• New R.A.T. Activity pictures (start here)

Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar…

… all for Auburn, stand up and holler!

The annual Bowling Night is always one of the most popular R.A.T. Activities.

Our head drum major, Nick, poses for the camera. I wonder if that’s part of his pregame entrance routine?

Sometimes the hardest part of bowling is figuring out how to run the dang computer.

A little bit of weather couldn’t rain out our first annual Preseason Camp Tailgate, which was moved last minute to the Jordan-Hare Parking Deck.

Oh yeah, there was enough BBQ to go around.

An action shot.

Karen had a little bit of trouble running the beverage table.

Mmmm…

I’d like to apologize to anyone who tried to access the Photo Gallery albums yesterday and couldn’t - they were accidentally password protected; however, this has been corrected.  So, without further ado, here are some new photos.

• New Preseason Camp photos (start here)
• New R.A.T. Activity photos (start here)

I told you it’d get crowded once everyone showed up.

Welcome to Preseason Camp 2008!

The AUMB - not for the claustrophobic.

Meanwhile, the percussionists burn the midnight oil.

Hold on to your hats, R.A.T.s!  It’s Word Up!

We close each day of Preseason Camp the right way - singing our Alma Mater.

After rehearsal’s over, the R.A.T. guys anxiously await to meet their R.A.T. Moms.

Similarly, the R.A.T. girls wait outside to hear who their R.A.T. Dad is.

Each new R.A.T. family receives a signed Certificate of Adoption which clearly states the terms of adoption: that each rookie shall be a R.A.T. until that fateful day when the Auburn Tigers claim victory over the Crimson Tide.

Twins! Each happy R.A.T. Family heads up to Bodie Hinton Field, where the Moms and Dads their their kids to ice cream.

Camp is just beginning!  More pictures are coming, so keep an eye on the R.A.T. Blog for updates!  WAR EAGLE!

It’s only Day 2 for our Rookie Auburn Tigers, but they’ve already accomplished a lot!  We’ve been taking photos around camp, and also of our R.A.T. Activities and Drills, and they’ll be posted throughout the week to our Photo Gallery.  I’ll be blogging things here a bit as well, showing y’all a few of my favorite pictures.

Preseason Camp pictures can be found right here, and R.A.T. Program pics are in this album.  The R.A.T. Leaders and I hope you will share this page with your parents and friends back home, so they can see the awesome stuff that we’re up to this week.  Also, if any band students have a few cool photos they’d like to share, email them to me at 1auband@auburn.edu. WAR EAGLE!

The 2008 R.A.T.s in their first music rehearsal.  If you think it’s crowded now, wait until the Vets show up tonight at the first full-band music rehearsal.

Streeeeeetch!

Proper posture is key.

Our R.A.T.s’ first steps.

A group of R.A.T.s returning to Samford Hall after the annual campus-wide Scavenger Hunt.

Jake thinks that adding a McDonald’s apple pie to the Scavenger Hunt list was a good idea.

Wake up, trombones! It’s time for R.A.T. Drills!

The R.A.T. Groups get to know each other.  Each R.A.T. Group is made of people from different sections of the band, so it’s a great way to meet other rookies that you normally wouldn’t run into.

Tonight: R.A.T. Adoptions!

You can see bigger versions of all these photos by going to the Photo Gallery linked above.  Check checking this space for more updates as camp goes on.  WAR EAGLE!

So it is my turn to post on this blog deal…let me be first and foremost with you, future R.A.T.s, I am not a blogger. This would mean that I have no idea what to say, or do, or the lingo…so bear with me a little bit.

A little bit about myself…My name is Nick Smith, the Head Drum Major for the Auburn University Marching Band. I am pretty much involved in every “band-type” thing that you can be in at Auburn, and I would not change it for the world. One of my favorite ensembles that I am involved in is “Auburn Premier Brass,” an all-music major group that my friends and I began over a year ago to further our development as musicians. We have performed at several University and community related events like the University President’s Inauguration, College of Liberal Arts events, weddings and church services.

