Search results matching tag 'summer'

A collection of random ideas and pictures

BUOlivia — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:34:00 GMT

I have not blogged in half a week! *gasp* That's a looong time in the world of electronic stuff. Want one reason why I've been absent?

Sunday was lovely, as you already heard. After I posted that day's blog entry, I met Cathryn in the campus Starbucks to work on NaNoWriMo. We looked a bit like this:

Snazzy, huh? Then I did homework. Then Cathryn was nice enough to drive my friend and me to the store to buy food. She looked a bit like this:

Monday came, as it usually does, and it was back to classes. We've started our unit on Islam in Global and Historical Studies, and Nutcracker rehearsals are intensifying. I'm trying to decide what to do this summer. I have several options, but I'm not sure what will happen yet. Sorry to be so mysterious, but you'll just have to keep reading to find out! (That sounds like some lame ending to a book report: "If you want to find out what happens, you'll have to read the book!")

In the meantime, you can read the newly active (re-activated? reactive? radioactive?) dance thread in the Butler Blogger forums. The ballet audition classes have been happening--so exciting! The prospective students take a technique with Level 4 and then with Level 2; I love taking class with new people. Good luck to everyone searching and auditioning and whatnot.

I've got to get back to my novel now. 7364 words and counting. :)

Butler University Homecoming 2009: A Dog's Eye View

butlerblue2 — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:35:00 GMT

It's finally here, it's homecoming 2009! Much like Christmas day, a birthday, first day of summer vacation, or any other highly anticipated day or event, homecoming week is one of the highlights of my job as mascot. I just love how the campus always comes alive with energy amongst a beautiful fall backdrop. And just as there are great events, activities and offerings, there's even better reunions, renewed relationships and just people connecting with each other, their alma mater and/or this great university. Homecoming certainly is a special time.

As you could imagine, as mascot, I'm quite busy come homecoming week, although, I've spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday doing a lot of resting up by emphasizing a routine of lounging around the office and sleeping in anticipation for the hustle and bustle that is Thursday, Friday and Saturday of homecoming. Butler President, Dr. Bobby Fong only thinks he's busy this weekend...he should see my social calendar!

On Thursday I have just a couple of appearances including my annual photograph with the Butler University Board of Trustees...nothing like getting a little face time with the "Top Dawgs!" And while they may have the reins to this place, I think they know who really calls the shots...why else would they put me front and center in their picture?

Thursday is a fairly light day, all things considered, but in addition to the trustee photograph, I've got an interview about the annual Bulldog Beauty Contest and an appearance at the dedication ceremony and grand opening of the new College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences building on campus.

Before I get started on my homecoming responsibilities on Friday, I've got a little personal business to tend to with the annual "Blessing of the Animals" service put on by our neighbor, the Christian Theological Seminary. The ceremony is held in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi's love for all creatures and its officially celebrated on Oct. 4th, but CTS holds their service a couple of days early so that it's during the week. That's Friday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. in the CTS courtyard if you are interested in attending. I rather enjoy the event and frankly, I'll take a good blessing anytime I can get it!

After that, it's back to campus and back to work. There's a women's soccer match at 4:30 p.m. versus defending Horizon League champions Milwaukee in the Butler Bowl that's also an opportunity to support a very special cause... Cancer Awareness Day. Come out and support the Butler women's soccer team as it hosts its Cancer Awareness Day.

All fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of *** cancer awareness and the first 150 students in attendance will be able to attend a halftime tailgate, with each student getting a free hot dog, chips and a drink.

Friday's women's soccer festivities will begin with a ceremonial pregame coin flip featuring Butler women's basketball coach Beth Couture, who was diagnosed with *** cancer last spring. Couture, who has won 363 games in her career - including 105 at Butler - is set to have her cancer treatments completed in time to lead the Bulldog basketball team this season. The women's soccer team will also be wearing pink warm-ups. Also at halftime, the Bulldogs will honor Joy (Aschenbrener) Sweeney (1995-98), who was inducted into the Butler University Athletic Hall of Fame last spring.

I might just have to trade in my blue jersey for a pink shirt on Friday afternoon. I'm not one for pink, my name is "Blue" after all, but I am one for a good cause so I'll see what I can do.

Back across campus at 5 p.m. I have an open house to attend in the Fairbanks Building for the School of Journalism and then it's off campus I go to the home of our resident IndyCar driver and 2003 Butler grad, Ed Carpenter, as I've been contracted to do an appearance for his daughter's birthday party. I don't normally do that sort of thing, but it's a special friend and a special request, so I make exceptions.

