Whenever you move you find random things. If each move were measured by these finding, our most recent move would have been considered a triumph!

Stalker Letter to Kate. Reader advisory: all misspellings and grammatical errors are that of the creator. The transcriber of this important historical document did everything physically possible to copy the document accurately, even when this was ridiculously challenging.

Dear Kate,

I feel guilty because I was told that I made you feel uncomfortable. I was told it was the way I was holding you. If thats true will you PLEASE forgive me.
I have a couple of lines from a song stuck in my head that I believe pertain to you:

Your love is like a river
Peaceful and deep
Your soul is like a secret
I could never keep
When I look into your eyes
I know that it’s true
God must have spent a little more time on your

I hope you can forgive me. If you could write back with your answer, it would be much appreciated.
There is something you ought to know. This is hard for me to say, but if I don’t I won’t be able to live with myself, I have a crush on you. Ever since I laid my eyes on you. I will name some of you rbest qualities. For one, your gorgeous. You are the most gorgeous woman to ever walked the face of the earth. You are also nice to everyone you meet. Even guys like me. You seem to be intelligent. You are great dancer, unlike me. You seem to have high standards. I love that in a woman. If any guy makes you uncomfortable, tell him to back off. [sic]
I hope that If your already have a boyfriend or if you don’t want me, then maybe we can still be friends. I want to ask you to keep being the wonderful person that you are.
I feel something different about you, like we should both go out when we are 16 (double dates of course), but this will probibly never happen. You are just a wonderful person.
I love you, Kate, and nothing can change that now. You might think I love you just for your body, but that’s not true. I also love you for you sweet spirit. I love your outgoing personality. Your the kind of woman I want to marry in the temple. I doubt that it will be us, but it just so happens that you are the most gorgeous woman. PLEASE forgive me for anything I have done to you. I hope you are living the young women’s values.
I know we aren’t dating age but I still love you and nothing or anyone can change my mind. PLEASE don’t lose those gorgeous curls. I believe God did spend more time creating you, because he created a gorgeous angel. You look like an angel straight from heaven. I think “fine” is an understatement. I would have told you this at the dance, buy you kept avoiding me when I got the courage to tell you.
If you are already spoken for, maybe we can be friends. Maybe when we are both 16 we can go on a group date and go dancing. I want to let you know I will plan creative dates. I don’t know how you’re taking this so PLEASE write back and tell me. I know that you don’t feel the same way as I do.
Here is a poem I wrote for you:

Kate
Gorgeous Angel
Loves to Dance
Sweet Spirit
Beautiful

Let me give you some advice. Never let your standards fall for anyone. Pray always, whether you feel you need to or don’t. Read the scriptures daily, PLEASE don’t lose the curls.

Love,

-----Name Removed-----

P.S. I can’t stop thinking about you.

This is so full of win that I’m bursting at the seams to share this video! It’s two of my favorite things: original NES Super Mario Bros. and weird crap. I have actually always really liked the theramin since I first heard about it in my Intro to Music History class more than a decade ago.

To read about the theramin, check out the wikipedia article here.

Seriously......
Oxford, Iowa has to be the strangest little town I have ever been to, let alone stayed in for any amount of time. Today RAGBRAI came through town. What does that mean for little ‘ol Oxford? Tons of drunk bikers. I think RAGBRAI is a great event, I just didn’t appreciate staying so close to a bar.
In just one week from tomorrow we will be moving into our new apartment. We are so excited to have our own space and our own things again! It has been six weeks exatly since the flood. What a crazy six weeks it has been. Yesterday I posted about normalcy. Bring it on!

Do I even need the DMA? I mean, this make three degrees already. Why do a fourth?
Get yours free here!

As the spring semester was coming to a close, I had many plans for this summer: eat well, excersise daily, lose weight, practice a ton, have a recital ready to go the first week of school, and many others. After the great trip to Salt Lake for the International Trombone Festival, those plans simply fell apart. This flood really affected the city we live in and us individually. We were living in a hotel for a week, moving inventory in and out of Kate’s work, and now we are staying about twenty minutes outside of town, so travel is very inconvienient. The music building was flooded, so I do not have access to practice rooms or the music library. So, this all begs the question: what is normal?

Is normal being comfortable with the everyday? Isn’t that exactly what we are always trying to get away from; to do something new and exciting? This summer certainly has been both new and exciting, just not in the most positive ways! I have discovered that when praciticing is not convienient that I struggle making all the time that I need to progress at a certain level.

