Friends Are Special...Just Like Everyone Else.

SENIOR YEAR

The above picture was taken the night we...decorated...the band room for our band director, Mr. Cook's birthday. Three of the group above did the same for our Assistant Band Director, Mrs. Prusha, who celebrated her 38th birthday. Like I always say, it's like you hit an oil patch at 35, and just go skidding towards the grave.

(From Top-->Bottom): Marcus Hopkins; Becca Fleming & Michael Mercer; Holly Johnson, Lulu Kuo, & Travis Lyon; Julia Goddard, Jeremy Cassell, James Richards, & Richard "Dick" Woodcock.

This is my friend, Doloris Symphonia...well, actually she's the main character in my band, Love Pump Six's, currently-under-production ablum or the same name. That's me, at a friend's birthday party. Do I look sexy?

This is the band room destruction crew after the deed was done. (From left to right): James, Jeremy, Marcus, Julia, Richard, Travis, Holly, Michael, Becca, Lulu).

That's me, Marcus Hopkins, in between two of my best friends in the entire world, Allison Toohey (right) and Lindsay Carter (left) about a half-block away from the Hammersmith tube station in London, England. I really felt at home in London, unlike I do in the States. It could have something to do with my grandparents being English.

My current plans involving the United Kingdom include my intention to move to the U.K. right after Christmas in 2003. I have been doing research with the Immigration and Naturalisation Programme in the U.K., and plan to live there for the required five years near, but not necessarily in, London, England.

This is me and my best-friend, Allison Toohey, in our hotel room in the Hammersmith Novotell. A word of advice: NEVER STAY IN THIS HOTEL!!! It sucked ass. None of the maids speak but maybe three words of English, the food is overpriced for room service, and the food provided free of charge for dinner is horrid. However, this hotel is rather near a tube station, which makes getting where you need to go very simple and less time consuming. It is also only about five blocks from Harrod's, Harvey Nichole's, and the place where the old Christian LaCroix shop used to be before it closed. Allison and I were PISSED when we had walked all that way, only to discover that it was closed. Oh, well. That's all about this picture.

(Sometimes, Lindsay and I like to play a little game of Charlie's Angels whenever we get around military statues. This was in Nashville, TN (another Hell hole) That night sucked, but that day was cool.)

Me as the Headless Horseman

This is me, as the Headless Horseman, accepting our award at WGI 2000 Finals from Vic Firth, himself. This picture, captured literally seconds after I nearly beheaded him doing my salute, commemorates the Dobyns-Bennett Indoor Scholastic World Drumline's inaugural year from Scholastic A class. We took ninty, overall. Wicked cool.

FRESHMAN YEAR

Emily Yokobosky: I LOVE Emily! She is so awesome! Emily is and always will be one of the very few people to whom I tell everything about my life. She listens to me and understands my problems with a sort of innate wisdom far surpassing her years.

She seems to understand me almost better than I do, myself. She's especially adept at poetry, having attained the honour of teaching our AP English Literature class all about poetry before the AP exam.

She also played flute, and sat first chair in the Symphonic Band (2nd Band, but still an excellent achievement) at our school, which is really awesome, considering she missed an entire semester of playing our Junior year.

I will always keep in touch with Emily, even during college. She goes to a school only an hour away from WVU, so I visit her occaisonally, and vice versa.

In more recent news about Emily, she became engaged this year, much to our surprise. I wish she and her fiance all the best in their life together.

Sarah Chase: One of the other few to whom I tell everything about myself. I love Sarah to death. I came out to her while she was in the hospital...she didn't remember that, so I had to come out to her again. It was hilarious to hear her reaction. She asked me the most poignant question I had ever been asked: "What's it like?" That really made me think. I answered her question, but that's just between us, unless she wants to tell you all, but I doubt she will. She understands my problems and helps me come up with sensible solutions. I love her to death.

In what seems to be a frightening trend wiht my friends, Sarah also became engaged at the beginning of this school year. She was married in mid-December. To her, I also wish all the very best.

Danielle Nicole Smith

Danielle Smith is someone with whom I've had the exquisit pleasure of becoming acquainted here at WVU. She is in the Pride of West Virginia and marched with Mon Valley Express Winterguard with me in the 2001 Winteguard Season. She's a really great individual who has many places to go in this life. I foresee many great things in her future. I trust her implicitly. I tell her almost everything...everything else is reserved for Allison and Emily.

This is Allison and I on top of Law Centre Hill in October, 2000. The Dobyns-Bennett band came up to compete in our Bands of America competition, and got screwed. But, we had this picture taken. I miss you...

Allison Toohey

Here are two more totally random pictures of Allison. Love ya', babe!!!

