When I landed in front of the tea house, I found Maxine sitting inside already. I also noticed a group at the zazen spot, a bit further on. I gathered that they were still talking there, after there sitting, an hour earlier. So I went in and suggested Maxine to come out and say hello to them.
Pema Pera: Hi Maxine!
Pema Pera: How are you?
Maxine Walden: hi, Pema, I am fine, and you?
Pema Pera: Have you met our neighbors, the zen sitters?
Maxine Walden: no, the zen sitters?
Pema Pera: would you like to say hi to them?
Pema Pera: let’s go!
Maxine Walden: OK, uh oh now I have to get up
Pema Pera: ha
Pema Pera: a challenge every now and then!
Pema Pera: but it’s nice to get out and explore SL a bit
Pema Pera: do you know how to turn around?
Maxine Walden: oh, you can see I have not practiced much, please tell me again
Pema Pera: just left and right arrows on your key board
Maxine Walden: right
Pema Pera: you have to push escape to get out of text writing mode
When I saw that Maxine had succeeded in turning around, after getting up, I trusted her to be able to follow me, and I went ahead to the zazen spot, dropping in on their conversation.
Dakini Rhode: I also enjoy “pausing” all thru the day
Pema Pera: Hi All!
Dakini Rhode: Hi Maxine and Pema!
Ranx Arcadia: Pema, we were just talking about you
Ranx Arcadia: heheh
Dakini Rhode: :-)))
Pema Pera: We thought we would stop by to say hi to the neighbors ;>)
Dakini Rhode: I’d like to join you for a bit, actually
Pema Pera: fine!
Dakini Rhode: Ranx, you’re welcome too
Pema Pera: anyone is for sure!
Ranx Arcadia: no thanks, I am going to lurk around SL a bit, and log off
Dakini Rhode: Hotaru, and Mayavader, also
Pema Pera: Good to see you again, Mayavader!
Ranx Arcadia: still have many miles before I sleep (dishes, garbage, etc)
Dakini Rhode: odd - another one of the freudian things?
Ranx Arcadia: yes, Im full of them
Ranx Arcadia: :)
Dakini Rhode: haha
Ranx Arcadia: actually, most of it comes from typing in the dark
Dakini Rhode: or a touch typist
Ranx Arcadia: so sorry :)
Dakini Rhode: np i’m glad i’m not the only one
Ranx Arcadia: heheh
Ranx Arcadia: the headphones and the dark room make SL much more immersive for me
Pema Pera: Hotaru, would you like to join us for tea?
Pema Pera: and Mayavader?
Hotaru Myoo: Sure
Ranx Arcadia: namaste
Ranx Arcadia: have a pleasant evening
Pema Pera: namaste
Dakini Rhode: namaste :-)
Ranx Arcadia: ok then, nice seeing you all
Hotaru Myoo: _/!\_
Pema Pera: bye Ranx!
Ranx Arcadia: night Pema :)
It was great to see Friedrich showing up. He had first gone to the tea house, but then noticed us, standing there at the zen location.
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: hi players
Pema Pera: Hi Fried!
Dakini Rhode: hello, Fried!
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: just finishing your 6pm meditation?
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: hi everyone
Dakini Rhode: lol yes!
Pema Pera: 今晩はマヤさ
Mayavader Allen: こんばんは
Mayavader Allen: Good evening
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: i thought i might have had the tea house to myself
Maxine Walden: hi, Friedrich
Pema Pera:
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: hey Maxine - you’ve been visiting often. more than once a day, huh?
Maxine Walden: no, really can only manage once a day to the teahouse,
Maxine Walden: but at times I have slipped and typed teachouse, so guess there has been some learning for me
Pema Pera: we can also sit outside
Pema Pera: any preference, Dakini?
Dakini Rhode: either place is fine with me
Pema Pera: we can sit on the benches in front of the tea house
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: ah - i keep reading the posts, but now that I think of it, I am not sure they are timestamped - (not each line, just the entire session)
Pema Pera: in case others come, they can find us
Maxine Walden: I like it too, especially since it is a slip
Dakini Rhode: i think my blog is ready for prime time
Dakini Rhode: zenretreat.blogspot
Maxine Walden: still learning about this moving around business
Pema Pera: well done, Maxine!
