Honour's Post Menopausal View

Yes, My Blog Has Moved

2011-11-08T18:59:00.000-08:00

Catharsis (moderate)

This seemed as good an image as any to illustrate the process of moving my blog. The fact that there's a move afoot to link google profiles with blogger and the annoying "security" process in place forced my hand. This is annoying because I like blogger - it works.

I'm sure I've messed up various things and I'll try and get them fixed. I'll also be tweaking but, I hope, no wholesale changes and at some point I'll figure out why links don't always want to work etc.

Two things didn't make it over - the videos I've posted are missing and my Travels Sorted by Maturity Rating. I'll be starting a new page of them but the old one will remain for as long as possible.

I apologize to all of you using RSS Feeds and who kindly link to me on their blogrolls - but I couldn't take the chance that the blog would vanish completely. I'm attached to it. :)

All future posts will be available solely on the Wordpress site. I hope you'll continue to follow my inworld adventures!

The Finale of the Avatar Games 2011 in Second Life

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Avatar Games Trophy

Yesterday was the finale of the first (and perhaps only) season of the Avatar Games. 8 of the eligible finalists ran the course - but there were some changes made. First of all Bryn reversed the course so they started at, what had been, the finish and ran down the hill to the former "start". She added an additional refrackenbackem and a lot of trap cages and she had the bridge over the cess pool rotate. The only new rule was that anybody jumping off a cliff to speed their journey would be orbited.

You know things couldn't go smoothly, this has been a twilight-zonish experience from the beginning and yesterday was just plain weird. The start was delayed when we found the contestants arriving at the finish line - the old start landmark. That took a while to sort out and for some reason a lot of really good suggestions thrown at them were ignored by the Powers That Be.

Contestant #1 disappeared approaching the first turn. We thought maybe Bryn was being a stickler and detected some foot fault and orbited him. Contestant #2 vanished just before the finish line. We couldn't figure out what happened to him. Then there was a delay followed by a shout in chat. It turned out they'd left damage enabled and we'd murdered the first two runners. sigh

Crap kept channeling Vera Lynn and a large contingent of french speaking audience members, with fine musical taste, rebelled. Another member of the audience found a terrific old tune he really liked and decided to broadcast on voice. I hid behind the curtains. It all got done in the end - but I was exhausted and I'm pretty sure Crap's medications had worn off.

I have to congratulate Bryn Oh on her build, Sasun Steinbeck on her scripts, Taralyn Gravois and Galea Yates for their work wrangling the contestants, Geo Meek for livestreaming and ColeMarie Soleil for her randomness. I also want to thank our audience who tolerated us and encouraged us and couldn't shoot for sh*t.

In spite of months of abuse; forcing me to listen to him eat all types of comestibles on mic; working on Words With Friends, Twitter, emails, Facebook and Plurk instead of focusing on the runners; the day he ran (shall we say) "under the weather"; the constant denigration of both my professionalism and the nobility of our endeavour; I might, perhaps, in a while have some fond memories of working with Crap Mariner. My agent owes me big time for this one.

Oh yes, the winner of the trophy and the prize of L$15,000 was Fei (Bourdeille) Feice with a time of 1 min 28 sec. Congratulations to Fei and everybody who challenged themselves and this sadistic course. I really hope to see you all again at a future games and I have no idea what I'll do now with those spare hours every week.

I need a Dictionary of Synonyms for Tyrehl Byk's Catharsis in Second Life

2011-11-06T06:05:00.000-08:00

Catharsis (moderate)

"Stunning" is the word most frequently used by audience members at the conclusion of a performance of Tyrehl Byk's show Catharsis yesterday on LEA6. But that isn't adequate.

The dictionary tells me synonyms would include beauteous, brilliant, dazzling, devestating, excellent, famous, fine first-class, first-rate, gorgeous, great, heavenly, impressive, lovely, out of this world, pretty, ravishing , remarkable, royal, sensational, smashing, spectacular, striking, superior and wonderful. We're getting closer but this post isn't long enough to do it justice.

Catharsis (moderate)

I'd tell you some of the other comments but you wouldn't believe me. It would all sound like hyperbole unless you had been there yourself.

You start at a landing spot in a high flying group of caves, wander a bit til you find the Event Horizon portal and then enter the theatre. Sit yourself down, remove all of your huds and scripted objects (this is important!) then hit escape 6 or 7 times and let the chair control your camera. One of the unique aspects of this show is that all of you in the audience (with some discrepancies for connections) are seeing the same thing at the same time. The experience is truly shared.

Catharsis (moderate)

I should try and explain "what" this is and the closest I can come is a particle show. But it's not like any particles I've ever seen. I know he's done something along these lines before and I'm kicking myself that I didn't see it.

You must go see this performance. Tyrehl will take you on a journey that affects you emotionally as well as visually and the music not only adds to the trip but injects some humour at stages where it is most appreciated.

I took my "son" to the show yesterday because he's been in a funk. I wasn't really sure how he'd react but he was as thrilled as everybody else, from the most jaded to the most ingenuous, and I am confident you will be as well.

Catharsis (moderate)

As somebody who likes to take photographs this was a little frustrating. I couldn't move my camera and couldn't adjust any settings - so these images have nothing of "me" in them. This is more than satisfactory on this occasion because the images you will see are spectacular. My "screen captures" don't however give you the sense of movement and creation that is inherent in this show.

Set your view distance to 250, move the particle slider as high as it will go, remove everything scripted, set your sun to midnight, make sure your room is dark and just give yourself over to Tyrehl for the duration. You'll be glad you did. The schedule is always being updated so find a time that works for you and please, please go see Catharsis!

