The guardian at this meeting was Pema Pera and the comments are his.
That afternoon, I was again asleep in Japan, and this time Genesis was the guardian on duty in the tea house. She sent me the following chat log, to which I have added my comments. The session started with Stim and Genesis meeting outside the tea house.
Stim Morane: Hi Gen!
genesis Zhangsun: Hey Stim!
genesis Zhangsun: Are you coming to join me in PaB?
Stim Morane: yes!
genesis Zhangsun: Fantastic!
genesis Zhangsun: Are there others?
Stim Morane: It’s a bit early.
Stim Morane: Shall we just sit here in the garden?
genesis Zhangsun: Ah yes I can see that there are people meditating
genesis Zhangsun: sure since the weather is so nice ;)
Stim Morane: OK
genesis Zhangsun: So how do you feel about SL today?
Stim Morane: I’m neutral. But it depends on the “use” … for this particular exploration, I’ll decide in a year or so. For others, I can already see it’s a fantastic advance. And you?
genesis Zhangsun: Of course I feel it is too early to make any conclusions but I am really enjoying it so far just have to watch for as you said maintaining the “balance” between SL and RL
genesis Zhangsun: It is easy to get sucked in
Stim Morane: I’ve been so busy with some RL issues in the last few days, I haven’t been tempted … but I’ll try to visit this PaB group once a day now.
genesis Zhangsun: wonderful
genesis Zhangsun: Care to share these RL issues?
Stim Morane: OK, just teaching and related work. I teach at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, and it’s the end of a semester here.
genesis Zhangsun: right so a lot of end of semester work
Thorberg stopped by to join them.
Thorberg Nordlicht: hello
Stim Morane: Hello!
genesis Zhangsun: Oh yes hello Thorberg
genesis Zhangsun: Welcome
Thorberg Nordlicht: you here for the Play as Being discussion?
genesis Zhangsun: Yes
Stim Morane: Yes, we are.
genesis Zhangsun: Nice to meet you I don’t think we have met but I recognize you from P’s blog
Thorberg Nordlicht: oh, good; i’ve never stopped by for the 1 PM meeting; I’ve always come at 7 PM after 6 PM Zazen
Thorberg Nordlicht: nice to meet you
Stim Morane: Same here
Thorberg Nordlicht: I first met Dakini Rhode and Pema Pera and joined the group a few days ago
Stim Morane: Gen, does having wings change your RL body sense?
Thorberg Nordlicht: I’ve met quite a few people in a few days, and it’s hard to keep track of who I’ve met before and who I haven’t.
genesis Zhangsun: A little bit I feel as though I am taking up more space but not in a density more of a feeling of expansiveness perhaps its pleasant I have to say :)
genesis Zhangsun: though sometimes I worry about bumping people
genesis Zhangsun: isn’t that funny even though I know it won’t hurt them
genesis Zhangsun: worry about invading other people’s space
Stim Morane: That sounds very positive … and intriguing. It’s pretty easy to affect one’s sense of size, etc in that way.
Thorberg Nordlicht: It’s interesting that our RL sense of personal space carries over to SL.
genesis Zhangsun: YES! Exactly
genesis Zhangsun: I find that so interesting
Thorberg Nordlicht: I’m always uncomfortable when avitars stand too close in SL.
genesis Zhangsun: me too!!
Thorberg Nordlicht: Find my self backing away.
Stim Morane: I wonder if that will continue. I’m a total novice here.
genesis Zhangsun: its very interesting to consider where those avatars are from
genesis Zhangsun: what nationality
genesis Zhangsun: that determines a lot of what personal space means I find
The conversation continued to probe really interesting aspects of the interplay beween Real Life and Second Life.
Thorberg Nordlicht: It’s fascinating to see what RL feelings transfer to SL and which ones don’t.
Thorberg Nordlicht: For example, I’m afraid of heights in RL, but since my avitar can fly in SL, heights don’t bother me at all here.
Stim Morane: I’m interested in transfer going from SL to RL … I appreciate your pointing out that the reverse can happen too.
Stim Morane: I wondered about the “heights” issue too, but have only explored it a little.
Thorberg Nordlicht: Yes, I know what you mean about SL–>RL
genesis Zhangsun: One I have noticed recently is that people in RL at times look like avatars to me
Stim Morane: That’s really weird and interesting.
genesis Zhangsun: its a little frightening
Stim Morane: I suppose any incentive to look more closely than we usually do will have consequences like that.
Thorberg Nordlicht: We all rehearse conversations with people in our “inner monolog” in our heads, and I find sometimes my inner dialog starts to feel like SL chat.
Stim Morane: I noticed that just a minute ago.
Thorberg Nordlicht: Like somewhere deep in my brain, it doesn’t really distinguish between RL conversation and SL conversation….
genesis Zhangsun: maybe thats why SL conversations can be so fluid
Thorberg Nordlicht: it’s all just communicating with other people.
genesis Zhangsun: so stream of consciousness
genesis Zhangsun: something we don’t do in regular life which is probably necessary for the brain to process
Stim Morane: I also spent some time last week concentrating on camera controls. And at the end of the session, I felt quite disoriented in RL.
Thorberg Nordlicht: Some people report that they’ve had RL dreams about being in SL and it never occurs to them in the dream that SL is different than RL.
genesis Zhangsun: Yes Stim I often feel disoriented
Thorberg Nordlicht: There again, it suggests that deep in our brains there’s not as much distinction as you might expect.
genesis Zhangsun: Yes that is truly an interesting phenomena isn’t it dreaming about SL
genesis Zhangsun: has it happened to either of you?
Thorberg Nordlicht: I haven’t dreamed I’m in SL… not yet at least, but other people I’ve talked to in SL have mentioned it.
genesis Zhangsun: I have had some dreams that have blended both SL and RL together
Stim Morane: I haven’t had those dreams yet, but the principle sounds right.
