Path: mit-eddie!mintaka!yale!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!jf2z+ From: jf2z+@andrew.cmu.edu (John Charles Fiala) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Re: a Gather? Message-ID: Date: 14 Mar 90 20:53:39 GMT Organization: Class of '92, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 39 Another note: _____________________________ | A gather at CMU would be | | alright, how about noon | | to whenever at Scotland | | Yard, in Skibo? I would | | not be able to make it | | until 12:30, though. | | Sound good? John Fiala. | ----------------------------- The things that boy talks me into doing... mumbles a small grey tom, weaving his way to the bar. Jumping on top, he rubs up against Mike, revealing the dollar tucked under his collar. Mike smiles and fills up a saucer of milk for George, who drinks it down, then stands up on his hind feet for a minute. Everyone stops talking, puzzled, and then George says: "Sorry, but the lack of opposable thumbs prevents me from carrying this to the chalk-line, but I want to put in a toast. The last three days in Pittsburgh have been warm and sunny, and so: "To Spring: To Love: To Pasteur!" George then runs the length of the bar, turns around, and runs full-tilt towards the saucer, ending with a kick that hits it, launching it like a frisbee, which then lands in the fireplace. {CRASH}. A bow, and a leave-taking... "I'd stay, but there's this white missus down the street with a black- tipped tail that I've been "Accedentally" running into for the last three days..." ------ George QuickPaw Professional Cat (Rates negotiable) You can reach me through my pet, John Fiala, at: jf2z@andrew.cmu.edu ------ Path: mit-eddie!mintaka!yale!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!ap1i+ From: ap1i+@andrew.cmu.edu (Andrew C. Plotkin) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Re: Grin-- Some Dreams Come True Message-ID: Date: 14 Mar 90 22:29:53 GMT References: , , Organization: Class of '92, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 13 In-Reply-To: > Excerpts from netnews.alt.callahans: 14-Mar-90 Re: Grin-- Some Dreams > Come.. David B. Conklin@andrew. (251) > The proper name for a group of fuzzies is a fluff. Or "a hum of fuzzies?" Fuzzies must hum. In chords. :picks up a fuzzy and scritches it. Indeed, it hums. (And I'm also interested in seeing callahanians around CMU -- I know I haven't said much recently, but I've been sitting back here.) --Zarf Path: mit-eddie!mintaka!yale!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!usc!ucsd!sdcc6!sdbio2!secbh1 From: secbh1@sdbio2.ucsd.edu (Lori Stahlman) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Betsy Bo's Questions Message-ID: <9028@sdcc6.ucsd.edu> Date: 15 Mar 90 01:09:52 GMT Sender: news@sdcc6.ucsd.edu Reply-To: secbh1@sdbio2.ucsd.edu (Lori Stahlman) Organization: University of California, San Diego Lines: 79 Betsy Bo cruises into Callahans shortly after dark. There is potting clay on her hands and arms and a splattered horizontal line of it across the legs of her fish-print shorts. She looks tired, and her carelessly tied red locks are even more disheveled than usual. She walks to the bar and leans on it heavily. "A double capuccino, Mike. I have a lot of reading to catch up on." She hands him a dollar and flexes her aching fingers before she takes the cup to her table. As she drops her big leather bag she notices some tire prints on a pile of papers. She smiles her biggest, most dazzling smile at Christopher. "I caught that, Chris. I like it. I've also caught you poking around in rec.arts.drwho. Come on over to my table sometime and we'll talk about long scarves and persnickety time machines." She moves over to the chalk line. "It's been a weird, stressful couple of weeks. Even though everything is even keel, I feel as though something big is about to come to an end, and something equally big will take its place. I don't know what, but I'm keeping my eyes open and my mind as clear as I can manage. "Which is a perfect lead into what I want to say this evening. I've been seeing a lot of knee-jerk reactions lately. And a lot of them are happening right here. My intention is not to flame anyone. Rather, I would ask you all to try looking at things a little differently than you ordinarily might. "For instance, you may have noticed a little incendiary action here yesterday. Cynic tossed a grenade into the transporter beam of the Starship Enterprise. The response to his action was as close to a flame as I have yet seen in Callahans. "Did anyone stop to ask Cynic why he did that? In a way, I'm not surprised that anyone did. I have found that it's much easier to strike back at someone who has lashed out than it is to figure out why the person lashed out to begin with. You see, there is no such thing as a "random act of meaningless violence. So I would ask you: Where's the protective circle of empaths around the Cynic, if only to keep him from doing such a thing again?" She takes a long drag from