Catharsis (moderate)

We Interrupt This Stream of SL Posts For a Brief Dedication

2011-11-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

Back in my younger days I fell in love with this older guy - one with smarts and a ridiculous charm and a complete disregard for many of life's rules. It was a period of time when many of us avoided disco and the rest of the 70's and found country - in particular my never ending passion for Waylon Jennings which outlasted my affair with the man I'll call TM but is all bound up into the same memories.

He could be an ass at times. The song above is one he insisted reminded him of me - and no my name isn't Susan, he'd substitute mine in the lyrics. It actually didn't seem like a bad song for him to pick. Years after we parted I passed through his town and had dinner with TM and his wife. The idiot got up in the middle of the meal and put this on the stereo and made sure she knew it was about me. sigh

I learned today that there won't be a possibility of any future dinners together. The memories though are mostly happy ones and I want to dedicate the next video to him. To TM and to my wish that some people would just stick around.

A Campus d'Art Milestone in Second Life

2011-11-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

Campus d'Art (moderate)

Things move quickly in the virtual world and time is exaggerated or accelerated so that what would be a relatively short period in the physical seems endless in the metaverse. I dropped in on a 4 year anniversary party for a couple last week and, in our world of immediate commitments and almost as instantaneous "divorces", they've been together forever!

Imagine then what it must mean to be celebrating the continued existence of an art sim 5 years after it first opened! Campus d'Art is owned and curated by Cecilia Delacroix and includes somewhere around 20 galleries. "(W)orks by nearly 180 SL/RL artists are now displayed in a campus setting along with exhibits of 20th Century contemporary art; nearly 900 works in all."

Campus d'Art (moderate)

I love this area not only because I can see pieces by SL artists such as Em Larsson and Sledge Roffo but also view and educate myself about real world topics such as Art Nouveau. You can literally spend hours exploring and enjoying and learning on this campus.

Cecilia hasn't had a party here since the day she opened 5 years ago this month. This will change tomorrow, November 5th from 2 - 4pm SLT. "There'll be drinks and food (no escargot this time!); right next door will be the recently opened exhibit "Contemporary Glass Art". Nearby are 26 additional art exhibits including a kinetic sculpture plaza, a coffeehouse with chess board, a wine bar, a park, aerial gondola ride, hang gliding and -- hopefully lots of artists whose works (she) fell in love with these last 5 years. There'll be music and free gifts, too."

Celebrating success is always a good idea and celebrating an endeavour which has survived for such an extended period of time seems like a must. So go party and enjoy and congratulate her and the artists because this is a "good thing". :)

Campus d'Art (moderate)

A Fearless Nation in Second Life

2011-11-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

Fearless Nation (moderate)

There are a lot of misconceptions about the internet in general and virtual worlds in particular and no I'm not even talking about the proverbial fat guy in the basement (he's OK by the way, once you get past his grunting and unwillingness to take showers). Relevant to this post is the idea that the technology is "alienating" and that we can become more isolated by becoming immersed in the "fake" lives we create. This might be true for some but for others it provides a totally opposite experience.

We talk occasionally about the "good" that is done in Second Life, pointing to things such as Relay for Life and Virtual Ability. One of the amazing organizations operating on the grid is Fearless Nation - a resource for those affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Fearless Nation (moderate)

Fearless Nation welcome(s) all PTSD sufferers, their families, friends, and clinicians, war veterans, law enforcement personnel, emergency response workers, those traumatized by sexual abuse, child abuse, torture, human trafficking, hostage events and crime, man-made and natural disasters, and physical, psychological, and verbal trauma.

They provide information, access to resources, classes, workshops, support groups and more. They also hold an annual festival to heighten awareness of this debilitating problem and the help that is available as well as education to address the widespread issue of stigma associated with any mental illness. This year's festival begins tomorrow with a presentation by the organization's founder, Anya Ibor, and will last for 10 days.

Fearless Nation (moderate)

Sims which are normally closed to the public for use by members of the organization will be open for you to explore and a hunt will encourage you to learn about the issue and treatment.

Two additional sims have been added for the month and display fantastic pieces by some of our favourite artists. Curated by the indomitable Eliza Wierwight you will find it easy to lose yourself for hours enjoying the works of:

Starlash Sweetwater Claudia222 Jewell

Bryn Oh kazuhiro aridian

Stephen Venkman PJ Trenton

Glyph Graves Gwen Carillon

Tricia Farella Scottius Polke

Trill Zapetero Lina Stigsson

Bonni Reid Sabbian Paine

Nicole Steen Starax Statosky

Rebeca Bashly Eliza Wierwight

Fearless Nation (moderate)

It's unthinkable to have a festival inworld without music! And there will be plenty from the 4th through the 13th. This will include live performances and amazing DJ's.

I don't know anybody, including myself, whose life has not been touched or altered by mental illness whether their own or that of a loved one. One of the most heartbreaking aspects of this burden is the feeling of being "alone". Second Life and Fearless Nation help begin recovery by first addressing this issue and then providing the support and assistance necessary to ensure that the appropriate treatment for PTSD is received.

I encourage you to learn more by taking advantage of this opportunity to enjoy a festival and to become familiar with an extraordinary facility and resource that directly contradicts the notion that alienation is inevitable in our world.

Fearless Nation (moderate)

Falling on my Sword in Second Life

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Schmuck

So I did something stupid yesterday. I admit I'm not perfect and I screw up with probably more regularity than I'd like to think but this time it affected somebody else and I felt lousy. I told one of my oldest SL friends what I had done and she recognized the gravity of my transgression however, she also laughed.

She explained that anybody who knew me would have expected it from me because that's what I do. I tend to "help" whether it's requested or not. sigh Now I not only felt like a rotten person but one of those infuriatingly sincere but annoying volunteers at a hospital I used to have to visit. This day was not getting any better.

