Weird, the latest search phrase to us is: zd7288 smile.
ZD7288 is a ion channel blocker, a drug I used as a first year graduate student. It really has nothing to do with anything in our blog as far as I know... don't think I mentioned it at all.
If you haven't visited Master Steve's blog, you might go check it out, there's this great eagle cam link on it.
Oh okay, yeah, I remember Mark talking about this UO thing a while ago.
Dave- I deleted the email, but I'll just keep talking about V for Vendetta here. Yeah, I just re-read the comics too. The best part in my view is the music- The Vicious Cabaret and that real cabaret song 'I like the boots'... sadly, neither of which made it into the movie. Alan Moore seems like kind of a munch though.
My girlfriend isnsulted your rhymes, I just said I thought we should win. If you have an issue with her tell her and maybe she'll put her tattooed ass on her motorcycle after doing some pilates drive down there and kick your ass. Maybe she won't, I try not to know what's going inside her head cause then I might get questions and questions can get me beat up.
If you want to know something about anything said in the DID area that doesn't make sense Rob I would tell you to google underodysseus and other than that I'll respect Broggs wishes.
Ed? Are you ok? Someone put a wallet in his mouth!
No, I don't think Paul was 'being a dick', at least any more than courtesy called for. Just don't insult my rhymes, yo.
Hey guys, I think I missed something here. Under Odysseus? And Mark was mentioned on the NPR blog? Please fill in details. KTHNXBY.
BTW, if you have any questions about peritoneal mesothelioma, maybe you will find a useful ad on the DiD mainpage.
-These greedy lawyers are paying GoogleAds +$50 per click.
Thanks, Paul. I appreciate it.
To tell the truth, I abstained from mentioning it because I was worried it would be more difficult to write if I personally knew my audience. So, read if you like, but no more feedback, alright? I value your guys' opinions too much. -It'll make me self conscious.
Sometimes the writing is good, sometimes it's crap. -I think this is a function of my resolve to post 6 times a week. -I'll edit the heck out of it at the end. -Just do it. That's my plan.
I have received a lot of positive feedback by comments and email. That makes me happy, and it helps keep me going. -This was in book form at first, but I lost steam. The blog form helps keep me motivated. -My highlight was being mentioned in the NPR blog.
---
As to addiction, I am not sure if I can add anything particularly useful. I will try:
As I said, I think that we all have our addictions.
If an addiction is doing more harm than good, I guess at some point a search for a solution will follow. These I believe are largely dependent on the individual.
However, from what I have experienced, every solution included some kind of physical displacement, as well as some kind of new behavior.
Chris and Dave said I was kind of a dick to Rob, and frankly I didn't mean to be. I just hated that first definition he gave, and I think I'm starting to be able to say why I hate imprecise words, or atleast why I can be a dick when words rub me wrong. Let me try to say it if I can. Say a woman is in a relationship. It's bad. She get's beat all that shit, use your imagination, or don't. She can do a lot to reinforce the behavior by using the word love in her thoughts about him. She loves him, he loves her. Sure it gets out of hand but they love each other, you know how that goes. Well Definitions, yes I used the capital d on purpose, are a worthy goal, like Science, but they are processes I think. A worthy process, but one that can be undertaken seriously and well, or casually and well not so well. So as a guy who was thinking about addiction in a pretty serious way and posting something about it, sure I was what some may call defensive. I think more true would be that I was aggressive, but whatever. I just wanted something more, something that would add to the process that was taking place in me. So while my situation isn't as bad as the lady I was talking about, its a good idea to think about what is happening, thats done mostly with words. I used to use naming the demon as a way of thinking about it, but thats a whole different post. Addiction I think is like a demon, or it can be. Figuring it out and finding out it's nature is maybe impossible, but the process is not, and I think it can be rewarding. If I was talking to that lady I mentioned, I would attack her definition of love. I would try to show that the relationship couldn't be the product of love. The abuse by my definition would only be able to happen when the presence of love is absent. It's in that way, a dialogue process that defines the word makes it more useful, even if is use is simply one of utility and not fact. That leads to a different problem but I've typed enough for now. So the moral of my little story tonight, if there is one, is that I can be touchy and interpreted as argumentitve, but I think it would be better said that I'm agressively invested. Sorry if that caused some problems. I didn't want to piss anyone off as much as get them as invested.