After the birthday party, I'm headed home to host my grandparents who are coming into town and staying at my place. I'll also use that time at home to rest up and get ready for a big Saturday on campus. Meanwhile, I'll send my dad back to Butler in my stead to attend the President's Dinner...formal dinners aren't really my thing...that whole begging for food at the side of the table is considered faux pas, I guess.

On Saturday I can be found all over campus, whether riding in a Corvette for the parade, running the undefeated football team on to the field for their match against San Diego, showing my face at the young alumni Barktoberfest event, cruising the Butler Bowl parking lot for some handouts/table scraps at the tailgates or attending the volleyball game in the evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse. It's sure to be a busy, but fun day.

And while all of that is well and good, perhaps there's one event that I'm most looking forward to...an event that makes Butler's homecoming different than any other homecoming. That event of course would be the annual Bulldog Beauty Contest!

You saw my post last month about the contest and it appears that my predictions were true as once again this year we are set to have our best competition to date! We have 74 dogs pre-registered for the event as of 9 a.m. on Oct. 1st and that's a new record. Last year we had a total of 75 dogs show up, including walk-ups, so we are certain to exceed that come this Saturday, Oct. 3rd at 10 a.m. !

Keep in mind this event is free and open to the public, so whether you have a bulldog to compete with or not, you definitely want to attend...and bring a camera! Who knew a bulldog beauty contest would be such the spectator sport?! We'll have increased seating this year (five sets of bleachers) for your viewing pleasure as well.

Held on the main mall, just south of Norris Plaza, these 74+ dogs (mostly bulldogs) will parade on a stage and catwalk and compete for the honor of being named the top dog in one of the following categories.

-Cutest Bulldog
-Meanest-Looking Bulldog
-Best Dressed Bulldog
-Best Dog Trick*
-Most Butler Spirit*
-Best Wannabe Bulldog*
-Oldest Bulldog
-Youngest Bulldog

-Best in Show*

Categories ending with an asterisk are the only categories open for non-bulldogs.

Keep in mind the "Best in Show" this year walks away with the grand prize of one year's supply of dog food provided by Eagle Pack Holistic Select Pet Food, WellPet, and City Dogs Grocery! That's a more than $600 value! Other category winners will take home prizes from City Dogs Grocery and all participants will receive a pack of Holistic Select Treats from Eagle Pack, WellPet and City Dogs Grocery. (a full list of sponsors is listed on the image below)

Oh, and we've increased our panel of judges this year from five to seven to include a couple of celebrities and our good friends at Indianapolis' ABC affiliate WRTV-6...morning weatherman and traffic reporter, Paul Poteet and Tom Davis.

Why Paul and Tom? Well, we thought they might be able to help us on the weather and traffic Saturday morning, but even more than that, we know these guys like to have a good time. Just visit http://www.paulpoteet.com/ and their "Off the Cuff" videos for proof.

I hope to see you on Saturday morning for our Bulldog Beauty Contest...trust me, you don't want to miss this event! If you can't make it, then hop online as I'm going to try and do a live twitter-cast of the event either at www.twitter.com/butlerblue2 and/or www.twitter.com/butleru.

So that's what my Homecoming weekend looks like, but of course, that's just a highlight of events during Butler's homecoming weekend...at least the ones that I'm involved with anyway. So for a complete listing, visit www.butler.edu/homecoming and take a look at the complete schedule of activities this weekend.

And if you can't make it back, I'll be tweeting my homecoming adventures at www.twitter.com/ButlerBlue2, so feel free to log on often for status reports and pictures!

Here's to a great homecoming weekend, filled with victories, reunions, good times and great weather!

Go Dawgs!

Blue II

What happened to all the warmth??

