2008.05.08 01:00 - A cat tap

It was time for another night shift in Second Life, 1 am SLT, though 5 pm for me in Japen. After having spent a few days in Kyoto, I had just arrived at my hotel in Tokyo, and I was ready to log in. Alas, the wireless connection didn’t work, much to my surprise, since during previous visits at the same hotel I had had not problems at all. For half an hour the hotel employees and I were trying to track down the problem, and then we just gave up. I felt very disappointed, since it would have been the first missed session since we had started the PaB program more than five weeks ago.

So I went back to my room, where I knew from previous visits that the firewall on the ethernet cable there did not allow me to log into Second Life. But just to make sure, I gave it a try, and much to my surprise I managed to get in. So the bottom line was that the wireless downstairs had stopped working for me and the cable connection had stopped not working. Well, clearly I should not have taken anything from granted! Happily I waited till I was rezzed, and then flew to the tea house. And what a surprise to find Dakini there! A double surprise: first of all I had not expected anybody to be around anymore, given that I was 35 minutes late getting in; and second, I knew that it was in the wee hours of the night for Dakini.

Pema Pera: Hi Dakini!
Dakini Rhode: hey
Pema Pera: So nice to see you!
Pema Pera: I finally made it
Dakini Rhode: same here!
Dakini Rhode: i thought i missed you!

Around that time Alessandro walked up to us.

Dakini Rhode: hello alessandro
alessandro Halberstam: hi
Pema Pera: Hi Allessandro!
Pema Pera: What are you doing up so late, Dakini?
Dakini Rhode: i’m up early
alessandro Halberstam: you can speak german
alessandro Halberstam: ?
Dakini Rhode: the little cat awoke me at 4
alessandro Halberstam: ???
Pema Pera: ja, ich kann Deutsch sprechen
alessandro Halberstam: cool
alessandro Halberstam: das is schon mal gut
Pema Pera: Well, Dakini, I tried to get in at 1 am SLT
Pema Pera: but in my hotel in Tokyo the wireless didn’t work
alessandro Halberstam: ich blick hier noch nicht so durch
Pema Pera: FINALLY I found a way to get in
Dakini Rhode: i fought with myself about coming here… but realized i wasn’t asleep anyway
Dakini Rhode: just got here
Pema Pera: I feel bad because this is the first time I wasn’t there on the right time
Pema Pera: well, nice to meet you both!
Dakini Rhode: :-)
Pema Pera: schoen dich hier zu sehen Alessandro
Pema Pera: shall we have some tea?
alessandro Halberstam: naja schon aber blicke noch nicht so durch

Soon Alessandro would leave, and Dakini and I settled down for tea.

Pema Pera: It feels so good to have a meeting every 6 hours
Pema Pera: I was so happy that we could start now
Pema Pera: I guess I am too much of a perfectionist
Pema Pera: so I was really unhappy that I couldn’t get in ;>)
Pema Pera: funny, to watch my own reactions
Dakini Rhode: have you had people here at this time?
Pema Pera: let’s see yes Storm
Pema Pera: He’s eight hours ahead, so 1 am is 9 am for him
Dakini Rhode: yes
Dakini Rhode: i don’t plan to be here at this time often….
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: I hope not!
Dakini Rhode: the little cat was tapping me on the shoulder
Dakini Rhode: exactly at 4
Pema Pera: well, he must be my guardian spirit
Pema Pera: or one of them at least
Dakini Rhode: haha
Dakini Rhode: she never does that
Pema Pera: haha indeed!
Dakini Rhode: not at 4
Pema Pera: I was so unhappy that I failed to get in
Dakini Rhode: she’s my wake-up kitty, usually taps me at the right time
Pema Pera: I’m really pleased to see a friend here, after all my attempts to break in
Dakini Rhode: i was pleased to see you come online after i did
Pema Pera: what perfect timing

We did not stay long, and just chatted for a while. We then started talking about our development plans.

Pema Pera: I see this tea house and the Be-IT Bar and the Hall of Appearance as firmly routed in Rieul
Dakini Rhode: yes, and i have a few other visions for this area right here
Pema Pera: such as ?
Dakini Rhode: right in the center, where Storm has put up a pole
Dakini Rhode: I want a Tibetan style peace garden
Dakini Rhode: but haven’t got around to it
Pema Pera: sounds great!
Dakini Rhode: we have 3 of the 4 corners now
Dakini Rhode: between us
Dakini Rhode: and i think the 4th is abandoned so could be obtained
Pema Pera: corners of what?
Dakini Rhode: if you go to the pole
Dakini Rhode: the 4 directions
Dakini Rhode: we own the land on 3 of the 4 directions
Dakini Rhode: between you and my Tara Ling
Dakini Rhode: so my garden is almost there now :-)
Dakini Rhode: if we can use the space for it
Dakini Rhode: that is the exact center of the sim
Dakini Rhode: then, in Magoja
Dakini Rhode: when it becomes available
Dakini Rhode: I would like to put a natural amphiteatre - small
Dakini Rhode: similar to the Nantucket and Mystic sims
Dakini Rhode: very small, inobtrusive, but could seat more avatars there
Pema Pera: sound great!
Dakini Rhode: that’s all
Pema Pera: very nice idea
Pema Pera: in the middle of Magoja?
Dakini Rhode: until the next thought comes :-)
Pema Pera: or on a sim boundary?
Dakini Rhode: on the border of Magoja and Rieul
Dakini Rhode: near the Zen retreat
Pema Pera: good idea
Pema Pera: ah, yes
Pema Pera: have you looked at Storm’s map yet?
Dakini Rhode: could overflow onto the zen retreat area
Dakini Rhode: not yet

By then it was time for both of us to go.

Pema Pera: probably you should go to bed now
Pema Pera: you and your cat have comforted me
Pema Pera: beyond the call of duty!
Pema Pera: and Storm is so wonderful — must have been a BIG job to create that map
Pema Pera: it is SO helpful! For the first time I could see all that I’ve done in the last couple weeks . . . .
Pema Pera: please go sleep
Dakini Rhode: bed? I need to outline my paper
Dakini Rhode: is time to start my day now
Pema Pera: and thank you so much for keeping me company here
Pema Pera: wow
Pema Pera: good luck!
Dakini Rhode: np - enjoy Tokyo
Pema Pera: time for me for dinner
Pema Pera: will do!
Dakini Rhode: _/!\_
Pema Pera: _/!\_
Pema Pera: okay!
Pema Pera: take good care of yourself — we need you here ;>)
Dakini Rhode: :-)