tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21032527772083880552024-03-13T09:35:45.044-07:00Honour's Post Menopausal Viewof Second Life
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<center> <i> (The Second Life World is a trademark of Linden Research, Inc.)</i> </center></p>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.comBlogger742125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-72962549913675528392011-11-08T18:59:00.000-08:002011-11-08T18:59:01.849-08:00Yes, My Blog Has Moved<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7p7GA1tiGz135vz2nrIgy9GuOiUoRXW70pKG63K9CFG2rNN-5plnHwDJb8zf94cQC-GQOyo7priuNycLUCruVtZz4kuW7yeTaz6mdyAPzkZQkPWPavcUyaoDH93jrPDUyyh0uYTowo0E4/s1600/Snapshot_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7p7GA1tiGz135vz2nrIgy9GuOiUoRXW70pKG63K9CFG2rNN-5plnHwDJb8zf94cQC-GQOyo7priuNycLUCruVtZz4kuW7yeTaz6mdyAPzkZQkPWPavcUyaoDH93jrPDUyyh0uYTowo0E4/s640/Snapshot_006.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA6/173/192/501">Catharsis</a></i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Palatino Linotype', serif; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;">This seemed as good an image as any to illustrate the process of <a href="http://honourmcmillan.wordpress.com/">moving my blog</a>. The fact that there's a move afoot to link <a href="http://plusheadlines.com/blogger-integration-with-googleplus-coming-soon/2584/">google profiles with blogger</a> and the annoying "security" <a href="http://gomiso.blogspot.com/2011/11/implacable-iron-fist-of-google.html">process</a> in place forced my hand. This is annoying because I like blogger - it works.</div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;">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.</div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;">Two things didn't make it over - the videos I've posted are missing and my <a data-mce-href="http://honour-mcmillan.blogspot.com/p/honours-travels-sorted-by-maturity.html" href="http://honour-mcmillan.blogspot.com/p/honours-travels-sorted-by-maturity.html" target="_blank">Travels Sorted by Maturity Rating</a>. I'll be starting a new page of them but the old one will remain for as long as possible.</div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;">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. :)</div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div data-mce-style="text-align: justify;" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;">All future posts will be available solely on the <a href="http://honourmcmillan.wordpress.com/">Wordpress site</a>. I hope you'll continue to follow my inworld adventures!</div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-61075229756415657502011-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:002011-11-07T06:00:09.817-08:00The Finale of the Avatar Games 2011 in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGaQolsQjcruXNIHNLBQwS-H5HjWMtzbCtsQDDHF9dLEJUSBsQfPO5xwV2089xr1-151BgHtqHq_zNFEqjBqKsDvA1AVW4pR44LBjy9bZNRoDmDK74CBcf9XWb0cbuo2Gzteahl7Dvq0t/s1600/Trophy_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGaQolsQjcruXNIHNLBQwS-H5HjWMtzbCtsQDDHF9dLEJUSBsQfPO5xwV2089xr1-151BgHtqHq_zNFEqjBqKsDvA1AVW4pR44LBjy9bZNRoDmDK74CBcf9XWb0cbuo2Gzteahl7Dvq0t/s640/Trophy_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Avatar Games Trophy</i></span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday was the finale of the first (and perhaps only) season of the <a href="http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:LEA_Avatar_Art_Games">Avatar Games</a>. 8 of the eligible finalists ran the course - but there were some changes made. First of all <a href="http://brynoh.blogspot.com/">Bryn</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: xx-small;"><i>sigh</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Crap kept channeling <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcunREYzNY">Vera Lynn</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://firstlife.isfullofcrap.com/">Crap Mariner</a>. My agent owes me big time for this one.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh yes, the winner of the trophy and the prize of L$15,000 was <a href="https://my.secondlife.com/fei.bourdeille">Fei (Bourdeille) Feice</a> 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.</div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-25364204317277294662011-11-06T06:05:00.000-08:002011-11-06T06:38:58.692-08:00I need a Dictionary of Synonyms for Tyrehl Byk's Catharsis in Second Life<div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRBsM1H3k9YvAJWlgW38Ii0AAw9kU9BcmdukMnOHttRHKkl2IzCnjh9zGsFRE7_C7m_mn89x-J9DQ76y7_peq_UZFQTrslVEmeX-p-Mk16dJ1oomNjExKsDOV8DfNS6EQhFlI3WZUUtB8/s1600/Snapshot_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRBsM1H3k9YvAJWlgW38Ii0AAw9kU9BcmdukMnOHttRHKkl2IzCnjh9zGsFRE7_C7m_mn89x-J9DQ76y7_peq_UZFQTrslVEmeX-p-Mk16dJ1oomNjExKsDOV8DfNS6EQhFlI3WZUUtB8/s640/Snapshot_009.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA6/173/192/501"><i>Catharsis</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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"Stunning" is the word most frequently used by audience members at the conclusion of a performance of <a href="http://lindenarts.blogspot.com/">Tyrehl Byk's show Catharsis</a> yesterday on LEA6. But that isn't adequate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUKFEfJ9HMd76E_f6DuwdMsVOxcph4yq5mXQoPuWhd89RqobN87MkAoqVagCyvjcMPl_ATaiSEPWz6915m0aS117aJv5KUcuw79-9i6B0JNvjRdIUEKa4Il0cqJYA8sE1RkJ6PRrRd24M/s1600/Snapshot_035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUKFEfJ9HMd76E_f6DuwdMsVOxcph4yq5mXQoPuWhd89RqobN87MkAoqVagCyvjcMPl_ATaiSEPWz6915m0aS117aJv5KUcuw79-9i6B0JNvjRdIUEKa4Il0cqJYA8sE1RkJ6PRrRd24M/s640/Snapshot_035.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA6/173/192/501"><i>Catharsis</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MKMK2Peaj0-yTAdQEKgA-Sai-uYvuHvKhpPWF1WhLIHR1U18Gf1e2Q7mQcKv0Ily7tl4EKk3UWFPsTe4t6BLCM1uDMsSiDtQaf9xpDjmhosTcByxDbCHJqaSHcbK_EUcX2olt8S5uZpk/s1600/Snapshot_027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MKMK2Peaj0-yTAdQEKgA-Sai-uYvuHvKhpPWF1WhLIHR1U18Gf1e2Q7mQcKv0Ily7tl4EKk3UWFPsTe4t6BLCM1uDMsSiDtQaf9xpDjmhosTcByxDbCHJqaSHcbK_EUcX2olt8S5uZpk/s640/Snapshot_027.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA6/173/192/501"><i>Catharsis</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2010/03/tyrehl-byk-at-event-horizon-.html">something along these lines before</a> and I'm kicking myself that I didn't see it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1veDew5Bpu8OSGwGfHe9LEheEza8ueVvILlJnywNLjMu2gABpRxkuE0XQPDqFrlezmE9n2igUP-aYJ8q3DseSlhzdEZcIFzGIYf6EY71h8vBTg0sJxqlUGmK7BQugazzX85LUqNKff3XM/s1600/Snapshot_031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1veDew5Bpu8OSGwGfHe9LEheEza8ueVvILlJnywNLjMu2gABpRxkuE0XQPDqFrlezmE9n2igUP-aYJ8q3DseSlhzdEZcIFzGIYf6EY71h8vBTg0sJxqlUGmK7BQugazzX85LUqNKff3XM/s640/Snapshot_031.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA6/173/192/501"><i>Catharsis</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=tyrehlbyk@att.net&ctz=America/Chicago">schedule</a> is always being updated so find a time that works for you and please, please go see <a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA6/173/192/501">Catharsis</a>!</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUaHyZRnUCZjUicUFgni2IQ8qmi5uwWgYFdYg4nJOEeKWsnRVcS0BCC_rti6i52jh0jmSlMUPfAH82GShi93_u3uR_AxxrS6VQZlntUV1Ko-roN0bAFo-WhFi7YgrFIlgCAs79wXicHMz/s1600/Snapshot_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUaHyZRnUCZjUicUFgni2IQ8qmi5uwWgYFdYg4nJOEeKWsnRVcS0BCC_rti6i52jh0jmSlMUPfAH82GShi93_u3uR_AxxrS6VQZlntUV1Ko-roN0bAFo-WhFi7YgrFIlgCAs79wXicHMz/s640/Snapshot_016.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA6/173/192/501"><i>Catharsis</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-89348362020981432462011-11-04T11:45:00.000-07:002011-11-04T11:45:55.295-07:00We Interrupt This Stream of SL Posts For a Brief Dedication<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='600' height='437' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/SPKLpWjBc2g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></center><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: xx-small;"><i>sigh</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='600' height='437' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yDvQFtWUTTA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></center>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-39040687892358271612011-11-04T07:27:00.000-07:002011-11-04T07:38:51.672-07:00A Campus d'Art Milestone in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9migEz27LQxt1AdkNxjvgEsuiNn1YKkoAGANpPTZMgjCDZvGmdSoVVyN0LkALXuCUQcnaiO7EVtZJRvslLQtAdGci7Xcu8A6yxdqUJlD-gy7m1ELOFDRMwZyHz96_ViU-Ia0eECrdYgR/s1600/Snapshot_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9migEz27LQxt1AdkNxjvgEsuiNn1YKkoAGANpPTZMgjCDZvGmdSoVVyN0LkALXuCUQcnaiO7EVtZJRvslLQtAdGci7Xcu8A6yxdqUJlD-gy7m1ELOFDRMwZyHz96_ViU-Ia0eECrdYgR/s640/Snapshot_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Schwanson%20Schlegel/177/183/22" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Campus d'Art</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Imagine then what it must mean to be celebrating the continued existence of an art sim 5 years after it first opened! <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Schwanson%20Schlegel/177/183/22">Campus d'Art</a> is owned and curated by <a href="http://slbuilder.