New Nerdisms

• Use a metronome in order to make your normal walking 'in time'
• Have your voice 'in tune' to Concert C every time you talk
• Perfected your stride to be 100 steps per minute (using that handy dandy metronome of yours)
• Are able to use your instrument for self-defense...
• Play more than one instrument
• Created your own 'flavored reeds' (mmm...champagne flavored reeds...)
• Spend your free time making trombones out of plastic straws
• Used the unused straws to make a clarinet, bassoon, and oboe
• And used the leftover pieces of straws for reeds for your strawnet, strawsoon, and stawboe
• Use any writing utensils as batons
• And used those "batons" to conduct your favorite band song
• Download your band songs on AudioGalaxy, KaZaA, other music sharing programs, or on the world wide web
• Dream about your band music
• Have no life and practice more than 2 hours a day (my personal record is 1 hour, 45 minutes)
• Decided to write your own band horror movies, Squeek; Squeek 2; Squeek 3 (band-ish versions of the Scream series maybe?)
• Figure out the parts of other instruments in your band (Ex. you play clarinet and you figured out the trumpet part in measure 33 in that one march...yeah, we've all done that...)
• Somehow make band the topic of discussion when discussing non-band things (oh man, you have no idea how much this happens...)
• Hang out with people who talk about band too much
• Are able to sing well by remembering how the note sounds on the instrument and singing that note
• March wherever you go instead of walking like a normal human being
• Are a musical prodigy in your band
• Major in Band for college
• Become a band director (this is the ULTIMATE definition of BAND NERDISM)
• Hum band songs in the shower
• Practice your marching drills and show out on the street or in the backyard (I've done that...make sure no one is looking...and it's a great way to show off your box drill skills!)
• Become a drum major for your marching band
• Replay percussion rhythms in your head (diggity dank!)
• Wear necklaces or earrings that have your instrument on it (ex. a clarinet necklace)
• Talk to your instrument like normal people would talk to a dog...
• Admit that you are obsessed with band and that you are a band nerd (duh, captain obvious)
• Wonder why the power of a 8 inch stick can make you go faster or slower when playing your music
• Brag that you made a really good chair position
• Metaphorize music as an "art" and band is a "priceless portrait" and that your instrument "adds beautiful colors" to the band (aka, the "priceless portrait")
• Listen to songs on the radio and see if you can figure out what time signature it is (heh, how many songs on 102.1FM The Edge are in 4/4?)
• Consider your band hall as "sanctuary"
• Sleep with your instrument like you have a stuffed animal (geez, if you really do this, I advise you to go get therapy)
• Defend your status as a band member when someone calls you a 'band nerd' (if you do this, you are a righteous person to band)
• Name your instrument! (my wooden clarinet is called Woody and my plastic clarinet is called Buzz, mwahaha)
• Yell out the marching band commands to grab a room full of band people's attention OUTSIDE of band practice (do not underestimate the power of "Ready....BAND!")
• Make websites dedicated to the KHS Band
• Recognize your band director OUTSIDE of the band hall (my sources say that the directors were spotted at Chili's once and I personally saw Mr. Martinez at GameStop...hmmm...)
• Make band analogies during class presentations
• Start looking like a KHS band director (goatees, polo shirts...and snazziness for that authentic 'Martinez' look)
• Quit your favorite sport for Band (Oh tennis, how I miss thee...)
• Hang out with no one but your band friends
• Go to church with a bunch of people in band
• Consider your marching band shirt a good fashion statement (nothing wrong struttin' around in The Four Elements or Bartok's Concerto For Orchestra tees)
• Joke about how attractive you look in under-the-uniform and in-the-uniform wear (dead sexy band shoes!!!)
• Look up at the sky and you see geese...
• Start seeing blue dots where you don't want to see 'em (don't look behind you!...just kidding...or am i?)
• Yell out your section's motto(s) or saying(s) randomly (Ah yah yay! Diggity dank! Do reed, not weed!)
• Rename your cell phone's profiles (Nokia) to the different dynamic levels (I own a Nokia 3360...Outdoor --> Forte, Pager --> Mezzo Forte, Meeting --> Mezzo Piano)
• Use your cell phone's ringtone composer to create band music ringtones (*Allison B., and her ringtone is October! Sweet)
• See yourself in the pictures on this site (*Allison B.)
• Spend hours looking at this site (*Allison B., hours eh? Wow...)
• Finger your music on a pencil during class (*Allison B., hahah yep I've done that...then again, a pencil ain't a clarinet...)
• Actually try to keep your "white" gloves "white" by spending countless hours washing and bleaching them (Woolite becomes a very good friend when you've got green and yellow gloves) (*Jessica B.)
• Hear the band director say "ok one more time" and you believe him (which in Mr. Babcock's case we always find ourselves doing it once more after that, *Jessica B.)
• Hear someone call out "Hey Band Nerd!" you immediately respond saying "what?" (*Jessica B.)
• Think plaid shirts are a real fashion statement and that beards and goatees are too (*Jessica B.)
• Dress as one of your band directors for Halloween (*Jessica B.)
• Have "KHS BAND IS COOL" engraved on your pencil
• Hear your band director making announcements on the school's intercom (see Quotes)
• Sit with a bunch of other band people in class and/or during lunch
• Can list the names of people who used to be in band
• Are able to translate familiar band sayings into different languages (La banda tiene un "punto azul", o como dicen que en aleman "blau punkt")
• Visit and hang out at the Mr. E's down the street frequently
• Work at the Mr. E's down the street
• Spend lunch time in the back band hall or talking to the band directors (just to get away from the "let's go suntan" commons and tasty chicken rings)
• Have non-band friends that you consider as "one of the us"
• Have non-band friends that knows what you talk about when you talk about (insert band term(s) here) because you talk about it so much
• Are part of a family of ex- and current band members
• Switch instruments and actually do really well with the new instrument (it's been proven that clarinet players who have switched to tuba or baritone kick butt)
• Play in the same band at KHS with your siblings or cousins
• Compose your own music with hopes of playing it in band (or in my case, a clarinet ensemble)
• Download sheet music off the internet with the same hopes of playing it in band (I've seen many people wanting videogame music to be played...)
• Have a buddy list with a "Band Buddies" category and it goes before the rest of your other categories (*Patricia W.) (soooo many screen names to keep track of!!!)
• Crack up when someone mentions "band camp" (*Zack G.)
• Quit band, yet you still hang out with your band friends (*Kelly M., who DID quit band and still hangs out with the band people)
• Go to parties thrown by band members (*Kelly M.)
• Carry around a metronome and your music so you can practice during classes (*Kelvin U.)
• Get called a 'band nerd' by other 'band nerds' (*Kelvin U.)
• Hear someone say to freshmen "Hey, don't talk to him/her(yourself)! S/He's such a band nerd!" (*Kelvin U., where Scott M. actually did that)
• Watch movies with your band friends at the movie theaters or someone's house (nothing like making fun of the cheesy love scenes in Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones with my clarinet friends and sax friend)
• Blast the compilation CD on full volume (heck yeah! '02 Symphonic Band's Vesuvius pumped up on a stereo!)
• Wish you didn't quit band, after you did
• Got kicked out of band more than once, but since the band directors are nice...you're still in it
• Watch movies and comment on the background music played (heh, hearing a clarinet during a movie is music to my ears!)
• Start playing your instrument for your church (clarinets totally make church hymns better!)
• Joke about how drop dead sexy you would look in the new uniforms(!)
• Subconciously count the number of steps you take while walking
• Can't get marching shows out of your head (the music of "Earth" from The Four Elements still haunts me to this day...but hey, it's cool sounding)
• Go to band camp
• Have seen, drawn, or even looked at "Trogdor" (Burninating!!!)
• Know what a blue dot stands for
• Keep several marching markers at home (shh, don't tell the directors!)
• Plan to return to KHS football games after you graduate just to eat the consessions that you always smelled but never could have
• Skip band class to go to band (in other words, skip band class period to go to a contest...darn, huh?)
• Use marching strides and amount of steps to judge distances (a band nerd lives 70 counts away from me at 4:5 marching)
• Hear a recording of a KHS band's performance on WRR Classical 101.1 FM
• Attend a KHS band UIL performance after you have graduated

