Tuesday, October 3. 2006Upgrade coming
We will be moving to Serendipity 1.0.1 tonight. I have backed up the database and configuration, but you may want to make sure and get anything that really matters to you.
Friday, September 29. 2006I'm sorry, but this one is about software development
I realize this article will hold very little interest for most of you, but programming is my life in the sense that it's what I love to do. Not only do I feel I'm pretty good at it, people are willing to pay me for it. It holds for me what has, to this point, shown to be bottomless depths of learning.
That said, let's talk about eXtreme Programming (known as XP). Continue reading "I'm sorry, but this one is about software development" Tuesday, September 26. 2006
I just want to establish a chain of ... Posted by Ancient of Days
in Gathering Darkness at
16:51
Comments (2) Trackbacks (0) I just want to establish a chain of evidence here...
Peter: :(
burn Aaron me: so let it be written so let it be done Peter: I have a new watch, so it's ok Friday, September 22. 2006
I Hope You're Sitting Down, Because ... Posted by Ancient of Days
in Gathering Darkness at
20:41
Comments (4) Trackbacks (0) I Hope You're Sitting Down, Because this Will Shock You
OK, so I make a lot of noise about hating animals; you all know that. However, one of my dearest friends is Alison Gianotto, a woman who has helped my wife and I financially as well as emtionally over the years; and who also happens to be one of the most active Animal Rights people in the US. As a result, she has been selected as a top 10 finalist for the Animal Planet "Hero of the Year" award. Below the fold you will find more information about the contest, Alison, and her cause(s). I'm not looking for anyone to vote against their conscience, but if I may drop all pretense for a moment, I think you could do far worse than to vote for Alison.
If anyone has questions about Alison's activities, let me know. I can speak a bit more directly to what she does. Continue reading "I Hope You're Sitting Down, Because this Will Shock You" Tuesday, September 12. 2006
The New Monks - count me in! Posted by Ancient of Days
in Gathering Darkness at
22:32
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In his book "The Twilight of American Culture", Morris Berman predicts a dark age when much of Western learning could be eclipsed. The evidence is all around us, he says: the numbing reign of corporate influence, the mania for credentials and certifications over true learning, and a populace rendered nearly illiterate by its addiction to dumbed-down mass entertainment.
While that might seem like reason enough for despair, Berman looks to an ancient tradition for hope. Like those who once copied texts as a way to save them for a more enlightened time, a cadre of "new monastic individuals" must take up the task of protecting the knowledge the love. Continue reading "The New Monks - count me in!" Friday, September 8. 2006NOT AGAIN!
jubilee, our bloghost, has a disk drive that is failing. I'm here to gauge the interest of this group in chipping in for another drive for that machine, rather than moving our blog to thirdparty hosting. What say thee?
[Ed: Radar had an excellent question: How much is it going to cost? If you guys want to pitch in, I would ask you to say how much you thought you could do; at somewhere between $5 and $30 each, depending on how many will help, we can get a fairly good sized hard drive. ] Friday, August 11. 2006
Of Max, Kit, Nal, Az, and Urf... Posted by Ancient of Days
in Gathering Darkness at
06:40
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At Daboo's urging, I am going to leave these fine characters dangling for a bit whilst I chase something bright and twinkly on the horizon; although I fully intend to return to this story, she made some excellent points.
Monday, August 7. 2006On the plus side...
I was able to add a nice extensions that shows when the next D&D time(s) are, and whose turn it will be. You'll find it on the right, directly below the calendar.
Monday, August 7. 2006Welcome to Serendipty 1.0
Had to fix a bug in the RSS generator, easiest solution was to upgrade us to 1.0.
As always, let me know right away if you see any problems. Friday, August 4. 2006
Oh, Daboo....Do not fear the Ninja... Posted by Ancient of Days
in Gathering Darkness at
19:53
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Become the ninja.
I also highly recommend the "Hope is Emo" series. I actually, literally wept with laughter. Wednesday, August 2. 2006Maxwell Alone
Max woke and smacked his lips. He wasn't sure how long he'd been alone in this cavern, but this was the third time he'd had to lay down and get some sleep because the exhaustion was threatening to overwhelm him. He stood up and looked around the cavern where he'd spent the past few...well, may as well call them "days" and "nights", he supposed.
Continue reading "Maxwell Alone"
Thursday, July 27. 2006Why is it...
that everytime I start writing, everyone else seems to stop? :(
At the very least, Daboo should have enough free time on her hands to take up an epic storyline and astound us all. Friday, July 21. 2006Burials (final)
Max felt panic creeping into his throat. All he could see was water, and his chest was beginning to ache. He picked the direction that seemed to be "up", and swam with all his strength, mentally going over the mantra "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..."
