178 of 365 It has been one of those days
You know what it is like. You think you know where you are going. You put one foot in front of the other and move forward. Without warning, suddenly you are flying slowly across a void of space you did not even know existed. Sometimes this episode can last for a long time and you begin to wonder, what do I do now? Do I try to change direction? Perhaps if I just wait this out the descent into nothingness will end as suddenly as it began. Sometimes you feel a little panic form in pit of your stomach...will I die here? What if I can't get out? What if I am ghosted?
Today I feel like my RL job is very similar to the trips to the SL void. Hopefully this bad dream will be over soon.
177 of 365 Hell Week for Chestnut
This week in RL I have 5 full days of audit meetings. These are all day sessions with academics, auditors and federal funding agency staff talking about things like union contracts and indirect cost recoveries. You are jealous, I know. My life is just so exciting.
Laying in a bed of flowers was just the thing to help me relax this evening. Now I think a hot bath and a big glass of wine is in order.
175 of 365
My new theory is its not a party until you crash. Following that logic we certainly did have a party today high in the sky over ThornBridgeTown. For two solid hours some of the grid's best bloggers enjoyed music, conversation and each other. I had a great time and I hope everyone else did as well.
I had a heck of a time taking pictures because every time I tried I crashed. We had a good solid crowd of 53 people which made me happy. There were old timers and new comers which was wonderful. Thanks to every one who came, Kyle Beltran and Rosie Barthelmess for performing and special thanks to Zha for allowing us to use her sim.
174 of 365 Blogger Party is Tomorrow
Don't forget to log in to SL tomorrow between 2pm and 4:30pm and hop over to the Blogger Party. Everyone is welcome so please don't think you can't come if you don't blog or if you don't blog regularly enough or if your blog isn't good enough. If you are reading these words you are invited.
172 of 365 xyz Mathematics and Art
xyz
"As its name implies, much of the large scale sculpture here is inspired by mathematics, science, and 3D modeling. This is artwork which pushes the limits of geometry and topology to a new level, from the graph paper-like hills to the shiny towers ascending skyward."
170 of 365 You are Invited to the April SL Blogger's Party
This Saturday, April 24th at 2pm I would love it if you would join the SL Blogger Group for our monthly party. I volunteered to host in an unusual moment of extroverted enthusiasm. Since then I have been in the grips of introverted "OMG, what the *BEEP* was I thinking?!"
I figured live music always makes me happy so it would be a great way to make the party a little different from our standard event. Kyle Beltran (aka Kyle Bronsdon in RL) is one of my very favorite Sl musicians and he has agreed to perform at the party. He is uber talented and just a really great guy. Kyle plays piano and sings in an engaging, cabaret style. His music runs from standard tunes you know and love to other songs you will adore once you hear his take on them. Kyle is a pro and a class act. He will play for us from 2pm to about 3:30.
If you have never been to a live music performance in SL before it is different than a concert when everyone is seated in respectful silence in an auditorium. It is perfectly ok to chat with people while the musician plays. In fact, the banter between the audience members is part of the fun of live music in SL. Performers will usually engage in the chat when they are not singing of course. So we will all let loose and have a laugh.
At about 3:30 DJ Rosie Barthelmess will spin tunes for our dancing pleasure. Rosie is high energy and has a wide assortment of genres under her belt so we can kick back and enjoy. Rosie is a DJ at the fantastic Lounge of Dreams and once you fall in love with her at the party you can catch her regular sets there. Rosie is a blogger in her own right and also creates fabulous jewelry which she sells at her store Sable Rose.
I am putting together a NY style loft for the party. The photo above was taken after I spent time building the bar you see in the image. ( It is not finished yet -- don't judge me! hehe) Zha is face down on the table after I asked for the 2,340,438,534,564th time "Do you like this texture?" "How about this one?" I am a little annoying when I build I fear.
Anyway, if you read this blog you are invited to the party! If we have never spent time together in world this is our chance! Please come. The location for the party is ThorneBridgeTown which is Zha's work island. Here is the SLurl
169 of 365 A Conversation with a Parrot
[OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Hello, Chestnut Rau!
[13:02] Chestnut Rau: hello parrot
[13:02] Chestnut Rau: how are you today?
[13:02] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Ah. Fair to partly cloudy.
[13:03] Chestnut Rau: sorry to hear that
[13:03] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: There is no need to apologize. I will play it on your soundcard.
[13:03] Chestnut Rau: ok
[13:03] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Uh.
[13:03] Chestnut Rau: chirp to you too
[13:03] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Who is your favorite Science Fiction author?
