It's been some time since I mentioned anything about Silyon*, my first conlang (created/constructed language). Since my last update on the project, I've only really added a few works to its lexicon. For the most part, it's in the past. There were some issues I couldn't figure out and/or things I didn't like.

I've started on creating a second language, still unnamed (I don't want to name it until I can pick a name that means something in the language). I'm still trying to figure out exactly what direction I want to take it. I've been tempted to create it more vocalic language (evidenced by carrying a Hawaiian dictionary around recently). This way I can create lots of vowels next to each other (as Pablo David Flores points out in his How to Construct a Language, "a word like Kilauea is not possible in many languages."

I still like the morphology of Iñupiaq (a northern Alaskan dialect of Inuit), which can be seen in the synthetic nature of my last language. This means my new language might be something similar to a combination of Hawaiian and Iñupiaq, although with a different root system (i.e., the actual "words" [roots] won't come from either, but will imitate them and their structure]. If I focus my efforts more on creating an Iñupiaq-like morphology, there's a very good chance my language will end up like Silyon. I'm not necessarily opposed to creating a "Reformed Silyon" language, because I would like to keep working on my first language.

I've also had thoughts about creating a more isolating language, simply to experiment with a different type of morphology. In this way, this new language would probably end up being more similar to Hawaiian, English, and Chinese (as far as grammar is concerned).

Basically, I'm still trying to decide what my "vision" is for this language. Once I can get that, it shouldn't be too difficult. I do have the phonetic inventory picked out, consisting of 11 consonants and 3 vowels (compared with 15 consonants, 7 vowels in Silyon; 8 consonants, 5+ vowels in Hawaiian; 21 consonants, 3+ vowels in Iñupiaq)**. In addition to the three vowels in this language, there is also a differentiation of vowel length. This means that "munga" and "muunga" could be considered two different words (or "latu" and "laatu"). I may abandon this idea, but it occurs in both Hawaiian and all Inuit dialects and generally seems interesting to me.

I did actually get some work on this language the other day. I've created a few words (won't post them yet- there still "experimental," just so I can play around with them). It's actually amazing at how I was able to get inspired at the new pub in Las Cruces. Yes- Las Cruces has a new pub: Brigid's Cross Irish Pub, located off of Picacho Hills Dr. It's actually pretty nice. I had my favorite, a white Russian. I even got to listen to a bit of Irish music: an Irish accordionist came in to play for the manager. I'm looking forward to their grand opening special the first Saturday in October.


*Note: Previously, I used the tag newlanguage or "new language," but have since renamed it to Silyon
**I use the terms 5+ and 3+ vowels because it depends on how you define a distinctive vowel and/or what a particular phoneme is.

Two years after seeing a Sci-Fi insider on Battlestar Galactica, I finally have tried it: the famed Cylon Shooter (check out this video). I wanted to make it right after I saw it, but lychee is not a common ingredient around here. As luck would have it, there's a fairly new (1-2 years old) "luxury" grocery store in town that carries it (I don't know why it took me so long to get over there and ask if they ever had it).

This drink contains lychee (the fruit), lychee juice, grenadine, Tobasco sauce, vodka, coconut creme, and a cherry. It's really cool because of the red look (goes along with the whole "cylon" thing). How does it taste? First one was rather terrible- until I got to the cherry. It seemed like a mixture of things that just hadn't quite blended together (which I might have needed to blend it more, perhaps?)... and then a nice, sweet cherry to close it with. That didn't stop me from having two more, however (I had enough of the base mixture blended). I think if it's actually done right, it might not be too bad- but it definitely has a kick to it. I rather like the harshness of the Tobasco and the sweetness of the cherry. Reason it might have been a bit off is that I haven't really dealt with lychee, didn't blend it long enough... or the substitution of lychee juice for a pomegranate-lychee tea (I could have juiced the lychee, but that would have taken a very long time to get enough juice for the drink).

