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<channel>
	<title>The Benson Basement</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com</link>
	<description>OOPS, I BROKE THE SITE! Fix coming someday...</description>
	<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:57:25 +0000</pubDate>
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	<language>en</language>
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			<item>
		<title>Ode to the Dashing Young Man in the Mirror</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/ode-to-the-dashing-young-man-in-the-mirror/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/ode-to-the-dashing-young-man-in-the-mirror/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:28:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[ENG 255]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/ode-to-the-dashing-young-man-in-the-mirror/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Who is that dashing young man in the mirror
winking and shooting that classy thumbs-up?
Who is that hovering nearer and nearer
to utter perfection, up, up and up?
Who&#8217;s a gentleman in the most literal sense:
Gentle, in other words, yet bona fide man?
Who, in romance, spares no expense,
everything going according to plan?
Who&#8217;s got a brain the size of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Who is that dashing young man in the mirror<br />
winking and shooting that classy thumbs-up?<br />
Who is that hovering nearer and nearer<br />
to utter perfection, up, up and up?</p>
<p><span id="more-116"></span>Who&#8217;s a gentleman in the most literal sense:<br />
Gentle, in other words, yet <em>bona fide</em> man?<br />
Who, in romance, spares no expense,<br />
everything going according to plan?</p>
<p>Who&#8217;s got a brain the size of a melon,<br />
the flexing of neurons rocking a mountain?<br />
Who&#8217;s more inventive than the craftiest felon,<br />
brilliance erupting like a heavenly fountain?</p>
<p>Who, before himself, thinks of creation,<br />
&#8220;The last shall be first&#8221; taken to infinity?<br />
Who&#8217;s rocketing ever toward self-actualization<br />
And on to enlightenment, maybe divinity?</p>
<p>Who&#8217;s still rather humble despite the above,<br />
despite beauty of body, soul, and mind?<br />
Who&#8217;s merely a servant of hope and love<br />
sowing his gifts as boons to mankind?</p>
<p>Who&#8217;s - is that a zit?</p>
<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; - <em>ahem</em> -</p>
<p>Who&#8217;s not ashamed to look this crummy<br />
&#8217;cause he gave the poor his zit cream money?</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/ode-to-the-dashing-young-man-in-the-mirror/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>October</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/october/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/october/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:19:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[ENG 255]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/october/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Writing is like having a tooth pulled
&#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; with a fishing line
but instead of right there in my mouth,
the tooth is somewhere in my chest
and it&#8217;s gotta come all the way up and out
and I guess it&#8217;s not really a tooth anyway.
The Muse casts into my mouth
and the hook slides down my throat.
She [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Writing is like having a tooth pulled<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; with a fishing line<br />
but instead of right there in my mouth,<br />
the tooth is somewhere in my chest<br />
and it&#8217;s gotta come all the way up and out<br />
and I guess it&#8217;s not really a tooth anyway.</p>
<p><span id="more-115"></span>The Muse casts into my mouth<br />
and the hook slides down my throat.<br />
She grins and winks, and pulls up the hood on her poncho.</p>
<p>Smog swirls in my heart<br />
and the hook dips deep in the depths<br />
and I feel it teasing unexpected selves down there -<br />
unexpected, yet familiar.</p>
<p>The Muse yanks, and on its way out the hook scrapes<br />
and I bleed bad writing.<br />
I cough it up, horrified.<br />
And then I take a little jar<br />
and frantically collect it all<br />
- like candy from a piñata -<br />
because I know it&#8217;s my blood.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/october/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Two</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/the-two/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/the-two/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:14:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[ENG 255]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/the-two/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[He stands on her porch, heart galloping.
He leans in - his lips meet hers.
Fiery hair and cerulean eyes splash his face with color.
Wildflowers erupt in his chest, blooming like fireworks.
PAUSE.
REPLACE REDHEAD WITH BRUNETTE.
RESUME.
Rushing rivers of warmth stampede through him.
Energy flutters from lips to toes.
Their bodies separate, his heart still quaking.
Her brown eyes say, Love only [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>He stands on her porch, heart galloping.<br />
He leans in - his lips meet hers.<br />
Fiery hair and cerulean eyes splash his face with color.<br />
Wildflowers erupt in his chest, blooming like fireworks.</p>
<p>PAUSE.<br />
REPLACE REDHEAD WITH BRUNETTE.<br />
<span id="more-113"></span>RESUME.</p>
<p>Rushing rivers of warmth stampede through him.<br />
Energy flutters from lips to toes.<br />
Their bodies separate, his heart still quaking.<br />
Her brown eyes say, Love only happens once.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/the-two/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>findTrueLove.py</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/findtruelovepy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/findtruelovepy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:12:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[ENG 255]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Python]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/findtruelove/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I wrote this &#8220;poem&#8221; for my English 255 course in Fall &#8216;08. It&#8217;s in Python (mostly)!
It was a formatting nightmare, so you&#8217;ll have to look at the PDF file!
