Path: mit-eddie!snorkelwacker!apple!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!lll-winken!bu.edu!husc6!m2c!wpi!johndunk From: johndunk@wpi.wpi.edu (John Dunkelberg) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: n+1 newcomer Keywords: Howdy Hi Message-ID: <11404@wpi.wpi.edu> Date: 11 Apr 90 17:50:59 GMT Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass. Lines: 79 A young man enters The Place. He is very slender if not skinny, and this is only slightly hid by the loose clothing in tans and light blue. His hair is brown, and falls to his shoulders, thick and straight. An ordinary walking staff is carried in his right hand, dangling more as a familiar friend than a support. Walking to the bar, the newcomer shifts the stave to his left hand, and bows to Mike, his right hand performing a slight flourish, placing a single U.S. dollar on the bar before him. "Greetings, I have traveled from far North Carolina (and places yet further) to find this place of legend. If I might have a cup of Red Zinger, I would moisten my throat and rest." From inside the endless bar of all drinks and refreshments, Mike pulls a simple earthern mug, and an already steaming pot of water. He drops the tea into the pot's basket, and leaves the newcomer to his herbal tea. After a short ceremonious pouring of the first tea, the skinny youngster, turns to the gathered multitudes and watches, sipping lightly upon the tea, which has diffused an odor of honey and flowers into the near vicinity. After finishing his tea. The man hops off the stool and approaches the line, mug in hand. "Hello good people, my name is Farendil, and I have enjoyed hearing of this place so often that I decided to stop lurking about and to join you. I too have had a share of joys and loneliness. Prehaps yet more sympathy may come to those who hear the words of a friend of mine, Scott Burroughs, who surely will join us as soon as he finds a path. "Alone... i lean upon the hard, cold glass in the darkness and gaze out to the rain-soaked night i curse the life i am leading that takes me from my desires and resigns me to a self-served captivity. behind me lie the seeds of chaos strewn about, no thoughts of the world beyond their spattered glass. can they not see the beauty - does the rain fall only for me? i long to be alone, back with gentle Nature. i need the rain 'pon my pale skin to remind me of my self - to save me from my poisons . . . - for Kris" So I toast to friends both near and far, to Scott, and to Shawn and Dana, and others beside, who have helped me in my travels. I hope that I may do as well for them." Farendil tosses the mug into the fireplace, but the strong clay impacts with but a ringing sound, and the mug leaps back into his slender hands. "So indeed if friendship is freely given, it shall freely return", he says, with a quirk and a smile. He returns to his seat and his tea, leaving the more observant watchers to wonder if indeed there was a small flash of soft blue light and a twist of curled fingers as the mug was about to hit the brick... |------------------------------------------------------------------------| | John Dunkelberg | The world of dew is, yes, a world of dew, | | Johndunk@wpi.wpi.edu | But even so -Isa | |------------------------------------------------------------------------| -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | John Dunkelberg The world of dew is, yes, a world of dew, | | johndunk@wpi.wpi.edu | But even so -Isa | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Path: mit-eddie!mit-amt!snorkelwacker!usc!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!gws107 From: GWS107@psuvm.psu.edu Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Heresy time, maybe... was Re: Hello, did any one hear me? Message-ID: <90101.104458GWS107@psuvm.psu.edu> Date: 11 Apr 90 14:44:58 GMT References: <11551@encore.Encore.COM> Organization: Penn State University Lines: 45 In article <11551@encore.Encore.COM>, terryk@pinocchio (Terence Kelleher) says: [...] >me. (sip) I've grown accustomed and even accepted the fact that if >I'm not loud I'm not noticeable. But here at Callahan's I thought it >would be different. Do you realize how closed you sound to outsiders >looking in? I watched for a while before I spoke up and even then it >wasted the breath I used. I'm not flashily dressed, nor do I use >magics to stand out. I'm comfortable the way I am and if being >regular in here is