StephF — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:14:00 GMT

So as I am writing this, I am freezing. Maybe it's because I'm sitting right next to my room's A/C unit, but maybe it is because it is freezing outside all of the sudden! (And by freezing I mean...in the 60's.) Either way, it became way too cold all too soon for my tastes. I like the temperature to gradually drop off, not just bottom out without warning us! Now I am aware that it is technically fall now, but I'm just not ready to walk to class in jeans and a sweater and be cold yet! This is mostly because I am just not in the fall frame of mind yet, and because I don't have any coats here...so I hope that sweatshirts and long sleeves will suffice until Fall Break. Basically, it was really nice two weeks ago, then it rained for a week, and now summer is long-gone and I never got to say goodbye. :( I've heard that this winter is going to be bitterly cold...which I totally believe because this summer wasn't even that hot. This is probably really sad...but what I really hope is that we get another snow day like we did last year! Now if you go to a high school like I did, you would get snow days and 2 hour delays every other day during the winter (I'm from a very rural county with tons of backroads), so when you come to college and there are no snow days, you get a rude awakening. But last year, Butler had its first snow day in a LONG time....because there was 13 inches of snow on the ground and professors couldn't get to campus....and it was a FABULOUS day. :) We slept in, we sledded, we relaxed....basically it was the best college day ever. I even wrote a blog about it....:)

So even though I am really sad that it isn't warm anymore....I'm really looking forward to Butler in the fall....which is basically amazing! If you don't believe me....this is what I am looking forward to...

Isn't it gorgeous??!! I love it and I am so excited to see all the leaves change again! I feel so much better now....just blogging about fall and winter make me more excited for them...:)

What I Did Last Summer - The Summer Essay

butlerblue2 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:04:00 GMT

(This blog post contains no images…for photos and video, please visit the following websites: http://www.twitpic.com/photos/butlerblue2 andwww.youtube.com/butlerblue2.)

It’s late August (the last day in fact) and while, in my opinion, we should all still all be out hitting up bodies of water, golf course, outdoor amphitheatres, race tracks, or rolling on two wheels, enjoying a round of catch in the front yard, enjoying an afternoon nap in front of a fan and/or all of the other fruits of summer, instead we’re all hustling back to the halls and walls that hold us over the cold, dry winter months. We’re back to the rooms that hold as much knowledge and learning as they do daydreams and germs, but it’s the obligatory rite of passage in our lives as we know it, yes, it’s back to school time.

For my elementary, middle and high school counterparts, you’ve most likely done your settling in and by now there’s a good chance that your desk is already a mess, your locker stinks and you and classmates have worn the fresh wax of those hard terrazzo floors. We collegiate types like to put the return to campus off a bit more, like it should be (and much like I did my blog to this summer); and so the Butler Bulldogs returned to campus for the first day of class, last Wednesday, Aug. 26th.

At Butler, like most college campuses I would assume, the return to school is less dreaded than say at the secondary level. I wouldn’t know, I didn’t go to high school as I was a bit of a prodigy…going straight to college and all. But my parents went and they usually just groan when it’s referenced. But college on the other hand, now that’s some of the best days of your life and so why wouldn’t 18-23 year-olds want to leave their parents behind each summer to start a new season of fraternization and studies?

Combine that anticipated return to campus with a faculty and staff at Butler that’s a-buzz with the news that we’ve moved up in the U.S. News & World Report rankings AND our freshman class looks to be one of the best to ever step foot on campus!

Butler received its highest ranking ever of second in the 2010 U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges. It is also Butler’s 21st consecutive year being among the top 10 in this category. For all of the scoop, head here: http://www.butler.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=1256&z=22

And as for the freshman, well, we welcomed 958 freshmen when school began last Wednesday with a class slightly larger than the enrollment target of 915. The students making up Butler’s class of 2013 boast strong high school academic achievements and an average GPA of 3.74 (on a 4.0 scale). Eight are National Merit Scholars (up from 4 last year); one student is a National Achievement Scholar. Fifty-six of them were valedictorians; 19 were salutatorians. Twenty-nine are Lilly Scholars. More stats here:http://www.butler.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=1252&z=22

So anyway, about my blog…um, yeah, well, you see, once I found out this past spring that Butler’s president, Dr. Bobby Fong was taking something called a “sabbatical” for the next three months, which involved him not coming to campus, leaving the country and putting someone else in charge, I said to heck with it. I figured that while Dr. Fong may run the campus, I own this place so if he can take some time off, then I can too.

Unfortunately, the guy I come to work with everyday, my dad, yeah well he doesn’t get these so-called “sabbaticals,” (I called him a fool for not working that one out in his contract.) so we still had to report to campus every day. That being the case I had to find at least something I could take a sabbatical from and so I chose the blog (and the web cam and Facebook).