• Have locked yourself in a band locker (or someone else locked you inside)

• Know about..."You know!!!" (See Quotes)
• Get a date for band banquet months in advanced
• OBSESS over banquet (seriously, if you do that...you need help)
• Heard at least one of Mr. McGahey's jokes (as funny as they are...ha...ha...ha)
• Really look up to Cassie Cervenka, and Wes Irons for their OUTSTANDING AWESOME INCREDIBLE HEAVENLY playing ability
• Visit this website frequently (at least once a day...haha)
• Have submitted something to this site (which I really appreciate)
• See your the band directors in bunny ears (hmmm...)
• Have more than one copy of your dotbook, because you don't want the band directors yelling at you during marching practice (carrying more than one is advisable...and profitable)
• Play your instrument for your church (nothing like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church filled with clarinet soundz...)
• Visit Strong Bad's emails everyday, just to watch Trogdor just one more time...
• Have played on a band director's instrument...
• Are a section leader
• Consider the band hall as a second home (*Tyler G.)
• Can sightread and transpose music to concert pitch on the fly (Amen! I do it all the time for church)
• Watch PBS just so you can see the DCI Drum Core Championships and see The Cavaliers kick some serious butt!
• Are a trombone player who likes to play Low Rider, over...and over...and over again
• Think you're hot, saxy, sprightly, a blastinator, or a legion of doom
• Love to show off the All-Star Dance
• Don't mind overhyping during a performance of a marching show (that's what brings us down!! Yargh)
• Get excited when the drumline plays cadences (yay Hipness!)
• Practice your marching visuals in History class, or any other class besides band
• Think that Irish Party In 3rd Class was the best drill team piece...ever (or Secret Agent Man)
• Miss any of the following people: Mr. Babcock, Mr. Meyers, Mr. Short, Ms. MacBride, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Rask...the list goes on with former teachers associated with the KHS Band
• Draw stick figures of Running Man and blobs of Bob The Band Amoeba on the chalkboards at school
• Smuggle candy, food, and other various perishable items in your band bag
• Ask people to help you zip up (or buckle up, on the old uniforms)
• Randomly do old visuals from past shows spontaneously (careful, I'm known to do Thunder and Lightning while walking to practice)
• Actually laugh at Mr. McGahey's jokes
• Don't smell the foul odor of the band hall because you're so used to it
• Apply your band skillz to non-band things
• Cring or make random vocal noise when someone says "potential" (remember, all of you who were part of Concerto For Orchestra?)
• Went through "sax ed" to get some "saxual experience"
• Try dancing like a flute player during a drum cadence, but can't keep up
• Like to shake what your mama gave ya in the All-Star Dance
• Still feel bitter about the little incident with the student crowd from LD Bell in 2002 (honestly, you'd be mad when random objects were thrown at you, as well as verbal abuse)
• Cheer for the other football team
• Don't want to go to playoffs because you don't want an extended marching season
• Count how many times we play Beauty and The Beast for the homecoming court (I believe that our record is 11)
• Dislike our home stands (So tight!)
• Make "Soak Up The Sun" jokes while at a 100-degree weather rehearsal
• Get super mad when people don't follow directions the first time (mostly an upperclassmen thing)
• Think that there should be a band trip to Michigan...just to visit Mr. Babcock
• Save all your music from past years (Hey, I've got everything since 6th grade)
• (or you)Dispose of that music in a variety of ways (somehow burning it seems to be the most popular)
• Have fallen down in a marching performance
• Play non-region pieces at Mock All-Region (the judges get pretty angry if you play "Lean On Me" for your All-Region selection)
• Know what goes on "behind the scenes" at Disney World (it's emotionally scarring for the kid-at-heart)
• Are a trumpet player with ego (most of the time...)
• Have seen Mr. McGahey covered in silly string (or you are partially responsible for him being covered in silly string)
• Remember what Sputnik was (it was a colorguard prop in Metal in "The Four Elements")
• Have seen the opossum that use to haunt the band hall when KHS was going through all that construction when they added the new wing and redid the front of the school
• Have seen the mouse that used to haunt Mr. Martinez's office
• Get excited when a marching band plays awesome concert songs (it's interesting to see marching bands march to Aegean Festival Overture, New Century Dawn, October...etc.)
• Watch video recordings of other marching shows and rewind that one part where someone falls down or makes a funny expression on their face....over....and over......again! (especially funnier what Mr. McGahey rewinds it)
• Wonder why Keller marching shows never have breakdancers, rappers, rock guitars, $4000 synthesizer music that plays half the show, odd dancing, male colorguard, and various things that BOA bands have and do
• Attack people with your foot-long plume
• Like to put on some "restroom bling-bling"
• Have IMed Mr. Martinez before (only possible for the worthy...are you worthy enough to be in the Internet presence of the Meskin?)
• Look at this website! (hah!)
• Sit with band people at lunch and in the corners of your classes
• Have Starbucks before band class or marching rehearsal
• Walk to the tempo of the song you're hearing as you pass by (perfect at malls)
• Have been called by a nickname by Mr. Martinez
• Were wary of the chicken underneath of the homestands at marching practice (2003)
• Watch a video recording of our marching performance(s) and can exactly tell where you are
• Decided that crickets and soda can tabs are fun to flick at people (though this usually merits the band directors yelling at you)
• Go up to graduated band members working at local places and yell out marching commands to see if they react
