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alloy-digest         Monday, December 21 1998         Volume 03 : Number 343



                               Today's Subjects:
                               -----------------
  Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!  ["I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help]
  Re: Alloy: Wa Wula Milesi/'80s pics/Y2K  ["I T Admin @ Govt Office North W]
  Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!  ["I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help]
  Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!  ["I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help]
  Re: Re[2]: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!  ["I T Admin @ Govt Office North West]
  Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!  ["I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help]
  Re[2]: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!  [John_Hanson_at_FRMA01@ccmailgw.mcgawpar]
  Re: Alloy: parties                                         [RThurF@aol.com]
  RE: Alloy: Pretty in Pink     [Rochelle Kirby <104040.2055@compuserve.com>]
  Alloy: Childish Thoughts      [Rochelle Kirby <104040.2055@compuserve.com>]
  Re: Alloy: Y2K?               [Rochelle Kirby <104040.2055@compuserve.com>]
  Re: Alloy: Y2K?                     ["Keith Stansell" <Keith@Stansell.com>]
  Re: Alloy: Childish Thoughts                 [Eclipse <naia@geocities.com>]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 16:22:01 +0000
From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help.gonw.st@gtnet.gov.uk>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!

At 09:19 18/12/98 -0800, Pax Aye Kate wrote:
>
<snip> I'm Kate, and today is my Birthday. One of the best days of the
>year. As others have said to me here, grab a comfy chair and make yourself at
>home!! 

Kate, a belated happy birthday to you. Sorry it's late, I'm way behind on my
mail.

Slarv

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 16:22:04 +0000
From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help.gonw.st@gtnet.gov.uk>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Wa Wula Milesi/'80s pics/Y2K

At 01:05 09/12/98,  E(lipse / Julia wrote:
 <snip>
>
>I don't remember if anyone's brought this up before, but what do all you
>people, esp. the IT people, think of the whole Y2K thing?
>
>Bliss,
>   E(lipse / Julia
>

I prefer not to think of it at all.  We have a special project team to deal
with it.  I don't interfere with them, and they don't tell me how to look
after my users, but they'd better dog damn make sure everything's still
working, come the day, or I'll have a lot more time to gaze idly out of the
window.

Slarv

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 16:22:02 +0000
From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help.gonw.st@gtnet.gov.uk>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!

At 00:30 19/12/98 +0000, Martin wrote:
>
>Hi Chris and Everyone,
>I'm new to Alloy and got into Mr Dolby after I saw him at Loughborough
>Uni around the time The Flat Earth was released.

<snip>-- 

Welcome Martin.  It seems you've been lurking for some time before dipping
your keyboard in the Alloy.  Glad you didn't just sneak away without making
yourself known.  I recently did this on the Ozric Tentacles mailing list,
after lurking for a few days.  It was an OK place, but dominated by about
half a dozen members discussing nothing but the relative merits of midi
devices, sequencers, synths and drum machines, which is not really my scene.

We tend to drift off topic quite a lot ourselves, but I suppose this is not
surprising as there's NO NEW MATERIAL TO DISCUSS (are you listening,
Thomas?)!!!!

>VISIT MY WEBSITE http://members.tripod.com/~mwildig/martin.htm
>

Been there, done that, bought the thingumijig.  I really MUST get around to
creating one of my own one of these days.

Slarv

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 16:21:59 +0000
From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help.gonw.st@gtnet.gov.uk>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!

At 10:45 18/12/98 -0500, Chris wrote:
>
>Is this were the "Lost Toy People" meet???
>

Erm, it's where the dreamy old stuffers hang out, if that's any good to you.

>WOW !!!   Imagine that !?!?!?    A discussion group devoted exclusively to
>the life & music of one of the greatest music artists of our time, Mr.
>Thomas Dolby.
>
>My name is Chris (everyone say, "Hi, Chris!!!") 

Hello.  Welcome to Alloy.

>and to learn a little more
>about me visit me at my web site @:
>
>http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Pier/8619/index.html
>
>It's my very 1st web site so NO LAUGHING, please.  

Shirley you mean 'no laughing EXCEPT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS,' or 'no laughing
AT MY WEBSMITHING.'
I was quite impressed, particualrly as I don't have a site myself, nor any
plans for one in the forseeable.