Enough about me though, lets talk about you, the incoming RAT, which of course you know means “Rookie Auburn Tiger.” The RAT program at Auburn is a nationally recognized freshman program that is being duplicated under similar names across the nation. You don’t know it yet, but in a couple of days, you are headed to a band program that revolves around the words “Family and Fun.” We all pride ourselves with being one of the top marching bands in SEC, but also in the nation. Don’t take just my word though; ask your section leader and even your college friends. If you don’t believe them, ask the fans of Auburn University. The Auburn University Marching Band is famous, and YOU are going to be apart of it, CONGRATS!

So you have questions? You will immediately fit in when you get here, and will find it incredibly easy to talk to anyone in the band. So don’t be afraid to ask. But, if you have a few things you want to know now, ask! Our contact information is plastered all over this site. One really cool thing about the “AUMB” is that we are the biggest organization on campus, flat out. I had some friends tell me, when I was a freshman, that I would never walk around campus and not see someone from the band. THEY WERE NOT LYING! Tip #1 for the freshman college student that wants to know someone before their first class: JOIN BAND!

So what else can you do at Auburn besides the marching band? Campus Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, basketball pep band, Orchestra, Percussion ensemble, steel drum band, horn ensemble, woodwind quintet, brass quintet, trombone quartet…you name it, you can start it! Not a music major? Not a problem. Any of the above ensembles are available to you, regardless of your major.

One quick word of advice… don’t overload yourself this first semester. Give yourself time to adjust to the added freedom from Mom, and the new types of classes and college life. One thing that gives YOU and advantage is that you are surrounded by 340 other students in a variety of majors from the FIRST day of class. Use your band friends!

I hope that you will contact me (through Facebook or e-mail or whatever) if you need anything! I am looking forward to meeting you during preseason camp and the Fall 2008 season! If I don’t come up to you first, come up to me. I am a pretty friendly guy, so don’t be afraid. WAR EAGLE and “peace out…” I think that’s cool to say.

Nick Smith

The 2008-09 AUMB Drum Majors

Well it’s that time of year. The sun is blazing, ESPN is already making bad calls, and the humidity in Alabama is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Preseason Camp is just around the corner, so it’s about time that we announced our evening R.A.T. Activities - our social events during the week of band camp. So without any further delay, here is the schedule:

• Friday, August 8:
  Samford Lawn Pizza/Epic Campus-Wide Scavenger Hunt
  (Please bring $5 to cover the cost of the pizza)
• Saturday, August 9:
  R.A.T. Adoptions and Bruster’s Ice Cream
• Sunday, August 10:
  Section Night
• Monday, August 11:
  Bowling Night
  (Please bring $7 to cover the cost of bowling)
• Tuesday, August 12:
  Tailgate Night
• Wednesday, August 13:
  Ander’s Night
• Thursday, August 14:
  O-Night
• Friday, August 15:
  Section Dinner
• Saturday, August 16:
  Auburn Idol
• Sunday, August 17:
  R.A.T. Banquet

So there we go. That’s what’s up. You are now officially in the loop and ready to go. I hope everyone is just as pumped as I am about getting down to the loveliest village on the planes and start up some pre-game practice. One last thing, please bring about $15 to registration to help cover the cost of all the RAT activities. I’ll see yall on August 8th.

War Eagle,
Jake B.

As preseason camp and the fall semester continue to draw near, many of you guys and girls probably have lots of questions running through your mind. As R.A.T. Leaders, it’s part of our job to handle those questions and to make sure that each of you has a wonderful transition into the Auburn family. However, with over 150 R.A.T.s, it’s not really possible for Allison, Jake, John, and me to be available for one-on-one time with each of you. That’s where the R.A.T. Parent program comes in! While you may have heard us mention a little bit about R.A.T. Parents at Camp War Eagle, what they actually are and how it all works may have completely been lost in the whirlwind of facts being thrown in your direction (thus, the purpose of this blog).

First of all, I think it’s nice for you all to know that R.A.T. Parents are complete volunteers. These guys and girls sign up for the plain and simple reason that they just want to meet, get to know, and help you out. So with that being said, I’d like to encourage you all to take advantage of their volunteer efforts. If you have questions, ask them. Whether your questions are about school, band, or just college life in general, odds are your R.A.T. Parent will be more than happy to at least try and answer if for you. Introduce them to the friends you’ve made so far, and ask them to introduce you to theirs. You never know what kind of friendships you might make!

So how exactly does it work? How will you know who your R.A.T. Parent is, and when will you find out?

