Write Or Not Write?

I was just about to start this post with the sentence "I'm sitting here trying to write the analysis about Whom the Telling Changed...", but that would have been a lie. I'm not even trying. The only thing I'm doing, is doing nothing. Waiting for time to pass so I can get really stressed and anxious. Best motivator there is.

I realize this isn't the best strategy, and at some point I really have to change the way I work. Or rather not work. But as I'm writing a post anyway to loosen up my thoughts and fingers, why not at least try to relate it to my assignment?

Whom the Telling Changed is a piece of Interactive Fiction created by Aaron A. Reed, and it's written in Inform 6.3. Curious as I am, and also needy of substantial information I visited Inform's homepage. There's now a Inform 7 which I have just downloaded, but the question is - what on earth am I going to do with it? I would love to try it out, but when? And I also think a course would be helpful. And fun. But I strongly suspect there aren't that many on this side of the pond. Maybe Jill knows something.

Do I really need any more toys that I don't have time to play with? (Read in the paper the other day that Norwegian kids have like 500 toys in their rooms, now that's absolutely insane!) Or maybe this is the tool I've been searching for? The the perfect medium for exploring and expressing myself? Very well could be, considering what they say on their site:

With a small number of exceptions, though, the most important works of interactive fiction have never been "published" in the sense of being issued for sale by a for-profit company. [...] For the most part, IF has not been commercially valuable since about 1988.

That would be so typical me, finding something really fun and interesting, and not getting any money out of it...

One Down...

...two to go. And I still have time for my Daily Jigsaw before I head for the University.

Almost Giggly

This I don't understand. The time is 9.48 pm, and I'm not panic stricken, even though I probably should be. The final paper is due tomorrow by 1 pm with all of its 3500-4500 words, and I have just under 3300. And they're not that brilliant, at least not enough to weigh up for the shortness. So why am I in such a good mood? Because I know it just have to do; I'm slowly learning to relax.

And on my way I always stumble upon words of wisdom from writers and thinkers who lived long before me, and who make me almost ecstatic. Montaigne I got acquainted with last year, and I decided then, I'd like to read more of him. What an exquisite brain he had; so sharp and witty, and very precise. (And I just love that he shows that you can write sentences that are words 120 long, and still work! My kind of guy.) Just taste these words here:

'Tis the custom of pedagogues to be eternally thundering in their pupil's ears, as they were pouring into a funnel, while the business of the pupil is only to repeat what the others have said: now I would have a tutor to correct this error, and, that at the very first, he should, according to the capacity he has to deal with, put it to the test, permitting his pupil himself to taste things, and of himself to discern and choose them, sometimes opening the way to him, and sometimes leaving him to open it for himself; that is, I would not have him alone to invent and speak, but that he should also hear his pupil speak in turn. Montaigne 1575

So if nothing has changed for the last 500 years, I guess it would be too much to expect a change overnight?

A Philosphers Gettogether

How I wish I could bring them back, all these great thinkers. It would be interesting to throw a Christmas Party and have like twenty of them there. Just imagine the discussions! Today I give you a few words from one of them, words I seem to live by every day:


”…I shall try little by little to reach a better knowledge of and a more familiar acquaintanceship with myself. I am a thing that thinks, that is to say, that doubts, affirms, denies, that knows a few things, that is ignorant of many [that loves, that hates], that wills, that desires, that also imagines and perceives;…” René Descartes

Deathwish?

Then I recommend watching this presentation for ideas...

Could It Be More Fun?

In All Fairness

One of the essays I'm writing is an analysis of Aaron A. Reed's "Whom the Telling Changed", an Interactive fiction loosely based on the epic of Gilgamesh. In connection with that, trawling around the net for relevant information, I also came across Hammurabi and his code of laws, probably the oldest laws written down. Almost 4000 years ago they already know how to deal with thieves, adulterers and other low-lives. What applies to slaves I guess is not relevant today, but just hear what he had to say about marital life (just a few, random points; and bear in mind that the wife pretty much had to do what the man told her to):

128

• If a man take a woman to wife, but have no intercourse with her, this woman is no wife to him.

131

• If a man bring a charge against one's wife, but she is not surprised with another man, she must take an oath and then may return to her house.

133

• If a man is taken prisoner in war, and there is a sustenance in his house, but his wife leave house and court, and go to another house: because this wife did not keep her court, and went to another house, she shall be judicially condemned and thrown into the water.

134

• If any one be captured in war and there is not sustenance in his house, if then his wife go to another house this woman shall be held blameless.

135

• If a man be taken prisoner in war and there be no sustenance in his house and his wife go to another house and bear children; and if later her husband return and come to his home: then this wife shall return to her husband, but the children follow their father.

