{"id":874,"date":"2011-06-12T16:02:31","date_gmt":"2011-06-12T20:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=874"},"modified":"2025-02-26T15:01:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T20:01:24","slug":"chapter-32-moving-on","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=874","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 32: Moving On"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Stoked for Snare<\/h3>\n<p><strong>I attended ASTA as a counselor,<\/strong> which was a welcome diversion from the grief I felt at home. I threw myself into the activities and all of the typical fun of the kids, programs, and hijinks. Looking forward to my return to school, I prepared for band camp. Given the summer\u2019s emotional demands, I was hardly able to put in as much practice time for percussion auditions.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a>&#8220;Venus&#8221; by Bananarama<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375883042356\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Bananarama-Venus.mp3\">Bananarama &#8211; Venus<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<p>During the tryouts in the studio, it was obvious I was somewhat stiff, though I knew I could cut it once I got back up to speed. Unfortunately, when the names were read, mine was on the cymbal roster.\u00a0I nearly passed out from the shock. They <strong><em>KNEW<\/em> damn well<\/strong> I had the right stuff. It was time to clarify to the department exactly why my audition was sub-par.<\/p>\n<p>I had\u00a0<em>never<\/em> been one to wear my family\u2019s problems on my sleeve, much less capitalize on my mother\u2019s illness to my own benefit. However, there was a legitimate reason for my temporary stiffness.\u00a0Considering my\u00a0third-year Music Ed course requirements, I was not inclined to participate at all if it meant not devoting that time to snare drum.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4985\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4985\" style=\"width: 1310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4985 size-full\" title=\"Postgame cadence\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/snareline-postgame.jpg\" alt=\"Postgame cadence\" width=\"1310\" height=\"740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/snareline-postgame.jpg 1310w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/snareline-postgame-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/snareline-postgame-600x338.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4985\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Postgame cadence. Me, second from right<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Director of Percussion Dave Satterfield received an immediate visit during which I asked for another audition, explaining my situation. I was granted another chance the next morning, on the stage of the Concert Theatre. Dave was perched several feet away, watching and listening intently.<\/p>\n<p>Having practiced like a nut overnight, I was loose and pure adrenaline locked every stroke, roll and rudiment. Dave put one player on bass, and the snare line was reshuffled that day. Dazed, I got an instrument and took my place where I belonged.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a>1986 Boogie Cadence, 220, segue, Fight Mountaineers, Mountain Dew, drumline street cadence<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375883096244\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/1986-Percussion-Boogie-220-etc.mp3\">WVU Drumline &#8211; Boogie\/220 etc<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5503\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5503\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5503 size-full\" title=\"Postgame concert\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/postgame.jpg\" alt=\"Postgame concert\" width=\"900\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/postgame.jpg 900w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/postgame-300x216.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/postgame-600x432.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5503\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Postgame concert. Me, snare on left<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Don&#8217;t Make Me Choose<\/h3>\n<p>That semester,\u00a0 one of the Division of Music professors, Dr. Wilson took me aside. He stated that as a string major, I had to choose between orchestra and band. For two years, I&#8217;d successfully shouldered a larger course load in the fall because it was worth the time and effort. <em><strong>Now<\/strong> <\/em>it was suddenly a problem? Hearing this, I instantly saw red, and began to plot how to fight it. It was the latest instance in which I had to battle to attain or keep my spot in the line.<\/p>\n<p>I immediately met with Don Wilcox, Director of Bands, and Dave Satterfield. I explained the situation and arranged a meeting for all four of us for the following day, and they would support my stance. I had <strong>no<\/strong> intention of giving up the snare drum\u2014 I would continue choosing Drumline sectionals over orchestra on Wednesday nights.<\/p>\n<p>Lo and behold, Wilson stepped into the elevator with me the next day <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>just<\/em><\/span> before the meeting was to take place. &#8220;You can stay in band.&#8221; I delivered my most savage side-eye and got off at the next floor.<\/p>\n<p>Nice try, Prof.<\/p>\n<p>I met a couple of cool female snare drummers, Carolyn B and Dottie F. Band camp was intense as always, and John and I were back to the comforting predictability of college life.<\/p>\n<p>Music from the first part of junior year at WVU included <em>Venus<\/em> by Bananarama, <em>Love Zone<\/em> by Billy Ocean, <em>Sweet Freedom<\/em> by Michael MacDonald, <em>Rumours<\/em> by Timex Social Club, <em>The Captain of Her Heart<\/em> by Double, and <em>Sweet Love<\/em> by Anita Baker.<\/p>\n<h3>Apartment Life<\/h3>\n<p>I was now living at Pierpont House, in apartment 904-2, with Eunice, Teri Lynn and Cyndee. There was no need for a layover before moving to Towers this year.