In nine days we will be moving into our new apartment. Things will be getting back to “normal” (whatever that means). We look forward to this normalcy once again.

You probably know by now that I am in love with all things Mario. This is the best version of the Mario theme song I have come across! Enjoy!


Mario Theme Played with RC Car and Bottles - Watch more free videos

Because everyone needs a tiger print trombone:




What do you get when you cross Adrian Brody, the Three Stooges, a trombone, and a photo shoot?




And finally, another vintage ad: It's Impossible to Overblow this NEW Model!



Full Size

The Iowa River runs right through Iowa City and splits the University of Iowa Campus. Just north of the Voxman Music Building is City Park. This spring when the snow was melting and we were still getting some storms, the river flooded quite a bit. To my knowledge, there were no problems with any buildings or homes flooding, but the park was certainly under a lot of water. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea.



The trees are not normally under water.



This one give you an idea of where the river should be: to the left of the trees. The sidewalk here is also covered in several inches of water. This path sits close to the river, but several feet above the river. The water has gone down now, but it was a crazy couple of weeks.

Church marquis have been known for their catchy sayings, but sometimes they are just dumb. I caught this one in Muscatine, Iowa the other day.

This morning at 8:01 am, we received the automated phone call from "Hawk Alert" letting the University of Iowa students know that there was a possible shooter in the Iowa City area. An hour later the Hawk Alert was removed, but it was a tense morning. As it turns out, a local man was recently indicted for embezzlement from the company he worked for. Early this morning he killed his wife and four children. It was a terrible slaughter. Late this afternoon, the police learned that there was no gun involved and that the causes of death will be determined in the coming days as autopsies are performed. The killer's van was found off of I-80 burnt to a crisp with the killer inside (at least it is assumed it is the killer). The van VIN number matches the one owned by the killer, but the identity of the man will not be known until after his autopsy since he was burned beyond recognition.

Lesson of the day:
Don't embezzle from your employer. But we already knew that didn't we?

Translation:

Go Go Mario

Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running
Go save Princess Peach! Go!
Today, full of energy, Mario runs
Today, full of energy, jumping!
Today, full of energy, searching for coins
Today, keep going, Mario!

Get a mushroom - it's Super Mario!
Get a flower - it's Fire Mario!

Goomba! Troopa! Buzzy Beetle! Beat them all!
Mario is always full of energy and strong!

[Spoken] The only one who can reverse the spell that has captured the Mushroom People is Princess Peach. But Princess Peach is hidden underground, in a far-off castle. Ah, the days of peace... if we could once more return to those days... to save Princess Peach and bring peace back to the Mushroom Kingdom, that is why Mario is on his journey today.

Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running
Go and beat the Koopa tribe, go!
Today, full of energy, Mario runs
Today, full of energy, jumping!
Today, full of energy, searching for coins
Today, keep going, Mario!

Get a star - become invincible!
Quickly, go save Princess Peach!

Lakitu! Blooper! Cheep Cheep! Beat them all!
Mario is always full of energy and strong!

Today, full of energy, Mario is still running, running
He's made it to the castle and gets fireworks!
Lightly sidestepping the Hammer Bros.
Show the last of your power, Mario!
It's been a long journey but it's nearly at an end
You've done it, you've done it! You've defeated Bowser!

Princess Peach says "Thank you"
Mario's got a great big heart!

Mario's adventure is over for now, but
Mario's dream lives forever...

Taken from here

A Salt Lake transient was arrested for the 452nd time.

Get the story kutv.com

Taken from Flikr

Today we experienced one of the craziest storms we have even seen! Around six o'clock tonight we had thunder and lightening and about an inch of rain. The crazy thing? This storm came with about 18 inches of snow on the ground! We had so much packed ice in the parking lot at our apartment, but it's almost all gone now! Finally! It was dark, but here's the best picture I could get:

For full size, click here.

It was brought to my attention by my good friend, BT, that I have offered a suggestion for success in the mullet, but I have not countered with the antithesis of said haircut. It is an eternal law that all things have their opposites: black and white, good and evil, woodwinds and brass, etc. In the comic book genre, a common theme is that the superhero always has an arch enemy - usually with access to, or he has the power himself, to weaken or kill said hero.
For example:
Superman - Lex Luthor quickly discovers that Kryptonite weakens and has the potential to kill Superman.
Spiderman - Of Spiderman's myriad enemies, most have the ability to fly - something a spider does not have. Spiders are often consumed by birds or larger, flying insects.
For some insight into this theory, refer to M. Night Shyamalan's 2000 film, Unbreakable featuring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. In any case, all things have their opposites. I present the opposite of the Mullet: the Fade:

Exhibit A:


These "House Party" stars went on to big things - well, their hair was big at least.


