The early part of the evening saw no visitors to the tea house. After a while I noticed that Caledonia had arrived, and I saw her standing near the water, probably still rezzing. So I got up to open the door and greet her. However, just as I was going out through the door, she had already walked up and had decided to enter through the other door. Both of us were surprised, me not finding her outside and she not finding me inside. When I realized what happened, I followed her back in through the door she had just entered.
Pema Pera: Hey, look who’s there!
Caledonia Heron: hey! you snuck up on me :)
Pema Pera: I just went out the other door, to greet you properly, haha!
Pema Pera: and then I saw you entering this door
Caledonia Heron: lol, funny
Caledonia Heron: tag, you’re it!
Pema Pera: after you first had been looking out over the water from the bridge
Pema Pera: aren’t SL cameras fun?
Pema Pera: well, please do sit down
Caledonia Heron: you are busy
Caledonia Heron: ok
Caledonia Heron: thx
Caledonia Heron: how was your day?
Pema Pera: we seem to have a little friend here
Pema Pera: in the corner
Pema Pera: the big yellow bug
Pema Pera: my day was fine, busy, but what else is new!
Pema Pera: Haven’t seen this bug before
Pema Pera: wonder where it came from
Caledonia Heron: hmmm, hopefully a friendly bug
Pema Pera: friendly so far!
Pema Pera: Hasn’t bitten me yet ;>)
Caledonia Heron: maybe it’s the alien among us
Pema Pera: could be
Pema Pera: first I thought it was an avatar
Pema Pera: but no name
Caledonia Heron: me too
Caledonia Heron: maybe a sim critter
Pema Pera: yeah
Pema Pera: we keep getting more and more company here
I was refering to a largish yellow bug with black spots that crowled around slowly on the floor of the teahouse. A little later Dakini would drop by and explain the original of the critter.
Caledonia Heron: what do you do when in Berkeley?
Pema Pera: yesterday evening we had eight here simultaneously
Caledonia Heron: wow, that’s a lot
Pema Pera: visiting Steven Tainer
Pema Pera: or Stim here in SL
Caledonia Heron: ah, vip :)
Dakini Rhode: hi :-)
Pema Pera: working with him since, oh, 13 years or so
Pema Pera: on what we call “reality research” . . . .
Caledonia Heron: hi Dakini :)
Pema Pera: hi Dakini!
Dakini Rhode: I hope you aren’t bothered by the bug
Caledonia Heron: we are loving the visiting bug creature
Pema Pera: he/she is kinda friendly
Dakini Rhode: :-)))
Pema Pera: just scurrying around
Caledonia Heron: is it yours?
Pema Pera: slowly
Pema Pera: sorta peaceful
Dakini Rhode: Cid Jacobs scripted that - a few years ago
Dakini Rhode: that kid has done some interesting things with AI scripts
Caledonia Heron: I like it
Dakini Rhode: I’m glad - I like it, too
Dakini Rhode: It introduces an element of surprise here
Pema Pera: nice to have a pet here!
Dakini Rhode: lol
Caledonia Heron: yes, like anything could happen
Pema Pera: that’s SL all right!
Caledonia Heron: lol
Since I had been sitting there with the bug for a while, I decided the try to let it escape. At my second attempt I succeeded.
Dakini Rhode: this environment is unlike the natural world because everything is so controlled
Dakini Rhode: except for the bugs :-P
Pema Pera: enough bugs in the basic software . . .
Dakini Rhode: well i thought we could use another bug since I’ve fixed the teahouse roof
Pema Pera: good point, hehe
Pema Pera: I’m trying to see whether the bug will go outside if I open the door . . .
Pema Pera: but he/she decided to stay in
Caledonia Heron: there are interesting ai critters at Bibi’s water and second nature
Dakini Rhode: lol i thought it learned to open the door
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: not yet
Pema Pera: I like Storm’s two cranes
Caledonia Heron: no, it’s concentrating on making tea :)
Dakini Rhode: there’s a green one wandering around outside
Dakini Rhode: i have no idea where it went
Caledonia Heron: answer the phone
Dakini Rhode: well there goes that one
Pema Pera: aha
Pema Pera: I opened the door just in time
Caledonia Heron: not me, the bug :)
Dakini Rhode: or didn’t close it in time :-P
Pema Pera: haha, well, I think I’ve seen enough of that one for now
Pema Pera: did the bug answer your phone, Cal?