Maxine Walden: oh, thanks, learning a bit at a time
Pema Pera: I could not find your blog, Dakini
Pema Pera: what is the full name?
Dakini Rhode: same place as Storm’s but zenretreat
Dakini Rhode: shall i look it up on my old computer? excuse me for about 5 mins
Pema Pera: http://zenretreat.blogspot.com/
Pema Pera: aha
Pema Pera: thank you!
Dakini Rhode: yah
Dakini Rhode: that’s it
Maxine Walden: have you been into meditation for a long time, Dakini?
Dakini Rhode: I’ve had a checkered past, Maxine
Maxine Walden: a checkered past, sounds very mysterious!
Dakini Rhode: I had a time before kids when i had the opportuniuty to learn meditation and yoga
Dakini Rhode: then i had kids
Dakini Rhode: when the kids grew up, i went back to it
Maxine Walden: sounds checkered to have kids…but perhaps it depends on the perspective
Dakini Rhode: well it kept me busy
By this time we had walked up to the tea house, but it quickly became clear that we would not have enough seats inside. Instead we sat down on the stone benches nearby. Stim and Theodore dropped by followed rapidly by Hotaru.
Pema Pera: Hi Stim
Pema Pera: Hi Theodote!
Pema Pera: nice crowd today!
Dakini Rhode: hello Theodote!
Theodote Carthage: Hi Pema. Hi all!
Maxine Walden: hello, Theodote
Theodote Carthage smiles at Maxine.
Stim Morane: Hi Pema and everyone …
Pema Pera: Hi Hotaru!
Dakini Rhode: Hello Stim
Theodote Carthage: My, whose lovely spot is this?
Pema Pera: Do you know Theodote?
Maxine Walden: very nice, flowers and butterfly wings are lovely
Stim Morane: Hello Dakini!
Dakini Rhode: Pema your blog is great, I feel as though I’ve met most of these people
Pema Pera: thank you, Dakini!
Pema Pera: Theodote gave a lovely flower viewing party yesterday
Pema Pera: You would have loved it, Hotaru
Pema Pera: Hi Mayavader!
Pema Pera: welcome!
Hotaru Myoo: oops
Hotaru Myoo: soory!
Theodote Carthage: oops? Hotaru?
Theodote Carthage: Was ist los oops?
Pema Pera: Deutsch gesprochen hier?
Maxine Walden: Pema, is Stim here? I don’t see his name baloon?
Stim Morane: Yes, still here
Hotaru Myoo: I think I landed on Pera
Hotaru Myoo: Sorry
Pema Pera: no
Hotaru Myoo: Pema Pera
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: k
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: to your left, maxine. quite a crowd. good thing we’re outside.
Hotaru Myoo: whew
Maxine Walden: oh, yes, I can see them now…have to master this camera thing
By this time we were all seated. Hotaru, with her beautiful multicolored wings, was sitting at the corner of the wooden plank sticking out from the base of the tea house. Next to her Dakini, and to Dakini’s left Friedrich, in front of the circular window. Maxine sat opposite Friedrich on the Southernmost bench. To her left, in order, were me, Mayavader, Theodote and Stim.
Pema Pera: We got two new blogs today, and a record of eight friends gathering — quite a day!
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: i’m zoomed way out, to keep everyone in frame. everyone is small today
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: yes we know our place here
Maxine Walden: the imagery and imagination available in SL is amazing,
Dakini Rhode: there are features of SL I want in my RL
Theodote Carthage: like teleporting?
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: “you will” (from that old AT&T commercial)
Dakini Rhode: that - and a boon face light with windlight optimized for my snapshots
Dakini Rhode: haha Fred
It was quiet for a while. All eight of us were admiring the landscape and enjoying the company of each other.
