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The I Ching says: "The joke's on you" - funny story

cal val

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So...last night I was going into one of the 3D interactive programs where my shy muse and I can interact. I went in with the intent of making myself available for union. Before I opened the program, however, I threw the coins and told the I Ching, "I'm going in!" And, of course, the I Ching knew why. The answer was Hex 31 change to 45. WOW! Perfect! Just what I wanted to hear! YAHA! WRONG!

Okay, you all know him/her -- the guy/girl who doesn't have a clue, can't take a hint, doesn't know what NO! means and doesn't take rejection well. I'm not in the program for 10 minutes before he pops up. And it starts.

Jack: "Val, babe, come back to LA."
Val: "No Jack."
Jack: "Val, marry me."
Val: "No Jack."
Jack: "Val, I'll let you drive my mustang."
Val: "No thank you Jack."
Jack: "I love Val."
Jack: "Val, marry me."
Val: "Can't Jack. I'm saving myself."
Jack: "For?"
Val: "The grave."
Jack: "Val, marry me."
Val: "I'll make you a deal Jack. If you get George W to abolish the death penalty and sit down and smoke a joint with Saddam Hussein, I'll marry you."
Jack: "Seriously?!? You will?!?"
Pang: "Jack, I've got George W on the phone. Do you want to talk to him?"

And it went on like that until the DJ for the internet radio station that's tied into the program sent out a song dedicated to Jack..."Inflatable woman" (a 'desperate' version of "American Woman").

Not exactly what *I* had in mind when I got Hex 31 change to 45, but it was the absolute truth. I had this vision of the collective unconscious, or God, or whatever you want to call it up there watching this scene, slapping their knees, holding their sides, tears running down their cheeks, just howling hysterically with laughter and saying "Gotcha Val!"
 

cal val

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Okay...so...after being wooed by one of the "Jacks" of this world instead of my shy muse, and listening to my new hire (who was born and raised in this town but has lived in other areas of the US) validate everything I feel about this place, I had a little talk with the I Ching. I said that while I'm waiting, I've got to set at lease set some goals here including a time frame to get where I want to be (geographically). The I Ching answered Hex 32 change to 62. I understand what the changing line (nine in the second place) is saying. *rolls eyes* And I have a fair idea what Hex 62 means in relation to my assertion, but I'd love some input from you all. Thanks!
 

gene

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Val

There must be more to this than what meets the eye.

Gene
 

suzy

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Hi, Val!

I guess I'm going to reveal my pathetic out-of-it-ness here, but I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about. There is an interactive computer program where you can go to cruise animated characters, who not only interact with you intelligently but can also send song requests to an internet radio station? This is possible? It sounds like a cross between Logan's Run and the Matrix. Or maybe the holodeck on Star Trek Next Generation. I'm deeply confused.

Suzy
 

lenardthefast

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Hi Val,

I'm afraid thats a ditto for me,too. Are you waiting to drop the punch line in a later post? Did you have a question somewhere in there that you are requesting clarification on from the members? Did you put the wrong cactus in the nopales? Were you out in the snow storm with your mouth open recently?(I've been told this can sometimes lead to acid snow hallucinations!) Does your connection use FedEx?

With the exception of question number two above,
JUST KIDDING! (grins)...but am puzzled.

Namaste,
Leonard
 

bfireman

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Hey Val-

I'm available for union... Don't want to get married, but I will smoke a fat joint or share some of that cacti Leonard is talking about. Sound like a good time?

HA! - Brian
 

cal val

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Brian...

Thank you! Someone got it!

It was merely a humorous story involving the I Ching. To enjoy or not. Period. No question.

And you enjoyed it -- good!

My second post right under the story wasn't a question either. I know what it's telling me. I just posted it to hear all the different ways people in this forum interpret the I Ching...IF they want to. I love the diversity here.


'My shy muse' is actually my reference for a man who did want to get marry and asked or tried to ask a few times over the last five years. I avoided the subject. I've tried to establish a friendship with him, but he says his feelings are too strong for that. Recently, I heard from a friend that he's been frequenting the program I mentioned above ever since I re-emerged on the 3D scene there a couple of months ago. And recently, I've decided to try it his way. So I went in and 'made myself available' Monday night. I ran into good 'ol Jack instead...the thing that makes you say "uhhhhgggg"

I'm only about four hours due east of you. I knew you had to be fairly close when you mentioned it was snowing where you are too because it was only snowing in a relatively small area at the time. What a pleasant surprise to learn it's Asheville. I LOVE Asheville. If I have an opportunity to get up there any time soon, don't be surprised to hear from me. I'd love to get together with you. I love meeting people with common interests who've crossed my path on the net.
 

cal val

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Hi Suzy...