Just as the red at the edges of his vision began to cloud his eyes, he saw light, and then he was out, gasping for everything he was worth, filling his lungs with sweet air. He paddled towards the edge of the lake, despair filling him as he realized this was not the way he'd come in -- there was no sign of the rest of his party. Max was alone. Squaring his shoulders, Max began to head deeper into the cave, confident that Kitya would find him. She'd always found him before, no reason to think this time would be any different. An unearthly scream echoed through the cave as the water elemental's bond faded from the world. Urfengar quickly glanced over each of his companions, assessing their health. No one looked to be on the verge of death, so he took a long pull on his hip flask and sat on his haunches, looking around the room. "What's our next move?" the half-elven wizardess Azreal asked him quietly. "I dinnae ken. We cannae stay here, but it's obvious we're not wanted down below." Nalathisor stepped from the shadows, murmuring "And since when has that stopped us?" He glanced respectfully at Azreal. "How are you doing on spells?" "I've more than enough destruction left in me to bring this cave down around our ears." she grinned wickedly. "I'd really appreciate it if you'd hold off on that until we're done with the task we've come to perform." called Kitya as she climbed out of the underwater lake. Azreal looked at Urfengar and rolled her eyes, mouthing "Druids." Urfengar grinned and took another swig of ale. Suddenly, he glanced around. Something was missing...suddenly, it struck him. "Anyone seen the halfling?" Kitya looked stricken as she realized: Max was gone. She scrambled back into the water, searching frantically for any sign of Max. Urfengar joined her while Nalathisor and Azreal focused their search deeper into the cavern, listening and watching for any signs of life. "He was just here, Urf. Where could he have gone?" "It'll be all right, lass. We'll find him. We'll nae stop looking into we do." Urfengar made his way along the cave wall that edged the lake. Suddenly, he stopped. "Elf! C'mere!" he called out, beckoning. Nalathisor waded out into the lake until he stood beside Urfengar, stopping in the same spot with a strange look on his face. "What is it?" Kitya called out. Urfengar shook his head and held up his hand, signaling for quiet. "Do ye feel that?" he asked Nalathisor quietly. Nalathisor closed his eyes, training his senses on the world around him. "A shift...a change. Something here is not quite what it seems." "Aye. The stone be not whole here." Nalathisor opened his eyes and looked at Urfengar. "An underwater passage? There!" he cried, pointing where a cloud of silt was billowing up from underneath the water. "And by the look of that mess, something just passed through it." Urfengar began to chuckle and looked over at Kitya. "Ye' re brother, he's one blessed halfling. He's genna be fine. Seems he went and found hisself another way in." As Urfengar explained what they had found, Kitya visibly relaxed. "Well, we have to go after him." "Nae, lass. Me bones can feel the earth here, and theren't any a us can fit down that hole. We'll go around this way a bit an' see if we cannae find him." Kitya looked displeased, but motioned the dwarf forward. They wearily began to travel deeper into the cave complex. Azreal hung back with Nalathisor. "Strange...I seem to recall enjoying the quiet before I knew Maxwell, but now it just seems..." She looked at Nalathisor and shrugged helplessly. Nalathisor opened his mouth to reply, but his face froze in mid-sentence, filling with horror. He spun and flung his hand out, crying "Urf-!" But it was too late. With a loud 'snap', a piece of the ceiling collapsed between the two pair of adventurers: Kitya and Urfengar on one side, Nalathisor and Azreal on the other. "Dark Lady take me, I should have been checking for TRAPS!" Kitya dove clear of the falling debris, slamming into Urfengar and knocking the wind out of herself. As the ceiling continued to collapse upon them, Urfengar scrambled to get out of the way, while Kitya shifted her form into that of a small cave lizard, dodging swiftly from spot to spot. Clear of the worst of the falling stone, Urfengar began to mumble something about "weight tolerances" and "b'zugda hiara rogues" and "fulcrum". "Move yerself back, lass. If there's somethin' I know well, it be digging. Bracing himself, he began to shift one of the large boulders, then stopped, looking at lizard-Kitya with a far-away, confused expression. "Do ye hear that?" And she did. Shifting back into human form, she nodded. "Chanting. But I can't seem to make out the spell...something about dirt...mud? Something about mud." As she finished speaking, the stones that had just collapsed behind them began to shift, and then to melt inwards, turning to thick, soft mud. As the cave-in slowly began to dissipate, it revealed a sheepish looking Nalathisor standing next to Azreal, whose eyes were closed in meditation. Kitya looked at Urfengar and grinned. "'Stone to mud'," she translated. As the two groups looked each other over, Nalathisor moved to the front of the group. "Perhaps I should...err...watch for traps?" Urfengar simply arched on eyebrow at him, then scooped the clinging mud from his hair and beard. "Aye, lad." he added sardonically, taking another pull on his ale flask. "Aye." As the moved deeper into the cave, Nalathisor showed them where it was safe to step, describing the traps as he found them. "It looks as though this chamber was supposed to collapse on both sides, and then begin to fill with water, presumably drowning anyone stuck between the two cave-ins." Several more hours passed with the group moving cautiously deeper into the cave. "It be gettin' dark above ground." the dwarf mentioned, after some time. "Perhaps we'd best be resting for the night. Dunnae worry, lass. Aren't a one-a us has forgotten the wee one." Kitya tried to smile at him as she laid out her bed roll and began almost immediately to pretend as if she were asleep. Urfengar looked at Nalathisor and, almost in unison, they shrugged. "Go ahead, friend." said Azreal to Urfengar. "I will lie awake for this portion of the watch, and wake the elf when the hours have grown full. I need to think." Urfengar nodded his understanding, then laid down, thinking about what spells he could ask his god to grant him come morning to help them find their lost friend. Monday, July 17. 2006Burials
Here's a first draft of the first post in my promise to complete our campaign via story. I'm posting it in this rough form because I want as much feedback as possible from everyone on how I'm portraying their characters. If I get to the end and you're unhappy with how your character came out, it is henceforth YOUR OWN FAULT. Follow me below the fold for the first chapter: Burials.
[Ed. note: I have already included feedback from Radar] Continue reading "Burials" Monday, July 17. 2006
How Cynical Are You? Posted by Ancient of Days
in Gathering Darkness at
13:29
Comments (5) Trackbacks (0) How Cynical Are You?
I must say, the only thing surprising about my result is the really bizarre image it chose...
A related test shows I'm not very open minded:
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