> Imagine my surprise when
> I found that my link to the Flat Earth Society
>doesn't work ?!?!?    )-:

Well, I tried this, but it wasn't a lot of fun, so I tried imagining that
I'd won the lottery instead, which was OK, but nothing new.

TTFN 

Slarvibarglhee

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 16:22:08 +0000
From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help.gonw.st@gtnet.gov.uk>
Subject: Re: Re[2]: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!

At 16:48 19/12/98 -0600, John wrote:

>Parisiens are by and large a set of fairly arrogant gits anyway, so if 
>your bro can wind them up, then jolly well carry on doing so. Beatrice 
>cringes a bit at the english guys announcing in French on Le Shuttle 
>(car-in-train-in tunnel service entre France & UK); it just gives me 
>confidence to speak French ! At first my French was crap & those French 
>with whom I attempted to discuss in French tried to switch into english 
>after thirty seconds of my efforts, as if to say "your french is crap, 
>my english is better". Now, if that happens I persist in French as if 
>to say "your english isn't much better, mate !"
>

When I was studying French at secondary school, we had a French exchange
teacher for a while, and my accent was so good that he asked me if I'd ever
lived in France.  I was very flattered, of course, except that the reason it
was so good was that I was taking the piss out of HIS accent and really went
over the top with it.  There may be a lesson for us all there.

The only minus point was that although I sounded good, I usually had very
little idea what I was saying.

M. Slarv

PS  BTW, John, since no one else has asked, I will.  What's the significance
of the 'A+' ?

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 16:22:06 +0000
From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help.gonw.st@gtnet.gov.uk>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!

At 12:20 18/12/98 -0500, Melissa wrote:
>
>John has just reminded me of something my brother Michael loves to
>do...  

<snip>

LOL.  Some of these people should be travelling steerage.

>I get the giggles every time he demonstrates his form for me:  "Bone
>joooor, mes-dams et mon-sewers.  Beeee-en-ven-oooo..."  It gets worse
>from there.  Usually, says my brother, the offending passenger will hit
>the attendant light, my brother goes over, the guy apologizes, and
>Michael finishes the announcements correctly.  Says Mike, "Nothing that
>a Parisian hates more than hearing French crucified."
>

On British Ailrines they probably just SPEAK VERY LOUDLY AND SLOWLY, AS
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ALL FOREIGNERS UNDERSTAND ENGLISH PEOPLE IF THEY DO THIS.

>Is he right, John?  I don't speak more than 10 words of French, and I
>was too shy to try any of them when I was in Paris, for fear of screwing
>up.  
>

This reminds me of a column that used to be in Punch Magazine years ago,
which was eventually put out in a book form.  The column, written by Miles
Kington, was called 'Let's Parlez Franglais' and was a sort of Englishman's
attempt to deal with everyday French based on virtually no knowledge of the
language but assuming that the English could get by in France by saying
English things with a French accent.

Works for me.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 18:19:45 -0600
From: John_Hanson_at_FRMA01@ccmailgw.mcgawpark.baxter.com
Subject: Re[2]: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!

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>On British Ailrines they probably just SPEAK VERY LOUDLY AND SLOWLY, AS 
>EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ALL FOREIGNERS UNDERSTAND ENGLISH PEOPLE IF THEY DO 
THIS.
     
>Is he right, John?  I don't speak more than 10 words of French, and I 
>was too shy to try any of them when I was in Paris, for fear of screwing 
>up.  
>
     
Slarv observed.;

>This reminds me of a column that used to be in Punch Magazine years ago, 
>which was eventually put out in a book form.  The column, written by Miles 
>Kington, was called 'Let's Parlez Franglais' and was a sort of Englishman's 
>attempt to deal with everyday French based on virtually no knowledge of the 
>language but assuming that the English could get by in France by saying 
>English things with a French accent.

Miles in one of my favourite writers, I look forward to reading his musings 
in the Indy every morning. In fact, Slarv your style of humour is very much 
in the vein of Miles and Hunter Davis, a similar scribe. I wish that that I 
was at least half as articulate & pithy as these two. Thanks for bringing 
back Let's Parlez Franglais, I phrase I used occasionally. 
     
>Works for me.
     
