Today marks the end of the first week at Tops In Blue 2011 Staging! Woo hoo!! We survived!! :) It has been an exciting journey towards the biggest goal I've ever set for myself: To be ready to tour the world as a professional entertainer and shoulder the responsibility of uplifting spirits, placing smiles on faces, and lightening the burden of those who serve or have served. Our awesome coach, mentor and leader has been teaching us to think like the best of the best, to push past where we usually would quit. Day by day we are slowly shaking off our old habits and becoming the new "us" that will be capable of doing all the United States Military asks of us. In all my time working for some pretty exceptional organizations over the course of the last 11 years I have never experienced a more thrilling and well put together training program as the one here at Tops In Blue!! My mind is just now starting to absorb the idea that I am now a professional in the music and entertainment business and I have to live my life accordingly. No more fast food, instead it's veggies and a protein bar. No more TV, instead it's studying music and learning dance choreography. No more down time, instead it's working late hours and squeezing every last minute of productivity out of the day. No more FACEBOOK!! (eek!)... well, okay... a little facebook. :) But instead of having plenty of opportunity to play on fb and do things like this blog, I'm sitting here at 2am just getting some thoughts down from the first week because this was the first chance I've had in 168 hours!!
I won't be going into much detail about the happenings here at staging, as our team is keeping most of that a surprise for you... you'll just have to meet us out on the road to hear all the nitty gritty details of life here at TIB Headquarters!! :)
I can't wait to see the person I'll be after this experience... watch out world!! The United States Air Force is making your friend Mark J. Lindquist into one of the BEST OF THE BEST our military has to offer!!!!! :-D
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Tops In Blue - Day Zero
Well hello friends and family!! I'm settled in at my new home for the next 3 months: Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX. I arrived here yesterday afternoon with a few of my fellow TIB friends and we've been busy preparing ourselves for the journey ahead. Clipping strings from our uniforms, ironing, pinning on new ribbons and putting our initials in our underwear... yes, welcome to the real deal military life!! It is such an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing cause here at Tops In Blue. Here's my perspective on the year ahead:
There are 310 million people in the United States of America. In any society throughout history there are an elected few who serve as warriors, guardians, and protectors of the way of life people have grown accustomed to. In our case as Americans, we have grown accustomed to freedom, liberty, and justice. Take a moment to reflect... One percent of America, or roughly three million individuals have stood up and answered the call to service as those warriors. And a call to service it is... it is not mandatory, there is no draft and you will not be flogged in the streets if you make the decision not to serve. That is your right as Americans to choose. If you choose not to you are no greater or less than the person who chooses to raise their hand and swear an oath to their nation. That's what is great about the country we live in. Freedom.
Many of my friends and family have remarked to me how "lucky" or "fortunate" I am to be a part of Tops In Blue 2011. Yes, I will get to travel the world, entertain for a living, and be a part of something that few have the opportunity to experience. But on this night, the eve of adventure's beginning... I reflect not on how lucky I am to be able to do this, but on how fortunate I am to be able to give to this. That one percent of our population who stands in harms way and solemnly vows that nothing is going to harm you tonight... don't they deserve the ABSOLUTE BEST of what we have to offer? That one percent... shouldn't they get every privilege available to them? Every advantage possible? Every luxury we have at our disposal? I certainly think so.
As a member of Tops In Blue our mission is to provide quality entertainment to the Air Force family. Imagine how grateful our deployed service members are when they have the opportunity to forget the troubles of war and get to enjoy an evening of their favorite music. Just think of how excited our Airmen are when we travel to Minot, ND in the middle of winter to bring a touch of Broadway to lift their spirits. Can you see the smiles on the faces of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines at Landsthul, Germany where they are being treated for wounds inflicted in battle when Tops In Blue arrives to bring light into an otherwise dark time in their life? This year we will be doing all we can to give our military members the very best. This program is the very least we can do as a society to express our thanks and gratitude for their service.
Being here to earn a spot on the Tops In Blue 2011 tour is the honor of a lifetime. This cause, to boost morale and bring smiles to the faces of those warriors serving our country is one that is worthy of my best effort. I thank you for your support and your love. Your notes, phone calls, texts, facebook posts, etc. give me such joy to know that you care.
T-10 hours until the journey begins.
Staff Sergeant Lindquist... Out.
There are 310 million people in the United States of America. In any society throughout history there are an elected few who serve as warriors, guardians, and protectors of the way of life people have grown accustomed to. In our case as Americans, we have grown accustomed to freedom, liberty, and justice. Take a moment to reflect... One percent of America, or roughly three million individuals have stood up and answered the call to service as those warriors. And a call to service it is... it is not mandatory, there is no draft and you will not be flogged in the streets if you make the decision not to serve. That is your right as Americans to choose. If you choose not to you are no greater or less than the person who chooses to raise their hand and swear an oath to their nation. That's what is great about the country we live in. Freedom.
Many of my friends and family have remarked to me how "lucky" or "fortunate" I am to be a part of Tops In Blue 2011. Yes, I will get to travel the world, entertain for a living, and be a part of something that few have the opportunity to experience. But on this night, the eve of adventure's beginning... I reflect not on how lucky I am to be able to do this, but on how fortunate I am to be able to give to this. That one percent of our population who stands in harms way and solemnly vows that nothing is going to harm you tonight... don't they deserve the ABSOLUTE BEST of what we have to offer? That one percent... shouldn't they get every privilege available to them? Every advantage possible? Every luxury we have at our disposal? I certainly think so.
As a member of Tops In Blue our mission is to provide quality entertainment to the Air Force family. Imagine how grateful our deployed service members are when they have the opportunity to forget the troubles of war and get to enjoy an evening of their favorite music. Just think of how excited our Airmen are when we travel to Minot, ND in the middle of winter to bring a touch of Broadway to lift their spirits. Can you see the smiles on the faces of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines at Landsthul, Germany where they are being treated for wounds inflicted in battle when Tops In Blue arrives to bring light into an otherwise dark time in their life? This year we will be doing all we can to give our military members the very best. This program is the very least we can do as a society to express our thanks and gratitude for their service.
Being here to earn a spot on the Tops In Blue 2011 tour is the honor of a lifetime. This cause, to boost morale and bring smiles to the faces of those warriors serving our country is one that is worthy of my best effort. I thank you for your support and your love. Your notes, phone calls, texts, facebook posts, etc. give me such joy to know that you care.
T-10 hours until the journey begins.
Staff Sergeant Lindquist... Out.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
And so it begins....
Aloha from Hawaii!! In a little over 63 hours I'll be departing my little island in the sea to begin the greatest adventure of my life thus far!! This little bloggity-blog will keep you up-to-date on our life on the road... For the next year I'll be traveling with 32 of the most amazing people that the United States Air Force has to offer and I can't wait to share it all with you! Thanks to my super-friend emily mitchell for convincing me to start this little chronicle, I'm sure I'll be glad I did!
It sure has been a whirlwind of activity here on the island these past few weeks as I've prepared for my departure for Tops In Blue. I've been totally impressed with the way our team has come together to help one another out (over facebook of course! ;-p) as we all navigate the rough waters of military out-processing. I feel like this group of people will amaze me at every turn... I'm humbled and honored to be a part of this team!
It sure has been a whirlwind of activity here on the island these past few weeks as I've prepared for my departure for Tops In Blue. I've been totally impressed with the way our team has come together to help one another out (over facebook of course! ;-p) as we all navigate the rough waters of military out-processing. I feel like this group of people will amaze me at every turn... I'm humbled and honored to be a part of this team!
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