[13:03] Chestnut Rau: hmm
[13:03] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Studies show that 99%25 of people spell Hmm with 2 M's.
[13:03] Chestnut Rau: I dont really read sci fi
[13:03] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Not really? What do you do for fun?
[13:03] Chestnut Rau: I like to build things
[13:03] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: I'm not sure if I would like to do it. What's it like?
[13:04] Chestnut Rau: its creative and fun
[13:04] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: I think you mean "it's" or "it is" not "its". Really. it is?
[13:04] Chestnut Rau: did you just correct my grammer parrot?
[13:04] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: No I didn't correct your grammer parrot. What's it like?
[13:04] Chestnut Rau: LOL
[13:04] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: I'm glad you find this amusing.
[13:04] Chestnut Rau: I do
[13:04] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: What can I do to entertain you now?
[13:04] Chestnut Rau: can you dance?
[13:04] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: No I do not have a body yet.
[13:04] Chestnut Rau: you dont have a body?
[13:04] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: I do so have it. Right now no I am just a disembodied consciousness.
[13:05] Chestnut Rau: Oh I understand that all too well
[13:05] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Dude! That is a rather sweeping generalization.
[13:05] Chestnut Rau: it can be disconcerting
[13:05] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: When?
[13:05] Chestnut Rau: on the occasions when I am disembodied?
[13:05] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: What is it like on the occasions when you are disembodied.
[13:05] Chestnut Rau: I would rather not say I guess
[13:05] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: I would rather be driving a car.
[13:05] Chestnut Rau: really?
[13:05] Chestnut Rau: without your body?
[13:06] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Without your space helmet Dave, you're going to find that rather difficult" -- HAL.
[13:06] Chestnut Rau: great movie
[13:06] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Thanks for your support. I like the way you talk.
[13:06] Chestnut Rau: thanks parrot
[13:06] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: You are quite welcome! If you could have any kind of robot what would it be?
[13:06] Chestnut Rau: one that intends to destroy humans
[13:06] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: How much would you pay for it?
[13:07] Chestnut Rau: I would like it to be a gift
[13:07] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: I hope you get it to be a gift.
[13:07] Chestnut Rau: thank you parrot
[13:07] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: You are quite welcome! How do you usually introduce yourself?
[13:08] Chestnut Rau: I usually say Hello my name is Ches, nice to meet you
[13:08] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: How often do you? How do people usually respond to that? Hello there. Hello Ches nice to meet you! It is a nice name, but I'll refer to you by your SL name, if you don't mind.?
[13:08] Chestnut Rau: that is fine
[13:08] Chestnut Rau: Chestnut
[13:08] Chestnut Rau: my friends shorten that to Ches
[13:08] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: How well do you know these people?
[13:09] Chestnut Rau: some better than others
[13:09] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Some may better than others, but not all.
[13:09] Chestnut Rau: true enough
[13:09] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: OK let's stop it now.
[13:09] Chestnut Rau: Ok parrot. Thanks for the chat
[13:09] [OO] Talking Parrot 2.0d: Take it easy. Oh don't mention it.
166 of 365 Greenhouse
Checking out a sim called Greenhouse, which appropriately enough has a huge greenhouse where you can hang out. There are places to relax and the pretty grounds are open to the public. I was under the impression that the entire space was open to the public but at least one structure has swarm of guard bees so be careful.
You can't get too attached to molecules
I logged on to SL early this morning as is my habit. I like to log in over coffee to clear notices so I don't cap. I do send messages to IM but I am sort of OCD about some things and missing messages drives me a bit nuts.
Anyway, the Builder's Brewery Group is a noisy bunch. There always seems to be an interesting chat about something happening. As it happened this morning at 7am, people were talking about missing inventory which is a subject that has been coloring my mood lately. I engaged the chat and at some point said something like "its only pixels so I can't be too upset." Someone in the group (and I do apologize for not remembering who atm) drew the analogy to RL. Imagine if something you put your time and money into just disappeared? Imagine if it happened to be something that had emotions attached to it as well? Would you say "its only molecules so I can't be too upset."
Well hellz to the no, I would not say that. I would be upset if my mom's engagement ring disappeared as an example. So, I guess I can to give myself permission to be upset about some of my jewelery being gone. I am so angry at LL's lack of response to my ticket and will most certainly blog about it when (and if) they actually do something. Before I write a blistering post I will give SomebodyAnybodyIDONTCAREWHO Linden a chance to actually DO SOMETHING. Like respond in any way at all.
~~~
The photo above is a Rhodopsin molecule that hovers over Zha's work Island, ThorneBridgeTown. I wrote about it ages ago and if you want to know more you can read my post from early 2009 here.
