gracias

so a couple days have passed since i received word of my full tuition scholarship to indiana and it still hasn't sunk in yet. the two days that have passed, however, have made me realize how fortunate i am to have such a supportive family of friends here in eau claire. the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" could not be truer in this case. when i came to eau claire, i was truly a musical child. i think i've grown to become a toddler now, thanks to my teachers and, just as importantly, my friends. the musicians i've grown up with here have had just as much impact on me as any lesson or any class i ever took. to think that you can go to school, take your classes and your lessons and shut yourself off to everyone and everything around you and conquer the world alone is foolish, to say the least. so, with that realization, i owe my family and friends a huge thank you for every little thing you've done for me.

the search for my trombone continues. i've exhausted every possibility to find that damn serial number. i'm such a fool for never having written it down. i assure you, however, that the sn for my bass is now written down in many different places, including my brain. that's right. i have it memorized. i'm actually looking into installing a tracking device on my bass. hmm.....a tracking device in the counterweight of a trombone...quick, i need the inventor's hotline number. ok, i'm a dork. you got me.

not much else to write about i guess. jazzfest is this weekend and i'm looking forward to the concerts very much. i visited the rehearsal last night and was really impressed with what i heard from the band and especially the guest artists. should be a fun weekend all around. good luck to all who are involved!

take care,
james