Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld
Second Life, virtual worlds and virtual realities
Poets from across Second Life will be adding their voices to the music and dance of One Billion Rising for justice on February 14th, 2014.
Two special poetry sessions, complete with open microphones will be taking place at 08:00 and 15:00 SLT at the special arena for 2D Art on the One Billing Rising regions. Both sessions are being organised by Jilly Kidd, and if you wish to add your voice and words to either session, please contact her in-world ahead of time.
It’s time to kick-off another week of fabulous story-telling in Voice, brought to Second Life by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library SL.
As always, all times SLT, and unless otherwise stated, events will be held on the Seanchai Library’s home on Imagination Island.
Tea-time at Baker Street embarks on a new series of adventures as Caledonia Skytower, Corwyn Allen and Kayden Oconnell commence reading from His Last Bow.
A 1917 anthology of previously published Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, His Last Bow originally comprised seven stories published byThe Strand Magazine between 1908 and 1917. However, later editions of the book saw an eighth story included, The Adventure of the Cardboard Box, originally published in 1892.
Today we hear the second part of The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge, a two-part story originally published in September 1908, and which forms the first tale in the volume. As a two-part story, the adventure comprises The Singular Experience of Mr. John Scott Eccles and The Tiger of San Pedro.
In the first installment of the tale, we heard of how the gentleman of the title, Mr. John Scott Eccles of Surrey, arrived at 221B Baker Street in an agitated state, wishing to discuss something of a “grotesque” nature with Holmes and Watson. But no sooner has he arrived than so did Inspector Gregson of the Yard, accompanied by Inspector Baynes of the Surrey constabulary, wishing to question Eccles about the murder of a Spanish national at a house in which Eccles had spent the previous night.
Now, in the second part of the tale, with Eccles’ story of the events of the previous day told, Holmes and Watson visit the scene of the crime with Inspector Baynes. Here, more mystery awaits, with the constable left to guard the house reporting seeing a brutish-looking man at the window, and a number of odd items within the property leading Holmes to believe voodoo may be involved, and confirming his suspicions that far more is going on than meets the eye. But when Baynes arrests the cook from the house on suspicion of the murder, the case appears to be resolved – at least for the police. Sherlock Holmes, however, is far from convinced.
Find out more by joining Caledonia, Corwyn and Kayden!
The Pooh Bear Pajama Party! Come suitably attired and join Caledonia Skytower at Magicland Park.
When humans interact with aliens, who are actually alien, we run into the fact that we’re as weird to them as they are to us. This can cause the most remarkable misunderstandings…. More thought-provoking sci-fi from the collection of Gyro Muggins.
Winnie the Pooh may have been a Bear Of Very Little Brain often bothered by long words, but in 1982, through him, his friends in the 100 Acre Wood and their adventures, Benjamin Hoff found the perfect means of introducing a western audience to the principles and ideals of Taoism.
That work was covered in a series of readings in mid-2013 by Caledonia and Kayden. Now they conclude their reading of the 1992 companion volume to that work, The Te of Piglet.
Te is a Chinese word commonly interpreted to mean ‘power’ or ‘virtue’, but which has far more depth than either, being more a special quality of character, spiritual strength, or hidden potential unique to the individual. Through this book, Hoff further explores Taoist concepts, notably that ‘the virtue of the small’, showing how Piglet has great Te, not just because of his diminutive stature, but because he has Tz’u – a great heart, even if – as is so often the case – he’s generally unaware of the fact that he has.
Taking a somewhat different approach to the original Tao of Pooh, this book uses the other characters from the 100 Acre Wood to show how our own humanity, in is different facets and forms, is seen by the Taoist as a series of impediments to our living in harmony with the Tao.
In 1915, a 54-year-old Sherlock Holmes find his retirement to the Sussex Downs, where he is studying the habits of the honey bee, to be interrupted by the unexpected arrival of 15-year-old Mary Russell. American by birth, Ms. Russell had come to England to live with her Aunt following the tragic death of her parents in an automobile accident.
Holmes is impressed by the young lady’s wit and intellect, ne before he knows it, he finds himself teaching her his former tradecraft of solving crimes. Thus was formed a new partnership is formed between the very modern young Miss Russell and the very Victorian Great Detective.
Now Caledonia returns with more tales from the pen of Laurie R. King, and her series of stories for young adults which focus on the adventure Ms Russell and Mr. Sherlock Holmes shared.
The Ballads of Donny Granger, Book One is the first full-length illustrated novel from the mind Stephanie Mesler, also known in Second Life as Freda Frostbite. Want to know more? Then join Freda at the Seanchai library!
Shandon Loring dips into another anthology edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. This is a volume dealing with love, lust, want and need of a most unusual kind, all bound together in twenty-two tales of sensual and erotic stories by the likes of Neil Gaiman, Jan Yolen, Michael Swanwick, Tanith Lee, and Joyce Carol Oates.
Incubi and succubi, windows, sirens and daemons and more are all brought forth in a series of bewitching tales with distinctly adult themes, all imaginatively told and, as one might expect, at times containing a twist or two along the way.