unacceptable...... . . >Sorry, Mike. I'll find another watering hole. >Hildy Deepvoice overhears Hildy's talk about Callahans. He leans his head against the dorrway and sighs, then steps inside for a few moments (I don't think those thunderstorms are moving too quickly...). Stopping near the center of the room, he speaks: "Actually, kinda true, Hildy. What I'm going to say is probably going to seem heretical to some (no, a LOT) of you, but I think someone's got to say it. It's a wonderful Place we've got here at our virtual Callahans, no question. I think I'm starting to see a little of it's magic, too. A thought, though: as we've gotten bigger, some stuff which is totally legitimate for discussion has been swept aside, just because we are so large that it's getting increasingly difficult to keep up with all the postings at the Place. At what point do we say "OK, we can't really address everyone's needs/concerns?" Also, at that point, what do we do? Say "All non-members keep out?" Uh-uh. No way. Possibly form another group, with Jake as bartender? I'm not sure, but I think we should be discussing alternatives for if/when we get too large. And please, can we try to avoid an "alt.callahans is sacrosanct" atmosphere when discussing this? As much as I like Spider, alt.callahans became larger than the books some time ago, when WE made it apply to real-life situations; thus, WE (*all* of us) should perhaps be considering where to go from here". With a glance outside, DV says "But then, many of you may not feel that there is a problem. Maybe you are right. But then, maybe not. Worth consideration, I think..." Having had his say, DV returns to his vigil of thunderstorm watching by the door... >Terence Kelleher >Encore Computer Corporation >terryk@encore.com Tom Gryn/Deepvoice via Greg 'Turtle God' Sangmeister........................gws107@PSUVM. Path: mit-eddie!snorkelwacker!think!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!hubcap!shelby!csli!wilson From: wilson@csli.Stanford.EDU (Nathan Wilson) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Re: Fungus amongus Message-ID: <13055@csli.Stanford.EDU> Date: 11 Apr 90 17:28:47 GMT References: <9004101359.AA09379@fsdcupt.csd.mot.COM> Sender: wilson@csli.Stanford.EDU (Nathan Wilson) Organization: Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford U. Lines: 42 (Before I parry and re-post, I'd like to apologise to those that know nothing of the fungal kingdom. Some of the following puns are a bit obscure.) This Jilara, Shiitake lot! We may have to Oyster out of here if she continues with this Pore punny Spore't. But it is clear that she is not one to be Truffled with and her voice does have a Fairy Ring to it. As for your question about Mike, I think Mycorrhize to the occasion! Hmm, maybe you're right. I do feel a little Gill'ty about the Brevipes of my last post. I will try to give you one Hevella story this time! One day I was out hunting mushrooms in the forest behind the inn with my truffle hound, Beauregard, when I heard voices out on the road. I went out to see a group of the locals, including my spouse, discussing a new notice on the town notice board. It turned out that the royal charger had escaped during the night and that there would be a 100 gold piece reward for his return. I knew that my friend the Prince, was quite a Man On Horseback, and would sorely miss this fine stallion. So, I joined in the discussion. We concluded that it would be best if we went as a whole group, as it would take all of us to capture this impressive equine if we did, in fact, find him. We decided that the most likely place to find the creature would be in the remote pastures that were used as common grazing land in the summer. After getting some rope, the ten of us and our dogs started out for the pastures. An hour later, we got there, but there was no charger. Discouraged we sat down and began making a new plan. During this time, Beauregard wandered off, snuffling for truffles under the oaks. After a while he started barking from somewhere in the woods. My spouse and I with some of the others, ran after him hoping the trip would not be a total loss. When we finally found up to him, he was digging at the base of one of the trees. My spouse got there first and saw, standing next to the tree, the royal charger. When I finally got there, she greeted me and with a smile said: "Look Honey, Boletus to the King's Horse!" Nathan, the distant wonderer