April 2021

• April 27, 2021
• April 26, 2021
• April 8, 2021
• April 2, 2021

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April 27, 2021 - OOC Community Garden - Report #2

This is part of my ongoing series of blog posts, reporting on what is going on with the Oklahoma Objector Community’s Community Garden plot (with all produce being grown either being given to folks in need, or sold and the funds used to help folks in need).

Today I did planting. Since, I’m using the square foot method, I’m recording what get planted in each square foot, with the plots being designated as follows (FYI, each square gets a letter and a number. The letter represents the bed, while the number represents the square foot).

Hopefully we’ll see some seeds germinating soon, especially if we get a little warmer weather.

Note: All seeds were from American Seed Co., except for: A5-12, A18 (Burpees), A17, A20 (Botantical Interests Organic)

April 26, 2021 - An introduction to the Óakik system of phoenetic writing in English

Click here to read this introduction in Óakik

When I was a young person, I was a language nerd, so of course I took Spanish in High School (the first chance I could take a foreign language in my rural school) and discovered to my delight, that Spanish is written phonetically, so much so that I was able to read almost anything aloud in Spanish before long, even if I was unable to understand all that I had read.

That got me thinking about the English language, and why we hadn’t developed a better way of writing which would not only be easier for young people to learn but would also be easier for immigrants to learn. And so I developed a script that I called “Oaklandic.” I continued to play with script over the years (especially when I went through a long stretch of interest in the concept of microstates) but in time abandoned it.

Fast forward about 20 years — I’m still a language nerd, but now am learning Yiddish (via duolingo) and falling in love with the way that Yiddish has taken a Germanic language but have written it in, in a very simple system of Hebrew characters, but with some twists to make vowels work (without using the complicated niqqud dots)… which makes me think, maybe my old phonetic version of English would be do-able, but with some additional changes to make it easier to type using a standard US-International keyboard layout.

So here is the system (renamed to be Óakik):

An Introdukshun tÚ the Óakik sistim uv fÓnetic rÍting in Énglish

Win Í wuz á yung person, Í wuz á langúaj nerd, só uv kors Í túk Spanish in Hí Skúl (thé first chans I kud ták a foren langúaj in mí rural skúl) and discovered tú mí délít that Spanish is written fonetikalé, só much só that Í wuz ábel to réd almóst anéthing aloud in Spanish béfor long, évin if Í wuz unábel to understand al that Í had red.

That got mé thinking about thé Énglish langúaj, and wí wé hadn’t dévelopd á beter wá ov ríting, which wúd not ónlé be ézéer for yung pépel tú lern but wúd also bé ézéer for imigrants to lern. And só Í dévelopd a skript that Í cald “Oaklandic.” I kuntinyúd to pláy with thé skript óver thu yirz (espeshalé win Í wint thrú a long strech of interest in thé konsept uv mícróstáts) but in tím ahbandund it.

Fast forward about 20 yirz — Í am stil á langúaj nerd, but now Í am learning Yiddish (via Duolingo) and am faling in luv with the wá that Yiddish haz tákin á Germanic langúaj but hav writin it with a veré simpel sistem of Hébrú karacters, but with sum twists tú mák vowels work (but without úzing thé komplikáted sistim of nikúd dots), wich máks mé think that mábe mí óld fonetic sistim of Énglish wúd bé dú-abel, espeshalé if I mád sum chánjez to mák it ézéer tú típ yúzing á standard US-internashunal kébord láyout.

Só héar iz thu sistim (rénámd to bé Óakik):

April 8, 2021 - Beer Review – Coop Ale Works – Hook Echo

Review

Purchased from an Oklahoma liquor store. Poured from a 12 oz. can into a glass. Kinda had to get it as an Okie, given the “hook echo” reference.

Very attractive golden liquid with big white head. Lots of hop aroma, some citrus.

Flavor is full — definitely lots of hops, but not overpowering, with more citrus and spruce notes than bitter. Some pineapple and a slight bit of grapefruit, some spices.

Medium to full mouthfeel, very smooth.

This is a good one, might be my new favorite summer beer, seasonally appropriate but still complex and interesting.

More Info

• CoopAleWorks.com
• BeerAdvocate.com Listing

April 2, 2021 - Playing Golf at Fort Sill

Yesterday, I got the chance to play a quick 9 holes of golf at the Fort Sill Golf Course so I thought I would share some pictures and give my impressions (unfortunately I can only comment on the front 9).

1. The course is very nice with lots of very old big trees, a rarity at golf courses in this part of Oklahoma. I have to think it would make for a very pleasant round in the summer. There are some views of the Wichita Mountains on some holes.
2. The course is well maintained with decent greens.
3. No water features (at least on the front 9) which means I didn’t lose nearly as many balls as I normally lose.
4. I didn’t have time to eat in their little cafe, but the menu looked good and there were a fair number of folks in there for lunch. The course does bar outside food and drink, but they have a decent selection of soft drinks and some beer, the best being Shiner Bock (at $3/can).
5. There is a nice back patio on the clubhouse (which presumably would be a great place for cigar smoking).
6. Very nice folks out playing on the course —including two parties that kindly let me play through. And there was a wide range of ages and races among those playing, which is always nice to see.
7. About half of the folks were in carts and half were walking.
8. The price was good — I think it was $17 for the 9 holes with a cart.
9. Access to post is required to play, but assuming one has no warrants or serious criminal convictions, it is not hard to get a pass to the post. Just go to the Fort Sill VCC (Visitor’s Control center) by the main gate, bringing along a photo ID. It will likely take about 30 minutes (unless you get lucky on the line) and if you plan to play often, you should ask the officer to give you a longer pass which will cover multiple visits.