Summer 2007

What a craz y summer

I spent this summer as an AV tech working for the company: "Elite AVs" on the Resort at Squaw Creek property. It was fun, but was boring at times because of lack of techie stuff to do. I learned alot but I also discovered that I need to be more on the IT sides of things. I liked working with the laptops, sound systems, and projectors but i could do without the easels, flip-charts, and lighting. The pay was good and alot of the people were cool, but I don't really see myself as an AV tech. It was good experience and will look good on my resume.

The other half of my summer was spent with the trumpet. I was all set up with my effects pedal and recording apparatus, but most of everything was for practice, not too many recordings, let me know if you want to hear some stuff.
I can proudly say that I did buzzing basics at least once a day 97% of the summer. There was an occasional day off (like when i flew down to LA to see KIM! whee). I also did alot of improvisation work and transcribed a few solos by Nick Payton and Freddie Hubbard. I really want to get my hands on another Bb trumpet and a C trumpet, but i don't think the funds will allow for that as of now. About half way through July i found out that i was selected for the Kenny Burrell Scholarship at UCLA, so it looks like ill be staying a Jazz major for as long as i can!

As much as I looked forward to having a summer vacation, I miss school. Its probably because of work. At school, all i had to worry about was classes and my chops and this summer i've had to go to work almost every day. Its a shame, I would rather be in LA than in beautiful Lake Tahoe.


Among my technological shenanigans this summer were the successful hacking of my Xbox 360 to be a media server on my network, installing OSX via an iPod, editing the source code on my RAZR so that i could get my pictures off and ring-tones on, creating a remote-assistance empire out of the windows machines in my close and extended family, repairing a pair of JBL Century L100 speakers i got from a neighbor, and flashing my Linksys router with a linux build called DD-WRT to use as a client bridge among other things. The one thing i really wish i could have laid my hands on was an iPhone. All the fame that Hotz kid got for a simple little hack was crazy! If i knew i would get a new 350Z and 2 iPhones out of the deal i would have laid down the cash on day 1!

The most fun I had this summer was having my beautiful girlfrient Kim come up to see me on my birthday, and getting to fly down to see her in LA a few weeks later. Kim is AWESOME and I love her so much. She recently won the English Horn and second Oboe position in the El Paso Symphony and she's only 19!!!! CRAZY YOU GO GIRL!



Yes we went sailing and it was AWESOME!


Anyways, thats all for now. Good, productive summer. I just didn't get everything done i wanted to, but then again, who does?