The true story of my adventure to Italy.

So I'm in Italy for a summer music workshop that lasts five weeks.  After this, I'll be here for an extra ten days to do some light traveling.  But this entry is the story of how I got here in one piece.  My friend Nathan and I decided to travel together since we were both going to the same place.  This is not the kind of deal where you have a camp director and everyone goes together.  It's more of a every-man-for-his-self type of thing.  So, since he and I were both going to be in New Jersey the week we had to leave, we decided to leave from JFK in New York City.  Our flight plan was to fly from New York to Shannon Ireland.  Well that part went off without a hitch.  Then we had to catch another plane in Shannon and fly to London (Heathrow).  At that point, we had five hours to take a series of trains from Heathrow to Standstead airport.  That trip should have taken about an hour and a half.  Well wouldn't you konw, all of the trains were behind scheduel.  We were held back by the fact that we went to switch trains because we had to catch the yellow line to Liverpool.  We asked the locals if we were on the yellow and they said we were.  Well, we were actually on the green line and started going the opposite direction.  When we finally corrected that mistake, and got to the Standstead express station, it had costs us a couple of hours, and at this point, we only have a little over an hour to check in for out next flight.  Of the four express trains that would take us to the airport, only one was working, and there were at least 1000 people with tickets wating to get on the next train.  So we made a last ditch effort to make our flight and it was a long shot.  We got three other people and hailed a cab to the airport.  Two of the people were from Germany and the other from Amsterdam.  So off we went.  It was five o'clock and we had to be checked in by 6 for the plane to leave at 7.  We arrive at the airport at 6:30.  So after we paid the driver the 100lbs for the drive, we proceed to the check in counter to find another flight.  The lady at the counter took pity on us and let us on.  She let us check our stuff for free and we had to sprint to the terminal, which was the second furthest one in the entire airport.  We got on the plane and were off to Italy.

Here is where I need to say that Nathan made the travel plans.  We were to fly into Bologna.  But the airport was Bologna-Forli.  So the actual airprot was in Forli, which is 120 kms from Bologna.  We were going to have to catch the last buss to Bologna and then wait for several hours for the next train to bring us to Lucca.  Instead of that, our friend Francesco, the guy that sat next to me on the plane gave us other advice.  He showed us where we needed to go on a weather map he had in his newspaper.  Instead of cities on the map, there were tempetures, but whatever.  He told me to rent a car and drive myself.  So when we got off the plane, it took us a while to get our bags and get through customs.  When we got out of the airport, Francesco was waiting for us.  He had already been to the Hertz place in the airport and told them what we needed.  So I rented a car at a discounted rate because it had just been returned and was not clean, and drove halfway across the country from Forli to Bologna to Florence and at last to Lucca.

It took me just a few min to familiarize myself with the road signs, and it was 11:00pm.  The Italians must have gotten a deal on road signs because they are everywhere.  The ones you see most are these blue signs with a white arrow.  The arrow just points to things like curbs, trees, and some of the just point to other blue signs.  It took us a long time to find the autostrada (highway) because we can't read the signs.  Once on it we drove for about and hour and came to a full stop.  There had been a bad semi accident ahead of us that just stopped everything.  We were stopped for over and hour.  One of the trucks was transporting olive oil and it had spilled all over the autostrada.  Once free of that, we were again underway.  We pulled into Lucca at about 3:30am.  We had nowhere to go and foundout for the first time, that the car would go into reverse (it was manual transmission).  So Nathan had to get out and shove us in reverse acouple of times until we got a system, which involved going Fred Flinstone on the hoe and putting our feet outside and shoving it backwards. 

So far, I've told about half of the story and have to stop because I've run out of time on my internet card.  Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion......it's going to be sooooo good.

It's been busy.  My recital went off without a hitch.  We played a great concert in Lima.  The best part was Pines of Rome.  I got to have Dave Kevin and Bobby come up to play the off-stage parts.  We really brought down the house.  John Hagstrom from the Chicago Symphony was here and I got to play for him and drive him around.  Dave and I just heard the Chicago Symphony play Mahler 4 yesterday and we got to go back-stage and talk to the players.  Mr. Hagstrom remembered my name and everything, it was awsome.  I just found out that I get the trumpet T.A. position for next year.

The past couple of weeks have been hard in the area of dealing with people.  In this case it's people I'm not around very often.  There are about two people, at least, that I'm about to go off on if they don't watch out.  Both people are these "know-it-all's" (that don't know much of anything really) that refuse to shut up and listen.  They just don't listen.  They are always ready to talk, but when they do, they don't really say anything.  I think they just like the sound of their own voice.......which is funny because no one else does.  They both have no clue, and one of them is the biggest cry-baby ever.  Not that this really effects me that much....it's not keeping me up nights.  These things just make going to school and trying to do the right thing difficult.  Imagine, a DMA student trying to hand-hold and pacify these ignorant undergrads that talk way more than they should and get their feelings hurt at the drop of a hat.  Anyway, I'm going to assume it's just the fact that it's late in the year, and everyone is on edge.  There are but a few more weeks of class left and then everyone will have a nice break and come back ready to act right.  I'd hate to end the year having to tell these folks they suck and they need to shut the hell up.....but I'd do it.