I still came to work every day, I still tweeted on my Twitter.com account regularly (@ButlerBlue2) and posted a couple videos to my BlueTube (YouTube.com) channel, but that was about it. Otherwise, I laid low when it came to the new media and self promotion. However, while I may have not been on the computer much (and neither should you have been…it’s summer after all!) it wasn’t like I was leading a completely sedentary lifestyle. In fact, I did some pretty cool things and so to tell you all about it, I’m going to write a little back to school summer essay. I’m sure you know what I’m referencing and maybe have even had to write one or two of them in your lifetime.

Yep, it’s the “Here’s What I Did Last Summer” essay, by Butler Blue II. Have fun grading, errr, reading it.

June

The month of June was rather uneventful, and perhaps the most noteworthy item of the month was settling in to an empty campus. Late May and June always bring the promise of a fun summer and the harsh reality that it’s going to be a lonely campus. I like the summertime and I also enjoy the peaceful collegiate atmosphere that only summer can bring to a college campus, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I preferred the hustle and bustle of the students shuffling to class.

Otherwise, my month of June was filled with appearances for the Office of Admission, photo opportunities with young campers on campus for everything from sports camps, music camps and even writing workshops. I also had a couple of extended stays at my grandparents’ houses which were pretty fun too.

July

The seventh month of the year might have been one of the best for me so far this year and most certainly marked the highlights of my summer.

I’ll start with the pinnacle of my summer which was a fine purchase by my parents known as the Tail Wagon by Burley. The best way to explain this thing is like having my own chariot to ride in which my parents can either hook up to their bicycles and tow or push like a stroller. And trust me, when you’re a heavy bulldog with little short legs and a general difficulty breathing, this is the best way to go for a “walk.”

In fact, there’s only two things wrong with the Burley Tail Wagon…1.) I don’t get to ride it near enough and; 2.) my parents didn’t buy it for me sooner. Now, I’m not sponsored by Burley or anything, but that’s a gig I wouldn’t mind either. Hint, hint. Hey Burley people, if you need a spokesdog or even just some happy pooch to grace your product packaging, then hit me up!

The month of July was cool too. And by cool, I mean as in temperature. In fact, it was something like the second coolest July on record in Indianapolis and while that didn’t sit well with some, it was certainly quite welcome by me. Think about it, I’m stuck wearing this fur coat no matter the weather conditions!

So with the cool weather and a new toy in the Burley Tail Wagon, you would have thought that would have been beating the pavement at every opportunity. Well, I did get out quite bit, but only when I could pull my dad away from watching Lance Armstrong peddle the Tour de France on VERSUS-TV or put down a book he picked up called “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” by Garth Stein. It’s a book about dogs, and auto racing, two of my dad’s favorite things, and top that off with the fact that the book is written from a dog’s perspective, much like my blog, and he was hooked on every word.

On top of that, July 20 marked the 40th anniversary that famed astronaut Neil Armstrong and colleagues Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins crewed the first mission (Apollo 11) involving a lunar landing. My dad is a big space geek as well, so of course he was all about commemorating that event by watching and reading the media coverage.

So I spent a lot of time on the couch with my dad watching rockets, bicycles and reading about racecars which was all just fuel on my own burning fire of desire to test the limits of my Burley Tail Wagon.

I suppose that with all of the good that July brought there’s bound to be a little bad as well. The bad came in the form of broken glass. Long story short, my mom was driving our family’s new Honda Ridgeline and I was on the backseats, chilling out in my seat cover/hammock. And by “chilling out,” I mean I was fast asleep. While cruising along the highway, suddenly, and with no warning, our sunroof just exploded. No, it did not crack, we did not hit a bump, it just exploded. Shards of glass were everywhere as it covered me, my mom, and both the interior and exterior of the truck. Thankfully everyone was fine and after I was able to get vacuumed off later that evening, I was good to go. Unfortunately the folks at American Honda did not deem the failure of the glass to be a warrantable occurrence (I find that to be leaning on the side of unethical.) so they didn’t pick up the tab for the damage. The didn’t even spilt the bill, so my parents were truckless and a little lighter in the pocketbook for much of July, but that’s life I suppose.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Honda makes a wonderful product, but I pinned them as one to stand by their product just a bit more than they actually did. After all, while there are known cases of sunroofs exploding in their vehicles, it does appear to be rare and often times caused by a manufacturer defect. But I’m just a dog, so what do I know?