136

• If any one leave his house, run away, and then his wife go to another house, if then he return, and wishes to take his wife back: because he fled from his home and ran away, the wife of this runaway shall not return to her husband.

137

• If a man wish to separate from a woman who has borne him children, or from his wife who has borne him children: then he shall give that wife her dowry, and a part of the usufruct of field, garden, and property, so that she can rear her children. When she has brought up her children, a portion of all that is given to the children, equal as that of one son, shall be given to her. She may then marry the man of her heart.

This sounds pretty good, but 139 sets me back again:

• If there was no purchase price he shall give her one mina of gold as a gift of release.

And 141 makes it clear you have no chance of making your mans life so miserable he'd take the first step and rather run away:

• If a man's wife, who lives in his house, wishes to leave it, plunges into debt, tries to ruin her house, neglects her husband, and is judicially convicted: if her husband offer her release, she may go on her way, and he gives her nothing as a gift of release. If her husband does not wish to release her, and if he take another wife, she shall remain as servant in her husband's house.

But you had to be pretty careful with accusations, just listen to 141 and 142:

• If a woman quarrel with her husband, and say: "You are not congenial to me," the reasons for her prejudice must be presented. If she is guiltless, and there is no fault on her part, but he leaves and neglects her, then no guilt attaches to this woman, she shall take her dowry and go back to her father's house.
  

• If she is not innocent, but leaves her husband, and ruins her house, neglecting her husband, this woman shall be cast into the water.

And 235, one about ships, is pure genius:

• If a shipbuilder build a boat for some one, and do not make it tight, if during that same year that boat is sent away and suffers injury, the shipbuilder shall take the boat apart and put it together tight at his own expense. The tight boat he shall give to the boat owner.

They sure know how to protect what was valuable to them; property, wifes, slaves, crop and ships. Or we could just say property to make it simple.

What Did You Learn In School Today?

I learned that history seems to repeat itself, ever so often. And that is quite comforting to know, I mean if the same thing happens every semester I will reach all the deadlines. Even if it doesn't feel like it.

I saw Jill for a guidance session today, and she truly is clever, staying focused on the positive parts of your work, and then carefully direct you towards what needs to be done. In this essay I'm writing about ICT&Learning, I'm going to use Bloom's taxonomy amongst other things (the 2001 revised one, by Anderson and Krathwohl), and yesterday I made my own PhotoShop version of that chart, as I wanted to have the text in Norwegian. And also because I needed to do something very practical, PhotoShop is therapy for me.

Anyway, as I studied this taxonomy a little closer, it suddenly dawned on me where my own learning problems lies.

I think it's easy to be misled by the visual hierarchy of the chart, 'cause the lines are very fine, and sometimes even blurred, between the levels. And I also get the feeling that it implies that you have to master one level before you're ready for the next one. So what has this to do with my learning problems? (Or should I rather say "challenges"? A much more optimistic and constructive way of expressing it.) It's simple really, I tend to skip the basic level of knowledge! I linger in between, think I understand everything, and then end up having huge problems in explaining why! I know I know, but can't back it up with facts.

But if it weren't for these exams and deadlines I wouldn't mind, 'cause I believe this actually is my (and most likely not only mine) way of learning, and I mean even getting the basic knowledge. Have never been any good at cramming, but by playing, assuming, guessing and construct I will eventually also have learned the basic facts. If it works, I must have got something right?

Also found this link today, lots of interesting stuff there... and a nice quote:

"Technological change is not additive, its ecological. A new technology does not change something, it changes everything"
[Neil Postman]

F¤I¤N¤A¤L¤L¤Y

As I said to Toril just a few hours ago - it's seems the only way I can work is with a knife at my throat. This time though I can almost feel the blood running down my neck as well. So, at least I've decided what to write about. Not a minute too late, eh? But you all know how incredibly fast I can work, when I need to...

So, matemania.no it is, and I also got some expert help on it, if I behave well.

Nothing To Do?

Maybe you'll get some ideas from this slideshow.

Reaching For The Stars?

Well, here's an excellent site which can bring the whole Universe, and the stars with it, into your own living room. Beautiful.

Building Blocks

I have this huge chest filled with Lego blocks. Some are really old, simple pieces from my childhood, and some are a lot newer. There are girlish pieces in pastel colors, and there are fearsome pirates, dragons and dinosaurs. There are spaceships and ponies. There are cars and wheels, big ones, and small ones. There are even cups and plates in "silver". And lots, and lots of plain building blocks.

When the kids were younger I tried to organize the pieces into colors, sizes, and themes. Tedious, and not very inspiring to play with. Now I have put them all in this big jumble in the chest, ready to build the most spectacular and unexpected things.

Anyone wants to play?

Convergence

I think it's about time to promote one of my favorite sites again, Blatte's Fractals. And why? Because it makes me happy, art and science in perfect harmony. This it's not a discussion about a definition of art, I could do that too if you want me to, but not now. It's a simple declaration of love for the poetry in science.