Thorberg Nordlicht: interesting
genesis Zhangsun: yes sometimes the people appear as they do in RL but then they hold SL objects
genesis Zhangsun: or vice a versa
Thorberg Nordlicht: haha
Thorberg Nordlicht: that’s really interesting
Thorberg Nordlicht: Do you spend a lot of time in SL?
genesis Zhangsun: not really
genesis Zhangsun: well I guess more recently
The discussion moved to modes of transportation.
Stim Morane: Almost anything in the way of a “face” and “situation” will seem convincing to the mind at some level. Even the slightest sketch.
Thorberg Nordlicht: I find I want some SL features in RL sometimes just for a moment and then think “oh that’s right, this is RL, can’t do that” — things like flying or alt-drag to move camera around.
Thorberg Nordlicht: wouln’t that be nice if we could do that in RL
genesis Zhangsun: or teleport!
Thorberg Nordlicht: some part of me really wants that
Stim Morane: That’s the sort of thing that people will come to expect.
genesis Zhangsun: I am always thinking about how much easier it would if I could teleport
Thorberg Nordlicht: oh, yes! absolutely: teleport in RL!
Thorberg Nordlicht: both to get somewhere quickly and also to just dissapear from where you were
genesis Zhangsun: SL almost makes me more impatient with RL, the instant gratification here is a little dangerous I think
Stim Morane: I get the impression that flying and teleporting are the preferred modes of movement in SL. The oldtimers seem to rely on them.
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, that’s right, flying and teleporing are the norm
Stim Morane: I see
Thorberg Nordlicht: walking is mostly for short distances and for exploring the immediate area
Stim Morane: It’s funny because I prefer just to stroll about.
genesis Zhangsun: Have you ever flown over the sea?
Stim Morane: Yes
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, strolling about is fine for exploring the local area
genesis Zhangsun: That is strange experience
Stim Morane: I agree
genesis Zhangsun: I feel as though I am flying into nothingness
Stim Morane: I quite enjoyed it for a while … but I had the same impression as you.
Thorberg Nordlicht: also, have you discovered yet that you can fly under water?
genesis Zhangsun: its exhilarating and scary at the same time
Thorberg Nordlicht: and walk around on the bottom of rivers and lakes?
Stim Morane: No, haven’t tried the underwater version. I think Pema mentioned it though.
genesis Zhangsun: really that is a different perspective isn’t it I should do that as a balance to my flying
genesis Zhangsun: I think that would make me feel more integrated into SL
genesis Zhangsun: crawling around in the muck and not only soaring through the air
Stim raised the question of the connection of all this to the Play as Being exploration.
Stim Morane: So will all these new opportunities contribute to PaB? Or are they simply features of SL that don’t bear crucially on the PaB issue?
Thorberg Nordlicht: under water in SL is “clean” just like everywhere else
genesis Zhangsun: what do you mean by that Stim?
Thorberg Nordlicht: don’t really relate specifically to PlayAsBeing
genesis Zhangsun: or what do you think?
Thorberg Nordlicht: often we get “off topic”
Stim Morane: When Pema and I first discussed the “play as Being” idea, it wasn’t linked to the extra degrees of freedom intrinsic to SL.
genesis Zhangsun: Oh I find getting “off topic” crucial to getting on topic they are part of the same thing
Thorberg Nordlicht: have either of you tried Pema’s idea of taking a 9 second timeout every 15 minues in RL?
Stim Morane: Yes, Gen. That is something we did discuss. So I stand corrected.
A typical example of getting off topic in a friendly way happens when new participants drop in. This time it was Isen.
genesis Zhangsun: Hi Isen!
genesis Zhangsun: Welcome
genesis Zhangsun: thank you for joining us
Isen Enzo: ’sup?
Stim Morane: Hi Isen!
Isen Enzo: Hello Stim.
genesis Zhangsun: ’sup wid u?
Isen Enzo: Helping an av from Dakini’s sangha…
Isen Enzo: a longtime cat friend has kindey failure..
genesis Zhangsun: how was that?
Isen Enzo: and will be euthanized…
genesis Zhangsun: oh my that is too bad
Thorberg Nordlicht: sad :-(
Isen Enzo: she wanted to talk…
Stim Morane: Yes
Isen Enzo: yes..
Isen Enzo: Stim, got your gassho goin?
Isen Enzo: woo hoo!!
Isen Enzo: lookin goooood.
Stim Morane: yes, well it’s sort of cheating. But I am accustomed to such gestures in RL too.
Isen Enzo: I remembered who It was I marched with from BZC
Stim Morane: Usually people don’t know how to respond, unless I’m actually at the monastery here.
Isen Enzo: Alan Senauke and Blanche Hartman…
Isen Enzo: (my memory is poor)
Thorberg Nordlicht: oh, i know Blanche from San Francisco Zen Center
Isen Enzo: Thor, I spend a couple weeks each fall at GG
Thorberg Nordlicht: I’ve also been going up to a tiny, rural zendo called Jikoji on Skyline in the Santa Cruz mountains on Sunday morning
Isen Enzo: (are we PaBing?)
Stim Morane: that’s a good question. I’ve been resisting pestering Pema re that.
genesis Zhangsun: Interesting that you say that Isen because we were discussing before you came in what is PaB
Thorberg Nordlicht: ah, Isen is bringing us back “on topic”
Isn’t that interesting? By shaking the conversation up, Isen did indeed bring it back on topic. The whole dynamics of the PaB group is so fascinating!
genesis Zhangsun: when is happening?
genesis Zhangsun: what do you think?
Stim Morane: Yes. Thorberg, I haven’t tried the specific format Pema devised for attending to Play as Being. It’s related to things I’ve been teaching for some time, and that I discussed with him before this SL group started.
Isen Enzo: I like the “PaBing” sound…
Isen Enzo: like the zendo bell..