Sorry no paragraph markers Ed. How are you Ed?
BTW 3 days straight of drinking, been late to work alot too, but not because of pooping. It's ok they I said I would be before they hired me. The Balvenie 21 year portwood scotch is really nice.
Sorry Ed, I didn't realize that it was another sick fuck.
Definitions are funny. Sometimes they are very important. Sometimes they are a buzz kill.
Yeah, that What the Bleep movie is basically New Age propaganda from what I've heard. Haven't seen it, but my cousin raved about it. No, putting happy words on jars of water doesn't DO SHIT, actually. Sorry you had to see it... you should've gone to see Aquamarine.
Glad you like the revised 'definition' of addiction... as a scientist, I find little faith in general definitions. Maybe that's surprising? Find more truth in specific statements like 'what your wife left you over' because there's an objective fact there, not some abstract principle that's going to be wrong in some way in every instance. And as a teacher, I find that it's best to throw out, in rapid succession, several alternative interpretations. One match, one eureka moment, one partial definition that works justifies all the others that don't.
I would like to read the pamphlet Rob. I'm addicted to weird pamphlets. It's true I don't like most definitions, but I liked the second one Rob gave more than the first. By the way if some cocksucker tells you to watch that What the Bleep blah blah film, and you think, ok I will so I can talk to him about it because you think it will help in the conversation in the future, don't. Just slap him and tell him afterwards that the chances of you doing that were 1 in every time someone says that. Biggest piece of shit I have seen in a long time, not counting Ultraviolet.
In my experience, conversation is rarely equitable. There are people who like to talk (generally about themselves), and there are people who prefer to listen, and I've never met anyone who's 50-50. Most people are somewhere around 3:1 I think, although I know some people who absolutely are 10:1 or even just 1:0.
Anyway, uh, what were we talking about? Addiction? Oh yeah. Uh, right, you wanted a more scientific definition. Here's one that's not quite a yawner. Addiction is a pathological hijacking of the dopaminergic reward circuitry. Positive feedback and all that. Absorbing states. Twenty bucks for a row with your daughter. The thing your wife left you because of. You get the picture.
Used to hang out with these kids in Oakland who smoked crack, my first year here in CA. I wanted to say 'smoked crack recreationally', because that adverb is a nice cushion. If it's recreational, I guess it's not an addiction. Of course, the cracksmoking wasn't getting in the way of their life, because their LIFE got in the way of their life. I'm going to put this story on a pamphlet and pass it out after church.
I have a fiction addiction, as lame as that rhymes. Spend tons of money on books, read voraciously. Nabokov is the big thing in my life right now. And yeah, it's sort of getting in the way. It's an operational definition, the only kind that matters.
I use two spaces after a period, unless I'm writing a grant and pressed for space (every little counts). It doesn't matter as long as it's consistent, as far as I care.
I see you have choosen to take what you want from the post eh?
Yes. If taking a dump makes you late for work, then yes, you have a problem with it.
And damn son, if you're gonna post on Table Talk, you should also be posting on the main DnN page! Otherwise, you're part of what we call The Peanut Gallery.
addiction
noun Roman law
a formal award by a court sentence of a thing or person to another (as of a debtor to his creditor); a surrender to a master.
The definition of addiction, gents, is
something that gets in the way of your life.
Addiction is NOT the way of your life,
it's those extra two words that make all the difference.
Rob, really? You can do better than a definition like that. You're a scientist. Way of life eh?
If it is a thing that gets in the way of your life, would you assert that you still have a life? That definition sucks. Is pooping an addiction then? It makes me late for work sometimes. Is work my life? Lack of money is my worst addiction by that definition. I think Marks definition of addiction as repetition is perhaps better. A definition like you presented is funny to me, in that it's dependant on an abuse of language. Restated the 1st sentance could be.
