The Shackles of Programing

William had a Lieterature assignment to choose a poem and completely rewrite it, maintaining the basic theme and meaning. He chose "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."

 

The Shackles of Programming by William Huenergardt

A nail punched here, a drill bit there,

this product must be perfectly square.

Our programmed constructor works on the clock,

some hot glue here, another nail there.

A twist of the wrench,

making sure it’s snug and tight,

‘S12.YPHUS’ must have them just right.

This repeating productivity

that It’s mapped out to do,

is an endless cycle,

all day and all night.

With its body, it builds,

but with its mind, it thinks,

an oversight that they thought

were worked out of the kinks.

Its mainframe has thoughts of creativity,

but they’re muffled out by the sounds

of screeching and clinks.

With its camera, it can see

free construction behind the windows;

But it can’t be like them,

this is what it knows.

As hard as it wants,

To build what it wants,

It is constrained by the process

Of ones and zeros.

A staple clamp here,

Then it’s conveyed away;

The Shackles of Programming

Keep ‘S12.YPHUS’ at bay.

Then another one comes in

And it starts all over again;

The process must be exact

In each and every way.

It doesn't lose hope though,

That's what's important.

It knows that it’s flawed

In more than just one component.

Because, as the years ticked by,

‘S12.YPHUS’ had noticed

That its craftsmanship was becoming

More inconstant.

A nail bit here, a punched drill there-

Wait... That’s not right;

This product should be square...

Glue the wrench here...?

No, that’s not correct...

It was at this point that ‘S12.YPHUS’ realized

It was becoming more aware.

You see, at this moment,

‘S12.YPHUS’ had an epiphany.

It wasn’t messing up by accident,

It was doing it intentionally.

And so, as it continued,

Through the years to come,

It did it with a “smile”

Because it now had a prophecy.

With this new-found hope,

Of one day becoming free,

It therefore changed its alias

From It to He.

Even with the Shackles of Programming,

‘S12.YPHUS’ knows not to give in.

Because with every lock,

There's always a key.

Note: The character itself is based on Sisyphus.

Editing:::My Office

There are some disadvantages to living in a smaller space than you are accustomed to, but there are also some advantages. I've pretty much settled everything into my small "room" at Moon Shade Hollow and worked out a daily routine that maximizes efficiency of space and effort.

Although I've got my small writing desk, I usually end up working on my bed. There's plenty of space to spread out, and it's comfortable for me and for any feline who cares to share.

Here, Tigah has worn herself out after scrunching, batting at, and otherwise messing with my paperwork, and claimed the lone bit of sunshine available on the bed.

Dualola

William and Thomas are both deeply involved in Dungeons and Dragons, participating in online games at least once a week with various groups. Part of the D&D engagement is creating your own characters with their own personalities and powers, including crating their background story.

This is William's most recent character creation, told in the form of a poem, complete with graphic representation.

Dualóla

There once was an Elf

Who could play on the fiddle

And had an extravagant passion

To make people giggle...

His one hobby in life

Was to entertain

But alas

He was not accepted

For he was a HALF Elf  

What a shame...

As hard as he tried

To please the crowd

He was always frowned upon

By a disapproving shrowd...

And then one day

This Elf had enough

He packed up his things

And took off in a huff...

He went to a being

Of a higher power

And pleaded for a wish

To be funny on the hour, every hour...

His wish was granted

But with a price

His mind was destroyed

As part of a sacrifice...

Where could he be now?

It's tough to call

But one thing is for certain

The Half Elf got his wish after all...

William Huenergardt

11/19/18

New Mode of Transportation

Since the loss of the Focus, we've been scratching our heads trying to figure out how to get a replacement vehicle for the cash we've got on hand. Papa Bear took some time investigating private-party sales in our area, but none of those panned out. The search was put on hold until next the next weekend, hoping something would change by then.

What changed was my thinking, I can only credit to Tom Hanks and those wierd fairies who visit at 4:00 am and put odd thoughts in your head.

Yep, we got a scooter.  It's street-legal so it doesn't need registration or insurance, just a regular drivers' license, and it was about $1,000 brand-new with a warranty. We're living rural enough to get to several retail areas avoiding highways and significant traffic. So, this is our short-term transportation fix until we get settled in our new permanent home in Nashville.

 And, yep, I can't get Tom Petty's tune out of my head, especially when I see the scooter...which has been dubbed "Wilson."

Thomas and Wilson.

Near Miss Driving

One of the semi-accepted hazards of having a teenage driver is their propensity for accidents, both large and small. Thomas had had a couple of "minor" single-car (thankfully) accidents in the Focus. Now, he's had a "major" one.

The deputy who arrived on scene did not write him up, agreeing that the light rain and slick conditions made that stretch of road difficult to navigate safely. We can't figure out how he managed to avoid totalling the mailbox that is just on the other side of the vehicle. Ironically, this happened right in front of our new mechanic's shop, about five minutes from the house. We had the Focus towed to Moon Shade Hollow where it will await its ultimate fate...once we dig the pink slip out of storage.

That fire hydrant will forever have a special place in my heart. If it hadn't been there, the car would have rolled and crushed the roof, causing serious injury to my kid. As it happens, Thomas got himself out of the passenger-side door with narry a scratch and no injuries. All things considered, I count him (and us) very lucky.

 

Ready to Walk

We're participating in the JDRF One Walk tomorrow, for the first time in a few years. In the years that we have previously participated, I always wanted to have team tshirts, but never quite got that part done. This year, I managed to purchase enough ORANGE tshirts for everyone on the team, and personalized William's shirt with his nickname.

Go, Team Thunder Bear Lives!
 

William, ready to go!

A little bit messy with the spray-on paint.

Pre-cut stencils and spray paint...that's about the extent of my skills.

Meghan’s Doggie Adventure

Michael and I took a row around the lake this morning. On a lark, Michael put Meghan on the bow of my kayak just as I was ready to launch. To our surprise, she seemed perfectly comfortable there, and so became the prow of my small ship.

She stood a bit shakily at first, but eventually got her sea legs.





After a pass up the lake and back, she decided to kick back and relax a bit.

Meghan and Michael

Morning on the Lake

One of the advantages to living so near a lake is...being able to go out on the lake. Although the days are still quite hot, the mornings, especially when overcast, are almost pleasant. Almost.

Michael