Thorberg Nordlicht: I was asking whether anyone was trying Pema’s notion of taking 9 seconds out every 15 minutes during your day in RL
Isen Enzo: I’ve not..
Stim Morane: I look forward to seeing how it plays out
genesis Zhangsun: I have been doing it pretty consistently for one week
Isen Enzo: have to set a timer…
Isen Enzo: Wow, gen- how do you do it?
Isen Enzo: a wrist timer?
genesis Zhangsun: could you elaborate?
genesis Zhangsun: ah yes the timing
Stim Morane: it’s a radical departure from traditional methods, because even if you do it for 10 hours a day, the amount of “attending” involved is only 6 minutes. Tradionally that wouldn’t be considered enuf.
genesis Zhangsun: well I am often working on my computer so then I am aware of time that way
genesis Zhangsun: otherwise I estimate
Isen Enzo: aha
Stim Morane: Yes, that is a good idea for several reasons
genesis Zhangsun: this is why I say “pretty” consistently
Isen Enzo: maybe it’s a little like a gatha…
Stim Morane: Yes, that’s more or less the hop
Isen Enzo: trying to extend into most of the time…
Stim Morane: *hope
Isen Enzo: hoop
Stim Morane: that too
Isen Enzo: hop
Stim Morane: right
genesis Zhangsun: I have missed so I am unclear is anyone else doing the PaB practice?
Stim Morane: I think there are several
Thorberg Nordlicht: I’m not specifically doing the 9 seconds every 15 minutes practice, but I do try to do the same at random times by keying it off of random events like everytime i hear a bell ring or when my cell phone beeps, stuff like that
Stim Morane: This may become the norm. Pema would probably be open to it
Yes, he would! :-)
Isen Enzo: Bell
Isen Enzo: oop
Thorberg Nordlicht: Also, I have a formal practice that by now is extending into RL anyway, so I often spontaneously “reset” when I’m deeply immersed in what i’m doing
genesis Zhangsun: I actually have a chime set on my computer that reminds me
Stim Morane: ultimately that is the idea anyway
genesis Zhangsun: so I also do it to a “bell”
Isen Enzo: “Bell of attention” is a TNH idea I think…
Isen Enzo: Thich Nhat Hahn…
genesis Zhangsun: What does it feel like for you all when you are in those 9 seconds?
Isen Enzo: attentive…
Isen Enzo: not necessiarily focused..
Thorberg Nordlicht: feels like “waking up to the big picture” when I’ve been deeply immersed in a specific task
Thorberg Nordlicht: like “oh, I’m really sitting here doing this” instead of being lost in details
Isen Enzo: like looking up out of a hole I’ve been digging…
Isen Enzo: head up..
Isen Enzo: not down..
Stim Morane: good answers
genesis Zhangsun: yes very
Isen Enzo: eyes out ….
Isen Enzo: not in…
Thorberg Nordlicht: esspecially helpful when i was getting stressed by the details
genesis Zhangsun: I feel out and in
genesis Zhangsun: like one eye out and one eye in
Stim Morane: and if you’re at the computer, it’s also an opportunity to stretch
Thorberg Nordlicht: TNH has someone ring a bell at random intervals when he lectures in front of a group
Isen Enzo: nice..
Stim Morane: Yes, this is also a traditional way of timing formal sitting sessions
Isen Enzo: a gentle THWACK…
I found it fascinating to read all that. Normally we don’t talk that much about the specific experiences people have while working with PaB, and I have not felt the need to push much in that direction, beyond some gentle prodding and questioning. So I enjoyed this little peek into the various ways of practice of those gathered here. By this time, Stim had to leave.a
Stim Morane: I have to go. Nice to see all of you!
Thorberg Nordlicht: also, when we’re immersed in “temple cleaning” at SFZC, someone walks around randomly ringing a bell to remind us to be mindful of our work
genesis Zhangsun: Nice chatting thank you stopping by Stim
Thorberg Nordlicht: nice to see you, too Stim; hope to see you again soon
Stim Morane: Bye Gen, Thorberg and Isen!
Thorberg Nordlicht: good bye bye for now
genesis Zhangsun: namaste
genesis Zhangsun: So Thor do you meditate regularly for longer periods of time than 9 seconds?
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, I sit Zazen at SFZC on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings, and at JiKoji on Sunday mornings.
genesis Zhangsun: How do you think the 9 second approach compares to these longer meditations
Thorberg Nordlicht: And then I try to practice synchronizing a string of beads with my breathing every night before going to bed
Thorberg Nordlicht: well, if I didn’t have any other practice, i think it would be a nice start
genesis Zhangsun: why is that?
Thorberg Nordlicht: but since I already have a formal/regular practice that starts to carry over into everyday life, I tend to just spontaneously “wake up” other times without setting a timer or anything like that
Thorberg Nordlicht: in the absence of any other practice, the 9 second techique would be a good way to get started
Isen Enzo: Do you sit, gen?
Isen Enzo: any start is likely good..
genesis Zhangsun: Yes I guess this is why I ask because I find the 9 second practice good but I couldn’t do it without having a longer meditation
Isen Enzo: I agree..
genesis Zhangsun: because otherwise the 9 seconds just feels like stopping and not really anything else
Isen Enzo: yes.
Isen Enzo: a little alert during the day…
genesis Zhangsun: when I do a longer meditation I am able to “tap” myself back into the space or place I was able to in a longer meditation
genesis Zhangsun: in the 9 seconds
That was a very nice way to summarize it: 9-second practice as reminders. And indeed, my hope has been from the beginning that the 1% time tax of the 9-second intervals would plough back into the remaining 891 seconds in each quarter hour. Thor voiced a similar opinion. And yes, I too think that combining frequent tiny intervals with fewer longer intervals of meditation is a great idea, if one can bring up both the time and discipline necessary.
