Mind Benders

Last night we attended a performance by the Aspen Chamber Symphony featuring cellist Sol Gabetta.  It was in the tent.  It was raining quite steadily for a while right up to the start of the concert after which the rain tapered off and stopped.  We dropped the group off as close as we could then Abe and I parked the van a couple of blocks away and walked to the tent under an our umbrella.  The most spectacular part of the concert was the encore performance by Ms. Gabetta in which she play a technically difficult piece AND added beautiful voice tones to the music.  I don't think anyone anticipated that.  It electrified the entire hall.

After the program we ate some Indian food at the condo and started the long goodbye with Ammachey and Appachen.  We dropped them at the airport this morning then Prema and Maya went to the rec center for some exercise before embarking on the daily practice routine.  Maya runs over two miles on the treadmill!  Right now she is practicing with Stefani.  Personally, I don't think they're slow at all.

We have had a lot of fun working on logic problems presented by Mr. Huang (I suppose he is actually DR. Huang).  He is Serina's dad, and is an information technology professor at University of Connecticut.  He presents logic problems to his college students during their course of study with him.  Here is an example:

     Three prisoners facing execution are afforded the opportunity to be released if any one of them could answer a question correctly.  If any one speaks an incorrect answer then all will die.  In a bag are five hats, two are white and three are red.  Each prisoner places a hat on his head without seeing the color.  When all three are wearing hats and none of them know what color hat is on his head nor the color of the hats left in the bag they are asked if they can say with certainty what color hat they are wearing.  Prisoner A can see what B and C are wearing, C can see what A and B are wearing, but unfortunately prisoner B is BLIND.  Prisoner A states that he cannot determine what color hat he is wearing.  After a minute or two prisoner C states that he too is uncertain.  Blind prisoner B then correctly states with certainty the color of his hat and they are all set free.  How could prisoner B know the color of his hat?

Let me know if you can figure this out!

Plans at the moment include a walkabout including the usual stops as well as a check up on the mandala.  Maybe (hopefully) a trip to the rec center for Jamuna, Abe and myself, then the Marriage of Figaro at Wheeler Opera House.  We are looking forward to the opera but I am concerned about the reported length of this opera (about 3 hours plus intermission).