It's been an interesting week. Most of which I don't care to comment on or talk about. However, I did learn that I am probably going to be the worst parent ever, if and when I ever decide to procreate. I'm going to put my kids in a bubble and never let them out. This stems from an incident that happened last week.

A Layton High School sophomore died during football practice. I heard it on the news and I was all...aww that's too bad, probably some freak heart thing. But I didn't really put much more thought into it than that. Then I went to tutor on Tuesday. I have been working a lot with the ACT kids lately because I have more patience for juniors in high school than kindergarteners at the end of the day (I blame this on the fact that most of the people I work with act like 5 year olds a lot of the time), plus I'm one of the select few tutors that can still remember trig. The first hour of tutoring was very productive, the 2 students I was working with just did their work, no chit chat involved. Then one of the other tutors mentioned something about the football player. Well, it turns out that one of my students was friends with him and the other student had lost a good friend in a sledding accident in January...suddenly we went from productive to tears. I'm not even kidding there were 2 high school juniors at my table in tears or almost in tears. And I'm one of those people that when I see people cry, I start to cry. So I'm trying my hardest not to dissolve into tears and at the same time, trying to play counselor to two kids. Then I had to admit to myself that yes, I am now involved in the community in which I live. It was a very draining day. And that's when I made the decision...my children will live in a bubble.

Other than that, I head for DC this week. Then the next week I fly coast to coast. Monday I fly back to UT, Wednesday it's off to San Jose. And I think that somewhere in there, there might be a milestone for me or something. It definitely will not be as cool as last year when my amazing friends threw me this huge freaking pool party and then we went out to find me a guy, only to realize that you don't meet guys going out...or at least not ones you want to establish any sort of long term thing with. But most unfortunately my birthday is in the middle of the week this year and my awesome friends have for the most part moved on me.

Let's see...what else....oh yeah. Carnegie Hall April 2009. Mark your calendars. When I get the date, I'll let everyone know so you all can come see me! I'm playing my french horn at Carnegie Hall!!!!!!! I can't even believe it! How did this all start? Well, I'm a huge dork. Like big time. So I'm in the Ogden Concert Band. Why? Because I really enjoy playing my instrument...and I needed to find an outlet to get to my "happy place" and while the Ogden Concert Band is nowhere near the Boston Pops...it makes me a little bit euphoric to play every week. Well a couple of weeks ago the director of the band (who also is the director of bands at Weber State...for all you NYers...think Oswego State...same type of deal) pulls me aside at rehearsal and says, "hey you look like you could be an undergrad...how old are you, 22?" And I'm all, "ummm thanks...but I'm almost 25." Then he asks how I would feel about playing with a bunch of 18-22 year olds...and oh yeah they're going to Carnegie and they need some strong players...would you like to audition? I was so taken aback that I totally agreed to it before my brain registered that I would actually have to audition. Well I was a little excited...but I kind of forgot about it with everything else I have had going on in my life recently. So the Wednesday before I leave for Florida, the director asks again if I want to do this. Again, I agree and he says, "Great well can you come in on the 3rd and audition." And I said, "Sure, no problem. What should I play?" And he told me something that would show off my range and technical skills. So I was all, "oh like a Mozart concerto?" "Yeah, that would be great." So I got home and pulled out all my books from when I was a junior in HIGH SCHOOL. I looked at all the solos that I had done all those years ago for NYSSMA and I wanted to vomit. I realized that I was an idiot because I had forgotten how many hours I spent on those stupid things, and oh yeah I haven't really practiced in 7 years...and I haven't auditioned for anything in 8. And I was leaving for Florida in the morning...which left me with 2 days to rehearse before the audition. So being the big nerd I am I took my mouthpiece to Florida...yes I know totally nerdy...but I needed to at least give myself a chance at not totally sucking. Then when I got home, I got down to the business of trying to make myself sound awesome in 2 days. It was hell. I considered faking a broken horn so that I wouldn't have to go through the utter hell that is an audition, but I reminded myself that it's freaking Carnegie Hall...you have to at least try. So Tuesday I auditioned. And yes, true to my audition nature, I freaked. I freak when I am well prepared...make me not so well prepared and I was a wreck. I did however manage to get through my concerto much better than I had the weekend before, so I was pleased with that...but my nervousness was clearly showing. My face was red, I had broken out into a cold sweat and I shaking uncontrollably. At the end of the audition the director informed me that I was in fact going to Carnegie (even though I can only make 1 out of 6 practices) and he recommended that I read this book about the inner game of music and how that affects things like auditions. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I may never audition for anything ever again. Of course I never thought I would audition for anything again after high school, so I guess I should never say never.

And 15 months until I can move!!! The time is going faster than I thought it would.

That is all!