No Day But Today

Ok, so I just got back from seeing "Rent" (the movie) tonight, and it was AMAZING! It was the perfect emotional rollercoaster that I had grown to love from the musical. I laughed, I cried (yes, I cried), and I left feeling really good about life. I really don't know if one can expect or ask more from a film. I have heard rumors that sales at the box office have not been very high, and the only word that comes to mind in my entire English vocabulary is "travesty." If you have not gone to see this film, make plans to go and see it tomorrow. Even if you're unfamiliar with the music and heart-gripping story, take the plunge, swallow your fear of men in tight clothing and go have your life impacted by this story of friendship.

Yikes, I think I may have overdone this a bit, but really, please go see this movie. If you want, I'll take you personally. If you're not in the midwest, however, I will require you to purchase me a plane ticket! Ok, I'm out for now. Take care. For you college students, hang in there, we just have a few short weeks left. For you real world people, GO SEE RENT after work. Bye bye.

P.S. My apologies for the insanely large picture. I don't think Safari and Blogger are in perfect harmony. Brian, you know what this means.....

Name Change

So here's a thing: Tomorrow, the IU School of Music will announce that after just having received a private donation of $40.6 million, the school will be officially known as the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. I think that's super, but I find it a little odd that the name of my school has just changed right underneath my feet. I mean, if someone gives me a couple million dollars, should I just allow them to change my name?!? I'm just being silly, I think it's FABULOUS!! Hopefully tuition will be free like it is now at Yale after someone dumped $100 million on them.

I mean, is the wealth of America just dumping money? If so, hey rich people, I'm over here!!!

My Indignant Taste Bud

So about three days ago (I actually think it was after the opening night of the opera), I frequented my favorite Starbucks at the corner of Indiana and Kirkwood Avenues and ordered my usual Venti Soy Chai...although my order has been slightly augmented to that of a Venti Soy No Water Not-Too-Hot Chai. The Not-Too-Hot will be explained shortly. The No Water will have to wait for another day, although that is a great story in and of itself. Anyways, so I ordered my Chai from the very nice boy with glasses whose name I have never learned (but should) and eagerly waited with anticipation to get my mouth on that cup of goodness. I think you can probably see where this is going. Yes, I was so excited about my Chai that I didn't even consider it's probable surface temperature, and quickly drank some of the Chai. It was actually so hot that my tongue instantly went numb but I could actually feel my esophagus (that's a great word, by the way) writhing in pain. Not good, folks. OH MY GOSH, it just occurred to me that this didn't take place at Starbucks at all...it was at the Copper Cup. Don't you love how I've just been elaborately lying to you all for a good five minutes?!? But I should have known. Starbucks has always been very good to me and my esophagus. Silly me. Anyways, I went and sat at a bench in front of the music library to consider what I had just done to my mouth, and the predictions were not ideal. My tongue was in protest for basically the entire day which really makes articulation a joy, but more importantly, a single vigilante tastebud on the left side of my tongue had formed its own demonstration of protest by causing me immense pain. So this was great.

But I am proud to report that after 4 days now, feeling has returned to my collective tongue, and the demonstrating tastebud is showing signs of taking down its tent and calling a truce provided that I never devour steamy hot Chai from the Copper Cup again.

Again, after thinking about what I've just subjected everyone to, I feel really bad. Sorry that you had to read about my tongue. I thought you would just want to know. As always, your comments/questions about my mouth or anything else for that matter are strongly encouraged. Have a great evening.

Oh, P.S. Good news to come...I just can't release it to the cyberworld just yet. Stay tuned.

Opera and Stray Chapstick

Tonight was the opening night of the IU Opera Theatre's rendition of Benjamin Britten's "Midsummer Night's Dream." Supposedly the opera well-received by the audience, but my perspective is slightly skewed. I'm in the orchestra pit. Orchestra pits are a funny concept. It's like a bunch of musicians in a holding facility slaving away at their instruments for the edification of the singers. It's also funny to watch people come up at intermission and look down and point at us like we're the main attraction at the local freak show. It is cute though when I see some kid eyeing my trombone; I just smile and play the right amount of glissando to make their eyes as big as saucers. That part actually is fulfilling in a nerdy, philosophical, you-should-play-trombone-when-you're-older kind of way. But I digress, the opera in fact was a huge success. The whimsical costumes and virtuosic voices mostly likely would have made Ben proud. But opera is a funny thing. This only being my second opera to play, it's very fascinating to sit through the dress rehearsals. I mean, with so many humans being coordinated, it's only natural that "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" should come to mind. Opera is really nothing more than a three-ring circus with lots of singing...but the rich people love it thus the show must go on!

