An American in Norway

American tourist's summary of Europe and Scandinavia: The miles are shorter, the yardsticks are longer, and the stones are heavier.

But the rock stars are just as sweet :)

Photo album of my whirlwind trip to Oslo to see Alter Bridge with artist and fellow tweep Jenny Widding. First full day, we played tourist in sunny, 40 degree weather. Second day, we played groupie, staking out the concert venue until the sympathetic guitarist, Mark Tremonti, invited us in with VIP passes. We slept with them all and enjoyed a great concert.

Wait, not entirely true--Myles has a very painful sore throat so the concert was a bit off. And we did NOT sleep with the roadies (though I love ya, Ernie!)

Okay, we didn't sleep with the band either--jeez! The expectations were SO HIGH for this trip!

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Mission Accomplished!

Just a brief note to confirm that a truly magical time was had in Oslo, Norway last week. My gracious hosts, Jenny and Roy Widding, and the members (and select crew) of Alter Bridge made the trip absolutely unforgettable.

Lots of pics and stories to upload but I'm starting with the highlights as I toil through our busiest season at work.



Myles Kennedy who, despite having a seriously sore throat, refused to cancel. We sang our lungs out to help him out.



Mark Tremonti, another hero of the day after he brought VIP passes outside for Jenny and me so we could wait out the day inside the venue, watching set up, sound check, and chatting freely with crew and band members as they wandered about. Highlight of the day, no question!

Myles and Jenny, meeting at last. Jenny painted the shirt Myles is showing off, as well as a pug cap he wore all day, show included. All the guys but one had on the shirts Jenny painted. She was a rock star among rock stars Wednesday! She also painted the dress she is wearing, and had it signed by all members of the band ;)

There is nothing better than sitting in a venue with your favorite band, eating "bollers" (warm cinnamon chocolate buns) and drinking hot chocolate. I wouldn't have changed a thing--except perhaps the part where I sat for 20 minutes after the show on a beer-soaked step before realizing it. Awkward.

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12 Hours and counting...

In 12 hours I board the first plane to get me to Norway and Alter Bridge, if the gods are with me.

Catch you on the Flip side!

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Take-Off in Two Days

Stressed as hell trying to get ready to leave Sunday morning for Oslo, Norway, to see Alter Bridge November 9. Only one more nervous than me is probably Myles ;)

I'll behave. Don't I always?

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8 Days--Who's Counting?

I am... and my focus on anything other than Alter Bridge is for SHIT (pardon my Norwegian.) I leave Sunday for Oslo.

Note to self: Adrenaline makes asthma worse.

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My Stories and Published Novel Excerpts

Christmas in Cairo, 1993 (Photo by Kacey Dewing)

I am intensifying my search for an agent and/or publisher, and am using this as a place to list the links for my stories (excerpts from two novels) which have been published.

The genre is creative non-fiction (a.k.a. true stories). These were all published in a handful of issues of Mused--Bellaonline Literary Review.

[Following are excerpts from Below Sea Level, novel about 10 years with husband suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder]

Shadow of the Mountains

Dog Day Afternoon*

Goodyear

Cycles

*Personal favorite

[Excerpt from The Agoraphobic's Guide to Cairo, about my year abroad in Cairo, Egypt in 1993-94]

Al-Abyaad - The White One (About the horse who did not kill me.)
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Interview:
Nancy Dietrich: In Her Own Words


Further unpublished excerpts can be found on this blog:

Kickback from Below Sea Level

Painting the Town Blue from Below Sea Level


Al-Qitta (The Kitten) from The Agoraphobic's Guide to Cairo


Bustan al-Hayawanat (The Zoo) from The Agoraphobic's Guide to Cairo


Any suggestions appreciated. Thank you. Read more!

Hi Sally!

Welcome to my twisted world!

Below Sea Level is the dark novel.
The Agoraphobic's Guide to Cairo is the light novel.

And Myles Kennedy is the one that makes me fly all over the country--and world, now. ;) Yes you, Sally. Thought it would make you laugh. Read more!

Maggie Joins the Dietrich Family!

Me? Crazy? Only if you ask anyone who knows me—But I’m SO happy to have another “Dickens” in the family, especially one who acts a little more well-adjusted. Maggie is trusting of humans, affectionate, curious, and as sassy as you would expect a Chihuahua-Papillon cross (?) to be. Don’t need the sassy to rub off on Dickens, but hope the bravery will…

How did she get here? Well, Dickens is well-known at our local vet clinic, and I once mentioned to them that I knew he had family out there, but I had missed the chance to adopt his sister when she was rescued.

So when I called in last week to make a reservation for Dickens for my Norway trip, one of the gals mentioned that she had just started fostering a Dickens' look-a-like and knew she had to tell me.

Oh, shit, I thought. The foster mom sent me a picture and I was helpless.

Separate meetings with Dickens and Maggie, then Ginger and Maggie, went well, so I took her home Friday night. She immediately started bossing Ginger (yeah, the pit bull) around, who took it like a champ, so I tried to calm Maggie down and give Ginger and Dickens extra lovin' to make up for the abrupt intrusion upon their privacy.

Her name? Well, it was Gwen when she came from the Waukesha shelter, then Leila at her foster mom's, but I wanted to stick with the Dickens theme and use a 19th century (female) writer. Many obvious choices: Jane (Austen), sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne (Brontë) and another woman writer (who used a pseudonym) who was influenced by the Brontë sisters; George Eliot, who wrote The Mill on the Floss. In that novel, the protagonist is a strong-willed, precocious, yet highly devoted child named Maggie. So far, the name has proven to be a perfect fit.

They turned out to be exactly the same age and build, though Maggie could use a bit more weight. The way she attacks her meals, that shouldn't be a problem :)

Ginger: “Why does she have to spread it all over the floor? Why can’t I HELP?”

Dickens: “You want to pull WHAT prank?! You've only been here an HOUR!”

Bad hair moment for Maggie after Advantix application yesterday morning.

Better hair day for Maggie this morning, and in her own harness (w/bell!) and office bed, finally.

Siblings? Cousins? You tell me? Exactly the same age.

She weighs 6.4lb., but could use 2lb more. Dickens weighs 11lb., but could stand to lose one.

Dickens: “Thank you for getting me my bed back. I guess she is kind of cute when she’s sleeping…”

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You'll wear out this new webisode from Alter Bridge. Out-takes, their specialty!!

Rockol - AlterBridge, la special edition di III e il tour on MUZU.TV

"For the 49th fucking time..." Scott "Flip" Phillips kills it in this video. Read more!

Alter Bridge Debut Their October 2011 Webisode

LOVE these regular Webisodes put out by Alter Bridge. Such a blast and honor to go behind the scenes, and put more names to the faces!






Had to get a screen grab of Myles' Red Monkey :)

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