Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Blue Moon? Twice?

Someone is trying to tell me something! Is it time for a trip to Vermont? Is it time to have some hangout time with my old pal Howard?
Last night I heard my beloved Dissipated 8 sing on my ipod. I hear them a lot, I have a few of their "albums" on there. But last night I heard Blue Moon twice in a row and two different versions both on the way somewhere and on the way back. 4 Blue Moon's? There wasn't a Blue Moon in the sky. Nothing odd had happened. Strange. But, I sang along happily anyway. I know both versions like I was in the group myself.That couldn't have happened of course, because I'm a girl and the "D8" is a male a cappella group from my alma mater Middlebury College.
I had been a huge fan of traditional barber shop quartet, a cappella group type music for as long as I could recall and that type of music has always been performed by various male groups in New England Colleges for and close to 100 years when I was in school and I loved the sound, the tradition and the goofy old songs.
I auditioned for the school's female counterpart The Mischords, didn't get in and that was the end of my college a capella dreams. So, for years I was involved in as many D8 events as I could be: initiations, reunions both official and unofficial. I was the ultimate hanger on, a groupie from hell. I developed humiliating and mind numbing crushes on a member or two... a few hearts got broken along the way but although I have many stories ....what happens with the D8 stays with the D8... right boys? ;)
A big part of the memories I shared with the D8 boys was the house on the Middlebury Campus where my friend Howard stayed when he was Chaplain at the school. There were lots of meals and parties shared there and a few impromptu sing alongs in the kitchen in that house, where I got to sing with the boys as I had always dreamed of doing.
So, today when this very special article about Howard showed up I knew someone had to be telling me something. I haven't decided what, but I think at the least it's time to plan some get togethers with my old D8 pals, who I only get to see.... wait for it.... Once in a Blue Moon!
This isn't my old Gang, but some youngn's carrying on the tradition in fine form.

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