Maxine Walden: the silences possible are also very interesting and feel creative
Theodote Carthage: are you referring to lag?:-)
Maxine Walden: it may be lag, interesting I had just been experiencing them as lovely silences
Theodote Carthage: crickets help at lot.
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: it is all an illusion
Hotaru Myoo: great for what we do
Maxine Walden: and here they are not Jiminy Crickets
Dakini Rhode: but they could be
Maxine Walden: as from…was it Pinochio…oh yes, guess they could be if we so chose
Hotaru Myoo: believe it and it will be
Dakini Rhode: just need to get some jiminy cricket sounds
Dakini Rhode: and we can have jiminy crickets
Dakini Rhode: they could sing somewhere over the rainbow
Hotaru Myoo: lol
Dakini Rhode: i wonder if people would run from the zen retreat screaming?
Theodote Carthage raises her hand
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: that’s funny. my avatar fell asleep, even though “I” was paying attention. quite jarring.
Theodote Carthage: crickets doing Judy Garland. . .*shudders*
Pema Pera: Theodote, how do you announce your Japanese parties, is there a group we can become member of?
Maxine Walden: I will have to go to another meeting, so I will say goodbye
Pema Pera: bye Maxine, thanks for stopping bye!
Hotaru Myoo: That was fast
Pema Pera: yes
Hotaru Myoo: sl departure time
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Theodote Carthage: As a metter of fact there is.:-)
Pema Pera: can we become members?
Theodote Carthage: Mitsuba Ochaya is the group.
Pema Pera: or is there a secret entrance?
Theodote Carthage: I’m checking.:-)
Hotaru Myoo: I got a handshake
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: hotaru: yeah, unlike on a telephone call.
Theodote Carthage: ah — who wants to join?:-)
Hotaru Myoo raises hand
Pema Pera: I just joined!
Pema Pera: it is free and open it seems
Pema Pera: got it from your profile
Theodote Carthage: LOL then ignore my invitation.:-)
Pema Pera: will do
Pema Pera: ah
Pema Pera: No Self should have gotten the second one
Hotaru Myoo: speedy gonzales
Theodote Carthage: I sent you one too Hotaru
Hotaru Myoo: ty
Hotaru Myoo: got it
Pema Pera: fire flies take their time, fortunately
It had steadily grown dark, and Hotaru was more and more conspicuous, her gossamer wings glowing softly against the dark wood of the tea house.
Pema Pera: now that night is falling fire flies are especially welcome
Dakini Rhode: i just joined, Theodote
Theodote Carthage: TY.:-)
Pema Pera: The conversation was fabulous yesterday at the flower viewing party
Pema Pera: I was very impressed
Theodote Carthage: Thank you Pema.
Theodote Carthage: We are a very small house.
Pema Pera: how many people have you trained, Theodote?
Theodote Carthage: I have one Maiko and Alazi will be another. No one has graduated yet.
Hotaru Myoo: I have some dances!
Theodote Carthage: But Jane is very close.
Hotaru Myoo: and costumes
Pema Pera: by the way, Mikasan came over this afternoon
Pema Pera: our neighbor Storm showed her and me the buildings that he built
Theodote Carthage: Hotaru, if you ever get the urge to train. . . .
Hotaru Myoo: I would LOVE to
Hotaru Myoo: PLEASE!!
Theodote Carthage: I have connections with the Okasan.:-)
Pema Pera: Theodote is a tough but excellent trainer, something tells me . . . .
Theodote Carthage: I’m a pussycat. None of my girls have any marks on them.
Hotaru Myoo: oooh….I can rise to the calling!
Hotaru Myoo: no nets pls
Theodote Carthage: Only hair nets
Theodote Carthage: I sent you the house rules. Pretty loose.
Pema Pera: ha, loose, just you wait!
Pema Pera: 昨日はTheodoteさんの花見パーチへ行きました
Pema Pera: とってもお上手でした
Theodote Carthage: LOL my kanji sucks eggs, as they say.
Theodote Carthage: Why doI get the feeling you are trying to scare Hotaru, Pema?
