a groupie from afar

The English Beat, one of the best bands ever is playing tonight at Tupelo Hall in Londonderry, NH and I am not there.

While this may not seem like a big deal to anyone else - especially as I have seen the band at this very venue 3 times in the past 2 years - it is a big deal to me and it is only dawning on me now that I will actually not be at tonight's (or tomorrow night's) show.

I have been in denial about this for months now. I actually thought that I would be able to finagle a way to fly from Zurich to NH just to see them. I had all sorts of clever ideas. I can't even go into them now - I'm just too sad.

Please, someone - anyone - go see the shows! Tupelo Hall is a small, intimate, fabulous (BYOB!)venue and you can dance right in front of Dave Wakeling as he sings "Twist and Shout" and "Mirror in the Bathroom". Amazing. Truly.

This is like some sort of delayed high school crush. I'm a groupie from afar of an 80's ska band and they don't even know I exsist. Sigh.

My only consolation in all this is that I have already created a new fantasy regarding The Beat that keeps me going on particularly low days: It is a well-known fact that I will be 40 in less than a year. While there are many things that an old broad such as myself might wish for in honor of such an occassion, what I want, more than anything is to have Dave Wakeling and The English Beat play at my party.

No big deal, right? (I could have asked for an Ausin Healy like my dad got for his 40th. But I'm not that high-maintenance...)

So Mr. Wakeling, wouldn't you like to come to Switzerland next spring, say March 15th? Please? ...

a gift for the gal/guy who has everything ...

Now go tell the person next to you a joke and press here. (Bill P. this is for you. Sorry I couldn't make it portable - perhaps Matt can arrange that...)

May Day, May Day ... our first riot

Last week we had a holiday. Well, much of the world did. It's called International Worker's Day and according to Wikipedia: May Day commonly sees organized street demonstrations by millions of working people and their labour unions throughout most of the countries of the world though rarely in the US and Canada. Communist and anarchist organizations and their affiliated unions universally conduct street marches on this day.

What fun! I had read about the rioting in previous years on an ex-pat forum I frequent but truthfully didn't think much of it, as many people said that any 'action' seemed to be focused on the more seedy areas of town. (Zurich's seedy area is what one might call 'hip' in any other city.)

As is always the case when many different people weigh in on an issue, the on-line forum contained varying degrees of panic, warnings and dismissal regarding May Day. I was amused to read that some people were staying home with windows shut, shades drawn and doors locked while others, writing enthusiastically of rubber bullets, tear gas and giant water cannons, were hoping to find the action and perhaps even become involved in the day's activities.

From what I've gathered, those that historically start the riots are not even from Zurich. They're thugs from surrounding areas who come into town to cause a fracas and get everyone all riled up. One woman said that in certain areas, you are encouraged to leave beer on your doorstep as a peace offering to discourage them from taking and/or breaking your things. What the heck kind of riot tactic is that? Sounds more like Halloween trick or treat to me...

So on this day off, May 1st, (Happy Birthday, Andrew Cheney) Mark and I set out on an adventure that began as we went to look at some second-hand furniture at the BrockiHaus near the train station. (He was in and out of there in 10 minutes. I have been known to spend an entire afternoon at this one in particular - remember the free chair?!)

Since we were in the area, I asked him to show me where the apartment was that we had 'gotten' then 'lost'. A few months ago, just before I arrived, when it looked as though it was going to become our home, he had assured me it was on the 'good' end of the red light district... (This is the place near the only Hooters in Switzerland that I mentioned in my last post.)

As we walked along, I immediately recognized why this area might be called 'seedy'. But not necessarily in a bad way - I must admit that seeing some diversity in Zurich was a welcome sight. (it's not at bad as NH, but...)Not only was the crowd much more racially diverse but there was more noise, more trash on the sidewalk and in the street, people just hanging out smoking, fast food restaurants, bars with happy hours, head shops, peep shows, massage parlors ... you get the picture. But it was great. V. much alive, and filled with energy. I wish my mom had experienced this - she commented on the fact that it felt a bit like the people here (even the kids) were on Prozac ...

As we headed away from the strip joints and The Macarena Club, we heard the sound of a bull horn. It got louder as we approached the block where the apartment was. I looked at Mark expecting that he, as the one who had been here for much longer than I and spoke the language, would know what the heck it was. I didn't have to wait for an answer - as we walked up from under a small overpass, there it was - a riot! (Truthfully it was more of a standoff at this point) We had stumbled upon the famed riot!

I was a little apprehensive but had to check it out. We weren't as flagrant in our voyeurism as many others who kept getting closer and closer to the riot gear-clad police, testing them and taking videos and photos, but we still were there watching and waiting. It was a little other worldly, actually. I mean, I've seen machine gun-armed men in airports, rebels in the jungle in Malaysia and militia hiking down the face of a snow-covered mountain in Yugoslavia, but I was just a tourist then - on my way to or from or just passing through for a few days - I live here.