Anyways, the weather has drastically dropped here in south-central Indiana. The very instant that my lips were exposed to the 29 degree Fahrenheit Arctic blast, they freaked out. And this isn't good for a brass player who's in the middle of a series of opera performances. So I visited my local Kroger, and bought some Vaseline Lip Therapy. They didn't have the cherry which is unfortunate because I love it so much that I used to eat it when I was younger!! But I settled for the boring variety, and lathered up my lips to face the cold. But somehow between yesterday and tonight, I have misplaced that little treasure of a tube of goo, and my lips are really hating me for it. I have basically looked everwhere. I even went outside and tore my car apart just a few minutes ago to no avail. Who knows. I'll probably find it just moments after having purchased a replacement.

Well I'm going to go to bed. Not for the fact that it's 2:35AM, but because it just dawned on me that my life really is pathetic to the point where I have to lament about my chapstick. So I apologize for those of you who stuck with it and actually read this. I'll try to pep it up a little in the days to come and maybe be able to provide some decent material for you. As always, thanks for reading. Take care.

A Superior Machine for Superior People

So tonight I'm actually sitting here on Brian and Raquel's couch. I was sitting in my apartment this afternoon thinking about all the things that I had to do. Then I thought about forgetting all that and having dinner at P.F. Chang's in Louisville. So here I am, with full belly, just hanging out.

I remembered a few days ago that I have forgotten to share with you all something drastic and wonderful that has happened in my life. No, no girlfriend as of yet, but I'm hopeful. I actually made the switch to Mac (post-death of my Dell Inspiron), and it's probably one of the best decisions I have made in all my 23 years on planet Earth. For those of you who are already in the light, you know what I'm talking about. But for you all who sit in front of that Windows screen just ancticipating the Blue Screen of Death, I really encourage you all to strongly consider Apple. As the world has learned from the popularity of iPods, Apple creates simple, user-friendly, and let's not forget down-right trendy pieces of equipment. I must admit that I really wanted my iBook for the look at first, but after really getting into OS X (that's the operating system for you PCers), it really is a far superior product to anything Microsoft could ever fathom of creating.

But anyways, the bottom line is that Apple computers are superior machines for superior people. People who want a machine that understands their needs and can help them get technological in a aesthetically pleasing way should go out and purchase their Mac today (or tomorrow if it's really late). Whatever the product, iMac, iBook, Powerbook, PowerMac, Mac Mini, they're all super. Ok, end of speech. So go get a Mac so I don't have to hoot and hollar (sp? -- I'm not down on my deep south lingo spelling).

P.S. If anyone already does have a Mac and uses the iSight, let me know your name so that I can add you to my buddy list. I love video chatting...I'm actually addicted to it to be perfectly honest. Ok, good night, all.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Hey guys. I was actually able to break free from the Music-School-induced whirlwind that consumes every part of my being for a few minutes, so I thought I'd write you all. I don't know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods (yes, I stole that from Al), but today in Bloomington it is 76 degrees! Zach's weather in the East Bay is only 60 degrees today so I'm really happy about that!!

But seriously, the warm weather has really pepped up the atmosphere in our fair metropolis. The bright sunshine has actually prompted many people to just start dancing in the streets. Children are sharing ice cream cones with their dogs, boys are playing in the water bursting forth from the fire hydrants and the local barbers are handing out free lollypops to children and men alike.

Ok, so that may be a bit of an overstatement, but the warm weather is definitely appreciated for being the first week of November. After being spoiled for an entire year of northern California weather, it's really hard to adjust to (and accept) the chill of the cold weather that has the ability to paralyze.

So I feel like I'm rambling. I'm listening to a recording of Benjamin Britten's "A Midsummer Nights Dream" because my orchestra is playing it in the pit, and it's hard to listen to a countertenor and type to my online community (or fan club!) about the beauteous weather. So I'll go. I hope everyone has a nice weekend. I'm trapped at the Music School, but I don't want to talk about it.... :-)