"All-night activites" - I have found the remains of a sub-way started in Cincinnati in 1925, or there-abouts.  Once I get a select group together, all-night activities will begin.

Things to look forward to:  In a few weeks, I get to go to New Jersey for the ITG conference.  Right after that, I get to go to Italy for five weeks, and it's on the schools dollar.  Once the festival in Italy is over, Nathan and I are staying an extra ten days in Europe to travel and see what there is to see.  We are spending at least one day in Paris and will meet up with Dr. Mann, who will be there giving an organ tour.  Once back in the states, it'll be all-night activities.  I'll go back to Texas where i can get some real food and see the old gang.

Currently Watching Gone with the Wind (Two-Disc Edition) By Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh see related

In summation...

Our trumpet ensemble took 4th place at the National Trumpet Competition.  The guys that won did a "dog and pony show."  That week, Beth was in town and the CSO played Mahler 2, I played Wagner in Lima, I took finals, and had to drive to Washington D.C. for the competition.  It was slightly on the busy side.

For spring break, I sat on my ass and watched MTV spring break...all day.

I have a recital on April the 5th.  All music for trumpet and organ.  That's cool.

Currently Reading Ethics By Dietrich Bonhoeffer see related

I saw "Hostel" the other day.  That movie is nuts.  I've got a strong stomach and can stand to watch most anything, but there were moments in that movie that were pretty damn gross.  Church was great this morning.  Christina really let us have it full blast at the organ.  That's what i like to hear.  I think that's what gets me through the week.  The sound of an organ at the hands of a skilled organist is one of the greatest sounds man is responsible for producing.  Far too often you hear these people that play the organ, but they’re not organists; they play the piano and just try to apply the same concepts.  So as a result, you get this sorry composition with a funky registration.  It’s an uplifting experience to hear the subtle tones of one stanza of a familiar hymn followed by various other registrations for the later stanzas, with the last stanza full out (in some cases).  The powerful rumble of the 32’s is indescribable.  All the while, the congregation is singing in UNISON.  Leave the harmony to the choir and the organ.  The last thing we need is Aunt Mildred trying to hack out the alto line, with the kind of vibrato you can drive a Mac Truck through.  Well enough about organs and such.

I'm really getting sick of people and their shit.  I don't quite understand why people can't just act right.  I walk onto the 5th floor today to learn how to play the trumpet (I’m working on the B-flat scale) to find the area in ruin.  There was shit everywhere and i spent a little while cleaning it up.  People write stupid crap all over the walls.  They better hope i don't find them doing that shit, cause I’ll do something about it, that's for sure. 

I think that people need to do a better job of listening.  I think most people don't listen, they just wait to speak.  Listening is more than just hearing the words, it's hearing how they are said, and observing body language.  You can tell if someone is interested in what you are saying, or if they just want you to shut up, and don't speak ever again by simply listening and observing.  Come lately, there have been more of this last kind in my life.  I have no interest in what they are saying, yet the keep on speaking, speaking of things as useless as they are.  And I want to be a good person, so rather than tell them to shut up; I sit there with a blank expression upon my face and suffer through all this b.s. 

Currently Reading Cup of Gold: A Life of Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer, With Occasional Reference to History (Twentieth-Century Classics) By John Steinbeck see related

I made it back to Texas alright with only one minor set back.  That being when I was leaving Nashville I started eating one of those “Atomic Fireballs”, you know that cinnamon candy that’s real hot at first but has a sweet center.  Well I managed to swallow the damn thing whole and rightly began to choke.  Luckily I was already at one of those rest areas on the side of the highway so I wasn’t endangering the lives of others.  Here I am doubled over in the parking lot trying to throw this candy up……I really thought I was going to die right then and there…alone at a highway rest stop.  Well as you may imagine, I made it out alive. 

I spent a couple of days in Garland hanging out with some friends and on Friday morning, it was off to Nacogdoches.  The purpose of going there was two-fold; 1. to attend Rick’s wedding; and 2. to see my friends.  I was informed at the last minute that I would be playing the trumpet at this wedding, those of you musikers know how much more fun that is than knowing in advance you would be playing.  I stayed with Jeremy (ol’e string bean) until Wednesday and we played disc golf most ever day.  No “all-night activities” took place but that’s alright, I was just glad to be there. 

That Sunday was Dr. Mann’s last day as organist at the Presbyterian Church and they had a big farewell for him, and I got to eat lunch and dinner with him.  Sunday night I ended up at Erik’s apt, which ended up being a big tool box.  I was real glad to get to shoot the shit with Erik for a while, but that was about the only reason I was thankful to be over there.  Come to think of it, me and Jeremy never really got into it like we normally do.  Don’t get me wrong, we had a few minor scraps but nothing like the old days, least ways my nose was in one piece.

Then it was to Gilmer to see John Green and company.  They had me laughing pretty much non stop, which is great for the soul.  Well I guess it is anyway….well actually I’m just talking out my ass since I really have no idea what’s good or bad for the soul.

Christmas with the family was good.  This is the first Christmas since I can remember that I wasn’t at church either Christmas Eve or Christmas day.  Can’t say why it happened that way exactly.  It may be because my mom would want to attend the Baptist production of bad music, and I would only want to attend a Presbyterian service or the like.

Grades – 6 A’s and 2 B’s.  Not to shabby.