the foamy cup. "Second, I've been listening to the dialogue about the book and the t-shirts. The book makes sense, although I would choose to have it consist solely of the short stories in the making that get posted to the net every day. But t-shirts? Why? Is it because we automatically think that something we find important is important enough to deserve advertisement? Or is it because the net is so intangible that we would feel better having some solid reminder of this thing that's so important to us? Perhaps it is only the materialism of the suggestion that strikes me as odd. "For myself, I can only say that what is important to me about Callahans exists solely in what we _do_ for each other here on the net. We are here because we care for each other. And I would not wear an icon proclaiming that I care for others. Now, if you want to make up a shirt commemorating a party or event - to wit, the upcoming San Francisco meeting - then by all means do so. But please discuss that among yourselves, for there will be so many of us who will be left out. "If you disagree, or if you'd like to talk about these things, you all know where the chalk line is. If you want to discuss them with me, my table's right here in plain view. "To multidimensionality. May we always look for one more angle!" <> <> (That was the saucer) Bets walks back to her table, slipping an unseen fuzzy into the Cynic's pocket as he stalks through the bar. Path: mit-eddie!bu.edu!lll-winken!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!jls139 From: JLS139@psuvm.psu.edu (Abaddon) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Re: Hell Message-ID: <90073.173915JLS139@psuvm.psu.edu> Date: 14 Mar 90 22:39:15 GMT References: <9060035@hpfcso.HP.COM> <9060037@hpfcso.HP.COM> Organization: Penn State University Lines: 10 In article <9060037@hpfcso.HP.COM>, daq@hpfcso.HP.COM (Doug Quarnstrom) says: > >P.S. The road to hell is paved with cobblestones. Forget that >good intention stuff. No, the road to hell is not paved at all. ----------------------------------------------- | LOSE VIRTUALLY ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE | ----------------------------------------------- Path: mit-eddie!bu.edu!lll-winken!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!emd101 From: EMD101@psuvm.psu.edu Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Re: a Gather? Message-ID: <90073.191717EMD101@psuvm.psu.edu> Date: 15 Mar 90 00:17:17 GMT References: Organization: Penn State University Lines: 24 Oktave strides into the room and checks the bulletin board first thing. In article , jf2z+@andrew.cmu.edu (John Charles Fiala) says: >_____________________________ >| A gather at CMU would be | >| alright, how about noon | >| to whenever at Scotland | >| Yard, in Skibo? I would | >| not be able to make it | >| until 12:30, though. | >| Sound good? John Fiala. | >----------------------------- > Do you mean Friday? I doubt I can get to anything before my meetings 2pm Friday afternoon. Late Friday afternoon or early evening would be better for me. Meeting in Skibo sounds fine. I'll bring pretzels, if you like. Cards for Canasta? I leave further refinement of these noble plans to the rest of you. --Oktave Path: mit-eddie!bu.edu!lll-winken!uwm.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!jm7w+ From: jm7w+@andrew.cmu.edu (Joelle Ann Mellon) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: A heartfelt thanks... Message-ID: Date: 15 Mar 90 02:56:36 GMT Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 36 Joelle, overwhelmed by all of the uproar Taldin's announcement has caused, looks around at the company, grinning and eyes slightly widened. "Thank you for all of the good wishes I seem to be getting from everybody! I never expected so many toasts, private congratulations and even banners from all of you. I am glad that Taldin has been keeping such good company. By the way, he mentioned to me that at one point he had been complaining that he would never find a soulmate. Is this why all of you are so extremely pleased that he did? Honestly -- what a reaction!" "Tal has gone back home now though and we must wait until we meet again in real space and time. Until then, we must attempt to be together as often as possible through letters, phone calls, and of course, the computer (what a way for a technophobe to be with the man who loves her!). Yes, I am saddened by his absence, but we have definitely made some memories that will last a long time. (Any advice on long distance relationships, anyone?)" "For now, however, in return for all of your wishes of joy, I offer you this: What you wish for others often returns to you....Perhaps I can help it along...She rubs Taldin's horn and comes up with a handful of silver dust. Those who love truly often times can use the power of love to help others. I offer you a charm crafted from this energy. Any who is touched by this powder shall find that when he meets his soulmate, he shall be seized with warm tingles so intense that he cannot doubt his heart. Thus, you will better be able to recognize him/her. Hope this works..." She holds her hand out flat and blows. The specks shimmer and dance in the air like dust motes, then blow through the room, touching some of the company. "May the joy that fate has brought us do you all some good." She then curtsies in what she hopes is a graceful fashion to the company, and retires to a place in the shadow of the fire with Taldin. May you find true peace and pure love, -- Joelle Path: mit-eddie!mintaka!think!yale!