Path: mit-eddie!snorkelwacker!usc!ucsd!network.ucsd.edu!celit!kathy From: kathy@fps.com (the Rev. Mom) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Re: Hello, did any one hear me? Summary: Sometimes, you gotta give to get. Message-ID: <7837@celit.fps.com> Date: 11 Apr 90 18:05:54 GMT References: <11551@encore.Encore.COM> <6035@jarthur.Claremont.EDU> Sender: daemon@fps.com Reply-To: kathy@fps.com (the Rev. Mom) Organization: FPS Computing Inc., San Diego CA Lines: 96 After ordering and sipping from her horse's ass, the Rev. Mom, sporting her day-glo wimple, shorts, and sunglasses, takes the time to look around, and does a double-take across the barr at Brandi, grins fit to split her face, chugs down the rest of her drink, and then stands perfectly still. Bone, flesh, skin --and hide? begin to flow, and when the transformation is complete, she trots across the room. "Wie Geht's!" says the pseudo-Japanese centaur. Brandi, in mid-conversation with someone, turns, and cracks up. She falls up off her chair, and hangs by her tail from one of stairs in the spiral staircase, her white fangs gleaming in her indigo face. "What's going on?" asks Kathy. Brandi quickly recaps: ----------------------- In article <6035@jarthur.Claremont.EDU> bweed@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (Whimper of the Walking Dead She-Devils) writes: >In article <11551@encore.Encore.COM> terryk@pinocchio (Terence Kelleher) writes: >|A voice picks up from the padded bar stool where the woman in the >|muted paisley sweater is sitting. >| >|"Am I missing some inside jokes or something? Other than a couple >|generic hellos, no one seems to want to answer me. Have I turned >|invisible? Or is there some requisite pain that one has to share to >|be included? >The fuzzyelf listens with some sadness to Hildy. > >"Hildy, I suspect that it's the nature of this place. Were this an ideal >Callahan's (and it tries so hard to be!), we could see each other's faces, >but without such visual cues, one has to be well-- colorful-- in prose." > >"I may have missed your original hellos-- not only did I find this place so > late, but for a while I could barely keep track of a conversation in here > due to outside pressures." ------------------------ Kathy looks at Hildy, lifting her hooves and putting them back down as she thinks, and then suddenly switches back to her old soma. "I know what you mean. We *can* exclude, very easily, in our fun and games. I just did it. But I did it out of love for the work of Donna Barr, which I know that Brandi (and Steven Stadnicki--you still here?) share. There's nothing quite so joyous as shared laughter, and yet there's nothing quite so dead as an explained joke.. "For the joy to be real, it has to be truly *shared.* It's like Ellen said about anonymous well-wishing. It's nice to know people care, but it's not anything like the caring or intimacy of something that's meant for you specifically by someone who KNOWS you. "So the basic problem is getting to know someone, here. Lots of people do it lots of different ways. Me, I go through e-mail, and strike up conversations. I *find* things to say. ("Always talk to strangers.") I *find* people to talk to. I've been writing e-mail for nigh on five years now, and I've had hundreds of really good friendships and conversations come and go in that time. And while I have five or so people I write to almost daily, whom I've been friends with for years, I'm always willing to make a new friend. (And drag in old ones--hi, Robin, Dani, Eliz!!) In fact, my "twin" and I only met on the net three months ago, (and I'm going to meet her for the first time this week.--Hooray!) And she's probably one of the people I feel closest to in this world. But that never would have happened if I hadn't written her. "Friendships are built on more than just saying "hi." And people are generally an unresponsive lot. Especially in a group like this where the volume is so high. You don't need fancy soma or flashing wit to stand out, but you do need to have something to *say* that someone will want to read. Kathy looks at what she's just says, and sighs. "Sorry. I know I shouldn't rag on you. It's not your fault any more than it's mine. It's no one's fault, and it's everyone's responsibility. There are lots of times I've turned a deaf ear to the talk in here--the volume's just too high for me to be everywhere at once. But *caring* means effort, and expense of