Aloha friends and family!! This week's installment of the little bloggity-blog from San Antonio is an ACTION PACKED two for one deal!! Last week life was too crazy to get a chance to sit down and write a little update so I'm cramming in both weeks tonight!!
SUPER SUNDAY
I couldn't be more proud to have friends in Tops In Blue 2010 who sang at the Super Bowl this past week!! What a high honor to be invited to sing at the pre-game show with Lea Michele from Glee!! They sang a superb version of America the Beautiful and made us all proud as we watched on the big screen!! Just take a moment and think about what a big deal that was for those Airmen to be able to serve in that capacity... There have been 45 Super Bowls and they get to say that they sang at one of them! How many people even get to say they've BEEN to a Super Bowl, much less perform at one!! Back in 1985 Tops In Blue did an entire halftime show... so it's just a testament to the power and notoriety of the TIB show and the tradition of excellence that we have upheld throughout the years to know that we have been invited twice to take part in the biggest sports event in America!! Way to go TIB 2010!! I'm so proud of you!!
Rehearsal, Rehearsal, and Some More Rehearsal...
We've been charging hard learning new music, singing songs new and old, dancing so hard that we can't see ourselves in the mirror due to the sweat pouring down our face, and trying to break old poor habits that hold us back from progress. It is a real change of my mindset to be totally and completely dedicated to a single cause. Think about it for a moment... most of us go through life with twenty-three thousand different things going on in our life and all of them are competing for our time and attention. As a part of this organization life has actually been greatly simplified; I have only a few priorities: 1) Learn the music 2) Learn the dance steps 3) Ensure the break room is clean.
Other than that my life doesn't consist of much else! It is refreshing to have such clear priorities and such a strong sense of purpose. This is something that I've been searching for ever since my days at AmeriCorps and with KaBoom in Washington, DC. I couldn't be prouder to serve my country in this capacity... I remind myself each day as I brush my teeth that I have been given a tremendous opportunity to make an impact in people's lives through entertainment. It is a duty I don't take lightly!
Winter in San Antonio
Let's just sum it up real quick: Hawaiian leaves island. Hawaiian arrives in the American South. Hawaiian expects warmth and sunshine. Hawaiian is greeted by 20 degree mornings and snow while in San Antonio. Hawaiian buys winter jacket, gloves, and stocking hat that they don't sell in Hawaii. Hawaiian misses Hawaiian weather. The End.
Becoming...
They say that you won't be the same person at the end of this tour. Well, I should hope not!! After a year of professional entertaining, traveling literally around the world, meeting hundreds of thousands of people over the course of 9 months, doing something you have a passion for day in and day out... I should hope that has an impact on me! Each year of my life I strive to be better than the last. I'm in a constant state of self-improvement. At my high school graduation party someone made the comment to me, "Enjoy these years Mark... they're the best of your life!" I know the message deliverer meant well, but I couldn't disagree more with what that person said to me those 12 years ago. I certainly hope that those weren't the best days of my life!! If they were, then what's the point of living the next 80? In my view, life should get better and better each and every year - you should strive to stretch yourself and become a new and better person day to day and year to year. Here at this program we emphasize pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone physically, mentally, and musically. Where we would naturally pull back and rest, we push through and become better. We are getting rid of the old habits and lazy excuses and we are slowly becoming a self-contained military unit which executes with precision and accuracy in each and every thing we do. We are performing at levels we never thought possible. We are learning at speeds we never have before. We are becoming men and women who deserve to be called "TOPS IN BLUE" and are worthy of serving as ambassadors for the United States of America. The journey is trying at times, but worth every step. For at the other side of our struggle lies one of the greatest opportunities this young man has ever had: To serve those who serve our country and uplift the spirits of people everywhere, American or not. The gift of music is meant to be shared and I couldn't be more excited to share it with people this year.
Thanks for all your love and support my friends!
All my best from Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas!!
Mark :)
No comments:
Post a Comment