• Blast "Soak Up The Sun" on your stereo when it comes on the radio (*Kai Hansen)
• Think that doing the chicken dance or seeing the dancing baby is the best part of the Birdville Marching Festival
• Have lost something at our homestands (and never got it back!)
• Appreciated the movie School of Rock
• Made fun of the movie Drumline
• Remember parts of past marching shows based on their special names (Randell's Note To Himself: Add the table here)
• Go to Joes Pasta 'N' Pizza or Subway for pre-game meals
• Spray your band shirt with lots of Febreeze because you didn't have time to wash it before tomorrow's game/contest
• Scream obnoxiously loud when LD Bell does their 4:5 marching block and "Earth"-like sets at the marching contests (don't worry, it's nothing new...their marching, that is!)
• Keep all your pairs of gloves (not recommended if they've got 3D mold growing on them)
• Can play 3 parts of the chorale on a woodwind mouthpiece (*Tyler G)
• Do sugar and/or salt shots at restaurants with other band people (cream shots too!)
• Wear your marching shoes to practice because you don't have other "proper footwear"
• Bring your GameCube to band during Finals week (and not to mention starting a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament!)
• Lose weight from marching season (I lost 5 lbs my freshman year)
• ...Or you gain weight to compensate for losing the weight
• Have been inside a band director's car
• Want to go to playoffs
• Can have a great performance after not sleeping all night and performing really early in the morning
• Think that the best part of waking up is (not Folger's) consuming Starbucks chocolate-covered espresso beans
• Go on a date with a fellow band member (*Cheri W.)
• Meet up with a bunch of band people at the movies by coincedence (*Cheri W.)
• See Mr. Henderson outside of the band hall (*Cheri W.)
• Can tap your foot in cut time while clapping in normal time during a church song (*Dani G., now that takes some talent!)
• Have sat in a band director's office chair (feel the power!)
• Play "nut-ball" during free time
• Think everything sounds better up an octave
• Use duct tape to fix your instrument problems
• Beleive that rubber bands make excellent makeshift ligatures
• Have played Low Life with Mr. Henderson
• Have asked Mr. Martinez what PS2 games he has
• Skip your normal classes to "practice" in the band hall (cough cough)
• Are a guy who likes it when girls puts your hair up for football games and marching contests
• Play your own improv on stand tunes and the fight song (Tomahawk up a perfect 4th sounds cool)
• Drink your reed water for good luck
• Are online for days at a time, usually with an away message (several times I've seen EVERYONE away under my Band buddy list of screen names)
• Compose your own solos or ensembles
• Can tap your foot in cut time while clapping in normal time [during a song at church] (*Dani G.)
• Accidentally say "lateral slide" instead of "lateral area" while doing geometry homework (*Dani G.)
• Can't go into the band hall without seeing someone being "raped" (ie, getting beat up) (*Cheri W.)
• Talk about Homestarrunner.com (*Cheri W., meedley meedley!)
• Have played Band Director Twister on the band directors heads (during Mr. Martinez's surprise party) (*Courtney H.)
• Do any sort of antics during a concert (Symphonic Band is notorious for this)
• (You know you WERE a KHS band nerd when you) Are shunned by the band directors because you quit
• Think that climbing or running on the walls of the band hall is a great idea for a good time
• Spend countless minutes staring at the group pictures hanging in the band hall and behind Mr. McGahey's office
• Have aspirations to go to Oklahoma University (Go Sooners!) because Mr. McGahey went there (*Thanks to Catherine and Mandy for correction)
• Joke about "run day" with Doctor Schluter, our beloved honors Chemistry teacher
• Find out that your regular teachers have played in band before
• Strut around in a band letter jacket decorated with many, many patches
• Attended Mr. McGahey's wedding shower
• March on a treadmill
• Watch a parade and try to find foot fazing or out-of-step action
• See a blue dot bumper sticker (I saw a "blaupunkt" one when I was in the Philippines)
• Take a picture of "Marching Steps In the Sand"
• Purposely walk in-step with someone near you
• Thought about making your own (insert your instrument here) rock group/band
• Can tell when the melody doesn't fit with chords in other forms of music (like karaoke)
• March a march-a-thon and think you could march another six miles
• Try teaching your pet stationary commands (I nearly have my dog doing dress commands!)
• Think that band has been the best AND worst thing that has happened to you in high school
• Are deeply saddened by Mr. Martinez and Mr. Mowles leaving KHS
• Compare how stinky your swab is with other people in your section
• Play on percussion equipment even though you're not a percussionist
• Have lost your music folder at least once
• Decorate your music folder with pictures of varying appropriateness
• Use a dry-erase marker to mark your music with (yay for sheet protectors!)
• Have totally dominated in a casual game of Low Life
• Are in the Top 10(%) of your class AND in band
• Are on an athletic varsity team AND in band
• Go to ebaumsworld.com because homestarrunner.com is a thing of the past
• Have plans to invent a mute hat, a cool way to carry those pesky mutes around (because they don't fit in your pocket or case)
• Are bothered by blinkers that are not in-sync while stuck at a light or in traffic
• Come up with risqué band/section shirt ideas
• Joke about smoking reeds
• Siwtch parts a week before a performance and pull it off well
• Are not in band but get labeled as a band member (*Tammy H.)
• Know how to do the Sean Roberts dance
• Know how to do the Danny Thomas Crazy 8s
• Realize how stupid you look doing the above two dances
• Use valve oil instead of WD40
• Rode a rollercoaster at Six Flags with one of the band directors
• Can honestly say you've "celebrated your output" on a charter bus

