The guardian at this meeting was Pema Pera and the comments are his.
Thorberg and I arrived at the tea house at just the same time, that evening.
Thorberg Nordlicht: hello Pema
Thorberg Nordlicht: i just replied to your IM
Pema Pera: Hi Thorberg!
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: saw it
Pema Pera: nice to see you in the (virtual) flesh ;>)
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, i guess we don’t have a term for “virtual flesh” :-)
Pema Pera: there are so many layers of virtuality
Pema Pera: IMs and alts both make an extra step away from meeting your fundamental avatar
Thorberg Nordlicht: right
Thorberg Nordlicht: virtual environments are richer than Natural reality and we just don’t have traditional terminology for it all…. yet
Pema Pera: indeed
Pema Pera: and I keep being surprised how much SL and RL intertwine in my experience
Pema Pera: Recently I was crossing a big square in RL and I was wondering whether to walk or fly :>) Walking seemed more leisurely, but since it was quite far, I felt tempted to fly.
Thorberg Nordlicht: i assume you’ve been reading the transcripts of these tea house discussions even when you couldn’t attend. the crossover (in both directions) comes up often
Pema Pera: yes, not only did I read them, I went over them and put them up on my blog ;>)
Pema Pera: At some point we may want to find a mechanism to let all of us post
Pema Pera: but for now it is simplest for me to keep doing that
Thorberg Nordlicht: i’m a bit behind in reading your blog, but intend to “catch up”
Pema Pera: And yes, it was great to read about your meetings without being there myself
Pema Pera: During the first few weeks I was the only writer and others readers
Pema Pera: It feels great to make it more democratic and mutual!
Thorberg Nordlicht: so far, we haven’t talked about you too much behind your back :-)
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: I wouldn’t know
Pema Pera: if it is not in the chat log — you can keep it secret ;>)
Thorberg brought the conversation to the core notions of what we are doing here.
Thorberg Nordlicht: the conversation often gets “off topic” from your original idea of 9 seconds every 15 minutes
Thorberg Nordlicht: have you considered “re-framing” the intent of these discussions?
Pema Pera: that’s fine with me!
Pema Pera: at some point we may want to refocus
Pema Pera: and there are many ways to do so
Pema Pera: we can have special sessions with specific topics
Pema Pera: for example
Thorberg Nordlicht: i find we are often repeating the same info for newcomers
Pema Pera: but for now, since it is still early days, I’m perfectly happy to go with the flow and just see what wants to come out here
Thorberg Nordlicht: it would be nice to have a notecard to hand to newcomers to convey a basic idea of what we think is happening here
Thorberg Nordlicht: or do you already have one that i missed?
Pema Pera: you know, I just thought about that again, ten minutes ago — you are reading my mind :>)
Thorberg Nordlicht: haha
Pema Pera: no, never got around to do that
Pema Pera: but should, yes
Pema Pera: well, would you like to draft one?
Pema Pera: you and I can do it together
Pema Pera: and iterate a few times until done
Thorberg Nordlicht: uh, hmmmm, not sure i can speak on your behalf, even in a rough draft
Pema Pera: you have my email address, piet@ias.edu
Thorberg Nordlicht: maybe start with some notes to each other
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, i have your email
Pema Pera: fine!
Thorberg Nordlicht: i’ll brainstorm some notes and send them to you
Pema Pera: looking at the web site is a good place to start, too
Pema Pera: but it would be boring to repeat the exact same information
Thorberg Nordlicht: so you can say, “whoah, is that what he thinks we’re talkikng about?”
Pema Pera: hahahahaha
Pema Pera: as you may have noticed, I have a very broad sense of what can fit under the PaB umbrella ;>)
Thorberg Nordlicht: not sure when i’ll get to it though; maybe in the next few days
Pema Pera: probably easiest to do this by regular email
Pema Pera: IMs and note cards are inconvenient to handle in bulk — so if you don’t mind, I would prefer piet@ias.edu
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, i agree; i’ll send you email
We talked about other PaB aspects as well.
Thorberg Nordlicht: so, just us tonight, it seems
Thorberg Nordlicht: another thought, btw, is to maybe have a sign outside the tea house
Thorberg Nordlicht: i discovered this group by visiting all the SL Search references to keyword “zen”
Thorberg Nordlicht: but wouldn’t have know about this group except that i just happened to wander in while a meeting was going on
Pema Pera: yes, a sign is great
Thorberg Nordlicht: we can brainstorm what the sign says along with the notecards
Pema Pera: we are discussing that in the “playasbeing” email group that I just made you a member of too. You can look in the older emails in the google group archive — but no need to spend time there; the upshot is that we are talking about the design of a PaB logo
Pema Pera: and then if you click on the PaB logo you get a card
Thorberg Nordlicht: a logo! cool
Pema Pera: and that logo will also show the outline of the forest
Thorberg Nordlicht: great!
Pema Pera: marking the borders
Thorberg Nordlicht: btw, this is my first experience with active group participation in SL
Pema Pera: it’s amazing what is evolving so very naturally here ;>)
Pema Pera: thank you very much for joining and helping us!
