Update

Well nothing too interesting or new has been happening here in Oslo. Things seem to be settling a bit and I'm falling into some kind of routine. I have at least one class each day so I am at school all day every day usually.

This past Friday the horn studio had a class recital. Everyone played really well and I think I did an ok job. I have been doing a lot of "strength training" on my lips and it's definitely taking a toll right now so I wasn't 100% secure playing, but I think it was fine. This strength training consists of an hour of long tones every day and 5 or so Conconne etudes. None the less, it has hard and tiring work. After the recital me and my group of friends went over to a German horn player's apartment (Carla) and had tacos for her birthday. We ended up playing the game where you all stand in a cluster and mix your hands up and make a big knot and then try to untangle yourselves. We gave up after 45 minutes. But by that time the last T-Bane to take us all home had already came. So we caught the train to school and walked home from there. This was the most miserable walk of my life. I had my bag with my books in it, my horn, high heeled shoes and POURING RAIN. And did I mention it was pretty cold? None of the boys walking with us had umbrellas either, so most of us ended up sharing. Never the less we made it to the Sogn student village where all my friends live which is about 25 minutes walk up hill to my apartment. I couldn't do it! It was about 2 am already and I just decided to sleep in my friend's room. So the next day I got up at about 9:30 and caught the bus up the hill to Kringsja. Then I didn't do anything until about 1:30 and I practiced an hour MAYBE. My lips need rest. I'm using muscles I haven't quite felt yet and they are very sensitive and weak. So then I came home after that and watched Forrest Gump. At about 10pm Sabine called me and told me to come over for dinner and to hang out. I knew we wouldn't do anything special but I hadn't really done anything all day so I didn't care. So I walked back down to Sogn... then at 1:30 when I decided to leave, who would have thought... it was RAINING. But this time I didn't care and I walked. Did I mention it was pretty sunny all day yesterday? And it was fairly clear when I was walking there... the weather here is INSANE. It changes in minutes.

Anyways, that has been my not so exciting weekend. I don't have class this week which is nice. The contemporary music ensemble has four hours of rehearsal every day though. BLAH. Not looking forward to this. Sabine and Max are going out of town. I think Gregoire will be out of town. Looks like me, Carla and Julius will be having a dandy old time! Mom and Drew's birthday is on Wednesday. Ian comes for a week next Tuesday. Yay for visitors! Although it will probably wear on me having to share this small room with someone... with Ian. hahaha. But I will do my best NOT to think about that yet.

Anyways, missing everyone in the US. Love you all.