2004.08.10 10:44
Re: The Ottofest in Budapest
Hey Patrick,
I was born 20 March 1956, and my brother Otto was in a very bad automobile (under a truck on the expressway) accident 20 March 1980.
Napoleon II was born 20 March 1811.
The engagement party for Eva and Dennis was 20 March 2004.
Dennis Cardinal Dougherty was born 16 August 1865--the feast of St. Stephen of Hungary (according to some traditions). Since they'll be in Hungary, Eva's taking Dennis to where Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Baroness Marie Vetsera committed double suicide (supposedly)--Surprise! and Happy Birthday! all at once. The simple VHS present under the pillow is a recording of Meyerling starring Omar Sharif and Catherine Deneuve.
According to some sources, 20 March is the ancient Roman dies sanguinis.
Benjamin Franklin met Louis XVI at Versailles 20 March 1778.
Marcel Duchamp gave a provocative speech 20 March 1961 at Philadelphia regarding "Where do we go from here?"
The US began its attack on Iraq 20 March 2003.
Calendrical coincidence is a leading thematic/compositional motif of The Odds of Ottopia.
After a few days in and around Budapest, a good bit of the gang are then off to St. Helena Island on 18 August, after a brief stop in Corsica, of course. Helena occasionally spends her feast day on the island, but it is relatively rare these days for both Helena and Napoleon to be celebrating the feast on the island together (or at least that's what they want everyone else to think). Then on 21 August it's 'back home' for Otto and Maria via Wildwood, New Jersey.
Steven Izenour died 21 August 2001, right in the middle of reenactment season. My grandmother Franziska died 21 August 1988, and my godson Michael was born 21 August 1988. "Calendrical Coincidence", the first chapter of EPICENTRAL, is dedicated to the memory of Franziska Brenner and Steven Izenour.
Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria was born 21 August 1858.
"So Maria, what do you think Ludwig's 'cooking up' for Leni's birthday on the 22nd?"
(Aleric assaults Rome 24 August 410--beginning of the Dark Ages?)
"Maybe it's something like the total opposite of what Leni's 'cooking up' for Ludwig's birthday on the 25th?"
Ludwig is presently in the midst of making plans to visit St. Louis, Missouri 25 August 2004. He's all excited because Hannibal and Twain are going with him.
Gordon died 27 August 1978. [Otto and Maria might just throw a Casa Vogue fetish party.]
sincerely,
Rita Novel
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