Merlins Tower

What is Twitter?

Posted on March 9th, 2008 by Merlin.
Categories: Adult, Cell Phone, Communication, Freeware, Gadgets, Human, Video, Web Service, YouTube.

What is Twitter you ask - I mentioned it in a earlier blog and got a question to explain it - Well, instead of re-inventing the wheel I will post the video from CommonCraft - Who did the earlier video about what is a blog.

So, now start following your friends 140 Characters at a time.

Technorati Tags: twitter, tweet, twittering, mini, blog, personal, people, comunication, common, craft, video, youtube

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Chatting Online - The Good The Bad and The New

Posted on November 23rd, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Adult, Anything Else, Communication, Free, Freeware, Human, Web Service.

I don’t know how many of you readers chat online - But I do every once in a while with several friends from across the wide Internet. Friends from High School, Friends from College, Friends that I have met along the way. Well Mostly I have used text chat programs - Well Meebo.com (Free online Chat Program  that connects you to all your friends) to be exact.

But, Recently one of my friends introduced me to 3d Chatting when we saw it on CSI. They were using Second Life.

But he stumbled upon a similar program that is much cheaper to user (FREE!!!) It is called IMVU - IMVU - I think spoken like ICQ.com (I MV U) is a really cool 3d Chat Client - You can have 3d Rooms that multiple people can chat in at one time, you can dress your 3d Avatar, fly, build rooms, build chat environments and much more.

I used this with several of my friends where we had a blast using the 3d environment to have some fun and play around in. Depending on the room, clothing you wear and what actions you bought (Yes you can buy things but Honest it really is free if you just use and play with the basics)  - You can add new life into your chats.

Since, this is free to use and chat with - I would recommend trying this out with a few friends - or perhaps meet a few new friends with the “Find Someone to Chat with Button” You will have a blast.

Merlin

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Exercise for the Mind: Free Daily Crossword Puzzles

Posted on March 7th, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Analog, Communication, Free, Freeware, Game, Hack, Health.

I enjoy trying to exercise my mind and one of my favorite past times is working on crossword puzzles.

Recently I was shown the puzzles at Puzzlers Cave there are hundreds of puzzles available to play and solve - and the best part is there is nothing to join or pay for. Being free is even better then learning a new word or concept from a well devised puzzle. The Cruciverbalist (Someone that makes a crossword puzzle) come up with some of the most interesting puzzles.

The only problem is that you can not take them with you. So, if you need a puzzle or two to take with you on the bus or to pretend to look smart the next time you head out for a cup of joe at the local coffee shop feel free to visit the puzzle archive at the CapCod Times Website.

And if you need to some help on crossword puzzles check out my previous article on crossword puzzles and solvers.

Technorati Tags: crossword, puzzle, crossword+puzzle, cruciverbalist, printable, freeware, free, mind+exercise, exercise, exercise+for+the+mind

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Online Tool: Visuword - Online Visual Dictionary

Posted on February 1st, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Communication, Free, Freeware, GTD, Hack, Journaling, Notetaking, Office, Search Engine, Web Service.

Previously I wrote about the Visual Thesaurus and now I found another cool online word tool - VisuWord - They call it the online visual dictionary. I have to agree - I like how it interlinks the words and visually shows you which words are related and which ones are the same and which ones are opposite. This can be a fairly useful tool - Not something I will use everyday but can be quite useful to have in your arsenal of word tools. Like using a mind map but of words and their inter-relationship.

Technorati Tags: visuword, visual, word, words, dictionary, thesaurus, online, tool, online+tool, mind, map, mind+map, gtd, hack

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Guide to Writing in Elvish - Free Online Tutorial

Posted on January 29th, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Analog, Anything Else, Art, Communication, Drawing, Free, Freeware, Hack, Journaling, Movies, Sketching, Tutorial, Weird Stuff.