Overall, it's worth trying if you can ever get some lychee (which is actually a very tasty fruit- my mom [who just tried the fruit and not this drink] thought it [the fruit] tasted like grapefruit). I don't think this would be a regular drink for me, unless I could find someone who makes it really well (I am not this person).

a

Spring break got off to a good start last night when I watched the first episode of "Doctor Who" Sadly, I didn't get to watch the second episode... yet. I'll catch one of the repeats. Instead, I went... out. Originally planning on going to Bennigan's, my friends and I decided to find someplace less crowded and noisy. Our second choice turned out to be crowded, so we settled for Applebee's. It was actually pretty fun- very much like my 21st birthday celebration... just a bunch of us sitting around talking. I ended up having a "Bullgarita" (Red Bull margarita- with Red Bull, Jose Cuervo, triple sec, and sweet & sour mix) and a nuclear rainbow (the second time I've had this shot- it's not bad).

Even though most traditions for St. Patrick's Day include making things green, I think I'm going to try for cylon shooters that day. Cylon shooters are red (if done properly). Tonight, I went out to dinner with my parents. Bennigan's didn't have lichee. Realizing it might be a little too "exotic" for this area, I might have trouble finding it- at least in a restaurant. I might try getting the ingredients myself and making each one of my friends (who aren't driving) have one on St. Patrick's Day. Poor soul who will end up being DD. With my luck, no one will agree to that and I'll end up being sober the entire time. Oh well. Party on. (Or study. Midterms come up soon).

Sometime in this next month, since I plan on visiting a bar at least once for St. Patrick's Day, I think I'd like to try out a Cylon Shooter (first premiered in a Sci-Fi insider last year)

-Galactica.net article
-Someone's blog (it has a nice picture of what a cylon shooter looks like)

Mmm... sounds tasty, doesn't it? (I mean, right? With tobasco sauce... and lichee [I don't even know what that is]). Hmm... well, it looks interesting. It'd be quite an experience, just like having a nuclear rainbow (that was actually pretty good).

Edit: A cylon shooter (drink) is not meant to be confused with an actual cylon shooter (shot glass).

Last night I went to my friend Ian's 21st birthday party (his birthday celebrating his 21st birthday- not the 21st birthday party he's attended/had- ha... linguistics joke. I'll shut up now). It was pretty fun, I mean, if you like the whole "interaction" thing with other humans in a non-virtual environment. Ian didn't get too drunk or anything. When I left at 1-ish in the morning, he could speak without slurring. A few others (including his girlfriend) did get pretty drunk, though. At one point in the night, I borrowed his girlfriend's car to take some people to get more liquor (and cranberry juice). When I gave her back her keys, she didn't even remember I had borrowed her car. "Here are your keys." "These are your keys?" "No, they're yours. I borrowed your car." "You borrowed my car?" That was pretty interesting.

Now that I've had my one social event of the semester, I think I'm going to avoid any as much as possible (not that it's difficult for me to avoid them). I think I've had enough interacting for one year.

I bought Ian a Roulette drinking game (complete with 6 shot glasses). It wasn't used last night, but he said he'll give me a call when he does so I can play, too. It's a good thing I'm busy with school (wink, wink) all next week. Actually, forget the winks. I really am going to be busy finishing up projects and studying for finals.

Just because I'm bored, I thought I'd talk a bit more about last night. The waiter was very cool. He let me sneak out the glass from my first shot (the nuclear rainbow) and brought me out a Crown Royal--- even though I was thinking I'd call it quits on the alcohol. Dispite Despite (typo) that, I stayed in control. I wasn't drunk by any means, even though I did chug down the nuclear rainbow and crown royal pretty quickly. I kept plenty of space between them while drinking my Dr. Pepper... and I sipped through my kamakazie. When the waiter brought the kamakazie out, he started doing the clap/cheer thing to try to get me to chug it as well... but then I said something about how I don't work well under pressure. Not to ruin everyone's fun, but I like being in control of my alcohol intake. Not everything has to be chugged down and taken in one large shot. I'm proud of myself for that.