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/cecilia-delacroix/">Cecilia Delacroix</a> and includes somewhere around 20 galleries. <i>"(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."</i></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMojG0g2RpkccxQDTF8S3AchMOTtyTEnIRt_MGsr-JZbvq9eFk-HkTiDIOt9sHT3DUYsUnc2nfo-i6vs5S7qaj5bTboSA-ngGFbI1qbe_NA5kHJrvx2EQrPH4m1IH5BwfB7rzr6ZZ_DCHi/s1600/Campus+d%2527_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMojG0g2RpkccxQDTF8S3AchMOTtyTEnIRt_MGsr-JZbvq9eFk-HkTiDIOt9sHT3DUYsUnc2nfo-i6vs5S7qaj5bTboSA-ngGFbI1qbe_NA5kHJrvx2EQrPH4m1IH5BwfB7rzr6ZZ_DCHi/s640/Campus+d%2527_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Schwanson%20Schlegel/177/183/22" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Campus d'Art</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I love this area not only because I can see pieces by SL artists such as <a href="http://treet.tv/people/gracer/photos/20110228/em-larsson-art-27-feb-2011-show">Em Larsson</a> and <a href="http://avatarstyle.net/2010/05/16/chat-with-cleo-sledge-roffo-an-sl-virtual-artist-profile/">Sledge Roffo</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. <i>"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."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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". :)</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQAYW2NFs9E3pzfE3ZGCcmq4IKSFMUJcDYH8qNKTK8C9u6fAPm0BM1A77I8dyJri4xPy4osGra6WFyBzY5crORdTTDgVDnAWrH6hyphenhyphenTWY3Zsi6U0KQ2a1J_Q5vEMq6ZCZbgniOWiSS4OUb/s1600/Snapshot_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQAYW2NFs9E3pzfE3ZGCcmq4IKSFMUJcDYH8qNKTK8C9u6fAPm0BM1A77I8dyJri4xPy4osGra6WFyBzY5crORdTTDgVDnAWrH6hyphenhyphenTWY3Zsi6U0KQ2a1J_Q5vEMq6ZCZbgniOWiSS4OUb/s640/Snapshot_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Schwanson%20Schlegel/177/183/22" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Campus d'Art</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-27646587363437941202011-11-03T05:03:00.000-07:002011-11-03T10:16:30.479-07:00A Fearless Nation in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lirMiC-Q97K3O6hcOJRq3HwQgpej_4qGsYQA9JvxGz6-3gA_N7gL9_G9cCr3k0HvCU23xSB9SqJpsNPhG6Yq1ZHjtiHGjUynvC-xU1K5LEOgAPLROsoC08va9Rm3Jzcl-RHihJIimEzG/s1600/Fearless_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lirMiC-Q97K3O6hcOJRq3HwQgpej_4qGsYQA9JvxGz6-3gA_N7gL9_G9cCr3k0HvCU23xSB9SqJpsNPhG6Yq1ZHjtiHGjUynvC-xU1K5LEOgAPLROsoC08va9Rm3Jzcl-RHihJIimEzG/s640/Fearless_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/OAK%20BEACH/96/156/22">Fearless Nation</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(he's OK by the way, once you get past his grunting and unwillingness to take showers)</span>. 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We talk occasionally about the "good" that is done in Second Life, pointing to things such as <a href="http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Relay_For_Life_of_Second_Life">Relay for Life</a> and <a href="http://virtualability.org/sl_resources.aspx">Virtual Ability</a>. One of the amazing organizations operating on the grid is <a href="http://www.fearless-nation.org/">Fearless Nation</a> - a resource for those affected by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posttraumatic_stress_disorder">Post Traumatic Stress Disorder</a>.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXhIxiZbRjV-x1TalAH6Fdf9kBw3DU07jEDwyP3KiIvReW1yEhyphenhyphenlcI3EnJfSXcFPUufgy9z_5kMvCTcV0MQahd9mNH4RgRzoI6Sv3BzlCQjwhQukEiVfBsSrB0OVi989VovzLmPvvFc4I/s1600/Fearless_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXhIxiZbRjV-x1TalAH6Fdf9kBw3DU07jEDwyP3KiIvReW1yEhyphenhyphenlcI3EnJfSXcFPUufgy9z_5kMvCTcV0MQahd9mNH4RgRzoI6Sv3BzlCQjwhQukEiVfBsSrB0OVi989VovzLmPvvFc4I/s640/Fearless_010.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/OAK%20BEACH/96/156/22">Fearless Nation</a></i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fearless Nation <i>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</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOFRh5d7Ua0XObd2jpSeO5oa9_EKDW6alzemnBIIQw84AqB0Yxgn5MJII9sTczW2B8xmNxlFCw5fD4wfHtC0Nio7zL2YcdUB44PW0pa_p8xzXbMS05Q54xLg-nNP9VnqN0PkZWHwkhaVR/s1600/Fearless_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOFRh5d7Ua0XObd2jpSeO5oa9_EKDW6alzemnBIIQw84AqB0Yxgn5MJII9sTczW2B8xmNxlFCw5fD4wfHtC0Nio7zL2YcdUB44PW0pa_p8xzXbMS05Q54xLg-nNP9VnqN0PkZWHwkhaVR/s640/Fearless_011.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/OAK%20BEACH/96/156/22">Fearless Nation</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sims which are normally closed to the public for use by members of the organization will be open for you to explore and a <a href="http://www.fearless-nation.org/HUNT2011.html">hunt</a> will encourage you to learn about the issue and treatment. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two additional sims have been added for the month and display fantastic pieces by some of our favourite artists. Curated by the indomitable <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30500340@N06/6304610841/">Eliza Wierwight</a> you will find it easy to lose yourself for hours enjoying the works of:</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Starlash Sweetwater Claudia222 Jewell</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bryn Oh kazuhiro aridian</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stephen Venkman PJ Trenton</div><div style="text-align: center;">Glyph Graves Gwen Carillon</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tricia Farella Scottius Polke</div><div style="text-align: center;">Trill Zapetero Lina Stigsson</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bonni Reid Sabbian Paine</div><div style="text-align: center;">Nicole Steen Starax Statosky</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rebeca Bashly Eliza Wierwight</div><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQJYhL5qnClEKPRuFbwgF8EatuOL7-rCYq81Ue2KkuoRN_Pioztg9EyB7TVCuQu2-reKqQeFDQXrQQvtoiAD8_c7lYt3tBaja3xvRZGxbKmc3CD-N7bzuNRgk03AZsd-p65yRweRgFcKZ/s1600/Fearless_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQJYhL5qnClEKPRuFbwgF8EatuOL7-rCYq81Ue2KkuoRN_Pioztg9EyB7TVCuQu2-reKqQeFDQXrQQvtoiAD8_c7lYt3tBaja3xvRZGxbKmc3CD-N7bzuNRgk03AZsd-p65yRweRgFcKZ/s640/Fearless_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/OAK%20BEACH/96/156/22">Fearless Nation</a></i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's unthinkable to have a festival inworld without music! And there will be plenty from the 4th through the 13th. This will include <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q3ZbOUwu2F7hHZ2yG7loiiFkEGMiM18k3bgyg-E8iY4/edit?hl=en_US&pli=1">live performances and amazing DJ's</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZdYkYd09h06kLRTmVWTQFGMlJnPUzVEpyiIx-9I6eGOW-VpAxEFhX36poKYCnZq9bo9inSEPjL43rcbroYbjvKaqN27Urjh7SufHrISXj_WZOPXCgIDhIGfOUUz-wWiC4adQ1UxKQknV/s1600/Fearless_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZdYkYd09h06kLRTmVWTQFGMlJnPUzVEpyiIx-9I6eGOW-VpAxEFhX36poKYCnZq9bo9inSEPjL43rcbroYbjvKaqN27Urjh7SufHrISXj_WZOPXCgIDhIGfOUUz-wWiC4adQ1UxKQknV/s640/Fearless_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/OAK%20BEACH/96/156/22">Fearless Nation</a></i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-13379419342466505332011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:002011-11-02T06:00:03.216-07:00Falling on my Sword in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgox5aA-aEGprwu90UUBRxUZcwvkuckLHOmFZ_cwbHeNMkLjxioBHm9fe7eWIiyYZ83bOlgKjbbAmjRpIlvXd2N3yfwMsdHNkVQdorNJPE8F-Yqo0TuyGz-Kbj2rfGs6UFqKhiNYvU9RlcJ/s1600/Fall+on+my+sword_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgox5aA-aEGprwu90UUBRxUZcwvkuckLHOmFZ_cwbHeNMkLjxioBHm9fe7eWIiyYZ83bOlgKjbbAmjRpIlvXd2N3yfwMsdHNkVQdorNJPE8F-Yqo0TuyGz-Kbj2rfGs6UFqKhiNYvU9RlcJ/s640/Fall+on+my+sword_005.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Schmuck</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: xx-small;"><i>sigh </i></span> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://kyushu.com/gleaner/editorspick/seppuku.shtml">Sepuku</a> and concluded that the full-blown traditional approach was probably not for me but I would tailor it somewhat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqp-kGrBlax6qS6uue44bzOi_0xd7G-H-hWmLQUolIlFIUXYuW3ZWstwOQK4QfveHztGLNsyjjrzQvdMfe4JJ5KY28_1w5Ik7YyoSpLHRRN1XKCb8oHHMlADOorUdHx6GQbTETdJbeY0FD/s1600/Fall+on+my+sword_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqp-kGrBlax6qS6uue44bzOi_0xd7G-H-hWmLQUolIlFIUXYuW3ZWstwOQK4QfveHztGLNsyjjrzQvdMfe4JJ5KY28_1w5Ik7YyoSpLHRRN1XKCb8oHHMlADOorUdHx6GQbTETdJbeY0FD/s640/Fall+on+my+sword_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Xena who?</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkuG-RAjShSbMpkCbWCdiJBou49VHk9NZA1U87GIT4AwX5v-emjGN3qqbUv7aHllB9q9UbjEmbBIskjugn3Rm9sOZhqIyUQ9bOhuCi9FkPCsDVOAWvfYqFPZTnwYFTbV_Kmr5MPbHwcH-/s1600/Fall+on+my+sword_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkuG-RAjShSbMpkCbWCdiJBou49VHk9NZA1U87GIT4AwX5v-emjGN3qqbUv7aHllB9q9UbjEmbBIskjugn3Rm9sOZhqIyUQ9bOhuCi9FkPCsDVOAWvfYqFPZTnwYFTbV_Kmr5MPbHwcH-/s640/Fall+on+my+sword_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dignity? What dignity?