foreign correspondent?

It's my day two at Popkin/Glickman Bassoon Camp in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Back when I lived in NYC, this would have been an authentic vacation experience, however - I now live right in the mountains of New Hampshire, making this, while not entirely ho-hum, a rather familiar scene. There are the requisite black flies (though a lot less than my garden), and dirt roads winding up the side of lush mountainsides. Bucolic and serene, though the serenity is a bit interrupted by the sound, at 7:30 am as I write, of someone practicing contra bassoon nearby.

There must be around 60 bassoonists here, and most seem very experienced, very professional and very glad to be around fellow players. About 15 to about 75 years seems to be the age range, heavily weighted toward the younger side. Last night, I heard the sound of laughing crowds outside as I fell asleep at midnight. I am fairly sure these were not the 75 year olds.

I'm finally reaching the age that most people have always assumed that I am. At gatherings like this, where I know many by name, and usually only from phone conversations and emails, many think I'm an older gentleman, perhaps in his 50's or 60's. It's been that way from day one, when I started the company at age 26. I'm 49 this year, turning 50 in August. That's probably going to help remove the disconnect that many experience when they meet "the owner of the company", and he's just a kid.

If anyone has any questions about this camp, let me know. I'll post in another day or so. I'll be going to the IDRS next week, and write from there as well (or so I plan).

More later . . .