Stuff of the Day

Well, yesterday I was informed that I have an appointment with my orthodontist on tuesday. Normally this would not be of note, but if this is the appointment I think it is (and I think it is), the I'm getting the braces off. Which would be awesome. I don't have enough time to do justice to the elation of this with exclimation points, but I think you might have the idea, espescially if you've ever had braces.
!!!

In other news, mostly at the urging of Will Russell, I've decided to post a poem on my facebook every day, so you can check that out whenever you want. For kicks, here's a shorter one, inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's epitaph:

Epitaph

Here between the sea and sky
Lay me here and let me lie
None can choose their time to die
But set me here where I will

Here between the sky and sea
Down come I, and here I'll be
Lost on the edge, I'll wander free
Roaming, ever still.

I should note that this sort of formulaic, "tight-verse" is generally atypical of me, but I'm putting it here because it was the only one I had that wasn't far too long to put in the blog. Enjoy!

Far Away Places

I've decided that, at least for the moment, I don't really believe in Sweden. Sounds strange, doesn't it? But that's the way it is for far away places. You know intellectually that they're there, and that they're are people there, but as far as you're concerned, they might as well not exist; you've never been there, and don't really know what it's like. I guess it's just not a real part of my mental map of the universe at this point.
Ranting about this reminds me of a quote from the His Dark Materials books, comparing love to china; the character thinks that love is a lot like china in that some people went there, and she's sure it's very nice, but she would never go.
Then she realizes she's already been, and...*returns to topic*...but I'm dead sure I've never been to Sweden.

In other news, the METALLICA show is ALL SOLD OUT. And I didn't get a ticket. From what I've heard, all the tickets were gone an hour and a half after they went on sale. GAH!!! I guess I'll just have to surf ebay for the next five months...or mug someone outside of the theater...or sneak in. Or just explode.
The choices...

Very Short Stories

Warning: the following has nothing to do with my imminent trip to Sweden. It is simply a random rant/finding that I felt like sharing. If you are offended by such content, or are in a position where it is illegal for you to view it, PLEASE LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. The rest of you, enjoy.
Disclaimer: the following blog may be irreverant, sarcastic, cynical, or otherwise typical of me. If you are offended by this, etc. etc....SCRAM! (see above warning for full text).

News:

METALLICA is playing in Stockholm this summer (WOOT!!!). If I can find a ticket that (1) is still for sale, and (2) doesn't cost me and arm and a leg, I'm going to see them. Tickets go on sale monday at 9 a.m., local time, which, to my reconing means about 3 a.m. here. That means that by the time I actually am able to purchase a ticket, they'll have been on the market for about 18 hours (not including met-club presale). If I don't get one, I think I'm going to rupture somthing. And it won't be mine.

...And now, our feature presentation:

Reading "The Creators' Blog," which is maintained by the creators of Tower 8, a virtual band (they're really good, and the website's awesome; check it out), I came across something interesting. Gavin had mentioned Hemmingway's famous six-word story story: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
He then provided this link, to the page for Wired, on which they had gotten six word "stories;" that is, stories implied in six words, from various science fiction and fantasy writers (the last one is my favorite).
I was inspired to try my hand at this, and produced the following:

Dante: "Nice here. Not coming home."
&
Lost job. Met God. Didn't like.

Try your hand at it. Post them as comments or email them to me, at smithw12321@gmail.com

--Gazebo

Sweden

Well, this is my Swedish blog. For those of you who are unclear, it is so called because it the majority of it will be written in Sweden (not in Swedish), where I'm going to be living from March 15th until sometime in September.
I'll try to update at least once or twice a week, and I suspect that as time passes, I'll develop a more specific schedule, but as of now, that's how it is.

**Logic Puzzle of the week**
(Adapted from a puzzle in Ramond Smullyan's What Is the Name of This Book?)
You are visiting the island of knights and knaves, so called because it is entirely populated by knights, who always tell the truth, and knaves, who always lie. Those who are not from the island are dubbed "Normals," and can say anything.
The princess of the island is looking for a husband, but the king has imposed two restrictions on her choice. First, he must be a normal, knights being too uppity, and knaves being slimy. Second, he must be able to prove that he is a normal in one phrase.
Your task: Come up with such a phrase.

If you've already heard this, keep your mouth shut and don't spoil it for everyone else.