Thorberg Nordlicht: i’m a member of other groups, but am not really active because i just really didn’t relate to the group topic
Thorberg Nordlicht: this is the first group i’ve discovered of “like-minded” people that i felt i wanted to invest the time interacting with
Thorberg Nordlicht: i’ve been in SL about 18 months now, but have spend most of my time exploring, land speculating, building, and scripting
Pema Pera: that’s great, Thorberg!
I was very pleased to hear Thorberg’s reactions. We continued talking about SL and activities therein.
Pema Pera: And that reminds me: we need to spruce up the Hall of Appearance — have you seen that building?
Thorberg Nordlicht: ((checking your profile)) you’ve been in SL for about a year now, right? (your hair has grown longer compared to your profile picture; odd, my hair hasn’t grown at all :-)
Thorberg Nordlicht: no, don’t even know what you’re referring to
Pema Pera: haahaha
Pema Pera: yes, my hair tends to fluctuate
Pema Pera: you must have a better barber than I
Thorberg Nordlicht: :-)
Pema Pera: actually, yes, I was born a year ago, but did not get seriously into SL until Christmas, finally
Pema Pera: so my effective age is more like five months
Pema Pera: last year I worked mostly in Qwaq
Pema Pera: see the paper in my profile
Pema Pera: which I wrote for my work.
Thorberg Nordlicht: ((see paper)) ok
Thorberg Nordlicht: i’ll have to take some time to explore your web pages
Thorberg Nordlicht: from what i’ve seen (from your web pages) you’re a busy guy
Pema Pera: you can say so, yes :>)
Thorberg Nordlicht: don’t know how you have time for SL and blogs and web pages with everything else you do
Pema Pera: and busier than ever, since I entered SL
Pema Pera: hard to find time to sleep . . . .
Thorberg Nordlicht: :-)
Pema Pera: so the only way to sustain this is to have a community grow and divide the work
Pema Pera: as we are doing now
Hotaru dropped by.
Thorberg Nordlicht: ah, another visitor; welcome!
Pema Pera: I can burn like a candle at two (or more?) sides for a month or so, but that’s about it . . .
Hotaru Myoo: howdy pardners
Pema Pera: Hi Hotaru!
Pema Pera: Welcome!
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, Pema, i agree; we can continue this later
Pema Pera: Always nice to see you here!
Hotaru Myoo: What’s up?
Thorberg Nordlicht: hello Hotaru
Pema Pera: dazzling in white!
Hotaru Myoo: Hiya thor
Thorberg Nordlicht: hello
Hotaru Myoo: Greetings Pema
Hotaru Myoo: ty
Thorberg Nordlicht: ((checkin’ out your wings))
Hotaru Myoo: So what are you two chatting up?
Pema Pera: about candles burning
Hotaru Myoo: tyvm
Pema Pera: on two or more ends
Pema Pera: Pema the candle ;>)
Hotaru Myoo blushes
Hotaru Myoo: ah
Hotaru Myoo: too busy?
Thorberg Nordlicht: most recently talking about how busy Pema is in RL
Pema Pera: and about the community that is sprouting up here
Pema Pera: so that I can return to burning at one end :>)
Pema Pera: thanks to you both!!
Clearly I was not the only one finding it hard to find time to sleep.
Hotaru Myoo: keeps you hopping
Hotaru Myoo: I know it does me
Hotaru Myoo: I am totally sleep deprived
Pema Pera: I really appreciate your help, very much so
Pema Pera: hahaha, that’s the danger of SL
Hotaru Myoo: haven’t done anything
Hotaru Myoo: yes
Hotaru Myoo: but
Hotaru Myoo: wouldn’t have it anyother way
Pema Pera: oh yes, you have, you have agreed to hold the fort here at times — allowing me to sleep!
Pema Pera: and stay sane
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: well..
Hotaru Myoo: one insanity begats another
Pema Pera: we were also talking about building and furnishing
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: yeah
Hotaru Myoo: morestops along the paths?
Pema Pera: you always seem to be online
Pema Pera: when I have something new and exciting to show
Hotaru Myoo: yes..
From here on one of those bumbling interleaved texting conversations; really enjoy those :-)
Thorberg Nordlicht: Pema, you’ve got to quote that in your blog: “one insanity begats another”
Pema Pera: so much fun to share the new sights while they are fresh!
Hotaru Myoo: a luxury that I’m sure will fade in time..
Pema Pera: of course
Hotaru Myoo: but not if I can help it
Pema Pera: it’s in the chat log, Thor
Thorberg Nordlicht: :-)
Hotaru Myoo: really?
Pema Pera: like freshly baked bread early in the morning
Hotaru Myoo: wait…
Pema Pera: Thor, have you seen the water party in Magoja?
Hotaru Myoo: you have a quoote of what I just said?
Pema Pera: yes, Hotaru?
Pema Pera: I will soon
Thorberg Nordlicht: ((water party)) no
Hotaru Myoo: or something simialr?
