Maelstrom

Recruitment

Regarding the NPL tree, here's my little branch:

(Crossword Crosstalk and WILLz) —> Maelstrom

I first heard about the league from Panache and Amber's book, but, at the time, I didn't think I was up to the NPL quite yet (the concept of flats was a bit over my head). After submitting some puzzles to WILLz at NYT, he noted that my Milwaukie address reminded him of Sibyl and Smaug, and that I might be interested in the NPL, and that the next convention was in Portland. And here I am now.

Source: npl-folk email from Maelstrom.

First issue: Oct 1994

Recruits

None.

Nom

It's one of my favorite words. I first ran across it trying to solve a Robert Leighton cryptic in Games some time ago. It had to do with a maestro and a “musical maelstrom.” It stuck with me ever since.

Maelstrom and Matt Jones both contain 9 letters, and start with the same 2 letters. And how many 9-letter words can you think of that start and end with the same letter, and contain an uncommon combination of 2 vowels followed by a string of four consonants?

Take 2 letters and you get “maestro.” I've had quite a bit of experience with music in school (singing in choirs, jazz ensembles, etc.), and I'm currently studying music education, which involves conducting! (Hint, hint…)

Weird coincidences in my nom once I got to Willamette University: Maelstrom contains all the letters in Salem, OR, where Willamette is located. Also, there's a fairly big waterway running through campus called the Mill Stream. Just change 2 vowel sounds….

Even though “maelstrom” is often used in a negative connotation, I like to think of it in a positive sense (especially musical…), being surrounded by a swirling cacophony of sound, being drawn inward. I like the chaos theory, and maelstrom is nearly synonymous with “chaos.” Of course, I go with the good, natural chaos, unpredictable, but inevitable. I'm into all sorts of music, and there are certain types (techno, jazz, ambient, classical) which give me a mental image of being drawn inward into unpredictable sound. Well, that's my opinion, and I'd better stop here before I start getting Jungian…

Combinoms

  • Xeistrom: XEIPON/Maelstrom (Oct 95 #1, the infamous (?) “fig pirates” flat).
  • Jokestrom: Joker/Maelstrom (Nov 95 #11).
  • Qom: QED/Maelstrom (Sep 96 #46).
  • Maker: Maelstrom/Joker (Oct 95 #70).
  • Stromboli: Maelstrom/Lunch Boy (Nov 95 #77, Feb 96 #21).
  • Stromache: Maelstrom/Panache (Mar 96 #7).
  • Maeled: Maelstrom/QED (Mar 96 #54,Mar 96 #69, Apr 96 #62, Jun 96 #33).
  • Mae-F: Maelstrom/Gab-F (May 96 #34).

Offices

No data.


 
krewe/noms/maelstrom.txt · Last modified: 2006/12/12 03:42 (external edit)
 
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