Isen Enzo: but I agree- I think longer time is important…
Isen Enzo: yes.
Thorberg Nordlicht: I think of the 9 second interval as a way to “catch your breath” but the real point is to have mindfulness carry over into everything we do even when it’s not in the bounds of the 9 seconds
genesis Zhangsun: I find it crucial to do both
Isen Enzo: I’ve heard it takes about 20 min for the whole “fight/flight” thing to poop out…
genesis Zhangsun: the meditation for really going “deep” and the 9 seconds to integrate this throughout the rest of the day
Isen Enzo: and then to kind of “settle in” after about 20 min..
genesis Zhangsun: could you elaborate a bit on the fight/flight thing?
Thorberg Nordlicht: I find that when my mind is really restless, it takes me about 39 minutes to finally find the “still point”, and then the end bell rings :-)
Isen Enzo: might be the idea behing longer retreat/sesshins…
Thorberg Nordlicht: 39 out of the 40 minute zazen session to get settled and then the bell rings
Isen Enzo: to get ’settled in’ and then try to maintain it for longer periods…
Thorberg Nordlicht: I’ve never participated in a whole day sesshin
Isen Enzo: Heard an interesting idea last night…
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes? what’s that?
Isen Enzo: and waking from sleep at that time is very beneficial..
Isen Enzo: the whole REM and watever cycles..
Isen Enzo: makes it good to rise quickly from sleep at about 6 hhrs ..
Isen Enzo: and begin then…
Thorberg Nordlicht: hmmm, interesting
Isen Enzo: like at practice sessions/sesshins…
Thorberg Nordlicht: SFZC has a “beginners sitting” scheduled with a light schedule soon
Isen Enzo: I will talk to this person more to get a better understanding..
Thorberg Nordlicht: think i’m going to try that to ease my way into longer sittings
Thorberg Nordlicht: before I go for an all day sitting
The conversation moved on to the challenges and rewards of regular practice.
Isen Enzo: Do you sit daily?
Thorberg Nordlicht: I try to
Isen Enzo: I think its a good thing…
Isen Enzo: cumulative, maybe..
Thorberg Nordlicht: as with regular exercise, i stick with daily practice for a while and fall out of the habit for a while
genesis Zhangsun: i try too and I also do yoga everyday
Thorberg Nordlicht: i find participation in a sanga very helpful to “encourage practice”
Isen Enzo: Discipline is hard!!
Isen Enzo: yes-sanghas good..
Thorberg Nordlicht: if i try to do it entirely on my own i go in cycles
Isen Enzo: support…
Isen Enzo: I do yoga every morn..
Isen Enzo: then zazen.
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, and there’s also a group energy (for lack of a better term) about sitting with a group instead of sitting alone
genesis Zhangsun: yes support is important
Thorberg Nordlicht: even when we do Zazen in SL :-)
genesis Zhangsun: to feel connected to others, motivated
Isen Enzo: every other day- free weights between Y and Z
Isen Enzo: Hard to start sometimes..
Thorberg Nordlicht: :-)
Isen Enzo: but halfway through….
Isen Enzo: eeeasy…
genesis Zhangsun: can’t live without it
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes! true of evercise, and true of meditation
Isen Enzo: funny, that…
Isen Enzo: we resist, even though we want the discipline…
Thorberg Nordlicht: some of my best meditation sessions have been when i least wanted to start
Isen Enzo: what’s with that?
Isen Enzo: a Mara thing?
Thorberg Nordlicht: i don’t know!
Thorberg Nordlicht: wondered that myself
Isen Enzo: don’t want to do what I wanna do…
Isen Enzo: geez…
Thorberg Nordlicht: i have times when i think “my mind is just so agitated today, i just can’t do it” but start anyway, and when the dust settles is wonderful
Isen Enzo: Might be just a hesitation thingie…
Isen Enzo: at GG, I hear the bell at morn- I get up…
Isen Enzo: boing!!!
Isen Enzo: up!!
Isen Enzo: no hesitation…
Isen Enzo: easier…
genesis Zhangsun: those are the days you need it most perhaps?
Isen Enzo: no time to hesitate..
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, that must be it
genesis Zhangsun: that is why I love PaB
genesis Zhangsun: no hesitation
Another interesting idea that struck me. Yes, I have been very familiar with not wanting to practice and yet doing it and then often feeling a deep sense of reward but I hadn’t quite connected that with PaB — perhaps the playfulness of it all makes it less forbidding to get into it than a traditional form of mediation practice. Yet I can imagine that we can learn to get into a frame of mind in which simply entering a PaB session is as profound a gesture as going to sit on a mediation cushion.
Isen Enzo: If I wait, I procrastinate..
Isen Enzo: hmmm
genesis Zhangsun: its like improvisation
Isen Enzo: maybe the whole dukkha thing…
genesis Zhangsun: jump in and take what is there and run with it
Thorberg Nordlicht: Suzuki roshi says “we” don’t do Zazen, “Zazen does Zazen”
Yes, yes! Being playing Being.
genesis Zhangsun: what is there now not what you want to be there
Isen Enzo: never happy…
genesis Zhangsun: looking for the perfect moment, the perfect state of mind
genesis Zhangsun: better just to jump in
Thorberg Nordlicht: maybe it’s when the illusion of self is most resistance that “big mind” is most anxious to break through (so to speak)
Isen Enzo: always dissatisfied…
genesis Zhangsun: there will never be a perfect moment
Isen Enzo: I’d probably complain if it rained…
genesis Zhangsun: now is the perfect moment
Isen Enzo: Well off to lunch for this av…
Thorberg Nordlicht: ok, nice seeing you
Isen Enzo: Gentleavs… it’s been a pleasure.
Even just reading a transcript, I often have to laugh out loud reading Isen’s remarks. Gentleavs . . . .
genesis Zhangsun: Nice to have you!
genesis Zhangsun: Thank you
Isen Enzo: See you all later..