time and thought. If you want somebody to talk to you, generally the best way to do it is to TALK to them. Kathy grins. "Like you just did. Welcome to Callahan's." --Kathy Li aka the Rev. Mom -- kathy@fps.com | She hated liqueur chocolates. ucsd!celerity!kathy | She preferred to keep her vices separate. DO NOT USE hanff!!!! | --NAKED ONCE MORE, Elizabeth Peters ---------------------' Path: mit-eddie!bu.edu!bu-pub.bu.edu!ckd From: ckd@bu-pub.bu.edu (Christopher Davis) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Mem'ry, all alone in the... um... firelight? Message-ID: Date: 11 Apr 90 19:06:37 GMT References: <11404@wpi.wpi.edu> Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu Reply-To: ckd@bu-pub.bu.edu (Christopher Davis) Organization: Boston University School of Management Lines: 21 In-reply-to: johndunk@wpi.wpi.edu's message of 11 Apr 90 17:50:59 GMT > "If I might have a cup of Red Zinger..." "Ah, that brings back memories. Music, tastes, smells... sigh. There are definitely disadvantages to having a good (and very associative) memory; pain comes back as easily as joy, or perhaps more easily. "Red Zinger tea, to this day, reminds me of a game of Trivial Pursuit well over two years ago, and someone I haven't seen for almost that long... "Mike, a Red Zinger for me. I'd have it in a styrofoam cup to remind me more precisely, but styrofoam isn't particularly good for the environment even when it's *not* being burned... "To memory, both a curse and a blessing!" *crash* -- Christopher Davis, BU SMG '90 <...!bu.edu!bu-pub!ckd> "Dammit, we're all going to die, let's die doing something *useful*!" --Hal Clement on comments that space exploration is dangerous Path: mit-eddie!snorkelwacker!usc!ucsd!network.ucsd.edu!celit!kathy From: kathy@fps.com (the Rev. Mom) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Re: The end of fencing. Keywords: The welt was THIS BIG! (sorry, private joke.) Message-ID: <7840@celit.fps.com> Date: 11 Apr 90 20:37:42 GMT References: <14650@reed.UUCP> Sender: daemon@fps.com Reply-To: kathy@fps.com (the Rev. Mom) Distribution: alt Organization: FPS Computing Inc., San Diego CA Lines: 18 In article <14650@reed.UUCP> thalen@reed.UUCP (Thalen, son of chaos) writes: > The score is 4-4. The tension is magnificent. Thalen has gone back to >vibrating, and Jilara looks as calm and cool as ever. > >...To be continued... ------------ [chalk line]--------- "To La Belle Touche!" >CRASH< --Kathy Li aka the Rev. Mom -- kathy@fps.com | She hated liqueur chocolates. ucsd!celerity!kathy | She preferred to keep her vices separate. DO NOT USE hanff!!!! | --NAKED ONCE MORE, Elizabeth Peters ---------------------' Path: mit-eddie!snorkelwacker!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!ucsd!ucbvax!HAWK.ULOWELL.EDU!wgarmil From: wgarmil@HAWK.ULOWELL.EDU (WildCard) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Help Wanted Message-ID: <9004112136.AA02823@hawk> Date: 11 Apr 90 21:36:29 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Lines: 33 As WildCard floats down from the rafters, he chooses to land on the chalk line. Indeed, as he lands, a Mountain Dew appears in his hand. (Anyone looking at the table WildCard was sitting at notices the drink vanish just before it appears in his hands. Conjuration is a myth.) Patrons of the bar, I need some advise! Many of you have kindly suggested to me that I avoid my pet pest Kevin. However, that is not always possible. Kevin follows me, a situation not to my liking. Even though he dispises anything to do with computers, he has enrolled as a fulltime student at the college I attend in Mundania as a Computer Science major (the same major I'm in). Now, I do *not* want to switch majors. But we both will now be using the same computer room every day next fall. Kevin's wife (my ex-fiance), Karen, can not convinse him to stop bugging me (yes, I broke protocal to seek her help in this situation). The question is: how do I aviod someone working in the same room? Or more persisely, how to prevent someone from bugging me when we both work in the same room? The university can't help me in this situation (what grounds would I be able to compain on? Potential harassment?) I am not asking for a solution, just some suggestions of what I can do when next fall semester begins. And now, a toast: To good friends, old and new! It is friends who comfort us when we are lonely, and friends who help enjoy life to the fullest when we