Collecting Contents

When it rains it pours, they say, and I couldn't agree more. It seems like I'm in the midst of a stream of odd events again. Or maybe I'm just more alert, I don't now. Let's see, where should I start? Yesterday evening? Well, that I can maybe talk about later.

But we can begin with my daughter's PC which she bought from Dell last May. It worked fine, until about a month ago. She suddenly couldn't access the computer anymore, all she got was the desktop, but no icons or tool-bar or anything. Her brother tried to start in safe-mode, but it didn't work. Then she had another friend over this weekend, but he came to the same conclusion, only now with the dreaded blue screen telling that the hard disk couldn't be found. Yesterday I helped her to get in contact with the support at Dell, and they arranged to call her up this morning. The plan was to guide her through a recovery of the system.

She called me at ten, and told me about what had happened. The Dell guy had instructed her, she'd followed, but same result. Blue screen, no hard disk. Next step was to open up the machine and see if maybe the hard disk for some strange reason was loose. It could happen. Surprise! There was no hard disk. And I mean, actually, it wasn't there. Think about that for a while. Any explanations? Two possibilities, as I see it. Either someone's stolen it (but why didn't they take her digital camera or other valuables?), or - she's a sleepwalker!

I have two daughters, and the other is living with me, and this morning we went to the doctor. She's got some terrible eczema, especially on her hands and arms, but also some around her eyes. The doctor did his exam and also asked her some vital questions. All but one were expected, and as he looked at her clothing he said: "Is this the way you usually dress?"

"Uh-huh" was all she said.

"You see," the doctor continued "if you're allergic you might also react to the dying pigment in your clothes, and black clothes have the most." So by doctor's orders I might not have to see my youngest dress up like Marilyn Manson anymore. Wonderful!

More strange things? A friend of mine who I haven't seen for a very long time suddenly walked right into me only hours after I thought of her. We have this kind of spooky connection, and even if we don't see each other for months, we know how we feel about each other. Good friends are like that, no need for pretending.

All I need now, and I have a feeling I might just get it, is a really good angling to my paper about "ICT & Learning". If I get out of this fog with a big smile, I think I've collected enough odd things to fill up a whole book...

Jon Hoem visits our class

An Ordinary Tuesday Afternoon

Sea, Stars & Salvation

"A long time ago there was this little sailor girl. She was desirous, she had her own ship and she ruled the seas. No storm was too fierce, no wave too high. As she got older she began sailing in company, and for decades they traveled great distances and guested many ports. The sea was sometimes rough, but nothing she couldn't handle. She was a redheaded viking, she was a Phoenician queen, she was a pirate of the seven seas .

One day the ship went under.

She was caught by a current; did almost drown. Hardly knowing what was up or down she managed to swim to the surface, and she grasped desperately for air. Now the night had fallen.

In the dim moonlight she could see floating debris all around her, but she was alone. Her company was nowhere to be seen. She gathered the remains of the ship, and made herself a simple raft. The night seemed to have no ending, and she drifted at sea for an eternity. All she could do was to watch the dark sky, and map the stars. Her mind was a mirror of the universe; endless, unexplored and incomprehensible. Lost.

Yes, she was lost. She watched the stars and recognized Ursa Minor, only to realize that she didn't know what to do with it. Her navigating skills were nothing more than a vague memory, impossible to retrieve. What had happened? Hadn't she been sailing for all her life? Exhausted she fell asleep, and she lay shivering in the cold night. As the sun rose next morning, and the first ray of light hit her eyes, she woke up again.

She stood up on the raft and turned around, slowly. In all directions there was nothing but water, water, water. That first day the weather was fine and the sea stayed calm. She had managed to salvage supplies from the boat, so for the moment she had both water to drink and food to eat.

This is a story, so how she could survive on the raft for so long is a mystery we don't have to explain, but true is that she was there. Some days were so glorious she almost forgot she was lost, and others so tempestuous she wished for the sharks to rip her flesh and end her sufferings. Days, weeks and months went by. Even years. And all the time she wondered how she had ended up drifting at sea. Sometimes she was close enough to see the shore, and birds came visiting her on the raft. And occasionally other boats passed by her, and she waved to the people on board. She shouted to them as well. Why didn't they pick her up, you may ask? This is a story, remember? Things don't work the same way here.

But anyway, she sat there on her raft and asked herself all these questions. Was it possible it was all a dream? Maybe the others didn't see what she knew? Maybe her raft was a mirage, looking like a full-rigged ship from a distance? And how could they know she had let someone else steer her ship for so long she'd forgotten how to sail? And the ocean was bottomless and dark."

Not to be taken too seriously, it's a story, alright?