Thorberg Nordlicht: good bye bye for now
Thorberg Nordlicht: so, genesis, i’ve only been coming around for a week or so and i can’t keep track of who i’ve met and who i haven’t
Thorberg Nordlicht: so forgive me if we’ve talked before and i don’t remember
At this moment Terri dropped in.
Thorberg Nordlicht: oh, hello
genesis Zhangsun: Hi Terri this is Thor
Thorberg Nordlicht: another angel! gotta get some wings
Thorberg Nordlicht: hello Terri
Terri Holrych: hi
genesis Zhangsun: Please sit and join us
Terri Holrych: hi thor
genesis Zhangsun: I like your look
Terri Holrych: thanks lol
Thorberg Nordlicht: actually, i’ve got to leave now myself
genesis Zhangsun: No Thor we haven’t spoken before but I have read some blogs where your name was mentioned
Thorberg Nordlicht: sorry to get up and leave right when you arrives Terri
genesis Zhangsun: so no problem
Thorberg Nordlicht: nothing personal
Terri Holrych: its ok
genesis Zhangsun: Thanks for joining Thor
Thorberg Nordlicht: well, hope to see you both again soon
Thorberg Nordlicht: i’ll probably be back for 6 PM Zazen tonight and 7 PM PlayAsBeing
genesis Zhangsun: namaste
Thorberg Nordlicht: maybe see you then
Thorberg Nordlicht: good bye bye for now
genesis Zhangsun: bye
Terri Holrych: peace
Terri Holrych: so how have you been
genesis Zhangsun: Hey Terri hows it going?
Terri Holrych: ok
Terri Holrych: what session were you having
genesis Zhangsun: Play as Being
Terri Holrych: oh yeah
Terri Holrych: i thought i missed it haha
genesis Zhangsun: yeah Pema probably mentioned it
Terri Holrych: i thought it was at 1
Terri Holrych: lol
genesis Zhangsun: its happening all the time 7am 1pm 7pm and 1 am
genesis Zhangsun: Yeah it was at 1
Terri Holrych: yea
Terri Holrych: ok
Terri Holrych: lol
genesis Zhangsun: but I thought I would bring you in by tp but then things seemed to have ended
Terri Holrych: oh sorry
Terri Holrych: lol
genesis Zhangsun: not your fault
genesis Zhangsun: Lets PLAY!
This was the end of the chat log that Genesis had sent me. However, when I woke up and went into SL, a bit later, I found both Genesis and Terri still in-world.
genesis Zhangsun: Hey Pema!
genesis Zhangsun: Will you joing us
Terri Holrych: what was their names on sl
Terri Holrych: hi pema
Pema Pera: Hi there!
genesis Zhangsun: Hi!
Terri Holrych: we’re angels
genesis Zhangsun: We just finished a PaB session and then Terri came in for the tail end
Pema Pera: haha, what a surprise to find people here at 6 am in the morning . . . but of course that is my local time in Kyoto :-)
genesis Zhangsun: Yeah dark angel and white angel
Terri Holrych: ooo
Terri Holrych: i didnt get up until 9 am
Pema Pera: I can be a copper-colored angel?
I was refering to the color of my new long hair, above which I had re-installed the white shining halo that I had received at the recent angel’s dancing party. Amazing how you quickly gather quite a lot of stuff in SL! I was then given a set of black wings by Terri.
Terri Holrych: ok
Terri Holrych: lemme see
Terri Holrych: lol
Terri Holrych: omg
Pema Pera: hahahah
Pema Pera: oh well
I had just made the typical beginner’s mistake of wearing the box in which the wings were packed, rather than the wings itself.
genesis Zhangsun: you were a cardboard angel
genesis Zhangsun: or crate wood angel
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: they were cutting me out
Pema Pera: I was cut out to be an angel, you know
genesis Zhangsun: i think you are
genesis Zhangsun: you’ve got the halo
genesis Zhangsun: So how is being in Kyoto?
Terri Holrych: all my halos are no transfer
genesis Zhangsun: There you go!
genesis Zhangsun: Nice wings
Terri Holrych: does that mean i cant give them away
Pema Pera: wow, thank you!
Pema Pera: well well
Terri Holrych: yw
Terri Holrych: lol
Tara joined us, and was besumed finding a bunch of angel-wannebees. She was followed by Zorbeklegras.
Pema Pera: hi Tara!
Tara Farmer: he he
Tara Farmer: halo city
Tara Farmer: hey guys
Terri Holrych: i got a lot of stuff from freebie malls
Pema Pera: And hi Zor!
Tara Farmer: yeah sure, we’re alll a bunch of angels
Terri Holrych: lol we all have wings
genesis Zhangsun: we talked a bit in the PaB session about the wings
Tara Farmer winks
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: Hello all.. Hi Pema :)
Terri Holrych: hi zorb
Pema Pera: come join us Zor, we seem to be having a party
genesis Zhangsun: Wow hi Tara you are loveley!
Pema Pera: I just dropped in myself
genesis Zhangsun: Hi Zor
Tara Farmer: thanks genesis
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: hihi thats right… with nice outfits :)
Terri Holrych: that dance party was hot last nite
Terri Holrych: lol
Pema Pera: would you like to have a halo, Zor?
Tara Farmer: hey Z, you are pretty dapper in that zoot suit
genesis Zhangsun: and so was the after party LOL
genesis Zhangsun: ;)
Terri Holrych: lol yup
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger wonders if he should not find wings… sure! that certainly would fit me
genesis Zhangsun: Join the club Zor
Terri Holrych: i can give you black wings like pemas
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: hihi thank you Pema, and thanx Terri for the proposal
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger accepted your inventory offer.
Terri Holrych: lol
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: aaaaah! I feel better!
