STAYING UP LATE WITH THE LATE GREAT POTENTATE

Is there a dream interpreter in the house? Anyone? Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?

As a few of you know, I have trouble remembering many of my dreams. It is rare for me to remember any dream unless it
is freaky enough. Well, add another to the short list.

I attended a party with Dr. Richard Feynman. "So what?" I can hear you saying. Well, aside from the fact that he died
14 years ago, the party was held in the bedroom I had when I was a young boy. I know it was a dream because my room was actually clean, something that could only occur in a subconscious state.

Oh, perhaps I should let you all know who Richard Feynman is. Feynman was one of the greatest physicists of the last
century, and the way in which he led his life, his devotion to honesty in science (something I am coming to appreciate more and more everyday) has provided me with the closest thing to a hero that I have.

It was so odd. He was just sitting on the bed and I and some others were just sitting on the floor and on the dresser. I don't remember talking to him about science either. I don't remember what we did talk about. The only thing I remember him saying is "Hey! That's me!" when he saw a picture of himself that I had pinned up by my door...weird.

Feynman really was quite a guy. I encourage all of you to read his autobiography. It isn't scientifically technical or anything, so there is no reason to be afraid. And the stories are phenomenal.

The first volume is called "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character" and the second volume is "What Do You Care What Other People Think"

Read them. Go...GO!!!

THE RETURN TO BLUE LINEGOON

How did I stand that for a whole summer? Well, I suppose the fact that it wasn't minus-20 had something to do with it.

Rupert finally got a boo-boo. Rupert, for the uninitiated, is the name of my car. It got that name because it won The "Great Name Brian's Car" Contest. Anyway, Rupert decided that he wanted to spend a bit of time indoors...who can blame him?

He needed a new ignition switch and a new gear shift "thingy" (the technical term, apparently). It is all covered by warranty, though, so I am sitting pretty. Ok, that may be a stretch, because I will still be sitting once again on the celebrated FNSB Transit "Blue Line" Bus.

I realize now how lucky I am to have my car. The "bus culture" as it can be known, really loses its charm pretty quickly. Of course, I know I shouldn't be labeling and generalizing like this. By the way, did you know that ALL generalizations are wrong? (Email me if you don't get the joke.)

It is just tough when a couple of people see it fit to share their every thought, regardless of taste or lack of, with their captive audience.

I miss Rupert already.

GOINGS ON

Well, the Yukon Quest has been won. Hans Gatt, an Austrian who lives in British Columbia won in a time of 11 days, 4
hours, and 24 minutes, and garners a $30,000 check for he and, more importantly, his dogs' efforts. He was seen doing
a lot to help his team along. He balanced himself on the runners and used ski poles to help propel the sled. The race is not yet over, though. Wayne Hall, the musher featured in my Yukon Quest pictures is bringing up the rear, still a ways away from Whitehorse, Yukon. He is going rather slowly, but he still is running with all of his dogs. Being a Yukon Quest rookie, he should be proud to have run as far as he has.

I regret to inform you that a dear member of our family, Alistair Quigby Neubauten Roggenkamp, the beloved Black Lab
belonging to my sister Karen and her family has been diagnosed with well-advanced lymphoma, and will soon be chasing that big squirrel in the sky. Sad to see her go.

The University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks hockey team was in town this weekend for a two-game series with the
surprisingly good UAF Nanooks. The Mavs and the Nooks are neck-and-neck in the standing, within 3 points of each
other. UAF won Friday night, 3-2, to clinch a home ice playoff birth...the first time that UAF has hosted a playoff series. The game on Saturday night was better. First of all, Stacy, my neighbor and fellow hockey fan was able to get a hold of a couple of free tickets for down in the expensive section. We usually sit in the GA section with the REAL hockey fans. Anyway, so were were at center ice, about 6 rows up...GREAT seats. Except for the pretentious people sitting around us, confused at people who act like hockey fans in THEIR section. We got a few "Why don't you go sit somewhere else?' looks, but that could have been the fact that we were the only two people in the stadium cheering for UNO. Not everybody there were idiots...the owner of all of the Subway stores in Alaska had seats right in front of us, and we warned him that we were cheering for Omaha, so he shouldn't be surprised if he gets pelted with food that was meant for us. He was a good guy.

Omaha looked much better last night, and the game ended in a 2-2 tie, which is fine. Omaha is going to be hosting their own home playoff series as well.

After the game, Stacy and I, and two of Stacy's friends Mike and Cynicka (pronounced Seneca, like the Native American Tribe) went over to a neat little bar called the Midnight Mine which is one of the fun, literal holes-in-the-wall. The highlight of the evening was the dog. This bar has a dog Golden Retriever that likes to take the tips for the bartender. Instead of a tip-jar on the bar, they have the dog. This dog KNOWS money when she sees it, and will make a very deliberate grab for the bill and any fingers in the way, clutches the bill in her teeth, and runs behind the bar to deliver it. The barkeep then tosses you a treat which you get to deliver to the dog, making sure that you don't leave the tip of your finger in the way. This dog had all of us new folks in stitches. Only in Fairbanks.

UPDATED!!!

Brian Hartmann Online has been updated! I now have a new introduction page that will change every week, so you have an incentive to visit often.

Also, I have my first gallery of some of my weather pictures in the "Weather" section. Look for some more pictures in the "Gallery" section. Enjoy.

The address for BHO is http://www.qsl.net/kc0hoj/bmh/home.html

Well, I had better wrap this up with the customary...

INJECTIONS D'HUMEUR

There's a nudist colony for communists. Two old men are sitting on the front porch, and one turns to the other and says, "I say, old boy, have you read Marx?" The other replies, "Yes...I believe it's these wicker chairs."

Just one more...

Have you ever wondered why there are so many Johnsons in the phone book?

It is because they all have phones.

Have a good week.

Brian "Hey! That's me!" Hartmann