     A+
     
     John
     
     PS "A+" = "A plus tard", or "catch you later"
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Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 16:22:06 +0000
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From: "I T Admin @ Govt Office North West" <help.gonw.st@gtnet.gov.uk>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Hello EVERYONE !!!
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------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 12:31:55 EST
From: RThurF@aol.com
Subject: Re: Alloy: parties

In a message dated 12/20/98 1:19:02 AM Eastern Standard Time,
wearart@erols.com writes:

<< I show up in baggy cotton trousers and a comfy
 sweater, only to find myself surrounded by $300 dresses.  There was a
 lot of silk and velvet and beautiful women with long, coltish legs and
 men in expensive casual gear and trendy eyeglasses.  One of the
 beautiful female guests took a look at me and then (I assume) thinking I
 had walked far enough away said, "Well, I sure don't feel so bad about
 that ten pounds I put on last year!"  And everyone laughed.  I found a
 quiet room with some books and a piano for most of the evening. >>

Good god, are these people insane? Sometimes i feel like I'm on another
planet. The friends I grew up with were taught to have good manners in public
& be nice to those around them.. but obviously not everyone has had the
benefit of a proper upbringing. All I can say is, this woman and her facetious
little friends are going to find themselves very miserable one day because
what goes around comes around, 100% of the time. 

I also prefer smaller groups of people that I can talk to, or just staying
home & doing my work (which isn't really 'work' because it fills me with
incredible joy :) or reading. Dave and i go out sometimes but we prefer to
just see our friends than hang out at parties with large groups of people we
don't know; it's disturbing to see so many people all trying so desperately to
fit that same cookie-cutter shape in every way.
 
Robin T

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 18:01:23 -0500
From: Rochelle Kirby <104040.2055@compuserve.com>
Subject: RE: Alloy: Pretty in Pink

Beth,

Do I remember correctly in thinking that you are expecting?  If so, how are
you doing?  And when are you do?  And, perhaps more importantly, will your
new house be completed before the new arrival?  

Rochelle

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 18:01:07 -0500
From: Rochelle Kirby <104040.2055@compuserve.com>
Subject: Alloy: Childish Thoughts

I need some help and am turning to Alloy.  There is a story brewing in my
brain and the main character is a girl about 10 - 12 years old.  Here's
where I need help: I don't yet have children (and I'm too far away from
childhood) and don't know what the thoughts of a child this age are.  I
know there are several people in Alloy with children, so please tell me
what a child in this age range likes/does/dreams about.  ANY help will be
very appreciative.  Should my story actually ever be published I promise to
give credit to any one who helps me with this.

Rochelle

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 18:01:18 -0500
From: Rochelle Kirby <104040.2055@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Y2K?

Message text written by INTERNET:alloy@smoe.org
>The funniest thing is how they're nagging the Amish to make things for
them
which don't require electricity. However the Amish are not planing to speed
up
production to meet any demand. One spokesperson has simply remarked, "You
English should've thought of that before you got yourselves into this
trouble." 
<

Robin,
Perhaps my geographical ignorance will show in this question, but if memory
serves me, you live in the Boston area (oh, how I'm hoping I'm right...). 
Are there many Amish there?  Previous to moving to Ohio the only Amish I'd
ever seen (or even heard of) was from the movie "Witness."  There are a few
in my area, and I can easily imagine that if things go as bad as some
people are predicting on 1/1/2001, they will be LOL at us.  (I really think
I had a point when I started typing but now I'm not so sure).

Rochelle
Powered by many Bluesy tunes my husband is playing while trying to make a
minidisc CD on his new minidisk player

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 17:00:16 -0700
From: "Keith Stansell" <Keith@Stansell.com>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Y2K?

I was in the Mervyns's California store yesterday.  They had a set of mugs
and desk accessories that were black and had 01-01-00 in white letters on
them.

I thought to myself, why do they have mugs with  January 1st, 1900 on them?

- -Keith (lets party like it's 1899! ) Stansell


Actually - as far as my thoughts on the subject go, I'm a bit more concerned
about people freaking out more than their computers.  I think we'll see some
problems such as bills getting a bit screwy  that first month or so, but I
don't think there will be mass systems shutting down completely.  Overall, I
think there will be annoyances, but not doom.