</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-77093446784020163742011-11-01T06:30:00.000-07:002011-11-01T06:30:32.185-07:00Spring in November in Second Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYgkLm2TetgFmvwdMpuqUpCFxRQ61NDJe9nBgN2-o2isRKklap36GaMPgT4unnT0QFz9sMPILBwJQ5Pi66PEJENCjXD_B1iGajoWGhAJ4Ou25QyW5IgsjHsD2rLRDCaJUVUPvvIkfPIIB/s1600/Haruno_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYgkLm2TetgFmvwdMpuqUpCFxRQ61NDJe9nBgN2-o2isRKklap36GaMPgT4unnT0QFz9sMPILBwJQ5Pi66PEJENCjXD_B1iGajoWGhAJ4Ou25QyW5IgsjHsD2rLRDCaJUVUPvvIkfPIIB/s640/Haruno_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HARUNO/146/130/6" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Haruno</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZiNDS6g8dmxqiUKGrnaisP0_hfT0qlg0WZybruHH9OnLjKAL5mwVryDc3pkTpnoBd4G55ihwh4qj2oK8kU-mxFlOFj7aSRMRTAtYdI4l7gQDRnXOH_1ogK20WZ3BSKvfO2S8ng5zTkxd/s1600/Haruno_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZiNDS6g8dmxqiUKGrnaisP0_hfT0qlg0WZybruHH9OnLjKAL5mwVryDc3pkTpnoBd4G55ihwh4qj2oK8kU-mxFlOFj7aSRMRTAtYdI4l7gQDRnXOH_1ogK20WZ3BSKvfO2S8ng5zTkxd/s640/Haruno_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HARUNO/146/130/6" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Haruno</i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Today I lucked out and found something pretty and dedicated to Spring. <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HARUNO/146/130/6">Haruno</a> 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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL7MHGSjXS8XuaLOO6WsFCdm7HZbyi71hCF9gkY7Fz1UzcfzShJRrJ1i0YF1hnhrHXe52wjySb1KOHMwQeo6gR2hTlHWggQS9uH84qKKR12JK5ahjGPf-dZw8BZ56x2VMDDTK_3VM_umt/s1600/Haruno_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL7MHGSjXS8XuaLOO6WsFCdm7HZbyi71hCF9gkY7Fz1UzcfzShJRrJ1i0YF1hnhrHXe52wjySb1KOHMwQeo6gR2hTlHWggQS9uH84qKKR12JK5ahjGPf-dZw8BZ56x2VMDDTK_3VM_umt/s640/Haruno_007.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HARUNO/146/130/6" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Haruno</i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbpLuk67HsIbMVMhATbN5N4yOZOM3HsvK6uKdcUAjN0kFDN_H9Yzbfj7M7loJqdId4zzgK1gqbtkPcZAr3U0w5EyIqd-Nl4s33nqBMJ-rqOy6a34dHFYzGDCo40yTHyyFOaCIdRW1h1Rw/s1600/Haruno_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbpLuk67HsIbMVMhATbN5N4yOZOM3HsvK6uKdcUAjN0kFDN_H9Yzbfj7M7loJqdId4zzgK1gqbtkPcZAr3U0w5EyIqd-Nl4s33nqBMJ-rqOy6a34dHFYzGDCo40yTHyyFOaCIdRW1h1Rw/s640/Haruno_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HARUNO/146/130/6" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Haruno</i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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. :)</div><br />
<br />
<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='600' height='500' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/i-DZNlOpOFI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></center>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-34254395823621710962011-10-31T05:30:00.000-07:002011-10-31T05:54:20.620-07:00A "Modest Proposal" for Art in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFP0IFXyoXk0-o7jZBu4YetQESGst1MJjvtBpMVMr36EA-_lBcUSezIOLRfZlHMy_OoyWd0_N1PY73sxVES1ol3B5w_zyJnHH-qVuzusCVlRLX7QzFBpRIhCtjb4M1Qy8JauFlfuX0LCNk/s1600/Snapshot_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFP0IFXyoXk0-o7jZBu4YetQESGst1MJjvtBpMVMr36EA-_lBcUSezIOLRfZlHMy_OoyWd0_N1PY73sxVES1ol3B5w_zyJnHH-qVuzusCVlRLX7QzFBpRIhCtjb4M1Qy8JauFlfuX0LCNk/s640/Snapshot_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA5/122/129/24" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>LEA Art Sandbox</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">There's a new bully in town. That's right, the <a href="http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Linden_Endowment_for_the_Arts">Linden Endowment for the Arts</a> 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 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(and of course let Crap and I <a href="http://honour-mcmillan.blogspot.com/2011/10/tough-day-at-avatar-games-office-in.html">loose on the world</a>)</span> but now they're <a href="http://lindenarts.blogspot.com/2011/10/introducing-lea-land-grant.html">giving out grants</a> to individuals so they have an opportunity to create and share their vision with the rest of the grid. Outrageous!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://art-bin.com/art/omodest.html">Jonathan Swift</a> I propose to end this scourge permanently.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27ldLOnb5VxCNsWmCpR4xazGmn14NOc62xGBoHBVsggCNS7m3glKEPls0M2V7SkZT3sIQaQCUZfCMVx4gKQX4f07lom9Tw0MbbH7BErfof5UtBMAxwh08iEVuRS124GQ7CabM0QAq9GRf/s1600/Snapshot_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27ldLOnb5VxCNsWmCpR4xazGmn14NOc62xGBoHBVsggCNS7m3glKEPls0M2V7SkZT3sIQaQCUZfCMVx4gKQX4f07lom9Tw0MbbH7BErfof5UtBMAxwh08iEVuRS124GQ7CabM0QAq9GRf/s640/Snapshot_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Great%20Fissure/126/111/69" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>The Great Fissure</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU1V2lIL5Ij9c2bOa4P2wc_DJGI3QHSthyphenhyphenQP2yFrfcPU7pybyxZ-ZxHYtcomt1tTw6O4_yKjONr8VdmWno1BXs4e7PQR8SyFn-fcLfeIws3RnjT0udAkbZlZxXM6oRfPNLWSkFaEklZIL/s1600/Snapshot_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVU1V2lIL5Ij9c2bOa4P2wc_DJGI3QHSthyphenhyphenQP2yFrfcPU7pybyxZ-ZxHYtcomt1tTw6O4_yKjONr8VdmWno1BXs4e7PQR8SyFn-fcLfeIws3RnjT0udAkbZlZxXM6oRfPNLWSkFaEklZIL/s640/Snapshot_005.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/London%20City/160/112/18" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>The London Dungeon</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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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.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAj871QDPNiNzSqF8WqEp6nRPwQ5FzV9CNLNpNhO5HsIBrA7koWfcGHJD7ls3Vpw1zps1LinB4vBckDJUk4TMb8hXY5cO0KLa1-uqlVJ7g1oHVs7qCcswyThBDI4X9M4DElPavu2k_2Wpm/s1600/Hang_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAj871QDPNiNzSqF8WqEp6nRPwQ5FzV9CNLNpNhO5HsIBrA7koWfcGHJD7ls3Vpw1zps1LinB4vBckDJUk4TMb8hXY5cO0KLa1-uqlVJ7g1oHVs7qCcswyThBDI4X9M4DElPavu2k_2Wpm/s640/Hang_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Time%20and%20Space/99/117/301" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Ankh Morpork</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZlmA8ha4npGBpsxrvglQ7LxAiMQ5AWCxA3m3gVv5f8hVS6miAwj1-bWwGkg89uhyGOBhqMrA87gQfGIY4VF7VoVr6Mq_Iw0ZiG6ffTLCwZubMM5_N5QWNweg_o66hh9x8uEgWaDnz_C6/s1600/madame+defarge.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZlmA8ha4npGBpsxrvglQ7LxAiMQ5AWCxA3m3gVv5f8hVS6miAwj1-bWwGkg89uhyGOBhqMrA87gQfGIY4VF7VoVr6Mq_Iw0ZiG6ffTLCwZubMM5_N5QWNweg_o66hh9x8uEgWaDnz_C6/s640/madame+defarge.png" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Image from <i>A Tale of Two Cities </i>(1935)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-44432088158590275422011-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:002011-10-30T06:00:07.244-07:00Win, Fail, Pause for the Blues & A Voice You Should Hear in Second Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNFpLP_8v4_7i9SV6wfAwHSoo-PUcoGZhcofO3peCfNDNgtGWMFol5gUjKDTBD1-IAlzm1ulhC0NJbQgTM1JNsNIi2uHLZE5nRTok3RQFFw98Ska1p1CGmVCQ7TLuWTAwAh_F_0AOzbYK/s1600/Fish+in+the+Desert_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNFpLP_8v4_7i9SV6wfAwHSoo-PUcoGZhcofO3peCfNDNgtGWMFol5gUjKDTBD1-IAlzm1ulhC0NJbQgTM1JNsNIi2uHLZE5nRTok3RQFFw98Ska1p1CGmVCQ7TLuWTAwAh_F_0AOzbYK/s640/Fish+in+the+Desert_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Insomnia%20Station/121/156/101" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Insomnia Station</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nothing is simple.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjV6V8PK0p2nHkaMnTFvwoWv2Zgtu7kpaOB6vzYmHI9Cw2oBxGDbRXS0lB9YDsWMAnSH_vw0W2IjCIqE4BYR9m0mGAZX3VfdWuFMyA7_2gFj4OWNenCTeQnmrAfSLW_9ChTlHIWTFJsN3/s1600/Fish+in+the+Desert_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjV6V8PK0p2nHkaMnTFvwoWv2Zgtu7kpaOB6vzYmHI9Cw2oBxGDbRXS0lB9YDsWMAnSH_vw0W2IjCIqE4BYR9m0mGAZX3VfdWuFMyA7_2gFj4OWNenCTeQnmrAfSLW_9ChTlHIWTFJsN3/s640/Fish+in+the+Desert_005.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Insomnia%20Station/121/156/101" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Insomnia Station</i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL736gApXwmHb97NNdhtPIIwUsYAbE9lhANB-iTnTrHcWklgC1y_ZEWw-W3dr8ZeNrGsqFyicZKq1f9ycpsAJxDzAoUbvWwGwOnQnU40-Ny-oEe42XAU38QLiJn0m1ej3zNW6tGBeVSCN6/s1600/Fish+in+the+Desert_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL736gApXwmHb97NNdhtPIIwUsYAbE9lhANB-iTnTrHcWklgC1y_ZEWw-W3dr8ZeNrGsqFyicZKq1f9ycpsAJxDzAoUbvWwGwOnQnU40-Ny-oEe42XAU38QLiJn0m1ej3zNW6tGBeVSCN6/s640/Fish+in+the+Desert_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Insomnia%20Station/121/156/101" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Insomnia Station</i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYI5ZVrmxQ5-NwVvtwQYdcGBHWngf-MLI5Dg-Fo_5NzCW_Bup9wA9JE0jzkJ1D1VQoYLmklgXcFZZOIu4Q_0LDjI9UnTtT9d7FlaPF_c6iGCFlTS7cattFs7-v6ZaTAvVrpj2y_ZNdvRj/s1600/Fish+in+the+Desert_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYI5ZVrmxQ5-NwVvtwQYdcGBHWngf-MLI5Dg-Fo_5NzCW_Bup9wA9JE0jzkJ1D1VQoYLmklgXcFZZOIu4Q_0LDjI9UnTtT9d7FlaPF_c6iGCFlTS7cattFs7-v6ZaTAvVrpj2y_ZNdvRj/s640/Fish+in+the+Desert_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Insomnia%20Station/121/156/101" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Insomnia Station</i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=alexmaysmusic@gmail.com&gsessionid=OK">Alex Mays</a>. 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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 - <i>Alex Mays {Live Music}</i> - that way you won't miss an opportunity to enjoy his performances.</div><br />
