ClaireAnnette07

Are there any of you who are over the age of 22 out there who used to post in the mid 2000s? I just happened to log in for the first time in a LONG time to try to find the results of the SHSU contest this weekend (I think it was this weekend, anyway) and ended up reading some of the old threads from 2005-2007. What ever happened to you guys?! I wonder if y'all ever lurk here every now and then.

TTR: re-discovering this website (and the thread dedicated to me!) as a 25-almost-26-year-old, fourth-year teacher!! I wouldn't be surprised if some of my students (present & former) are on this forum because the school I teach at is a powerhouse in the region. I can't believe it's been TEN YEARS since I came onto this site, being a band-obsessed clarinet player trying to get the scoop on the competition. I really miss the days of scanning through this site and talking about region band competitions! Nowadays I have to live vicariously through my freshmen students! Haha.

TTR! - Finding this website after an almost two-year hiatus! -Finding the forum topic dedicated to moi -Still not being a pessimist, even though I can't find a teaching job to save my life. -Being a college grad, despite not being able to find a teaching job -Being able to remember a screen name/password combo I've had on this website since I was 16 (because that's when I signed up for TxBands--I'm now 22. Wow.)

Agreed. I'm definitely not getting enough of it this semester. Junior year is kicking my butt. TTR: Sleep & THE WEEKEND

Even though I'm an '07 senior... UT-Austin, for the 3rd year. History/UTeach major

Getting a B on the history midterm I thought I had failed

Awh, I've been there too! I sprained my ankle the week before Thanksgiving my freshman year of college (last year). I had to come home with a huge walking boot & crutches...it sucked TTS: being miserably sick & being forced to go to class on your 20th birthday. Darn it, I want a 4.0 this semester. on a more positive note... TTR: having fun on your 20th birthday even when you're hacking like a smoker. Yay for Mellow Mushroom trivia night!

Aw, that's sweet. Good luck! For Valentines Day: I'm going home for the weekend to see my family and studying for my upcoming Spanish & Geography exams...yeah, not really exciting, but I'll at least see my "Valentine". His name is Danny..he's a cutie What is everyone else doing for Valentines Day?

LOL You should have heard the watch party that had formed in my dorm...it was chaos when Texas scored the touchdown, then full-blown anger when Tech got the ball and scored, too. My roomie and I were very disappointed not to see the tower lit burnt orange that night *tear* It's 5:48, and OU still sucks..as well as Ohio

UT will totally pwn Ohio State. I wish I could be there in Arizona to see all of the action, but I'll have to settle for a watch party at home. HOOK EM HORNS!! TEXAAAAS FIGHT!

ahh, I'm jealous! TTR -making a 3.5 for the semester, even after bombing my Greek Mythology final -Being home! -getting a new Christmas tree when the new one got washed away during Ike -eating food that isn't cooked in the microwave

Ahh, you met Bobby Bones? I love his morning show, when I actually catch it But yes, I am uber jealous that you met Jason Mraz. He seems like he'd be a great guy to meet, but I also love his music. "Geek in the Pink" is one of my fav. songs! So back on topic...TTR: Almost being done with finals, only being two finals away from finishing this 17-hour semester, catching up on much-needed sleep, and being able to go home to Houston (and to my family) on Sunday!

Yay, a fellow clarinet player! Well, I was section leader for two years when I was in high school and it was kind of tough for me because I'm not the most assertive person in the world (I have been told I'm "too nice") and because I was only a junior when I became the only section leader and there were seniors I had to boss around. Anyway, it's not always fun and games being a section leader; you really have to prove that you're capable of telling others what to do and try not to care whether it'll make you 'cool' when you have to do your job. For example, I had to tell some of my fellow clarinets to take off certain jewelry before a region marching band contest...they didn't want to, especially this one girl whose bracelets wouldn't come off, but were showing whenever she would play her clarinet. I thought we were going to have to cut them off (they were a cloth-type thing) but I bargained with her and we somehow rolled them down her wrist and got them off. I also had issues with the older crowd, who didn't feel like listening to me when I told them to quiet down or would try to overstep my authority and would tell the underclassmen to do something they were told not to do by me AND the band director. I guess with that example you could also learn that when things get too tough, you need to call in the band director. Just because you're section leader doesn't mean you have super powers I wasn't allowed to punish my section, though, but I don't think I would have. The worst trouble i really had with my section was talking during rehearsals and playing around, but that got taken care quickly with a talk and a threat that if they didn't stop I would go to the band director and it would probably affect their class grade as a whole..lol.. Anyway, I could go into way more detail, but I think that if you can realize that being section leader entails a lot of responsibility and that you can't always be the 'cool' section leader you envision you'll always be. There will be some times when you have to bite the bullet and go against what's popular in demand. But seriously, there were so many amazing things that I got out of being a section leader that I wouldn't change any of it if I had to go back to high school and do it over. GOOD LUCK!!!

Wow...I'm really shocked to see Clear Brook as 14th. I know it's been awhile since I've seen their band, but they've always been a great program and I thought they'd go to finals. I guess I'm not the only one who's shocked at the judging, though

ohh okay...I mean, it's been two years since I was in marching band, so maybe I just forgot how UIL works..sorry lol Thanks, anyway!