I decided I had to perform some sort of ritual in order to imprint the commission of this particular crime on my subconscious so that I don't repeat it. I did some research on Sepuku and concluded that the full-blown traditional approach was probably not for me but I would tailor it somewhat.

First I searched my inventory for sword - not expecting anything but I thought it would be a good place to start. It turns out I own swords. In fact, for some reason I can't explain, I own a lot of them. I could only carry 3 and not for any distance - those suckers are heavy.

Xena who?

I spent considerable time designing what I thought would be a tasteful, solemn and fitting ceremony highlighting both my regret and my awareness of the extent of my shortcomings. I choreographed the steps I would take and wrote a suitably sincere and dramatic script that involved much soul baring and vows to mend my ways. The conclusion of the entire thing was to be very moving and, I felt, would result in the expiation of my sins. There would also be pain but that's to be expected.

I then passed a lengthy period of time in meditation and contemplation. I wanted to ensure that my mind was prepared for the task - I was not going to mess this up.

I headed out to a sim I felt gave me the proper backdrop for this type of endeavour and started to look for the right location. It appears some renovations are taking place because there was a lot of rubble and odd gaps in trails and, as I struggled to carry my swords over the broken terrain, I tripped. That's correct, I spent hours preparing for a ceremony that was very important to me and then did the inworld equivalent of running with scissors.

I guess that falling on your sword is easier to do than I thought. I will try to remember the lesson even if the process didn't turn out as expected.

Dignity? What dignity?

Spring in November in Second Life

2011-11-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

Haruno (moderate)

This will be a very quick post. It's November 1st and it's cold, wet and (at the moment) dark but in Second Life seasons are up to the sim creator so we can escape and find whatever we want.

Haruno (moderate)

Today I lucked out and found something pretty and dedicated to Spring. Haruno has a gorgeous and romantic underwater club. My photos don't do it justice but I can imagine couples enjoying each other's company here.

Haruno (moderate)

If you explore you'll find a giant tree covered in Sakura blossoms and delicate flowers floating on the ocean. A dance ball is positioned under the tree so you can get some privacy and still hear the music from the club below.

Haruno (moderate)

I went looking for a musical ending to this entry (remind me not to do that if there's a time limit). My wanderings took me from Tom Waits to Rufus Wainwright and eventually the Corries (it made sense while I was doing it, really). I decided on this one because it's upbeat and helps fight off the November glooms. Besides we all need a little Jesse Cook now and then. :)

A "Modest Proposal" for Art in Second Life

2011-10-31T05:30:00.000-07:00

LEA Art Sandbox (moderate)

There's a new bully in town. That's right, the Linden Endowment for the Arts is wreaking havoc in the world of art sims. Bad enough they provide a sandbox. They also have sims which highlight artists in a variety of categories (and of course let Crap and I loose on the world) but now they're giving out grants to individuals so they have an opportunity to create and share their vision with the rest of the grid. Outrageous!

However, the real problem is much bigger than just the LEA. I feel compelled to expose the full nature of this situation but please be comforted by the fact that I do have a solution. Falling back on the inspiration of my hero Jonathan Swift I propose to end this scourge permanently.

There are multiple components to the issue. The first is that there are way too many artists in Second Life and their numbers are growing all the time. People keep talking about the virtual world and its tools for creativity - this inevitably leads to people thinking they actually have the right to use them and try creating stuff.

The Great Fissure (moderate)

As a result we have a creative birthrate that cannot be sustained. There just aren't enough outlets to handle the myriad of new and struggling "artists" which means we have a large population of artsy fartsy types living below the poverty line. They squat in shacks and under bridges and generally make the metaverse look tawdry.

The second part of the problem involves those people who, for whatever reason, feel a need to open new art sims. We already have enough art sims. In fact we have too many. They're all competing with each other and to what purpose? Why bother displaying the work of more than a few "artists"? It's not like they're as valuable as a new mall or Zyngo parlour.

I propose that we limit the number of art sims to 3. That seems like a reasonable number. To avoid the spectacle of unwashed painters and sculptors beating at the doors we round them all up. You read that correctly, we incarcerate all the would be creative types. (This will have the added benefit of bringing the whole bdsm subculture into the mainstream - we have to do something with these people once we have them.)

The London Dungeon (moderate)

Stage Two will be to seize all the individuals who have opened art sims over and above the 3 we have designated as acceptable. We can't have them drawing traffic away from our trio of approved destinations. As part of this phase all of the Lindens who thought the LEA was a good idea will be included.

The best part of my proposal is Stage Three. Each of the official art exhibitors will hold regular executions of the prisoners. The frequency may have to be high initially, because there will be quite a backlog to get through, but it's doable.

Publically sanctioned terminations would give the 3 sims a chance to compete with each other while eradicating the excess artists and sponsors from Second Life. They could try to outdo each other in style, efficacy and even, dare I say, artistry.

Ankh Morpork (moderate)

Eventually the population of artists and art sim owners will be whittled away. This process will also spread the message to any newcomers that they should not consider creativity as a worthwhile activity to pursue.

A terrific side benefit will be that we get a new source of entertainment. It could be gamified and draw the right kind of residents inworld.

For any of you who do not believe this is a real problem you have not been paying attention. There is a limit to the amount of help and support that should be provided to a seemingly endless number of artists. Particularly if you believe that only the same two dozen creative types should be indulged at all. In addition, the whole idea of having both "public" and private sponsorship is an anathema. Really, what were people thinking?

My proposal is an efficacious approach to both deleting the problem and erasing the drama and we'll get a new game out of it. My hero would be proud.

Image from A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

Win, Fail, Pause for the Blues & A Voice You Should Hear in Second Life

2011-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Insomnia Station (moderate)

It's been a busy couple of days - busy in the sense that housework is busy and about as annoying at times. :) I've been fighting the sense for weeks that being in SL is like driving a car with the emergency brake on. I just felt like I had to find the one button to push and things would magically improve.

