Last night was a lot of fun.
I hadn't realized so many people felt the same way about the temple ceremony as I did. Someone said: "Now it finally feels like Burn2," and that's what it's about!
No one can take the nontangible away, but to get enough random people together to save an event is hard to come by. Enough of us wanted this. Thanks to all who made it happen! As long as the official Lamplighters remain sequestered in their bathhouse, we'll rule the night in the north.
We learned something though: need to remain on the Burning Man - Bordello side of the temple so that any non-lampies and non-campers can use the stuff. Seems for some reason they've set Burning Man - Rabbit Hole to no scripts. While campers and Lampies can play there, the sounds are not shared by the other region.
Got all sorts of things passed on to me since yesterday's post. Among them were sets of robes from 2008 which are copy/trans, so anyone who wants just let me know. Someone mentioned they had tiny robes as well to offer. I'll try to grab more percussions as a few went out last night. Wish I knew where I could get more cowbells?
When I get home this evening I'll prep some shots and upload to Flickr :)
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
SL's Lamplighters: beginning of the end of an era?
Last year the highlight of my Burning Life experience was dancing with the Lamplighters. They'd play percussions in their campsite, then lead a run through the main events tent and the legs of the Man, past roadside campsites, away from the lag of the lower, more densely populated regions, all the way to the crystal temple. There participants could generate their own lag with anyone who wished to participate.
The lamplighters offered percussions and firefans freely to those who asked, as was the spirit of Burning Man and one of its most solemn principles.
They inspired me to join them this time around. No clashing of schedules this time. I'd run to the temple each night and dance in flames to bring out the sun.
Things haven't been the same with them this year.
When Snurky and I visited their village before Burn2 opened, it was an interesting educational experience, with different campsites within their village which doubled as an exhibit; you used these items to try out different percussions. I noticed that there were no boxes of robes or percussions out for people to take. I figured they just hadn't packed everything out yet.
As it turns out, time and resources did not permit Snurky to make her build. As soon as I knew this I let them know and someone else got to use the parcel. No big deal. There was still the Lamplighters.
Snurky and I had our percussions from last year. We were sent the Lamplighter robes - those with flame trim, which set them apart from the all-white civilian robes.
The conditions last night didn't surprise me. The rules of physics were different witbout SL in charge of the festival and at liberty to commit a frivolous number of sims to the continent - thereby allowing a sim buffer between venues and the rest of it. Burning Man privately host this year and have been prone to fees, just as any nonprofit org coming to make a presence in Second Life. Donations, lotteries, and rentals went toward estate fees. Only 6 regions comprise everything. Consider the same number of people could attend and be expected to fill into the limited space. This means everyone situated in regions sharing the main stage (2/3 of the minicontinent) are prone to encounter a full region at any time during the festivities. This included the Lamplighters' village.
How it was handled by those in charge of the Lamplighters was surprising and a bit of a disappointment when the time came for their procession last night.
With the majority of the sim's populace at the central tent and a small number of group tagged lampers, it was decided unilaterally by one avatar that they would remain sequestered within their home region and drum at the baths. Because he couldn't bear the thought of them teleporting out of the region, he didn't serve to free up room for the entertainment tent nor use that beautiful crystalline temple - where there was room for Playa residents and wandersby (which I happened to be last year).
Close-minded and separatist, I thought. Certainly not a service to the community.
This is the event denizens care about and want to be a part of. The Lamplighter ceremony is what bridges Burn2 with Burning Man. Sometimes you have to step back and assess the situation objectively: Does one uphold the integrity of the ceremony by stubbornly refusing to teleport past four full regions, or does one do so by holding the ceremony where it doesn't compete with a major event? Let's face it: the temples have always been situated remotely so that discovery and spontaneous participation was welcome if not expected. It was a true expression of community. The ceremony generates its own numbers for lag. Therefore teleporting WAS the only right action in this scenario. This is Second Life. It has its own physics just as much as the average adult humanoid here is 6-1/2 to 7 feet tall.
When I got to the temple, some were waiting around expecting the Lamplighters. I put on some robage and took a lantern and walked along the roads of Bordello. The lights from the myriad of creations were stunning against the dusky sky. I made my way back to the temple, where I brought out firefans and a conga I had from last year. A handful gathered around while I drummed.