Caledonia Heron: wrong number :)
Dakini Rhode: I wonder if my neighbors will think we’re infested
The conversation drifted to games and other virtual worlds.
Caledonia Heron: you’ll know if Orkin arrives :)
Pema Pera wonders about Orkin
Pema Pera thinks games and mythology?
Caledonia Heron: pest control :)
Pema Pera: AHA!
Pema Pera: it sounded like a wizard or some such
Caledonia Heron: a chemical wizard
Pema Pera: an ocre and an orkin
Pema Pera: aha
Dakini Rhode: an ochre ogre?
Pema Pera: ogre yes,
Pema Pera: I know very little about games . . .
Pema Pera: which is why I was never attracted to virtual reality . . .
Pema Pera: for a long time
Caledonia Heron: you play go, yes?
Pema Pera: yes, go I do play ;>)
Caledonia Heron: I do not play computer games too much either
Dakini Rhode: my children played the video games, my little man always died right away
Dakini Rhode: I’d walk off the cliff or something
Pema Pera: I was asked to give a popular talk in a virtual world, a year ago and that is how it all started . . . . .
Caledonia Heron: I can never get with the script - probably why I like sl
Dakini Rhode: haha
Caledonia Heron: ah, the videoranch?
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: ah yes, Cal
Pema Pera: you’re still there right?
Caledonia Heron: I go now and again
Caledonia Heron: for music
Pema Pera: How’s crazy Mad Molly?
Caledonia Heron: crazy!
Pema Pera: I miss her
Pema Pera: she was really fun
Pema Pera: in a way you could say she was my mentor in texting
Pema Pera: had no experience
Pema Pera: was so impressed with her quick wit and quick typing
Pema Pera: do say hi when you next see her!
Caledonia Heron: a good teacher
Caledonia Heron: yes, of course
Pema Pera: thanks (2x)
Caledonia Heron: :)
Pema Pera: I don’t have access to a PC
Pema Pera: all Mac and Unix
Pema Pera: so hard to get into Videoranch
Pema Pera: Activeworlds is still only windows . . .. .
Caledonia Heron: yes, a bit more primitive
I mentioned Caledonia and me being colleagues in our new SL organization called MICA for Meta Institute for Computational Astrophysics.
Pema Pera: well, I’m afraid I have to leave soon
Caledonia Heron: me too :)
Pema Pera: dinner waiting for me in RL here in California
Pema Pera: but thanks for stopping by, Cal!
Caledonia Heron: yes, I will return
Pema Pera: Very nice to see you here again
Pema Pera: please do!
Caledonia Heron: It’s been a while
Caledonia Heron: my loss
Pema Pera: you’ve been busy
Pema Pera: with being a micanician
Pema Pera: among other things
Caledonia Heron rolls eyes…yes busy
Pema Pera: greatly appreciated that!
Caledonia Heron: my pleasure
Pema Pera: Dakini,
Pema Pera: Cal here is my main bridge between my two worlds here in SL ;>)
Pema Pera: my astro circle
Pema Pera: and the playful circle here
Caledonia Heron: yes, strange that but I enjoy both :)
Caledonia Heron: I figured there would be a few more
Pema Pera: may well be more in the future
Pema Pera: both groups are growing rather rapidly
Caledonia Heron: true - sounds like you’re getting quite a crowd
Pema Pera: but in RL there is very little overlap too in my two circles
Caledonia Heron: you’re a popular fellow - I hear your name in other circles
Pema Pera suddenly gets very curious
Caledonia Heron: :)
Dakini Rhode: Caledonia, it was nice to meet you :-)
Pema Pera: what circles . . . .?
Caledonia Heron: same here Dakini
Dakini Rhode: I need to run along….
Caledonia Heron: me too
Pema Pera: I know there are many straaaaange circles in SL
Caledonia Heron: science circles Pema :)
Pema Pera: bye Dakini!
Dakini Rhode: bye
Pema Pera: other than astro?
Caledonia Heron: yes
Pema Pera: like?
Caledonia Heron: lol, you really *are* curious
Pema Pera become curious Pema
Pema Pera: ahaha
Caledonia Heron: NASA, physics, stuff like that
Pema Pera: well, good seeing you again, Cal!
Pema Pera: I have to run to dinner
Caledonia Heron: yes, you too
Caledonia Heron: k, bye :)
Pema Pera: ciao!
Caledonia Heron: chow!
Pema Pera: haha!
Pema Pera: yes
