Terry Chesson must be here...

...I just saw his car parked outside.

2018 NMA Reunion Live-blog

The Navy Musicians Association 2018 Reunion begins on Wednesday, but the Live-blog starts today..

I quit drinking 30 years ago, but the sight of
underutilized libation facilities still makes me sad

It's mostly quiet around the Holiday Inn, but a few "early birds" are already in residence. I spent some time with David Blakeley in the lobby while my wife was out running errands. David and I poked our heads in the lounge, which was empty of MUs, music and b.s. This will change soon.

It's quiet, but the preparations have begun. Warren Weiss was seen hauling equipment into the building and Leon Harris has brought a boatload of gear from the School of Music. It's worth remembering that truckloads of equipment do not magically appear at reunion. Santa's helpers do not haul kettledrums and amplifiers. Dedicated volunteers perform hours of hot, sweaty, dirty work most of us never see.

And I'm setting up for NMA Live-blog 2018. I'll post coverage of goings-on throughout the reunion. You can find it here or through Facebook's Navy Musicians Association group.

I look forward to seeing old and new friends soon. And if you can't come this year, I look forward to hearing from you as a comment here or on Facebook.

MON, 18JUN18 - The Daily Poop - Up at the Crack of Noon

12:01 p.m.

Inside that grumpy old man is a young
stud just bursting with enthusiasm.

We arrived at the Holiday Inn yesterday evening after a drive from Beckley, West Virginia. Most of our time was spent crawling at seven iles per hour on I-64 around Williamsburg. Some things never change.

I'm ready to face the day, the new, invigorated, optimistic and energetic Man of the Future, ready to storm the gates of the Holiday Inn and grab life by the neck.

Who am I kidding? I'm a 69-year-old codger on blood thinners who hobbles around with a cane and a bad attitude. (See yesterday's Special Self-pity Edition.)
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From my room overlooking the lobby, I've already seen  Leon Harris and Warren Weiss. Jo went down to say hi, and learned they'd just finished hauling the NMA gear to the hotel. They'll be back at 1:30 to move something--Jo wasn't sure what it was, but Leon referred to it as "The Widowmaker." I don't know what it is, but I'm not going to lift it.
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Despite any possible negative editorial slant the reader may have perceived over the last few days, I am thrilled to be here and look forward to seeing old shipmates and meeting new friends. I am to pitch in to make this reunion a winner.

But I'm not lifting The Widowmaker. Whatever it is.

SUN, 17JUN18 - The Daily Poop -- Special Self-pity Edition

"Maybe a few drops of rat poison
will shut the whiny S.O.B. up."

Beckley, W. Va.--
Sunday, 8:45:a.m.

The nurse thinks I'll be able to take solid food today.

"What the h'--" you ask.

Okay, let's back up a bit. Yes, this is supposed to be a few day of lighthearted blogging about my trip to Virginia for the NMA reunion. But it's turning into something darker,

Yesterday afternoon, while heading east on I-64 in West Virginia, I began bleeding from the mouth. Don't know how it happened, but generally, not a big deal, according to Nurse Jo, my travel companion and wife.

Trouble is, I'm on blood thinners, which slows clotting and can allow minor bleeding to last for hours. Why blood thinners? To get my heart working right. Why the heart problem?  Because I just had a stent put into an artery in my heart. Why the stent? Because the artery was blocked.

Nurse Jo travels with a variety of medical supplies, so we got to a hotel here in Beckley and she went to work with bandages, gauzes and, of course, incessant blood pressure monitoring.  The bleeding continued into the evening, during which time I dined on things that don't irritate oral wounds, Applesauce and V8 juice were made to go together..

So, we're now getting ready to go downstairs to the the hotel restaurant for breakfast, but I still need to be careful. Jo thinks maybe liquified scrambled eggs or yogurt puree will be acceptable.

If all goes well and I don't bleed out, we expect this handbasket to reach Virginia Beach this afternoon. I can't wait for this trip to end.

I look forward to a rousing good time at the reunion, though I'll have to restrain myself. With this ongoing bleeding problem, I'll need to avoid the sort of behavior that could get me punched in the face.

SAT, 16JUN18 - The Daily Poop - My Old Kentucky Home

Saturday Morning

It's hot. It's still morning and it's still hot. It's hot everywhere. Hot as hell.

Except in our hotel. Jo and I left the Mississippi River Valley yesterday, drove across sun-baked Illinois and sun-baked Indiana until we reached our day's destination, sun-baked Louisville, Kentucky.

We'll drive today to Beckley, West Virginia. It will be hot. It's hot everywhere. Hot as hell.

Which makes me wonder: what will the weather be like in Virginia Beach during the reunion next week? It's always hot, but this year, it's hot everywhere. Hot as--well, you get the picture.

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I'm sorry to hear that Bob Grindle has to stay home this year. Apparently, I'm not the only person in the world with medical problems. We'll miss you, Boomer--aye!.

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On the other hand, I hear that Marty Nau will be here this year. A last minute medical event kept Marty home last year. I missed hearing him play, tho' I'm lucky; the radio host of the late-night jazz program on WVIK, Rock Island, plays Marty's recordings Marty can make a clarinet worthwhile listening to.

FRI, 15JUN18 - The Daily Poop -- First Edition

Five days and the fun begins. Music, laughter, old shipmates, new friends, Basie charts and sea stories galore. It's the 2018 reunion of the Navy Musicians Association.

 And thus begins the Daily Poop, my annual, pre-reunion pep rally of news and slander. I'll keep this up daily until the reunion starts on Wednesday the 20th (or maybe the day before) at which time Live Blog 2018 will kick in. That'll be round-the-clock coverage of the NMA action in Virginia Beach. More about this later.

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I'm looking forward to this NMA reunion like never before. It's been a crappy year--cat scans, ekgs, stress tests heart blockages--I was afraid I wouldn't be able to make the trip. But a coupla weeks ago, the doc put a stent in my heart. Yesterday he gave me the okay to travel and said I could hope for improvement soon.

So my wife and I are about to hop in the car and head toward Virginia. (Actually, Jo will "hop" in. I'll "dodder with my cane.")

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Usually, I spend about month before the reunion in a quivering state of high anticipation. Because of my aforementioned medical uncertainties, haven't experienced such high drama this year. Until now. I'll have to pack it all in during the next few days.

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Got news? Slander? Are you coming to the reunion? Do you have to stay home for your grandniece's first dance recital? Let me know. Giving me news to share helps the Daily Poop cover more than just me, me, me.

So, away we go. Our course is set for the Holiday Inn in Virginia Beach.

Anchors Aweigh!