Yesterday I went to JJO Band Camp for the first time. No, this isn't the silly band camp for high school marching bands. This is a one-day rock concert held annually in Madison, WI. But it's more than a rock concert...it's a metal concert and it was awesome! A friend offered me free tickets to attend and I went. So glad I did. For the last several years, I've checked out the lineup but never went. Now I know what I was missing.
The bands alternated between two stages and there was never more than 5 minutes without live, loud music. Not a bad band among them, though my least favorite is Buckcherry...just not a fan. I arrived about 1pm. Shaman's Harvest was playing. The next band was 2 Cents. Funny little story...the lead singer stopped right in the middle of a song and yelled to some kid in the front, "Are you f*&king texting?! Are you kidding me?! Why don't you stick that up your vagina!" Hilarious!
Seasons After, Dope, Janus all rocked...Dope was way cool! Sevendust came on about 4pm. They always put on a great show. Then Soil played. I can't believe they have another new singer. I think I've seen them 4 or 5 times in the last several years and this is the third new singer for them. How can they expect to make it big if they keep changing singers? Buckcherry was next. Like I said, I'm not a fan of them.
Anew Revolution rocked it. I saw them at Summerfest in 2008. They were even better this time around. Great show! Final act of the evening was Godsmack. I've never seen them live before. What a show! Played all of the favorites and some new ones from their new album, The Oracle. Sully and the drummer, Tommy Stewart did a double drum kit jam that was out of this world. For those who didn't know, Sully played drums for 20+ years before starting Godsmack. They both wailed!
Band Camp was definitely a great experience. Two rows of vendors that you would expect to see at a rock show like this...tattoo artists, t-shirts, custom motorcycles. They were doing air brush tattoos. Let me just say there were lots of ladies who were just sporting the artwork. They also had a booth for Miss Pole, a gym dedicated to exotic aerobic exercise classes.
I didn't take a lot of pictures, but you can check out some of the one's I did take here.
I'm looking forward to next year.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Proud to be a United States Marine
The other night I was invited to dinner with a friend. She had a friend in from Arizona who also would be joining us. As it would turn out, we were also joined by her friend, who was in town for business. So we headed to dinner at Harry's Bar & Grill in Milwaukee, WI. We commenced with small talk for a few minutes when this guy had revealed that he served in the Marine Corps. That's all it took and for a majority of the rest of the evening, he and I shared stories and talked about things that only Marines know how.
I have always been amazed at the strong bond that Marines share, regardless of when and where they served. A true brotherhood and I have not experienced anything else like it. The bond that Marines share is as strong, if not stronger, than family. When Marines meet each other for the first time, it's like they've known each other all their lives. I hear the Marine Corps Hymn and my chest fills up. I see the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and I beam with pride.
This year marks 10 years since the end of my active service. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my experiences in the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps has shaped me into the man that I am today and has prepared me for life's challenges. I often think about my decision to leave the Marine Corps and whether or not it was the right one. Hindsight is always 20-20 they say. My Marine friends, active and retired, tell me that it is not necessarily the Marine Corps that I miss, but the camaraderie of my fellow Leathernecks that I miss most. Perhaps they are right. I thought and toiled for a long time before making my decision to leave and I accept that I made the best decision at the time. My years in the Marine Corps are some of the best of my life and one thing is for sure...Once a Marine, Always a Marine!
I have always been amazed at the strong bond that Marines share, regardless of when and where they served. A true brotherhood and I have not experienced anything else like it. The bond that Marines share is as strong, if not stronger, than family. When Marines meet each other for the first time, it's like they've known each other all their lives. I hear the Marine Corps Hymn and my chest fills up. I see the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and I beam with pride.
This year marks 10 years since the end of my active service. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my experiences in the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps has shaped me into the man that I am today and has prepared me for life's challenges. I often think about my decision to leave the Marine Corps and whether or not it was the right one. Hindsight is always 20-20 they say. My Marine friends, active and retired, tell me that it is not necessarily the Marine Corps that I miss, but the camaraderie of my fellow Leathernecks that I miss most. Perhaps they are right. I thought and toiled for a long time before making my decision to leave and I accept that I made the best decision at the time. My years in the Marine Corps are some of the best of my life and one thing is for sure...Once a Marine, Always a Marine!
