Proud to be a Bomber

Graduates of Mountain Home (Arkansas) High School will recognize that line from one of the staple cheers. (For those who aren’t familiar, my high school alma mater’s mascot is a Bomber. We even have one!)Anyway, I digress. I have many things to report vis-a-vis my awesome high school, and here they are.

First, the football team — bless them — is playing in the State Championship game on Saturday! No, I did not just tell a lie! The Bomber football team, which barely managed to win more games than they lost for ages and ages (including most of my time there), has managed to play their way to the championship. It’s absolutely *amazing*.

Second, the high school marching band (of which I was a proud band-geekette member) is playing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow. They’ve been fundraising for over a year and are going to have a blast. Tune in tomorrow to see them!

Third, because the high school band won’t be back from New York to play at the championship football game (being played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, a stadium with which I’ve had my own, um, interesting experiences), the junior high band is playing there instead.

Fourth, because Mr. Maxwell, junior high school band director, is off cavorting with the high school kids in New York, retired band director Robert Nelson is filling in for practice this week.

And really, this is why I’m writing. Here’s what the Baxter Bulletin said about Mr. Nelson working with the kids during rehearsal yesterday:

Nelson was going over the alma mater and fight songs with the junior high band Tuesday morning.

In the middle of “Bomber Man,” Nelson put his baton down.

“On my sickest day as a teacher, I can yell louder than that,” Nelson told the band. “Look right up here and yell at me; it is the only chance you will get.”

The band also practiced the school song, which the ninth grade students would normally expect to learn when they move over to the high school.

“Drums, War Memorial Stadium is bigger than this room,” Nelson added. “Now, what sounds loud in here won’t even ripple the air down there. You need to be cracking walls in here to get it done down there.”

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Anyway, I’ll come back and update this with some pictures and errata later, but I’ve gotta scoot for now. Happy Thanksgiving (or, happy Thursday, if you’re not celebrating Thanksgiving) everyone!