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".<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/IpEUedfz7nI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></center>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-74930433734509874502011-10-28T07:35:00.000-07:002011-10-28T07:35:40.284-07:00There's Aught in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRfzijOjkg3pHFF6QMGEQZmYAmsBmx4rzLLP90ttzrKd3Y3aFVGZmzs-ZIb7YD5PQ_v3j-HYqE4w-PVMR1uLB_vyji-mH850fpCLUVjtENQ0jcf1Zz-fQJpclM-d5O8nPWoVlPmGOy7P3/s1600/Aught_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRfzijOjkg3pHFF6QMGEQZmYAmsBmx4rzLLP90ttzrKd3Y3aFVGZmzs-ZIb7YD5PQ_v3j-HYqE4w-PVMR1uLB_vyji-mH850fpCLUVjtENQ0jcf1Zz-fQJpclM-d5O8nPWoVlPmGOy7P3/s640/Aught_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aught/170/219/22">Aught</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having said that, there is a very cool sim called <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aught/170/219/22">Aught</a> 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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg602XZzjwBa1DqK0lRWMDBbZEPhaOXwUtc3SqJV0PUcFHJflZ0D5n92FgMHBfqgCUThJ8ntYTbDcwZcHrGdtMuFwW5Fb73HG4A7fp0p7OVExzy0XX0qcHpPNEaEMVAwvHJC_dDpkRSz-cK/s1600/Aught_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg602XZzjwBa1DqK0lRWMDBbZEPhaOXwUtc3SqJV0PUcFHJflZ0D5n92FgMHBfqgCUThJ8ntYTbDcwZcHrGdtMuFwW5Fb73HG4A7fp0p7OVExzy0XX0qcHpPNEaEMVAwvHJC_dDpkRSz-cK/s640/Aught_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aught/170/219/22">Aught</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I enjoyed visiting <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aught/170/219/22">Aught</a> and I wish I could bring you better images - you'll just have to visit yourself and find your own. :)</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97rKuzmbCc2Cr1_PM_PsutIeGvsIWZaHrWlN4apt-2hlKbhVCV4VNLN81qBkW_AdPXLQED0bjBh7Nf3uA3PENNgOaAXPQpcgmb1a96pm1dfZGc336vapNEcbwWEpr2fX1n31fo819W8oc/s1600/Aught_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97rKuzmbCc2Cr1_PM_PsutIeGvsIWZaHrWlN4apt-2hlKbhVCV4VNLN81qBkW_AdPXLQED0bjBh7Nf3uA3PENNgOaAXPQpcgmb1a96pm1dfZGc336vapNEcbwWEpr2fX1n31fo819W8oc/s640/Aught_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aught/170/219/22">Aught</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-58762786501944225892011-10-26T07:53:00.000-07:002011-10-26T08:37:40.597-07:00On Lives and Journeys and Dark Chocolate in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguymQthe3kfn9j5IF2lzamUxPHpw_xiBXFZ_OSpatxgSie6-ScYv01Vp-nyeB7QiMelqUOahUZBF0ioAcizen5OyWfpknYyCE_FqrzRCebpUSWX3hyphenhyphenKKSPUJIS2ziNTfWeN87YZzql0qVz/s1600/Secret+Spheres_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguymQthe3kfn9j5IF2lzamUxPHpw_xiBXFZ_OSpatxgSie6-ScYv01Vp-nyeB7QiMelqUOahUZBF0ioAcizen5OyWfpknYyCE_FqrzRCebpUSWX3hyphenhyphenKKSPUJIS2ziNTfWeN87YZzql0qVz/s640/Secret+Spheres_005.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fortune%20Land/183/151/21"><i>Secret Spheres</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The photos are from <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fortune%20Land/183/151/21">Secret Spheres</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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".</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRA8R1IwHwMXl4n93cHJWG646MDmr4-G2GANKb36f0MO87SP6Ni5qVxg609CP3O9WihLGwIdYEQFs-oivMX9Tlv6BF06Vt-zAmINl5n1Kv0tRyA2RJwdea2ACNuRQDwoKZylSamd3LEQ-D/s1600/Secret+Spheres_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRA8R1IwHwMXl4n93cHJWG646MDmr4-G2GANKb36f0MO87SP6Ni5qVxg609CP3O9WihLGwIdYEQFs-oivMX9Tlv6BF06Vt-zAmINl5n1Kv0tRyA2RJwdea2ACNuRQDwoKZylSamd3LEQ-D/s640/Secret+Spheres_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fortune%20Land/183/151/21"><i>Secret Spheres</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7k00nydP2cl4MsQOlQZomCBYvxc4oHgxDCFdq6W_XwgLT1ax6mcGZgfvbBvquwRYYYWryBwltsXP6c0ZzWa2e_zPQ_WOTGxPvogODrP2gELoiBz494PmEy5LAJ_pr_CeBopTs98kqsBeF/s1600/Secret+Spheres_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7k00nydP2cl4MsQOlQZomCBYvxc4oHgxDCFdq6W_XwgLT1ax6mcGZgfvbBvquwRYYYWryBwltsXP6c0ZzWa2e_zPQ_WOTGxPvogODrP2gELoiBz494PmEy5LAJ_pr_CeBopTs98kqsBeF/s640/Secret+Spheres_011.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fortune%20Land/183/151/21"><i>Secret Spheres</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNEXoJwvcxZvHeMCiUQDTbbKyYDkqOp8sJZSrv9lcN6RbPBPqB7315IneuTOLTEDMjw1CSdj7qyYLmAh_0I8NBa70np-y5NiWQmt0WooeZCGM0sYy_Y0SWLjW7kcEeMivG_-QnThBs5xu/s1600/Secret+Spheres_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNEXoJwvcxZvHeMCiUQDTbbKyYDkqOp8sJZSrv9lcN6RbPBPqB7315IneuTOLTEDMjw1CSdj7qyYLmAh_0I8NBa70np-y5NiWQmt0WooeZCGM0sYy_Y0SWLjW7kcEeMivG_-QnThBs5xu/s640/Secret+Spheres_007.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fortune%20Land/183/151/21"><i>Secret Spheres</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many years and cartons of cigarettes later his voice is now a deep dark chocolate that drowns you in sensual pleasure. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(excuse me while I collect myself)</span> 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. :)</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/_Af4p3OUX1I/0.jpg" height="450" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_Af4p3OUX1I&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="600" height="450" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_Af4p3OUX1I&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div></center>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-33625447668271397172011-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:002011-10-25T06:00:02.113-07:00A Tough Day at the Avatar Games Office in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeceIeyTtFD5kX2e4qnamn7FkmuI9E1gZjN4Iakp28p-kqwMEwVZaNoDknoyqTTyyo5COAdHgo-SatVlwnbMohEsU6AKW0s-d-XG90eyTNp4VOljefPbN56cE4xxFRIWR3i4dXWnSCl-1/s1600/Tough+Day_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeceIeyTtFD5kX2e4qnamn7FkmuI9E1gZjN4Iakp28p-kqwMEwVZaNoDknoyqTTyyo5COAdHgo-SatVlwnbMohEsU6AKW0s-d-XG90eyTNp4VOljefPbN56cE4xxFRIWR3i4dXWnSCl-1/s640/Tough+Day_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Recovering from <i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA3/245/150/31">The Avatar Games</a></i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I had gr</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eat hopes when <a href="http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:LEA_Avatar_Art_Games">Avatar Games</a> was about to launch and <a href="http://honour-mcmillan.blogspot.com/2011/06/madness-that-is-avatar-games-in-second.html">I described</a> 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.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://firstlife.isfullofcrap.com/">Crap</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.<br />
<br />
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 <a href="http://jeffreylipskyarts.com/filthyfluno.aspx">Filthy Fluno</a> will find his way to the end zone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-33483072513506004292011-10-24T07:37:00.000-07:002011-10-24T07:37:24.657-07:00You Think I'm What? in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinSQz_xMPhQ2FJSwFDBslpazK0OAOo1jF37pVqeBr6Kx6T6wVGONok0xjRO5JRnLFWDpiDplgDeamNHQf1LGIpxpPPVmHQbj3e-7l-cFltkpML-rN9bNAGe2d2VpTPR6iIA9AwDtL4OeWe/s1600/Winterfell_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinSQz_xMPhQ2FJSwFDBslpazK0OAOo1jF37pVqeBr6Kx6T6wVGONok0xjRO5JRnLFWDpiDplgDeamNHQf1LGIpxpPPVmHQbj3e-7l-cFltkpML-rN9bNAGe2d2VpTPR6iIA9AwDtL4OeWe/s640/Winterfell_008.