Had a long hard week and for some fun I learned a new language - well only learned how to write in Elvish. Ever see those fancy scrolls in Lord of the Rings or any of the other movies / books / games that have Elvish Language written on them? Well This web page has a quick and easy guide on how to convert any english writing in very artistic and fancy elvish writing. Well To the left is my first time trying to write Merlins Tower in Elvish. It really is pretty easy to follow along and accomplish. I can see doing this with a nice broad nibbed fountain pen or a wide italic cut nib. I didn't have any of my wide nibs with me so I had to make due with what I had at hand. This was accomplished with my art book using a find sharpie marker to get the nice broad strokes. (I filled in the lines I drew) I really want to try this out with some of my calligraphy pens when I have a free moment. This guide can be printed out for ease of use. This would be pretty good for making your own scrolls and Mystical Books. Or if you just want to hide what you are writing.

Well thats all for today - Enjoy - Stay Warm and enjoy some nice tobacco in your pipe - You know I am. 8 :-?  <– Merlin Smoking a Pipe  

Technorati Tags: calligraphy, handwriting, fountain, pen, fountain+pen, ink, art, elvish, lord, of, the, rings, scroll, writing

4 comments.

Free Sample of Various Handwriting Font Styles Print and Italic

Posted on January 16th, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Adult, Analog, Anything Else, Art, Communication, Craft, Firefox, Fountain Pens, Free, Freeware, Hack, Journaling, Notetaking, Office.

Did you ever wonder what we are talking about when you see the different styles of handwriting. Here is a link for homeschoolers and / or anyone interested in seeing the visual style of the various handwriting that is taught all over the world.

Draw Your World has sample sheets in the form of smaller images showing all the letters for all the forms of writing. From Getty-Dubay, D'Nealian Style, Palmer Handwriting Italic and Cursive,  Handwriting Without Tears, Zaner-Bloser Style. I am sure if anyone wants a small reference card these can be easily printed out. (I have not tried but looks like they should be large enough for reference) - These samples were printed out from the Starwrite Handwriting Software - Which if you want to try it out lets you try it unhindered for one time only. (So, make sure you get the most use from the first time you run it. Even Print it out to a PDF) From what I saw if you were homeschooling I would recommend trying this out and purchase if you like how it works, By the Way the program is only $39 at Starwrite Handwriting or $35 at Draw Your World.

But if you are just looking for a few FREE graphics to print out check out Studio Arts Guide to Italic Handwriting. (Click on the image on the left column to display it on the right - At that point if you are using Firefox (Highly Recommended) or IE you can right click on the image and hit the save as to save the images to your hard drive and print out later on) They have a nice chart, font families, guide, practice sheets and more for your use.

You can also check out dnealian.com for some addtional samples and primer on the D'Nealian Style of handwriting - Very Similar to the Getty-Dubay Style. 

Technorati Tags: Italic, handwriting, font, art, calligraphic, word, free, palmer, zaner, bloser, cursive, getty, dubay, dnealian, getty-dubay, homeschool, practice, adult,

1 comment.

Free Handwriting Practice Paper

Posted on January 16th, 2007 by Merlin.
Categories: Adult, Analog, Craft, Fountain Pens, Free, Freeware, Hack, Journaling, Notetaking, Tutorial, Web Service.

Greetings Everyone - a loyal reader Dave was kind enough to send this tip for  to me to share with the rest of the readers. It is where to get a PDF of handwriting practice paper. It is designed for children but can be quite useful when you want to practice your new found love of cursive or italic handwriting. Note if your printer can do it print it 2 per sheet to allow you a smaller line for more adult sized writing ** Great Tip Dave  - THANKS**

The Paper is available here - just save out the PDF file to your computer and you will be good to go. (Sounds like a Taco Bell Commercial)

Now I didn't print this our for myself by upon inspection this paper is similar to that is included in the back of the write now book. I can see using this when I get a new fountain pen and just want to play with how the nib works and writes without scribbling in my journal.

Technorati Tags: Fountain+Pen, Fountain, pen, Ink, writing, free, worksheet, pdf, print, practice, help, guide, cursive, handwriting, writing

1 comment.

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