A newbie came over and expressed interest in joining in. I found out then that the conga was not copiable. If I wanted to give her my conga, I could not play with her.
I did anyway and brb'd to get Snurky to send me something - a set of bongos, a new item she picked up while touring the village.
Back at the temple I was lucky to still have rez access to place the bongo stand down. How odd that this year the Lampies offered percussions not only uncopiable but requiring group access to use. For some reason the congas wouldn't work for the newbie. Maybe they only work for those with group access? Wouldn't that be odd? Is that possible?
The small party hung out until sunrise. Two wonderful artists I met at BL9 happened in and danced to the rhythm (cool - the conga could play more than one tempo simultaneously). They said their goodbyes in the morning light and continued exploring the playa. I derezzed the bongos and called it a night.
If they do the same thing tonight, so will I.
I'll come prepared though, with as many transferable items I feel I'll need to keep a tradition and help anyone inspired to join in. I tried to find those all-white robes. There were none to be found.
Look for me at 10:15pm eastern time / 7:15 pm SLT in Bordello if so-and-so dictates the same decision. Certainly no one will ban us for banging the drum where it was meant to occur :)
UPDATE: The mystery of the nonworking conga is solved. In a way it was about group access. See, the half of the temple in Rabbit Hole region is noscripts. Once we all migrated over to the Bordello side, everybody tonight could play together.
The lamplighters offered percussions and firefans freely to those who asked, as was the spirit of Burning Man and one of its most solemn principles.
They inspired me to join them this time around. No clashing of schedules this time. I'd run to the temple each night and dance in flames to bring out the sun.
Things haven't been the same with them this year.
As it turns out, time and resources did not permit Snurky to make her build. As soon as I knew this I let them know and someone else got to use the parcel. No big deal. There was still the Lamplighters.
Snurky and I had our percussions from last year. We were sent the Lamplighter robes - those with flame trim, which set them apart from the all-white civilian robes.
The conditions last night didn't surprise me. The rules of physics were different witbout SL in charge of the festival and at liberty to commit a frivolous number of sims to the continent - thereby allowing a sim buffer between venues and the rest of it. Burning Man privately host this year and have been prone to fees, just as any nonprofit org coming to make a presence in Second Life. Donations, lotteries, and rentals went toward estate fees. Only 6 regions comprise everything. Consider the same number of people could attend and be expected to fill into the limited space. This means everyone situated in regions sharing the main stage (2/3 of the minicontinent) are prone to encounter a full region at any time during the festivities. This included the Lamplighters' village.
How it was handled by those in charge of the Lamplighters was surprising and a bit of a disappointment when the time came for their procession last night.
Close-minded and separatist, I thought. Certainly not a service to the community.
This is the event denizens care about and want to be a part of. The Lamplighter ceremony is what bridges Burn2 with Burning Man. Sometimes you have to step back and assess the situation objectively: Does one uphold the integrity of the ceremony by stubbornly refusing to teleport past four full regions, or does one do so by holding the ceremony where it doesn't compete with a major event? Let's face it: the temples have always been situated remotely so that discovery and spontaneous participation was welcome if not expected. It was a true expression of community. The ceremony generates its own numbers for lag. Therefore teleporting WAS the only right action in this scenario. This is Second Life. It has its own physics just as much as the average adult humanoid here is 6-1/2 to 7 feet tall.
A newbie came over and expressed interest in joining in. I found out then that the conga was not copiable. If I wanted to give her my conga, I could not play with her.
I did anyway and brb'd to get Snurky to send me something - a set of bongos, a new item she picked up while touring the village.
Back at the temple I was lucky to still have rez access to place the bongo stand down. How odd that this year the Lampies offered percussions not only uncopiable but requiring group access to use. For some reason the congas wouldn't work for the newbie. Maybe they only work for those with group access? Wouldn't that be odd? Is that possible?
If they do the same thing tonight, so will I.
I'll come prepared though, with as many transferable items I feel I'll need to keep a tradition and help anyone inspired to join in. I tried to find those all-white robes. There were none to be found.
Look for me at 10:15pm eastern time / 7:15 pm SLT in Bordello if so-and-so dictates the same decision. Certainly no one will ban us for banging the drum where it was meant to occur :)
UPDATE: The mystery of the nonworking conga is solved. In a way it was about group access. See, the half of the temple in Rabbit Hole region is noscripts. Once we all migrated over to the Bordello side, everybody tonight could play together.
