Quick flashback: About a month ago, I was accepted to [Mannes], a conservatory in NY, for a Masters degree in Music - which was just about the least expected outcome of what has to be one of the worst ways to apply and audition: first, I completely missed regular december application deadlines, then barely made the late application deadline (my application went out the last possible day). Then, in preparing for auditions, I basically did the bulk of my practicing/memorizing during the last week before the audition date, staying home and playing 8 hrs/day - which my poor body wasn't used to and communicated to my brain by ways of tendonitis in my bow hand. During my audition I actually had to stop after a couple minutes of playing because my hand started to hurt so much I coulnd't hold on to my bow anymore. So it's kind of spooky that I still got accepted, almost as if I'm meant to go...

So, more than a month later, I finally made up my mind and mailed in my intent-to-enroll form today - in typical Oliver-style of course, one day before the deadline! I guess it's going to be a pretty big change, but I prefer to think of it not as such (leaving the city, turning my back on computers, etc.). In fact, I'll be coming back on the weekends to continue my teaching job at the Bryn Mawr Conservatory, and also for rehearsals with Serena Le '07 and Colin Palmer '06 and the Swarthmore Orchestra for the Beethoven Triple Concerto later this fall. And, my Boss at Penn has agreed to let me try to do some work part-time. I figure I'll need money, so instead of working dull jobs in various offices on campus I might as well do that. See? Not turning my back on computers at all...

Oh, speaking of rooms. I'm staying in campus housing for the first year, because - well, because looking for apartments at this point feels a bit too rushed and risky. I'm hoping to get a room in Mannes' [20th Street Residence] - apartment style rooms, and practice rooms in the building! Otherwise, you have to call the practice buildings and reserve rooms ahead of time, and you only get 2, sometimes 3 hour slots at a time. That would suck...