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November 23, 1998

Domain Names, Romance, and Patch Adams

Quite a number of things to cover in this entry. I'm finding that posting material that I've written on ScribeTribe might be a bit on the cheating side, as I am not writing material exclusively for Mind's I... but I think that some of the things I've posted give a bit on insight into the person that I am. Rereading the posts that I've written also gives me further insight into myself. Am I being completely honest?, I find myself asking when I relook my words. Fairly honest. I can't say completely honest, because as Walt Whitman adeptly put it: "Do I contradict myself? Very well, I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes." I see myself as an onion and I have different layers that I allow people in to certain degrees. Even though, there is a bit of me, the core of the onion, that is myself alone. No one is allowed in. These are my secrets and no one can have them, Constant Reader. Not even Mike. But that's okay, I think. We all need a little mystery for ourselves, the tiny secrets that we tell no one and that we can laugh about or cry about and clutch to ourselves and call our own. Anyway, on to my thoughts on romance, brought to you via ScribeTribe... I am the anti-romantic. I'm not big on what my friends and I jokingly call "chik-fliks". The only literary romantic relationship that I am interested in is between Leia Organa and Han Solo. ;) I took the Games magazine gender quiz and discovered that even though I knew the names and plots of both female-oriented films and male-oriented films, I've watched far more of the male-oriented films than the female ones. IRL, I'm not into being "romanced". I don't like getting flowers (books, games.. that's another story). The first dates that my partner and I had consisted of watching science fiction/action films and several evenings in the computer lab playing networked games. <grin> And more... > now that could be an interesting dujour... how long have you ever waited for someone, and was it worth it ? < The queen of anti-romance strikes again... I have never "waited for someone". I'm a practical person and of the opinion that there are not only many fish in the sea, but many fish in the sea that have traits that I would find acceptable and would make a pretty good partner for me. I'm also very lucky to be involved in activities where the male to female ratio is very high, so I find myself never lacking in partners (I'm a big fan of japanese animation, roleplaying, gaming in general, computer games, computers, and science fiction). My current partner (of over 5 years and still going!) and I met at a Japanese Animation Club on campus. We both game frequently and he understands my love affaire that I have with my computer. He's not "perfect" (I don't believe in Mr. Perfect or "The One") but he's as close as can humanly be. Perhaps I'm a cold-hearted person. Sometimes, I look over what I wrote and think that I wish I was more of a romantic... to have more of that passion. I've known people like that and frankly, they exhaust me. Being emotionally charged drains me and it is the cool-headed rationals that keep me sane and balanced (and on the whole, happy). There are days that I with I could really just let go, but I find all of those feelings are fleeting. I'm happy to be fairly stable (emotionally, financially, mentally) and I think that my psyche wouldn't take well to emotional rollercosters. Ahh well. I guess I'll never be part of "Rollercoaster Journals", but that's okay. (I say that often, don't I? Iko is Stuart Smalley in disguise!) Yesterday I got a notice in the mail from Steve talking about domain names. His current list is: acerbic.org interrupted.org interruption.org acrimony.org acidic.org acolyte.org sudden.org suddenly.org adaptation.org euphemism.org I wrote back with Iko's Guide to Domain Names. I follow two rules: 1) The name should cover the depth of content that the site should have. I thought of calling my domain www.ikochan.com... (ikochan is my nickname) but then I thought about it some more and I realized that I'm also hosting other people's sites (like my sister's site) and it would be way too vain/silly for her to type in a domain that would be my nickname! So, I decided to find a name that would be a good one to cover sites of various types. Some sites would be fan sites, others would be journal burbs, etc. So, I started looking for good names. Menagerie? Good word but very much taken. I thought a color would be a good name, but all the great colors (veridian, maroon, magenta) are all taken. Argh! Then, I heard the term "woolgathering" and I thought that would be PERFECT! When one daydreams, one encounters vastly different thoughts and ideas, some connected to each other and some not. The domain is like that. Lots of different thoughts and ideas. 2) The site name is easily pronouncable and people can spell it properly from hearing it pronounced. Even more a deterrent from naming my site "ikochan". That can be tricky to spell. But people can spell woolgathering without difficulty. I like names that can have more than one meaning, depending on your point of view. acerbic is a cool word and easily spelled even if you pronounce it. I also like the words acolyte and euphemism. I like the name acolyte. Someone who attends or assists. For a personal site, it gives meaning to someone who attends to their life. Or that the site is an assistant to define your life. It's a nifty idea. Acerbic is a cool word but, you're not always acerbic. Well, those are my thoughts on that. ;) Steve wrote back to me several wonderful email letters, the last being a request to be on my notification list. I was floored! My first request online! The Mind's I is moving onward and upward, Constant Reader! I'd offer you champaigne but a) I'm allergic to alcohol and b) you're not on the same side of the screen I'm on. I saw a poster today on the side of a bus and I fumbled for my camera and got it out just fast enough to catch this snap of it... It's a poster for a new movie called Patch Adams starring Robin Williams in the lead role. That is the best casting job for the role of the eccentric doctor. I've met him a number of times, since Allen Hall was a favorite visit for him. He would talk to us about how laughter is the best medicine and happiness is the best vaccine for not just the "ills of life" but for real illnesses. Several of my friends from college would go there and volunteer to work with Patch on his "institute" in West Virginia, the Gesundheit Institute, where a more direct approach is given to medical care and where no one is turned away because they can't afford treatment. I love that. Holistic medicine is very worthwhile to me. Many doctors just relieve the symptoms and don't cure the illness. I wish I had gone with them to see the institute. Perhaps someday I will go there to see it and help out. Patch Adams is one of those unique people that bring out the best in others. I'd like to be that.

© Copyright 1998, Eileene Coscolluela
[woolgathering]