July also saw a couple of our Butler Bulldog student athletes bring home some new hardware in the form of gold medals! Yep, our own men’s basketball players, Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack won gold medals on behalf of the USA in the FIBA U19 World Championship in July. Not only that, but the pair were the talk of the team and represented Butler quite well. Read all about it:http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=967621

August

I was worried that with all the highlights brought about by July would leave August an absolute bore. But the “dog days of summer” did not disappoint either. In fact, August got started with a bang as 2003 Butler University grad and Vision Racing driver Ed Carpenter put on an impressive display of driving in the IndyCar Series’ race at Kentucky Speedway on August 1st.

Ed put on the drive of his young career by charging from a 14th starting spot all the way up to lead the race for 34 laps and eventually battle with Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske in an exciting ten lap duel which ended in Ed taking second by just 0.0162 of a second! It was Ed’s best finish and most laps led in an IndyCar event. Of course, my dad works part-time for the team so I have a vested interest in all of it, even outside of Ed being a Butler Bulldog. I was proud of all involved.

Summer Etcetera

The promise of another academic year and the students returning to campus is definitely something that I look forward to in August. The return of the students brings a buzz back to campus that even I can sense and pick up on; adding a pep to my step. My social calendar picks up immediately and my desire and need for attention is met by students who adore me, and/or miss their own doggie that they left at home.

Of course, there were other noteworthy summer highlights as well and include the usual activities like swimming in my kiddie pool, trips to my grandparents’ houses, frequent visits to local ice cream shops and outdoor dining facilities like Boogie Burger, Greek’s Pizzeria and Yats, which are all in the Broadripple area.

Summertime is also the anniversary of my annual health checkup and vaccinations. So I went to visit my pal and Butler grad, Dr. Kurt Phillips of Woodland Animal Hospital in Carmel, Ind. Dr. Phillips gave me a clean bill of health, but was a bit concerned about my propensity to walk gingerly from time to time, specially as I tend to stiffen up after a hard play or romp. While I’m only five years old, I am now considered to be middle-aged and VERY active for a bulldog, so he thought it might be wise to put me on some arthritis medication as a preventative measure.

Not only do I like taking the arthritis medication each day as my parents cover it with peanut butter to get me to swallow it, but it actually works too. A month or so after taking the stuff, I’m feeling like a young pup again! So I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.

So that was my summer, or at least that was my summer as summarized in essay form. I hope you enjoyed it.

Stay tuned to the blog as now that school is back in session, I’ll be more diligent about updating it early and often. Also, don’t forget to follow my Twitter feed as well: www.Twitter.com/ButlerBlue2 as I’m updating that on a regular basis and including photos as well.

Here’s to summer days gone by and now a great 2009-10 academic and athletic year on the campus of Butler University. So far so good!

Blue II

P.S. For pictures and video of my summer adventures, head tohttp://www.twitpic.com/photos/butlerblue2 andwww.youtube.com/butlerblue2. Sorry, this post was already long enough without the imagery, so I just decided you can go check it out on your own.

Chocolate-covered bacon? No thanks!

SarahG — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:38:00 GMT

This summer, my boyfriend Justin is interning at CVS, and one of his on-going projects is to help out with blood pressure screenings at various events around the state. Last weekend, CVS ran a tent at the Indiana State Fair for BP screenings in addition to free give-away's and sign-ups for ExtraCare Cards. As only one other person volunteered to work with Justin on Saturday, I came up to the fair to offer a little help!

The fairgrounds are probably only five-ten minutes from BU, and only about a half-hour or so from my house in NP. I've been to the fair before during high school, mostly for concerts at the Grandstand - I've seen Rascal Flatts perform there twice! The Indiana State Fair is only during the summer, this year from August 7-23, but the fairgrounds also include a skating rink which is home to the Indianapolis Ice. We actually went skating there on Bid Day when I first joined Theta!

Although my trip to the fair this year was unfortunately not for a concert, I still had a lot of fun! I didn't use the blood pressure monitors since I'm not in pharmacy, but I got to hand out stickers and coloring books to cute little kids who walked by haha (a very important job, of course!). Plus, I got a free CVS t-shirt for helping out! I did not however have enough nerve to try the featured food this summer... chocolate-covered bacon. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't sound appetizing to me at all! I think I'll stick to my elephant ears and funnel cakes... although I wouldn't be opposed to trying a deep-fried candy bar haha. Ahh, the fair: epitome of summertime (and greasy food).

CVS booth!

Checking BP's

I'm a pro at handing out stickers

In our sweet matching CVS shirts haha

Troop Throws Down

ChristinaL — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:48:00 GMT

Have you ever been part of something epic?