Have been watching your writing style here and loving it. I see a very 'zesty-for-life' individual on the other side of this connection. And I love the path you've chosen...your own. My gut tells me that once you get it all sorted out, get your decisions made, which I've no doubt will be good 'uns, and get on your way, you'll have the time of your life. I have nothing to offer in the way of I Ching interpretion for the question you posed because I don't go deep into it like so many others who post here. I just don't have the understanding they have. But I do offer my support *waving pom poms in the air and cheering* GO SUZY GO

To answer your question, yes there are many 3D interactive programs on the net. Some work on vrml, like Cybertown, and some work on renderware, like Activeworlds and some work on other platforms. There are many in development and beta stages right now. A seperate, special browser from your usual internet-surfing browser is required for each program. I prefer the programs that work on renderware at the moment because they lend themselves to more detailed texturing, and I create or adapt 3D models using the renderware programming language. I am ever on the look-out for a better product, however.

I have screenshots online of some 3D models or environments that I've created. Screenshots are flat, two-dimensional representations (2D) and don't adequately represent the dynamics of 3D environments. Only immersion can. The sculpture, Valatura, http://home.earthlink.net/~lakatz/valatura.html, wasn't created in a 3D modeling program. I wrote the file myself. I plotted the points in space and wrote the commands to make the areas between those points solid. I shot her from the back here, and, if you were viewing her in a 3D environment, you could walk around and see her from the front.

I did the same with 99% of the models I used for my world, Valatura, (named after my sculpture...which, incidentally, was named by my shy muse *grin*) -- that is, I wrote the file myself rather than use a 3D modeling program --http://home.earthlink.net/~lakatz/environments.html. I used models supplied by the program administrators to create the other environments you see on the same page. In public building worlds, users are not allowed to create and add their own models, and I find creating with available material almost as challenging as creating the materials myself.

The sculpture, "dancing worlds," http://home.earthlink.net/~lakatz/dancing.html, has evolved. Originally, I called it "ladder to the sky." The worlds spun on their individual axes, and it was a hypnotic, rhythmic look, so I added music (a midi file), and named it "dancing worlds." In it's 3rd incarnation, I modeled it so the worlds rotated in sync around a central axis.

One of my favorite pieces is this armoire -- http://home.earthlink.net/~lakatz/armoire.html. The page was written for people who understand 3D modeling, but I think you can get the drift.

Yes, when a 3D program is interactive, chat is always part of it, games are another part and creating art in 3D is yet another part. The user appears in an avatar, usually a human representation, but can be an animal, insect, word, whatever and can navigate through 3D enviroments by using key strokes or the mouse -- climb mountains, ski down mountains, swim in the sea, enter homes, palaces, dark and dank and mysterious forests...hug each other and so on. In most cases the user is provided with a choice of avatars. The word avatar is Hindu. The Hindu gods used avatars to appear in human form.

If you have any more questions about 3D interactive programs on the net, I'd be more than happy to answer them in email.
 

lenardthefast

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Hi Val,

Bite you? Naahh, I like nibbling much better. I tried it with you but that shell kept me out. Its a hard sucker,similar to titanium; must have taken real concentration, determination and sheer willpower to build it. Still haven't decided whether you built it to keep you in or others out.(Probably both) Thanks for lifting the carapace slightly that one night, you had me laughing so hard my ribs were sore for two days. Do you have specific times when you loosen up and let the giggle outlaws out? If so please notify me of the visiting hours. I think endorphens are the best drugs available. ...and they are legal and free. You are really exceptional at producing them. Wish you spent more time at it; laughter really is the best. Can't seem to understand the intimidation persona though.

Everything considered, I still love you, especially when you let the beautiful little girl out to play. She's a real zinger.(glad all over)

Namaste,
Leonard
 

bfireman

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Val-

Come on over and give me a ring, it would be excellent to meet a real person behind these "net"-personalities. And that goes for all out there who ever make their way over to western North Carolina. Now, a few comments on your reading 32 to 62. It is pretty interesting because when I read the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary to the changing second line, it is exactly what I had been contemplating yesterday. I practice tai chi, and in my class yesterday my teacher was speaking of the "accordian-like" style of the applications within the form. He used the terminology "folding and unfolding", but it is the same thing stated in WB: "If we wish to compress something, we must first let it fully expand." Candid stated it beautifully a while back in talking about hex23 Splitting Apart. Candid, I cannot remember your exact words, but the way you described this hex in terms of the universe breathing in and then breathing out... that was beautiful! Anyway, I think here in light of hex32, the advice is on trying to balance your outlook. Every time I receive 62, I think of the Icarus story(Iron Maiden has a great song about it!). Seems to be the exact same thing to me. If you try to fly too high or too far now, you are only placing yourself in grave danger.

Peace - Brian
 

cal val

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Hi Brian --

Thanks for your interpretation. Gives me a whole new perspective. I only got the 'don't try to fly too high or too far right now' thing.