Addiction is that which stops the living from living, while they yet continue to live on.
The second sentance can be dealt with in a similar fashion. Addiction is living your life while not living your life. Marks use of repetative behavior touches on something more useful. I think obession also has a role here but would take more time that I would like to give it to express well.
How many times have you not wanted another drink but still gotten one, just continued, used the space bar as it were. I brew beer, I will drink again. But come on 6 years? Drinking everyday? So I took a day off. Don't get me wrong, I know what you are saying, but it's all too complex to be reduced to simple utilitarian solipsism, with a dash of buddhist zen.
P.S. Mark I agree the geniuses I feel I have met have definately been addicts.
Please excuse my spelling errors Ed.
Yeah, but the ending of V was kinda cheesy, and different from the source. Plus, some other cheese (V getting sad, all the voice-overs) downgraded it in my book from A- to B+.
MySpace. Oh My. I won't comment here, except to say that one of these days, I'll look into getting MySpace profiles for Vrill and Apprentice Steve.
The definition of addiction, gents, is something that gets in the way of your life. Addiction is NOT the way of your life, it's those extra two words that make all the difference. I drink a lot, sloppily and proudly. Cheers.
Yeah, one space after the period works fine for me. I learned it from the chinese in my lab. That's the standard in China.
Haunting Ebay for matchbox cars is better for the lungs and liver, but most likely detrimental in some yet undiscovered aspect.
What is addiction but repetition? Am I addicted to work? -No, really, I could quit any time I want. I just don't want to.
I think that it is all about moving our addictions. That seems to be where the difficulty comes in. Shifting addictions. -I think that addictions are sticky.
I think that many geniuses are really just addicts.
well, graded on a scale I think I'd give an A-, but A- or B+ is really more about making your student feel like they got an A, which is a category I'm fine with putting V for Vendetta in. Done by an A student. I was amazed at who I have met who hasn't liked it. I think mostly they are comic nazis. The movie only had one critical artistic flaw, but I won't talk about it here for those of you who haven't seen it. For those of you who have read this far I give you some weirdness in my life. I haven't had a drop of alcohol all day today. It's been 24 hours. Now don't go to far with this whole thing, but to put it in perspective. It's been 6 years about, since I have had a completely sober day. It's also been six years since I stopped smoking pot daily. Coincidence? I'm not sure how I feel about that. I have noticed all the ex heroin guys at the Volunteers of America group building down the street just seem to replace that addiction with Myspace. I think addiction, did I just use that word, is more about something inside that needs to be addressed. It's about obsession, I think. If you just start haunting ebay for old matchbox cars all the time are you really better off? Well that's whats on my mind at 5:17 am. Please don't say anything like good job, or that shit. By the way do any of you just use one space after using a period?
Christopher Nolan is directing the film version of The Prestige:
http://www.christophernolan.net/prestige.php
Tres bien. Speaking of, V for Vendetta gets a solid B+. Quite good, but over the top in some places.
Props to Dave for summoning Teddy Ruxpin. He's bringing us fuckloads of page hits.
FUCKLOADS.
One X? You think small. How about
Ruxxpin
or even
Ruxxxpin
Things going great... one third done.
You'll notice a new "What is love?" link on the Mainpage.
You may recall this song.
Anyway, I propose that we form a music group. I am going to create this group on http://www.betarecords.com/. We can then upload any original mp3 we make as part of our catalog.
We just need a name. I suggest: Ruxpin
Short and sweet.
I think the Infinity group started in 1997 - I'm pretty sure Rob and Mark were still in Boston, and Mike was in Florida. Or maybe Mark was back in MI by then. I was in East Lansing, so we can get a bound for the time then.
Or, we could say 1997, and that next year is TEN fucking YEARS. Wo. Isn't this next conference our sixth? Let's see . . . .
Portland
Bellingham - Mike's first place
Rochester
Bellingham - Mike's current place
San Francisco
Yup. Las Vegas is the sixth. Woo hoo? Yes. Yes, Woo-hoo indeed. I think eventually we should have one in Boston (for old time's sake, but not until Man Ray opens back up), New York, New Orleans (once, you know, it doesn't suck anymore), Hawaii, and London.