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wishes/56/200/1202">Winterfell</a> </i>(moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy_Brown">Murphy Brown</a> and neither of those terms have ever been used to describe her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM7zIR22EdOODWfFBftkiRh1LDyCzc73ZJl4uOArcgh8hqcc2VIDq0HOgw0lTopqgaor7j3OE2UpqbtkmgbxT73tfu069BEZJGIvnfbPg2HDu-EZfuTFdTDCTxJzeGAL4A7SwBolXsX5a/s1600/Winterfell_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM7zIR22EdOODWfFBftkiRh1LDyCzc73ZJl4uOArcgh8hqcc2VIDq0HOgw0lTopqgaor7j3OE2UpqbtkmgbxT73tfu069BEZJGIvnfbPg2HDu-EZfuTFdTDCTxJzeGAL4A7SwBolXsX5a/s640/Winterfell_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wishes/56/200/1202">Winterfell</a> </i>(moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5sUqEnueIASAcUhYusACxqCi0aYhT_gKMpszy2n2fmzSGF6h4Cb_gpbUAox55OVi3HklNuSXBecGBNId74ey5toGXZApZFWBKITIU4-6kllPNEjQM70KOrtouY5sf8vxx4K_0DVLhhWi/s1600/Winterfell_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5sUqEnueIASAcUhYusACxqCi0aYhT_gKMpszy2n2fmzSGF6h4Cb_gpbUAox55OVi3HklNuSXBecGBNId74ey5toGXZApZFWBKITIU4-6kllPNEjQM70KOrtouY5sf8vxx4K_0DVLhhWi/s640/Winterfell_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wishes/56/200/1202">Winterfell</a> </i>(moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"><i>grin</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oHtKamj6uyMilZNnsgpMsfkHNVW1Iwjpel1huMpSt5SkgrVnSWob1Mqj3EVhfrDcZvuUZWBRck0_Npy-QGiK7ViIHTM2ZbfMElRGFIoCh1jMeGnbs0kXxnB52ozhuaY7GTYeWRH-VvJ_/s1600/Winterfell_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oHtKamj6uyMilZNnsgpMsfkHNVW1Iwjpel1huMpSt5SkgrVnSWob1Mqj3EVhfrDcZvuUZWBRck0_Npy-QGiK7ViIHTM2ZbfMElRGFIoCh1jMeGnbs0kXxnB52ozhuaY7GTYeWRH-VvJ_/s640/Winterfell_005.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wishes/56/200/1202">Winterfell</a> </i>(moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I went to visit <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wishes/56/200/1202">Winterfell</a> to get the images for this post. It's aimed at the fans of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_of_Thrones">Game of Thrones</a> and is described as a <i>Freeform Para-RP in the universe of a Song of Ice and Fire based within the City of WInterfell, in the North</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;">sigh</span></i> 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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_1Vni6lWlHuqIsLgrOfOKOr4tPBCp1OlRBLZ-I05VaDLg91ToLMLKcUTnDTfpNH-K158esPPWzBHBiHKzyMwGb5rIc33ffHncYWC0i8mbXfXFmyeh8KDerJQSqDhVET2GbVRDo1qGZy5/s1600/Winterfell_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_1Vni6lWlHuqIsLgrOfOKOr4tPBCp1OlRBLZ-I05VaDLg91ToLMLKcUTnDTfpNH-K158esPPWzBHBiHKzyMwGb5rIc33ffHncYWC0i8mbXfXFmyeh8KDerJQSqDhVET2GbVRDo1qGZy5/s640/Winterfell_006.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wishes/56/200/1202">Winterfell</a> </i>(moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-7677659785202237152011-10-23T06:33:00.000-07:002011-10-23T07:38:41.331-07:00Some People Have Shoulder Pets in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGpZLzKr3JY4JhY673V0pUxnTdZZ768p6oH5560rkDE00Kn5Z9_4XrWsxLt6ZCD-4aHxu0cRa5WGjc7LcX4bqsxSCYPcXV1i4AfoFjyKy9BvOjt_pm3pzq3_-gG29ouBo1tAT0jG4Y8hZ/s1600/Dragon_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGpZLzKr3JY4JhY673V0pUxnTdZZ768p6oH5560rkDE00Kn5Z9_4XrWsxLt6ZCD-4aHxu0cRa5WGjc7LcX4bqsxSCYPcXV1i4AfoFjyKy9BvOjt_pm3pzq3_-gG29ouBo1tAT0jG4Y8hZ/s640/Dragon_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Felix & I</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://modemworld.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/mesh-and-sculpts-the-art-of-claudia222-jewell/">Claudia222 Jewel</a> 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.</div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-70011254846262444932011-10-21T07:00:00.000-07:002011-10-21T08:42:52.671-07:00Unsleep Walking the Grid in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6xCHjyEcU5ZMongCoRBuHdSCKijViTNAaJtuUT8-hSAUbK74CR2oOZYnLz9nHdk_ISSFbYoqCuo2XirTDJNSanRZPG4EM1av5SXzbk7b9ymcy_WWrnkUvEH617v3nzCDomU9R2a0OqYx/s1600/Snapshot_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6xCHjyEcU5ZMongCoRBuHdSCKijViTNAaJtuUT8-hSAUbK74CR2oOZYnLz9nHdk_ISSFbYoqCuo2XirTDJNSanRZPG4EM1av5SXzbk7b9ymcy_WWrnkUvEH617v3nzCDomU9R2a0OqYx/s640/Snapshot_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/XIV/188/67/21"><i>XIV Evanesce</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://www.koinup.com/TotemFlow/work/395426/">this one</a> by Totem Flow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgow76niJRRn1wPVT_2KRfDaGl3C46yUbJxfxoFRmXlGNRmGv52Zg_tpvqyv6YW5GDob6G4vW-ks_1WmoEyYRCPZofpIHqn_IOfBvVNZOouNiJH4L6Zh6dVcL-379qZL_tD-KeyueRkjSuu/s1600/XIV_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgow76niJRRn1wPVT_2KRfDaGl3C46yUbJxfxoFRmXlGNRmGv52Zg_tpvqyv6YW5GDob6G4vW-ks_1WmoEyYRCPZofpIHqn_IOfBvVNZOouNiJH4L6Zh6dVcL-379qZL_tD-KeyueRkjSuu/s640/XIV_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/XIV/188/67/21"><i>XIV Evanesce</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I arrived I had my environment set to midnight and decided to keep it there but play with some of <a href="http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/WindLight_settings">Torley's settings</a> for that hour.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not comfortable with many of the mushy romantic destinations inworld. Maybe I have a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/5811761246/">different notion</a> of romance or maybe I'm just cranky but I find too many of them cliched and overly cute. However <a href="http://xivinsl.wordpress.com/">Vix Yoshikawa</a> has created something beautiful and romance could be happy here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEoL-32I3EyerLCJYfCUOQnYy0FrO5E_m4NTMmExVqmHUCfRYb5KYtoPIj5s0EgsQMLvbu3fpxoWdnDtTVYID2g65ydnhrbu3imEysIDNGwwHuf9Bmv-Rqafm9ABJqZBgFopt_RrC0V1s/s1600/XIV_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEoL-32I3EyerLCJYfCUOQnYy0FrO5E_m4NTMmExVqmHUCfRYb5KYtoPIj5s0EgsQMLvbu3fpxoWdnDtTVYID2g65ydnhrbu3imEysIDNGwwHuf9Bmv-Rqafm9ABJqZBgFopt_RrC0V1s/s640/XIV_007.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/XIV/188/67/21"><i>XIV Evanesce</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I didn't invade their privacy and I did not take their picture but seeing them made me smile. </div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrv2QJ2GSW16RhR4cldBlSOhJqsOFcTEElYt6U7yK4_tPD_LFNGO4ViAbarmE2y8UXRvatVLB4NGtJvJ1Xhz9r0iuOAwxmBBUiqJ5R-vAeHpH4ElG4OHhPUDyBRJEnlwAjSj5pV8Wf7NV/s1600/XIV_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrv2QJ2GSW16RhR4cldBlSOhJqsOFcTEElYt6U7yK4_tPD_LFNGO4ViAbarmE2y8UXRvatVLB4NGtJvJ1Xhz9r0iuOAwxmBBUiqJ5R-vAeHpH4ElG4OHhPUDyBRJEnlwAjSj5pV8Wf7NV/s640/XIV_008.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/XIV/188/67/21"><i>XIV Evanesce</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Go visit <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/XIV/188/67/21">XIV Evanesce</a> and check it out at different times of day. Share it with somebody special - even if that means yourself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I headed back to sleep with the untaken photo of that couple in my head. Maybe I'm not as cranky as I think. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxw1RoTPkj-8CLLM9zDReUT_K39wVhwpXONBH6I82H3MVKimQOnKb6jqrkQcVlDAYWI2h32zF9cIByiJ8KUL-Ta5FPxmbv0iejCxSH9ZOg-vEq7A2UOvsTHxqo4xZjf51FljSxvWpFBWs/s1600/XIV_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxw1RoTPkj-8CLLM9zDReUT_K39wVhwpXONBH6I82H3MVKimQOnKb6jqrkQcVlDAYWI2h32zF9cIByiJ8KUL-Ta5FPxmbv0iejCxSH9ZOg-vEq7A2UOvsTHxqo4xZjf51FljSxvWpFBWs/s640/XIV_009.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/XIV/188/67/21"><i>XIV Evanesce</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-83400115365507492322011-10-19T06:43:00.000-07:002011-10-19T10:12:07.636-07:00Dante, Virgil & Hell in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-RjGHWmyXdbowJl9qPqD7RiOEItKtRnWpTU3e-gBtO6DkweutFzHt3_H6J57f9iQ773C9dQQZTqKOJ5j8oBH1EIQU5IkxlT2IdUoHM376GhJz7hz-YQKOzU58uugBLxMYDBfFN48fLzZ/s1600/Inferno_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-RjGHWmyXdbowJl9qPqD7RiOEItKtRnWpTU3e-gBtO6DkweutFzHt3_H6J57f9iQ773C9dQQZTqKOJ5j8oBH1EIQU5IkxlT2IdUoHM376GhJz7hz-YQKOzU58uugBLxMYDBfFN48fLzZ/s640/Inferno_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/129/147/113">Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you really want to get in the mood for horror then visit a realization of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferno_(Dante)">Dante's</a> vision of hell in <a href="http://vimeo.com/30024391">Rebeca Bashly's Inferno</a> on <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/129/147/113">LEA 6</a>.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXqTU_ZSGmobi6HlcM2QLF5MY7WzXrgeksLC_3lBlClp_OUSRMTwbUKsfvHJqJZjLBTThqqUWlTl1US3qR5B6O2BJS8wGVU8ohpwKyGbkRuYQiy8m1gP00kKX0RH5-hNqrSSFxyDtIesI/s1600/Inferno_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXqTU_ZSGmobi6HlcM2QLF5MY7WzXrgeksLC_3lBlClp_OUSRMTwbUKsfvHJqJZjLBTThqqUWlTl1US3qR5B6O2BJS8wGVU8ohpwKyGbkRuYQiy8m1gP00kKX0RH5-hNqrSSFxyDtIesI/s640/Inferno_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/129/147/113">Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The Roman poet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil">Virgil</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuR20LkV8o_6sTTtCvLBDIgLBlgAKIiEAgS_Q0Ij8n5O1gqKFD_e5Et2ikvovoLfBJ9VbFS2PtQL_e6VhWFQxB8wi8NO93ULx9036Vo0SDyZ9q-rckEKm-_ODo6d7qDqlKnBBeARejlbO/s1600/Inferno_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuR20LkV8o_6sTTtCvLBDIgLBlgAKIiEAgS_Q0Ij8n5O1gqKFD_e5Et2ikvovoLfBJ9VbFS2PtQL_e6VhWFQxB8wi8NO93ULx9036Vo0SDyZ9q-rckEKm-_ODo6d7qDqlKnBBeARejlbO/s640/Inferno_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/129/147/113">Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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 <i>"Hell is other people" </i>from<i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Exit">Huis Clos</a></i>. There's less brimstone that way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(As a side note, when I was much younger at University, a group of us drove across the border to see a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_in_Miss_Jones">pron movie</a> - 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.)