techno.blog("Dion")

We don’t talk enough about toilets. At least that is what I heard on NPR a month ago when they reported on the first annual toilet convention. Everyone is trying to catch up with the Japanese. I would love to see their toilets here, and watch people try to work out which buttons to push. Especially funny when they hit the bidet button :)

I was confronted with a question surrounding a toilet myself recently. At a place in England, where a toilet brush normally lies, there was a plastic stick. No brush. I pondered its use, got a little worried for a second, and walked out.

I was watching T.V. later that night, and saw an advertisement for a NEW toilet duck which looked like the object I saw. It turns out that you use it to grab a disposable cleaning glove, use it to clean the bowl, and then flush it down.

Much more hygenic!

The creationalists lost awhile back in the US. They are always fighting back though. Remember the “if the Theory of Evolution is just a theory, it obviously isn’t right”.

Now they have done what certain companies do. They change their name.

So, we have Intelligent Design. They have law suits in 38 states and counting, and they are WINNING some of these suites. So my kids have to sit there and learn about their crap? “The world was created about 6 thousand years ago. It took 6 days”.

In my local paper, Arthu Naebig summed it up with:

What the argument comes down to is the scientific evidence balanced against no evidence. Scientists collect evidence and attempt to formulate answers to the questions about our world, but admit they may never have all of the answers. Creationalists (Intelligent Designers?) collect no evidence and state that they already have all the answers. A thinking person should have no trouble deciding which group to believe.

The civilized call it Table Tennis. The uncouth call it Ping Pong. When I came home from europe, I found a new table in my basement (courtesy of my wife). I always wanted one as a kid, so it is fun to finally have it!

Now I need to take back my pink tennis bat from KT and take on the world!

It has been an interesting experience coming home from europe this time. For the first time ever, I *really* feel like I have come back HOME, and was so happy to walk through the door. Especially after another 20 hour day when all was said and done (with the usual complications that I end up with: no tube running so having to run to a bus, almost missing connecting flight due to winds, etc).

Good to be home.

I don’t think I would ever have presumed to author a blog titled ‘Mary Poppins’. I mean. I am not 12 anymore.

Mary Poppins is a new show which just started showing in London’s West End. I heard amazing reviews, but never thought we could get tickets (since Ticket Master and other places weren’t helping). It turned out that we were on a bus (which is a nice break from the tube, as you can actually see something), and saw the theatre. Since it was an old school bus, we ran down from the top level, and jumped out the back. There was a huge line around the inside of the theatre. The line was people waiting for any cancellations, and bar the first few, I am sure a lot of them went home unhappy. My wife is pretty bold, so she went right to the box office and asked if they had anything. There were a couple of single tickets in the gods for that night, but he JUST had 2 tickets next to eachother on a side. It was restricted seating, but we thought we would go for it anyway, and felt lucky for it.

So, it was our last night, and we headed to the theatre again. We got there pretty early, and often you find yourself shoulder to shoulder inside. Luckily, the theatre opened a balcony so we were able to hang out with a nice view.

I have been to a few shows in nose bleeders. It can sometimes be a bit tough, and I was planning myself for the fact that we may not be able to see things. However we were incredible lucky. The seats were next to the boxes and had an amazing view. I prefered it to many of the ‘normal’ seats that I have had (which have no leg room, and someone with a frizzy head of hair always sits in front). Here we had plenty of room, and were at a perfect height. We were already a lot more excited for the show.

I am always a fan of theatre. It is so magical, and the energy is magnetic. It doesn’t compare to a movie :)

Mary Poppins was one of the best performances that I have ever seen. It was fun, bright, and refreshing. Never a boring moment, and the actors were great. When Mary flew off for the last time, she was even in spitting distance to us.

Phenominal. If you have a chance to see Mary Poppins in London, or when it comes around to you, check it out. I think it would be especially great to be there with a 6-12 year old.

2005. I remember playing games as a kid. Maybe I was throwing around Transformers. But the games that used imagination talked about the future.

“In 2005 we will …..”

Now the future is the present.

I hope everyone has a great 2005, and my thoughts are with the people in asia.

What song is going to be number 1 this year?

That is another big deal which doesn’t really seem to exist in the USA as much.

While we were waiting at London Stanstead, we had the pleasure of hearing the ‘top xmas songs’ countdown. Classics like “Mistletoe and Wine”. Cliff Richard is a singer who has had a #1 song in each decade since about 1800 :)

“Band Aid” was #1 this year, and the money for the track went to charity.

Does anyone buy singles anymore? Maybe songs online?

If you are ever in London, visit Islington. It isn’t normally high on the list of guide books, but it is cool.

Grab a bite at La Porchetta on Upper Street.

It seems to be run by an italian family that had 20 boys. It isn’t quiet. The service isn’t good. But the food is great…. some of the best pizza I have ever had (if you like thinner, italian-style pizza that is).

The worst part of the experience (second to the service) is the knives. They as sharp as a wet towel. I think it is done on purpose so they can laugh as you try to cut up the HUGE pizza which covers the entire plate.

Enjoy!

I was at Kelvedon station, out in the middle of Essex (UK), this morning.

I had the interesting experience of being the one person in jeans, with everyone else in a suit, tie, over coat, and briefcase.

When people piled into the train (after queueing orderly of course) they all sat down quietly, and fell asleep as the express took us to London Liverpool Street.

Man I am glad to not live in that world on a daily basis (’not that there is anything wrong with that’)

I had forgotten about the British christmas card culture. They are a big deal over here. Many people count how many they get.

Many display them everywhere in a Look how many friends I have kinda way.

We still get some christmas cards in the US, from people in the UK. We even managed to get one card in October! Why would we get it so early?

Maybe it could be:

“I don’t know about the post to the US. It may take months so we better get it over there!”

However, in this case, that wasn’t the case. The reason is that if you get your cards out early, then the people that you send them too…. well, they will surely send one back even if they hadn’t planned to send you one!

I had another experience last weekend. I went to a party with a good mate. When we got there, people were exchanging cards (btw, most of the time nothing is written in them other than ‘To Foo, Merry Xmas, From Bar’) and I sat back. Then, some how, someone gave one to me! Only the british would be so curtious as to think “Oh, Marc is bringing Dion over… I better get a card for him too”

Ahh, good ‘ole blighty.

I am really experiencing London this winter season. In my time in europe, I will get to go to four airports in London:

• Heathrow
• Gatwick
• Stanstead
• London City

I fly into City airport this morning. If you need to be in the heart of London, there isn’t a better place to fly into than City airport. It is small too, so your bags beat you to the terminal (like Madison).

Belgium was great, but it is really nice to be back ‘home’ in England.