are happy! <> _ __ _ __ How can we dance ' ) / // / / ) / when our earth is turning? / / / o // __/ / __. __ __/ How can we sleep (_(_/ <_ Date: 11 Apr 90 21:53:40 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Lines: 16 As I look around, I see many people! More than I am use to seeing in one place. Although I have tried to make the rounds, I know I've missed some of you in my saying "hello". To those who might have been offended my excluding you, it was unintentional! Really! Being random doen't mean being cruel. To Hidy and The Man Who Talks with Books, I apologize for not saying 'hi' sooner. While I too am fairly new to the net, I do have some past experience to draw on. I know so many people now that it can take me a week just to realize I got mail from them! And I read my mail daily! Do not think you are purposefully being ignored. We are not like that. I welcome any and all new friends. Just be patient with me, I have to meet you at least twice before I'll be able to remember your name and "face". WildCard, the Random One wgarmil@hawk.ulowell.edu Path: mit-eddie!mintaka!think!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!ucsd!ucbvax!FSDCUPT.CSD.MOT.COM!jane From: jane@FSDCUPT.CSD.MOT.COM (Jane Beckman x4030) Newsgroups: alt.callahans Subject: Shared visions Message-ID: <9004111445.AA21738@fsdcupt.csd.mot.COM> Date: 11 Apr 90 21:45:44 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Lines: 49 Jilara cocks an eyebrow. "Man who exists in image-ination is virtual idiot (as opposed to a real one). Lots of revision give deja vu." She puts her palms together and bows, managing to duck some thrown peanuts thereby. "I think we need to remember that what something *is* for us depends a lot on what we bring to it, in the virtual medium more than any other. I KNOW a lot of you play computer adventure games. Sometimes, that string you picked up back when comes in VERY handy, later..." She grins. "What's its gots in its pocketses, my Precious?" She pulls a dead gum wrapper and a pink sticky-note (folded in half to avoid lint) out of hers. "You can tell things about me by these things (any amateur Holmes types out there?), but are they enough to strike up a conversation? Something like this, on the other hand..." She pulls aside part of her shirt, so you can see a T-shirt with a picture and the legend "California Caverns Spelunking" on it, "MIGHT be something to use as an opening, but only if you really want to talk to the person, or you're into caves. What I'm trying to say is that maybe we are projecting too much expectation on what Callahans is, or should be. I'm going to bring in that nasty concept of the "real" (tm) world. How many of you walk into a room full of strangers and immediately strike up a mess of conversations?" One tenative hand goes up in the back. "Life of the party, hmmm?" she comments. "Most of us, we say hello, throw out a comment or two, wait to see if a hello comes back, maybe a return comment, and this process goes on for a while. Eventually we get into a conversation. Callahans seems to accelerate this process, but c'mon, folks, it's still just a reflection of ourselves. There's give-and-take and people who don't get heard, or who say "Hi," and just get "hi" back. On the other hand, if you stood in the middle of a real bar and screamed about the unfairness of life, or started babbling on about how you SO left you for your best friend, they will either escort you to the door or the barkeep will nod knowingly and go "uh, huh," and get busy scrubbing the bar back. Callahans is different because WE made it that way. So it isn't all things to all people. Its better than most of what's out there. Let's get real. And YOU have the option of making it more what you want it to be. Yep, you have that power, my friends, each and every one of you. Just by being here, you change the place!" She looks thoughtful. "Nick Chopper is going to get on my case for long, long soliloquies without a break. Says his clockwork brain finds them sorta hard to process. I ought to keep this in mind. "Glad to see you back, Diana! Want some sugar for the lemon water? And hi, Randolph, glad to see you around in the light." ---Jilara the Exile (I hope.) "If I'm not home accepting what I cannot change, I'm out changing what I can't accept." ---Ashleigh Brilliant alternate mail path: jane%fsdcupt.csd@urbana.mcd.mot.com My email went to Urbana, but all I got was this stupid router!