Nethack

I've been playing Nethack for about 5 years. It's a game where the graphics are all typographic characters (you start the game as the @ sign), and you explore a dungeon, trying to find the amulet of yendor (If you haven't caught on, it's pretty nerdy). I've introduced two other friends to the game, and I've played countless hours. And this last week, for the first time, I finally beat it. And so I thought I'd share my final screen shot and my final manifest.

http://alt.org/nethack/userdata/g/glucose/dumplog/1290571478.nh343.txt

You wouldn't believe how happy I am with this.

Programmable chip

I just got this programmable chip, now I just need to think of fun applications for it.

I'm thinking about setting it up with some LEDs sewn into a shirt with a mini-microphone, to make a wearable equalizer visualization.

Quote of the day

"You live, and disgustingly, you are forced to learn concurrently." - Noah Firestone

creativity

This week looks to be a very creative one, hopefully some interesting content of all varieties comes out of it at the end. I'll post whatever comes along.

NBA on the Internet

I'm so impressed with watching sports like this, and so glad it's streaming on the internet.

What an introduction

"My book will no doubt be flawed in many ways of which I am not yet aware, but there is one "sin" that I have intentionally committed, and for which I shall not repent: many of the arguments are not rigorous, at least as they stand. This is a serious crime if one believes that our mathematical theories are merely elaborate mental constructs, precariously hoisted aloft. Then rigour becomes the nerve-racking balancing act that prevents the entire structure from crashing down around us. But suppose one believes, as I do, that our mathematical theories are attempting to capture aspects of a robust Platonic world that is not of our making. I would then contend that an initial lack of rigour is a small price to pay if it allows the reader to see into this world more directly and pleasurably than would otherwise be possible."

- Tristan Needham, from the intro to Visual Complex Analysis

A great introduction that gives hope to a reader who picked up a book on an interesting topic, worried it might be a little over his head (namely, me)

Lithopolis Honey Festival

I went to a honey festival with some friends and made a short and sweet video of how it went!

Toaster for sale

I saw this on the street today.

"The chairs? Oh, they're free. But the toaster's gonna cost you."

Breakfast

My sister-in-law Karin recently reminded me that toast is awesome. She said her brothers would eat a whole loaf of bread toasted at breakfast, impressive.

Origins Game Fair Video Blog

I went to the Origins Board Game convention in Columbus in June, to cross swords and play miniatures against the best of them. Enjoy!

Looking sharp

Sometimes I think I would have loved the 1920s: three piece suits, hats and canes. But what would I do without my beloved science fiction authors...

Copy their style and sell their books before they were born of course.

Moon Landing

When I think about the moon landing, I always think about Michael Collins. He's the guy who manned the shuttle in orbit during the moon landing. Charles Lindbergh once said that on the day of the moon landing, he felt more in tune with Michael Collins than either of the other astronauts. They landed there 41 years ago.

41 years is a long time.

sidenote: My favorite astronaut/feat is probably Bruce McCandless. He's the guy who did the first untethered space walk.

crazy. I can't imagine what that would be like.

New Apple Product

So, Steve Jobs is having a big Apple Conference tomorrow, and I think Apple might be putting out a new product, after I came across this leaked promo picture...

New Shirt

So I saw this shirt at Banana Republic and I liked the look of it, but the price was a little much for me.

So, instead I bought this shirt at the thrift store:

Then I got rid of the buttons, and some extra fabric:

Sewed it up, ironed it a little, and ended up with this:

And now, how do I look wearing it? Something like this!

Got a little carried away.

Quoting books

"Actors are so fortunate. They can choose whether they will appear in tragedy or in comedy, whether they will suffer or make merry, laugh or shed tears. But in real life it is different. Most men and women are forced to perform parts for which they have no qualifications. Our Guildensterns play Hamlet for us, and our Hamlets have to jest like Prince Hal. The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast."

From `Lord Arthur Savile's Crime` by Oscar Wilde.

In and Around London.

On my way back from Kenya, I stopped in London for a week to see the sights and visit my friend John. I had a great time, what a great city! And I made this video for you all to enjoy.

USA

I'm back in the USA.

panoramic shots

You want it, we got it:


This is the view from the front lawn of where I'm staying.


This is my Dad outside where we were staying for the week he was here.


This is an action shot of my dad teaching business, most likely.


The valley below, rain in the distance.


A tea farm between Nairobi and Kijabe, makes me wonder how my tea plant is doing in the Ohio winter, which is quickly becoming spring!

Latest photos of Orion

This photo was taken at the Alan G. Files Observatory at Kijabe, in Kenya.

Okay, wait, if we were one of Europe's greatest leaders, and we were stranded in Nairobi for one day, where would we go?

This weekend I had no plans, and was thinking about laying around all day, but instead, I caught a ride to Village Market in Nairobi. It's a big, super nice mall on the nice side of town, and here's how my day went:

I caught a ride into town from the people I'm staying with, the Janders, who are great, gracious people. I got to the mall a little early, so I stopped off at a cafe for breakfast and some reading.

And then I walked around village market. It's beautiful, and there's a waterfall flowing through the center of it. (the following panoramic shots are dedicated to my brother Ryan and my friend Carl, who can't get enough of it)

But I could only walk around the mall so long before I got bored. Luckily, the mall also has a water park!!

The water park has pretty much no rules, I only saw one sign that said "no standing up on the slides". It was great. You could go down the sides backwards or forwards or spinning around on your back the whole way. I also ran into another family from a sister hospital of Kijabe (the one I'm working at) so I had some friends to race down slides with. (Sure, my "friends" were a 5 year old and his 7 year old brother, but deep down, everyone riding on a waterslide is between 5 and 7 at heart.)

After about 4 hours of watersliding, I went back to the food court to get something to eat. I ordered some Thai bean curd. It was delicious, and it was spicy. One of the best things about Africa is that when you say you want something spicy, you actually get it spicy.

This is me tearing up, maybe a little too spicy.


And in case you were wondering, yes, those are topiary animals in the background.

What a day.

Eating in Kenya

This blog post is dedicated to my sister Lesley, who was intently wondering what I'm eating here in Africa.

Today I went to the cafeteria (where I usually go for lunch), and ordered my usual: chapati, vegetables, and coke. (Chapati is like flat fried bread, and the vegetables are mainly cabbage and carrots) Well, the vegies weren't ready yet, so I changed my order to chips and samosa (chips are fries, samosa's are meat filled fried things, think triangular hot pocket).

I sat at a table with some Kenyan guys, who were eating a more traditional meal, Matumbo and Ugali. (Matumbo is cow stomach stew, ugali is a thick pile of corn starch and water). I don't usually go for that. Also, I don't usually just eat chips for lunch, oh well.

The cafeteria has a local family of cats that go around the outside seating, trying to get food, there are probably 4 of them. Also, birds are known to swoop in and steal a fry from an unsuspecting luncher, it's hilarious, these birds know no fear.

Also, just so you guys don't get left out, after my first lunch, I went up and ordered the usual (again)! Vegetables with a little beef stew (with potato!) and a chapati rolled up with a fork through it. The total for all the food I got was around 150 Kenya Shillings, which is a little over 2 dollars. which isn't bad for what would normally be 2 meals! (I'm feeling very stuffed after eating it all).

I've also become friends with the kitchen staff while I'm here, and they let me walk through the kitchen and I took this panorama! The kitchen staff is great, they're looking at me like I'm crazy in this picture though.

today is about design and flow

I'm back in Africa.

Christmas 09!

One more year

This was the crazy get up I wore for New Years.