exercise!

ever since i've had to deal with arm problems (starting in october 2003), i've realized that exercise is one of my top priorities. my goal is pretty much to be the strongest woman in the world. i've been doing yoga here every morning and walking a lot. i think that i'm in the best shape that i've ever been in. i hiked estes cone today with 2 friends. it was so amazing. again, the torture of climbing straight up and lack of oxygen was well worth the view from the top.




ps. did i mention that i heart colorado?

I love CO.

colorado is beautiful. i'm really glad that i am here for 5 weeks. this past monday i did my first hike here and it was absolutely gorgeous. a few of us went up to sky pond which meant that we had to do some difficult uphill hiking and also some rock climbing. we climbed up next to a waterfall and were exhausted by the time we got to the top... totally worth it. most beautiful place.


it's so strange, being out here. i never want to go home. i just want to practice and go hiking.

i have been taking viola lessons. i love the viola professor here. a lot. i've learned so much in just 2 lessons with him... possibly more important, fundamental things than i've learned from anyone else. i want him to teach me. violin. and viola.

last night i went to see the new harry potter movie at midnight. so. fantastic. i practiced while waiting at the theatre. i've realized that i can bring my violin and practice anywhere and noone really cares or bothers me. it's quite lovely.

freedom day.

i'm in estes park, colorado. things are good thus far. above is the cabin i'm staying in. i've had a couple of lessons, done some performing, and gone up to look at some mountains. i'm sitting concertmaster of the orchestra which is good and i've met some lovely, extremely talented people.

today was weird just because i didn't get to use any sparklers- my normal 4th of july tradition. but, i did get to go up in a tram to the top of a mountain. :)

where to live, where to live...

my latest goal has been to find a place to live for next year. i've become quite obsessed with looking at kijiji.ca. the other day, literally, two hours flew by and i don't know how i actually sat there for so long, looking at ads. i have put my good friend chri up to the task of being my eyes and ears for my apartment hunt. hopefully he'll look at the place and say it's absolutely perfect. (fingers crossed) the guy i talked to on the phone said that it's mine if i want it. wooooo... the -hoo is put on hold until i get it. i know that the outside looks a wee bit sad, but it's lovely, really.


AND... i also just found another place that is a good possibility. i'd like to go back to canada now.

rocky ridge. 3 days. not. ready. at. all. BUT! i have a renewed interest in practicing which is always good. i was definitely in a summer slump for a bit. i recently re-read this paper about practice thoughts and my focus has been restored.

lastly, my cat, sangria is adorable. there's just no getting around it. i never give her human food ever. firstly, i don't think she should have it, and secondly, she usually doesn't want it if i give it to her. however, she apparently likes butter pecan icecream.

FOCUS

i leave for rocky ridge music camp in 7 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! crazy. i need to work really hard this week. summer, thus far, has been all sorts of fun, but definitely not enough violining. i'm sure that the program will be fine. i'm looking forward to spending time with some good musicians and some mountains. all i have to do now is figure out how i'm going to get everything there.

some of the really annoying items i need to bring are:

-sleeping bag/pillow

-laundry detergent

-music stand

really? a sleeping bag and pillow? the last programs i've been to have had beds. this. is. not. good. i like camping and am 100% fine with "roughing it," but really. again, how am i supposed to fly with all of this stuff?

i went to a trombone factory today with my good friend, matt. i wanted to go see what a brass place was like. definitely different than a violin shop. nice violin places are always very fancy, bright, hardwood places that make you feel at home. this place was pretty much a big metal box that was dimly lit and just lined with trombone parts. not very homey to me. i realize that i'm a violin person, but still.

really hard life lesson.

i urge everyone to take a moment (or many moments) to truly appreciate the people you love in your life. i know that this sounds cheesy, but i'm from wisconsin, so i think it's ok.

today is the six month anniversary of my dad's death, and time has really flown by. i really can't believe that it's been six months already. i can think of millions of things i'd like to tell him and feel sad, literally, every day that he's not here.

do not take things for granted.

xoxox

mouth surgery, chicago, chicago- hooray!

there have been lots of things going on lately...

1. i had surgery to remove a gland under my tongue that has been inflamed. really, really, really painful. BUT, i'm tough. the only thing is that they can't stitch it shut so it's just a big gross hole in my mouth. one funny thing was that i thought i was going to die this morning because i was in so much pain and i actually thought something was out-of-the-ordinary wrong, so i went in my mom's room and told her that i was dying. she told me to take a pain pill and go back to sleep... ok.

2. i have my new violin (antonia) of course, but yesterday i went to chicago and traded in my old bow for a new one, too! :) i don't name bows. i don't know why, but i just don't. my beautiful friend zack went with me and got to stay at my house for a couple of days which was tons of fun. it's always fun to go to bein & fushi (where i got my bow) because they let me play the fancy, $4million instruments... which pretty much play themselves.

3. i also went to chicago just a few days before that to go see the harry potter exhibit with my friend steve and his lovely sister. it was so good!!!!! i tried to take pictures, but, alas, was scolded, so i have nothing to show from my visit. and then after that i went to see star trek. amazing! i highly recommend.

4. i leave for camp soon. june 30th. eek. i should go practice now.