I spent a lot of time on Friday and Saturday tweaking and tuning without much success. Then I spent some time just analyzing what happened and when and decided a lot of it must have to do with my video card - which is a perfectly good card but it seemed like something to at least try. So I decided to do a clean install of the driver.

Nothing is simple.

Insomnia Station (moderate)

I uninstalled my video driver and then cleaned the registry and rebooted. Then I checked and uninstalled the previous version of the driver which was now operational. After cleaning the registry I rebooted and then wound up rinsing and repeating for 90 minutes until I finally got rid of them all.

The good new is that once I had installed the most recent driver again, this time without the extras I don't need, my fps had tripled. Whew! I tweaked a few more system things and did some maintenance and, although it's still not where I'd like it, my inworld experience is much less exasperating.

Insomnia Station (moderate)

In between bouts of techie impersonations I dropped in on some of the multitude of halloween parties and, in one case, a 4 year anniversary that friends seemed to think I should attend. Lots of fun in spite of the fact that I'm not a big fan of the whole thing. :) I tried to get in the mood and wear "costumes" which in my case means either going as a pink skinned "normal" or wearing one of my more outlandish avatars.

At one point I was a mermaid and missed the window to get to a friend's party because the sim was full. Few things look as weird as a large fish swimming over the desert floor. It was a pity because those who love the Barbie shape would have enjoyed her and her undulating butt.

Insomnia Station (moderate)

Every now and then I soothed my irritated soul by ducking out to a blues concert. Arriving a little early for one I happened to catch the end of a set by Alex Mays. Alex is a relative newcomer (5 months old) and I was so intrigued I made sure to catch him again yesterday. He plays great blues guitar and mostly his own original music but also does covers.

This guy is making a name for himself fast and it's well deserved. His calendar doesn't show all the dates I know he's playing yet so join his group - Alex Mays {Live Music} - that way you won't miss an opportunity to enjoy his performances.

And, just in keeping with the music I've been using to keep myself semi coherent for the past few days, here (after a brief introduction) is something "loud and nasty".

There's Aught in Second Life

2011-10-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

Aught (moderate)

It'll be a short post today - I'm achieving all new depths of frustration trying to take photographs. Something is throttling Second Life and until I find it I have little joy in my usual adjusting/sliding/button pushing/clicking adventures.

Having said that, there is a very cool sim called Aught that deserves your attention. Ever wonder what the devestated parts of Japan look like now months after the earthquake and tidal wave? If you believe the creators of this landscape, Mother Nature is now taking the opportunity to reclaim the areas she previously treated so harshly. The industrial complex seems broken beyond repair but the colour green is becoming more and more evident as plant life achieves dominance.

Aught (moderate)

This is a post-apocalyptic vision of a real life post-apocalypse. There are stores in the rubble with some interesting items to tempt you to open your wallet and continue providing financial support to aid recovery efforts. Although caused by a horrendous tragedy the landscape is beautiful as it overcomes recent history - seemingly much more ready to recover than are the people who once lived here.

I enjoyed visiting Aught and I wish I could bring you better images - you'll just have to visit yourself and find your own. :)

Aught (moderate)

On Lives and Journeys and Dark Chocolate in Second Life

2011-10-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

Secret Spheres (moderate)

I've been musing on life and change and the unfolding of the universe. I'm hardly a profound philosopher but there are some things I believe. I know, you're rolling your eyes and judging me, but you can just look at the pictures while I try and articulate some thoughts which have resulted.

The photos are from Secret Spheres which is a fabulous group of tiny little universes (and yes there are some secret hidden ones) and it seemed in keeping with my mental wanderings.

People I care for deeply are dealing with life changes right now - the unexpected remodelling of their worlds and how they envisioned their lives. Some of these changes are small, others are dramatic and difficult, but all of them have altered what they thought of as their "lives".

Secret Spheres (moderate)

I would like to fix things for them but my magic wand is still in the shop. Mostly I would like to ease their sense of loss and discomfort with their current situations.

I'm going to sound very trite here and I apologize but dammit even the cliched can be true. The only thing I know for sure is that nothing turns out as planned. My own reckless adaptive approach to change is to consider it a new adventure. Not all of them are pleasant or ones we would choose but the good news is that things will change again.

Secret Spheres (moderate)

If I've learned anything in my seemingly hundreds of years of history is that we are not living our future. Everything, I mean everything, is just a phase.

Why is it that the young see their world and their place in it as fixed? We talk a lot about potential and possibility but for some reason they put their feet on a path expecting it to just head off into the future without detours or bridge closures or earthquakes. There are lots of other paths.

Secret Spheres (moderate)

When I was younger, and yes electricity had been finally been introduced, we enjoyed the music of a great Canadian poet. His voice was similar to other poets like Dylan but, of course, he had the romance and angst we could point to and call our own.

Many years and cartons of cigarettes later his voice is now a deep dark chocolate that drowns you in sensual pleasure. (excuse me while I collect myself) The song is the same but the experience has changed. It's not a great analogy but it does let me segue into a favourite video. :)

A Tough Day at the Avatar Games Office in Second Life

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Recovering from The Avatar Games (moderate)

I had great hopes when Avatar Games was about to launch and I described with some dismay the reality of what should have been a fabulous historically significant athletic endeavour. I have to report that things have just gotten weirder.

There was the day that Zed Linden competed and carried his own gun to shoot not only back at the audience but at the other competitors. In fact Crap joined him at the conclusion of the group run and we witnessed the bizarre sight of these two and others chasing each other around the course in complete violation of all the rules.

Then there is the Linden Angel who decided to take a position above the course and on occasion plucks one of the contestants up into the air and vanishes. They are usually returned but none are willing to speak about the experience.