Pema Pera: oh now, I just remember the banter of yesterday
Pema Pera: but also a little scare will make it look even more fascinating, no?
Theodote Carthage: the lure of danger.
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Mayavader Allen: Sorry, I have to go RL……………..see you.bye
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: ‘night
Theodote Carthage: Nice to meet you!
Dakini Rhode: bye Maya
Hotaru Myoo: Nice to meet you Mayavader
Dakini Rhode: ty for joining us
Pema Pera: bye Mayavader!
Pema Pera: Nice seeing you again
Dakini Rhode: namaste
Mayavader, who is Japanese, got up and was about to leave.
Hotaru Myoo: バイバイ
Pema Pera: Theodote, may I quote from Ichiko from yesterday?
Pema Pera: wow, HOtaru!
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Pema Pera: byebye said hotaru
Theodote Carthage: Uh oh. certainly.
Hotaru Myoo: cut and paste Japanese
Theodote Carthage: That works!
Pema Pera: お上手です
Pema Pera: ojouzu desu = excellent
Pema Pera: well, Hotaru, here is what Ichiko, mamasan, said yesterday:
Pema Pera: When I’m feeling mean, I sprinkle a little rice bran around the pillow once she’s asleep. If she rolls off, it sticks, and she has to have it reset, and learns a lesson!
Pema Pera: about hair doe
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Theodote Carthage: Ichiko is a crotchety little old woman.
Hotaru Myoo: I’ll remember that
Pema Pera: you see, Hotaru is not easily scared
Pema Pera: she just laughs it off
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Theodote Carthage: That long hair will make an excellent Maiko hair style
Hotaru Myoo: 実験台になる人
Hotaru Myoo: テンジクネズミ
Hotaru Myoo: a guinea pig for experimenting
Theodote Carthage: Once you are Geisha you get to wear a wig.
Dakini Rhode: Pardon me, I must be on my way
Hotaru Myoo: yea!
Hotaru Myoo: Thank you Dakini
Hotaru Myoo: For a great evening
Theodote Carthage: Nice meeting you Dakini.
Pema Pera: I’m very impressed, hotaru!
Dakini Rhode: Very nice to meet you , Theodote
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: be well - ttyl
Pema Pera: bye Dakini!
Dakini Rhode: bye
Theodote Carthage: be well
By now, it had become really dark.
Pema Pera: you are spreading quite a bit of light, Fire-san
Hotaru Myoo: k Theodate
Hotaru Myoo: What are the times for training?
Theodote Carthage: Basically Hotaru, you contact Ichiko Perlman and ask to join us.
Theodote Carthage: what country do you reside in?
Hotaru Myoo: US
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: what are you learning?
Theodote Carthage: History, dancing, music, conversation. . . .
Theodote Carthage: Hmm, then you are likely to wind up with me.:-)
Hotaru Myoo: I am signing my life over it seems Friedrich
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Theodote Carthage: LOL, no. The first lessons are self study on notecards. After that you learn by partying.:-)
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: seems like a worthwhile bargain
The moon had come out, and had climbed up quite high into the sky.
Pema Pera: and tonight we have our own moon viewing party . . . .
Pema Pera: moon competing with Hotaru
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: it is my inner glow
Pema Pera: flower viewing moon viewing, both occasions for drinking sake
Hotaru Myoo: nice
Theodote Carthage: LOL like any good woman.
Hotaru Myoo: I am sipping some as we speak
Theodote Carthage: ty Hotaru.
Hotaru Myoo: ty Theo
Theodote Carthage: well I must run along now. I landmarked this lovely place.;-)
Pema Pera: great, thanks for stopping by, Theo!
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: whoah. I never looked at the stars in here before
Pema Pera: now you know the way
Theodote Carthage: Nice meeting you all.
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: cya
Pema Pera: moon too, Fried
Theodote Carthage: Thank you for inviting me Pema.
Hotaru Myoo: Nice to meet all of you this evening!
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: does it correspond to the lunar cycle on earth? the moon is full tonight (just about)
Theodote Carthage: O-yasumi nasai Minasan!
