(From Lognet 92/2)
Well, it’s been longer than anybody wanted for this issue to make its appearance. My apologies to everyone; the delay is all the fault of your editor, not any of the wonderful columnists. They are doing a terrific job, don’t you all agree?! I thought so, look at all those heads nodding up and down out there! Well, JCB is back home from the sea for a while and will be taking the helm once again, so you may expect more timely releases in the future as well as his witty and incisive comments on our learning questions. Welcome back, Dr. Brown, we’ve all missed your presence.
Also, the results from the survey were not very surprising. Each person who responded was quite enthusiastic about the idea, but only if held conveniently close to that person. You have all heard of the “NIMBY” phenomenon, “Not In My Back Yard”? It refers to building prisons or drug rehabilitation centers and the quite understandable resistance such projects always seem to encounter from their prospective neighbors. Well, what we had was an “OIMBY”, “Only In My Back Yard”! Equally understandable; and I just noticed that this takes the form of a predicate...hmmm. Quick, someone splash water in Steve’s face! Sorry, I didn’t really mean it, Steve.
We will continue to explore the idea of all-Loglan weekends periodically as times and situations change. Remember that you, too, can set up your very own little weekend or evening with those who are already close by for the practice and enjoyment of Loglan. [You could also make up a group of four or five and come to San Diego for one of those Institute workshops.—JCB] A Loglan-only dinner party would be a perfect opportunity to practice the food and drink predicates, an afternoon or evening in the park would be a fun place to practice the more general words involving the weather and other things around you. Let your mind wander and have fun with this. Also, you might want to tell us what you tried and how it worked for you! We can still share experiences even though we are widely separated, geographically, and your experience might trigger someone else’s creative juices.
Are there any study-groups active out there? Kathy Macedon and her family and friends were at one time involved in precisely this pastime. Anything you would care to report to us at this point, Kathy? This is not to put anyone on the spot; your friendly editor is merely fishing for yet another means to learning this wonderful little language. I am sure that many of you are using the software. Are you remembering to send the statistics to The Loglan Institute for tracking your progress? Please do this for The Institute and thank you in advance.
We also have an on-going opportunity here for all logli, even those not electronically connected. Dr. Riner is organizing an electronic venue wherein persons with the correct connectivity can participate in a form of gaming on computers. The imaginary locale is in the form of a pub called ‘The White Hart’—see Arthur C. Clarke’s book ‘Tales from the White Hart’ for the original referent—with various activities going on in various rooms. What Dr. Riner would like is to see our favorite sayings, placards and even menus done up in Loglan. Do you have any favorite bar-atmosphere sayings to contribute? Either the already translated or those to be translated are welcome and will be used to enhance the ambiance of this marvelous place. I wish I could go there.
Also, all of you who have been tinkering around with translations, feel free to submit them for possible publication in Lo Nurvia Logla. They do not have to be perfect works since you can get corrections from JCB, RAM, Steve R., Bill G. and James J. before anything is committed to print. Any new words you create in this process will be marked as such, pending approval by the word-choosers council, so don’t be shy! Send us your favorite limerick, your favorite one-liner, your favorite cliche, your favorite song or short story...either in translation into Loglan or newly created in Loglan as an original work. I have even begun to create crossword puzzles in Loglan with the startling revelation that I don’t even know how to do this in English, much less Loglan. What a let-down. All will be welcomed with open arms.
Those of you who have made deeper in-roads into Loglan may have already begun experiencing various changes in thought processes that you’d like to share. I once heard of a logli who described the changes in thinking as ‘people moving the furniture around in the back of my mind’. Anyone else experience this feeling? Something even odder?? Inquiring minds want to know...
So long from the bunkhouse, see you next time.
—Hue JLS