READ IT.
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I wrote this &#8220;poem&#8221; for my English 255 course in Fall &#8216;08. It&#8217;s in Python (mostly)!</p>
<p><span id="more-112"></span>It was a formatting nightmare, so you&#8217;ll have to look at the PDF file!<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/findtruelove.pdf">READ IT.</a></strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/findtruelovepy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lexcess</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/lexcess/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/lexcess/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:19:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Python]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[software]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/lexcess/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Random letters appear on the screen one by one. Form words to eliminate letters and score points. The letters come faster and faster, and when they fill the screen, you lose!
DOWNLOAD LEXCESS 0.9 (MS Windows)
GET SOURCE CODE
TO RUN LEXCESS:
Double-click the downloaded file. This will open the Lexcess installer. Follow its directions. Then, whenever you want [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/lexcessscreen.png" alt="Lexcess Screenshot" /></p>
<p>Random letters appear on the screen one by one. Form words to eliminate letters and score points. The letters come faster and faster, and when they fill the screen, you lose!<span id="more-110"></span><br />
<br/><a href="http://lexcess.googlecode.com/files/Lexcess%200.9%20Setup.exe"><strong>DOWNLOAD LEXCESS 0.9</strong></a> (MS Windows)<br />
<a href="http://code.google.com/p/lexcess/"><strong>GET SOURCE CODE</strong></a></p>
<p><br/><strong>TO RUN LEXCESS:</strong><br />
Double-click the downloaded file. This will open the Lexcess installer. Follow its directions. Then, whenever you want to play Lexcess, find it in the Start Menu.</p>
<p>Lexcess is in BETA, which means there may still be bugs! If you encounter any bugs (e.g. crashes) or have any suggestions, please leave a comment describing the problem in detail. Or just leave a comment saying what you think of the game!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/lexcess/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hope College Norovirus Simulator</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/misc/hope-college-norovirus-simulator/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/misc/hope-college-norovirus-simulator/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:24:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Miscellaneous]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Hope College]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Python]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[software]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/misc/hope-college-norovirus-simulator/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Relieve your quarantine-induced boredom for forty seconds or so with my new Norovirus Simulator! Watch the disease spread via person-to-person contact or a contaminated environment (AKA piles of puke). Includes realistic barfing sounds, recorded by actual Norovirus victims!

DOWNLOAD THE NOROVIRUS SIMULATOR
TO RUN NOROVIRUS SIMULATOR:
Unzip the downloaded file by right-clicking on it and selecting &#8220;Extract all&#8230;&#8221;. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/norovirus2.PNG" alt="Norovirus Simulator Screenshot" /></p>
<p>Relieve your quarantine-induced boredom for forty seconds or so with my new Norovirus Simulator! Watch the disease spread via person-to-person contact or a contaminated environment (AKA piles of puke). Includes realistic barfing sounds, recorded by actual Norovirus victims!<br />
<span id="more-107"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/norovirus-simulator.zip"><strong>DOWNLOAD THE NOROVIRUS SIMULATOR</strong></a></p>
<p><strong>TO RUN NOROVIRUS SIMULATOR:</strong><br />
Unzip the downloaded file by right-clicking on it and selecting &#8220;Extract all&#8230;&#8221;. Click through the Wizard that pops up, using all default options. This will create a folder called &#8220;norovirus-simulator&#8221; in the same location as the downloaded file. Open that folder and double-click &#8220;NorovirusSimulator.exe&#8221;.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.bensonbasement.com/misc/hope-college-norovirus-simulator/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>To my aging dog</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/to-my-aging-dog/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/to-my-aging-dog/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:42:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[ENG 255]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/news/to-my-aging-dog/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Like a shabby marriage renewed in terminal illness
My love for you is reborn in your dawning senility.
Remember that time you cried all night?
I remember it like I was there.
Now, sand in your hourglass slips through my white-knuckled fingers.
Your arthritic, underwalked legs mosey from bed to couch, couch to bed.
Your bowels don&#8217;t give a crap anymore.
Your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Like a shabby marriage renewed in terminal illness<br />
My love for you is reborn in your dawning senility.</p>
<p><span id="more-106"></span>Remember that time you cried all night?<br />
I remember it like I was there.<br />
Now, sand in your hourglass slips through my white-knuckled fingers.</p>
<p>Your arthritic, underwalked legs mosey from bed to couch, couch to bed.<br />
Your bowels don&#8217;t give a crap anymore.<br />
Your tail is listless.<br />
Your ears - wait - can you even <em>hear </em>this?</p>
<p>&#8230;Well?</p>
<p>Whatever, just stop pooping on the carpet, ok?</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lake Sohcahtoa: Campground of Horrors</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/lake-sohcahtoa-campground-of-horrors/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/lake-sohcahtoa-campground-of-horrors/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:49:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[RC Games]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Sohcahtoa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/lake-sohcahtoa-campground-of-horrors/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
From the makers of the Amulet of Yendor Trilogy comes this incredible menu-based adventure game. You must fight your  way through seven days of summer camp and avoid injury at all cost! How will you  stack up against the pros?