Well, a few days before you all come to camp, the rest of the R.A.T. Leaders and I will sit down and assign R.A.T.s to their prospective parents. The process is totally random, with none of us knowing what to expect. Male R.A.T.s are assigned to female returning marchers (a.k.a.: your R.A.T. Mom) and female R.A.T.s are assigned to male returning marchers (of course, your R.A.T. Dad).

Then, after the second evening practice of camp, all of you R.A.T.s and your expecting parents will return to the band hall for R.A.T. Adoptions. At this time, you will be split into two groups (male R.A.T.s and Moms, female R.A.T.s and Dads). The R.A.T. Leaders will then call out each of your names, and you will be introduced to your parent. Some parents will end up with twins, and even new staff members are adopted.

After the big reveal, everyone heads back up to the band field for a time of socializing and ice cream (which is free for the R.A.T.s, courtesy of your R.A.T. parent). This is a great time to get to know more about your parent and to meet several new people. For us older members, it’s always a lot of fun to meet our friends’ adopted R.A.T.s.

So that is pretty much it about the R.A.T. Parent program. As I mentioned earlier, it is a randomized process of assignments. With the being said, it is of course impossible to determine just exactly how each R.A.T. and parent match will hit it off. Sometimes, it’s a perfect set-up, other times it’s not so perfect. However, should the latter be the case for you, I still want to encourage you to take your R.A.T. Parent up on all they have to offer. Just because the two of you are not meant to be best friends forever, that doesn’t mean that his or she cannot help you out or answer your questions.

I hope you all are getting super excited about camp (I think I say that a lot). It’s only a little more than a week away! I look forward to meeting you all!

War Eagle :D

~Hannah

War Eagle!

My name is John Warner and I am one of your drum majors for this upcoming season. I wanted to share a little about myself and tell you how excited we are about having you join our Auburn band family.

This fall, I will be a senior majoring in biomedical sciences, with plans to attend dental school next year. I stay very busy studying every semester, loading up on those good ole’ chemistry and biology classes. For those of you who have the concern of band taking up too much time to be able to handle classes, have no fear. I shared the same concern too, but was able to successfully complete all 18 hours of class the fall of freshman year taking marching band too. In addition to being a part of the AUMB, I am also involved with the organization Student Recruiters here at Auburn. So if you visited here over the past two years, there’s a chance I gave you a tour of AU’s campus!

Overall, being in a college band is more rewarding than any other organization at a university. Using your talents in giving back to Auburn is such a great opportunity, and you all have so much to look forward to in a few weeks! Trips are one of my favorite activities with the band. It is so much fun traveling around the SEC, and we have two excellent full band trips planed to Vanderbilt and Alabama this year. Whether we travel and come home with a win, or a loss, it’s still a great feeling to know you’ve supported Auburn in your best capacity.

I hope you all have a great remainder of the summer. Again, I can’t wait to meet you all, and am looking forward to this fall!

John

So you’ve made it through preseason camp. You know the stand tunes, you know the show music, and you could probably even march your spot in the drill with your eyes closed. Well now it’s time to show that off (although I don’t recommend marching with your eyes closed). That’s right R.A.T.s….it’s GAMEDAY!

While the game may only be a few hours long, Gameday for the marching band starts well before the game. There are shows to review, pregame to practice, and pep rallies to perform. Here’s a rundown on how Saturdays on the Plains typically go.

Rise and Shine… it’s morning rehearsal!

If I had to guess, I’d say that right now the idea of rolling out of bed at 7:00am on a Saturday morning doesn’t sound a lot like something you would voluntarily do. However, for the marching band, Gameday can start just that early. Although morning rehearsals are not always that early, on days when the football game starts before noon, it’s not unusual for us to be out on the band field before the sun even rises.

Morning rehearsals will run relatively similar to a typical school rehearsal. The big main difference is that they will run a little longer (around 3 hours). You will start off by stretching and tuning in your section, then move to the warm-up arch to run through some music, and then hit the field for marching practice (both the halftime and pregame shows). A band-wide “War Eagle!” always ends practice and sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Break Time!

I remember my freshman year when the first Gameday rolled around; I just assumed that the day would be non-stop practice and pep rallies and such. Luckily, I was proven quite wrong. After morning rehearsals are over, band members are allowed time to take in all that Gameday at Auburn has to offer. (Well… not everything.)