• Enjoy a bottle of Bawls every now and then

• Beg for discounts whenever the band boosters sell cookies and Sheridan's
• Have bought a drink to appease the band staff (they like any drinks from Sonic)
• Have fed the seagulls at the Corpus Christi trip
• Have gotten attacked by those seagulls at the Corpus trip
• Have fallen asleep in the band hall (*Tammy H)
• Are in doubt, and you still do it
• Make shirts for band trips (*Tammy H.)
• Only have band people in your closest circle of friends
• Think you are in band class, but you're not (*Michael W.)
• Sit through class and practice fingerings/drum rhythms (*Michael W.)
• Able to send less than $100 at the grocery store to provide A LOT OF FOOD for 6 people
• Go on band trips armed with more than 2 rolls of film or disposable cameras
• Think that an idea of a good time is playing football with Mr. Mowles
• Are a freshman who freaks out at all the little crazy traditions of the KHS Band
• Don't mind changing in front of your friends because you're used to it
• Have actually touched our 4A State Trophy
• Love taking candid pictures on band trips (Spassburg, anyone?)
• Like showing off your undergarments (whatever that means)
• Can honestly say you got sent home from a band trip for doing something stupid (because climbing balconies at a hotel is a "smart" thing to do)
• Naturally gravitate towards each other without realizing it (*Michael W.)
• Somehow drag your non-band friends to band banquet
• Beckon members who have quit to rejoin again
• Refer to band banquet as "bandquet" for short
• Like taking pictures of feet or people sleeping
• Are in both band and choir (or band and theatre)
• Have been hit by Mr. McGahey's sweat during an intense performance
• Go to great lengths in order to have the most creative or most disturbing Halloween costume (Tubaettes or saxy women, anyone?)
• Feel powerful knowing that a mob of band students is about take over a mall or a grocery store
• Win a position by voting because there are so many band people (Homecoming, especially)
• Use Windex to shine shoes
• Have "band nerd" written on your skin
• Picket for new turf
• Play "Band Director Twister"
• Hit a Martinez-shaped pinata with a music stand (but Mr. Martinez gets to beat the crud out of it in the end)
• Think that the statue of Jesus at St. Elizabeth's looks like a drum major
• Swallow grapes whole
• Think the Shades of Autumn shirt is the best shirt...thus far
• Wore winter clothing in the middle of August (beause of freakishly awesome air-conditioning at our school)
• Quit band but you always hang out in the vicinity of the band hall and still hang out with band nerds
• Are really picky about your reeds
• Are totally excited about the new turf
• Can't recite your marching coordinates off the top of your head
• Love to strut around wearing your dotbook
• Somehow survive taking English IV AP and marching band at the same time
• Own a band shirt...even though you're not in the band
• Join band AFTER your freshman year (with no previous band experience)
• Like to visit graduated band members at the places of their employment
• Work at Eckerd's (coz Sheridan's, Target, and Kroger didn't hire you)
• Decorate your dotbook in unique...ways...
• Decorate your band binder with interesting...things (not always appropriate stuff)
• Use a band pick-up line
• Refer to the band directors only by their last names
• Think that turning a bounce house into a huge bouncy slip-n-slide is an awesome idea
• Remember your high school years by what marching show you did those years (*Chase M.)
• Consider band as a good diet program (*Cheri W.)
• Stand on your mailbox pretending to conduct a marching show with actual people marching with instruments (*Katie V., 'cept her people marched with kazoos)
• Write down band quotes as soon as you hear them
• Consider yourself (if you're female) as the "girl all the band guys want"
• Bandify something (taking another idea and make it fit for band)
• Reminisce about when you touched the 4A state trophy the night it was won because you were there! (And are still very proud of it) (*Alicia G.)
• Played a flawless performance at the TMEA convention even though you had food poisoning (*Alicia G.)
• Are in the 2000 4A honor band portrait (*Alicia G.)
• Correct your younger sibling's marching techniques after they come off the field from a performance (*Alicia G., Dani's older sister)
• Actually know what you're doing as a guest at the ice cream social (*Alicia G.)
• Are very shocked when you visit home only to find that your sibling is dating that annoying kid that was a freshman when you were a senior (*Alicia G.)
• Remember when "diggity dank" and "DUT" were first used!!! (*Alicia G.)
• Use "bandhall" as your password on your computer (*Jake L.)
• (When your) Band tan is visible in your passport photo (*Ilona R.)