As a programmer myself, I see it all as a bit of an opportunity for more
work for me :)

- -Doing my best not to introduce any new Y2K Bugs!
- -Keith

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 23:03:01
From: Eclipse <naia@geocities.com>
Subject: Re: Alloy: Childish Thoughts

>I need some help and am turning to Alloy.  There is a story brewing in my
>brain and the main character is a girl about 10 - 12 years old.  Here's
>where I need help: I don't yet have children (and I'm too far away from
>childhood) and don't know what the thoughts of a child this age are.  I
>know there are several people in Alloy with children, so please tell me
>what a child in this age range likes/does/dreams about.  ANY help will be
>very appreciative.  Should my story actually ever be published I promise to
>give credit to any one who helps me with this.

Hi Rochelle.. :)

I certainly don't yet have children, but as I was 10-12 years old a mere
7-5 years ago, and have very vivid memories of this period, perhaps I can
be of assistance.  I wasn't and am not a 'typical' american child (but my
best friend was very typical of the darker side of normal american girls,
so I've pretty much got it covered).

I was 10 when I left school, and I must admit that had a pretty big impact
on my life/thoughts/dreams at the time.  For one thing, I lived a lot more,
thought a lot more and dreamt a lot more than I would have were I in
school. ;)  11 was when I went through puberty (as in:
wow-is-this-my-first-crush-what-the-hell-are-these-things-on-my-chest-why-am
- -I-blushing-so-much-and-OH-THAT'S-what's-so-fascinating-about-sex!
puberty), which was also a big factor in my life at the time.  That's a
fairly typical age for girls to reach adolescence, though if you're wanting
to write about a preadolescent child, I have quite a few memories of being
9 and 10 too. ;)  I remember spending a lot of time walking in the woods
alone when I was 11.. being with animals/pets--I had very strong, probably
very hormonal/neurochemical maternal feelings towards the baby chickens we
got at the time.  I wrote a LOT, probably more fiction/stories than at any
other time of my life.  Mostly fantasy.  I read a lot too.  And that's when
I discovered that I could draw (something I'd been previously convinced
that I had no talent in.. ha!)... so in general, I had a lot of creative
energy.  Wanted a lot of time to myself to work out my new
thoughts/feelings.  I think that's fairly normal.  I had my first crush on
a childhood friend, Peter, which I had the good sense to enjoy quietly by
myself.  Romantic things were of great fascination--particularly those
sappy songs from animated Disney movies.  I STILL know all the words to "I
Can Show You The World" from Aladdin.  Gack.  That's when I started taking
long showers every night, and I'd sing romantic songs like that in the
shower.  I'd also sit in the room with the water running and read
scientific books--I totally fell in love with James Gleick's "Chaos: The
Making of a Science" and Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" sitting in the steamy
bathroom at night. That's also when I started taking the environmental
crisis -personally- (I first remember being aware of it in 3rd grade)... my
feelings were more intense in general during that period.  I had quite a
rich fantasy life, although that's been true as long as I can remember, and
still is. There was a computer adventure game series, Quest for Glory (by
my childhood heroes Lori & Corey Cole :) ), that was a majorly important
source of symbolism/fantasy/emotional release in my life at the time
(wonderful games, still my favorites really..)

My social life was probably radically unusual.  I was never introduced to
cliques, popularity issues or peer pressure.  Since I live out in the
middle of nowhere, I was lonely at times, but preferred it to being with
people who didn't like/understand me and vice versa.  Of crucial importance
to my life was (and is) my Best Friend, Tina.. we've had the most wonderful
friendship since we were both in kindergarten.. ten years now.  During my
10-12 years I had some fantastic times with her..

If you'd like more specific/extensive material, I still have stories, diary
entries and dream journal entries that I wrote during that period, and
would be quite willing to share parts from them with you.  Heh.. I was/am a
rather ultra-literate child (our "post-literate" society uses TV & other
such media as main sources of information/communication; the "aliterate"
children of the '80s were individuals who -could- read and write, but chose
not to.  "ultra-literate" is of my own coinage, and refers to those
unnatural few like me who learn/communicate more via written language than
any other medium)...

Hope some of this helps!

Yours,
   E(lipse / Julia 

------------------------------

End of alloy-digest V3 #343
***************************