</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KHKdC_J3MHujFusZBu1nzPaLRQPX8bVtmLbpGh2I9TeBF6qA4etb-3uva7RoCV4qTP1nkqkEUY8LDpRDDa6wxWU-ZHw__cfOkp834qpjyruEe6gCfLgUJE83l6DKLDBke9QBq_gz-EDF/s1600/Inferno_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KHKdC_J3MHujFusZBu1nzPaLRQPX8bVtmLbpGh2I9TeBF6qA4etb-3uva7RoCV4qTP1nkqkEUY8LDpRDDa6wxWU-ZHw__cfOkp834qpjyruEe6gCfLgUJE83l6DKLDBke9QBq_gz-EDF/s640/Inferno_007.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/129/147/113">Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/129/147/113">Inferno</a> for yourself and see what I mean.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13S6CCKaouqM8fOL9BDf0WbDc3bnamMvrdLSOvfbjsf_azgXCdO0FGZrXaO9YiDgFcC_cBYCmwiRpNx3HjriYYr1rOz4_waHbUgxNxAMGKleJwYhT7raOrz0n_I06ICuxflMAGgAVJZ8i/s1600/Inferno_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13S6CCKaouqM8fOL9BDf0WbDc3bnamMvrdLSOvfbjsf_azgXCdO0FGZrXaO9YiDgFcC_cBYCmwiRpNx3HjriYYr1rOz4_waHbUgxNxAMGKleJwYhT7raOrz0n_I06ICuxflMAGgAVJZ8i/s640/Inferno_006.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/129/147/113">Rebeca Bashly's Inferno on LEA 6</a> </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-18693597939155241022011-10-19T05:01:00.000-07:002011-10-19T05:01:25.134-07:00A Moment of Serendipity in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SsW49ZH3tkb0bJy3iTWCQHJYUNjuOOgsIT1-b4S7KQxkCM5DU6RxDeHVY4rFB_T5a1K6zir8IdX-LAH6D783LlLwOxfDjcWwl_zqIyLGSheBtOWoUvmqr3cSpJpHneO138144hr2qx3r/s1600/DH+Lab2_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SsW49ZH3tkb0bJy3iTWCQHJYUNjuOOgsIT1-b4S7KQxkCM5DU6RxDeHVY4rFB_T5a1K6zir8IdX-LAH6D783LlLwOxfDjcWwl_zqIyLGSheBtOWoUvmqr3cSpJpHneO138144hr2qx3r/s640/DH+Lab2_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/DHSL02/70/25/41"><i>DH Lab2</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This flock of birds is heading somewhere. I might follow. :)</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0M4l9YJglNIwUu6V5vqC6xQBXhw0dVJeg179ML6nJK5bCx6gLnUgTKF9DkcGPfK05gcxaqDpQc-VEZTT1mUGJiVsyHKgFxllIeO0cx8-yQyJSIBCy525_6cWM83Fz6OmK-nJ3GiYoz6Di/s1600/DH+Lab2_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0M4l9YJglNIwUu6V5vqC6xQBXhw0dVJeg179ML6nJK5bCx6gLnUgTKF9DkcGPfK05gcxaqDpQc-VEZTT1mUGJiVsyHKgFxllIeO0cx8-yQyJSIBCy525_6cWM83Fz6OmK-nJ3GiYoz6Di/s640/DH+Lab2_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/DHSL02/70/25/41"><i>DH Lab2</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-13438407113905308062011-10-18T07:13:00.000-07:002011-10-18T11:05:31.818-07:00Following The Path in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-Z53Y8w7S2ekOKPci4Ui9B8o6_b17A-9Q2EXsIrjvRTbAjLQhdShMGcgKbGkfLggaKcQegCk_GG3Ds3c2-kYFkafYAhLvgoRkBs3lFijxRzMNXKghmA98D0BoU-10A6QZpnsjJQ4mU7d/s1600/the+path_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-Z53Y8w7S2ekOKPci4Ui9B8o6_b17A-9Q2EXsIrjvRTbAjLQhdShMGcgKbGkfLggaKcQegCk_GG3Ds3c2-kYFkafYAhLvgoRkBs3lFijxRzMNXKghmA98D0BoU-10A6QZpnsjJQ4mU7d/s640/the+path_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> - Bryn Oh</i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you've been under a rock and missed it, <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> is a collaborative art project at the <a href="http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Linden_Endowment_for_the_Arts_Committee">Linden Endowment for the Arts</a> curated by <a href="http://brynoh.blogspot.com/">Bryn Oh</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFo6H_ihwwkjJ698a7gMtk2V4VdZBqzzr6pOSF5gIENw-paGGGaEQx2rHQeUfVaMZXxIEkWxU-80BN7qGNMPRuLeNgmodhSrN_UKqDB9hhEvxxr6ZXLdyIqHBe9k2JEzbwzpWJ4bsfP8T9/s1600/Snapshot_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFo6H_ihwwkjJ698a7gMtk2V4VdZBqzzr6pOSF5gIENw-paGGGaEQx2rHQeUfVaMZXxIEkWxU-80BN7qGNMPRuLeNgmodhSrN_UKqDB9hhEvxxr6ZXLdyIqHBe9k2JEzbwzpWJ4bsfP8T9/s640/Snapshot_009.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> - Colin Fizgig</i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I could try and explain what this is about but I think Bryn's own words would be more appropriate.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> 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.</i></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj710gRHfXRhzX9tQlM9rRHAoq9MbuKblHo2jmEAEaoCc1nZtaXZGvF-fpFG56wFLr26jhozvcTQ54gLZ2XO7os5VUjL6ngX3jdK-APjuYU6dkXwNxjwhA5zyhKSSiBXQOsi__ViI_TXYeu/s1600/Snapshot_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj710gRHfXRhzX9tQlM9rRHAoq9MbuKblHo2jmEAEaoCc1nZtaXZGvF-fpFG56wFLr26jhozvcTQ54gLZ2XO7os5VUjL6ngX3jdK-APjuYU6dkXwNxjwhA5zyhKSSiBXQOsi__ViI_TXYeu/s640/Snapshot_005.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path </a>- Marcus Inkpen </i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>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.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>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.</i></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih98slKN5ajubGaPBU5VaZlq3_h6egzbyuG9bneleDx1qQDWsEaAXoRHmGhahwp6uDk-0GDnOXNZencCviVNQ_65Tk2h3jkflwgzCBLqSxOX9in5_QdlcdfEQVL-DUyoDXjiQvmia_jTLv/s1600/Snapshot_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih98slKN5ajubGaPBU5VaZlq3_h6egzbyuG9bneleDx1qQDWsEaAXoRHmGhahwp6uDk-0GDnOXNZencCviVNQ_65Tk2h3jkflwgzCBLqSxOX9in5_QdlcdfEQVL-DUyoDXjiQvmia_jTLv/s640/Snapshot_011.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> - Desdemona Enfield/Douglas Story</i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> created by them for a group of characters and for yourself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Much like our physical life paths.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9In2gNLaf4ufvvOcF2XwyJsloJ2GolKjWlakeoVP0N8VkkysmxraOQsaNxsKvV8H4FgiXEiGDAStguBEEozuJQOBE9lxO1KF358JuT5k8vwpWm4mnqU6uaAHV551mr-L31iXikFjdbLFz/s1600/Snapshot_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9In2gNLaf4ufvvOcF2XwyJsloJ2GolKjWlakeoVP0N8VkkysmxraOQsaNxsKvV8H4FgiXEiGDAStguBEEozuJQOBE9lxO1KF358JuT5k8vwpWm4mnqU6uaAHV551mr-L31iXikFjdbLFz/s640/Snapshot_012.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path </a>- Maya Paris</i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been thinking about life paths lately. The choices we make or that others make and how they alter our intended course.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYl74-7yH-oArLh7z0VB0pxKib8_KAuQ3wLu4bMEKgv65D0FOoZf-2Og7UkTDojCBHnUiD3O_A0f0oTsKvJMeyUucWfJV-D1EabTDaXMcKwKdRs3GcJlZiJtT2ozfF8ukG_AtEGoP-ch4/s1600/Snapshot_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYl74-7yH-oArLh7z0VB0pxKib8_KAuQ3wLu4bMEKgv65D0FOoZf-2Og7UkTDojCBHnUiD3O_A0f0oTsKvJMeyUucWfJV-D1EabTDaXMcKwKdRs3GcJlZiJtT2ozfF8ukG_AtEGoP-ch4/s640/Snapshot_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> - Claudia222 Jewell (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A better idea would be for me to quote that great philosopher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Adams">Douglas Adams</a>' character Dirk Gently: "<i>I rarely end up where I was intending to go, but often I end up somewhere that I needed to be</i>."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrzyTV47zW1cOOJPCZGcXHpgSA95EqQETVJxjdNTLgB3U_V6OAXpIqkSHwOav8dk7hGkiq6TmzqCcbBJI5Zo1Z3DICk9YpyO03yHBSPHACxucWC_VCnul2R6VLaXbjAjP83Ha-0W_Kwte/s1600/Snapshot_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrzyTV47zW1cOOJPCZGcXHpgSA95EqQETVJxjdNTLgB3U_V6OAXpIqkSHwOav8dk7hGkiq6TmzqCcbBJI5Zo1Z3DICk9YpyO03yHBSPHACxucWC_VCnul2R6VLaXbjAjP83Ha-0W_Kwte/s640/Snapshot_007.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> - Scottius Polke</i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Go see <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a>. 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.<br />
<br />
