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 <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
To: Sean Hoade <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
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 <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
To: Sean Conner <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
Subject: cool
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 17:27:19 -0500 (EST)
> Harder, methinks, writing choices using only two-time counting …
From: Sean Conner <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
To: Sean Hoade <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
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 <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
To: Sean Conner <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
Subject: Re: cool
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 20:06:21 -0500 (EST)
> Sentence fragments? Forswear fragments, Conner! (Asshole …)
From: Sean Hoade <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
To: Sean Conner <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
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 <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
To: Sean Conner <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
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 <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
To: Sean Hoade <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
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 <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
To: Sean Conner <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
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 <spc@pineal.math.fau.edu>
To: Sean Hoade <shoade@sun1.iusb.edu>
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