Exhibit B:



The Vanilla Fade - Vanilla Ice hit the scene big time in the late 80's with such hits as "Ice, Ice, Baby" and well.... "Ice, Ice, Baby". Vanilla can be seen on "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II" and almost every celebrity reality show. I do have a confession though: I thought Vanilla was awesome!

So, the combination BT/JA theory of hair arch-nemeses has thusly been presented. Enjoy.

I have had a lot of time to think lately. I have been thinking about a career in music and what one can do to be successful. Finally, it hit me! Mullets and Man-Perms!

Exhibit A:



Kenny G is probably the most financially successful instrumentalist of all time. You may hate his music as much as I do, but there is no arguing that he made some serious change.

Exhibit B:



Yanni - Again, with the not liking his music; but with all those PBS specials, he certainly makes more than I do as a graduate student.

Exhibit C:




Michael Bolton. MB sans the permed mullet probably would be a fairly handsome man, but who cares? Success! I know what I must do -- grow out my hair, chop of the top, and get a mullet. Millions and millions will flow my way and I won't even have to practice the trombone anymore! More time for admiring my beautiful mullet! It's a win-win!

If you can't read it, the banner on the bottom left reads: "With as Much Caffeine as a Cup of Coffee"

That's one way to get it done!

I usually don't do these kinds of things, but this one seemed a little more fun. This was passed on by my sister-in-law, Cory Hopkins. The game is to take the following questions, type the answer into Google image search, and pick one of the images from the front page. Let the games begin!

Q: How old will you be at your next birthday?

A: 28



Q: Where would you like to visit someday?

A: Vienna, Austria



Q: One of your favorite places.

A: Eureka, California



Q: Your favorite object:

A: Posaune!



Q: Your favorite food:

A: Green Chili



Q: Your favorite color:

A: Blueish



Q: Your favorite animal:

A: Liger



Q: Name of a past pet:

A: Curly



Q: Where you currently live:

A: Coralville, Iowa



Q: Your middle name:

A: Sayre



Q: Your major in college:

A: Trombone Performance


(That's right!! My first teacher, Buddy Baker showed up in the first page of results!!)

Q: A bad habit you have:

A: Being awesome



Q: Your favorite holiday:

A: Boxing Day



I hereby tag those that have read this, as I was thusly tagged.

Cheers!

We have been getting so much snow! It has been snowing, a least a little bit, nearly every day for the past several weeks. The other day we got eight inches which mostly all melted when it warmed up a bit and rained. Last night we got ten inches and school was cancelled. (not until I got up early so that I could leave extra early to get to school in time. I got stuck once I was there and it took me twenty minutes and the help of a kindly snow plowman) After getting to school and getting unstuck, I got the automated call that classes were cancelled. Oh well. We are enjoying the day inside!

Here's another look back at a look forward.

Usborne Book of the Future"

Wal-Mart in Ft. Morgan, Colorado.

Enjoy

I am supposed to be doing Musicology, but my brother, Nicholas sent me this video. I could not contain myself from sharing it with others!!

I hate stairs. Yesterday fell up the stairs with my trombone. Today I discovered a nice little crease in the bell section. Suck. Today, I fell down two different stairs in about two minutes. Double suck.

Today was interesting... Kate had her first 5 a.m. shift. She first got up at 4. She was gracious enough to let me sleep until about 4:40 when I had to take her to work. After getting back I was unable to get back to sleep. I think this is the longest I have been awake since traveling to Europe a few years ago. Sad, I know, but it's true. After Kate got off work we went to Brigham Young Memorial site to take some pictures with me and my trombone (the park is just across the street). When we came back in this happened:
Not awesome. Luckily, the maintenance man was able to get it out without a hitch. It's too bad the maintenance man doesn't also teach karate, because that would be a beautiful 80's throwback that I would most definitely have to take part in! And then I would definitely have to dress up as the shower curtain for Halloween tomorrow night. As it stands, there will be no dressing up tomorrow since I am in class in the evening. Sad. That's ok, I had my share of dressing up last weekend (see post below about Halloween concerts). Cheers.