Page 62 - 2019 UDMB Senior Will

longed to march brass. It just seemed so fun. It didn’t help the fact that I always had sets behind the tubas and would get distracted laughing at the jokes they’d make. “Robbie” was my personal favorite.
Enter: Black Thunder
Yeah, we had black berets in 2017. I still don’t understand how you managed that, Sarv. Anyway.
I never even thought that I’d be able to actually march tuba. I’d just make jokes and pretend
in my head that I could do it. But, you guessed it, IT HAPPENED! I put in hours upon hours to learn how to play this thing, and to sound somewhat good. Ross gave me my first lesson and told me that rule #1 is to “never bitch about the weight.” (The second rule was that it’s always John Preusse’s birthday.) My shoulder suffered during that first band camp. Jesus, one night block my arm was literally seizing. But, I remembered rule #1 and refused to put down my horn. I ain’t no bitch. I had to prove myself worthy of the tuba section. Tylenol was being passed out at every meal. The term Freezy Warm became a thing. I definitely didn’t hold the horn right. Somehow, I managed to do that wrong. It didn’t help that my tuba was “literally unplayable” which is the term used to describe having a neck/leadpipe that swings around if you don’t hold it while marching. Coined by John Preusse. I also will never forget when I spent 3 hours in Pearson trying to learn pregame music, and ended up falling asleep on the dirty, dusty floor while I took a chop break.
Somehow during my first year in the section, I ended up helping out with stuff, organizing the merch order, and being a generally responsible person, which I came to learn that the tubas lacked. I thought maybe I’d go out for staff my junior year. Similar to high school, I figured I wasn’t “experienced” enough to make it and it’d probably just be John and Ross, MAYBE me or Conner if Sarv wanted a third? But, the section was only 11 that year and we didn’t need 3 staff members...
Well, you guessed it. I made it. AND, OH BOY WAS I EXCITED TO BE ON STAFF WITH ROSS AND JOHN. Ross taught me how to play tuba in the very beginning and it was John’s birthday!!! How could I get to be so lucky? At our first official staff meeting with just the 3 of us, I fondly remember ending up in tears from laughing so hard. We joked that our staff shirts would be different takes of “Helter Skelter”. Like Helter Shelton (the Conner variety), Helter Welder (it’d just be the mask), and Helter Shelter (with a big ‘ol mailbox that said “The Helter Residence”).
But honestly, I was so excited to be able to be on field staff and help change the section. I couldn’t wait to meet our 3 rookies, which turned into 6. We were moving somewhere better than where we had been in the past and I was apart of the bigger picture.
In 2018, we moved from Pearson to BIDEN! I literally packed my car full with uniforms. And I stole a Pearson chair. What a celebratory day. I definitely hit Racquel’s ankle very hard with the wheely guy that day. Oops. RIP Pearson, but also we don’t miss you. Sorry. We also shined the bells for BOA in 2018 which blew my mind. All it takes is a small suggestion to make a big change...
What did 2019 bring? Oh yeah, NINE ROOKIES! I still cannot believe this. I couldn’t even believe six last year. And we only had 3 the year before. We are going places, my dudes. And I couldn’t be prouder. Always remember to pour one out for Judith. Anyway, all in all...
Blue Thunder, I leave you with this:
You are like nobody else. The literal fact of our instruments being so damn big gives us more visibility than many other sections. Whether we want to accept this or not: People will know us, they will see us, and boy will they hear us. It is critical that you represent us as a proud, spirited, silly, saucy section. I deem those the 3 S’s → Spirit, Silliness, Sauce. That’s what we need.
Vets... as the section gets bigger, and younger, you must accept that change is inevitable. Blue Thunder is forever changing and is not just one stand-alone concept to be achieved. It is the people that make it what it is each year. It grows and changes as it needs to. 2016 and 2017 BT would make incredibly insensitive, dirty, inappropriate jokes that I am SURE would not fly for even