We talk about the way each of the athletes demonstrate perseverance but we have one who start out 3 months ago and still hasn't crossed the finish line. We cling to the hope that Filthy Fluno will find his way to the end zone.

Yesterday things descended about as far as they could go. Two couples staked out territory in the stands and decided to demonstrate their new sex pose balls. We sent people over to the pair under the bleachers to point out we were all talking about them and some videos were being made. They didn't care. Then some audience members joined them. They didn't seem to mind that either. Things went downhill from there. I expect this to be the first time in history a Linden sim gets shut down for violating the maturity ratings.

The good news is that the inaugural series of Avatar Games ends in about 3 weeks. Things can't get much more ridiculous. Can they? Find out for yourself next Monday at 4:00 pm slt, one of the last three events to be held this season. I'm going to try and recover from today's mayhem.

You Think I'm What? in Second Life

2011-10-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Winterfell (moderate)

I had this kind of epiphany the other day. Well at least that's what it could be. We talk a lot about immersion vs augmentation and I've always said/thought that I'm just "me" inworld, no more and no less. However I've recently been made aware that there's a perception of me as "soft spoken" and "sweet". ?!? Understand that my physical alt has most often been compared to Murphy Brown and neither of those terms have ever been used to describe her.

If you never saw the show (probably cause you're much younger than I) she wasn't mean just often caustic and wry and definitely had a temper. So why am I perceived differently by some on the grid? I don't think I'm "role playing" - in fact I know I'm not. Maybe the pace or the nature of my interactions in a virtual world allow me the freedom and the time to show more facets of my character. However, I have never and would never aspire to being "sweet". I don't think I want to know that about me.

Winterfell (moderate)

I don't have any issue with being "nice" and in fact I try to be kind, considerate and not careless of other people's time and feelings. But "sweet"? That's an outrage!

"Sweet" makes me think of very young, coy, naive and not terribly bright. I'm sure this is my problem and not an attempt by others to insult me but, trust me, diabetics do not need to fear spending too much time in my presence. Saccharine is cloying and lacks backbone. I'd like to think I've survived this long because of strength not the ability to sit in a corner sucking on a lollipop and fluttering my eyelashes.

Winterfell (moderate)

There's been a lot of conversation in my virtual life lately about my appearance and that it should be altered. I think if I really wanted to change something about myself it would be whatever it is that I'm doing to make people perceive me in such a mistaken way. And I don't think it requires changing the size of my boobs. grin

Speaking of which. I came across a cool blog the other day (and I can't find the link right now of course but I will and I'll add her to my blog roll) by an educator recording her experiences as a newbie in Second Life. One of her early observations is that there's an obsession with breasts inworld. Ha! You thought it was just me!

Winterfell (moderate)

I went to visit Winterfell to get the images for this post. It's aimed at the fans of Game of Thrones and is described as a Freeform Para-RP in the universe of a Song of Ice and Fire based within the City of WInterfell, in the North.

And this forced me to confront another one of those peculiarities of our world. In order to visit you must dress appropriately - medieval. Bare chests, kilts and Xena Warrior Princess are specifically not allowed. sigh So much for my Xena fantasy. This meant looking for a basic medieval outfit that didn't involve Gor. Not an easy thing to do it turns out.

However, the sim is worth the effort if you like to explore and if you're interested in that kind of role play then I suggest you go visit. It was like entering a painting in some ways - nice effects.

Now if you'll excuse me I'll go be horribly sarcastic to somebody so I can feel more like myself. I must be out of practice.

Winterfell (moderate)

Some People Have Shoulder Pets in Second Life

2011-10-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

Felix & I

I've not only acquired a new friend but also a way to deal with those annoyances which crop up in our daily lives from time to time. Thanks to Claudia222 Jewel I won't have to raise a finger in anger or frustration (which always seems to result in a chipped nail). My buddy Felix is very protective. He's also a great, if wry, conversationalist and observer. We've bonded.

Unsleep Walking the Grid in Second Life

2011-10-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

XIV Evanesce (moderate)

Sometimes sleep is erratic if not elusive and sometimes that can prove to be an opportunity for something special. I consider it preferable to "do" anything rather than just lie there when I awake and last night I was looking at photos and saw this one by Totem Flow.

The grid is almost always available so I went to explore and found myself in shallow waves looking at a magical view. I turned my camera around and saw even more magic and didn't miss sleep at all.

XIV Evanesce (moderate)

When I arrived I had my environment set to midnight and decided to keep it there but play with some of Torley's settings for that hour.

I'm not comfortable with many of the mushy romantic destinations inworld. Maybe I have a different notion of romance or maybe I'm just cranky but I find too many of them cliched and overly cute. However Vix Yoshikawa has created something beautiful and romance could be happy here.

XIV Evanesce (moderate)

I encountered one of those perfect images that sometimes appear in front of you while I was snapping photos. In a special place with soft colour and light there were two gorgeous pastel nekos sharing a swing and a quiet moment. They suited the mood and the landscape so completely that they could have been part of the design.

I didn't invade their privacy and I did not take their picture but seeing them made me smile.

XIV Evanesce (moderate)

Go visit XIV Evanesce and check it out at different times of day. Share it with somebody special - even if that means yourself.

I headed back to sleep with the untaken photo of that couple in my head. Maybe I'm not as cranky as I think. :)

XIV Evanesce (moderate)

Dante, Virgil & Hell in Second Life

2011-10-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6 (moderate)

It's the time of year when "dark" becomes attractive to most of the population - not just those who indulge all of the time. This is not my favourite time of year to be honest but it's growing on me. I realized that people assume around now that my weird look is just a halloween costume and don't think anything of it. :)

If you really want to get in the mood for horror then visit a realization of Dante's vision of hell in Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6.

Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6 (moderate)

The Roman poet Virgil is your guide through the nine levels of suffering. He's the one who glows - I guess since he's been granted visiting privileges they want to ensure he doesn't get caught up in some of the gruesome drama.

When you've had enough of the pain and torture on any level just touch him to get his attention and he'll move you along to the next.

Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6 (moderate)

I don't subscribe to the notion of "hell" and certainly not the medieval view that Dante examined. I guess if I had to pick a description I could accept it would be Jean Paul Sartre's "Hell is other people" from Huis Clos. There's less brimstone that way.

(As a side note, when I was much younger at University, a group of us drove across the border to see a pron movie - very daring at the time. I realized part way into it that the script was based on Sartre's book and decided to consider it just a field trip for my french literature class. I can rationalize a lot of things.)

Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6 (moderate)

If you survive the sight of all the trials, tribulations and tortures you will find yourself in the ninth circle. As gruesome as I found everything else this section affected me the most and it was because of the big guy.

Yes Satan is here, with all three of his heads, but what really really bothered me were his wings. They are the creepiest things I've encountered in SL. The texture, the movement and the sheer menace in them both surprised and intimidated me. Go visit Inferno for yourself and see what I mean.

Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6 (moderate)

A Moment of Serendipity in Second Life

2011-10-19T05:01:00.000-07:00

DH Lab2 (moderate)

This might happen to other people a lot but, for the very first time in my Second Life, I teleported onto a sim and landed on the back of a giant butterfly.

This flock of birds is heading somewhere. I might follow. :)

DH Lab2 (moderate)

Following The Path in Second Life

2011-10-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Path - Bryn Oh (moderate)

It took me a few days of trying to write this post because it's all about the images and the art and I couldn't take a half decent photograph no matter how hard I tried. I finally decided that I was so caught up in the experience that I couldn't step back far enough just to observe. This morning I put on my coolly dispassionate hat and tried again. They aren't great but at least they shouldn't insult the artists. Too much.

If you've been under a rock and missed it, The Path is a collaborative art project at the Linden Endowment for the Arts curated by Bryn Oh.

The Path - Colin Fizgig (moderate)

I could try and explain what this is about but I think Bryn's own words would be more appropriate.

The Path is an immersive project based around the exquisite corpse concept sometimes used by the Surrealists. Essentially, each chosen artist adds to a composition in sequence. Eight artists were invited to stand upon one of eight different coloured boxes I had set up. Once all had chosen a box to stand on, a chart was rezzed which listed the order of colours which would hten dictate the sequence of artists to compose the scenes for a narrative.

The Path - Marcus Inkpen (moderate)

So if red was the first colour on the chart, then the artist standing on the red cube would begin the narrative. If blue were next then the artist on the blue cube would continue the story after red had passed their part on to them.

The artist who goes first composes a short start to a story. They then pass on this segment to the artist who is next on the list. That artist would then write up a continuation of the narrative and pass it on to the third artist. This would continue until reaching the eighth and final artist.

The Path - Desdemona Enfield/Douglas Story (moderate)

What those words don't convey is the magic and the wonder of an interactive experience created by eight immensely talented artists. Dali's head in a jar is just the starting point. You follow The Path created by them for a group of characters and for yourself.

There are mind games and puzzles and superb visuals. Video is used and objects appear and disappear and the world changes suddenly and without explanation.

Much like our physical life paths.

The Path - Maya Paris (moderate)

I've been thinking about life paths lately. The choices we make or that others make and how they alter our intended course.

I'm neither egotistical enough nor insecure enough to think everything is always all about me. :) Even if our lives are impacted by others - and, after all, it would be very sad if they weren't - it doesn't mean we were the focus.

Things would be a whole lot simpler though if we could have total command of our lives and what happens to us. Yeah I know, I also wish for an unlimited supply of dark chocolate to suddenly appear with the same amount of success.

The Path - Claudia222 Jewell (moderate)

I should say something profound and inspirational about "paths" and the journeys we are on. All I can think of though is "Don't Litter". Make of that what you will.

A better idea would be for me to quote that great philosopher Douglas Adams' character Dirk Gently: "I rarely end up where I was intending to go, but often I end up somewhere that I needed to be."

The Path - Scottius Polke (moderate)

Go see The Path. Think your own thoughts as you explore and at some point give thanks to the Pixel Gods that the LEA exists and that Bryn Oh and Colin Fizgig and Marcus Inkpen and Desdemona Enfield and Douglas Story and Maya Paris and Claudia222 Jewell and Scottius Polke and Rosa Rochovski got together and created this fabulous surreal story for us.

PS. One of my favourite machinamists (jjccc) has made a video of this great installation - go watch it!

The Path - Rose Borchovski (moderate)

Wherein the Intrepid Explorer Creates a Halloween Costume for Second Life

2011-10-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

Well I like it .....

You probably already know this but it always comes as a shock to me - there's an obsession with sliders and skins and the choices people make when creating their avatars.

I love grey and painted skins. I figure some people are pale and some are tanned and some might be mahogany and I just happen to be grey. There are those, however, who insist I look like the undead. sigh

This is not my only crime. For a variety of reasons which I won't blather on about I choose to keep my sliders to the left. Honestly anybody who hits on me would probably hit on a park bench - they just want something to jump on the sex balls with.

I can remember an encounter with a grid famous artist who could only talk about my lack of butt. Seriously? Of course the bust is the big obsession and I was counselled to fix that. Fine.

Fine I'm pink .....

The shape isn't a big change and it's one I can live with. The skin is an old one I had - at least it doesn't make me look 17. I'm not about to go skin shopping just because people have a fear of zombies so great that innocent aliens are targeted for disdain.