I had pretty much reached this conclusion, but this helps solidify it. I don't know how much I'll actually drink in the future. This morning, as I was lying in bed [after getting home from the bar], I kind of thought I didn't like the feeling of having alcohol in me... not really a guilt thing, but the actual feeling of beeing buzzed... and of course, if I was drunk, it'd be... *cough* more interesting worse. Once in a while, alcohol might be okay (if I'm at a party where I don't know anybody, it might help me relax a bit), but mostly, I just don't care. I have better things to spend my money and time on [like the language I'm becoming obsessed with working on creating).

Almost two weeks after I turned 21 (on July 11 [or 7-11 in the American standard ]), I celebrated my birthday. Yes, I did celebrate my birthday with my family with cake and presents... but tonight I went to a bar. It was my first legal time in an U.S. bar. I didn't get drunk [or I wouldn't be able to type this entry]. I had 3 alcoholic beverages and a Dr. Pepper. The first drink I had was a Nuclear Rainbow, which has at least 6 (that I counted) ingredients. According to the recipe, however, it has 7- one for each color. I even managed to keep the glass used for that [thanks to my friend jacyl and the really cool waiter who served us tonight. Next, I had a kamakazie. (or possibly this recipe since it was served in, I believe, an old fashioned glass.) I was going to say that was all the alcohol I was going to drink for the night... but the waiter brownbrought (typo the first time... I just got home from the bar a few minutes ago) out some Crown Royal whiskey on the house. I chugged that [as I did the nuclear rainbow]. Then I finished my Dr. Pepper... and soon it was closing time at Applebee's.

I've realized I talk a lot about alcohol. Part of it might be that it's summer and I have nothing to do all day, so I've been browsing the Modern Drunkard Magazine website, which encourages heavy drinking. I had been determined to realize if drink is "right" or "wrong." I think I might start worrying people about how much I talk about alcohol... but then again, I hardly have much to say to people. Talking about alcohol just kind of gives me at least something to relate to others. Hmmm.... that's my current thinking, anyway... is that it establishes a common connection I have with people. *shrug*

I've been trying to figure out the measurements of various alcohol volumes--- ie, a "pony" and a "shot" in particular.

Pony = 3/4 ounce or 1 ounce

Shot = 1 ounce or 1.5 ounces

Jigger = 1.5 ounces

Tenth = 12.8 ounces, 378.88 mL

Mickey = 13 ounces

Pint = 16 ounces, .625 fifth

Fifth = 25.6 ounces, 1.6 pints, .8 quarts, 755.2 mL

Quart = 32 ounces, 944 mL

Gallon = 128 ounces

Everything seems mostly set... except a "pony" and a "shot" It's kind of annoying, though I think one ounce is usually thought of a shot. Pony... well, I'm not sure. Anyone know?

Also, here's a picture of my shot glasses:

Click here

I went to the Marlin last night to celebrate Shayna's birthday. Yes, the Marlin's a bar. No, I'm not 21. No, they didn't check ID at the door. No, I didn't drink. Well, I didn't drink because of my age--- I didn't drink because I had a final this morning at 10. I didn't even have one drink. Maybe I should have. Anyway, it was fun. Shayna got really drunk. So did John. It was their first time in a bar--- both of them. It was my 4th bar I've been in, 1st U.S. bar [the rest were in Canada].

My final went well today, despite not getting as much sleep as I should have. It was essentially open-book... My teacher let us use the dictionary. This made it very easy, concidering the bulk of the exam was translating Iñupiaq into English.

So maybe I could have had one drink? That nice cherry drink Shayna offered. I'll perhaps try it tonight... if they don't card at the door.

I do have a bottle of liquor... Smirnoff 100-proof vodka of some sort. Exciting stuff. Why do I not feel all that compelled to drink it now that I have it?

This supports my idea that ideas are better than reality--- it's in the idea of something, the hope that it offers, the dreams we dream while thinking about something is better than the real thing itself. *shrug*

Would it be so terribly wrong to be drunk for my creative writing final next Thursday? All of my other finals are either on or before Wednesday, May 05 [Cinco de Mayo and Shayna's 21st birthday]. Creative writing is my last final. I simply have to read out loud one of my stories {or part of one} for 7 minutes [or less]. I could do that drunk, right? :-P

Update: I signed up to read on this Thursday. So, next Thursay, I just have to sit down and shut up--- something I can easily do hung over. This means I'll be essentially done Wednesday afternoon. I do have a geography class Wednesday night--- but I just have to turn in my final {take-home... yay!} and listen to presentations.