• Come back for almost all marching practices and contests after you graduate (*Courtney H.)
• Use a marimba cover as a blanket
• Only saw the school musicals (Gypsie and Seussical) just because of the orchestra/band (and in my opinion, the Seussical music rocked a lot harder than the music in Gypsie)
• Own at least one other sections' shirt
• Are in secret possession of your Shades of Autumn "flair"...
• Your desktop wallpaper is the band shirt design (just like Mr. McGahey's computer!)
• Have gotten away with not paying minor fees (like All-Region and Solo/Ensemble)
• Start saving for your band trip in August
• Are STILL singing music from the Suessical
• Make random movies with your other band friends (I was in one called The Search For Princess Naner)
• Throw surprise birthday parties for your band friends
• Know that band birthday parties are the best!
• Run over your flute with a car, then spray paint it a different color
• Get a group of band people to watch old banquet videos
• Go to Joe's with your band buddies and the employees don't treat you well, or satisfactory-ly (*Daniel R.)
• Want to pimp out a practice room (*Lindsey N.)
• (at the end of Seussical) Go out the actors exit and pose, to find that no one cares about band, and you get about one clap from someone feeling sorry for you... (*Courtney H.)
• Can sing and act out the Seussical while its going on, and get very bad looks for mr. henderson when he sees you (*Courtney H.)
• Are trying to spell success and start spelling Suessical! (*Katie V.)
• Agree with Mr. McGahey that the best time to watch American Idol is the beginning of a new season (when they have a knack for showing the most unique singers)
• Cause unreasonable drama when you break up with your band girlfriend or band boyfriend
• Make a big deal of choosing roommates for trips (or sightseeing groups for the NY trip)
• Have a sick desire to film a marching performance...no actually--just the drum major's backside
• Really wish you could play that song you heard as you sat next to high schooler's when you were in 8th grade at the recruiting concert (OMG, MOLLY ON THE SHORE!!!)
• Know where the band directors live
• Made girly "Awww"s when Miss Untz announced her engagement
• Quit band but then joined a ska band
• Quit band but then joined a...rock band
• Stay in band
• Broke up with your significant other during a band trip (why would you EVER do that???)
• Decide to date outside of band because it just seems better that way...
• Can roam the busy streets of Manhattan unchaperoned (oh gosh!)
• Think the band songs you played would make an excellent soundtrack to a home video
• Bought AT LEAST 5 things from Chinatown, NY for less than $15
• Have a CD collection that includes all those band recordings...since middle school
• Wish you could see a band director doing something bad...just once, at least once
• Own a "Keller Pride" bracelet...to match your "Live Strong"
• Say "Thank you" to your bus driver everytime
• Spend countless hours trying to do a 5...with a sabre
• Are just as good squeaking on your saxophone as you are screaming high pitch noises
• Want to see Seussical the Musical...for real
• Invite band buddies to your Halo parties
• Have the same date for band banquet and prom (it's easiest that way...)
• [When your] favorite places to shop are Thrift Town and Goodwill
• Are probably in the band hall more hours than you are awake at home
• Are on floor crew for the winterguard
• Have a picture of pidgeons in one of your rolls of film or memory stick from the NY trip
• Danced liked you've never danced before on the dinner/dance cruise during the NY trip
• Own a techno version of a band song you've played (there's a techno Polovetsian Dances on one of the versions of DDR!!!!)
• Find pleasure in making fun of the other organizations at our school (of which they will not be specified...but you know what I mean)
• Realize that in order to be in this band, you have to be slightly homosexual...especially if you're a guy
• Have a Xanga that has a band song as the background music (definitely guilty of this myself...)
• Go to those mandatory band trip meetings just to hear Mr. Scheidel say "Celebrate your output!!"
• Wish you could just graduate from school, but not band
• Pull a "Dustin" and come to marching band every day...even though you graduated last year (I'm guilty...so guilty...)
• Compare each other's baldrics
• Have forgotten your dot book before
• Are a big supporter of Battle of the Bands at a local church (Anchor or Norwood, your pick)
• Live in a neighbhorhood with least 3 other band members
• Dance to marching show music (Stamp your feet to "Ride!")
• Attend the Homecoming dance only to do some sort of band dance
• Share a continuing inside joke with Mr. McGahey