Break time can be anywhere from an hour to a few hours, usually depending on the game time and what pep band you are in, which I will discuss later. During this time, what each band member chooses to do is pretty much up to their discretion. Some band members take this time to tailgate with their families, while others choose to nap in the band hall. The rest of the band can usually be found at the Auburn Alumni tent during the break, chowing down on hot dogs and popcorn before the beginning of Tiger Walk. (Ed. note: Band members get in free! It’s pretty sweet.)

Speaking of Tiger Walk…

Tiger Walk is an old Auburn tradition where the players and coaches walk through a crowd of screaming fans from the intersection of Donahue and Samford into the football stadium. For this part of Gameday, the band is split into 4 smaller pep bands. Each home game, the bands will rotate which ones participate in Tiger Walk. At Tiger Walk, the band puts on a small pep rally for the fans lining the street before playing music to accompany the football team on their stroll to the stadium. Although the pep bands that participate in Tiger Walk usually have their break time cut short, it’s always ton of fun and most band members actually look forward to their band’s turn. (It’s also a pretty good opportunity for a photo with Aubie, haha!)

(Ed. note: Okay, so Tiger Walk’s pretty amazing, right? Check out this article from EPSN.com if you don’t believe me. It’s about a little Tiger Walk from 1989 when Bama first came to town.)

Four Corners Pep Rally!

At the end of break time, each of the four pep bands head out to their assigned locations to prepare for the Four Corners Pep Rally. In this event, each of the bands marches down one of the streets that intersect in front of the stadium, playing “War Eagle” and “Glory” all along the way while the fans that line the streets clap and sing along.

After each of the bands has reached the intersection, the band joins in with the cheerleaders to put on one more loud and exciting pep rally. Rotating between school tunes and cheers, if you’re not excited for game day after this, you just might not be human. Fans pack tight into the intersection, cheering and singing. Even fans of opposing teams stop by to see what’s going on (and some climb into trees with inflatable alligators, as was the case of the Florida game two years ago).

Once the pep rally has finished the four bands joins back together and march into the stadium, which leads me into the next topic…

The March Around!

After all the pep rallying and such, we finally get to go into the stadium! The March Around is a pretty self-explanatory event, but fun nonetheless. During this, the band obviously “marches around” the stadium, playing everyone’s favorite school songs. It seems simple enough, but you’d be surprised to find how difficult it can actually be to move 350+ people around a stadium simultaneously.

When the march around is finished, only one more pre-kickoff performance really remains for the marching band…but don’t you worry, it’s definitely worth the wait.

PREEEEEGAME!!

Once you see the eagle soaring and crowd crying “Waaaaaaar”, you’ll know it’s on its way. The awesome band trailer will play on the HD Jumbotron.

After that, the drum majors will make their entrance onto the field, salute, and call the band to attention. The drums start the pregame cadence, and before you know it, you’re bursting out of the tunnel, jogging in step, with 87,451 fans screaming in the background. After the pregame show, the football team will enter the field and it’s kickoff time.

After kickoff, the band members move to their seats in the stadium, and gear up for a game of playing stand tunes, cheering, and just having a great time watching Auburn Football. Oh yeah, and there’s that whole half-time show thing, too. Don’t want to forget about that!

So pretty much, that’s how game day goes for members of the AUMB. Away games are, of course, a little different, and the schedule is likely to change for each one. While it may seem like a lot of things to do and places to be, you’ll have no problem at all knowing what to do. Schedules are always available, and section leaders are always very responsible for making sure everyone gets to the correct place at the correct time.

I hope you all are getting super excited (maybe even more so after reading this) for the fall! There’s less than 55 days left until the first game day (and less than 30 until band camp)!!

See you all soon! War Eagle!

~Hannah

As the fall semester gets closer and closer, some of you may find yourself in the same situation I did two years ago. With a loaded class and extracurricular schedule, I was becoming more and more anxious as to how I would ever be able to manage all my activities and still do well in my classes. However, throughout the course of that semester and all the ones since, I’ve discovered a lot of things that have helped me to succeed in my academic career. Hopefully these things will be of some benefit to you, as well!

Number One: Schedule wisely!