Kat Penwell

How I met Kat is an interesting story. My Freshman year, I was hooked up with some guy via this random clarinet player in the Pride, and it was horrid.

So, when I return from the Cadets in 2001 for bandcamp, there's this one clarinet player sitting out because she's shadowing. I was shadowing, as well, and thusly ended up talking to her about my unhappiness with the band's lack of discipline and talent.

These two people turned out to be one in the same. So, she and I started to hang out. Then, we hung out on an almost daily basis. We would watch movies, bitch about things and people, shop, and just have random collegiate fun.

To my bus partner (when I wasn't asleep on the floor); to my partner in great times, I look forward to many more. Kat is supercool.

This is Josh, my first and, to date, ONLY boyfriend. He is, honestly, one of the most intelligent people I know. He has a very childlike wistfulness. He is one of the few people I know who are able to view things with a very innocent perspective before he disects it. A great juggler, he uses his talents to benefit others. I really appreciate that in a person.

THE SUMMER THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

(Me at the age of four with my first six-foot pole.)

I'd talked about marching drum corps for many years during high school. However, it was not until April of 2001 that I actually got up the guts to audition for the Cadets of Bergen County, one of the top four drum corps in not only the nation, but, indeed, the world.

Well, that would prove to be the best decision I've ever made in my life. Throughout the summer, I was introduced to many wonderful people, had many great experiences, and lived my life to its fullest. Below, you will find pictures of the people who made this summer so special for me, and little stories about each of them to keep you and them entertained.

For Holy Name shall always be...

Katie Wood

When I first arrived at the Cadets, no one knew me at all. Katie Wood was one of those people who just could NOT handle my personality. She couldn't even stand to be around me...I just really freaked her out, which I did to a lot of people.

Then, sometime near the end of July, she began to have really severe pains in her tailbone. When she went to the doctor, it turned out that she had a cyst on her tailbone. First of all, as a dancer (our principal dancer, at that), this is one of the most painful things in the world, and can cause crippling pain to shoot throughout your entire body.

I had always been attracted to Katie because of her talent and her unprecedented beauty. So, when I saw her in pain, the Matrix ran to the rescue, making sure that she had every amenity for which she could ever ask. I got her food, I got her drinks, I made sure she was comfortable, and basically revealed myself to be the person we all know me to be.

From that moment forward, an unbreakable friendship was forged; one that I will never abandon. Katie is one of the most special people in the world to me, and I know that she will achieve her every dream and desire.

I love you, baby!!!

Kaysey Thompson

Now, here is one talented bitch! This girl can throw a seven like it's nobody's business. And, she's a beautiful person, both inside and out, to boot!

Kaysey was one of the few people who would actually speak to me when I first arrived at the Cadets. She was the person who gave me my nickname, The Matrix, during the summer of 2000 during my first up close and personal encounter with the Cadets, in Buffalo, W.Va. Kaysey was the person who bitched out the guard while I was in the hospital because they wouldn't talk to me, and I was off by myself a lot.

And for all that, I love her dearly. She is a grand old slag, indeed! She is the Co-President of the Vulvasore Troopers (Vulvasore Troopers, UNITE!!!) along with me, and she is completely insane. I can't even handle it!

All I have to say is Traffick Cone!!!

Tara Smith

I know, Tara, I used the "most haggard" picture of you in the Wired, but you're no where else to be found.

Tara is an amazing individual from the Nashville area, who is a total Diva on sabre. She is my raven-haired beauty, and she knows that she can always fall back on her looks for a modeling career.

Tara is SO BEAUTIFUL that any gay man who sees her wishes he were straight. I know I do!

WHAT???

Herman Rios

Herman...what CAN I say? Thank you for letting me eat your Pringles on tours that one night when I just HAD to have some salt. You're INSANE. You let me talk to you about the oddest shit, and the best part...you totally get it!!!

Whatever you're up to, I hope you're loving every minute of it!

Ryan Klassa

Ryan Klassa is one of the few guys I've ever met who has the same temperment, as do I. We have this exchange of words that makes everything seem so...dramatic...and flippant. Love ya', babe!

Daeryk

If ever there were an insane kid, this boy would take the cake! He's a great friend, and I can't wait to see him, again, this summer!

RANDOM SHIT

The Rocky Horror Pictures

In April of 1999, four teenagers went up to Pittsburgh, PA and had an experience beyond all others. These young people trapsed throughout Oakland, PA in these costumes and proceeded to "let the party and the sounds rock on" and "shake till the light [was] gone, gone, gone." For their efforts, they were awarded front-row seats and all the fun they could ever want.

Photo Credits:

The Cadets House

Sam's Home Page

The Matrix's Page of Debauchery

Email: mjh1984593@aol.com