PS. One of my favourite machinamists (jjccc) has made a video of this great installation - <a href="http://vimeo.com/30621094">go watch it</a>!</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCB7b3ECoT8b_gcIXyvSc6qniCwKHb7TSmL7D_MeTZnfBSXeuIYPGXKE7ma-lSGWssGZxLDgLXBhzTrL__3sAiKC5Ze2pQjJoc-QIuBQTegiiyVQrauT2BR7rayTsuw9smSPrVBcGOCCGd/s1600/Snapshot_013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCB7b3ECoT8b_gcIXyvSc6qniCwKHb7TSmL7D_MeTZnfBSXeuIYPGXKE7ma-lSGWssGZxLDgLXBhzTrL__3sAiKC5Ze2pQjJoc-QIuBQTegiiyVQrauT2BR7rayTsuw9smSPrVBcGOCCGd/s640/Snapshot_013.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA2/179/185/22">The Path</a> - Rose Borchovski</i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-70225389363111706182011-10-17T09:19:00.000-07:002011-10-17T09:19:44.213-07:00Wherein the Intrepid Explorer Creates a Halloween Costume for Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBu6LdtwRmBofwIDUCB7BdWaCjKlaLo5uYVwjr4c_af4OxnNe_-dDnmJnS3GoeA7j5_VW5hfFb2pqUuT3LztQt3dsi6wPjUJpnZrtTFI1PvWHoVI0f3kQBHXRX0ksL3Acrk8RdR3Kw4mFs/s1600/Sliders_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBu6LdtwRmBofwIDUCB7BdWaCjKlaLo5uYVwjr4c_af4OxnNe_-dDnmJnS3GoeA7j5_VW5hfFb2pqUuT3LztQt3dsi6wPjUJpnZrtTFI1PvWHoVI0f3kQBHXRX0ksL3Acrk8RdR3Kw4mFs/s640/Sliders_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well I like it .....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: xx-small;"><i>sigh</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqP7hatIWwagiDPNWl3EXqLkezEDjSMJp6wi4a1B-vRU0XetG64I9IcwwUU-kGjxkbuAvHo54NMUTK-l-0SxGnvkDyx5bcsDASPbvVVJYtbFc2jVTPEC426OExFHpJ8BMxVXlWFoq8eggh/s1600/Sliders_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqP7hatIWwagiDPNWl3EXqLkezEDjSMJp6wi4a1B-vRU0XetG64I9IcwwUU-kGjxkbuAvHo54NMUTK-l-0SxGnvkDyx5bcsDASPbvVVJYtbFc2jVTPEC426OExFHpJ8BMxVXlWFoq8eggh/s640/Sliders_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fine I'm pink .....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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!</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jCW2UBYVswo3YtqC0dcDVzBrAi9m-eo2XFGfaHxy2Wmcio5pGHdXrAZeXFdwffX2yg7XKm_xYjIkB0e1xmIR1VX9yU-N5mtahy0nVSAQaO4jnJKgeZ3w7J9neOB1If-6z2ogld9LT6a6/s1600/Sliders_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jCW2UBYVswo3YtqC0dcDVzBrAi9m-eo2XFGfaHxy2Wmcio5pGHdXrAZeXFdwffX2yg7XKm_xYjIkB0e1xmIR1VX9yU-N5mtahy0nVSAQaO4jnJKgeZ3w7J9neOB1If-6z2ogld9LT6a6/s640/Sliders_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There but I'm not oiling them .....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(/me grins at the outspoken critic of my choices)</span> but I'll try change and if I can live with it then I'll adapt.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonKh2zKWoAxH2N6nYwt5bvSHx65GoTgLor2rpPZGCL5xA36SNIspvteXkBX-0t3l6ksLAzGLknfe3m4eGuVH91In1Yk_IXLaHAI9gOqhKxgPt5KdkGjhpaYzVFCbZJbkNMCbWDHd0nL4m/s1600/Sliders_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonKh2zKWoAxH2N6nYwt5bvSHx65GoTgLor2rpPZGCL5xA36SNIspvteXkBX-0t3l6ksLAzGLknfe3m4eGuVH91In1Yk_IXLaHAI9gOqhKxgPt5KdkGjhpaYzVFCbZJbkNMCbWDHd0nL4m/s640/Sliders_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This seems safe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-79044161701722258912011-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:002011-10-18T18:37:04.281-07:00Seanchai Library brings War of the Worlds to Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9putepUudOTGsJLcy6GU73uTgZZ3g4UzSIXVWmETlGmD_p4Yl_uQOXQRIi8pDnUmkNdym5qbd4DVQreMrBb4WGV3gQDysdUqfgw4VsjFw1Z9n_1mk_vpT1FjNv_-AVMOQs4pZoNge296/s1600/Snapshot_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9putepUudOTGsJLcy6GU73uTgZZ3g4UzSIXVWmETlGmD_p4Yl_uQOXQRIi8pDnUmkNdym5qbd4DVQreMrBb4WGV3gQDysdUqfgw4VsjFw1Z9n_1mk_vpT1FjNv_-AVMOQs4pZoNge296/s640/Snapshot_005.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The family gathered around the radio ....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">It's October 30, 1938 and you and your family have gathered around the radio to listen to the <i>Mercury Theatre on the Air</i> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_dnqqUSZU3Odgnp62GXx0AQzh_QSQbEfJlYCHJULFd3L_SVOMHH_6S1tpPgDifF6cOHVtsxtyhCLrEYYubaJgkqjdqTSaKD08XL343AS7HI4OQuMilwNuwN1B0N0jd440TORfLg_oac3/s1600/Zain+Ruins_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_dnqqUSZU3Odgnp62GXx0AQzh_QSQbEfJlYCHJULFd3L_SVOMHH_6S1tpPgDifF6cOHVtsxtyhCLrEYYubaJgkqjdqTSaKD08XL343AS7HI4OQuMilwNuwN1B0N0jd440TORfLg_oac3/s640/Zain+Ruins_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zain/235/209/21"><i>Zain Ruins</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">It wasn't true of course. It was a radio play adapted from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells">H.G Wells'</a> novel <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds">The War of the Worlds</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Welles">Orson Welles</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xuj-un3Vfm1C7IpD3-rYl3Q_Gq3G4-vv4KoPdXm4L_ojdG92zsLYPyklPjI339jbLaBItNInddshApqmwREMvcvTr0AsDM4Zlh4t4U0eCwjMF7CV7wDLNvQpXoQrZF1f4iTVrf3ccjZT/s1600/Zain+Ruins_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xuj-un3Vfm1C7IpD3-rYl3Q_Gq3G4-vv4KoPdXm4L_ojdG92zsLYPyklPjI339jbLaBItNInddshApqmwREMvcvTr0AsDM4Zlh4t4U0eCwjMF7CV7wDLNvQpXoQrZF1f4iTVrf3ccjZT/s640/Zain+Ruins_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zain/235/209/21"><i>Zain Ruins</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Fast forward to the present and the <a href="http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/">Seanchai Library</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfFXEH_5Nc_r-yYxnuf5qJdFNweuaq7mtM19g-cH9KlXAMjaO4t2BShkWmPkPCtCJRlfPJCuZuvYjT8a9Gs7McEqqDzuPQypKT7OXDdJr7uNsehvXjbmUNq0scFQWYY5tLseaL7NEMWQV/s1600/Snapshot_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfFXEH_5Nc_r-yYxnuf5qJdFNweuaq7mtM19g-cH9KlXAMjaO4t2BShkWmPkPCtCJRlfPJCuZuvYjT8a9Gs7McEqqDzuPQypKT7OXDdJr7uNsehvXjbmUNq0scFQWYY5tLseaL7NEMWQV/s640/Snapshot_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sure it's nothing .....</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saturday October 22 a 5 p.m. performance at <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fig/163/45/497">Blood Evolution Kingdom</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sunday October 23 at noon on <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fig/163/45/497">Haunted Fruit Islands</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wednesday October 26 at 7 p.m.at <a href="http://slurl.com/secondlife/Imagination%20Island/46/211/28">Seanchai Library</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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. :)</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kbb85fJl6V7LNVbw-vbYxozPzrkykQ3LRmbp1qrusgp-GxnjYJavtRsCYeE7o-HnzYCK_xz4oVAXt6uTEnsRN8VsFbnNMCPX5XHjFaHn_FpEzxFrBgZLM3EVtkNA3XCF0NZeyp1zfRIW/s1600/Snapshot_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kbb85fJl6V7LNVbw-vbYxozPzrkykQ3LRmbp1qrusgp-GxnjYJavtRsCYeE7o-HnzYCK_xz4oVAXt6uTEnsRN8VsFbnNMCPX5XHjFaHn_FpEzxFrBgZLM3EVtkNA3XCF0NZeyp1zfRIW/s640/Snapshot_006.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He wasn't there when I took this photo .....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-82742499876524278242011-10-13T06:00:00.000-07:002011-10-13T06:35:20.557-07:00A Very Windy Aerie in Second Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIH99LMbkXxzSsvucba7xqJKOUBtJpGrXJHBs7NZCEustaEWGGnevsCSof21BxL3Qkn4oI6YxxXFlEdcCKI-mvhoz-ARBe3YFvVih6lyqEgmvEej516O464xDQHitIi-17zyXn3qoRsYw/s1600/Cherry+Manga+%2540+Metales_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIH99LMbkXxzSsvucba7xqJKOUBtJpGrXJHBs7NZCEustaEWGGnevsCSof21BxL3Qkn4oI6YxxXFlEdcCKI-mvhoz-ARBe3YFvVih6lyqEgmvEej516O464xDQHitIi-17zyXn3qoRsYw/s640/Cherry+Manga+%2540+Metales_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MetaLES/87/169/21"><i>The Aerie by Cherry Manga</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the exhibits I missed recently was <a href="http://vimeo.com/29556591">Maya Paris' installation</a> at <a href="http://metalesperformance.blogspot.com/2011/10/aerie-by-cherry-manga.html">Per4mance MetaLES</a> 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 <a href="http://secondlife.com/destination/aerie-by-cherry-manga">Cherry Manga</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MetaLES/87/169/21">The Aerie</a> 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.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzq31Z4WPch7SS108JWWZeMi8m2lYpD-dDK_mspr17ZJVYm0cTkWyBQoXK1BOBMJZ5VUuLQjwr0NCh6HT_oq7KodPih-wwcGFWWlTlIW1dQi8q3SAvmg8zAsiD-cNEETOP6aAO3J4k9Pa/s1600/Cherry+Manga+%2540+Metales_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzq31Z4WPch7SS108JWWZeMi8m2lYpD-dDK_mspr17ZJVYm0cTkWyBQoXK1BOBMJZ5VUuLQjwr0NCh6HT_oq7KodPih-wwcGFWWlTlIW1dQi8q3SAvmg8zAsiD-cNEETOP6aAO3J4k9Pa/s640/Cherry+Manga+%2540+Metales_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MetaLES/87/169/21"><i>The Aerie by Cherry Manga</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The sim suggests you use the <a href="http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/WindLight_settings#Torley.27s_WindLight_Settings">Torley windlight setting</a> of Midday Touch o' Purple which I did. Normally I mess around with my settings but I was obedient today. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6_V48_Ul-7cm6Et9B1ei4v0nzMqmZpoP36rbtF1Arxdsq__Ml0p0KqoNbnOlsqEkmcjq2QnYdpZ9L1oc9l8g7xDQDaS5LWQNY-6x1dhqVth-gqEEOz9QgZWG_UOElpVIR6bjHX-m8UeO/s1600/Cherry+Manga+%2540+Metales_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6_V48_Ul-7cm6Et9B1ei4v0nzMqmZpoP36rbtF1Arxdsq__Ml0p0KqoNbnOlsqEkmcjq2QnYdpZ9L1oc9l8g7xDQDaS5LWQNY-6x1dhqVth-gqEEOz9QgZWG_UOElpVIR6bjHX-m8UeO/s640/Cherry+Manga+%2540+Metales_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MetaLES/87/169/21"><i>The Aerie by Cherry Manga</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The colours are pale - and not just as a result of your environment settings. But there are colours and there are surprises.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB_KABdjubWByLR6E4ZnBl_fVuc9X5R1_RftWf1HimZzszoAI1mg5VIbx6Km78mN1D9ml-Ydx_HuoJvZ41a7yPpYFLhPmesDhgR1WJqVI_E51KUrR6Rwyr_zoSUY8zjvGViVrQAn9Ey29/s1600/Cherry+Manga+%2540+Metales_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB_KABdjubWByLR6E4ZnBl_fVuc9X5R1_RftWf1HimZzszoAI1mg5VIbx6Km78mN1D9ml-Ydx_HuoJvZ41a7yPpYFLhPmesDhgR1WJqVI_E51KUrR6Rwyr_zoSUY8zjvGViVrQAn9Ey29/s640/Cherry+Manga+%2540+Metales_006.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MetaLES/87/169/21"><i>The Aerie by Cherry Manga</i></a> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I had trouble capturing the feeling of <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MetaLES/87/169/21">The Aerie</a> 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.<br />
