Well, I've finally started working in earnest (sort of). I've been spending quite a bit of time surfing the web, looking at places of employment, particularly small local music schools seeking instructors to teach children. So far I have two possibilities, one which asked for a resume and the other who said the owner of the store would call me. So we'll see. Also starting to work hard on the audition rep for the Madison Symphony. It's actually coming along ok.
Yesterday was a lost day. After not being under the influence of anything basically since I left school in May, I was invited to a housewarming party on Monday night and, well . . . drank far, far more than I ever reasonably should have even considered, and was yesterday graced with the worst hangover known to man. My parents, if not sympathetic, were at least understanding.
Went to see The Descent a few days ago. For those into horror films, I'd highly recommend it; actually, it's very similar in many ways to the first Alien movie, although not quite as artsy. Still, it's a genuinely scary movie, which is rare these days.
By the end of August, I think I'll have an idea about my employment situation. Here's hoping.

Here's a link to a post by Andrew Sullivan, who in turn is quoting from a column in the French newspaper Le Figaro. The point: "Why do the 200,000 slaughtered Muslims of Darfur not arouse even half a quarter of the fury caused by 200-times fewer dead in Lebanon?" It's an excellent point. As the quote points out, when Israel kills Muslims (as in the horrific strike in Qana), it is denounced around the world as a fascist police state intent on dominating the Muslim world. When muslims kill each other, it passes almost without notice, as with the daily suicide bombings in Iraq or, as pointed out here, in Darfur. I follow this trend myself: I don't even bat an eye much anymore when reading about the violence in Iraq, but when the missile hit the building in Qana and killed some 20 children and however many others, I was as incensed as everyone else against Israel's act. And yes it was indeed horrific, but I think it's very easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. I'm not saying that denouncing Israel is wrong, far from it in fact. But there is much evil perpetrated in the world that's worth calling attention to, and to me it seems that to completely ignore the humanitarian crisis in Darfur (as so many seem to be doing these days) while turning Israel into the world's whipping boy seems somehow grossly inappropriate.

Yes, I know, a depressing post. Sorry.

So now I'm home. I was at first thankful to be home, but things are really slow here. I'm looking forward to the start of the UW Madison school year, because then I'll have a number of friends here in town. On the plus side, right before I left camp Vardi told me to start the Ligeti sonata. I love that piece so much, and it's giving me something to do. After 2 days I can sort of play the second movement drastically under tempo. It seems one of those pieces that's going to take a lot of steady work to even learn the notes, let alone the piece.
I'm getting a new cell phone soon, with a local number. Details forthcoming. It's verizon tho.
It's hard to get up the gumption to practice when it's so humid that a slick of water forms on my fingerboard, but I did manage a couple hours. But it was a really painful couple of hours. Which is no good because I have SOOO much new rep to learn. Ah well.
I finally have netflix. First on the queue is the Firefly TV series, Tales from the Crypt TV series, and Night Watch, a Russian vampire film. Trippiest damn thing i've seen. The beginning was really stupid, so I was skeptical, but it got really good really fast.
Nothing else to post about really because nothing's happening. Need to get out more before my social sense atrophies.