So if you’ve already been through Camp War Eagle, I’m sure you know all too well the chaos of trying to schedule and register for classes. Often times, it’s pressing enough to just get the class you want, let alone in a building that fits well with the rest of your schedule. However, sometimes where the class is located can be just as important as the class itself. If you have class in a location that requires you to pretty much sprint across campus, odds are you’ll be less likely to go. Don’t assume that every section of a class is held in the same building. Many courses are taught in buildings all across campus.

Don’t worry, however, if you do happen to have a schedule that will require some serious trekking across campus. It’s probably a better idea to just go with it, than try to reschedule the class. I walked back and forth all over campus for classes my freshman year, and I’m pretty sure that’s what kept away the freshman fifteen!

Number Two: Know where to go!

Sure you saw pretty much all of campus during Camp War Eagle, but do you think you’ll be able to remember which way to go when you only have ten or fifteen minutes to get there? Probably not. Unless you’re one of those lucky kids who have been visiting campus since birth, you will most likely need to scout out your classrooms before the first day of school. Some building will be pretty easy to remember, but some may not. I’m going to be a junior in the fall and I still get lost in the Haley Center.

There’s always a break here and there during Preseason Camp, so during the free time you have, you could always get a group of fellow freshman together and do a little group search and find for classes. I’m sure some of the upperclassmen in your sections would have no problem at all helping you out, either! Check out the Campus Map if you need to, as well!

Number Three: Actually go to class!

If you’re gonna spend all that time scheduling, locating, and not mention paying for your classes, you might as well go to them. Sure some of them will be boring, and some of them will be early, some of them won’t even take attendance, and some of them will fall at times when you seem to have a million better things to do. However, showing up and paying attention are probably two of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself as a college student.

But what about the G.A.P. policy, can’t I just use that, you might ask? Well, you can….but using up all of your GAPs as a freshman really isn’t wise. You never know what tricky class could be up ahead. My advice is to think of them as a “rainy day” savings…something that you shouldn’t spend unless you absolutely have to!

(Ed. note: Yeah, I’d just like to reemphasize the whole GAP thing. You can use them to avoid having to drop out of college, but otherwise try to act like they don’t exist. Those of you on scholarship especially, just forget it… nobody will look at your adjusted grades; they only care about your actual GPA.)

Number Four: Keep up with important dates!

This one pretty much goes along with what Allison said in the previous post about using a daily planner. Planners are amazing little things that can go a long way when it comes to crazy fall schedules. However, if you’re like me, keeping up with a planner is kind of difficult, too! To solve this problem, I buy the binders with a clear cover, or with the plastic slit that allow for coversheets. Then, when the professor gives you the syllabus, you just slide it into the front or make it the front page of your binder. Now, every time you go to class or study, you have the schedule right there in front of you!

In addition to that, a dry-erase calendar is also really helpful to have at home. With it, you can write down the important dates of practices, exams, and of course football games!!

Number Five: Find a Study Buddy and Use the Library!

First of all, a study buddy does not equal someone you find attractive and/or want to date who just so happens to be in the same class as you, haha. A good study buddy can be a tremendous help when it comes to classes. You never know when you may get sick or just accidentally fall asleep in class (I told you some of them might be boring!). With a reliable study partner, you can be certain to catch up on whatever you may miss. In addition to being a good safety net, your study buddy can be one of the best test preparation tools around. (Don’t be a freeloader, though! Make sure you are just as reliable for your study buddy in case the same thing happens to them!)

So maybe you’re shy? That’s okay, too! Auburn offers Study Partners (a peer tutoring service), as well as Supplemental Instruction (a regularly scheduled, peer-lead review session) that you can use! (Ed. note: Also, if you’re struggling with math, the department usually offers free tutoring in the afternoons. Actually, in general, if you ask around you should have no trouble finding assistance if you need help in any class, whether it’s from a professor, some know-it-all in your class who would love to show off and help you out, or some sort of tutoring/study program put on by the department or a campus organization. Of course, if you can’t find help on your own, ask your favorite R.A.T. Leader, and they can hook you up.)

While it may seem like a hassle to either walk or drive to the library, the benefits that come from it have been pretty impressive for me in the past. At your apartment or dorm, there are tons of distractions (the refrigerator is always a big one for me, haha) that can limit the effectiveness of your study time. At the library, these things are limited and you can more easily focus all of your time on nailing down those History notes for your exam. Also, the Study Partners program is based in the library if you wanted to check that out!

