpet
Years in Marching Band (Counting middle school years): Two years thus far
Other musical achievements (Counting middle school years): Um...being liked by Miss Verdecchia? Helped Mr. Clawson with the set for Fiddler on the Roof, did the majority of Mrs. Wirling's Audio/Sound work during Fiddler, doing the majority of Mrs. Wirling's "food service" work during Annie, being the head snowflake in Mrs. Pain's 2nd grade musical (To Grandmother's House We Go), being forced to pass out programs for Miss Verdecchia for way too many concerts, managing to avoid my "stalker" during our concerts three years and counting, remembering all the inside jokes that Becca and I have (i.e. "Le Croque Monsieur was not making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the eggplanty, French-Speaking Conquistadors!")...Nothing terribly meaningful.
Other musical classes (Counting middle school and elementary school years): Chorus (Elementary and Grade 5), Concert Band (7-currently), that unified art thing we had to take in 7th grade.
Thoughts on this year's band season compared to other's: Definitely should be an interesting year, to say the least. Most likely is looking to be a very positive change from Mr. Nicklas's totalitarian regime of last season.
Goals in life: Long-term goals - I hope to someday be working as an athletic trainer and sports psychologist (or orthopedic surgeon with a concentration in sports medicine/rehabilitative therapy) affilliated with a professional team or league, coaching high school swimming or track, getting to see the world, as well as still being able to be in Girard for part of the year.
Short-term goals - Graduate in the top 10% of my class, have continued success in swimming and track, and continue my academic (and hopefully athletic) endeavors at the university of my choice.
Other thoughts: There are a few things I feel I need to clear up, in order to get everyone off my case about a few things:
1. There is nothing wrong with liking Canada, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Calgary Flames, the New York Yankees, Margaret Thatcher, or Eric Lindros.
2. I do not say "aboot (about)", "oot (out)", "oop (up)", "cooch (couch)" or "eh".
3. There is nothing wrong with watching PSB shows (such as "Are You Being ?" and "The Lawrence Welk Show"), "The Schwartzof Diaries" on MSNBC, voting for Pat Buchanan in GHS's mock-election, or "hillsitting".
4. Knowing a lot about Campaign Finance Reform does not make me a John McCain supporter.
5. Hurdles hurt. Black and blue knees are only the beginning of a vicious cycle of pain and personal torment. But they're still fun.
6. Would you like to join the 'prestigious' Girard High School Swim Team? Please?
7. My name is not "Pierre", I am not the "Lady in Red", I do not rape doors, and I am not a Communist or a puck bunny or Canadian
8. Paul, just because I like Ian Thorpe (as a swimmer), have a baseball-playing friend (Trent) from Australia, and know most of the words to Advance Australia Fair does not mean that I will shout "Aussie Aussie Aussie, oye oye oye" with you every single time someone mentions Australia, or even New Zealand for that matter!
9. The Late Steve Prefontaine, the Late Terry Sawchuk, the Broad Street Bullies Line(minus Bobby Clarke), Gail Deevers, the Late Maurice Richard, the Late Florence Griffith-Joyner, Jackie Joyner-Kerse, Dale Hawerchuk, Pat Lafontaine, Mark Spitz, the Late Lou Gehrig, David Cone, My Dad, Martina Navratalova, Cathy Freeman, Donovan Bailey, Nolan Ryan, Arnold Palmer, Graig Nettles, the Late Mickey Mantle, Eric Heiden, Vladislav Tretiak, Ingermar Steinmark, Torvill and Dean, the 1973-74 Milwaukee Bucks, Roger Clemens, the Late Greg Moore, Bryan Trottier, Wayne Gretzky, Marty McSorely, Dan Marino, Joe Yuhas, Greg LeMonde, Manon Rheaume, Bernie Parent, the French Connection Line, Ivan Lendil, Trent Durrington, Dawn Fraser and Frank Shorter are THE greatest athletes of all time, in that order.
10. Anyone want to help me get rid of Paul Sargent? I'll pay you!