\u00a0Following a rough summer, I had achieved the snare line again, and I was ready to refocus on school.<\/p>\n<p>John got a two-bedroom place with his friend Tim at Pineview Apartments, down past the football stadium that semester.\u00a0Somehow John acquired the necessary furniture for his bedroom, the living room and kitchen.\u00a0Tim, a computer science major, showed me his PC and I was fascinated.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5402\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5402\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5402 size-full\" title=\"Cyndee, John, me, Teri-Lynn, Eunice\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/C-J-T-E1.jpg\" alt=\"Cyndee, John, me, Teri-Lynn, Eunice\" width=\"700\" height=\"594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/C-J-T-E1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/C-J-T-E1-300x254.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/C-J-T-E1-600x509.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5402\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cyndee, John, me, Teri-Lynn, Eunice<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I liked it at Pierpont. My single room in the apartment was nice, with a 9th floor view of the Evansdale campus, including the PRT track below, and there was a TV and study lounge downstairs, with laundry facilities.<\/p>\n<p>We met the guys across the hall\u2014 Bob K, Gene and Bob B (known as \u201cBear\u201d).\u00a0Bob K. took to me and got very friendly very fast. Sometime in October, Bob and I got together in his room (\u201cmine\u201d but on the flip-side of the building) and made out on his bed, against my better judgment.<\/p>\n<p>He knew about my relationship with John, and for me I suppose it was a lapse of sanity. I hit the brakes after that and Bob had no choice but to back off.<\/p>\n<p>Eunice wasted no time in getting cozy with Gene. (She had also dated the Greg H from \u201cKey Signature\/Dick Tease\u201d freshman year.) We would make kielbasa jokes and split our guts laughing.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4803\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4803\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4803 size-full\" title=\"The Pride Of West Virginia\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/stadium-wv-drill.jpg\" alt=\"The Pride Of West Virginia\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/stadium-wv-drill.jpg 600w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/stadium-wv-drill-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4803\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Pride Of West Virginia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Another Mouth to Feed!?<\/h3>\n<p>An unpleasant situation developed that blew up and ended in eviction of one of our roommates. Cyndee\u2019s boyfriend Chris, while outwardly a nice guy, was in the apartment ALL THE TIME \u2026 mornings, days, evenings, and nights. Apparently he had no place to go, so he was crashing with us.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a>&#8220;What Have You Done For Me Lately&#8221; by Janet Jackson<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375883121320\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Janet-Jackson-What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately-HQSound.mp3\">Janet Jackson &#8211; What Have You Done For Me Lately<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<p>He would stay on the couch, watching our TV, using our bathroom and kitchen, and inadvertently being annoying\u2014 no trekking to the fridge in our skivvies at midnight.\u00a0We were told it was \u201ctemporary\u201d until he found a place.<\/p>\n<p>Well, for the first few weeks, Eunice, Teri-Lynn and I put up with this.\u00a0It became a big problem when it was obvious he wasn\u2019t going anywhere.\u00a0We repeatedly implored Cyndee\u00a0to please send him on his way; he was making the rest of us uncomfortable.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4806\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4806\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4806\" title=\"WVU Coliseum\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wvu-coliseum.jpg\" alt=\"WVU Coliseum\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wvu-coliseum.jpg 500w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wvu-coliseum-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4806\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">WVU Coliseum, venue for hoops action, concerts and other events<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Cyndee also kept a pet purebred chinchilla in a cage in her and Teri\u2019s room, her secret temporarily safe with us \u2026 until this situation ballooned out of control. The three of us decided one day that we had to take drastic measures to get rid of Chris, but unfortunately, it also meant Cyndee would probably have to go.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6287\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6287\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6287 size-full\" title=\"Back up to Law Center Hill\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/postgame2.jpg\" alt=\"Back up to Law Center Hill\" width=\"900\" height=\"641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/postgame2.jpg 900w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/postgame2-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/postgame2-600x427.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6287\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Back up to Law Center Hill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We went down to see the building management to \u201clet the chinchilla out of the bag\u201d so to speak. Cyndee\u00a0then received a written warning to find another home for the animal or face eviction proceedings.<\/p>\n<p>She ended up moving out, which of course put Chris in a bad way, hollering and screaming at us about \u201chow could we do this to them\u201d, and \u201cwhat did we ever do to you\u201d. He even went so far as to threaten us bodily, which I relayed to John.