I know this may all seem like a lot to try and remember, but probably my best advice for you guys is to just use common sense when it comes to school. Attend classes, study early, and never be afraid to ask for help. The AUMB has majors of all kinds, and lots of members with impressive GPA’s. With a few good organizational skills and dedication, I know you guys and girls will have no problem at all being successful at Auburn University!

Can’t wait to see you all!
War Eagle!

Hannah

WAR EAGLE!!! Hey, just wanted to take a moment to say hi to all of the R.A.T.s out there who are keeping up with this blog (as well as the Vets who wish they had one when they were R.A.T.s). I hope your summer is going as great as mine is down here at Auburn. I am just taking a couple of classes that I honestly just don’t want to take during the fall or spring, and I am also a counselor for a summer program for incoming freshmen just like you!

I came to Auburn as a Mathematics/Pre-Med and Music Education double major, knowing that I would take my first year of college to hopefully find out exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Luckily, it was clear to me after only one semester, as I absolutely loved going to my music classes and not having too much trouble in them. On the other hand, I absolutely dreaded dragging myself to my science classes and labs. I could just feel that it was right for me to pursue a career in music, and I absolutely love still having that energetic drive to learn new things about it every day and be able to pass it along to the students that I teach.

I have been very fortunate to do many, many things during my time here at Auburn. This may take the entire rest of the paragraph, but here are all of the ensembles that I have participated in here at Auburn: Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Choir, Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, Brass Quintet, Trombone Choir, Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, Trombone Quartet, and the list goes on. I’m also very involved with Sacred Harp Singing and helped teach a community outreach course about it. I’ve also played intramural sports just about every semester.

I’ve been very fortunate to have been an Auburn fan all my life, as my dad, sister, and brother all have earned degrees from Auburn. I have been coming to Auburn football games since I can remember, and have been to almost every home game since I was in high school. As a high school band… um… jock (less derogatory than nerd), I would watch the band as they played my favorite songs. I can remember intently watching the drum majors from that era as it has been a dream of mine to be able to serve the AUMB as a drum major.

While I don’t have too many “outstanding memories” or “embarrassing moments” within the band, I’ll tell you my very diverse story of my career in marching band. I came into Band Camp a couple of days late my first two years because I spent those summers marching in a drum corps. Therefore, not only did I not know where my spot would be on the field, but I also didn’t know what instrument I was going to be playing. I spent my first two years officially as a member of The Herd, but I went back and forth playing tuba and trombone, sometimes even swapping instruments between pregame, playing in the stands, and halftime. Because of my ability to move around, I learned over a dozen different pregame spots during my R.A.T. year. Even though I never marched some of those spots in a game, I did show my ability to move around and be able to jump into a spot if I was needed. And while most of you R.A.T.s will find your one pregame spot and it will be yours (or you will trade out with another R.A.T.), I hope that if you are an alternate for that week, you are able to jump in to another spot if somebody else in the band is absent for practice or falls ill.

I thought that once I had earned a position as section leader for the trombone section, I would be done swapping back and forth. However, for one week this past season, there weren’t enough tuba players available to march tuba. However, we had an excess of trombone alternates, and so during the week I switched to tuba for one show and another trombone player took my spot. This again brought about another battle in a war that has now lasted for 3 years as to which section I am truly in and which my heart belongs to… and I expect this year to be no different. Who knows, maybe we’ll be short a piccolo player one week this year and I’ll fill that spot… nah.

In closing, I hope you all are able to take some good advice from this post. One of the things that I stress to not just band R.A.T.s, but all Auburn freshmen, is to get out and get involved in as many things that interest you. As you have learned at Camp War Eagle, Auburn has a countless number of organizations and clubs that you can join. Also, I hope that you have learned that being flexible and keeping a good attitude is a very good quality to have in this band. So whenever you hear that there is a hole in pregame for that day of practice, I hope you are the first one running out onto the field to fill it.

So, I’ll see you all in 6 short weeks. Between now and then, have fun, but also keep preparing for band. Keep playing your horn and keep exercising. Practicing just a little bit per week is more than not practicing at all. And in the words of the late Auburn radio announcer Jim Fyffe, “My time is up. I thank you for yours.”