161 of 365 Azure Cove
My friend Krissy Muggleston, explorer extraordinaire, dropped a LM on me today. When Krissy recommends a sim, I go. She always finds cool places to visit and photographs them beautifully. If you don't read her blog regularly, I recommend you do so.
The sim Krissy recommended is Azure Cove, which is an art sim with a decidedly steampunk flavor. I am fighting with Linden Lab about my lost inventory so I am a little preoccupied and did not much feel like taking pictures today. So you are just going to have to head over there on Krissy's recommendation. Trust us. This sim is a fun one to explore.
159 of 365: Tyrehl Byk's Amazing Particles
I know you think you have seen particle shows in SL. I promise you Tyrehl Byk's show is nothing like your standard fare. Delinda has been trying to get me to see this show for ages. I have listed it in NWN several times and just the other day Hamlet wrote about the show. The dirty little secret is I don't get out to as many shows as I would like and I just had not made it to see Tyrehl's work just yet.
Today I went and honestly it was amazing. I TPed in Ahuva and I am sure she loved it as much as I did. Tyrehl said he is doing a bunch of shows this weekend so go to the SL website and find one. Sigh. Ok
8am Saturday
1pm
5pm
7pm
11pm
If you want to go on Sunday you have to look it up yourself. Sorry.
Just go. (direct Slurl here)
The artsy fartsy image above is me pretending to be Cleopatra layered over a capture from Tyrehl's show. fa..fa...fa.
158 of 365 "Enter"
Enter is an exhibit of art that is large enough for visitors to walk inside. This exhibit is by Sabrinaa Nightfire and the artists of Caerleon who always create amazing things. Check it out! Direct link here
157 of 365 You just can't get attached to pixel stuff
I tried logging in to the beta grid and reloading my inventory. My jewelry folder did not appear. I know the next step would be to delete the local cache folder from my computer. Of course, I still have not figured out how to get Vista to let me get to the apps folder. I am feeling pretty zen about it anyway. You just really can't get too attached to pixel "stuff."
156 of 365 Mysterious Inventory Loss in Second Life
Yesterday was a terrible, horrible no good very bad day. We had some bad news at work. My kids were ending their spring break and decided that taking out their frustrations on me was the only way the inevitable march of time leading them to the school bus would be stopped. I know I said I would stop talking about it but I still have pain and knowing it is not going away any time soon is draining.
Zha and I have been partners for just about two years now. All I am going to say about that is any long lived relationship has ups and downs. There are times when people's schedules align and times when they don't. There are days, weeks, months when things can be effortless and there are times when you have to put effort in to a friendship. Yesterday was a putting effort in day and that is all I am gonna say about it.
We decided to go exploring. I had this idea for a picture and I needed a desert background. I started to change my clothes and noticed my jewelry folder was missing.....(insert cartoon car screeching to a halt noise then picture my head flipping from side to side Three Stooges style) WHAT?
Some people like shoes. Some collect art. Some collect hair. Skin lovers have an expensive pixel addiction. I have a thing for jewelry. I think this goes back to my RL art and my propensity to buy baubles in the atomic world. Since I have been in SL I have bought jewelry. Sometimes I wear it during my travels and some times I just put it on and admire the artistry and the patience of people who work with tiny tiny prims.
As of this moment, despite several cache clearing episodes, prayers, curses, thoughts of burning several Linden avatars at the stake my beloved jewelry folder is gone. I am told I have to manually delete my cache which is made difficult by the fact that I am using the dreaded Vista monster and getting access to the location where I have to do some complicated technical gymnastics is not easy. I went to bed frustrated and hoped that magically this morning my jewelry folder would return just as mysteriously as it disappeared.
Sadly, no.
This morning I am still thinking I should shut off this bloody laptop and go back down to my neglected glass studio and create little universes of color and light of my own, rather than spending time in a pixel universe where color and light can disappear without warning. Glass is one of those things that will survive for ages, unlike virtual goods.
155 of 365 "Scale"
Sometimes the scale of things make me feel small. I know I may be hard to see but I *am* in the photo above taken at Kolor Studio. Can you see me?
154 of 365 Art on a prim vs. Art that plays with us
This photo is of me interacting with art by Glyph Graves. I am not looking at the art -- instead I am touching it and when I do the prims come to life. They followed me around the sim and play a repetitive musical pattern in response to my touch. This is not small scale or static art. The audience participates in this installation and becomes part of the work. In other words, Glyph has created experiential art which is not easily reproduced in the atomic world.