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<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ybxmwFaku0s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></center><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-88693439210916682742011-10-12T06:00:00.000-07:002011-10-12T06:00:00.269-07:00Through The Lens of Dreams & Being Boswell in Second Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-e_-pLkTuUo9uxyQWcwRTh3aWiINepqbL5bTLQvzWnXBL7w1xk_H-SV4QF22xvtZh8ucTeAQc_0Hr7__R1CiEEzpiW7dGFyURQnR9PdaRPghPS7UW-Pnyyd2og7UCTm72zHCINElFCp6/s1600/Through+the+Lens+of+Dreams_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-e_-pLkTuUo9uxyQWcwRTh3aWiINepqbL5bTLQvzWnXBL7w1xk_H-SV4QF22xvtZh8ucTeAQc_0Hr7__R1CiEEzpiW7dGFyURQnR9PdaRPghPS7UW-Pnyyd2og7UCTm72zHCINElFCp6/s640/Through+the+Lens+of+Dreams_005.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/126/149/80">Through the Lens of Dreams</a></i> at Art Screamer (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My first outing was to <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/126/149/80">Art Screamer</a> 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 <i>Through the Lens of Dreams</i> it's a fabulous landscape you complete as you explore. In their own words:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(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.</span></i></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMTcs_XPHh31cL8t65uNAlDywGyDFfQXk98SWCKWGqJfixgTTWMytWp8HD2qLROJWHG4k6yutXzNKjgTSsSpRa3ZHCDJXjZQ3bhoCWP47DBgjGEAG6jupaFfIcoT1eKzjJpDB8Be1Y7H3/s1600/Through+the+Lens+of+Dreams_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMTcs_XPHh31cL8t65uNAlDywGyDFfQXk98SWCKWGqJfixgTTWMytWp8HD2qLROJWHG4k6yutXzNKjgTSsSpRa3ZHCDJXjZQ3bhoCWP47DBgjGEAG6jupaFfIcoT1eKzjJpDB8Be1Y7H3/s640/Through+the+Lens+of+Dreams_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/126/149/80">Through the Lens of Dreams</a></i> at Art Screamer (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9O6ZvJ4sMquauZDGUSHWQc_iOabOjwJtS9zpkgqFqNs4ZzFVunHQxO4IIJ0yvWx73aDF8X_6vZqYs6Hi40p89XQbvUHdaUHkQuKoLFx7v3U5SJ8KZ7mPuHQVEqc_y3pks9HRwEG6KiEu/s1600/Snapshot_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9O6ZvJ4sMquauZDGUSHWQc_iOabOjwJtS9zpkgqFqNs4ZzFVunHQxO4IIJ0yvWx73aDF8X_6vZqYs6Hi40p89XQbvUHdaUHkQuKoLFx7v3U5SJ8KZ7mPuHQVEqc_y3pks9HRwEG6KiEu/s640/Snapshot_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/126/149/80">Through the Lens of Dreams</a></i> at Art Screamer (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cUG55i_eKfHZkcNGIt5F_7H5iRHcBCQzNhlW-xHf35EDTf3cYNVvDbsG8Hf_VJktuVs3Irud3aCYhExFmzt87r-cikfDlVPRifpnuYVBX_ZHLFPH16S0dv8uGYC_5QJ7PiSRM1TMVKb_/s1600/Through+the+Lens+of+Dreams_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cUG55i_eKfHZkcNGIt5F_7H5iRHcBCQzNhlW-xHf35EDTf3cYNVvDbsG8Hf_VJktuVs3Irud3aCYhExFmzt87r-cikfDlVPRifpnuYVBX_ZHLFPH16S0dv8uGYC_5QJ7PiSRM1TMVKb_/s640/Through+the+Lens+of+Dreams_008.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/126/149/80">Through the Lens of Dreams</a></i> at Art Screamer (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Someday maybe a fairy godfather <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(cause I'd rather look at great abs than boobs)</span> 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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Boswell">Boswell's</a> too - and it's certainly easier than what people like Madcow and Lorin are doing. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Go visit <a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/126/149/80">Art Screamers</a> and walk <i>Through the Lens of Dreams</i>. Make your own memories and take your own photos. Feel like a participant in this process. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm heading out to find some more products of the amazing talents we live with in a virtual world.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZGJWG4TCjtLbOmNowoADDCRe5_iHHwesKI3Y-SbPUK71DGPL1-SjPKSOYNAImRzPktHX9qxhrncc7R6yq2oRDqYLiMaQLD-3txdcWREkU9BBh0M83oxyiDHTiBc5xG4vsfmP358yQ4eD/s1600/Through+the+Lens+of+Dreams_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZGJWG4TCjtLbOmNowoADDCRe5_iHHwesKI3Y-SbPUK71DGPL1-SjPKSOYNAImRzPktHX9qxhrncc7R6yq2oRDqYLiMaQLD-3txdcWREkU9BBh0M83oxyiDHTiBc5xG4vsfmP358yQ4eD/s640/Through+the+Lens+of+Dreams_004.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Art%20Screamer/126/149/80">Through the Lens of Dreams</a></i> at Art Screamer (moderate)</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-4086022033830256992011-10-10T08:18:00.000-07:002011-10-10T08:18:42.577-07:00The Embers of Burn2 2011 in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27WPTswNEIABEU0T0LgwOE1Bgo1jfjcsO7lRpFWvLQL9n8TcRVbUBOWHJNfCy2BGXBDE4uHOqMCek6W39Ev-zfzUoOv0yAJZDIqWKiD_QUvoc2sTF82B6-9haeKvFWMtVkeiYwh9YUZOf/s1600/Temple+Burn+2011_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27WPTswNEIABEU0T0LgwOE1Bgo1jfjcsO7lRpFWvLQL9n8TcRVbUBOWHJNfCy2BGXBDE4uHOqMCek6W39Ev-zfzUoOv0yAJZDIqWKiD_QUvoc2sTF82B6-9haeKvFWMtVkeiYwh9YUZOf/s640/Temple+Burn+2011_002.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Temple Burns 2011</i></span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">There is a lot of smoke and ash on the <a href="http://burn2.org/">Burn2</a> playa today. The festival ended last night with the <a href="http://honour-mcmillan.blogspot.com/2011/09/starting-from-end-at-burn2-in-second.html">Temple Burn</a> and a lot of tears from sleep deprived eyes after an amazing, intense and busy nine days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It will take me a while to process everything that happened but I want to share some thoughts that come immediately to mind.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvrZ_t7MYv4ragvF5Y4DXd-UquyeMli2LIKsj0-V1leRGc2etWKXxdFXFmDjc-mbgvtbjwi2PCSoH4UmNW8Ioiha5iEaZ5uVHD1II3UZgjl6YDP5xkhO2XifBa26sTuwqFgWCWyIbnnfv/s1600/Temple+Burn+2011_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvrZ_t7MYv4ragvF5Y4DXd-UquyeMli2LIKsj0-V1leRGc2etWKXxdFXFmDjc-mbgvtbjwi2PCSoH4UmNW8Ioiha5iEaZ5uVHD1II3UZgjl6YDP5xkhO2XifBa26sTuwqFgWCWyIbnnfv/s640/Temple+Burn+2011_003.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Temple Burns 2011</i></span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The Burn is all about the <a href="http://burn2.org/ten-principles">10 Principles</a> 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BEryb98pqYbefR_Ko-PPwxuIm4IfF9sbaV09umwrSwthGCBnu11M1o8a_YBSrVowg9KWfDgdnpDSg9cnJPrHSDGhyphenhyphenBSyAa2mZ7u2KI2KBM04-F1MyM50HTWKke_auL-TZHZqndrRFIow/s1600/Temple+Burn+2011_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BEryb98pqYbefR_Ko-PPwxuIm4IfF9sbaV09umwrSwthGCBnu11M1o8a_YBSrVowg9KWfDgdnpDSg9cnJPrHSDGhyphenhyphenBSyAa2mZ7u2KI2KBM04-F1MyM50HTWKke_auL-TZHZqndrRFIow/s640/Temple+Burn+2011_007.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Temple Burns 2011</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74CRXYOB4ZDSh9n_HWKm1x_tNSQzqDD47POEEcRYtRAgASLVjhUCqaUZx2G16lEPw0MHJBlv5qFM-F7Qx5WDbofRtOO8pyHvbRujmjQ0pgkQXzCHZIuDA_apg9sY7h8ulrJitoK13WUGX/s1600/Temple+Burn+2011_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74CRXYOB4ZDSh9n_HWKm1x_tNSQzqDD47POEEcRYtRAgASLVjhUCqaUZx2G16lEPw0MHJBlv5qFM-F7Qx5WDbofRtOO8pyHvbRujmjQ0pgkQXzCHZIuDA_apg9sY7h8ulrJitoK13WUGX/s640/Temple+Burn+2011_011.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Temple Burns 2011</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">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.<br />
<br />
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. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">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.</div><br />
<br />
<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TJKSp4amIlg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></center>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2103252777208388055.post-40116683097215923472011-10-04T07:36:00.000-07:002011-10-04T07:36:02.241-07:00Wherein the Intrepid Explorer Experiences Another First in Second Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JZ8Z8CsEttAKCxlU7pgF-YeADtyaC7cEokDvZ4TufnmmIB7qbiIU2raUYziWYMKNd8mqU_5_tbiEoRK0PNfMuDYgbp3kTyM1G2ZCSnbvNXQlVPvym20sEQZrbx3ZhNzHuYnaMHFqn_3o/s1600/Dance+with+Jef_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JZ8Z8CsEttAKCxlU7pgF-YeADtyaC7cEokDvZ4TufnmmIB7qbiIU2raUYziWYMKNd8mqU_5_tbiEoRK0PNfMuDYgbp3kTyM1G2ZCSnbvNXQlVPvym20sEQZrbx3ZhNzHuYnaMHFqn_3o/s640/Dance+with+Jef_001.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Silver%20Seed/37/10/25">Center Camp @ Burn2</a></i> (moderate)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">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!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Come and dance at Burn2. Great music and great art and lots of terrific people await!</div>Honour McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01828949525849701192noreply@blogger.com4