So I'm as close as I can get to our massive internet server here at Marolt, I think I can feel the radio-activity boiling my brains slowly, or it might simply be the heat of the laundry dryers, behind which I am hiding so that I have priority in the war for internet access. lol
The highlight of my stay so far was having my parents come out and visit me, it was great to see them. It made me seriously want to go home and brought some pretty intense home-sickness. But I'm doing better now. If I can just avoid thinking of home I'll be fine.

<-- dad and me dueling for the best picture, with mom laughing

So religiously it's been a battle here, in more ways than one. The church I'm attending believes in modern day miraculous works of the Holy Spirit. I got a book from the pastor here called "praying heaving down to earth, a practical guide to everyday miracles" or some shtuff like that... I was skeptical until I saw this miraculous service in which people were healed! it was crazy. I came this close to becoming charismatic. But thanks to the impressive learning and even more impressive skepticism of my father, I am not suffering from that tendency any longer. Evidently context and a thorough investigation of the bible are necessary before making possibly heretical claims. I say this all with a certain amount of very dry sarcasm, maybe it's because I am still upset about wasting 75 cents on the dryers here due to an incredible amount of incompetence. I've done dumb stuff before, but this takes the cake.
I have so much stuff going on, studying with Nancy is great :) Per taught a master class yesterday in which I played duets with my bassoon friend Pei wen. She's really nice and is something of a composition wiz! It went well and afterwards we ate dinner at John's house. I found two books in his place that were of particular interest to me one was about how we are the center of life (each person individually, a concept I find absolutely dizzying) and another one on how religion poisons everything. (?) what can I say? I am willing to bet that this book is selling some sort of theory on how that now we are enlightened we don't need religion and it's antiquated bassackwards ways. I would also go as far as to accuse people who advocate how modernly enlightened we are as a religion unto itself, which, like the previous book, put US at the center of the universe. Talk about a religion of selfishness, if you believe in selfishness anymore.
But back to bassoon stuff (lol) I get to play with Steven Dibner this next week, I'm so scared and excited! It will be awesome. Evidently his theory and practice on reeds is very minimalist... hahaha but that's just some good ol' bassoon gossip. My awesome sextet which just played the poulenc is regrouping to form a quintet with piano, it's really cool :) and I'll be playing in another group doing poulenc again but this time as a trio. I heard our doctorate bassoon Darrel play it today for my first time. It was an interesting piece. Some parts were so beautiful, the only word I can think to describe it is ethereal. Next Monday I'll be going on my first serious hike since I got here with our bible study. It will be fun. My laundry is still wet, and it needs to be hung out to dry :p

peace

So it's been an obscenely long time since I posted anything whatsoever, but I have a legit excuse! I'm in Aspen, CO for the summer music festival and internet here is sketchy. So is phone service. I denounce you AT&T. Verizon be yo daddy. Plus I have to get a new phone due to this one being on the ritz. Touch screen View by LG, just say NO! Heck NO!!! Pictures are good though, and to that end I have some video to share that could be found on facebook, but I've never posted video here before so here's to something new!

Speaking of new, the ants here are GIN0RMOUS!! Some of these suckers have to be a good 3/4 inch long! Other slightly more interesting sightings were of the bear (cub?) I saw behind the music building and the snake I found and pursued.

Aspen has been really fun. I had my first rehearsal this morning with the concert orchestra and yesterday I rehearsed with the bassoon band! It was fun, there will be a performance this Saturday evening. I also had my first lesson with Nancy Goeres this Wednesday and it was great. We talked about stuff, and I played piard etude #4 in e minor with relative success. She gave me some tips to get low notes out more easily (esp. in this altitude) Reeds, though I hadn't figured them out for my audition yet, are working really well. A quick shout out to Stuart Garlock who very awesomely sharpened my reed knife, thus enabling reed awesomeness.

I just left the concert happening at the music tent, Nancy was Amazing!!! but I did get caught in the rain. :p Aspen and it's weather, ok more later!