• Pretend to "smoke reeds (sometimes more than one!)

• Give band members (in cars or not) the right-of-way in a parking lot
• Have heard of the band directors' stories about their high school days (Mr. Martinez's are pretty interesting...)
• Are a guy who likes to play a friendly game of Titty Twister
• (or) Are a guy who have calluses on your chest from too many friendly games of Titty Twister
• Start doing things "with conviction"
• Make a shirt that has a McGaheyism on it
• Bought a McGahey Horn Line shirt (mine is lime, what's yours?)
• Shine your brass instrument with Windex
• Use reeds to start up your fireplace
• Are involved in a relationship with another band nerd
• Have a Keller Indian Band license plate border or sticker
• Wear a reed necklace (similar to the guitar pick necklace, but with a reed)
• Don't know the words to the School Song
• Get involved with the school musical
• Know who Dr. Beat is (or rather...what)
• Know who MacAdams is
• Have kept all of your marching gloves since freshman year (I sure hope you wash...)
• Have a band tux with a fake pocket square in the breast pocket
• Have an "I (heart) Band" keychain (yay, Megan Sell and I do!)
• Wear your dotbook around school
• Use a coordinate sheet as a bookmark (*Paul B.)
• Find yourself making a lot of cheesy puns and jokes (just like Mr. McGahey)
• Make a big circle of band kids and play Duck, Duck, Goose
• Have had a birthday poster posted in the band hall...
• Love making fun of other people in band (especially behind their back)
• Know how to use a MacAdams
• Randomly yell "Go Boswell!"
• Have gotten buff because of all the times you carried the podiums up to the field
• Love giving your section "beer" or Kroger low fat fudgecicles!
• Despise Van Doren reeds with passion!
• Have jazz run races
• Have mistakened Mr. Babcock and Ms. Evans as students
• Love writing on the whiteboard in the band hall
• Know what "NDN" means
• Absolutely just LOVE the "Red Hot" cheer (Our team is what again?)
• Know cheerleader and Indianette dances by heart (yes, even if you're a guy)
• Are upset that I don't update this site enough :-P
• Make a "Mars" rhythm on a cash register (especially if you have to type things in manually like at Hobby Lobby)
• Want to eat lunch with a band director over the summer
• Have huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge crush on your Cavalier lesson teacher
• Mention you are band nerd when introducing yourself to new people
• Attempt playing "jazz flute" (pronounced "yazz")
• Keep one of those credit card size metronomes in your wallet
• Play tennis or football up at the high school with your fellow band friends
• Have (physically) denied a non-band person into the band hall
• Have had the privilege of being in the trombone section with all the crazy antics (you know what I mean)
• Say "hi" to band people at public places...even if you don't know them personally
• Made bets with people on whether the McGahey's new baby would be a boy or girl
• Have a picture of yourself and a band director (all three maybe? I do)
• Think it would be nerdy to compose your own music, but you do it anyway
• Started corrupting this year's freshmen while they were in middle school
• Join the Corps of Cadets/marching band at Texas A&M (that is sooooooooooooo hardcore, in a non-hxc sort of way)
• Have aspirations to play in the One O'Clock at UNT
• Play in youth orchestras and jazz ensembles outside of school
• Burn people's shoes with a lighter in the band hall (but we're not gonna ask you why you have the lighter in the first place...)

• Love to launch water balloons at inanimate objects (like Sarah Anderlitch's barn?!)

