Msg #2 - Start now, and No, No, Nora...

Hello again from your Chief Preparedness Assistant!
Quick bullet points to remember:

1. Ask for help early and often.  If you have a question or need help, others do too.
1. Sponsors, your job is to help new attendees feel comfortable with their
   music. Don't be a stranger to the people you sponsor.
   
2. Previous preparedness posts
3. Map of participants
4. Run through calendar

I hope you are enjoying this years songs as much as I am!  I have received numerous
tips and ideas for learning - which I will be sharing soon.  Please continue to send me
your favorite tips for learning for future sharing.

Most of the people I know are already hard at work, learning No, No Nora.  Blackbird
is pretty easy for basses and leads (Leads probably already knew Blackbird, mostly.
Lucky leads.)

If you are not already working on your preparation, I ask the serious question: what are
you waiting for?  My procrastination-avoidance tool is this: I ask myself "is there a
reason why waiting is better?  Is there a reason why waiting is worse?"   If it really is better,
pick a time that is better and stick to it.  If not - no time like the present.

My personal goal is "a song a week".  If a song takes me less than a week, I go right to
the next song.  If a song takes more than a week, I still move on to the next song AND
work on my stuck song.   12 songs = 3 months.

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For fun, let's talk about: No No Nora

The original song lyrics are rather creepy, the barbershop version is a little bit cleaned
up.... in the original she is hiring detectives....  and the song makes reference to
then-current celebrities:

Original lyrics:

• Ben Turpin
• Douglas Fairbanks

Eddie Cantor singing the song in 1923
Local NED champions (Downtown Crossing) singing the song on the International Stage

No one sings alone, no one prepares alone

Hello from your 2018 “Chief Preparedness Assistant”.  This year, preparation has a
new emphasis, along with a new title. I will be offering preparation assistance, and I
will be asking for your assistance too.

There is important information in this first letter- I ask you to read it cover to cover.

New England Harmony Brigade is a gift we give ourselves - new friends, fun
stories, great singing. The NEHB Board and volunteers will give you the best NEHB
experience we can.

The gift we give to ourselves and each other is - preparedness.  Not just by
being prepared, but by doing our part to help every other attendee be confidently
prepared. This year’s theme is “no one sings alone, no one prepares alone”.

I will be providing tips, suggestions, and ways to get assistance - throughout
the spring and summer:  I am asking you to share your preparation suggestions
with me. What works for you?  Help your friends learn.  I’ll do the writing, but:
I need your experiences and ideas.

All preparedness letters will be added to an ongoing blog
(https://nehbprepare.blogspot.com) for reference.

Errata: if we find errata in the music, it will be published in these bulletins.

First time brigade attendees - your sponsor is your first resource. But all of us
are your second resource.  Reach out to me or the music team whenever you need
to. Don’t compare yourself to others: learning is not a competition. Everyone learns
at their own pace: but we can ensure that everyone will be ready.

The most important good thing you can do: start today. I suggest the following schedule:

1. April is for general listening and learning.   Learn the MANY stories that live in our music. What do the lyrics mean to you? Learn the first few songs.
2. May is when we start to have run-throughs, and learn the first four songs.
3. June is for the second four songs.
4. July is for the final four songs
5. August is for style - go back to the YouTube videos, and become the singer you always wanted to be.  (Not a bad time to learn an extra OC Times song and sing with the champs!)
6. September is when we get together, and make the magic happen.

To close - I’ll try to send out a good example video with every letter.  This letter’s
inspiration is a video of a random NEHB quartet from 2015,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNahd7Q5HI0