When we're travelling to a place we need passports for the Infinity Do - that's when I'll know we've ARRIVED. Or maybe having guest speakers.
-Dave
Yeah, if an if you wanna talk about non-game stuff, drop it here. Or actually Chris, with Mike Naylor, we all have this email thing going, which is how this game started in the first place. We've been doing it since 1999 at least... maybe 1998 for fuck's sake. Maybe next time one of us drops news, cc it to Godfrey? I use the email list for communicating things I don't wanna necessarily share with the world.
I say shoot the shit right here.
That is, unless you want to host this blog. Then that's fine. I have too many things going on to host another.
But, I don't think that Table Talk needs to be all DiD related. -That's why I made it.
Either way is cool with me.
Here's one for the guys at the NSA: Teddy Ruxpin 911 Ass Boots Terrorism Magic Missle George Bush.
Alright Ed, that portable hole title was just nasty.
It will probably bring a slew of traffic to our site, but... foul, man, just foul.
Made me think of that movie "Happiness".
Anyway Rob, you are the DM. If you want to pull the old the-DM-has-an-important-science-talk-so-the-Zombie-has-a-glass-jaw, then be my guest.
Sorry guys, but I'll be traveling from Sunday morning til March 20. Might have limited internet access in the meantime, but it'll be at a hotel with outrageous rates, so let's just wrap up this combat in the next 30 hrs or so and take a break.
After this, NO MORE GODDAMN TRAVELING for me for a while. Thank thee gods.
robin williams naked halfling gut-wound sex boots
Dave, those MapStats for February are low. I don't know why, but MapStats has been having some problems lately. -I have been keeping tabs on DiD traffic with activemeter, which is much better. -I'll get around to putting a link on the MainPage. (Maybe right under Scraps Ahoy!)
According to activemeter, we get an average of 43 hits and 27 unique visitors a day. -As MapStats does page loads, it should have given something like 1204 for February.
In other news, I can't keep up with the PDF. It is just way too labor intensive. I am going to see if I can get something that converts our xml feed into text automatically.
I will update the cash situation now. Still, I think that we should all do our part by getting shirts and wearing them on dates.
If you search google for 'the fist of Odin', the first DiD page that comes up is Marivhon's info page.
That's disturbing to me.
Well, February is only half the month that January is. It's shorter, with less vacations and stuff. Maybe after your blitzkrieg (or is it spelt 'blitzkreig'?) postings across gaming blogs, there was just a spike of 'what the hell is this?' and everyone who might have been curious took a look, collectively shrugged, and now we're back to basics.
Or, maybe we just need more Teddy Ruxpin.
Did you know Robin Williams is into Warhammer? S'true.
Robin Williams miniature Descent Into Depths naked.
There we go - let's see if we get any nibbles on THAT bait. And I think the funniest phrase that's brought people in is:
pressure on gut-wound
'Cuz at first, it's just - you know - a phrase, right? But then I ask myself: why someone would be searching for that? And either it's something they need to know, 'cuz they're dealing with some sort of gut-wound; but if I had a gut wound to deal with I'm not sure that I'd turn to Google to help me out. It might be that they're thinking ahead, though, and suspecting that they might be in a situation where it would be good to know about how to deal with a gut-wound - and I REALLY don't want to hang out with that guy.
Also - February had half the DiD page-views of January. I think we need to do some magic to get our name out there - you know, maybe hire a promoter, get the buzz out, some sort of marketing campaign. That movie isn't going to pay for itself!
So let's get that phrase in:
Vin Diesel Teddy Ruxpin Erotica naked descent into depths ninjas awesome power Chuck Norris.
There we go. Oh yes - X-Box 360 Halo 3 pron.
Ha!
So D&D online is coming out soon, and there's a chance that I'll have a computer buff enough to handle it. But then I think - I can barely keep up with posting on this blog - why would I think I can handle a graphic D&D online thang?