• Forget that your non-band groupie friend is NOT in band
• Maintain a Xanga with subscriptions to all your band friends
• Make a birthday video for a band director (yay, go F'ers go!)
• Make frequent visits to the band hall after graduating (Sad to say, but I'm guilty)
• Have band songs on your iPod
• Are a swing dance master
• Compare step sizes with other guys (my step size is bigger than yours!)
• Purposely try to find blackmail pictures of your friends (maybe on this website too...)
• Have been "singled out" by Mr. McGahey
• Choose to have something musical engraved on the side of your class ring
• Pose with your band letter jacket and/or with your instrument for your senior pictures
• Use your dotbook as a weapon
• Cheer or sing when the other marching band plays songs we play (like Dr. Who or YMCA)
• Get sore after marching practice
• Know that one way to make a guy cry in band is to give the worst nipple twist ever
• Know another way to make a guy cry in band is to have the best marching performance ever
• Have at least 20 band member's numbers stored in your cell phone
• Wear your band concert uniform to band banquet
• Stand in groups (made up of band people) in circular formation...every single time
• Got your picture into the Star-Telegram or Keller Citizen because of marching band
• Are a guy who wears a pink flute shirt (are your curves right?)
• Bring coloring books to All-Region tryouts
• Are a saxophnist with characteristic "rushing" skillz
• Most definitely exercise your seniority rights and privileges(sometimes juniority or sophomority, depending on how old you are)
• Have band friends that are from other school districts (although the tendency is to have rivals...)
• Realize when you are filling out college or scholarship applications that everything under extra-curricular activities is band-related

• Play Halo/Halo 2 or Smash Bros. in the band hall

• Lose against Ms. Untz and/or Mr. Pompa in Halo/Halo 2
• Play "Ride That Pony" in a bounce house
• Can spin a flag but can't play ping-pong
• Find yourself keeping the beat by tapping your finger or foot when any sort of song is playing
• Stay up past midnight online with another band person because school is just that evil
• Have wondered what will happen to this site when I go off to college (well, there's no worries coz I'll keep it goin!)
• Notice a wall hanging at Rosa's Tortilla Factory and it reminds you of Aztec Gold
• Can somehow balance band, being in a ska band, and being in AD
• Get mooned for the first time during marching practice because of people driving down Pate Orr
• Wish Mr. McGahey yelled at us from his beloved tower than his sun-in-your-eyes throne at the stadium
• Learn what a "wenis" is because some nerdy lowerclassman tells you (it's your elbow flab in case you didn't know)
• Are in love with John McHugh, especially if you're a guy saxophonist
• Bought your marching horn at any of the following places: eBay, pawn shop, garage sale...and you got what you payed for
• Make a 5ft long flute made up of paper and paint, and hang it from the band hall ceiling
• See your band teachers throw their scores on the ground and pretend like they're going to the bathroom on it because y'all did such a crappy job memorizing music (*Katie V.)
• Practice marching fundamentals, stand tunes, Christmas music, and the marching show on "Fall Back Day" in the Spring
• Have some memento of a Blue Man (blue kiss, hand print, or a picture)
• Star Mr. McGahey in your band video
• (...and) Feature the other band directors too!
• Submitted AT LEAST a roll's worth of pictures to the band video
• Know that Mr. McGahey is the coolest guy...outside of band
• Corrupt a non-band friend enough to make them want to be in band
• Judge a movie based on its soundtrack (you nerd, you!)
• Know how to dance, no matter what non-standard style (random...dirty...jumping...All-Star, haha)
• Beg Mr. McGahey (like down on your knees) to play that awesome song you heard as an 8th grader at the middle/high school combined concert (for me, it was Molly On The Shore, and it was OMG awesome!)
• Acknowledge parents of band members at your place of employment (I saw a lot band mom's when I worked at Hobby Lobby)
• Spoof movies for your senior band video, but with a band twist
• Use a dial tone on your home phone to tune your instrument
• (...and) Know what concert pitch the dial tone is
• Really want to see more musicals after seeing one during the NY Trip
• Stuff yourself into a practice room with at least 15 other guys and girls just to tell your other band nerd friends you had a band **** in a practice room (*Kristina T.)
• Have dreams about your band friends and your former band directors (*Rob S.)
• Add or subtract words and letters to titles of your sheet music
• Joined the KHS Band forum!
• Think your lesson teacher is HOTT (*Sharon A., hahaha)
• Literally eat the music you hate (keyword: literally)
• Use a picture from my website for your online profile pic (like mySpace, Xanga, or Facebook)
• Ask if its C# or F natural when someone says they want to leave something on a good note
• Like hearing your band friends say "band nerdz...and proud of it!" (*Jessica D.)
• Walk through KHS (or anywhere else) humming band music (*Jessica D.)
• Get voted as Band Beau or Band Sweetheart
• Burn DVDs of performances (guard, drumline, or marching)
• Try to design a band game with your basic computer programming knowledge
• Meet other people in far away places and notice they really dig mullets...and later find out they're sax players! Weird!
• Didn't have your dot book or flip folder the first day they were due
• Take you and your band friends to Super Target to take pictures of each other marching...at Super Target
• Draw simple comics starring people from band

• Use your band binder as a hat

• Utilize Windex to not just shine your shoes, but your band instrument as well
• Make birthday posters to hang in the Band hall just to embarrass your friend
• Are always in a rush every morning as you try finishing last night's homework in the Band hall
• Try coming up with nerdisms at 2AM in the morning
• Really want to submit a quote, but are hesitant becaues it's probably wayyyy too inappropriate
• Hear songs no the radio and either say "Hey! We played this song in band" or "Hey, this song would be totally awesome in band!!!" (*Jessica D.)
• Are the first person to reply to the email stating that the McGahey's had their baby (*Jessica D.)
• Try thinking of something creative for an English paper but all you can come up with is something related to band
• Babysit the McGahey's baby (*Courtney C.)