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!haste+ From: haste+@andrew.cmu.edu (Dani Zweig) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Re: Hell Message-ID: Date: 15 Mar 90 03:26:02 GMT Organization: Graduate School of Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 13 This question is answered in James Branch Cabell's book, "Jurgen". Hell is cooled by a great river of blood which has been spilled in the pursuit of righteousness. Despite the transcription error which obviously occurred along the way, the fact is that Hell (and the road to it) are *laved* with good intentions. Dani Zweig haste@andrew.cmu.edu The noble art of saving face/May someday save the human race And turn into eternal merit/What lesser minds would call disgrace. --Piet Hein (grooks) Path: mit-eddie!bu.edu!lll-winken!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!ucsd!ucsdhub!hp-sdd!hplabs!hpfcso!daq From: daq@hpfcso.HP.COM (Doug Quarnstrom) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: The Cynic rants raves and rages Message-ID: <9060039@hpfcso.HP.COM> Date: 14 Mar 90 06:06:52 GMT Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA Lines: 310 The cynic approaches Callahans. Deterimined looks cross his face like ants on an ant pile. In the real world he sits at a terminal. Intoxication. Alcohol and music. The headphones drive his resolve and move his feet in the virtual universe. Pulse and anger drive the flesh. The virtual man is cold and powerful with electronic static. He looks down, almost expecting to see his hands glowing and crackling with the power of this remote world. Arriving at Callahan's, he kicks open the door causing the Callahan's sign to shudder on its hinges. He enters and sees that the entrance has turned heads. He crosses to a table and sits; he pulls out a bottle of gin and a shot glass and slams them to the table. The static grows louder for a moment, but he exerts himself to increase the power and dominance of the signal over the noise. "I am about to say some things that may get me kicked out of this bar forever, but I am very perturbed, and I feel the need. It is a policy never to flame. I will try not to violate that rule, but I may not succeed." "When I first came here, I wondered if I could be the cynic and still find a place here. I have succeeded so far, but now I begin to wonder." "At the forefront of this post, I want to apologize to all of the members of Callahan's for becoming angry, but that is an emotion too, and people are being pretty free with emotions, so I will too." "My fugue was set of by the postings from Taldin, Joelle, and Jilara. Before I go any farther, I want to congratulate all of you on your good fortune. As you read what comes after, I want you to know that I really do mean that. I will certainly deserve your wrath after what I am about to say. It is going to be very sarcastic, but it does have a purpose. I will leave Callahan's for good after this post if enough people ask me to, since I may have violated the spirit of the place." (Taldin and Joelle write:) >..this time he has a rider. What a wonderfully ironic image! >They say love at first sight is crazy. Well, I'll lay this one on you-- >Joelle and I fell in love >WITHOUT seeing each other first.. it just goes to show that it's what's >on the inside >that counts as well as what's on the outside. I like to think that it is what is inbetween that counts. >"TO LOVE! >>CRASH<<" I will not drink to this. >"It can happen to any of us when we least expect it." Yes, and it can keep on NOT happening to any of us no matter what we expect. I do not say this for myself, for I have made my life independent of soulmates, but I say this for the poor souls who have come on the net bemoaning their lack of success in this area. The lORD giveth and the lORD taketh away, and this new found happiness can disappear as rapidly as it appears. Love has a way of moving on just as rapidly as it settles, and I think that wisdom would suggest freeing yourself from the need. >The young lady pokes Taldin in the arm. >"Yes, beloved?" he replies with a chuckle. Spare me. >"Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Joelle, and I've been reading >alt.callahan's >for a long time. I think it's kinda funny that the first time I post I >post as Taldin's lady. >I bring you all greetings, and wishes for as much happiness as Taldin >and I have found." Greetings Joelle. I hope you stay a long time. I hope you and Taldin provide