So did you catch many snowflakes today? I caught a lot...and not just on my tongue. My eyelashes caught a lot as well. It was really coming down hard, and the wind was driving it. I loved watching the snow on the ground swirl around and lift up into the air on the wind. All new experience living in it. I've only ever visited.
 
C

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Hi Val,

Been away on business and just logged on to check things out. I got a kick out of your original post, though I've never experienced a 3-D multi-media chat environment. It sounds virtually interesting.

If I get the picture, you were ready for a fun fling and the Ching gives you a moral disertation about the difference between courtship and seduction? Thanks allot, Yi! *chuckles* And I can also imagine the gods crackin up at the irony of dialogue that transpired. He sure didn't sound like a muse to me!

I enjoy the levity you bring, personally.

Candid
 

suzy

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Val --

So Jack was another human! Wonderful! That clears everything up for me. I thought he was a fictional character in the game, and was bewildered (I've done some AI and didn't think we were *quite* to that level yet.) Now I understand -- it's a gaming environment that is sort of like a chat room. Multiple users. Got it. How stupid of me not to realize. I do not play games nor visit chat rooms -- ever, and never have -- so I am firmly out of the loop on that stuff.

Thank you for the explanation!

(And thanks for the good wishes and kind thoughts!)
 

cal val

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Very close Suzy. very close. But no cigar yet. A tiparello maybe...*grin* The programs I use are not gaming environments with the exception that they offer Trivia night, bingo and javascripted checkers and chess. A friend wrote some javascript for a game along the same lines as Jeopardy, but I have no idea if it was ever implemented because I don't do the games.

If you look at those 3D sculptures and environments for which I included urls in my last post to you, I think you'll see they're not about gaming at all. I created them for art's sake and for living comfortably and imaginatively in virtual reality.

The programs I use were designed by and for 3D artists and programmers, the interactive part ("chat") was essential and serves a number of purposes including allowing artists to interact and learn from each other and people from all over the world and all different cultures to meet and learn about one another. In the early days of the program, the citizenry was mostly programmers and computer graphics artists and the like. As word spread, however, it has attracted a diverse assortment of users from diverse backgrounds. Many come to create and many just to chat.

Chess, checkers and Trivia, etc. are games that were added in later years to give users other things to do besides chat or build 3D environments.

I initially had difficulty digesting your statement, "There is an interactive computer program where you can go to cruise animated characters..." I had problems with the word 'cruise'. I've only heard 'cruise' used by gay men that I know...and the connotation is very base. 'Cruising' as I've learned it to mean is not integral to the programs I use and how I use them. But last night it hit me. I got it. YES! some people do use the program to 'cruise'...the Jacks of this world do! Thank goodness they're a rarity though. People do meet and form attachments, however. When I met 'my shy muse', I was building a 3D environment in a world where he had a build. We weren't 'cruising'. We were two people who shared a common interest and became friends. And our friendship went to the next level after some months, so that soon we met in real life.

I hope this clears up your misconceptions. If not, I'd be happy to answer any more questions in email. My post wasn't about 3D interactive programs really. I just briefly mentioned the one to set the stage for the funny story involving the I Ching. Although I don't mind answering your questions at all, I'm rather uncomfortable about continuing to stuff this forum with something that's not I Ching related.

Ciao for now,

Val
 

gene

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Hi Val

I see, I see, well sort of anyway. So you play chess? Many years ago I played in tournaments a few times, but didn't have time to keep it up, my metaphysical studies became more important.

Brian, you study Tai Chi too? I have practiced for 19 years now, however, actual class time is much less than that. Right now there are a lot of things keeping me away from classes. I am curious which style you study. My style comes from Chen Man Ching, and I have studied directly and indirectly with two of his top students, one being Master Tao out of Seattle, the other, William Chen out of New York, they were roommates in China. Also, a lot of the Tai Chi principles are taken from the book of Changes, they are also taken from the "Tao Te Ching", or it might also be called the "Dao De King". Interestingly on the surface the I ching seems to honor and value yang energy extensively and downplay the yin, while the Tao Te Ching seems to honor and value yin energy, one a deeper level though, below the surface, I believe they both honor both when they are in their positive form. There is positive yang and negative yang. There is also positive yin and negative yin. Tai Chi is based on the principles of yin. In the higher levels though, it becomes yang. Most martial arts start with yang and gradually become more yin, Tai Chi emphasises the yin for years before the yang comes into play. Your Tai Chi may or may not have a different basic philosophy though, I don't know.

Gene
 

bfireman

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Gene-

Thought I would start a new thread on this one... In the friends area under "tai chi and i-ching"

Peace- Brian
 

cal val

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Candid...

Thank you! I enjoy your posts as well.

Val
 

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