• Quit band, do choir, but still come to home games to play your instrument

• Look back at your previous years of high school and wonder how you got through all of your classes while in marching band (is it sanely possible to go through marching band as a drum major AND be in Ms. Whitaker's English IV AP class??? Beth did it!)
• Move to a 1A school and really miss being in K-Town
• Can't get "Keller High" by The Goners out of your head
• Your ringtone is the school or fight song
• Meet new people and the one thing you ask about them is if they were in band
• Gawk at all the food the Indianettes get during games
• Are the proud owner of more than 10 Webshots accounts because all you do is take tons of pictures involving band people (and that isn't me, btw)
• Know that old band shirts make good work-out shirts
• Use Halloween as an excuse to cross-dress
• Have a strong desire to knock a BOA field judge over
• Take all the BOA pictures taken of you so that no one can see how awful you look
• Realize that we look really good in uniform
• Often wonder what on earth caused that stain on the back room's walls
• Can't count how many water bottles are on top of the lockers
• Really want to join a drum corps but are a woodwindist and you don't have time to learn a brass instrument
• Huddle up in little pods when it's really cold out at marching practice
• Meet sax players from other schools and you are not surprised by the fact that they really love mullets as well
• Run into cars unknowingly during the March-a-thon
• Never turned in your "old-school" plastic poncho...(heh, whoops...)
• Know that the band directors automatically love you if you have a "sweet tat(too)" of their name on your arm
• Stalk the band after graduating (I'm sorry...)
• Know how the patended McGahey joke test process works (*Sarah F.)
• Dream about band (*Natalie C.)
• [Your] mardi gras beads have your instrument on them (*Natalie C.)
• Are told by other band nerds that you are a band nerd (*Jessica D.)
• Don't go to the homecoming dnace because you know it's not as awesome as bandquet (*Jessica D.)
• Break out some "Cell Block Tango" (from Chicago) randomly around band kids and they join you
• Learn another instrument just so you can join jazz band
• Want winter drumline to come back
• Actually liked the cowboy get-up for KHS's rendition of Annie Get Your Gun
• Aren't suprised at seeing Randell at band events or in the band hall anymore even though he graduated and should be in college...haha
• Stand in your same usual hangout spot in the band hall with graduates, just like when they were still in high school
• Wonder what BOA and DCI will look like in high definition (aka, HDTV)
• Add Mr. Pompa and Mr. Wright as a friend on Facebook/mySpace
• Are in looooooooooove with Conan O'Brien (not gonna lie, I am)
• Think there should be marching bands at halftime in the NFL
• Only work out during years when the band rip is Corpus Christi
• Find yourself sitting in your car listening to your senior marching show (and you can feel the bass drum shake your car) (*Megan S.)
• Call someone in band and tell them to give the phone to a band director, and they do
• Shoot things out of your trombone
• STILL hang out with band people (even not from KHS) after graduating (oh man, I've met sooo many former band nerds at A&M)
• Have a clarinet in your pocket and you are happy to see people
• Are oddly attracted to things that are blue, black, and gold
• Are embarassed that a band director checked out your myspace or xanga
• Start playing "Boomer Sooner" just to make Mr. McGahey happy
• Let the principal of KHS play on your horn
• Have an unhealthy obsession with Percy Grainger
• Still have an unhealthy obsession with your "hot" drum corps lesson teacher
• Literally celebrate your output (like cheering and yelling and whooping and...yeah)
• Feel compelled to tell the world that your "output" is clear!
• Get an iPod and iTrip so you can transmit band songs on every radio within 30 feet
• Put BOA/DCI videos on your video iPod
• Are a clarinet player that brags about your clarinet's extra/low Eb key
• Are using my pictures for your senior band video
• Looooove P.D.Q. Bach pieces
• Make your own metal wire statue of a person playing your instrument (instead of buying those $20 ones at BOA!)
• Are involved in other unique campus organizations like the DDR Club or Lacrosse
• Make sure your teacher has enough ying-yangs
• Will never forget Mr. Winslow...in a dress!!!
• Are a big fan of glisses and fall-offs
• Have contests with other band nerds to see who can trill the longest
• Spray slide oil at people like pepper spray
• (Speaking of pepper spray) Have an unfortunate pepper spray accident in the band hall
• (Still speaking of pepper spray) Spray some pepper spray on someone's mouthpiece just to be funny...
• Think the band directors should win a caption award for their acting skills
• Find band nerds from other places and undoubtedly agree on severely disliking certain BOA champions...
• Somehow obtain Finale and have oodles of fun with it
• Go to Bear Creek Park to blow bubbles with your other band friends
• Are eating Chipotle RIGHT NOW
• Wind up on the same cruise ship as other band members during Spring Break
• Add Lance (the colorguard instructor) as a friend on Facebook/myspace
• Pass a note that says "Call for a good time" and your phone number to the student teacher (*Sarah F.)
• See Mr. McGahey do push-ups (after getting passed the above note from the student teacher) (*Sarah F.)
• Become the leader in a college club/organization that involves your musical talent
• Have been around the band hall in just your underwear (with face paint and the band directors watching??)
• Rewrite a familiar piece in minor key (ie. "Turkey in the Straw")

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