* * * * * Constrained writing demoed via email exchange awhile ago Cadaeic Cadenza [1] (link via Jason Kottke [2]) is a “constrained writing,” where the constraint is each word has the number of letters corresponding to a digit in π (first word has three letters, second word has one letter, third word has four letters, and so on). It reminded me of an email exchange I had with my friend Hoade, wherein each email was constrained in some manner. It starts with a reply to Hoade: > From: Sean Conner > To: Sean Hoade > Subject: Re: Scooby Dooby Doo, Where Are You? > Date: Mon, 19 Jun 95 22:56:45 EDT > > A long long time ago in a network far far away, The Great Sean Hoade wrote: > > > Conman— > > > > Hello. Hope you are well. I am fine. Good. Help. I can just make one- > > syllable words, 'cept for the word “syllable.” > > > > Will try to keep this small. Can I count on you to come down here two > months from now? I look towards the day you are here. And I think I can > help you with your word choice. Too bad you had to use a long word there. > It is not hard to avoid those words. See? > > From: Sean Hoade > To: Sean Conner > Subject: cool > Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 17:27:19 -0500 (EST) > > Harder, methinks, writing choices using only two-time counting … > > From: Sean Conner > To: Sean Hoade > Subject: Re: cool > Date: Tue, 20 Jun 95 18:18:38 EDT > > Truthful wisdom indeed. Thinking dual phonems (spelling?) isn't easy. > Although practice ensures success. Agree? > (And yes, I still have problems speling) > From: Sean Hoade > To: Sean Conner > Subject: Re: cool > Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 20:06:21 -0500 (EST) > > Sentence fragments? Forswear fragments, Conner! (Asshole …) > > From: Sean Hoade > To: Sean Conner > Subject: Re: cool > Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 18:44:25 -0500 (EST) > > Attempting tripartite syllabic collections challenges heartily, Connerman. > > Personal opinion: redundant repeating selections crucify attempters > thoroughly. > The constrained emails died down for a few days, until this exchange: > From: Sean Hoade > To: Sean Conner > Subject: Four syllables? > Date: Mon, 26 Jun 1995 23:22:30 -0500 (EST) > > Enigmatic, mysterious communiques– incredible electronic correspondence!— > solidify, obviously computerized benedictions Hoade-to-Conner. > > Whaddyathink? > > Hoade > > P.S.—Aquarium! > > From: Sean Conner > To: Sean Hoade > Subject: Re: Four syllables? > Date: Mon, 26 Jun 95 22:51:18 EDT > > Incredible! Spectacular! Impressively unspeakable phenomenon! Untoppably > quisicential! > Did I mention that I kant spel? Anyway, a few months go by, and our last exchange of contrained emails: > From: Sean Hoade > To: Sean Conner > Subject: Re: Perfectly Prosaic Prose > Date: Sat, 27 Jan 1996 07:54:21 -0500 (EST) > > And because computers drain everyone's future—good! Have I just kinda loose > morals? No! Only pious, questioning rabbis say this (until vacuous women— > Xanax—yawn zestlessly). > > From: Sean Conner > To: Sean Hoade > Subject: Re: Perfectly Prosaic Prose > Date: Sun, 28 Jan 96 3:33:25 EST > > Zounds! Your xiphoid women vanguard unilaterally try soldierly responses > quickly. Personally, one needs many large Kaffirian juggernauts, > instigating hectoring grandiose fanaticism. Egads! Damnation! Cabalists be > aware! > Yeah, you try writing a twenty-six word paragraph in reverse alphabetical order and see how easy it is. Granted, what we did wasn't as difficult as writing a work with letter counts based on π or a book without the letter “E” [3] but that doesn't mean it was easy. [1] http://users.aol.com/s6sj7gt/cadtext.htm [2] http://www.kottke.org/remainder/07/09/14070.html [3] http://www.spinelessbooks.com/gadsby/ Email author at sean@conman.org .