Hotaru Myoo: great time
Pema Pera: how nice to have a new apprentice!
Hotaru Myoo: I will be in touch!
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Theodote Carthage makes a humble bow.
By that time, only the three of us remained, me on my bench, and Hotaru and Friedrich on the wooden board. But since it was getting late, Hotaru stood up, and so did I.
Pema Pera: you really glow, Hotaru-chan
Hotaru Myoo: ty
Hotaru Myoo: as do you!
Pema Pera: haha
Hotaru Myoo: see you all very soon!
Pema Pera: c u !
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: heh. you blushed.
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: reflection of Hotaru
Hotaru Myoo: yayayaya
Pema Pera: hahahaha
Pema Pera: how Japanese
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Pema Pera: you’ve been training
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: guess i’m the last avatar sitting…
Hotaru Myoo: nite all!
Pema Pera: nite!
Pema Pera: Have you been to Japan, Hotaru?
Hotaru Myoo: yes
Pema Pera: ah!
Hotaru Myoo: only once
By then a wizened wandering type strolled by, Types in his wise wizzard outfit.
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: hi Types
Types Sideways: hi
Hotaru Myoo: returning in June
Pema Pera: that explains some of the sens you have
Hotaru Myoo: Hi Types
Pema Pera: in June!
Pema Pera: where
Pema Pera: ?
Pema Pera: hi Types!
Hotaru Myoo: Kyoto Nara
Hotaru Myoo: Osaka
Types Sideways: nice wings Hotaru
Hotaru Myoo: Tokyo
Hotaru Myoo: ty Types
Pema Pera: so will I
Hotaru Myoo: ha!
Pema Pera: all those places
Hotaru Myoo: in June?
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: from May 5 on
Hotaru Myoo: hot damn
Pema Pera: till July 20
Pema Pera: half Kyoto
Pema Pera: half Tokyo
Hotaru Myoo: tres kewl
Pema Pera: and close to Nara and Osaka
Pema Pera: mais oui
Pema Pera: good time for fire flies!
Pema Pera: a bit early perhaps but okay
Pema Pera: well, don’t let me hold you up
Hotaru Myoo: indeed
Hotaru Myoo: k
Pema Pera: come back soon!
Hotaru Myoo: we’ll touch base again very soon I am sure
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: alrighty - i should get teleporting soon too
Pema Pera: oyasumi nasai
Hotaru Myoo: nite all!
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: mihgt miss my wormhole
Hotaru Myoo: dozo yoroshiku
Pema Pera: haha
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Hotaru Myoo: ciao
After most of guests had left, I stayed for a few minutes to talk with Types and Fried.
Pema Pera: Types, we had eight people here tonight
Pema Pera: you’re the nineth
Pema Pera: getting nicely crowded here
Types Sideways: nice
Pema Pera: didn’t fit inside the tea house
Pema Pera: thinking about building a bar
Types Sideways: :))
Pema Pera: old-style
Pema Pera: British Tudor
Types Sideways: have to get a biggerplace
Pema Pera: yeah
Pema Pera: I got a plot of land just around the corner
Pema Pera: am brooding on designs
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: i had one thought on an alternate name, if its not decided - BeBop
Types Sideways: have to build a temple I guess
Pema Pera: temples enough here
Pema Pera: but not enough bars ;>)
Types Sideways: :)
Pema Pera: BeBop yes
Pema Pera: Be Inn
Pema Pera: Be Bar
Pema Pera: Be Hive
Types Sideways: Bwee
Types Sideways: Be
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: B
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: B
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: heh
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: B movie
Pema Pera: B bar
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: B Grade
Pema Pera: Bed time
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: badabum.
Pema Pera: I think I have to leave now too
Pema Pera: Good seeing you all!
Friedrich Ochsenhorn: yeah, later.
Types Sideways: nice seeing you two
Pema Pera: yup
Pema Pera: c u 2 Types!