I've been marching in the colorguards of DCI drum and bugle corps since I was 17, and it is always an incredible experience to spend three months with people your age, living together 24/7 and working to achieve artistic perfection. I took this summer off, but one of the moments that stands out most from my three year career happened last night at the 2009 DCI World Championships.

Back in 2007, I was faced with an interesting choice. The drum corps I had started out with in 06, Capital Regiment, had folded. I tried to join an elite corps, but I just wasn't ready for that level yet, so by spring when the 2007 season was quickly approaching, I still didn't have a place to march. In March and April, I went to audition camps for Spirit, a corps from Alabama that was frequently a contender for Finals. Only the best 12 corps in the nation get to be part of Finals, so that is a huge goal for every drum corps - and a goal I had not yet acheived. I was attracted to the chance to be a part of a corps fighting for a spot in Finals, and I had always enjoyed Spirit's shows. I was offered a spot and was preparing to march there. Then I heard about the Troopers.

A friend of a friend approached me by chance at a winterguard competition to tell me about the Troopers, a drum corps based out of Casper, Wyoming. At that point in my life, I couldn't even place Wyoming on a map, and I had never seen the Troopers perform before. They had dwindling numbers in recent years and had finally taken a year off in 2006. For 2007, they were back and ready to rebuild, but it's hard to recruit people for an organization getting a fresh start when there are so many established organizations to compete with. But when I met the guard instructors and heard how excited everyone was about bringing the Troopers back and how much fun the summer would be, it caught my attention.

Spirit's chance of making finals was nearly impossible for the Troopers in their first year back, so I had to make a decision. Did I want to chase my longtime goal of making finals with Spirit, the corps I was familiar with? Or did I want to go with the unknown option of Troopers, and see where that potential could go? I decided to make the safe choice, and began the drive to Alabama to start spring training with Spirit.

However, as we drove from Chicago and neared Indianapolis, I asked my mom to exit near Butler. I had this weird feeling about going to Spirit. It just didn't seem like the right fit; I wasn't happy with that decision. I called my best Butler friend, Betsy, and we met up near campus and talked it out. If I was just going to Spirit to chase a medal, that seemed like a pretty shallow reason to spend my entire summer there. On the other hand, Troopers seemed like fun. Everyone was full of energy and excitement, and it would be an adventure. We turned the car around, I sent Spirit my regrets, and a week later I was on a plane to Wyoming to become a Trooper, not knowing what to expect.

Rebuilding a drum corps is not an easy task, even with a great team to support you. Since we didn't have a lot of potential colorguard members to choose from, we had to work with what we could get. What we had at the beginning of the season was, to be frank, a bunch of young kids who couldn't handle the intensity of rehearsing 12 hours a day at a professional level.

Over the course of the season, we had 10 different colorguard members quit or leave due to injuries and medical conditions. Filling those holes was SO difficult. We were constantly looking for new people to join us, and then when they arrived, we had to reteach everything. It was repetitive and it was frustrating. I was one of only three people in the original colorguard with drum corps experience, so a lot of burden fell on me to help the younger members, and I would often give up free time to practice with them.

And yet, we had such a good time. Our instructors remembered what it was like to be students, so they made it enjoyable, but they also helped us to improve so much. We practice a LOT and became so much better at our technical skills. By the end of the season, everyone who stuck it out was a stronger, more confident performer. We were a smaller group than most colorguards, so we got to be very close. The hornline and drumline kids were also so much fun, and we really did operate like a giant 120-person family. Everyone knew everybody else's name. We shared jokes and traditions.

Here's the colorguard that stuck it out to the end! I still love these people oh-so-much.

We also were so proud to share a history as one of the great original American drum corps and former national champions. We learned that fans everywhere have so much respect for the legacy and persona of the Troopers and were ecstatic to see us back on the field. We may not have been the best, but we almost always got a standing ovation. I also learned that summer how important alumni are. We were carrying on the tradition of a family that extended far beyond any of our memories, and those people were SO grateful that we had revived the group that meant so much to them in their youth.

We got to travel (literally) all over the United States together and thrilled audiences from coast to coast. When we finished our tour at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, we were far from making Finals. In fact, ranking around 20th place didn't even advance us to the Semi Finals. But we didn't really care. That wasn't important when we had achieved the goal of bringing back the Troopers as a World Class drum corps. On the day of our last performance, our director started crying and told us how thankful he and all the alumni were to everyone in the 2007 drum corps. We were building a foundation for the future of the Troopers, he said, and the success for years to come was dependent on that year - on the investment we all made in the Troopers.

