A Comedy of Errors

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"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -Morrow
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2004-06-03
politics can be hazardous to your health

08:05

I'm not sure, but there is likely some sort of local election happening soon. At least that is what a particularly astute observer might deduce from the tiny hint given by the billions of campaign posters plastered all over the city, covering every spot not already taken by the Harry Potter posters and banners in support of Bremen's awesome winning soccer (I mean, football) team. But just in case that was not obvious enough, and in an attempt to reach those living in their own little world, completely oblivous to the goings-on (hey, I get my daily dose of German Simpsons, thank you very much), now there are campaigners shoving flyers in one's face. Today, a group of such people were in front of EADS. A man behind me took one of the flyers and a few seconds later, BOOM! He ran smack into a pole. He was okay, so it was really funny. Although, I think the pole is a little damaged.

However, it's not like I can really say anything.

No, I haven't run into poles or similar (lately), but I have recently experienced a case of the stupids. (Yes, yes, what's different. Very funny, we're all amused.) Yesterday, Becca emailed me regarding flights to Peru. I sent her my flight schedule, which has me arriving in Lima, Peru with the lot from Houston, but instead of returning to Houston, I am going to Sacramento to get my truck and have the fun of driving through endless desert back to Houston. I had written down the return date as 6/9 which Americans would read as June 9th, but to the rest of the world, it means September 6th. I have fallen into the bad habit of writing it the latter way, while still sometimes reading it the former. So, the point, as you have probably deduced, is that I made my ticket to come back on the 9th, and not the 6th when everyone else is leaving Lima. Fortunately, the friendly STA guy was able to change it, so now I am leaving Lima, Peru at the v. exciting time of 1:30 a.m. on September 7th.

Now why, you may ask, did I not make it for June 9th, if I was reading it incorrectly? Well, to explain the workings of my oft-confused brain would require more room than I have here, more time than you care to devote to the subject, and involve complex differential equations, a thorough understanding of the laws of interstellar bouyancy, and standing on your head while reading the complete works of Jane Austen, Mark Twain, L.M. Montgomery, J.K. Rowling, and Banjo Paterson in the original language.

Yes, I know that those are all English authors. You can save your worn fingers the bother of sending me a well-deserved dose of righteousness. But what the more discerning reader might have caught is that they are from England, US, Canada, Scotland, and Australia, respectively. Banjo Paterson, if you don't know and on the off chance you happen to be curious enough to still be reading, is the author of the poems Waltzing Mathilda, later set to music and is a v. popular Aussie tune, and Man from Snowy River, inspiring two movies (which my dad likes to call Alpo 1 and 2 because they're about horses...don't ask) and a TV series.

I think that I am finally losing all of the weight I gained in the last month! An addiction to Pomme Frites (served with sauce of choice) and sausages has not been helping my waistline, but I think it's returned to pre-Germany size. Of course, most of it is likely due to the fact that I've hardly eaten anything the last few days due to my feeling ill (and my body rejecting a good portion of what I did eat).

Harry Potter is out today in Germany, and the rest of Switzerland. But, as it is dubbed over in German (and not merely subtitled), I will not be watching Harry Potter und der Gefangene von Askaban anytime soon. Woe is me.

SpaceShipOne, the brainchild of Burt Rutan, is getting ready to launch on June 21st, aiming for an altitude of 100 kilometers, high enough to secure the pilot a spot in history as the first man to earn his astronaut wings in a private endeavor. Here is another article discussing the fact that while the flight is potentially history in the making, it does not mean that the Ansari X Prize is necessarily a done deal for Scaled Composites.

Today, more Dragon Boating. I hope that mon pauvre dos de blessure is up to it. Then, finish packing. Tomorrow, I have to catch the far-too-early train for a far-too-long train ride that will deposit me (ideally) in Rouen, France where I will meet up with my parents for the 60th anniversary of D-Day festivities. I love history, and am always awed by war history, and having watched Band of Brothers, I am more than ready to pay homage and give due honor. This also means that don't be looking for anything new for about a week. I might stop and write something if there's an internet caf� and I have a few moments, but knowing Barbara, our time will be scheduled down to the minute.

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