Transmission Issues

[derb]

Just when I thought the Boxster was running well...
Came home from work today and parked the car in the garage. Nothing unusual noticed on the drive home from DC. I do have an occasional grind from 2nd to 3rd if I try to shift too fast that I think is syncro related.
A couple of hours later I get in the car to leave and the transmission won't go into gear. After some wiggling around the car will shift into 3rd, 4th and 5th- or at least the lever moves like it is doing that. I could move the car slightly in those gears. No go into 1st, 2nd and reverse. I jacked the car up and the shift linkages are all connected, i.e. nothing obviously broken. The one shaft that moves into and out of the transmission longitudinally can be moved by hand and also by the shifter. The other linkage can't be moved by hand- that's the one that is connected to a slotted plate that pivots. Clutch pedal doesn't feel any different.
Anyone have any ideas what's going on?

Car info:
1999 Boxster
1998 build manual transmission
eBay short shifter
97,000 miles
Royal Purple 75w-90

Regards,
mike

ps: At work today I got to handle the Derringer that John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Lincoln. Very small with very ornate engraving. Thought that was kinda cool.