Terri Holrych: lol
Zor looked happy, in his dark suit with a copy of my black wings which Terri had given me.
Tara Farmer: does everyone know that if you hit page up and the up arrow that it makes you fly?
Tara Farmer: i just found that out
Tara Farmer: I knew you could fly
Tara Farmer: but not like that
Terri Holrych: i just usually use the button
Terri Holrych: i did not know that
Terri Holrych: lol
Pema Pera: yes, I prefer the arrows
Terri Holrych: cool
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: oh :)… yes, i almost everytime use the arrows too
Terri Holrych: cool
Terri Holrych: pema looks hot like that
Terri Holrych: lol
Pema Pera: haha
You shout: Middling, feel free to join us!
Tara Farmer: he he
Tara Farmer: sorry z, didn’t mean to sit IN you
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: well… that was a pleasure… a lil unusual, thats all
Tara Farmer: LOL
Storm Nordwind: ooo sparkly
Tara Farmer: like in Ghost
Storm, too, looked a little surprised finding all of our winged presences here in front of the tea house.
Pema Pera: Hi Storm!
Storm Nordwind: Hi guys
Tara Farmer: hey stormy
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: aah yes, remember that…
genesis Zhangsun: Hi Storm!
Storm Nordwind: Hi genesis
Pema Pera: do you have a halo Storm?
Storm Nordwind: Not to my knowledge
Tara Farmer: i think he has horns
Storm Nordwind: Not in SL anyway
Tara Farmer snickers
Storm Nordwind accepted your inventory offer.
I had handed Storm a copy of my halo, and then Middling stopped by.
Tara Farmer: hi middling
Middling Bosatsu: hallo.
Pema Pera: Hi there Middling
Middling Bosatsu: hallo, hallo all.
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: Hello Midding :)
Middling Bosatsu: I was here several days ago and it was very quiet.
Tara Farmer: we sure are a motley crew
genesis Zhangsun: to say the least
genesis Zhangsun: :)
Pema Pera: Storm, we used your beach front balloons the other day
Storm Nordwind: Cool
Tara Farmer: i didn’t
Pema Pera: have you gone for a balloon ride, Middling?
Tara Farmer: i cannot get it to work
Tara Farmer: :(
Middling Bosatsu: No, can’t say I have…
Storm Nordwind: I’ll show you how Tara
Pema Pera: well, Tara should get a chance soon!
Tara Farmer waves her hands
Terri Holrych: i love the ballons
Tara Farmer: “I wanna go”
Pema Pera: if we go for a ride near the beach
Terri Holrych: last nite we went
Tara Farmer: can we all fit storm
Tara Farmer: ?
Pema Pera: we will make a great “first impression” on our neighbors
Pema Pera: or “second impression”
Pema Pera: on those neighbors we met yesterday
Tara Farmer: he he
Terri Holrych: we sat in laps
Terri Holrych: hahah
Tara Farmer: ha haterri
Terri Holrych: yeah we went and danced with them
Pema Pera: Storm, I made all the land group deeded
We lingered for a while longer, before moving to the beach.
Storm Nordwind: Currently they will take two at a time. But I have an infinite supply of balloons
Pema Pera: no storm
Pema Pera: four at a time
Pema Pera: we did it yesterday
Pema Pera: at the beach!!
Terri Holrych: we had 4
Storm Nordwind: Thanks pema. The 1/2 sim is probably top priority
Storm Nordwind: Cool!
Pema Pera: can you program a single balloon trip for ALL the land?
Pema Pera: will take a long time but fun
Pema Pera: Middling, we gather here four times a day, believe it or not . . .
Storm Nordwind: Probably can if I ever find out where all the land is!!
Middling Bosatsu: Pema,I can believe it.
Pema Pera: you now can see it
Pema Pera: groups color
Pema Pera: turquoise
Pema Pera: from the air
Storm Nordwind: Yes
Pema Pera: if you fly from here to there (beach)
I was talking with Storm about how to recognize the land I had bought and then had deeded to the three-person group `playasbeinghere’ with Storm, Dakini and me as members. Storm then changed his white halo to a deep red, in constrast to the brightly shining white haloes of ours.
Terri Holrych: i like storms outfit
genesis Zhangsun: Red halo is a nice touch
Pema Pera: http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/ is a summary of what we do Middling
Pema Pera: great, Storm
Pema Pera: a red wind rising
Terri Holrych: lol
Storm Nordwind: A slipped halo
Terri Holrych: i transformed
genesis Zhangsun: yes you did!
Terri looked like a younger red-robed monk, so I commented:
Pema Pera: you look like Storm’s younger sister
Terri Holrych: hehe
genesis Zhangsun: LOL
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: Hihihi :)
Middling Bosatsu: Pema, I’ll take a look.
Terri Holrych: wanna see vajrayogini again
genesis Zhangsun: yeah!
Pema Pera: feel free to drop by whenever you like, Middling, our conversations range for the deeply serious to the quite bizarre
genesis Zhangsun: lets see it!
Pema Pera: yeah 2!
Terri then showed us her Vajrayogini form, as she had done the day before.
Terri Holrych: hehe
Middling Bosatsu: ‘play as being’ itself provokes some thought 8?)
Pema Pera: the other younger sister of Storm, the wild one
Terri Holrych: i want to make a cape
Terri Holrych: but havent figured it out
Terri Holrych: lol
Middling Bosatsu: Storm, I am impressed by the gos chen!
Terri Holrych: the wot
Middling Bosatsu: The monastic robes.
Terri Holrych: i like the big prayer wheels
Terri Holrych: kool
Storm Nordwind: Thank you. I have to do without the saffron though
Middling Bosatsu: Ah! the wheels - but they’re going *backwards.
Tara Farmer: Red Terri
Terri Holrych: you make a yellow undershirt
Tara Farmer: sweet
Storm Nordwind: I already have a blue undershirt to get the blue edges
Terri Holrych: but i dunno how to make a top robe
Middling Bosatsu: Perhaps a two-colour undershirt?