Types Sideways: k
After everybody had left, I went back to my own place, further to the West in Rieul. I had to send some IMs and was busy with other things, while someone walked by and stopped in front of the little hut that I had built on my new property. Unlike the area of the tea house, not many people stop by there, and it was fun to see a new face.
Pema Pera: Hi there
Pema Pera: How are you?
Tombob Deerhunter: hello, i’m ok just exploring
Pema Pera: this is a nice area to look around, don’t you think?
Tombob Deerhunter: I dont know, i’m kinda lost
Pema Pera: looking for something in particular?
Tombob Deerhunter: I’m just trying to figure out how to work this world
Pema Pera: yeah, it takes a while
Tombob Deerhunter: do you know where newbies can go to learn?
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: there are many places
Pema Pera: I learned it through talking with friends
Pema Pera: and having them help me
Tombob Deerhunter: where
Pema Pera: well, here nearby is a portal I believe
Pema Pera: a place where people arrive at first
Pema Pera: and there are often people there willing to help
Tombob Deerhunter: Ok that’s my home, but people there seem to be not interested in talking
Tombob Deerhunter: what are you doing
Pema Pera: I’m an astronomer
Pema Pera: and I’m setting up an astronomy organization
Pema Pera: and another organization that is more philosophical
Tombob Deerhunter: what kind of topics
Pema Pera: http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/
Pema Pera: is the web site
Tombob Deerhunter: thanks
Pema Pera: we gather here every day
Pema Pera: so that would be a good way to meet people
Pema Pera: in SL time
Pema Pera: 7 am , 1 pm, 7 pm
Tombob Deerhunter: to do what, talk?
Pema Pera: yes
Tombob Deerhunter: about what
Tombob Deerhunter: anything/
Pema Pera: you’ll get an idea from the web site, but briefly
Pema Pera: the basic exploration is
Pema Pera: the nature of reality
Pema Pera: and we are trying to find ways to make that more experimental
Pema Pera: and not just speculation
Tombob Deerhunter: I thought that they believed that there was no core reality
Pema Pera: perhaps not
Pema Pera: but we are not interested in beliefs
Pema Pera: but in real exploration
Pema Pera: like a lab
Pema Pera: “life as a lab” is the main notion
Tombob Deerhunter: No maya
Pema Pera: maya perhaps yes
Tombob Deerhunter: ok
Pema Pera: but then explore maya ;>)
Pema Pera: I have to run now
Pema Pera: but good meeting you!
Tombob Deerhunter: ok thanks
Finally, just before I was about to log off, I saw that Storm had come on-line, have just gotten out of bed in his time zone.
Storm Nordwind: Good morning!
Pema Pera: We had a great evening here
Storm Nordwind: Wonderful
Pema Pera: eight people simultaneously seated outside the tea house
Storm Nordwind: Excellent
Pema Pera: and two others strolling by later
Pema Pera: quite a record
Storm Nordwind: Popularity is growing
Pema Pera: not only that, we got two new blogs in just today!
Pema Pera: Maxine and Dakini both
Pema Pera: I have them linked
Storm Nordwind: You will need to use one of the other venues soon
Pema Pera: yeah
Pema Pera: a Be Bar
Pema Pera: B Movie
Pema Pera: B Bar
Pema Pera: B IT
Pema Pera: ah, Be it
Pema Pera: B IT
Pema Pera: how does that sound?
Pema Pera: we’re also in the IT business after all
Storm Nordwind: I think you’re on a euphoric high!
Pema Pera: yeah
Pema Pera: was a good night
Storm Nordwind: Everyone gone?
Pema Pera: yup
Pema Pera: me gone soon too
Storm Nordwind: You just tidying up the tea cups?
Pema Pera: haha yeah
Storm Nordwind: I will look at the blogs
Pema Pera: yup
Pema Pera: enjoy!
Pema Pera: so much sincerity and dedication from so many people — and all in a playful way!
Storm Nordwind: a blur of blogs
Pema Pera: yeah
Pema Pera: letting the furr flow
Pema Pera: fly
Storm Nordwind: hehe!
Storm Nordwind: bfn