However, since Halloween is approaching the discussion gave me an idea for a costume. I don't really have the wardrobe to pull it off but I decided that just moving that one slider would take me far into the realm of "make believe" that all good costumes require. Nothing however can make me go shoe shopping!

There but I'm not oiling them .....

I don't understand the obsession with my body parts and I won't change my look just cause other people have deep seated issues (/me grins at the outspoken critic of my choices) but I'll try change and if I can live with it then I'll adapt.

To be honest though I really think the best thing might be if I choose an avatar without slider or skin options that offend delicate sensibilities.

This seems safe

Seanchai Library brings War of the Worlds to Second Life

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

The family gathered around the radio ....

It's October 30, 1938 and you and your family have gathered around the radio to listen to the Mercury Theatre on the Air because that's what families did. There was no television or internet. You'd listened to your old lp's over and over but the radio was better. It was exciting and most everyone was doing the same thing.

Suddenly a news bulletin interrupted the broadcast and you listened in shock as the newsman described explosions on Mars. Then, a little later, you heard that something had landed in Grover's Mill, New Jersey. What followed was horrific. Reporters risked their very lives to cover the story of the century - aliens had landed in the United States and the military was fighting back.

Zain Ruins (moderate)

It wasn't true of course. It was a radio play adapted from H.G Wells' novel The War of the Worlds. Orson Welles made his name with this broadcast and angered a lot of folks. You see there were no commercials in the show - the "news bulletins" seemed very real to a lot of people reading newspaper stories talking about war preparations in Europe and already anxious and afraid.

Many woke up the next morning expecting to find the common and familiar gone or at least badly damaged. Little grey men were expected at the door any minute.

It's hard to imagine today, with our myriad of information sources and instant access, but many were fooled into believing the play was reality.

Zain Ruins (moderate)

Fast forward to the present and the Seanchai Library has received permission to use the original radio play as the script for a special story telling this October 22, 23 and 26. "All Seanchai presentations are read live in voice. All the performers are volunteers and donations are accepted to support established charities around the world. In 2011 these have included Habitat for Humanities, The American Heart Association, Project Children, The American Red Cross (Tsunami & Pacific Earthquake Relief), Water for People, Heifer International, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Seanchai's War of the Worlds features the voices of Shandon Loring, Bear Silvershade and Kayden O’Connell. Add in the voices of Elder Priestman, Caledonia Skytower, BigRed Coyote and others and this production promises to be a treat for the ears."

It's no more possible or plausible today than it was back then of course. Although I did stumble on something strange as we cleaned up the playa this afternoon.

I'm sure it's nothing .....

I'm telling you all this now so you'll plan your time wisely and make it to one of the readings. Make a note in your calendar - that's correct, I want you to write it down.

Saturday October 22 a 5 p.m. performance at Blood Evolution Kingdom

Sunday October 23 at noon on Haunted Fruit Islands

Wednesday October 26 at 7 p.m.at Seanchai Library

I plan to attend at least one of the performances and I'll be imagining people all over the grid huddled around their radios. Just like families used to do. :)

He wasn't there when I took this photo .....

A Very Windy Aerie in Second Life

2011-10-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Aerie by Cherry Manga (moderate)

One of the exhibits I missed recently was Maya Paris' installation at Per4mance MetaLES and I feel terrible and apologize to her and to you that I didn't share it. I was determined not to miss the current work by Cherry Manga.

The Aerie is situated on a windswept marsh at the rocky edge of the ocean. Almost everything seems to be in motion from the huge number of birds to the marsh grasses.

The Aerie by Cherry Manga (moderate)

The sim suggests you use the Torley windlight setting of Midday Touch o' Purple which I did. Normally I mess around with my settings but I was obedient today. :)

The landscape is very dominant when you first start to explore. But look closely. There are a myriad of details and every object has more to it than you might realize with a cursory glance.

The Aerie by Cherry Manga (moderate)

The colours are pale - and not just as a result of your environment settings. But there are colours and there are surprises.

It's very soothing somehow to stand in the moving grass with birds swirling in the wind around you. It doesn't feel warm here but it's not cold or unfeeling and there is great beauty. It is, as have been all the works I've seen at Per4mance MetaLES, exquisitely done and a departure from what I've seen before.

The Aerie by Cherry Manga (moderate)

I had trouble capturing the feeling of The Aerie in these photos. Luckily for you jjcccc has made a video of the installation. Watch this and then go visit for yourself. Take a sweater though - the wind is relentless.

Through The Lens of Dreams & Being Boswell in Second Life

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Through the Lens of Dreams at Art Screamer (moderate)

I'm gradually surfacing from the past few weeks and months of focus elsewhere and I'm determined to go around and find some of the things I've missed so that I can share them with you.

My first outing was to Art Screamer which is a very cool sim offering different artists' installations over time. The current one is by two of my favourites - Madcow Cosmos with sound by Lorin Tone. Called Through the Lens of Dreams it's a fabulous landscape you complete as you explore. In their own words:

(it) is an exploration of the transformative nature of dreams, where each new setting may emerge from the last and seems continuous while we're experiencing them. The only truly consistent part of a dream is the viewer, that's you. Thus as you walk through the installation you help complete the piece, good work. The piece is more a series of doodles that flow from each other than a single large composition so it seems somewhat sprawling and busy. Just relax and enjoy your own little piece of the whole.

Through the Lens of Dreams at Art Screamer (moderate)

While I poked and clicked and circled around some of these wonderous objects I was thinking about a conversation I had yesterday with a dear friend. I care about him a lot which makes it easier not to be shallow and hate him for being unreasonably talented in far too many areas.

