2687. Marc (c-24-91-40-167.hsd1.ma.comcast.net) – 31 Jul 2005 11:53:43 [ trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and alone ]

Hi Tom. Sorry to be late with a reply.

But firstly, I'm sad to hear about this, and that's it's been so hard for you and all that. But I'm glad that you at least see that you are clearly learning things from this, even if possibly a little too late.

Aside from that, my advice is to not try to focus on proving to her what you have learned and how you have changed and therefore should get another chance. In breaking things off with you, she has made a very difficult decision that I am sure she took quite seriously after thinking a lot about what she needs for herself, knowing that she is giving some important things up, but making that decision none-the-less. I just really think that you need to give her the benefit of the doubt that she knows what she's doing, no matter how crummy it may feel for you and no matter whether you think you see holes in her reasoning. I just think it's important to recognize that she is does know best in the case of this decision, which is for herself. And in some senses, it's disrespectful and kinda missing the point of the problem here to begin with when you try to "win her back" or anything like that, though at the same time of course very tempting to want to do that, and at least mostly that just coming from caring about her a lot I'm sure.

That all said, I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea to share with her what you think you've learned from this and how you think you could change (though note I said how you could change, not how you have changed, since it remains to be seen in actual future experiences whether what you are "getting" in your head now will translate to changes in how you behave, and I think it's important to not equate those two and say something which is not true). I think that's fine, as long as it's not couched in some sort of making the case for why she should give you give you another chance. She can figure out what she wants, and of course that's something that she's going to be considering whether or not you are lobbying for that or not, she's losing something here too, but I just really feel that this needs to be left up to her.

2686. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 31 Jul 2005 11:50:36 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

mouse crash bug: I just recently took a look at this and made it unreproducible on my laptop, which might mean that it is fixed. (Unfortunately I couldn't find a specific thing that was going wrong, since the problem didn't show up when debugging, urgh.) Can you get the new version and try it?

2685. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 31 Jul 2005 11:44:37 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

bad lev bug: Hmm, that's strange. The server should be using 200507261 too. The only thing that changed around that time that could cause this is that crossover wires went from unpushable to pushable. Actually, I just tested it and that seems to be the problem. And now it is fixed.

2684. Stephan (fl-71-3-58-176.dyn.sprint-hsd.net) – 31 Jul 2005 10:13:28 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Also, I'm still seeing occasional crashes when navigating the menus for loading a level. Here's what I've discovered:

1) This seems to be a mouse-message processing issue. If I use the keyboard, there are no problems.
2) If I quickly single-click a menu item, I can generally get a crash. (This seems to happen most often on the deleted levels menu item, but I've managed to crash every menu item other than Triage; though Triage sub-menus can crash too)
3) If I click slowly, i.e. click the mouse and hold the button down briefly before releasing, the crash doesn't happen.

Perhaps this is something related to how you process the mouse-up message?

2683. Stephan (fl-71-3-58-176.dyn.sprint-hsd.net) – 31 Jul 2005 09:40:38 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

I've built a level using transponders, which I've played and solved. But when I go to upload it to the server I get "upload failed: fail bad lev: The solution is invalid!"

(I'm using Escape 200507261; win32)

Which files should I send you to help resolve this?

2682. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 29 Jul 2005 22:26:50 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Okay, they finally got the machine back up, and now there is a new version for OSX.

2681. Anonymous (ool-4578ad9b.dyn.optonline.net) – 29 Jul 2005 19:51:32 [ CT Info ]

I have to disagree with PK-FL: "The place where Louis dwells" in The Whiffenpoof Song refers to Mory's -- a private dining club on York Street by the Law School which is where the Whiffs sing for their supper. Louis was the name of Mory's manager way, way back.

And as much as I enjoy Louis' burgers, if you read up on the "creation myth" a little you'll see both how their story changes over time and how talented the family is at self-promotion. I have a hard time taking their story as anything but a fun-to-believe fabrication.

2680. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 28 Jul 2005 09:21:36 [ RIAA Radar ]

Well, GBV aren't even a band any more, but they only released like 2 records on TVT.

2679. Anonymous (adsl-64-169-2-48.dsl.renocs.nvbell.net) – 28 Jul 2005 05:21:19 [ RIAA Radar ]

Don't forget "Guided by Voices".

2678. Chris Wass (207.227.21.162) – 27 Jul 2005 14:53:08 [ trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and alone ]

Serious bummer, Tom. Thank you for sharing this highly personal and meaningful post with all of us out here. I hope that people's words of encouragement have been of some comfort to you.

Though you don't know me, I'll risk giving you this advice:
Work to become the best Tom 7 that you can be. Not to win her back, but because you know in your heart that is what you need to do for you. Be her friend, a good friend. Make her a partner in your life without expecting to get back together as a couple. As you grow as a person and she sees that, she may want you back as a boyfriend. She may not, but you will be more of a whole person in all of your subsequent relationships.