Friday, October 15, 2010
A Tentative Farewell to BlueGin Yifu
I've learned something from 15+ years in cyberculture: most of the people who "died" haven't at all. Not in our understanding of the word at least. They've left the online world, changed their persona without telling anyone, or staged it for attention. Several have attended their own memorial service to find out what people thought of them or get off on seeing friends sad for them.
Occasionally someone on the other side of a monitor truly passes away. Their family member or spouse logs into their avatar, blog, or Facebook to give enough details: respectful but validating.
Most of us didn't know the RL BlueGin Yifu. It is my way to respect the integrity of a persona: a person is whom they are with their ideals intact when they come online. In some ways you see their true selves here. The most I knew about her offline was what state she lived in and that it was in my timezone.
So BG has always been BG to me.
It's a funny name. "BlueGin Yifu" sounds like a drink: "I'll have a Blue Gin Yifu - with a twist." Her name was so catchy that the moles made it into a drink for the Hau Koda terminal lounge. BG immortalized for posterity, a part of Bay City mythos, and deservedly so.
BlueGin was not someone who started the Bay City Alliance or was the first to make a community group for Bay City. She had very special - very rare - qualities which combined her passion for Bay City with a calm and patience which served to channel the Alliance's dynamic energies - Marianne, Alx, Alisha, myself, and so many more - during events or projects in such a way that the direction of the group or our projects never veered off course. As passionate WE all are for Bay City, I don't think any of us could qualify to replace BG in such a role as objectively as she had.
I know she was under the weather last month, but was not aware of to what degree or in what way. For all I know the cause was flu complications or could even have been cancer. Or maybe a non-medical occurrence like an accident.
We were friends on Facebook. She made a smartly designed eating establishment for Café World, but last month phased out her games. It seems that the loss will linger there, as she will appear on my list with an unfinished catering task several times a day and indefinitely. It is not possible to be removed from someone's catering team.
Through all this pondering, I have to say this: I haven't yet seen the validation. Her Facebook is untouched. BG the human might still be alive somewhere for all we know. If someone has news, I hope they'll share it with me, as well as schedule any memorial services in SL at a time I can attend.
Occasionally someone on the other side of a monitor truly passes away. Their family member or spouse logs into their avatar, blog, or Facebook to give enough details: respectful but validating.
Most of us didn't know the RL BlueGin Yifu. It is my way to respect the integrity of a persona: a person is whom they are with their ideals intact when they come online. In some ways you see their true selves here. The most I knew about her offline was what state she lived in and that it was in my timezone.
So BG has always been BG to me.
It's a funny name. "BlueGin Yifu" sounds like a drink: "I'll have a Blue Gin Yifu - with a twist." Her name was so catchy that the moles made it into a drink for the Hau Koda terminal lounge. BG immortalized for posterity, a part of Bay City mythos, and deservedly so.
BlueGin was not someone who started the Bay City Alliance or was the first to make a community group for Bay City. She had very special - very rare - qualities which combined her passion for Bay City with a calm and patience which served to channel the Alliance's dynamic energies - Marianne, Alx, Alisha, myself, and so many more - during events or projects in such a way that the direction of the group or our projects never veered off course. As passionate WE all are for Bay City, I don't think any of us could qualify to replace BG in such a role as objectively as she had.
I know she was under the weather last month, but was not aware of to what degree or in what way. For all I know the cause was flu complications or could even have been cancer. Or maybe a non-medical occurrence like an accident.
We were friends on Facebook. She made a smartly designed eating establishment for Café World, but last month phased out her games. It seems that the loss will linger there, as she will appear on my list with an unfinished catering task several times a day and indefinitely. It is not possible to be removed from someone's catering team.
Through all this pondering, I have to say this: I haven't yet seen the validation. Her Facebook is untouched. BG the human might still be alive somewhere for all we know. If someone has news, I hope they'll share it with me, as well as schedule any memorial services in SL at a time I can attend.
Monday, October 4, 2010
October on the Grid
It's a busy time in SL this month for me.
There's:
- TMA's annual sukkah building contest. Working on that one.
- TARDIS expo where we design boxes and consoles. Still up in the air what to make for that as I get only one shot and have about fifteen ideas in my head.
