This is my new feature for Email Interactive, called ‘Challenges.’ It is, obviously, not a game in the same sense that 20 Questions is a game. So here’s the idea:

I try something difficult, like a project of some type. When I quit/fail, I publish the challenge up here to see who’s determined enough to take on my challenge. Since I’m not sure what I plan to do for other types of challenges, I’m not going to create a strict default system to go by. But for this challenge, you will visit me on Instant Messenger at a scheduled time. To ask for a schedule, mail to dustan@sheltx.com. The subject necessary for Emailing to me is ‘Challenge030605 YOUR NAME GOES HERE!!!’ with this editing: In the designated spot, put your name. In my reply, I will ask for details, such as what you use for IM, or if you use IM, and then schedule a test, and of course, I will have to give you details on the test; that’s when you learn how it works! If you don’t use IM, I think I will be able to do it all via Email, but it may be difficult. You may test more than once. The challenge is a code that I created, but I just can’t seem to get myself working hard enough so that I can speak it fluently (it really is a HARD code, you'll soon find out). You may know the code ‘ubidubi’ from Zoom on PBS, which I watched when I was younger. Well, this code is much more difficult. Ubidubi is, quite simply put, you put ‘ub’ before every vowel. It is important that you read these rules in their entirety; I think everything that’s necessary is right here, but in case, you can ask me for more clarification at the Email above.

The rules, which follow, look terribly complicated. I find this happpens a lot; the rules look complicated, but turn out to be simply a lot more than you really need. Most of the headings are simply 'clarification' headings; they just make sure everyone gets a chance to understand.

Here are the rules to this code:
1. It is sound based. Look in rule # 5 for specifics.
2. Every vowel is changed from long to short, meaning that A as in ‘ant’ would become A as in ‘way.’
3. Every vowel is also changed to the next vowel in the alphabet (A to E, E to I, I to O, O to U, and U back to A). So an E would become an I, for example.
4. Rules 2 and 3 go together, obviously, so a long A in ‘say’ would become a short E in ‘sey,’ which would sound more like ‘seh’
5. In the word ‘moose,’ you hear a long U, not an O. Therefore, you treat it like a long U, not like an O. In the word ‘book,’ you hear a short U. If you have a Y that acts like a vowel, you obviously go by sound to pick which vowel is right. The one time you should go by the letter in writing rather than the sound of the letter is when it is followed by ‘r,’ like further and world. Then you go by the short vowel version of the letter.

Clarification on vowel changes:
A as in ‘jack’ changes to E as in ‘jeep.’
A as in ‘may’ changes to E as in ‘wet.’
E as in ‘wet’ changes to I as in ‘yikes.’
E as in ‘jeep’ changes to I as in ‘lip.’
I as in ‘lip’ changes to O as in ‘joke.’
I as in ‘yikes’ changes to O as in ‘mop.’
O as in ‘mop’ changes to U as in ‘blue.’
O as in ‘joke’ changes to U as in ‘pup.’
U as in ‘pup’ changes to A as in ‘may.’
U as in ‘blue’ changes to A as in ‘jack.’

Help on ‘long and short’ grammar:
Since you may have trouble on figuring out what the long and short vowels are, either because it’s been a long time since you learned it in elementary school, or just because you never pay attention in school, (I myself, the grammar freak, had trouble remembering which is which), I’m just going to flat out tell you. The long vowels are the ones that sound like the name of the letter itself. May, jeep, yikes, joke, and blue all use long vowels. The other vowel sounds are short vowels, and since there are exactly 5 others, they all correspond with specific letters. Jack, wet, lip, mop, and pup all use short vowels.

Clarification on the general changes to a word:
Jack becomes jeeck.
May becomes mey.
Wet becomes wiet.
Jeep becomes jip.
Lip becomes loep.
Yikes becomes yoks.
Mop becomes muep.
Joke becomes juk.
Pup becomes paep.
Blue becomes bla.

Clarification on the spelling of words modified by code:
All of the consonants remain the same.
Long vowels (after modified) are written in their new form, followed by an E to show that they are long.
Short vowels (after modified) are written in their new form, followed by the consonants that follow.

For more help: Use the link to my Email up above, or manually Email me a message based on the information in the link that follows.

Nobody's accepted my challenge yet! (not much of a surprise, but still, anyone out there?)