<\/p>\n<p>John mentioned this to his friends Tim, Mike and Dave. One night the four of them went over to the CAC to stiff-arm Chris into leaving us the hell alone. They chased Chris around the building as he shrieked, \u201cdon\u2019t mess with the Vs from New York\u201d to which John\u2019s cronies retorted the misguided virtues of pissing with my Newark family.<\/p>\n<p>Eunice&#8217;s dad and friend &#8220;Big Jim&#8221; drove down from Wheeling as a convincer, and we slept at Kennyann&#8217;s that night so we didn&#8217;t have to deal with him moving his stuff out.<\/p>\n<p>Chris was never seen again, and we believe Cyndee left school at the end of the semester.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4987\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4987\" style=\"width: 1124px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4987 size-full\" title=\"Postgame concert\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/snareline-postgame3.jpg\" alt=\"Postgame concert\" width=\"1124\" height=\"757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/snareline-postgame3.jpg 1124w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/snareline-postgame3-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/snareline-postgame3-600x404.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4987\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Postgame concert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We felt bad about what had happened, but in retrospect we reasoned that we had to take no prisoners on this one. Cyndee\u2019s responsibility was to her paying roommates in handling the situation with her boyfriend, no matter the circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of us had no inclination to let him continue crashing at our place rent-free, not to mention put up with the resulting inconveniences.\u00a0So, as a result, each of us ended up with our own rooms.<\/p>\n<p>All year, we had &#8220;Midweek Crisis&#8221; parties at our apartment, with beer and other creative concoctions. They were well-attended, and usually raised the roof. I&#8217;m surprised we were able to get up for classes the next morning.<\/p>\n<p>That semester was also my first exposure to computers\u2014I had a Computer Awareness module, entailing several sessions in the microcomputer lab downtown. I got a 5 1\/2 inch floppy to program, and did well at it on an Apple II.<\/p>\n<h3>Bang On The Drum All Day<\/h3>\n<p>The WVU Drumline was <em>hotter than ever <\/em>that season.\u00a0Our first solo, Frankenstein was based upon the song by the Edgar Winter Group.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a>&#8220;Frankenstein&#8221; Percussion Solo<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375883162767\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/1986-Percussion-Solo-Frankenstein.mp3\">WVU Drumline &#8211; Frankenstein<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<p>We used Eddie Kendricks\u2019 <em>Boogie Down<\/em> and our original <em>Spider <\/em>cadences again this year.\u00a0 These lent the same funky rhythmic beat to marching in parade formation to and from performances.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a>&#8220;Spider&#8221; and &#8220;Boogie Down&#8221; cadences<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375883309612\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/1985-87-Spider-Boogie-Down-Percussion-Cadences.mp3\">WVU Drumline &#8211; Spider\/Boogie Down Percussion Cadences<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5404\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5404\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5404 size-full\" title=\"Christmas group shot\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/pierpont-holidays3.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas group shot\" width=\"700\" height=\"581\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/pierpont-holidays3.jpg 700w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/pierpont-holidays3-300x249.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/pierpont-holidays3-600x498.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5404\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christmas group shot: (clockwise from top left) Mark, retro tree, Gene, Santa, Eunice, me, Bob, Bear, and Teri-Lynn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Music from first semester junior year at WVU included <em>Word Up<\/em> by Cameo, <em>Walk Like an Egyptian<\/em> by the Bangles, <em>C\u2019est L Vie<\/em> by Robbie Nevil, and <em>Land of Confusion<\/em> by Genesis.<\/p>\n<p>Just before Thanksgiving break, all of us at the apartment contributed to a huge turkey dinner in the hallway.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5405\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5405\" style=\"width: 335px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5405\" title=\"Gene: Me hungry!\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/gene-turkey-235x300.jpg\" alt=\"Gene: Me hungry!\" width=\"335\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/gene-turkey-235x300.jpg 235w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/gene-turkey-470x600.jpg 470w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/gene-turkey.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5405\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gene: Me hungry!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Coffee tables were lined up lengthwise and we sat on the floor for our feast.<\/p>\n<p>What a blast! Gene, built like a linebacker, practically put away the entire turkey.\u00a0We were like a little family that year.<\/p>\n<p>I had been calling Dad to check in on them since I\u2019d left for school in August, and they seemed to be doing all right.<\/p>\n<p>Since the Syracuse game was the Saturday before break, Dad and my brother came down to see it and then drive me home. John&#8217;s parents also came down for the game, and the parents met for the first time that weekend.<\/p>\n<p>My visit home for Thanksgiving break was fun, but not having Mom there was very strange. I did all those things like going on the Tractor-Trailer and visiting family and friends.