I know that these are lofty ideals that seem unrealistic when you are in emotional pain, but I have observed you to be a thoughtful person, and I think that you have the willpower to do it.

2677. Hock (adsl-67-119-9-165.dsl.snfc21.pacbell.net) – 27 Jul 2005 01:50:09 [ trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and alone ]

Thanks for writing this post. I learned a lot from it. Also: bummer.

2676. Anonymous (69.251.236.177) – 26 Jul 2005 22:07:20 [ Quake 3 Done! ]

YES!!! I have finally beaten all the levels on nightmare. It is amazing that after 6 years, this game can still bring such joy.

2675. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 26 Jul 2005 19:25:11 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

It's still down, sorry...

2674. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 26 Jul 2005 00:39:00 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Well, damn, I guess it will have to wait until tomorrow, since sourceforge's OSX compile server is down right now.

2673. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 26 Jul 2005 00:30:03 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Really? I was pretty sure I released an OSX update, but I guess I screwed it up somehow. I'm doing another release right now to make crossover wires pushable, so I'll make sure that OSX is updated.

2672. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 26 Jul 2005 00:25:22 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Oops, it's not?

2671. Stephan (fl-71-3-46-127.dyn.sprint-hsd.net) – 25 Jul 2005 22:21:36 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Should the new cross-over wire block be pushable?

2670. John Lewis (h170.32.255.206.cable.lngv.cablelynx.com) – 25 Jul 2005 22:09:59 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

I can't update on OSX either...:-(

I want TRANSPONDERS!!! :-)

2669. Ken (ca01-ch01-bl03.in-indianap0.sa.earthlink.net) – 25 Jul 2005 21:59:26 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Sorry, that sounds too much like a complaint. Thanks for releasing the Windows build. It makes my workday more bearable

2668. Ken (ca01-ch01-bl03.in-indianap0.sa.earthlink.net) – 25 Jul 2005 21:57:49 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Argh, Tom, you are torturing me. You released a new windows build but not one for OSX. I only get about 15 minutes to play at work (on Windows). I really looked forward to trying the transponders at home (on OSX). Boo, hoo.

2667. Tom 7 (h-72-244-70-115.phlapafg.dynamic.covad.net) – 25 Jul 2005 17:15:43 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

That sounds doable, but having the explosion extend doesn't seem to make much sense if the bomb is already on top of the wall. Or are you saying that it would explode in the position that it's already in, instead of the position that it would be if the push were successful?

2666. mjn (pool-68-161-213-167.ny325.east.verizon.net) – 25 Jul 2005 14:51:44 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

Hmm, one last attempt for the pushing-things-into variety:

Have the bombs explode outward in straight lines, like in Bomberman, except not in the direction they're pushed from. The player couldn't be killed by a bomb he's pushing, but he could be killed by a chain reaction, or by a robot pushing a bomb.

2665. Tom 7 (gs82.sp.cs.cmu.edu) – 25 Jul 2005 13:03:55 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

It seems to me that making the player invulnerable to the explosion would make bombs too powerful. It's important that tiles have both menacing and useful aspects.

2664. mjn (pool-68-161-213-167.ny325.east.verizon.net) – 25 Jul 2005 12:09:37 [ NEW: Escape Beta 2! ]

If the player is invulnerable to explosions, then there could be a blast radius with pushing-into-things type bombs. (Hey, how about a couple of different bomb sizes, even?)

Maybe they could also be triggered by electrical pulses, for variety? (like if they're positioned next to a dangling wire)

2663. WRR (219.90.82.42) – 25 Jul 2005 00:42:51 [ trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and alone ]

Bummer, indeed! Hang in there. It sounds like you have enough to build on and survive all this crap and hopefully be able to clear up all this emotional debris to start anew. Here's affirming both your fulfillment, and so it is.

Sorry i'll be pasting the content of my email to you as it bounced when I sent it over to your email addy. I thought a gratitude/ fan mail of sorts would cheer you up somehow. Anyway, here it is:

I thought I'd take the time to email you a thank you for all the
wonderful stuff your sharing in your sites. I've uploaded most of y our links on my class e-groups. I thought my art students (Fine Arts & Design college in Manila) would benefit from your infinite creativity. I have this visual journal exercise module for my art studies courses (History of arts, Aesthetics) where they make visual/ conceptual journal entries of what we've taken up in class every week.

It's been years since I last checked out your website and I see you've been productive despite your pursuance of your PHD. You we're still in undergrad when I first downloaded your fonts. Its amazing how you've been able to churn out creative output despite the neckbreaking pace that grad school demands. Kudos to you!

I still can't believe your not an art student! Anyway, thank you.
You've inspired me immensely and now that i've uploaded links to your
websites in my e-groups I know you'll inspire my students as well.

WRR
http://winniedstitchwitch.net