Underway With the NMA

The registration room--our "quarterdeck"--was bustling all day long. A working party had met at 0800 to set up for rehearsal, so our dance band was in action by 0925, an NMA record. 

The daily routine ran smoothly. After dance band, the rock band rehearsed. 

It's only noon and we've used up
half a legal pad.

In the afternoon, the concert band held a long and productive rehearsal. An 1800 dance band session has begun and the first day of the NMA reunion will end with music and sea stories in the lounge.

As usual.

Just like the old days: check the gig board
and be ready for changes that
may--and will--occur.

Shipmate Frank: the Lobby-Cam

NMA reunion coverage will reach new heights with the implementation of this exciting, new feature.

 

NMA Reunion 2015: Day One

Good morning shipmates wherever you are. The 2015 reunion of the Navy Musicians Association is only minutes away from its official launch.

There's plenty of work yet to be done. A set-up crew is already at work preparing our work spaces for the first Big Band rehearsal at.0900. Registration has begun early in an attempt to handle the early-birds came who came in late yesterday.






A pre-reunion gathering erupted last night in the (surprise, surprise) lounge at the Holiday Inn. A bit of conversation, a bit a jazz and a lot of excitement.

I am now off in search of fellowship, music and coffee. Further reports will come through the day.

Utter Humiliation

During a brief slowdown in the stream of early birds who checked in today, I walked into the registration room and decided to grace the NMA with my Official Presence.

"Deb," I said, "allow me to make your day by signing in."

I didn't exactly make her day. She looked in her computer and said, "You haven't pre-registered."

"Piffle," I said. "Nonsense. I always pre-register."

"You have always registered early,' she said, employing a verb tense that I did not recognize. "But this year, you have not registered early."

I didn't quibble. I decided to let her have her way, pay up and straighten it out later with the cancelled check and receipt that would demonstrate that I'd been right all along--as usual.

A quick e-mail to my wife set the record straight. Jo keeps detailed records of expenditures and quickly found the problem: I, the guy who has spent the last four months rallying troops and encouraging them to register early, forgot to, uh, register early.

I'm known as a creative guy, and as soon as I can spin this into a narrative in which I am the hero, believe me, I'll post it right here.

Another Crisis Averted

Lots of our reunion activities take place in Ashley's Lounge at the Holiday Inn. We'll probably hold an early-bird jam session there tonight. Unfortunately, as the early birds needed a place to congregate this afternoon before Ashley's opened.

Add caption

The storied resourcefulness of the MU came into play. Just as water seeks its own level, MUs seek a place to maintain their level-head approach to life.

In other words, the Blu Bar was open.

Crisis Averted

The timing couldn't have been worse: as members began to check in early, the printer went down. Treasurer Cecil Strange called in the NMA's crack IT Team.

Deb Holl and David Blakeley in conference
moments before somebody notices that the
printer cable is plugged into the wrong hole.