Here are my friend Chris and I in the parking lot after the 2007 World Championships in Pasadena. Chris also went to Butler and I was so glad to be a Trooper AND a Bulldog with him!

Not all investments pay off right away. But even though we didn't get instant gratification in 2007, it came faster than almost anyone would have believed.

In 2008, I made the decision to move on to another drum corps. As much as I loved being in the Troopers, I wasn't being challenged enough there. A great opportunity came for me to march with a great drum corps closer to home - the Bluecoats of Canton, OH - a corps I had always admired and enjoyed. Of course, I remained friends with all the people from Troopers, and the corps continued their climb without me and moved to the next level, finishing as Semi-Finalists.

This summer, I didn't march at all so that I could be here in Indy for my internships. However, I loved watching the Troopers come out stronger than ever! Most corps struggle for many, many years to make that leap from Semi-Finalist to Finalist, but the Troopers started beating very well established drum corps near the coveted 12th place mark. This seemed like a totally different drum corps than the one I marched in; they were so good and so much stronger. And yet, they still had the loving family feel and integrity that I remembered.

Last Friday night at Semi-Finals here in Indianapolis, the Troopers gave an amazing performance, and for the first time in 23 years, they advanced to Finals.

Jumping from non-existence to Quarter Finals to Semi Finals to Finals in only three years is absolutely unheard of... but somehow the Troop pulled it off. I was so ridiculously happy for them, and so proud to be a Troopers alum. I can't take the credit for their success this year, but I am thrilled that my 2007 investment paid off!

So many times as students, we pour our hearts and souls into organizations or projects... and then feel like we didn't achieve what we set out to in our four years of high school or college. However, this experience has taught me that sometimes you just have to be patient and understand your role in something much bigger than yourself. You might not get the payoff before you graduate or move on to other things, but your efforts are still worthwhile. Every positive thing we do is a building block, and if we leave a strong legacy, it will continue to grow and surpass our most outrageous hopes.

Troopers, I am so happy for you, and so proud to have witnessed this historic moment and share in your joy. I joined this drum corps because I saw potential in the organization and good people who truly care about one another. You have made more out of those assests than anyone could have predicted. Thank you for being part of my DCI family and don't ever slow down in this quest for greatness! GO TROOP!

Butler is a suburb of Chicago

ChristinaL — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:33:00 GMT

Aside from The Region aka Northwest Indiana aka Illinois Wannabes (I mean that with love), I am going to bet that Butler University has the highest concentration of Chicagoland-ers per square mile in all of Indiana. I swear, it sometimes seems like there are more Chicago area kids at Butler than kids from Indiana... okay, not really. But there are a LOT of Chi-town Bulldogs.

That fact became very apparent today when my family hosted the Butler Summer Sendoff party for all the incoming Butler students in the western Chicago suburbs. We have a little place in downtown Naperville called the Grumpy Bulldog, so that was the place for the party and we had more than 50 new students and parents come. It was really loud in the restaurant, so we didn't do much talking as an entire group... but I thought everyone seemed to have a great time mingling and meeting new people. I'm pretty sure all the freshmen already knew each other anyway through facebook! haha.

I was really excited because I have four honors mentees for the Honors Program and I got to meet one of them today. She's great! I'm excited to meet the other three and hang out with them at Honors Orientation and on campus.

Here are some photos from the event. My dad complained that he hasn't been getting enough coverage on this blog, so I'll show you a pic of him proudly sporting his favorite Butler Basketball t-shirt today at the party. I should tell you that he is throwing the peace sign because he's a wannabe gangsta.... either that or he is indicating his answer to the Butler trivia question, "How many times has the men's basketball team been in the Sweet Sixteen?" I'll let you decide.

Anyway, my boss Emily from the Alumni Office gave me a ride back to Indy after the event, so I am finally back at my house here at Butler!! It feels so good to be at home after so much travelling. As far as I know, I am here until school starts and I have no plans to leave Indy after that, so I may actually be in town for a while! Hooray! All this time on the road has been so great, but so tiring. I love Indy, so I'm ready to actually be here for some quality time in my city! Gotta enjoy the last month of summer!!

