a tall personality

When I was a freshman in high school, I was second chair trumpet in the concert band, but the really good kids, they were in the jazz band .  The jazz band was the elite, cool band who met before school even started.  I remember that year when the jazz band came back from the UAF jazz festival where Ingrid Jensen (professional trumpet player) had been the featured artist.  I remember them trying to imitate how she played, and talking about all the things they had learned, and all the fun they had on the trip.  I though to myself, "I am NOT missing out on that next year!  I'm joining the jazz band!"  Aaaand I did. From my sophomore year on I got to play lead in the concert and jazz band.  I found myself spending extra hours before and after school in the band room practicing, taking lessons, playing around with different instruments, and getting to know music.  I never went anywhere without my trumpet, just in case I found a spare moment to play. ...

Last weekend I made the very wise choice to go to McCall Idaho to visit old and very wonderful friends, and see the Ice Carving contest!  McCall, you have it going on!  On a lake, in the mountains, kinda rustic and woodsy- it's as close to perfection as the lower 48 can offer in my humble option (the true humility of which is debatable).   So Friday night 5 of us packed into Michael's car and went careening for 9 hours down icy roads of death!  Actually the roads were generally dry and there were only a few moments I would have classified as "careening" :)  Thanks to Travis we were equipped for most emergencies with a 5  pound bag of gummy bears! We arrived at the "cabin" in Donnelly late late that night, and pretty much went straight to bed so that we wouldn't be monsters the next day.  Luckily that worked out for us well, and there were no monster outbreaks the whole trip! Then it was the day we had all been waiting for!  We were al...