Semper Fi!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
It's August
It's been a couple weeks since my last post, which was right after my 20-Year high school reunion. Cool thing about that is my classmates and I are still talking about the great time we had. Maybe there will be a 25th. Have to wait and see. Life and time march on though.
Today is August 1, the first day of the month in which I was born. Not just me though, my dad and my grandfather also celebrate birthdays in August...actually both my grandfathers celebrate birthdays in August, but my mom's dad is no longer with us. My brother is hopefully scheduled to return from Iraq in August. My cousin is also coming back from Afghanistan for a short break. Unfortunately, he has to go back. My thoughts and prayers are with both of them. I hope they each know that I would put on a uniform and join them if I could. Family are trying to put together another big party to celebrate birthdays and welcome home my brother and cousin. I will do my best to make it out there. Would be great to see them.
August also means that we are on the back half of Summer. I have often felt that Summerfest was the middle of the Summer. Since Summerfest and my reunion, I've been trying to enjoy as much of the weather as I can. For me, that means as much golf as I can get in. I'm in a golf league on Tuesdays. This past Tuesday, my partner wasn't there and I nearly single-handedly beat the golf pro and his partner. Yes my handicap evened it out, but I played well enough that they needed to win the last hole to secure the victory. To say the least, I was pleasantly satisfied with my round. There will be golf today too, as there is every weekend.
August also means that I need to register for Fall classes. Since 2008, I've been attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in pursuit of a Bachelor's Degree in information systems and technology. I only have three more classes left to take - two this Fall and my senior capstone next Spring. I'm very excited to be this close to finishing. Working full time and taking classes can be a lot to take on, but I make it work. I have also been extremely fortunate to have been able to use the Montgomery GI Bill education benefits afforded to me from my military service. These benefits will have paid for all but one class for both of my degrees (I have an Associates also).
Lots going on in August. Lots to do and lots to prepare for...work, school, and the future. But since the sun is shining today, it's time for me to hit the links. Hope you are enjoying your Summer too!
Today is August 1, the first day of the month in which I was born. Not just me though, my dad and my grandfather also celebrate birthdays in August...actually both my grandfathers celebrate birthdays in August, but my mom's dad is no longer with us. My brother is hopefully scheduled to return from Iraq in August. My cousin is also coming back from Afghanistan for a short break. Unfortunately, he has to go back. My thoughts and prayers are with both of them. I hope they each know that I would put on a uniform and join them if I could. Family are trying to put together another big party to celebrate birthdays and welcome home my brother and cousin. I will do my best to make it out there. Would be great to see them.
August also means that we are on the back half of Summer. I have often felt that Summerfest was the middle of the Summer. Since Summerfest and my reunion, I've been trying to enjoy as much of the weather as I can. For me, that means as much golf as I can get in. I'm in a golf league on Tuesdays. This past Tuesday, my partner wasn't there and I nearly single-handedly beat the golf pro and his partner. Yes my handicap evened it out, but I played well enough that they needed to win the last hole to secure the victory. To say the least, I was pleasantly satisfied with my round. There will be golf today too, as there is every weekend.
August also means that I need to register for Fall classes. Since 2008, I've been attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in pursuit of a Bachelor's Degree in information systems and technology. I only have three more classes left to take - two this Fall and my senior capstone next Spring. I'm very excited to be this close to finishing. Working full time and taking classes can be a lot to take on, but I make it work. I have also been extremely fortunate to have been able to use the Montgomery GI Bill education benefits afforded to me from my military service. These benefits will have paid for all but one class for both of my degrees (I have an Associates also).
Lots going on in August. Lots to do and lots to prepare for...work, school, and the future. But since the sun is shining today, it's time for me to hit the links. Hope you are enjoying your Summer too!
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