So tonight I played Clue. I did not get drunk... but my colleagues did. It was fun, anyhoo. I just didn't feel like drinking. I had one shot... and just didn't want any more--- not even regular coke.

I finally got back to my room about 4am... and I saw on the floor my printed rainbow flag and my name tag. I went into my room and taped them both back up. I'm not thinking too much of it--- certainly it could be that someone doesn't like me or my sexual orientation and ripped those down (very probably, looking at the rainbow and how it was kind of ripped)... or it might have just been some drunk person who coincidentally hit the wall by my door, and accidenttally tore those two things down. *shrug* Either way, it was only my rainbow flag and the paper that has my name on it that was torn down. It is tempting to put up even more gay posters... but I think just re-taping up my rainbow is good enough.

Note: This entry was written February 25, 2004--- reflecting back to tell the tale of Friday, December 12, 2003.

The fall semester of 2003 was full of alcohol for me. It started with a trip to Whitehorse the weekend of September 28. That essentially was my "initiation" into Lathrop life [Lathrop being my dormatory]. After that, I would hang out with my friends on the weekend... often drinking.

On December 12, it was no different--- save for that the end of the term was near. I went into one room. I had a shot (or two). We went into another room after the bottle there was gone [they had already been drinking before I got in]. There, everyone was already pretty wasted. I was [if memory's correct--- heh] still mostly sober. I had another shot. After a while, a guy named Brian began his rant about how he hates faggots. He proceeded to walk out the room. He was out for a second, came back in and said he didn't want some faggot to ruin his night. I was also not wanting the night to be ruined. I believe it might have been my inquisition as to why he hates faggots that made him leave. Everyone in the room was telling me to just let it go. I tried. He kept up his rant, however. I turned to one of my friends, and took a shot--- no questions asked. That's when I decided to leave.

I went down to another friend's room... sort of angry and ranty, and with alcohol. He helped calm me down and helped me through that night... he, along with his girlfriend and her best friend [also one of my best friends].

Special note: Thank you SO very much for helping me out that night, John, Shayna and Jess.

We went to another party in another dorm. I believe that's where I stopped remembering. I remember going there, and I think I remember leaving... I'm not sure. I might remember hanging out again here, but it was a few months ago.

The next thing I remember is that I was in some room, refusing to take another shot... and then I went down to the lounge to talk with the desk attendant and one of my friends before I went to bed.

I keep thinking maybe I overreacted. True, getting upset was expected. I handled the situation good in some aspects--- I wans't mad. I was my usual inquisitive self. I love psychology and wanted to get to the roots of Brian's hatred. Blacking out, however... was quite irresponsible of me. I'm sure I never intended to seriously forget my problems away like I did. That has only been an expression, until that point in time. I'm not sure how it happened that I blacked out... I'm not sure if I drank out of hate and desire to forget... or if I drank because after I went to hang out with my friends, and it was just coincidental that I drank too much, too fast that I blacked out.

I guess I won't know. It did leave me with a good set of stories that others had to tell me--- like me singing "It's Raining Men," or me telling John something about my date the next night, being very complimentary towards him... and I'm sure there were others.

Now why does everyone think I wouldn't be able to handle vodka well? I mean, just because I'm a lightweight... and I've never drank (that they know of) doesn't mean I couldn't take vodka... say... 5 shots of it one night, not too spread out. I mean, why couldn't I?

Hmm.... in related news... uhh.... good question.

I have decided to take it upon myself to evaluate what commoners call "beer," an alcoholic {mind-altering} beverage. I am taking such a risk, all in the name of an anthropoligical/sociological study. It is purely in the name of science. As I participate in my own study, I will understand the reasons for altering one's mind and the carelessness and drunkardness that will follow. This knowledge will soon become my own, and I shall share with the world my findings.