Terri Holrych: yeah all i do is make clothes since i got on here
Terri Holrych: lol
Storm Nordwind: I have the top vest but not the over the shoulder robe
Pema Pera: How about a beach party? shall we show Storm how to fit four people in a balloon?
Tara then transformed in a new and splended outfit, deep red and queen like.
Pema Pera: lovely, Tara!!
Pema Pera: royal!
Tara Farmer: yeah yeah
Tara Farmer: this is My RED TARA outfit
Terri Holrych: loves it
Pema Pera: quite a motley party indeed
Tara Farmer: let’s go to the beach for cryin out loud
Middling Bosatsu: Tara! Zoosh, that is *very* red.
Terri Holrych: ok
Pema Pera: Storm, wanna lead the way?
Storm Nordwind: If we’re going to the beach then I will change into beach costume!
Pema Pera: fine!
Terri Holrych: i think i am redy for the beach
Pema Pera: Middling, I’ll tp you when we’re there
Storm Nordwind: Does everyone have the LM?
Pema Pera: Hi Zor, we’re going to the beach
genesis Zhangsun: I don’t think you need more sun Terri
Tara Farmer: i don’t
Pema Pera: hahaha
genesis Zhangsun: better break out the sunscreen
Middling Bosatsu: Thanks. I’ll wait to see.
Pema Pera: we can tp each other
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: Ok, I will let you go folks… and see you soon :)
Tara Farmer: LOL
Tara Farmer: Bye Z
Pema Pera: ask me or storm
Tara Farmer: why don’t you wanna come?
Pema Pera: bye Zor!
Zorbeklegras Rodenberger: Bye :) see you!
I asked Storm for a teleport, not being sure which of our beach properties he had chosen. I found him there in an early twentieth century beach suit. Tara soon followed, and once again she was left dangling in the air. I don’t know how she does that, but I do know that she somehow blames me for it, since it seems to happen when I am around, even if someone else does the tp-ing :-).
Tara Farmer: oh christ
Tara Farmer: stuck again
Tara Farmer: PEMA!
genesis Zhangsun: Storm!!!
Middling Bosatsu: and here we are…
Tara Farmer: ahh there we go
genesis Zhangsun: Wow nice pecs
Storm Nordwind smiles!
Storm Nordwind: Any more?
Pema Pera: Terri went offline?
genesis Zhangsun: yeah I guess so I will watch for if she comes back
Storm Nordwind: OK show me how to get 4 in my balloon!
Pema Pera: well, Tara!
Pema Pera: I hope my wings are not in the way :>)
Storm Nordwind: two to go
Pema Pera: are you all waiting in the wings?
Pema Pera: haha
Middling Bosatsu: after you…
Pema Pera: YOU are waiting in MY wings!
Pema Pera: hahaha
I had acquired Middling as a passenger superposed on my avatar, wings and all. No matter how often he tried, he kept landing in my lap.
Storm Nordwind: It’s not yet built for 4
genesis Zhangsun: LOL
Pema Pera: well I guess we are getting there
Tara Farmer: LOL
genesis Zhangsun: this is hilarious
Pema Pera: three now
Tara Farmer: a clown balloon!
Middling Bosatsu: it’s determined to keep me on this side…
genesis Zhangsun: i promise i don’t have cooties
Pema Pera: I never knew about the expression of waiting in the wings . . .. .
genesis Zhangsun: one of you can come over here
Tara Farmer has cooties
Tara Farmer: LOL
Storm Nordwind thinks you can get antibiotics for cooties now
Middling Bosatsu: hang on…
Tara Farmer: ha ha
Pema Pera: Middling, we can’t keep meeting like this . . ..
Middling Bosatsu: No, I think the script has other purposes…
Tara Farmer: ROFL
Pema Pera: I suggest Middling goes with Storm in the next balloon
We were finally getting ready for the balloon ride.
Tara Farmer: cmon storm, you can sit in me
Storm Nordwind: I need to separate the script when i have some (?!) spare time
genesis Zhangsun: In PaB were talking about personal space this is a perfect place to be after that conversation
Pema Pera: hahaha
Storm Nordwind: Launch it on trip 3
Pema Pera: we all play like one giant Being
Middling Bosatsu: It does raise questions about the self.
Storm Nordwind: hehe
Storm Nordwind: See if it flies yu like that!
genesis Zhangsun: All of our molecules blending together
Tara Farmer: beam me up stormy
Storm Nordwind: I’m gonna lauch you
Balloon whispers: Welcome to the Storm’s tour balloon.
Balloon whispers: Destination Coastal Round Trip
Balloon whispers: Please remain seated during the tour.
Tara Farmer: AWESOME!
Pema Pera: Vulcan body melt
Tara Farmer: thats mind meld
Middling Bosatsu: that’s amazing.
Tara Farmer: get it right
Tara Farmer is a die hard trekkie
Pema Pera: not in our case, Tara
Balloon whispers: Warning! Sim boundary crossing
Pema Pera: I love the way your mantel moves, Tara
genesis Zhangsun: me too!!!
Tara Farmer: thanks pema
genesis Zhangsun: you are too beautiful
Tara Farmer: and genesis
Tara Farmer: genesis, sweet thing!
Pema Pera: look at Storm behind us in the following balloon
Tara Farmer: if you would like when we are done i can show you where i got this dress
Pema Pera: the other day we had a parade of four balloons!
genesis Zhangsun: and the hair?
Storm’s balloon was too far for text chat range, so he IMed me.
Pema Pera: Storm’s IM: Get people to try forced sunset with ctrl-shift-N
Middling Bosatsu: Wow.
Tara Farmer: yes maam
genesis Zhangsun: you really need the hair
genesis Zhangsun: with the dress
Pema Pera: nice sunlight that way!