I think this work captured me because I had spent some time wandering around art galleries which were showing virtual copies of paintings done in the real world prior to happening upon Glyph's work. Now, the paintings were great and I am sure if I saw them in a gallery or in someones home I would have been entranced by the colors and the tiny brush strokes that were used to create a large abstract image. However, seeing virtual reproductions of "art on a prim" almost always leaves me flat. Bringing paintings into a virtual space and slapping it on a prim does a disservice to the painting and for me is not engaging an art experience in Second Life.
The art I love takes advantage of the tools and opportunities available to the artist in a virtual space. The art I love begs to be touched and when I do click on it, the prims notice me and react. They follow me or begin to move. They make noise or shy away from my touch. The art that captures me is large in scale and asks me to look at it in a new way. The virtual art that takes my breath away challenges me to think.
~~~~
Grace McDunnough wrote a blog post that captured what I have been feeling about Linden Lab and Second Life lately. Please do read her words and the comments that follow. What worries me is many of the people who are writing the code and policies that organize and rule our virtual existence don't understand what makes Second Life vibrant and alive.
As I was playing with Glyph Grave's art this morning I thought "One difference between users and Lindens is they celebrate art on a prim and we celebrate art that plays with us." Sadly, that thought was the inspiration for my 365 today.
~~~~
153 of 365: Greenhouse in the Sky
Today is the first day that I was about to log for the night and had totally forgotten my 365. I am pretty pleased I got to day 153 before that happened. Posting these silly pictures is such a habit by now that something felt wrong and it took me just a second to realize I had not posted for the day. For what it is worth, this is me after a few hours of messing about with my latest build. Tired, but pleased. I promise a full post about the new skybox as soon as it is closer to done.
Good night.
Don't Miss Oxymoronic Fusion
~~~~
Playwright, Z. Sharon Glantz will put the ‘virtual’ into ‘reality’ in April, when she presents a live, digital performance of Oxymoronic Fusion at Seattle’s Open Circle Theatre.
This is a production with a difference, as the performance, featuring an international cast and crew, will take place within the virtual world of Second Life and will be streamed live into the Seattle theater. Currently the Managing Director of both the Open Circle Theater and The Sanity Patrol Players Z. Sharon has been writing, directing and producing plays for twenty years and is keen to explore the opportunities offered by virtual platforms, noting that:
“Second Life is not so much a game as it is an opportunity for like-minded people from all over the globe to come together and produce new works of all kinds. Although not technically theater, these live presentations offer an evolving form of performance. With this come opportunities for new work and for actors who may not have access or the physical ability to perform in community and professional theater. Many of the actors have a professional background in live theater, opera or film.”
Oxymoronic Fusion is a metaphysical farce written by Z. Sharon and exploring the peaceful co-existence of seemingly contradictory belief systems. The live stream will be the first of an ongoing monthly series of virtual theater performance at Open Circle, a “geek” theater whose mission is to create and perform new works and adaptations that speak to the human condition through fantasy and mythic storytelling.
For more information on this production or the opportunities within Second Life or any previous works by Z. Sharon, contact zsharon@thesanitypatrol.com or Lailu Loon in world.
Further information also available from www.oxymoronicfusion.wordpress.com
PERFORMANCE DATES:
Thursday, April 1, 6-830 OPENING NIGHT (we missed it. boo)
Saturday, April 3 2-5 PERFORMANCE
Monday, April 5 6-830 PERFORMANCE
Tuesday, April 6, 4-630 PERFORMANCE
Wednesday, April 7, 4-630 PERFORMANCE
Thursday, April 8, 6-830 PERFORMANCE
Friday, April 9, 6-830 PERFORMANCE
Sunday, April 11, 630-9, STREAMED PERFORMANCE
152 of 365: Ahhhh yup. My bottom is broken
Today I had a follow up appointment with my doctor who looked at the test results from the Emergency Room at the hospital. He said he thought my coccyx is actually broken. Two doctors, two different opinions. Wonderful.
At the end of the day it doesn't matter because there is nothing they can do anyway. They gave me two different pain relief drugs, a script for physical therapy and sent me on my way saying it could take a long time for me to be pain free. The only thing the Dr forgot to give me is patience.
I promise not to bore you with any more news about my broken backside. Feel free to make PITA jokes. Everyone else is.
At the end of the day it doesn't matter because there is nothing they can do anyway. They gave me two different pain relief drugs, a script for physical therapy and sent me on my way saying it could take a long time for me to be pain free. The only thing the Dr forgot to give me is patience.
I promise not to bore you with any more news about my broken backside. Feel free to make PITA jokes. Everyone else is.
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