I wanted to know what this was all about and why. I knew the basic jist, but that made little sense to me played out like this and the language barrier made it even more frustrating. Mark could not even understand, as they were communicating in heavily accented Swiss German.

There were several tank-like trucks (photo above) that M. told me were water trucks. (He also told me that it would hurt a lot if we happened to get invoved in the mele ...)

After standing and watching and listening for about 20 minutes, we decided we were bored and I still wanted to see exactly where the apartment we lost was. Turned out it was smack dab across from the small park where the protesters were. Of course.

As we circumvented the 'action' I saw what appeared to be a giant flea market on the far end of said park. As you can imagine, riot or no riot - I wanted in. (And likely people would be making sweet deals if they were fearing for their lives, right?) Somehow M. talked me out of it. I just know there were some awesome buys there - things I really needed. And that stays with you for days when you've missed out on something like that, you know?

I never did get to see the apartment ... so after all that excitement, I convinced M. to go see Once with me. Yes, the v. same movie I had just spent 12 CHF to see just 3 days earlier. (And now it would be 18 CHF each!) I'd never gone to see the same movie in a theatre in the same week before - I really felt compelled to see it again and to watch him watch it.

My biggest challenge was to keep my yap shut when the best parts were coming up and not to hum along with the songs. I succeeded for the most part and was only slightly let down when he was not as blown over by it as I was. He liked it. A lot. But it's hard for something to live up to its reputation when you have me gushing about it. I can be a bit dramatic. ("It is the BEST film I have seen in sooo long! I cried - it was so amazing. You HAVE to see it. You of all people will love and appreciate it sooo much - trust me!")

What a day. About the only thing this May Day did not have was a pole with colored ribbons and cute, little dressed up kids running around it. (Why do they do that again?)

open mic, free stuff and a fab film

Last night Mark and I, along with my friend Jasmine, in for the weekend from London, went to Miss Brandy's Open Mic at a cool little bar in a funky neighborhood (don't ask me the name - I have no idea ... I'll figure it all out soon...) There were some interesting acts and a few really great ones as well. (http://www.myspace.com/msbrandysopenmic)

We were all v. tired and were about to leave but decided to stay for the last act, hoping it would be better than the previous few ... it was a tiny little peanut of a girl with a guitar that looked way too big for her. Well, don't you know we were glad we stayed. She had a Fiona Apple/Tori Amos/Ani DiFranco thing going on and it was amazing the sounds that came out of that little person. Really great. (I will try to remember to figure out who she is and pass it along!)

Today after dropping Jasmine off at the airport and saying goodbye to M. for a few days (off to Frankfort till Weds. pm), I wandered around the neighborhood we were in last night to check it out during the daytime. V. cool. I think we actually almost had an apartment in the area now that I recall and can put it all together.

Said area is the 'good' end of the red light district, (which is pretty mild, from what I can tell) and v. near the only Hooters in Switzerland, M. was quick to inform me just after he looked at the apt. the first time. My immediate thought was that maybe I could get a job as the not-so-skinny, old, buxom, American chick. I mean, how hard could it be? German-Scherman - I'd be fine with "Greuzi, wings? Ya. Bier. Ya. Hooters. Ya." ... See, no problem.

Anyway - Along my journey I re-found the fabulous Brocki-Haus. The biggest and pinkest of them all. 3 floors of other people's stuff. My dream and my husband's nightmare. But as I mentioned earlier, he is gone for few days and ... not that I would ever try to pull the wool over my partner's eyes. And really, 90% of what I have ever brought home from a yard sale, thrift or antique store he has ended up loving and being thankful that his wife is so thrify and can see treasures in veritable trash.

Why look what I got FOR FREE today .... of course I will be reupholstering the seat, but its solid maple and sturdy and we need dining room chairs ... I also got a nifty Roulette wheel and chips - a whole snazzy set for a mere 7 CHF. Now when people come to visit, not only can I take their money in poker, but in roulette as well!

Instead of staying home and working on some of the many projects I have going, tonight I decided to take advantage of 'cheap' movie night in ZH - ( 12 v. 18 CHF - what a bargain - and I even sneaked in my own bottle of water and a roll for dinner ... there's that frugal, Yankee spirit again...)

I saw Once and loved it. Please go see it or at the very least listen to the music. (http://www.foxsearchlight.com/once/) I have not been this moved in a long time. Shot in only 17 days for 150k. True independent cinema at its best. I laughed, I cried (... it was better than Cats...)

