This was written last week.... just got the internet today. Love it.
I am on the plane right now and it is quite exciting. I had my first online meal which consisted of a salad with ranch dressing, two slices of cucumber and a quarter a tomato, beef and pasta, apple cranberry juice and two Milano cookies. A notch under cafeteria food but still a notch above the expected. I have heard horror stories and this meal was not worthy of a horror story. I am also enjoying the privileges of new technology. They have a wide array of movies (like thirty!) and TV shows and music and even games that are at my fingertips. Six hours is just flying by! It’s going to be too short of a ride by the end. Too bad I’m going to be so dead tired by the time I get there…. Another amazing thing is that there is no one sitting next to me to I am free to sprawl and find comfortable positions. Yay! Maybe I will get some sleep.
Chicago was incredible, I am definitely a fan. I LOVED being with Jim, it’s so good to have a fellow flautist around. There’s a different language that only we speak. The food was delicious, the people incredible and the music exquisite.
Tuesday night we went to a concert of the top orchestra at DePaul and it was incredible! They have some amazing talent at DePaul. They played some beautiful pieces but what was really interesting was the conductor. I could not get over him, completely entranced. His technique was insane, I have never seen anything like it. It must have worked though to have an ensemble sounding like they did. I felt slightly guilty though. As I was wondering how in the world they followed the conductor, at the end of the piece I look around and people had been moved to tears. I feel like I’m almost immured to good music, which is why I’m going into my profession J What can you do? I’ll have to be more aware next time I go to a good concert. What I REALLY remember about that night though was how freezing it was waiting for the train. Wow, cold. Chicago is a cold place!
Wednesday was exciting. I got to listen to some rehearsals and Jim’s “studio” which is where all the flute players in his studio get together and play for each other. They were extremely good players, I was very impressed. They all love what they’re doing and I love being around people like that. I love passionate people, it doesn’t really matter what they’re passionate about either! They were incredible. I also got to sit in on a lesson which was much more exciting than one would think. His teacher is something else… she is very in your face and never afraid to tell you when you “suck.” That kind of person does everyone good, especially someone like Jim who takes criticism so graciously.
That night we got to meet up with one of my Blue Lake friends, Rob. He is the best. I love seeing people that live across the country who you always hope that you’ll see again but never really believe that you will. He is definitely one of those people. He’s doing well and we had a grand old time reminiscing about the past summer and we had some strange stories. I’m afraid those with us didn’t quite understand but Bernies will always have a special place.
That about sums it up! This morning Jim and I went to breakfast, I packed up and headed to the airport (have I ever mentioned that I HATE packing?) I loved Chicago and I love the whole feeling of Chicago. The person next to you whom you’ve never met before will talk to you if they have something to say. Everyone was always extremely nice to me and I had multiple people help me with my luggage as I was trying to lug it on the train to the airport. Everyone has an opinion about everything and yet they are willing to listen to your opinion as well. I loved it there and I am so lucky that I was able to go! Plus, Jim is great. Second flute domination!
On my way to the airport the train was delayed half an hour, my flight to New York was delayed three hours, and my flight to Manchester was delayed one hour. I’ve just been having a grand old time being delayed…I haven’t really minded though. This is it! England, here I come.
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