I just shake my head, stick out my chin and grin, and say ... Dave White knows. (Parental Guidance Warning: Dave shows off his potty mouth in this one ... but I think he squeaks in just under the PG-13 guidelines... )
posted by Steve at 6/27/2003 06:24:00 PM

Order the Phoenix Just a quick update, cause I've got to get back to reading ... as of page 703 (of 766) it's begining to look like my sealed envelope guess was dead wrong (ha, get it). Oh well I can save some face by pointing out that the odds makers on MSNBC were on my side. Though, I only found that out only after I sealed my envelope. Oh Yeah. The European edition has a cooler cover.

posted by Steve at 6/25/2003 06:06:00 PM

(proofed, updated and corrected June 25)

It's a Magic, Magic, Magic, Magic World Then on the next to the shortest night of the year, Swiss Family Roger and Marla and I made our way downtown to the English language bookstore to see the madness of the first Harry Potter books to fly from the shelves in Zürich at 1:01 AM (12:01 in London and Hogwarts) (and that's 6 hours before you guys in the USA got a first peek at it). The store was full of witches and warlocks and kids asking each other what house they were in (lots of Ravenclaws ... funny not one Slytherin, me I'd be a Slytherin - a non-racist Slytherin - but a Slytherin). There was a huge pile of books in the center of the store inside a padlocked cold iron cage (well stainless steel) - which was in turn surrounded by people trying to figure out where to stand to get the best advantage over the rest of the book snatching crowd. And the people ... they were a mix like you'd never expect. There were little nerd boys in Harry Potter glasses with fussy British accents exclaiming, "Mummy, I must have the book as soon as possible", the girl that sometimes takes the money at the door to æra (who was dressed up as - and who might just be - a real witch), and the everything-organized-by-the-books-the-world-will-fall-apart-if-we-bend-the-rules older gentleman who has issued Swissair (now Swiss) ID badges for years. At precisely 1:02 the first proud Swiss man (age approximately 22) ran out of the store carrying the first book sold in Switzerland aloft over his head. He immediately flipped to the last page of the book in order to be the first in Switzerland to know how the story ended. There was so much chaos though. After we enjoyed the intial hurrah (which included Ami-me and Ami-Marla trying to get in on the press coverage by standing and grinning goofily behind the interviews with the forementioned first person in Switzerland to read the ending) we decided not to wait in the check out line snaking out the door of the store, and we went to our homes. (By the way, it was actually Marla's idea to try to wiggle and grin our way into the cameras' view - not mine believe it or not!) I did go back today to buy the book. And surely by now the ending is posted on the web. But I don't want to know it. I want to read it for myself.

However, by page 67, I think I know which character dies. I'll put my answer in this (don't open) sealed envelope so everyone can check if I'm right. (Don't open the envelope until your ready to read my idea.)

I actually enjoy Harry Potter; though I think the books are overrated. Still a book release is a fun thing to get excited about. That's why we were there.
posted by Steve at 6/21/2003 07:51:00 PM

Riverboat Jazz Last night, I joined 15 colleagues from the old Swissair/Atraxis days on a Riverboat and cruized up and down the river for a Dixieland Jazz river cruise. If I squinted my eyes just right Icould forget we were on the Rhein cruising in front of the picturesque Swiss town of Eglisau and think we were on the mighty Mississippi itself. The weather was perfect and a bright band of light illuminated the river downstream well past 11:00 PM as the lingering sun set.
posted by Steve at 6/21/2003 07:39:00 PM

A Wing and a Prayer To help me pass the time until August 19, Tivo sent me the web-site address of the lovely lady named Wing who is recording CD's and developing a singing career in (in a second AND third language) by singing in nursing homes and hospitals.

Seems some people have been sending her emails telling her she can't sing. And even if she is not a top vocal talent, I feel sad. 'Cause she's really sweet and she's certainly trying hard.

As Operatunenity said in rec.music.opera:

"I have come to the conclusion that we are all entitled to our delusions, especially if they make other people happy."
posted by Steve at 6/19/2003 09:36:00 PM

Ain't Nothin' Like a sunny day.
High Noon - Zürich Central

Funny Now, the Big Things Seem So Small

I dream of simple things I can believe in - like the feeling this day brings,
true love, the miracle of foregiving: I believe in simple things.

Ok. Really I don't. But I want to. Nothing like a good Summer lyric to inspire some frolicing in the sun, and maybe a simple dream or two.
posted by Steve at 6/19/2003 09:18:00 PM

from Wing Music: "Hi, I am Wing! I immigrated to New Zealand with my family about ten years ago from Hong Kong. I have been learning singing in New Zealand and I do performances in Rest Homes and Hospitals and occasionally promotional concerts as I go along. I released my first CD Phantom Of The Opera and got a grant from the Manukau City Council for promotion. Then I released I Could Have Danced All Night and The Sound Of Music. My latest CD is called "Wing Sings The Carpenters". I have worked hard and I hope you have all found I am improving. Thank you for all who supports me helping me very much as I go along. Thank you!"

posted by Steve at 6/18/2003 09:48:00 AM

I have come to the conclusion that we are all entitled to our delusions, especially if they make other people happy.
posted by Steve at 6/17/2003 09:38:00 PM

August 19 ... is coming!
posted by Steve at 6/16/2003 09:30:00 PM

Well, If You Can't Beat 'Em ... A few of you have emailed or called to ask how goes my rather solitary campaign to vote Big Brother Patty off my island. Patty's sign about Squeeky Bumpy Noises is still on the next door ... and I've given up my campaign and started lettering signs of my own. My sign reads in broken German:   Please, kindly close him front door. If you are sitting going in the courtyard, bring your key with you. Thank you very much for your Help.   Why? 'Cause I'm really tired of people leaving the door open for any Tom, Dick, or Harry who might come by. And I decided since I can't vote Patty off my island, then maybe the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse on his island doesn't look so bad after all.

posted by Steve at 6/15/2003 09:44:00 PM

I've attempted to leave this blog in the state it was in early 2006 as a historical artifact, but Google broke my original Archive page. What you see above is a quick reconstruction to rebuild some archive functionality without altering the original blog layout (or researching too deeply into Blogspot).

Original Contents Copyright 2002 - J. Stephen Holyer. All Rights Reserved.