Rumors of my demise ...

(Geneva, Switz.) - Well I am getting started on blog-thing a little later than I wanted expected. I left LA on Saturday midday 9/11 pointed my car east and driving out across the desert. It was my first cross country trip since moving to California 9 years ago. I was also looking forward to it as I had never been in the section of the country east of palm springs and west of Phoenix. The desert was really cool and it makes me wish I had time to do more long distance road trips.

Anway... I had thought I would send updates along the way as I made my way to Nashville with bylines like....

September 11, 10:50 PM - in the desert 50 miles east of Los Cruces NM

... which would then follow with some cutting commentary on the state of human affairs, but it didn't happen. I was too frenetic upon leaving LA to have much mental space for meditations on human nature and too anxious to get where I was going as I was already a few days late. Anyway I drove basically straight through to my Mom's place in San Antonio TX, spent a few days there, then straight to Nashville, a few days there, then plane to JFK, and then direct to Geneva... and I've been here ever since. Lot's has happened and I will fill in the stories as we go along.

Recently... I just got back from a little conference in Brugg, which is towards German speaking Zurich, so I got to see some more of the country than the French part I am in now. Funny thing happened when making reservations with a very enthusiastic and strongly accented Swiss-german concierge. He didn't want to hang up afterwards... very funny... something like....

Me: OK. Thanks alot.

Him: Thank YOU alot for making reservation with us.

Me: Your welcome.

Him: We will see you tomorrow.

Me: Ummm .... yep.

Him: thank you again.

Me: Sure

Him: We look forward it.

Me: Uhhh.....

Him: The room will be ready when you get here.

Me: Riiiiiight.

Him: see you then.

Me: OK. see you then.

Him: see YOU then.

Me: (....laughing now....) Yep. Good night.

Him: Good night to YOU.

Me: Goodbye

Him: Good bye to YOU.

Then I hung up quick 'cause I was starting to get a little freaked. So so far all I know about Swiss-Germans are that they seem to want to talk or have easily placed seperation anxiety or something. Perhaps I seemed funny and brusque to him. Anyway it was interesting to see the contrast between the two areas. More on this later. I would be interested to know what it is like on the border between regions. Are there just French families and German families or is it more like people speak Grench or Freman? I dunno... and nobody I have asked has given me a straight answer.