Now that's what I call summertime

SarahG — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:52:00 GMT

The past few days of summer '09 have been quite different from the preceding 9 weeks. Since being back home, I've had non-stop leisure time... including softball games, bike rides, hot-tubbing, laying by the pool, reading for fun, and hanging out with all my best friends I'd been missing since living at BU. It's pretty great not having a job or any real responsibilities... almost like being a kid again haha. We've been kickin' it old school this summer with the activities since we're all pretty much broke from college life, but I think it's even more fun that way! A game of whiffleball instead of bowling, $1 Redbox movies instead of the theatre, roasting hotdogs instead of restaurants... and I'm still determined to get a game of "capture the flag" going for entertainment one night. Needless-to-say, I'm greatly enjoying my time back in New Pal... ah, life is good. :)

"What?! You're not from Texas!"

ChristinaL — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:58:00 GMT

Apparently Texas and Michigan are the places to be this summer, since I have hit up both of these great states twice this summer! Last time I was in Texas was all about Pi Phi, and they kept us busy pretty much nonstop at the national convention. This time I am here for purely selfish motives - visiting some of my closest friends and seeing part of the Drum Corps International summer tour, where I have spent the last three summers of my life. The best part is that I didn't really tell any of my friends performing in the DCI shows that I was coming, so I totally surprised them when they saw a northern face here in the heart of Texas!

(Sidenote: It is really hot here. It makes me appreciate Indiana.)

One of the most exciting things was seeing three of my Kappa Kappa Psi brothers (our band fraternity) perform last night with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. My little brother Chris and my little little brother Lexie are both in it, and I did three years with other drum corps, so I guess it runs in our family! Anyway, they are fabulous and make me so proud! I love seeing my Butler friends when we're far away from home, and know that we will always support each other.

When I haven't been hanging out at the shows, I've been visiting with my favorite native Texans. Sometimes, catching up with old friends is really the greatest thing you can do. I have loved getting to visit their homes and see where my friends live and what their lives are like here in Texas. All of them are SO happy with what they're doing, and after not seeing some of them for a year or two, that is so comforting to know. It's also really great to be able to just talk and share some many old memories.

I almost look forward to being older because I am interested to know who I will still be friends with in my future. I love sharing three or four years of memories with my drum corps and college friends, but ten or twenty or even fifty years will be even more interesting and amusing to look back on. Now remembering it all? That's the hard part. My friend Robbie made a journal from his last summer of drum corps with little cartoons and short snippets of conversation or interesting quotes from whatever had happened each day. Years later, that is so fun to look back on! I wish I had done something like that for college... but I DO take lots of pictures, and of course, I have had this blog since sophomore year. I may not fit every detail of my life into the blog, but reading through the archives can be so much fun. If you ever want a laugh, go back to the beginning of my blog list and see if I've changed at all!

Anyway, now I am in San Antonio at Texas State University. They boast one thing that Butler definitely does not have - a river that runs through campus that you can swim and kayak in! Not totally practical for Indiana, but fabulous in Texas! I am looking forward to a relaxing few days here... and then getting back to work back in the Midwest. Have a great weekend!

Ending the Summer in Style

SarahG — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:44:00 GMT

I seriously cannot believe how fast the summer is going, and how little is left before the start of the school year. I remember last year being stuck at home, waiting anxiously as the days dragged on by. But living at Butler and working on research every day has made the past nine weeks fly by at an amazing speed. But even though I'm moving back home tomorrow, I don't expect a sudden standstill. My final month of summer will be full of traveling and visiting family, and I'm sure I'll be kept busy all the while. Here are my plans:

July 18-31: Hang out at home, unpack my stuff/reorganize for the school year, reunite with HS friends, read for fun, and tan. (You wouldn't believe how pale I am from staying inside and working on research all day, everyday haha).

August 1-6: Travel to Minneapolis, MN with my mom to visit my cousin Laurie and go shopping. The Mall of America is near her house, along with numerous other malls and outlet stores... plus there's no sales tax in Minnesota! Trust me, the women in my family know how to shop!

August 7-12: More hanging out at home, getting everything ready for school... which is sure to be a challenge. I'm living in a five-person room next semester, so storage space for my stuff will be quite limited.

August 13: My 21st Birthday! Dinner with friends, and hitting up Broadripple for the night.

August 15-20: Carnival cruise to Mexico! I'm going with my boyfriend and his family, and I've never been on a cruise before, so I'm sure it's going to be a blast!

August 22: Move back into Theta for the Fall '09 term!

Yes, it may seem a little hectic haha... but my last month of summer sure is going to be fun!