Week 0

Wow - it's only the end of Week 1 (actually, Week 0 on our schedule), and I already feel right at home. Just have to start recording so I can re-acquaint myself with all the gear and procedures, etc. and then I'll be set. The people here are wonderful, as always, and I'm much closer to the "old-timers" this year because for one it's my second summer and two I just think I've become much more social. Sometimes in terms of getting comfortable with something, it seems like I more-or-less watch it happen rather than make myself get comfortable. But hey, either way, I get comfortable, so yay.

Today we go to the sulfur/vapor caves which are basically natural underground sulfur saunas in these natural caves that are adapted so that we can, well, sit in them. We detox for an hour or so and then usually go up to the solarium and nap or something. It's only $9, too.

Yesterday I went to Snowmass for a concert that was SO good - Kweller SomebodyOrOther and I just couldn't believe how good it felt to be seeing great live music with a backdrop of huge greeen mountains and a lush green valley. I might go again today if I decide I want to spend the money because it's two really popular groups I've heard a lot about in Chico - Michael Franti and Spearhead. Well and then last night we all went to the hot tub at the Ritz Carlton that you pretty much have to tip-toe (yes, sneak) into at night, but there were four of us and once we got in we became really quiet, it was soooo nice, especially when it's a bit chilly outside.

Thursday after work I hiked up Buttermilk, the ski-mountain across the street from my apartments, and I must say I was sore before I even completed the hike and so am REALLY sore now, but hey, that's half the glory of it. It took my an hour and twenty minutes to hike up and then I jogged down in 40 minutes singing "She'll be comin' round the mountain" half of the way and then making up songs the last half, it was so much fun. That's why I like to hike alone. There are some hikes I do alone but I also gotta be smart and not do the ones WAY out in the mountains alone because yes, it's dangerous. But I usually equip myself with all necessary first aid gear, my pepper spray, my cell phone now, and rain gear, food, water, extra socks...stuff like that.

Wednesday night we all went bowling which was incredibly fun. My first game I bowled 119, which is the highest I've ever bowled. But yeah, it is tradition Wednesday night to go bowling and we all get lanes next to each other - audio crew, stage crew, some tech crew guys and others as well...

Tuesday I went to bed early, I was beat!

Monday night the audio people hung out at the head engineer's apartment until 2am - got to know each other on the very first day, it was really neat, and surprising to everyone that we're already so comfortable with each other. We just keep smiling and noting that "it's going to be such a good summer..." and I think that's absolutely true!

Sunday I hiked and then went out for sushi with the crew at night and then for a beer and game of shuffleboard afterwards.

There - what a wonderful week. And I'm enjoying work a lot. It's keeping me really busy but I like it that way. I just might have to catch up on stuff this weekend which is kinda a bummer that I have to put in weekend hours, but my desire to see this project do well and to have it all set up upon my own responsibility and schedule is plenty satisfying and for the most part overcomes any such bummers. I won't be recording a lot this summer which is also a bummer, but I will be recording SOME and therefore will at least blow some of the dust off before I head out to Florida to become THE solo recording engineer. (YAY FUN!!!!) Ooh I just got really really excited.

Okay, my roommate Brandie and I are going to take a short easy hike before we meet at 11 to head down to the hot springs/vapor caves.

Hooray Week 0!

From the top of the same mountain (Buttermilk), however looking in the other direction... 

From the top of the mountain looking towards Aspen -- took me an hour and 20 mins to hike up, 40 mins to jog down, felt GREAT! 

In the Nevada desert - it stretched across both east and west-bound I80, I could see the "end of the rainbow" quite well, and eventually it even became a double. Pretty...

Settlin' In

Well here I am - and I'm quite happy to be here. However, when I woke this morning I literally had no idea where I was and exclaimed to myself in my head, "Oh, I'm in Aspen!" Kinda strange. Went out with old friends last night and didn't hit the hay until 2:30am but woke up at 8am, tried to go back to sleep but wanted to hike so bad so I got up and laced on my boots and drove over to Aspen mountain and trucked up the Ute ("yoot") trail. I took it slow, and man did I realize how much better shape I was in general last summer than I am now. I had to stop on the way DOWN because my quads hurt! I can't WAIT to become a hikin' fool though! I'm gonna get in such good shape.

My roommate here has turned out to be the other female audio intern and I like her a lot - she has similar interests, is very laif back (from South Carolina) and I think will be easy and enjoyable to live with. At first I had a different roommate but she'd been here for almost 2 weeks, made friends, and wanted to live with a new friend so she assured me it had nothing to do with me but she wanted to swap with the other girl that HAPPENED to be the other audio intern. So all worked out.

I'm looking forward to this summer so much - I'm really excited. All the people here are great, I can't wait to record and can't wait to get started on my archiving project. I've gotta run now and meet the old man Gairt and his honey Jane for a celebratory welcoming dinner at a Pan-Asian restuarant downtown.

There's nothing like returning to the same placea year later to reflect on what's actually happened in the last year, and how you grow. I think I was in a very different frame of mind last year, and I think this year it's healthier, more fun-loving, friendly, excited, open, honest, true to myself, and...yes...aaahhhhh. I'm happy.

Gotta run!

Momentous Wave of Birdsong

The day I leave. I feel fine. I'm looking forward to the drive, but don't know that any profound thoughts will come my way. I thought they would last time and they didn't, for 18 hours straight the only profound thought I had is that I knew that I was doing what I wanted to do, which is pretty profound, yes, but not an epiphany.

This morning I shot awake at 4:30am. Wide awake and managed to go back asleep in 20 minutes until Mom re-awoke me at 5:30am as requested. I got up an sat outside under the grape arbor and felt the difference between knowing a place and leaving a place. But the sun still isn't up, and it's a beautiful morning, and just now I'm getting anxious and don't want to wait until 10am to leave. Have a friend to say goodbye to in Chico, maybe I'll call and come earlier. Drop my fencing stuff off at Tobin's at 8am and call from there.

Gonna shower, throw on some comfy clothes and get my bandana straight (windows are gonna be down, baby), check the house for things I need or might forget, and head out.

Alright. Here we go.