Balloon whispers: Warning! Sim boundary crossing
Middling Bosatsu: Yup, the sunset makes it much better.
Balloon whispers: Into the VOID!
Pema Pera: what a crew: an angel, a princess, and a four-armed something
I was refering to Middling who had resigned himself to remaining superposed with me. Genesis was angelic and Tara royal.
genesis Zhangsun: OOOO the VOID!
Tara Farmer: i’m a queen thanks
Pema Pera: YEAH!
Pema Pera: sorry, Queen
Tara Farmer: LOL
Tara Farmer: ha ha
Pema Pera: I just wanted to give you room for growth ;>)
Balloon whispers: Warning! Sim boundary crossing
Tara Farmer: LOL
Tara Farmer: thanks pema
Middling Bosatsu: The floor is especially good - looking down. This is an excellent balloon.
genesis Zhangsun: It makes me so happy to be in this balloon with you all I am just breaking out in smiles in giggles in RL…lots of funny looks from people around me
genesis Zhangsun: it is so cozy!!
Tara Farmer: genesis, i love this shit
Pema Pera: hahaha, yes, yes!
Balloon whispers: We are over the North Coastal area
Tara Farmer: i will have to take you to the ambipod too
Pema Pera: are you in a coffee shop, Gen?
Pema Pera: when I was in the train the other day, people were _really_ looking at me giggling
genesis Zhangsun: it feels like being in a kid in a tree house with good friends
Pema Pera: the electric morning ;>)
genesis Zhangsun: Yes Pema I am
Pema Pera: Raven?
genesis Zhangsun: no
genesis Zhangsun: Leila Cafe Leila
Tara Farmer: i see the waves crashing on the beach below
I explained how Genesis and I first met, about a month ago.
Pema Pera: Tara, Gen and I met in a coffee shop in Berkeley in RL while I was demonstrating SL to Stim . .
Tara Farmer: cool
Pema Pera: funny world crossings
Pema Pera: yes, the sea is great here
Middling Bosatsu: ! Berkeley. Wow.
genesis Zhangsun: oh wow Stim!!! I never put that connection together until now
Pema Pera: wonder what neighbors we meet today!
Pema Pera: in SL
Pema Pera: yesterday we went dancing
Balloon whispers: Warning! Sim boundary crossing
genesis Zhangsun: but amazing when I met Stim I knew it was him I just had that feeling
genesis Zhangsun: so funny
Balloon whispers: We are over the East Coastal area
Pema Pera: yes, SL and RL are far more intimate with each other than people think at first
Pema Pera: what a lovely break from Rieul
We naturally circled back to RL/SL connections.
genesis Zhangsun: Rl crossing in SL it is so surreal so mind bending that you just know that REALITY doesn’t exist
Pema Pera: the sea, the breeze , the sun
Pema Pera: yes, neither SL nor RL exist
Tara Farmer: ohh you look weird Pema/middling
Pema Pera: all illusion, but very interestingly so — and appearance is in some sense real appearance
Pema Pera: haha, Tara
genesis Zhangsun: Yes Pema/Middling you look bizarre
Middling Bosatsu: They do; they’re simply empty. That’s why either SL or RL can be beautiful.
genesis Zhangsun: I LOVE IT!!!
Pema Pera: can you make a four-armed Tara too?
Tara Farmer: pema is all hair
Pema Pera: yes, Middling!
Pema Pera: ooooooooo
Pema Pera: Tara!!!!!!!
Pema Pera: we lost our queen
genesis Zhangsun: oh no Tara!!
Somehow Tara had dropped off from our balloon, but then she flew up and in a very agile way teamed up with Storm in his balloon.
Pema Pera: ah, she is safely with Storm now
Pema Pera: she abdicated I guess
Middling Bosatsu: She’s a Queen of the Air just now I think.
You shout: Tara, did you abdicate?
Tara Farmer: i always walk off edges and such
Tara Farmer: its fun
Storm Nordwind: time to land
Tara Farmer: hey pema, can you hear me?
Pema Pera: by all means
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: yes, Tara
genesis Zhangsun: cool
Pema Pera: but only if you shout
Pema Pera: from balloon to balloon
Middling Bosatsu: Well, that was excellent. Storm, my compliments.
Tara Farmer: he he
Tara Farmer: that was fun!
Storm Nordwind: Did you guys set sunset?
genesis Zhangsun: Really amazing stuff Storm!
Pema Pera: so I don’t know what you might have told Storm ;>)
I was telling Tara that her conversation with Storm, while riding in his balloon, was outside earshot for us.
Storm Nordwind: Thank you Middling
Tara Farmer: i set sunsett
Pema Pera: yes, Storm
Tara Farmer: ha hapema
Pema Pera: well, I really should go now
Storm Nordwind: Come over the bridge to the rock
Tara Farmer: i told him you were a guru
Pema Pera: It is 7 am here
Pema Pera: NO YOU DIDN”T
Tara Farmer laughs maniacally
Pema Pera: GRRRRRRRR
Pema Pera: watch out
Tara Farmer: he he
Pema Pera: I have BLACK wings . . .
Pema Pera: gonna get you for that
Tara Farmer: he he
Tara Farmer pokes Pema
Pema Pera pokes back
I was ready to say goodbye.
Tara Farmer: hey terri
Pema Pera: Hi Terri!
Pema Pera: Well, i really should go
Terri Holrych: thanks
Pema Pera: a few land transactions IMs and blog writing and — gasp — even RL work to do
Pema Pera: so great seeing you all here!
Terri Holrych: omg
Pema Pera: ?
Terri Holrych: :)
Terri Holrych: work
Tara Farmer: bye guys
Pema Pera: bye Storm, see you later!
Storm Nordwind: yes bfn!
Pema Pera: bye all
Terri Holrych: storm is hawt