- FFF has become 7Seas' autumn equivalent of a Fishiversary. I plan to have a spot.
- Snurky has Burning Man. I'm taking off this friday to create inworld after having prepared textures.
- Snurky needs to make herself an apron. All the good ones in the Marketplace have blood on them.
- Design a Port-a-Potty for Burning Man. Maybe one each from me and Snurky?
- Prepare Snurky's freebie pack for Burning Man.
- I really need to put up Halloween decorations in the diner.
- I really need to do something albeit minimal for the extra land east of the gallery.
- Doesn't Bay City have an Art Deco festival coming up? I should complete my gallery for that; I've a nice mural thingie planned for the corner window.
- There's the usual challenge to decorate my snail for a theme at the races.
- Still planning out additional rooms for the TARDIS. I want to wait for the Series 5 DVD to come out in November and see if the added content will include other rooms. They promise added mini-adventures taking place between episodes.
- I havent forgetten the comic...
I am also going to work on a portrait for an SL friend. When I had my regeneration party I announced a contest and only one person got it :)
What am I missing? I'm almost sure I'm missing something...
There's:
- TMA's annual sukkah building contest. Working on that one.
- TARDIS expo where we design boxes and consoles. Still up in the air what to make for that as I get only one shot and have about fifteen ideas in my head.
- FFF has become 7Seas' autumn equivalent of a Fishiversary. I plan to have a spot.
- Snurky has Burning Man. I'm taking off this friday to create inworld after having prepared textures.
- Snurky needs to make herself an apron. All the good ones in the Marketplace have blood on them.
- Design a Port-a-Potty for Burning Man. Maybe one each from me and Snurky?
- Prepare Snurky's freebie pack for Burning Man.
- I really need to put up Halloween decorations in the diner.
- I really need to do something albeit minimal for the extra land east of the gallery.
- Doesn't Bay City have an Art Deco festival coming up? I should complete my gallery for that; I've a nice mural thingie planned for the corner window.
- There's the usual challenge to decorate my snail for a theme at the races.
- Still planning out additional rooms for the TARDIS. I want to wait for the Series 5 DVD to come out in November and see if the added content will include other rooms. They promise added mini-adventures taking place between episodes.
- I havent forgetten the comic...
I am also going to work on a portrait for an SL friend. When I had my regeneration party I announced a contest and only one person got it :)
What am I missing? I'm almost sure I'm missing something...
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Mysterious Sighting of Pete Tyler
I forgot to mention yesterday that I saw Rose Tyler's dad on the train.
No really.
I didn't realize it until I heard him say good-bye to someone he was traveling with. I looked up; British accents aren't very common here you know. He sat opposite me on a right-angle seat at 45 degrees (we all do that here - well, most of us) and was dressed conspicuously clashy: black pinstripe suit, navy-white striped shirt, honeycolored pattern tie... Closely cropped reddish-grey hair, rough features a little rougher than you'd remember from years ago on Dr Who Series 2.
Definitely him. Stayed another couple of stops before he left. I looked around at ads and people so it wouldn't appear that I was staring; I mean, what would I have said?
Let me look the actor up before posting this...
Shaun Dingwall
Don't know how accurate PR info is, but according to the web he should be shooting a detective series in the UK nowabouts.
It was definitely him though... unless he has a twin brother.
No really.
I didn't realize it until I heard him say good-bye to someone he was traveling with. I looked up; British accents aren't very common here you know. He sat opposite me on a right-angle seat at 45 degrees (we all do that here - well, most of us) and was dressed conspicuously clashy: black pinstripe suit, navy-white striped shirt, honeycolored pattern tie... Closely cropped reddish-grey hair, rough features a little rougher than you'd remember from years ago on Dr Who Series 2.
Definitely him. Stayed another couple of stops before he left. I looked around at ads and people so it wouldn't appear that I was staring; I mean, what would I have said?
Let me look the actor up before posting this...
Shaun Dingwall
Don't know how accurate PR info is, but according to the web he should be shooting a detective series in the UK nowabouts.
It was definitely him though... unless he has a twin brother.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Da Heck???
"You heard right! WITS is having a THREE day Back To the Academy 50% off sale; all products. [Who Island Main Store Only] As you know Time Lords and Ladies need a TARDIS at the Academy. So it's time to pick up your new TARDIS and accessories. LM enclosed!"
