What would you do if you met Diane Duane??

[Dragon Writer]

it might be difficult to actually administer a secret hand shake anyways, when you come right down to it...interesting to try though. :P and dai stiho sounds good enough to me, if her i ever do see. :P (what, the dai stiho is the way to go rhyme was already taken!)

[EricG1793]

Personally, instead of a secret handshake, we could identify each other by just greeting with a "dai" or "dai stiho". "Dai stiho, hrasht" might be overkill, though.

-kli6

Some people aren't that sure about how to pronounce "Dai Stiho". I know how to, but I'm not sure everyone does.

As far as "Dai Stiho, hrasht"... I don't know what "hrasht" is.

[DameRuth]

Originally posted by Garrett Fitzgerald:
DameRuth, may I just say how much I adork your avatar? :-)

Thanks! I'd seen the term "adorkable" being bandied about the net, and it *so* fits.

I need more practice with booksignings: when I had the chance to get Lois Bujold to sign ACC, I couldn't even think to say that I had signed Butterbug One before it was lost.

Hey, another Bujold fan! I was lucky enough to get LMB to sign *my* copy of ACC (the one I decided I liked enough to bring to the signing -- I was limiting myself to a single book, to be polite); had all of 5 seconds to chat, since there was a huge line, but I did manage to compliment the quality of the science in her Vor books, which seemed to please her quite a bit. I got the impression folks weren't in the habit of noticing that aspect of her writing as much. So, I was glad I got to say something a little more detailed than "I love your work and am a drooling fan!"

Not sure what I'd say to DD in that regard -- probably, "Thanks for not dumbing things down for a YA audience," since that was one of the things that had me falling in love with SYWTBAW; she assumed her readers would "get" things like alternate universes, chemical equations, white holes, and all that . . . and I did, and I *loved* it!!

LOL! The pronunciation of that one might be just as problematic for those of us who aren't dragons . . . I would think a simple, "Dai, cousin," would work.

-- Ruth

[Kathy Li]

Mnhei'sahe requires that we think of something even harder to pronounce, I suspect.

And I completely agree with DameRuth, with the added thought that you have to be someone's sdhaha before you can be addressed as mdaha, and that's also kind of hard to do for those of us who aren't dragons.

EricG1793:
Some people aren't that sure about how to pronounce "Dai Stiho". I know how to, but I'm not sure everyone does.

It's in the Books FAQ. Also, if you listen to the Wizcasts, DD says it.

As far as "Dai Stiho, hrasht"... I don't know what "hrasht" is.

Hrasht is the word in the Speech that gets translated into "cousin."

[DameRuth]

Originally posted by kli6:
Mnhei'sahe requires that we think of something even harder to pronounce, I suspect.

Heh! It might be fun to see how many different difficult words we could string together into a semi-coherent greeting . . .

And I completely agree with DameRuth, with the added thought that you have to be someone's sdhaha before you can be addressed as mdaha . . .

True, but I didn't want to go too far into technicalities.

. . .and that's also kind of hard to do for those of us who aren't dragons.

Unless you're Vulcan, but I don't think that's an option for most of us, either.

-- Ruth

[Birdhead]

I was going to say that that implies a very weird set of interpersonal relationships between forum members, but naturally I've been beaten to it.

Can someone remind me in which podcast DD pronounces dai stiho? I remember hearing it and thinking that it was a little different than I'd expected but it was awhile ago and I've since lost the file, I think.

There's also the caveat that dai stiho isn't much of a secret handshake; anyone who's read the books and has a sufficiently high geek quotient will pick it up pretty quickly. :P

[Dragon Writer]

and the punctuations a problem for the dragons too, trust me. *turns into dragon and stumbles over saying it to prove point* I think, despite all the details we seem to be going into, simply saying dai stiho is probably the best option...though she'll never be able to tell who's just read the book and who's on the site...and those in the crowd who think they're hearing "die, stiho!" might get a little bit freaked out...but still.(and i don't think them hearing die cousin will work any better, really. :P)

[EricG1793]

...and those in the crowd who think they're hearing "die, stiho!" might get a little bit freaked out...but still.(and i don't think them hearing die cousin will work any better, really. :P)

-young reader

LOL! Yes, people who don't know the books (ie parents or staff of wherever the signing, etc. would be) wouldn't appreciate people saying "die" (in their minds, anyway, "dai" for us). And they'd be confused at "stiho" as well.... Either that, or if you simply ran up to someone you know personally who's there who is also a member here at Youngwizards and run up to them and say, "Dai!!!!" that would REALLY confuse people....

Ha. That's what we SHOULD do during the next DD appearance near us. Say "Dai Stiho" to everyone we see....

[Magic Butter]

I don't think I'd have the presence of mind to say anything in the same room as DD, hehe. I would probably goall Wayne World...

"I'm not Worthy! I'm not Worthy!" :P

[Dragon Writer]

Just make sure to stay away from security guards, and people named stiho while you say it. :P I'm not sure in what region of the world anyone would actually name their kids stiho, but i'm sure SOMEONE has...and i don't think he'll appreciate the death threat. :P

[smile]

I seem to be the person who posts in old topics -

I like the dai stiho (how to put accent?) - I would just be ecstatic, I think. Yes, staying away from security gaurds would be advisable.I suppose that I'm not saying much, but I would just be so so happy - I would probably ask her a bunch of questions...

[Garrett Fitzgerald]

[WizardWolf]

gowiththeflow

I normally "go with the flow"- take life as it goes. I could use my overimaginative mind to think up a situation like that, but I'd rather not. If I ever did meet DD, I'd let my "conscious mind" take a break and my "unconscious mind" control me. Hope you understood that?

[Trialia]

*laughs* Wander over and say hi, since I've talked to her on Twitter a few times. And that's probably what I'll do if she manages to make it to DWcon next year.

[Garrett Fitzgerald]

But what would you do, if she replied, "Oh you're that one...! I remember you!" Because y'know, it's not like she doesn't read the forums or show up in chat and stuff.

Oh, goodness, I had forgotten that little detail from the Platinum Anniversary Con. I can't remember if it was her or somebody with her who remembered me from online, which really shocked me, because I didn't think I had posted that much. This was quite a while before we collaborated on the bibliography, which would have been a more-likely reason to be remembered.

(And in a non-Duane-related note, that's still the only filkroom I've spent any notable amount of time in, and I had to bail early to catch the last bus back to Providence. I'm such a poseur....)