It made me think about this world and how it attracts wonderful artists and musicians and builders and designers and fashionistas and storytellers. It wouldn't be the same without them and I appreciate what they do for me. I mean I can't do what they do so I'll just take advantage of the fact they do it to be entertained and inspired and provoked and touched. But there's a tiny little bit of me that's jealous. I think most of us want to contribute not just consume, certainly I would like to feel like I was adding to the world somehow.

Through the Lens of Dreams at Art Screamer (moderate)

I convince myself that my photography is getting better. I'm out of practice as these pictures clearly demonstrate but I'm a great believer in continuous improvement.

My photos aren't art though. I'm not creating anything new and when people like them they are responding to the content. Don't get me wrong - I don't have a problem with that. If people like my images it means I've captured something I was trying to share about something I saw. That's really all I can hope for. The wonderful photographers who use lighting or special effects or post processing to tell a story or create something new are artists. I'm just recording moments.

Through the Lens of Dreams at Art Screamer (moderate)

Someday maybe a fairy godfather (cause I'd rather look at great abs than boobs) will appear and I'll suddenly create something magical. In the meantime I'll photograph what I find and share it with you. This world needs Boswell's too - and it's certainly easier than what people like Madcow and Lorin are doing. :)

Go visit Art Screamers and walk Through the Lens of Dreams. Make your own memories and take your own photos. Feel like a participant in this process.

I'm heading out to find some more products of the amazing talents we live with in a virtual world.

Through the Lens of Dreams at Art Screamer (moderate)

The Embers of Burn2 2011 in Second Life

2011-10-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Temple Burns 2011

There is a lot of smoke and ash on the Burn2 playa today. The festival ended last night with the Temple Burn and a lot of tears from sleep deprived eyes after an amazing, intense and busy nine days.

It will take me a while to process everything that happened but I want to share some thoughts that come immediately to mind.

The Temple Burns 2011

The Burn is all about the 10 Principles and experiencing them in the desert and interacting with the amazing art and appreciating wonderful music from around the world. But most of all it's about the people and I worked with a team of fabulous individuals. The Core Team and the staff in the various departments are dedicated and supportive and hard working. The Community team was a joy and I wouldn't trade a moment with any of them even if you offered me the opportunity to get some sleep.

I have memories of being set on fire and having marshmallows roasted on me. I watched an Italian greeter spend a long time with a spanish newcomer to show her how to get around inworld and even dance. I saw another team member arrive at Center Camp with a bus to take tired people over to the other stage to save them the effort of moving. I also have memories of joy and silliness and amazing acts of dedication and a determination to make the experience the best it could be for everyone.

The Temple Burns 2011

There were lots of glitches of course. Two of the sims really require couples counselling because they would frequently refuse to speak to each other. There were lessons learned all day everyday - livestreaming taught us all the value of protecting a keyboard and mouse from a cat so the camera doesn't shift to just show feet, that sim and equipment crashes have a huge impact on your ability to stream anything and you really need more than one person being a camera because shiny things are attractive and can divert their attention.

We learned that when newbies arrive in hordes they tend to start running as soon as they land (my theory is that they're used to WOW and are afraid of being shot). They are also very slippery and tough to catch. Luckily the greeters and guides are skilled trackers.

The Temple Burns 2011

Working on events like the Burn is my favourite part of Second Life. The people who volunteered, who built camps and the people who came to participate and enjoy made this a very special experience on a personal level and kept me going even when my real life avatar was having difficulty seeing the screen.

The sims are still open for you to explore for the next few days. There might be some camps falling down or catching fire so watch where you go. :)

Thank you to everybody who made Burn2 2011 so very successful in so many ways. I'll leave you with a video of the man burn. I'm going to get some sleep now and then I should spend time organizing an inventory that went crazy this week. The concept of gifting can sometimes get completely out of hand.

Wherein the Intrepid Explorer Experiences Another First in Second Life

2011-10-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

Center Camp @ Burn2 (moderate)

Burn2 is going full throttle and finding some time to just relax is tough - but it's all good and a lot of fun. Jef caught me this morning before the coffee kicked in and persuaded me to jump on a couples dance ball. I admit this is the first time in my more than 4 years inworld that I've done this - some people don't realize how shy I am. :) At least he didn't drop me!

Come and dance at Burn2. Great music and great art and lots of terrific people await!

Burn2 2011 in Second Life - The LiveStream!

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Burn2 2011 Temple (moderate)

This is a quick post - you'd think that after working on something for months there would be no last minute running around, but it's a little hectic on the playa while we get things ready for the opening at noon.

I do want to announce one of the projects we've undertaken this year at Burn2. We will be livestreaming the Burn! Much like the Burning Man livestream there will be a playa cam showing folks walking around the sims and some of the builds but we will have more. In addition to some pre-recorded content we will be broadcasting many of the performances from Center Camp and, later in the week, Tokyo Stage.

When I was exploring ways to do this I went looking for a geek with a spare computer and highspeed connection who would be willing to devote that setup to this idea. What I found instead is a one person television production outfit in Howdy Colter. Howdy has been an amazing resource and if this doesn't work it won't be the result of a lack of any effort or determination on his part.

The livestream (and chat function) is available at the Burn2 website. We have a schedule for the performance broadcasts and you know it will change but we'll keep it updated as best we can. (Note that there will be many more performances taking place at the Burn but these will be the ones we can broadcast. Howdy insists on both sleep and the ability to go to school/work but we'll show everything we can!)

So assuming all the planets align correctly, technical difficulties (like sim/avatar crashes) are kept to a minimum and our kharma is in balance, you will be able to see what's going on here at the Burn from your desktop even if you can't come inworld.

Oh and I promised you yesterday I would give you the slurl for the fabulous amazing Temple. Check it out! We'll open at noon and then the sims will probably crash but we'll be back. Consider the experience a bit of performance art. :)

Starting From the End at Burn2 in Second Life - The Temple

2011-09-30T04:45:00.000-07:00