Competition is fierce at the show. It's interplanetary, and thousands of years old, so some of the schools we're up against are pretty established. The Cryptonians, for example, live for hundreds of years, which means they're in high school for decades and get really good. Plus it's said that they're the race that came to Earth and first taught the Egyptians ska.

But the judges are always looking for something new, so maybe we've still got a shot. In any case, it's an honor to have made it and be able to compete at all. Plus, it's great to meet all these other psychic band kids from all over. We were taking a break at the pool at the hotel and I started talking to a really cute flute player from Deneb IV. We're going to try and meet up tonight after the band from Tond plays.

Some other band students have asked my about the strange lights coming from practice room 23, and it's because I was able to make it to Mars today!

I was working on one of @pseudotarp27's new songs and I must have really nailed it. At first, I could tell that I had pinged something. It was like something big and sleepy was waking up and paying attention to me. Three things, actually. It was spooky at first because I could feel them looking right at me, but from an almost inconceivable distance. Something old. Out in the cold. But I kept on playing and the song was singing out of my clarinet and the room filled with a green light and I was whisked to Mars.

Turns out it was a trio of talent scouts--A&R for Mars Music. We hung out in the green room and there were some energy drinks and a cheese plate. They've got a great underground scene there apparently.

They took a Polaroid and let me go, said they'd let me know. Maybe they'll put in a good word for us on Titan!

Students love to complain about Psychic Marching Band but I love it. It's true the uniforms are itchy, and @Mr. Howl tends to lose it and throw his stick and storm off and hide under the bleachers curled into a ball, but we're really able to bring the crowds to more amazing heights of ecstasy when they experience our music coupled with the super-charged symbology we create on the field.

Now we're working on a Solar Barge routine that @pseudotarp27 suggested. He calls it the Atet, and it's a perfect way to work our new ska material into the act. Hoping to unveil it soon, but it's still in rehearsal.

I really like band. @Mr. Howl makes it fun. He lets us do whatever we want and makes faces and throws his stick. He's funny. :)

Today we played for an hour and he didn't say anything. We walk around a lot in the bandroom while we play, since we don't need to read music just "play what's in our hearts." But now @pseudotarp27 is teaching us how to skank and it's really fun but somebody's elbow hit the end of my clarinet and it totally bashed into my face, and I think the reed cut up the roof of my mouth. Then pseudotarp said that I skanked like an Egyptian and I was proud.

I can't wait till band tomorrow! You should join.