(reprint from 06.04.2004)

I was initially charged with the responsibility of interviewing Gary Skinner, senior programmer at Leaping Lizard. Leaping Lizard is a small company that designed Magic Online. When I was given the assignment, I was a little confused: who cares about computers or magic.not me I’ll tell ya. Anyhoo, there is a point to this little intro: for legal reasons Gary couldn.t talk about the company or Magic Online. I still conducted the interview in the name of science. I guess.

The whole computer industry seems a little trite for someone in the fast-paced go-go world of education; what brought you to computers?
Well, as soon as me and my pals began approaching puberty, I noticed a change. They seemed less interested in hanging around and listening to records and playing AD&D. I really became aware of the change when I had planned a Friday night party and my best friend didn.t show up. I was going to DM and had even got old parchment paper and singed the edges with a lighter to use during the game. Friday night came around and the basement of my parents’ was set up and we even had tang and smores.provided by mother. We waited for awhile for Jon, but he never showed. I eventually found out that he went to a dance to see some girl. A girl psshaw!

I am still unclear what this story has to do with computers.
Well eventually me and my pals went our own ways. They started becoming more social at school, while I was at home with my Fiend Folio. By the time we got to high school, some of them even joined the model UN or other clubs to hang out with chicks. I couldn.t understand it. These pals of mine, that were so close to me, soon faded away. It was about this time that I got a Texas Instruments computer.

Finally, the computer: I had one of those. I even bought a book of programs for it; I would spend hours typing in the program but it would never work.
Maybe because you are dumb!
(Laughter)

Nope. I had friends. So the computer was your only friend?
It was for awhile.

Did you have a name for it? Did you cuddle it? “Mmmhh I love you typsey wipsey.”
Yes. I am going to marry a carrot.
(Laughter)

Good line. My favorite is “I think he’s talking to you.”
(Laughter)

Okay. So we were talking about how the computer was your only friend.
Shut up! It was not! I had punk rock.

The great ruiner; it has ruined everyone’s life as far as I can tell.
What? That’s just crazy talk.

Nope. Punk ruined everyone’s life. Maybe not now since punk has been dead since the 80’s.
Crazy talk I say! Punk was great. We would go to shows. I can still remember how me and my friends would pile in an old station-wagon to go see great shows: City Gardens, Pizaazz, or even the hung jury pub. All my friends I have now are because of punk. And the same goes for you. You only like it because it is a bunch of boys sweating and taking their shirts off!

Who told you my secret?
(Laughter)

So did you see I bought Danny a bottle of Jameson’s?
Oh God. Now he is going to make us listen to the Jack Palance country record or some other depressing nonsense.

Yeah he’s sad.

(Laughter)

But you see punk ruined his life!
No. That was alcohol.
(Laughter)

That is mean.

The conversation went downhill from here. It was mostly gossip and making fun of people behind their backs. Eventually, our friend Elisabeth showed up and we had a hat party and a Smiths dance party: alcohol the cause and solution to all our problems. This was of course after Danny played us some old-timey country record while drinking whisky. No fear we stopped him before he had a chance to play Nick Cave Kicking Against the Pricks. Saturday is for the rock not regret. That is why church is on Sunday. Jeez.