...exploring a world of legos

Usually late to a trend, I was reading too many references to a game called Minecraft that seems to have captured many hard-core gamers despite its comical simplicity.

Well perhaps it is comically simple for some as I am an abject failure so far and have resisted the temptation to look up "Minecraft for the Pathetic Dummy" as I think there is hope.

At present, my first goal is to "attack a tree until it yields a block of wood". Where "attack" means pound with your fist. You can see the representation of my fist in the lower right corner of the image.

Although I've beaten upon trees until my hand substitute ought be bloody, the wood eludes me. However, all is not lost as I have learned valuable skills upon the way:

• I can punch flowers and sugar cane very effectively
• I can punch the wool right off of sheep
• Same for the feathers off a duck
• I can annoy cows and pigs at will
• I can dig up sand
• I can shred tree leaves like a panda

But I think I am most proud of:

• my ability to pound upon a tree until it explodes, nearly killing me, creating a hole, clods of dirt, and not a single block of wood

And at night Kokopelli comes and shoots me to death with arrows. But my will is strong, and life is but an illusion and so I continue in my days of constant desperation seeking exactly the right tree.

Spoiler after the fold:

Zur Einführung des Narzißmus

A disciple of another sect once came to Drescher as he was eating his morning meal, “I would like to give you this personality test”, said the outsider, “because I want you to be happy.”

Drescher took the paper that was offered him and put it into the toaster, saying: “I wish the toaster to be happy, too.”

– Gary Drescher legendarily in MIT folklore

On the recommendation of friends, I have recently listed myself on an on-line site to ostensibly meet people. This is a bit of a novelty for me as I've not ever actually dated. I've had friends that have turned into lovers and actually find it hard to imagine myself seeking out a person with the intention of mating. So I'm imagining myself as trying to make friends (who are coincidentally female and not romantically attached) because it seems more plausible.


I've looked at a variety of sites from one-night-stands.r.us to seeking-stupid-old-men.with.money to desperation.and.needi.er (Eritrea's Hottest Spot for Singles) with limited success.

Each site has their gimmick, and one that I looked at claims to do a personality assessment, yielded in the form of an astrological "reading" but with worse grammar and punctuation. If you've never heard of the Forer Effect, then I have prepared this profile just for you:

You have a great need for other people to like and admire you. You have a tendency to be critical of yourself. You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage. While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them. Disciplined and self-controlled outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure inside. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. You pride yourself as an independent thinker and do not accept others' statements without satisfactory proof. You have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, affable, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic. Security is one of your major goals in life.

Pretty accurate, neh? Well, of course it is as it defines the human condition in a way both vague and pointed.

So this site asked me some questions and then yielded a profile of me. I was vaguely impressed for about the first two sentences and then remembered Forer. So I put the question to you, dear reader, which of these three profiles best describes the me that you know?