each other with the happiness you seem to have found for a very long time. But your wishes for my happiness are hurled into a void. I have given up on happiness. What I want now is diversion. What I want is amnesty and amnesia. I want fullfillment. >`(Taldin blushes.) As well he might. >"I've read that many of you have had some sort of turmoil within your >souls about finding >a soulmate." The turmoil in my soul is over mustard gas, thermo-nuclear warheads and, crib death. >Taldin interrupts, "If I can find one..so can you!" Don't need anyone Tal baby. >Joelle rolls her eyes at him, and he chuckles. "Stop being so modest, Tal." Gosh Tal, yes. >"I am not being modest! I'm nothing special." How can you come to this conclusion in a world of 6 billion people? >She groans , and continues. "I wish to bring you peace, and assure you >that there are those >like Tal and I who look with ouir hearts instead of our eyes. And I >also have a toast to make." Ok, I respect your wish, but there is nothing that you can do. I look only with my eyes. My heart pumps the blood that keeps them looking. >She hurls her mug into the fire, and to the rest of the room, she says, >"To New Friends!!" >>CRASH<< I hope you find many here, and I might add that despite my incredibly foul mood, I could be one of them. But only if you have a great deal of forgiveness in your soul. >"That I can do, m'ilady. Hugs are what makes Callahan's go 'round." Well then, I guess there really is no need for a cynic. >They embrace, and most of the room can feel the empathic "Awww..." Most = Most - 1. (Jilara writes) >"Not a silver goblet, this time, but I remember holding one here, a while >back... I was not in the best of shape, mentally, back then >I found the place because I needed to. I wasn't the only one. This >fellow in black armor came in and bought the lady a drink in a silver >goblet, and said he had a feeling we had a lot we could talk about. A >fine pair of exiles, Samurai with no master, people lost along the way, >not understanding the rules this poor old world lives by... Funny, but >I found sometimes it was hard to tell which of us had made a comment, it >reflected such similar thought. I sent him some stories about exile. He >sent me some poetry on a similar theme. And in the poetry was one that >seemed to be written in reply to something..." She shakes her head. >"It was, clever man, a ploy. I wrote back, carefully. (His usenet >account was gone, with his job, by then.) Like spies passing signs and >countersigns... One night, when the shakes hit me really bad, I finally >used his phone number and called..." > >She smiles at the room. "The rest is history. Oh, my poor phone bill, >calling Seattle! But that's going to change, soon. You see, Alaric is >going to move down to the Bay Area to be with me... There have been a >few major rocks thrown in the way, but few things can really stop a >couple people who BELONG together. I think it was something of a surprise >when Taldin called Alaric, last month, and he said "And guess what? Jilara >is here, too. Want to talk to her?" You see, he's a person that I might >create for a story, but certainly never expected to exist. He said the >same of me. We were sort of afraid if we met, we might just disappear in >a blinding flash, like matter and antimatter meeting. My best friend heard >awful things about him, and was trying to keep us apart. But then she got >to know him, and found he reminded her absolutely uncannily of ME. She's >now become fond of him, because he's like a male version of me." She >shakes her head. "So, there's another tale to add to the Legends of >Callahans! You know Jilara, a few weeks ago you and Alaric were going on about how Callahan's is not a singles bar. Well, apparently it is! This irritated me a great deal. Let's at least be honest with each other. I come to this forum and bear my soul to people in the faint hope that they and I might gain something from it and here you are telling people this is not a singles bar at the very same time you are carrying on a covert rendezvouz. I am greatly dissapointed. I ask your forgiveness for my harsh judgement, but this is the way I feel now. >expedition together... Exile isn't too bad, if you've got someone to >share it. Cherryh's Morgaine keeps going with Vanye as her companion, Exile is horrible no matter what. Let us not glamorize things. >"To Companions of the Road, Exiles meeting, and to Callahans Place itself, >for being at the Nexus of Worlds! It's going to be a good spring!" She >drains the glass and hurls it. A cry of "Hear, hear!" goes up in the Place. As for me, spring will be a few more three point baskets and a few more steps down the road to skin cancer. >dark in there, cozy, but dark. Dark enough to furnish some major shadows >for corner-lurkers. There are still dark corners where unknown folks >lurk, but sunlight is streaming in the windows in a couple places, and a >spring breeze comes through a couple windows that stand open. There seem >to