Morning Report - Tues, 24JUN08

Waves of activity are lapping on the shores of the Memphis Marriott this morning. Navy Musicians Association President Terry Chesson tells me the registration room will open sometime today, the day before the reunion officially begins.

Terry also says a couple of my old bosses will arrive today: Tex Waldron, my old bandmaster, and Jack Dye, my first MCPOW (Master Chief Petty Officer of the World).

Also scheduled to arrive today: my arch-enemy, Lee Hudson. Hudbucket and I have been at war with each other since the Newport Wars of the mid-1980s. Seeing him for the first time in a quarter-century will be a test: can we take the high ground treat each other with dignity and respect, or will our relationship devolve into snipery, slander and barroom backstabbing?

Should things deteriorate, we know whose fault it will be . . .

The Daily Poop - Tues, 23 June

Fancy, schmancy. The lobby of the Marriott is quiet this AM. This will change as the days goes by--30 members will file in today. Four other organizations are meeting here, and scores of other guests will be in attendance.

And the combo will set up in an alcove between the lounge and the lobby. What this means is that the cozy conversation pit in the lobby pictured here will soon be prime seating for the evening jam sessions.

I'm off to see what's what and who's who. NMA President Terry Chesson is here, and I haven't seen him yet.

I'll be back later this morning or early afternoon with more scoop and poop.

Dateline:Memphis

What looks like an eight-hour trip on the map turns into an eleven-hour trek. This will sound familiar from the road-trip days.

But my wife and I are at the Memphis Marriott, safe, sound, and impressed by the facilities. The hotel is visible from the interstate and easy to reach. It's within walking distance of an IHOP, Arby's, Popeyes, Taco Bell, a Chinese restaurant and other fine dining opportunities. The Marriott has a restaurant, of course, but Jo and I went to IHOP for road food.

This old MU doesn't trip the light fantastic with the endurance of his younger days. Bob Leketa and Kim Holl are out on the patio having a drink. I'll join them for a few minutes and then crash.

(Bob says that we've got 30 rooms reserved for tomorrow night. Looks like it's the usual routine--the yakking and jamming will begin the day before the reunion officially begins.)

Hasta la manana, amigos.

Tomorrow: Memphis.

Car is packed.

Departure tomorrow 0530.

Navy Lyres will be dark until arrival in Memphis, est. 1600.

Now Taps.

Taps.

All lights out. Maintain silence about the decks.

Taps.

The Daily Poop - Sun, 22JUN08

• -- Guitar, Electric, 1 each.
  -- Amplifier, portable, 1 each.
  -- Gigbag (Cords, picks, etc.), 1 each.

I'm packing the car today, because I'll be leaving for Memphis tomorrow morning at zero dark thirty.

• -- NMA shirts, polo, two pair.
  -- NMA shirt, tee, 1 each.
  -- Trousers, presentable, 4 pair.

The Mississippi River and it's tributaries are still flooding some roads, so my wife and I may have to alter our route as we drive.

• -- Road atlas, Rand McNally, 1 each.
  -- Weather radio, portable, 1 each.

This site has had about 200 visits in this last week. Many MUs who can't attend the reunion this year have told me they'll get the highlights here at Navy Lyres.

• -- computer, laptop, 1 each.
  -- Camera, digital, 1 each.

I talked to NMA President Terry Chesson yesterday. He's preparing the agenda for the NMA board of directors' meeting at the reunion, so I didn't take too much of his time. We rehashed a bachelor party that took place in Newport in 1977. It was--well, you had to be there.

• -- Sea stories, 20,000.

The Daily Poop - Sat, 21JUN08

I found sea duty difficult.

As the band's chief, I was the referee of a Texas cage match among sixteen professional wrestlers.

I was the marriage counselor for the sax player who got the bad letter from his wife.

I was trip planner who had to beg for an admiral's barge so the combo would be ashore in time.

I was the guy who sucked up to the laundry petty officer so the trio would have clean whites for the captain's reception.

I was the whipping boy for the MCPOC who hated the band and would have reamed out my boys if I didn't let him unleash it all on me.

I was nursemaid, babysitter, tour director and music theory teacher.

Sometimes I was even the chaplain, the shepherd who brought comfort to the desolate.

And when I got the call in the Indian Ocean that my father was dying, my boys did the same for me.

At times, I wanted to crawl into the nearest empty locker and hold my breath until the cruise was over.

And there were times I felt sorry for everyone in the world who was not, at that very moment, on a ship of the United States Navy in the Indian Ocean conducting this ragtag collection 16-piece bagband through "Anchors Aweigh" during unreps.

Most people, despite their love of country and their respect for our service, cannot understand this.

You, my shipmates, understand.

See you soon in Memphis.