Hey, I play c3 a lot! :p

As Mr Dylan sez: "If you see Saint Annie please tell her, thanks a lot/ I cannot move my fingers are all in a knot/ I don't have the strength to get up and take another shot/ and my best friend my doctor won't even say what it is I've got ..."

Other than Dylan, Lennie Cohen and Bach, I only listen to John Cale and Scott Walker. Rampant snobbery, I know.

Oh, and the Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band, of course. "We are normal and we want our freedom".

I wanted to get murdered so I set Rybka 3 on blitz 5+2 and was ripped apart... :P

I'll say!

<Cliff Richard?>

Aw c'mon... the early songs - 'The Young Ones', 'Congratulations', 'Constantly', 'The Day I Met Marie' - among many others - are very nice. And some of the later ones, like 'Daddy's Home'.

BTW, you already admitted to liking Abba. :p

And I'm not sure somebody can be considered normal just because they claim they are...

"Every sound we make is music and everybody is in the best seat."

- John Cage

<Who doesn't> (Elvis) - well, some of today's kids never heard of him... ;s

<a little> (Queen) - I agree literally; I like them, but about 2-3 of their songs at a time is about my limit.

<yes> (Cliff Richard) - <Dom> take note, that's 2 whole non-UK votes for Cliff at this time. ;)

<no> (Belinda Carlisle) - I like her 'Summer Rain', 'Circle In the Sand', and 'Leave a Light On'. She has a nice voice, and these songs have very pleasant melodies and ok lyrics.

<nice voice but one song done sideways 3 times> (Gary Puckett) - sideways?

<?>

Modern Talking - well, it has to be said that they were the epitome of "saccharine". But I like them. :p

some samples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYss...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxM8...

A-Ha - Just a great sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EXx...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7cU...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwSL...

Baccara - nice voice, and I like their sense of humor. ;) Best *listened to* without video though, not the greatest stage presence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx-s...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fGe...

Aqua - love their lyrics - quirky, cute, and very funny.

I wanted to get murdered so I set Rybka 3 on blitz 5+2 and was ripped apart... :P>>

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This... :D

-----

And some more blitz (<Dom>, do let me know if you're developing an allergy to them yet...) - I'm not sure, but this one may even have been a fairly decent game:

Event: FICS rated blitz game
White: AnnieK (1483)
Black: NN (1362)
Result: 1-0
Time Control: 600+0
Date: 2010-04-02
White Clock: 7:28
Black Clock: 6:7.

Well... which three did you have in mind? There were four of'em. ;p

Actually, since I had just said that any c3 would have to be a Black move, I thought you might be making the point that if Black takes en passant, then it's "as if" the White pawn had been on c3 after all, but I don't think it counts that way? :)

You gain ratings points.

This is what I get for letting my Frogspawn Prescription lapse.

I missed all the action.

Sounds like you had both a fun and MANLY time at the board, with real pieces you can touch and real opponents you can glare at and real alcohol.

Was <mack> there?

I scored 2.5/3 and 3/6.

There are few women at these things. None played in my section this year, unless one of the hairy small boys was really a petite matron. There were some WAGs, but they tend to go for titled players.

Usually. I knew one once who left her 2400 boyfriend for a mere 2000 guy. But she wasn't a true WAG -- she was 2100 herself and wanted somebody she could beat up on at home.

Relationships go quite well when published ratings decide who wears the trousers.

The only female I spoke to was a terrifying Chess Mom with a laser-like steely glare and an American accent.

I sat at Board 6, as allocated by the draw, to play John Joyce, rating 2170-something, whom I'd never met. I'm still a tad surprised when this Mom creature approaches, places a tiny boy opposite me, frets over him for a bit, then looks at me. Who am I? What board should I be at? Do I know my opponent's name?

Then she got all embarrassed and whisked her son off to the board he belonged at, a few tables down. Then the real Joyce turned up and I beat him like a red-haired stepchild.

Unless it's the end of the world, of course.

In most of Europe, a 'cafeteria' is a place to eat. <Annie> should be able to confirm that in Hungarian 'cafeteria' evolved in another direction.

I found (and lost) a website full of false friends aka faux amis. One of my favorites was a Dutch advertising hoarding, with a sinister child and the slogan "Mama, die, die, die ..."

Of course the sinistrosity is in my anglophone head. He's just saying "Mommy, that one, that one ..." in a simple paean to consumerism.

Then there's 'tak', which means 'thank you' in Scandinavia (Danish 'tak', Norwegian 'takk', Swedish 'tack') but means 'so' in Czech and is often used as an affirmative. Just so. Just so confusing, tak?

I say, Mother, could you buy me a language for my birthday? Something from Bharat, perhaps? Or Ceskia, given my new *hlasovation* hobby.

PS. I hope everyone is remembering to *hlasovat* for Aneta Cervenkova. If not, go to Honza's page prompty, chop chop, and vote.

Normally, either babies or elections make me want to *strc prst skrz krk*, or stick finger in throat. But one drops such poses when duty and friendship call.