be some fat and rather overgrown roses nodding at the windows, and >the breeze brings a faint scent of perfume into The Place. Well merry christmas and fill my bloomers with concrete! Jilara, there are still some dark spots in the center of the god damned room. > --Jilara the Exile jane%fsdcup.csd@urbana.mcd.mot.com Good luck Jane. Really! (Jeff/limper writes) >"I also wish to acknowledge Taldin's success, >my wishes go with you and your lady... >"Also, thanks Cynic, I am glad you are. Are you still? I feel that I may have overstayed my welcome. >"To Outlaws" he cries, and hurls his glass into the fireplace, pulls up the >closest chair and sinks into it with a sigh. Indeed! >-limper >jeff@mcrc.mot.com (David Goldfarb writes:) > "To Taldin's Lady!" The glass arcs towards the fireplace--but halfway >there it shatters into a cloud of multicolored butterflies. They flutter >and sparkle in the light. > One of the butterflies makes its uncertain way to Taldin and Joelle. >Landing on her hand, it turns warm and fuzzy. > Another lands on the Cynic's nose and does the same. A note drops from >it: "You looked like you needed one of these :-)" The cynic reaches up with gentle fingers and removes the butterfly. He gets up slowly and walks to the door where he sets it free. Perhaps I needed it, and I thank you for the gesture. >David Goldfarb goldfarb@ocf.berkeley.edu (Insert standard disclaimer) (Traveller in Elephants writes:) >"A round for all on this joyous ocasion!" comes boiling forth from the >potbellied one in the center. >"*TO HAPPY COUPLES*" <*Crash*> Oh, all-fucking-RIGHT! I'll drink to it. But only because I remember what it is like to be part of this exclusive club. Also, I do wish them the best, and I am raging more at an abstract than a concrete. >Traveler In Elephants >Dave -- (Steven Stadnicki writes:) >> "TO LOVE! >>CRASH<<" >> "It can happen to any of us when we least expect it." >> Taldin interrupts, "If I can find one..so can you!" >A muffled sigh comes from the side of the room. "Well, almost, but you're >forgetting something; you have three big things going for you that will >*always* help you meet people of any sort: you're interesting, you're fun (and >again, interesting) to talk to, and you're *easy* to talk to. Don't under- >estimate the importance of any of those. There are lots of little things, but >those are the big ones. Anyways, to you and Joelle!" ><*crash*> Well Steve. I drink to you. But don't assume that any of those things you list will bring you this super calla fragilistic expiala soul mate. When in high school I thought I had to be nice. It did not work. When in college I thought I had to be open and sensitive. It did not work. When I got older I realized that what was important was to be callous, exploitative, and selfish. It works, but I lost interest. I may not be fun, but I am interesting and easy to talk to. What's more, I am independently wealthy. But I am black, cold, and alone. I am also nearing 30. I read posts by people in their early twenties about how they have not found anyone yet, and I so desperately want to tell them to organize their lives so that they can be reasonably content without anyone, because there is no insurance that they will find someone. I think that is why I am so angry about this blatant celebration of success when there is so much need left from people who post here. I think that the celebrations might best if held a bit more discretely. But my soul has become so dark that I may be totally wrong. Again, I really do not wish ill upon anyone, but I guess I really am just different than even most of the posters in Callahan's. I feel a great deal of frustration toward all of this exclusive soul mate business with its inherent implication of, "hey, I got mine, where is yours?" I remember back when I was going with Lyn, or Lynn, or Lynnn, or whatever the fuck her name was, and I would see guys by themselves, and I always felt this have and have not feeling very strongly. I place my flag proudly and firmly among the have nots. If they will not acknowledge me, then I place it proudly and firmly for myself. > Steven Stadnicki > stadnism@clutx.clarkson.edu The Cynic. Humbly awaiting the will of the masses. Path: mit-eddie!mintaka!think!yale!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!lakesys!davek From: davek@lakesys.lakesys.com (Dave Kraft) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: An update Keywords: an update Message-ID: <1747@lakesys.lakesys.com> Date: 15 Mar 90 02:44:42 GMT Organization: Lake Systems - Milwaukee, Wisconsin Lines: 45 Hi, It's been a long time since I last posted. Mostly due to our system's disk space problems (not enough space), but also due to me being very busy. Well, I've got a lot of stuff to say, and not sure where to begin. Good news first, I suppose. Ok, first, I'm not sure if I told you all that I got a job. I sort magazine subscription cards. 