What's up with this notice Snurky got? Someone running a Whogwarts or something?!
What's up with this notice Snurky got? Someone running a Whogwarts or something?!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Rambling Along Gershwin Boulevard
So maybe it was too yellow.
I've added wood trim, which looks fine for the exterior. Not too sure about the trim inside. It may be less distracting for future murals and vendors if the wall segments had a common gradient.
Once the first chapter of the comic is up and Snurky's Burn2 is set, I think I'll make more art on tee's and set up the parcel beside my gallery as a park with a kiosk of silly things.
On the Dr Who front, I'm more convinced than ever that the majority of USA fans are scary and way too serious. I've found the fans from the UK regard the series much the way people of my age here regard The Wizard of Oz. It's just part of our culture and a neverending source of amusement. Sure we know every word of the movie and the story of Margaret Hamilton's accident in Munchkinland, but it's more about the music and the fun - and where you were when you first saw it - and less about the serious facts or it being a profound cinematic milestone (which it wasn't actually).
Doctor Who fans threw a FUN party last Friday, with people dressed creatively, silly, and with the simple intent to have a good time. Some were their Time Lord personae, all unique with a little touch of something Whoish on them (like the one holding a recorder). The Staypuft Marshmallow Man and Robbie the Robot were on hand. Creepy little fanboys with their freebie wannabe Tennant and Smith avatars showed up, then left. You gonna tell me they weren't underage Americans?
I'll see the revelers again no doubt. Play good tunes and it's hard to get rid of me.
On the "research" front, I've gotten a little sharper at drawing a comics version of Matt Smith for my story (aka "The Other Smith" LOL gotta love some of those fan designations). Actually it's been fine from the start by the comments of the teaser poster, but it didn't suit my sensibilities.
I'm halfway through watching Series 4 on DVD. Looks like I'm almost caught up with the new adventures, and just in time.
I'll have to state here what I've since tweeted. I made a judgement call in a blog post a while back: I've since come to really enjoy David Tennant as The Doctor. He's a brilliant actor - when he's allowed to act. That's the key thing. He put in some marvelous performances before things went over the top and overly insane. He's also damn good on radio and audiobooks (I highly recommend "Pest Control"). I guess for me he's "The Other Smith" (hahaha... Love that...), and I hope to make a Tenth Doctor story should the first one go over well.
But first things first.
I've added wood trim, which looks fine for the exterior. Not too sure about the trim inside. It may be less distracting for future murals and vendors if the wall segments had a common gradient.
On the Dr Who front, I'm more convinced than ever that the majority of USA fans are scary and way too serious. I've found the fans from the UK regard the series much the way people of my age here regard The Wizard of Oz. It's just part of our culture and a neverending source of amusement. Sure we know every word of the movie and the story of Margaret Hamilton's accident in Munchkinland, but it's more about the music and the fun - and where you were when you first saw it - and less about the serious facts or it being a profound cinematic milestone (which it wasn't actually).
Doctor Who fans threw a FUN party last Friday, with people dressed creatively, silly, and with the simple intent to have a good time. Some were their Time Lord personae, all unique with a little touch of something Whoish on them (like the one holding a recorder). The Staypuft Marshmallow Man and Robbie the Robot were on hand. Creepy little fanboys with their freebie wannabe Tennant and Smith avatars showed up, then left. You gonna tell me they weren't underage Americans?
I'll see the revelers again no doubt. Play good tunes and it's hard to get rid of me.
On the "research" front, I've gotten a little sharper at drawing a comics version of Matt Smith for my story (aka "The Other Smith" LOL gotta love some of those fan designations). Actually it's been fine from the start by the comments of the teaser poster, but it didn't suit my sensibilities.
I'm halfway through watching Series 4 on DVD. Looks like I'm almost caught up with the new adventures, and just in time.
I'll have to state here what I've since tweeted. I made a judgement call in a blog post a while back: I've since come to really enjoy David Tennant as The Doctor. He's a brilliant actor - when he's allowed to act. That's the key thing. He put in some marvelous performances before things went over the top and overly insane. He's also damn good on radio and audiobooks (I highly recommend "Pest Control"). I guess for me he's "The Other Smith" (hahaha... Love that...), and I hope to make a Tenth Doctor story should the first one go over well.
But first things first.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
