Name, age, hometown: Kimi Fong, 20, Sacramento, Calif. What corps are you in and what is your role this summer? Sacramento Mandarins, color guard Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. If we count high school marching band, that would be one year as clarinet, one year as tuba, and half a season of color guard. Otherwise I've marched with the Sacramento Mandarins from 2002 to the present.

Kimi Fong
How did you decide to be a member of your corps? I had heard about the organization through friends and family. Some of my friends who were already members persuaded me to go to my first camp, even though I had practically no guard experience. After the first day I wanted to cry because it was so difficult, but at the same time I really wanted to stick with it because I had learned so much in just one day. Sufficient to say, I'm glad that I stayed. What first attracted you to the drum corps activity? The people involved seemed so close-knit and they were all working towards the same goal. Also, everyone truly wanted to be there and be competitive. It felt so good to be a part of a group like that. It's addicting. What advice would you give to young people who want to march? Bring lots of socks and underwear. Laundry day is not always when you need them to be. And sunscreen! Lots of sunscreen. A good sense of humor helps too. Marching drum corps is one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences, and the friends that you make are definitely keepers. Do you have any favorite road anecdotes? There are so many -- the time the guard bus broke down in the middle of the night, the time in Florida when the practice field was a lake and full of ant hills, sharing a bus seat with Jen, sharing a bus seat with Matt, sharing a seat with Tif -- maybe one season I'll have my own seat! Haha. The last great film I saw: "Robots" is hilarious, everyone should go see it. Where I go to school and what I'm studying: I am in my second year at UC Santa Cruz, for the moment I'm studying art, but that could change after the next CSI marathon. Jobs I have/have had: Currently I am gainfully unemployed My favorite TV show: "CSI," no question Favorite performers: The Cavliers, Haluan (Filipino hip-hop dance troupe), and Cher. Laugh all you want but even if you hate her music, Cher can put on a performance like no one else. I would recommend one of her concerts to a friend – Hahaha. What has been your formative drum corps moment? Definitely Division II & III finals in 2002. It was my first summer and first finals experience. There was so much adrenaline and emotion. What are you most looking forward to about the summer? Sabre 5s, 6s and 7s -- Hahaha! Best thing about being in a drum corps: Traveling around the country in buses, but still having a family away from home. Worst thing about being in a drum corps: The sock tan. During tour, the best part of the day is: Snack time. I heart goldfish crackers. During tour, the worst part of the day is: Waking up. That's the hard part. Once you're up and going, it's not quite so bad. Ooh, being sunburned is pretty bad too, but that's what sunscreen is for! What I want to be when I "grow up": Preferably an astronaut Describe what you think a typical DCI show will look in 2015. I think everyone should have moon boots and/or hovercraft of some sort. Feel free to add anything else you'd like. Never settle for good enough. It's like wetting your pants. Sure, it's not the end of the world, but you can do better.