Holidays and absences [2]

we have Smaugs farts. hot and wet.

Done nothing but rain here since about, last Autumn. Worst summer I can remember, only difference so far between the winter we just had, which was grey, wet and cold, and the summer we are having, which is grey, wet and a bit warmer, is the temperature (which has only managed to break 20 on one single day so far. )

Forest Shepherd wrote:We're getting some lovely rain here now. I really wish I could bring it back with me to California when I leave on Wednesday.
Out there it's like Smaug's breath: hot and dry, but with occasional rolls of fog when it comes in contact with the ocean.

Get ready for a hot weekend, Forest!

Ah.. Um.. This is slightly embarrassing.. I seem to have gone off for the summer without getting around to writing anything.

I did intend to. I just ended up leaving in a bit of a rush, (a headlong rush out the door to reach a bus to go see my brother perform at a jazz festival) and have been at my cabin without proper internet since. (The drive from the festival to here was really beautiful though. And it's been really nice here too, although a bit cold. Might post some pictures.. eventually.) Organized myself a bit now, so might be around a bit from now on.

So, anyway, what have I missed?

So, anyway, what have I missed?- Blue

Dunno, but its definitely your round. {{Welcome back Blue- hope you had a good time even if it was jazz!}}

Well, you know what they say "Good enough for jazz!"

Off to Melbourne for a week.

Watching City v Roma Tuesday and City v Real Madrid on Friday.
Great city Melbourne, good place to visit.

It certainly is a good place to visit Chris if its got both those games on the same week. Nice one! Have a great time and bring us back some pictures.

I figure this is a good thread to post this in.

I was supposed to be in France by now, to present at a conference tomorrow. But when I arrived at the airport yesterday, I was told my passport with 1.5 months left before expiration was not fit for entry into France, which required 3 months until expiration.

I had never heard of such a thing! I would think with a 1 week round trip ticket and 6 weeks to go I'd be fine. I'm not sure exactly what my anguished face conveyed to the poor ticket agent - likely looked like I was about to explode like a cornered space alien into green goo - but eventually mastered myself and set about damage control.

I owe my life to a man in a private passport processing agency who didn't have time to get my passport processed overnight, but took pity on me and explained exactly what their process was. So tomorrow morning I'll show up at 7 AM at the passport office, with documentation of my woes and an anxious face to beg for super expedition. There's a charge for expediting a passport renewal, but no promise on just how expedited it is. If I can get it the same day, I can still make half the conference.

It all comes down to sweet talk and a good case. I may start baking cookies.

And awarning to the rest of you: some countries require as much as 6 months left on your passport - make no assumptions!

Oh poor you Halfy ! nothing like shock to bring you round. for the life of me I dont understand why some country's have to be so picky ? you pay enough out on a passport to have it only last 5mins anyway & then they set bloody obstacles on top ! Thanks for the tip tho, hard way to find out . Hope its all plain sailing for you after this ? Enjoy what you can of France...........if you get there ?

If I get there.

Oh for the good old days when these sorts of problems could go away by slipping somebody a few bucks at the border.

Thats bad luck Halfy- just the sort of trivial annoyance that can ruin the best laid plans and induce a crabbit rage- be nice to the passport folk, right up till they screw it up tomorrow- then let them have the fullness of your righteous crabbit set free!

Best of luck, Halfwise.

Toulouse? I'm kind of jealous. Certainly will be.. if you get there.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:So, anyway, what have I missed?- Blue

Dunno, but its definitely your round. {{Welcome back Blue- hope you had a good time even if it was jazz!}}

bungobaggins wrote:Well, you know what they say "Good enough for jazz!"

Hey, there's nothing wrong with jazz.. except jazz there is something wrong with. There is jazz you enjoy, and jazz you don't enjoy. And probably for completely separate reasons than it being jazz. It's not really a definition.. more a collective term.

Petty; I'll get you an island single malt.. when I get back.

About that.. I might have been a bit premature in announcing my return. I've been going online with my phone, but I'm having some issues with it so might not be around so much after all for the next little while. But, anyway, it was fun to come by for a summer visit. I'll try to pop my head in when I can, and hopefully I'll by back in not too long.

Hey, there's nothing wrong with jazz.. except jazz there is something wrong with. There is jazz you enjoy, and jazz you don't enjoy. And probably for completely separate reasons than it being jazz. It's not really a definition.. more a collective term.

Well put. And I've found strong disagreement between the type of jazz different folks like - a whole universe of difference between the soulful New Orleans style jazz ( ) and the so called "cool Jazz" of Miles Davis ( ). And you can't convince the other side that their stuff is dreck.

Miles Davis was much more than "cool jazz."

moral of the story. don't go to France.  idjits. I hope you get it sorted in time Halfy, that sucks bit time. btw, its bloody hot as hell in this part of Europe so take some short shorts and a hat. its the hottest July in 70 years. I cant take much more of this sweaty 40 degree heat so I am thinking of going home for a bit next week. get some rain.

Mrs Figg wrote: btw, its bloody hot as hell in this part of Europe so take some short shorts and a hat.

A hat makes sense, but I'm struggling to imagine Halfy in short shorts.

{{I'm still not convinced he has legs under all that hair }}

bungobaggins wrote:Miles Davis was much more than "cool jazz."

My animosity of Miles stems not just from his vapid 'cool' phase, or his airy tone that lacks all technique. He transcribed an entire movement of Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez note-for-note and called it Pictures of Spain, without giving one letter of credit to the original composer. All the Miles-heads no doubt thought that song was pure Miles genius. Flippin' poser. I suspect there's much else he's claimed credit for that he doesn't deserve.

Rodrigo's concerto is featured on Sketches of Spain, and I don't think Evan's arrangement is entirely verbatim. Regardless they would have to pay Rodrigo for the rights to arrange it. Sure it's not a very impressive venture, but his work in Kind of Blue (modal jazz) and Bitches Brew (fusion, funk, rock) is great.

Those are classic albums, but to my ear they feel a bit too composed for the excitement that is the raison d'etre of jazz. Just my taste, he's not for me.

I should add that I really like the Aranjuez section of Sketches of Spain, and looking around I see that both Gil Evans and Miles Davis freely discussed it, I'm just hacked off the album never listed the sources.

halfwise wrote:I figure this is a good thread to post this in.

I was supposed to be in France by now, to present at a conference tomorrow.  But when I arrived at the airport yesterday, I was told my passport with 1.5 months left before expiration was not fit for entry into France, which required 3 months until expiration.

I had never heard of such a thing!  I would think with a 1 week round trip ticket and 6 weeks to go I'd be fine.  I'm not sure exactly what my anguished face conveyed to the poor ticket agent - likely looked like I was about to explode like a cornered space alien into green goo - but eventually mastered myself and set about damage control.

I owe my life to a man in a private passport processing agency who didn't have time to get my passport processed overnight, but took pity on me and explained exactly what their process was.  So tomorrow morning I'll show up at 7 AM at the passport office, with documentation of my woes and an anxious face to beg for super expedition.  There's a charge for expediting a passport renewal, but no promise on just how expedited it is.  If I can get it the same day, I can still make half the conference.

It all comes down to sweet talk and a good case.  I may start baking cookies.

And awarning to the rest of you: some countries require as much as 6 months left on your passport - make no assumptions!

That sucks, halfy. I think the US require that your passport is valid at least 6 months after your planned return date, almost made that blunder myself. Hope it works out for you!

Got my passport!

Well done ! good luck !