Greetings, friends and strangers. Welcome to the
continually changing world of what I find interesting. Here's a quick
review of what the site currently contains...
Wedding
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's come time again for
me to tie the knot. This time, for sure, as Bullwinkle would say
*grin*. Seriously, though, if you haven't met Tiffany, then I couldn't
tell you about her anyway - you'd just think I was bragging. If you're
curious about the details of the upcoming wedding, visit the
wedding page and find out what I've been running ragged over lately.
Baby
Also, on the off chance that there is someone on
the planet that we haven't mentioned this to, Tiffany is preggers.
We finally got the kid to expose itself to the ultrasound on 5/25 - the
child is a Ryleh Alexandra, and the name Niccoli Amadeus gets mothballed
until the next time around.
Lojban
Imagine, for a moment, what the world would be like if we
spoke a language that made it difficult to be misunderstood. In 1965
a group of linguists began a project to create just such a language.
Unlike Esperanto and languages of that nature, the primary purpose of this
language wasn't to be understood by as many people as possible but to be
misunderstood by as few as possible. The resulting language, called
"loglan", is a masterpiece of clarity and directness where the only ambiguity
is that purposely intended by the speaker. Lojban is a second generation
product of loglan, supported by those with the desire to push it over the
edge from dreams to reality.
Lojban is on the verge of becoming a living language,
aided by the infant technology of the internet. Only through the
nearly ubiquitous and essentially instantaneous communication available
to people today could a critical mass of individuals gather to spark a
community of speakers like this. This is cool.
The Lojban Society has an excellent
web site with a thorough supply of information for anyone who wishes
to actually learn the language. They don't have a dictionary out
yet, but they have published a grammar
reference, and are working on a text book.
My little part in this is the creation of language tapes.
If you're interested, check them out...
OK, now read the preceeding section like >THIS<
Dragon Chess
Chess not complex enough for you? Sometimes I
need something just a little more confusing to catch my interest.
In issue #100 of Dragon magazine, Gary Gygax presented a version of chess
that incorporated several variations of the concept into a single game
that involves a board that is 8x12x3, and has 42 pieces per side.
Maybe a little excessive for most, but I find it entertaining.
Check out the
rules... I'm slowly working on a VRML
Dragonchess board, ( and maybe one of these days I'll actually finish the
sucker) but that's on hold until I get a faster computer.
Toastmasters
When we have something to say, it's always nice if people
actually pay attention. Toastmasters
is an organization that was formed to help people get over the static and
insecurity that prevents us from communicating effectively. Their
program is specifically designed to help its members learn to have a more
effective presence when speaking in public.
I'm currently about halfway through the group of ten speeches
that makes up the Certified Toastmaster Award. If you're into sales,
middle management, or anything that might require you to actually present
your ideas to other people, I strongly recommend them to improve both your
confidence in yourself, and your listener's confidence in you. My
club, the Silver State
Toastmasters, meets every Tuesday evening, but there are dozens
of clubs in every major city, and it's easy to find one that fits your
schedule.
Yes, even creatures that live in caves wind up with friends.
I can't vouch that any of their complexions are any better than mine, but
they are in the habit of doing some pretty interesting things. Visit
their relms, and tell them that I said hi while you're at it.
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