So be prepared to be seduced by powerful magic, and to submit to darkest delights!
Details still TBA, so please check with the Seanchai Library blog as the week progresses.
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Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule. The featured charity for January and February is The Xerces Society and their efforts at world-wide conservation and education for some of the smallest creatures on our earth.
Saturday February 8th marks the opening of RFL of SL team registrations and the start of Paint SL Purple campaign.
Those wishing to enter a team into this year’s RFL activities can register here. When registering, please note the following from the RFL of SL wesbite on team registrations:
Please keep in mind that fundraising tools will not be distributed immediately, but our Team Coaches will contact you after you register. We also plan to host some Team Captain Trainings again this year. We encourage all Captains (rookies & veterans) to attend. We’ll explain some of the changes for 2014, as well as provide an understanding of who to go to for various questions throughout the year. There will be plenty more valuable information at these trainings; please plan to attend.
Details on the training will be announced soon.
Paint SL Purple is the campaign to raise awareness of RFL of SL throughout the grid, and to build excitement about the upcoming events of the season. This year, Paint SL Purple runs through until the Kickoff weekend on Saturday March 8th and Sunday March 9th. Again, to quote from the RFL of SL blog:
So, make sure you find all your purple clothes, hair, accessories, and even skin! Plant purple trees on your land, paint your walls purple, color your grass purple, and hang purple signs, banners, streamers, flags, and balloons. Be sure to tell anyone who asks, “why all the purple?” that it’s for Relay For Life and invite them to learn more and possibly join the Relay family!
Dwen Dooley has put out a video on RFL of SL, covering some of the new / changed elements in this year’s RFL of SL activities and infrastructure.
On Friday March 14th, the University of Manchester in the UK will host a one-day seminar entitled Reviewing current and future practice in the use of virtual worlds in Higher Education.
The event, which is being organised by Gary Motteram, a Senior Lecturer in Education at the university, will explore the current state of the art in the use of virtual worlds in education and will be a mixture of face-to-face presentations and online activity.
Presentations will be made by Dr. Paul Rudman, a Research Associate at the Institute of Learning Innovation at the University of Leicester; Dr. Darren Mundy, a Senior Lecturer in Digital Media, and Luisa Panichi, a Research Student at the School of Languages, Linguistics & Cultures, University of Hull; Professor Maggi Savin-Baden, Professor of Higher Education Research, University of Coventry; and Professor Liz Falconer, Director, Education Innovation Centre at the University of West England.
Additionally, there will be a special presentation from the Euroversity Network Project partners, a network of 18 European (and Israeli!) universities with significant experience of the use of 2D/3D virtual worlds in learning and teaching contexts, and the day will wrap with a speakers’ panel.
The seminar is free to attend, either in person at Manchester University (please register your intent to attend via the Eventbrite webpage), or via on-line streaming through the Euroversity website. Lunch will be provided for those attending in person.
| The seminar will take place at the Kanaris Lecture Theatre, Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Friday, 14 March 2014 from 09:30 to 16:30 (GMT) |
At the time of writing, the full schedule for the seminar comprised (all times GMT):
For up-to-date information on the schedule and activities, please refer to the event’s Eventbrite web page. Further information can be obtained by interested parties contacting Gary Motteram directly via e-mail.
Bears have long been a part of Second life tradition and history. Linden Bears are much sought after, and bears have been mascots for many activities and ventures.
Now Saffia brings word that Sway Dench, a long-time content creator in Second Life, has created a special One Billion Rising Bear, which will be a part of soon-to-be released Goodie Boxes which contain information and treats on the event, which will take place on February 14th.
In addition to the little, attachable bear, Sway has produced a larger bear which can be used as a OBR information vendor by stores sponsoring the event.
You can find out more about the bears and goodie boxes by keeping an eye on the OBR website.
February 14th will mark One Billion Rising for Justice around the globe, once again calling for an end to violence against women. In Second Life, it will see a gathering across four regions to mark the event.
The most recent update on the SL event from the organisers reads in part:
In Second Life, we are working behind the scenes at the moment to get everything ready for One Billion Rising for Justice in Second Life.
The four regions that will make up our stage area have been arranged with Fruit Islands, and will be delivered next weekend. Then we’ll be getting to work on terraforming them while the stage is built (by Victor1st Mornington, who built the stage for us last year). The artists will move in shortly after to set up their installations and this year, in addition to individual installations, there will also be galleries for 2D and 3D work.
Activities planned for the event include live music and DJs, with streaming provided by Lusch Audio, poetry readings, and opportunities to meet, chat and share. There will be kiosks across all four regions with information on One Billion Rising and on organisations that are working for justice for women across the globe.
The organisers are still seeking volunteers to help with the event. If you’d like to offer your services, please make sure you sign up! There will be workshops throughout the weekend of February 8th and 9th for those who do volunteer – so there’s no need to worry about being dropped in the deep end.
One Billion Rising for Justice is about raising awareness of global issues through an event that combines giving information with a day of art, music, poetry and dance. Donations are not taken directly by the organisers, who request that people who want to donate find out more at the information kiosks and then select which organisations they would like to donate too.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 