<\/p>\n<p>John drove out to spend Thanksgiving with us, and we went to Aunt Marietta&#8217;s for the holiday. Mark came over that Friday, and he met John. I played the WVU Drum solos for him.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5481\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5481\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5481 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Auntmariettas.jpg\" alt=\"At Aunt Marietta's\" width=\"700\" height=\"423\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Auntmariettas.jpg 700w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Auntmariettas-300x181.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Auntmariettas-600x362.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5481\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">At Aunt Marietta&#8217;s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-9464 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/musicnotes-tiny.gif\" alt=\"musicnotes-tiny\" width=\"50\" height=\"61\" \/><\/a>&#8220;C&#8217;est La Vie&#8221; by Robbie Nevil<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mbmaplayer_1375883219570\" class=\"{skin:'black', animate:false, width:'120', volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Robbie-Neville-Cest-La-Vie.mp3\">Robbie Nevil &#8211; C&#8217;est La Vie<\/a><textarea class=\"map_params\" style=\"display: block; padding: 3px; background: #444; color: #fff; text-decoration: none;\" disabled=\"disabled\">map :: {skin:&#8217;black&#8217;, animate:false, width:&#8217;120&#8242;, volume:0.2, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, showRew:true, downloadable:false, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}<\/textarea><\/p>\n<p>Steven had not re-enrolled in high school, and was descending into an unfortunate spiral of an unproductive, decade-long existence of television, video games, staying up all night, hanging with the wrong crowd, and chasing girls.\u00a0I tried to talk to him about getting back into a more typical routine for someone his age. This would have been his senior year in high school.<\/p>\n<p>I encouraged him to seek some sort of a productive life beyond school as well, pointing out that there were education loans available (as Mom had guided me).\u00a0I didn&#8217;t know quite how to reach him; it had been a bad situation with Mom&#8217;s illness and passing and horrible timing in his formative years.<\/p>\n<p>My dad just went to work every day, and spent time at bars and pool halls, passing his time.\u00a0He met quite a few women who wanted to settle down, and while he absentmindedly enjoyed some companionship, he made it absolutely clear there would be no replacement for his Lucille.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5407\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5407\" style=\"width: 383px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5407 size-large\" title=\"With my Pound Puppies\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-pierpont-puppies-383x600.jpg\" alt=\"With my Pound Puppies\" width=\"383\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-pierpont-puppies-383x600.jpg 383w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-pierpont-puppies-191x300.jpg 191w, https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/me-pierpont-puppies.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 383px) 100vw, 383px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5407\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">With my Pound Puppies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>During break, I had to take care of some legal business as Executrix for my mother\u2019s estate. I visited Mr. DeMaio, the attorney, in Matawan and at the surrogate&#8217;s office in New Brunswick. There were papers to be signed, bank business to attend to and funds to be allocated.<\/p>\n<p>I was initially puzzled as to why my mother chose me to handle her estate instead of my father, but Dad seemed comfortable enough with the arrangement.\u00a0More of the same continued via Certified Mail, once I returned to school.<\/p>\n<p>With Mom gone, I attended to Student Loan business, dealing with the bank, the financial aid office at WVU and arranging for tuition to be paid upon registration for each new semester.\u00a0It made my head spin to see this sort of financial obligation accumulating on my neck, but I also knew it was a necessary evil and that upon settlement of the estate, my school\u00a0debt would be satisfied.<\/p>\n<p>My college education is a gift I will always cherish.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Chapter 33: Spring at WVU; My First Ride\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=884\">Chapter 33: Spring at WVU; My First Ride<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-13050\" src=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/drum-avatar-thumbnail-sm.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" \/> <a title=\"Return to Memoirs\" href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=13681\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Return to Chapters<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stoked for Snare I attended ASTA as a counselor, which was a welcome diversion from the grief I felt at home. I threw myself into the activities and all of the typical fun of the kids, programs, and hijinks. Looking forward to my return to school, I prepared for band camp. Given the summer\u2019s emotional &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/?page_id=874\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Chapter 32: Moving On&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14727,"parent":4,"menu_order":33,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-874","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=874"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17164,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/874\/revisions\/17164"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adrummergirlslife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}