-Encounter the mighty Bigfoot!
-Explore dangerous caverns!
-Attempt to pick up chicks!
-Escape the outhouse dungeons!
Lake Sohcahtoa: [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/soctshirtresized.PNG"><img src="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/soctshirtresized.thumbnail.PNG" /></a></p>
<p>From the makers of the <a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/tag/amulet-of-yendor/"><em>Amulet of Yendor</em></a> Trilogy comes this incredible menu-based adventure game. You must fight your  way through seven days of summer camp and avoid injury at all cost! How will you  stack up against the pros?<br />
<span id="more-102"></span></p>
<p>-Encounter the mighty Bigfoot!<br />
-Explore dangerous caverns!<br />
-Attempt to pick up chicks!<br />
-Escape the outhouse dungeons!</p>
<p><em>Lake Sohcahtoa: Campground of Horrors</em> was originally released in 2005 on the TI-83+ graphing calculator. (<a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/lake-sohcahtoa-flier.pdf">See promotional material here</a>.) It has been <a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/about-porting-games-from-the-ti-83-plus/">ported</a> to the browser-based “Sasquatch Edition” below. It is followed by a sequel, <em>Sohcahtoa High School</em> (coming soon to the Benson Basement).<br/><br />
<strong>PLAY THE GAME:</strong><br />
<iframe src="http://www.bensonbasement.com/qml/index.php5?quest=campgrnd" width="500" height="350">Your browser does not support internal frames.</iframe></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Greatest Singer</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/the-greatest-singer/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/the-greatest-singer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Mar 2008 05:06:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[ENG 254]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[short stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/the-greatest-singer/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Prompted by his enthusiastic father, a tone-deaf prince sings in front of the whole kingdom. I wrote this short story for my Creative Writing: Fiction (ENG 254) class in Fall 2007.

Read/download the PDF
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Prompted by his enthusiastic father, a tone-deaf prince sings in front of the whole kingdom. I wrote this short story for my Creative Writing: Fiction (ENG 254) class in Fall 2007.<br />
<span id="more-101"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/thegreatestsinger.pdf" title="The Greatest Singer" target="_blank">Read/download the PDF</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.bensonbasement.com/writing/the-greatest-singer/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Amulet of Yendor 3: The Final Battle</title>
		<link>http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/amulet-of-yendor-3-the-final-battle/</link>
		<comments>http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/amulet-of-yendor-3-the-final-battle/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Mar 2008 03:54:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Garrison Benson</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Amulet of Yendor]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[RC Games]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/amulet-of-yendor-3-the-final-battle/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The thrilling conclusion to the Amulet of Yendor trilogy. You must pursue the Shrew of Yendor in his underground castle, collecting equipment along the way in preparation for a battle of epic proportions.

Amulet of Yendor 3: The Final Battle is preceded by the original Amulet of Yendor and Amulet of Yendor 2: Thy Quest Continues.
Amulet [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The thrilling conclusion to the <em><a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/tag/amulet-of-yendor/">Amulet of Yendor</a></em> trilogy. You must pursue the Shrew of Yendor in his underground castle, collecting equipment along the way in preparation for a battle of epic proportions.<br />
<span id="more-91"></span><br />
<em>Amulet of Yendor 3: The Final Battle</em> is preceded by the original <em><a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/amulet-of-yendor/">Amulet of Yendor</a></em> and <em><a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/games/amulet-of-yendor-2-thy-quest-continues/">Amulet of Yendor 2: Thy Quest Continues</a></em>.</p>
<p><em>Amulet of Yendor 3: The Final Battle</em> was originally released on the TI-83+ graphing calculator, accompanied by a <a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/yendor-3-contest.pdf" title="See the announcement and rules">contest</a>: whoever was first to complete the game would win the second most fantastic possession known to man (the first being the Amulet of Yendor itself). After about an hour and a half of rigorous play, Gina Rome emerged as the victor and was named &#8220;Champion of Yendor&#8221;. For her efforts, she was rewarded with a <a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/pictures/wizard-of-yendor-puppet/">Wizard of Yendor puppet</a>. Later that day, the Amulet of Yendor trilogy was named <a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/rcgames_award.JPG" title="See the award">Rogue Club&#8217;s &#8220;Game of the Year&#8221; for 2004</a>.</p>
<p><em>Amulet of Yendor 3</em> has been <a href="http://www.bensonbasement.com/about-porting-games-from-the-ti-83-plus/">ported</a> to the web-based &#8220;Mithril Edition&#8221; below.<br/><br/></p>
<p><strong>PLAY THE GAME:</strong><br />
<iframe src="http://www.bensonbasement.com/qml/index.php5?quest=yendor3" height="350" width="500">Your browser does not support internal frames.</iframe></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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