Better get crackin!

It won't stop snowing here.

Its February and I've been in Ohio since June 1st. Honestly, I had plans to high-tail out of here months ago. Poetic, ironic whatever you may think, it defintely been a wild ride.

On Thursday, wait...Tomorrow I'll be flying to Baltimore to audition (on Thursday) for Robert Van Sice at the Peabody Conservatory. Yeah, the big leagues. Never saw this coming. I'm staying in a sweet Victorian suite on Center st. I'll let you know how it goes. (uh yes, I'm nervous!)

So, where were we? Oh yes. Packed my bags and ran off to Columbus, Ohio. Ok, I planned to stay with Bill for three weeks, then relocate to Iowa City to live with my then boyfriend interest, Adam. He was an artist and former student of Bill's back in the West Philadelphia days. We managed to correspond through email and phone while in the midst of being mind-fucked by Bill's personal writings and ideas. "Yano Ash, why don't you talk to Adam. He was one of my best students in the house. I'm sure he'd be able to help you with anything you needed."

Yeah, he was like a tutor, and you know how tutors go. We hit it off quite well. :)
I enrolled at the University of Iowa and planned to take summer courses that would eventually matriculate into the fall semester. Unfortunately, I never made it to Iowa.

After my second week with Bill, a letter came in the mail stating that I had been accepted to The University of North Texas.

"What the fuck? I never remembered applyi--Oh shit. Yeah. That day I worked at the record shop... to fill in for Jon. I was applying to schools out of boredom."

While living in Philly, I was thoroughly obsessed with West African music. I played with an Ewe drumming ensemble that met every week, if not every few days. Playing with the sophistication and devotion we had, I wouldn't have asked for anything else. Our teacher, and best friend was a fabulous at what he did. So, I tried to find schools that would also offer a similar experience. Coincidentally, I found it at an SEM (Society of Ethnomusicology) conference at Wesleyan University.

There I was performing with one of the Big Cheeses in Ewe music. First of all, he was Ewe, second, he was fucking royalty in Ghana. Yano, A high priest with 10 wives and babies all over the world. Yeah, one of those. He invited me to come study with him at the University of North Texas, they also had one of the best percussion programs in the country.

So I applied, working one day at a record shop. I got in.

After receiving the big news, I knew I had to re-work the things in my life a little bit. I figured, there wasn't much for me in Iowa, anyway. Things didn't go so hot with Adam, and the percussion program they had was "okay." I said fuck it, I'm going to Texas!

Within a few weeks I had an apartment lined up and a sweet roommate with similar interests living right on campus. and boy, was it cheeeeeap! like, $200 or something. Yeeha! I mean, I didn't have a school to go to for the fall because I gave Temple the bird, and farted away any chances of getting into Stonybrook. Why not? I planned to leave in August.

Unfortunately, I never made it to Texas.