It's been a great 24 hours that began and ended with fabulous music made by passionate, talented people.

my mama was here for 2 weeks

My mother just left for NH after being in Zurich with us for 2 weeks. While admittedly no one knew what to expect, (no matter how well one gets on with one's mother, 2 weeks is 2 weeks...) it turned out to be a simply marvelous time, most of which she was in our 'employ' working day and night to help us get settled.

We got to calling her Cinderella (and she referring to herself as such as well) as she really spent a huge part of her time cleaning, unpacking, organizing, breaking down boxes, reorganizing the kitchen, decorating, giving advice, being sent to bed with no tv (we have none) and not being fed properly. Such hosts we are.

We spent manymanymany hours assembling Ikea furniture, which entailed and included schleping to Ikea on the bus/tram which was about an hour each way not counting waiting for said bus/tram, fighting our way through the Ikea crowds (the Swiss are not fast shoppers and do not stay to the right when walking...), buying heavier things than we could really carry and having to create carrying 'vehicles' with twine and newspapers and our MacGuyver skills to get these heavy shelves, etc.. home ... on the bus ... in the rain ... in the dark ... with no dinner ...

Mom had her hip replaced just 2 months ago and by the time she left, you'd never know it. She was a little stiff when she first arrived (who wouldn't be after such a long plane trip) but with all the walking we did, she left looking like a champ.

Even my personal trainer, Momo was impressed, enamoured and taken with her. Before she arrived I tried to explain the phrase "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree ..." (he is from Casablanca and speaks English very well, but sometimes misses the idioms and dialects - he speaks 6 languages ... amazing!) so, when mom arrived and she came with me to a training session, Momo met her, spent no more than 2 minutes with her and exclaimed, "I see the apple and the tree!"

We were our usual silly, crazy amusing selves and I found myself apologizing several times to some Swiss people who are, in general, very conservative and reserved. Much to our delight, we were met with comments expressing that we should not change - the Swiss need more people like us around - they need to have more fun! (Not that we would have changed our ways anyway ...)

There is much more to tell and many more adventures I could relay, but I need to get back to attempting to stain our maple bookshelves (after one coat, I am a bit dismayed and considering painting over them...) and I have not been able to locate my cord so I can download the photos from our adventures - next post perhaps.

Thank you, mom for a wonderful visit. Next time, maybe we'll even take you out!

Candy-O

When you get a speeding ticket in Zurich, there are no police cars and lights and sirens. There is a strobe light that flashes repeatedly from atop a pole and blinds you just enough so that the camera on the pole can see the car, license plate and who is driving.

I was driving a rented vehicle recently and this is just what happened to me. I really would like to see the photo, as I imagine it looked a bit like the cover of the Cars album Candy-O, circa 1979. (But in this version, the woman is much older, much less attractive, made up, sexy, sassy, etc...). **** update **** How embarassing ... a few days after I posted this I had the itch to check out the covers of Cars albums ... turns out that while the Candy-O cover was (is) quite sexy and provocative, it was not the one I pictured while writing this post. It was the self titled Cars album with the woman behind the wheel. My apologies ...****

But still - for a moment I was on a classic album cover. Maybe there's still time ... any bands out there looking for an old broad to sit and knit on their next CD cover? Drop me a line and I'll put you in touch with my agent.

you say hello, i say goodbye...

I have been here for over 6 weeks and I am still saying "Gruezi" for goodbye instead of hello. It just sounds like one should say it at the end of an exchange as well as at the beginning. Kind of like Aloha.

By the way, for those of you who plan on visiting, what you should say is not as easy as danke shon (thank you) auf wiedersehen (goodbye), either. This is Switzerland, not Germany so Swiss German is the language to speak, which is not a written language, and sounds like a melange of German, Italian, French and ubi-dubi (10 points for all who get this reference...).

Gruezi is Swiss German (pronounced "grewt-zi") and is what most people here say for 'hello'. It is much easier than what is said for goodbye and thank you. (Goodbye is a bastardized version of the French "adieu" - sounds like 'ah-day'). Just when I thought I had it, it changed. It pretty much is a combination/variation of 4-6 things that change(s) given the time of day, the mood of the clerk, your mood, the section of town and the lunar phase (not literally, but may as well be as far as I'm concerned...)

It sometimes seems like the Japanese custom where one person bows then the other bows and it just keeps going. I have asked Mark to translate a few times after particularly lengthly goodbye/thank yous. It goes something like this: thanks / thank you / thank you very much / your welcome / no problem / goodbye / have a nice evening/day/afternoon / thank you for telling me to have a nice evening/day/afternoon / you are welcome / and you are welcome / come again / thank you / goodbye / goodbye / bye / bye ....

Really ... it's overwhelming and exhausting so I have decided to smile and nod wherever I go and no one will know if I am deaf / mute / don't speak the language / don't feel like talking / feel superior and/or hate everyone and am just trying to make it though the day without crying ...

I really need to sign up for those German classes ... soon