8:30am to 5pm. Get's rather boring at times. It's only $4/hour, but, it's better than sitting home twiddling my thumbs. I'm still looking for something within my field, and have one lead that I will have to pursue. Now for the 'bad' news.... Well, I don't know if any of you remember a post a while back concerning my grandmother, and her health, so, here's a quick refresher. She is about 86 years old, and minus one leg. She has been living in her own appartment (w/o the leg) since she had it amputated. Well, now her other leg is getting worse, and she is on pain medication that makes her very loopy and out of it, so now she was unable to live in her own appartment, so my mother cleaned out a spare room for her to live with us. It lasted one day. My grandmother was so loopy that she didn't have the strength to get from the bed to the commode and back, so, my mother called my older brother and sister (I was working that day), and took her to the hospital, and on Thursday, March 15th, 1990, she will loose her other leg. Then she will have to live with us until we can find a nursing home (we have been searching since December). Well, enough of that.. As to what author or authors I would like to be, first and foremost, definitely Spider :), then comes a few others.. Terry Brooks, Lillian Jackson-Braun, Douglas Adams, etc. Mike, gimme a Southern Comfort and sour. To Life! [crash] Dave -- EMAIL: davek@lakesys.lakesys.com |"..let your light shine before men, that uunet!marque!lakesys!davek |they may see your good deeds and praise BELLNET: (414)476-2763 |your Father in heaven." --Mathhew 5:16 USPS: 1952 N. 84th St./Milwaukee, WI 53226 Path: mit-eddie!mintaka!yale!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!columbia!cunixf.cc.columbia.edu!shoulson From: shoulson@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Mark E. Shoulson) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: A few thoughts Message-ID: <1990Mar15.033341.6511@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> Date: 15 Mar 90 03:33:41 GMT Organization: Columbia University Lines: 59 [ Ah, whatthehell. I'm agoin' in persona today! ] No-one notices his entry right away, except a few people looking at the door from just the right angle. The door doesn't open, rather the strangle shape just slides in between two of the boards. He shuffles in, moving with an odd sideways gait (which is the only one possible for him, as he *is* only sideways). Since he heads directly to the bar, everyone gets to see him, except poor Mike, who was all the time looking at him crosswise, from which angle he's just a line. "All Greeting. I yndrd am. I here before have been, but you me remember may not. Sir, please me give a glass of Jirri Basla licour. I you thank." Mike's eyebrows shoot up like hairy fouth-of-July fireworks at the sound of the voice coming from in front of him, and his cigar drops from his open mouth. Only his razor-sharp instincts, honed by years of experience with the strange, enable him to catch it before it hits, almost nonchalantly. He cranes his neck to the side, until he catches sight of the newcomer's innards (which are clearly visible from both sides). Then, smiling recognition, he busies his hands under the bar. "Hello yndrd. Good seeing you again. Here we have some fresh-made homebrew, straight from Punizla." He hands yndrd the "glass," actually just a bent wire with a film of liquid suspended inside, accepting the dollar bill which yndrd had placed on the bar while nobody was watching. The newcomer toes the chalk line, drains the "glass," and says, "To the two bits which I can't carry!" and slings the glass underhand with his lower left arm. As the glass flies to the fireplace, yndrd's form gets replaced by a more conventional one, and I (Mark) stand there in all my (un)splendour. Sorry for the *long* intro, but the fat-chewing muscles need excercising now and again. I haven't really been gone, I've just been sitting and reading; I haven't had much to post about. I like the idea of the T-shirt. The glass-and-fireplace seems particularly well-devised. Perhaps the legend on the back or something. It wouldn't do to put images/hints of the net.callahanians on it, because not everyone is always there/will always be there/has always been there. Please keep me posted on developments with it. There is a very small possibility I could make a CMU real-space gathering, but I doubt it. Maybe one of these days we can arrange a NY/NJ one. Good to see that the tone of the group is lightening up. I was getting *really* depressed before. I miss some of the people who seem to have dropped by the wayside, and I'll miss the ones who'll leave (especially Silverblack. He and I have a lot in common.) Well, I just wanted to reconnect with all you callahanians. I'll see you on forum and irc, off and on. I'll just sit here (not in a corner. there are too many of those.) and watch the wheels go 'round and 'round.... ~mark o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Mark Shoulson: shoulson@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu shoulson@cunixc.bitnet