Pema Pera: I mean, I will add this chat to the blog
Thorberg Nordlicht: haven’t seen it
Pema Pera: nono
Hotaru Myoo: pswat
Pema Pera: sorry
Pema Pera: I’m not adding real time hahaha
Pema Pera: that would be something
Hotaru Myoo: bet u could
Pema Pera thinks about real time feeds, shakes his head
The conversation continued to meander.
Pema Pera: sure
Pema Pera: but not the editing
Pema Pera: I leave out personal details
Hotaru Myoo: true
Pema Pera: like “I just can’t stand this Pema character”
Pema Pera: hehe
Hotaru Myoo: who does the editing?
Pema Pera: me
Pema Pera: and those who take care of the blog when I’m not here
Hotaru Myoo: and other balgna
Thorberg Nordlicht: btw, how do you capture the chat log? just open the local chat window and cut&paste? or is there a better way?
Hotaru Myoo: bologna
Pema Pera: there is
Pema Pera: Bologna is a wonderful city!
Hotaru Myoo: never been
Pema Pera: Thor, go to Edit-Preferences
Hotaru Myoo: might have to now
Hotaru Myoo: wanna go to Bruges
Pema Pera: then to communication
Hotaru Myoo: Brueges?
Pema Pera: then click on all the open white squares except the top one
Hotaru Myoo: how do you spell it?
Pema Pera: voila, your every thought will be captured ;>)
Pema Pera: Brugge in Dutch
Hotaru Myoo: ty
Pema Pera: in French something similar, Bruges I guess
Thorberg Nordlicht: ok, i’ll look for it; hadn’t noticed that preferences option
Hotaru Myoo: danke
Pema Pera: bitte
Hotaru Myoo: what is ty in Dutch
Pema Pera: (in German ;>)
Pema Pera: bedankt
Pema Pera: (in Dutch)
Hotaru Myoo: ty
Since we had been in the tea room long enough, beyond the half hour that we usually commit, I suggested to go for a walk.
Hotaru Myoo: do you type on dwarty?
Hotaru Myoo: dworty?
Pema Pera: Hotaru and Thor, given that we have our first half hour here behind us, shall we go for a stroll?
Pema Pera: no
Pema Pera: why do you think?
Hotaru Myoo: sure
Hotaru Myoo: you are so damn fast
Pema Pera: hahaha
Hotaru Myoo: lol
Thorberg Nordlicht: sure, go for a stroll
Pema Pera: practice I guess
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Pema Pera: Two things to see
Thorberg Nordlicht: lead the way
Pema Pera: the Hall of Appearance and the ongoing water sculpting project by Storm
Thorberg Nordlicht: Pema, were you telling me about something interesting nearby earlier?
Thorberg Nordlicht: yes, “hall of appearance”
Pema Pera: where did Hotaru go?
IM: Hotaru Myoo: skyward
IM: Hotaru Myoo: tp?
Thorberg Nordlicht: don’t see her
Thorberg Nordlicht: send her a teleport invite
Thorberg Nordlicht: oh, there she is
Pema Pera: sorry, I thought we might as well walk
Thorberg Nordlicht: thought we’d lost you
Hotaru Myoo: you had
Thorberg Nordlicht: ah, i was cheating by flying
Thorberg Nordlicht: guess i’m lazy :-)
We arrived at the larger building, at the very North side of Rieul, bordering Magoja.
Pema Pera: So this is the hall of Appearance.
Thorberg Nordlicht: haven’t explored the area before; haven’t been over here
Pema Pera: Storm put this here
Pema Pera: as a copy of another building he had
Pema Pera: The original building was very Buddhist
Pema Pera: we removed the Buddhist images
Pema Pera: to make it more neutral
Pema Pera: for Play as Being
White Dragonfly Wings 4.2.1 whispers: Hotaru spreads her wings in satisfaction.
Pema Pera: but now we need to add other fun stuff
Pema Pera: this is for larger meetings
Pema Pera: for what doesn’t fit into the tea house
Hotaru Myoo: are you trying to keep it neutral?
Pema Pera: in the sense of
Pema Pera: not for a particular religion
Pema Pera: much as I deeply respect and enjoy Buddhism
Thorberg Nordlicht: that’s nice
Pema Pera: I don’t want to give the impression that that is all we do here
Pema Pera: want to keep PaB open for all and any
Pema Pera: if either or both of you are willing to help furnish
Pema Pera: I would be delighted
Hotaru Myoo: sure
Pema Pera: interested in interior decorating?
Pema Pera: I still have very little experience with that in SL
Hotaru Myoo: oh sure
Hotaru Myoo: I am crating a pavillion with meiji prints in Shikoku
Pema Pera: wow!
Pema Pera: Can you show us that?
Pema Pera: in a minute
Pema Pera: ?
Thorberg Nordlicht: Dakini is online
Thorberg Nordlicht: you want to tell her where we are?
Hotaru Myoo: nothing is up yet
Hotaru Myoo: just the pavilion
Hotaru Myoo: do you rally want to see it?
Pema Pera: in a moment, I am IMing Dakini to come over
Pema Pera: to join us, if she has time.
Hotaru Myoo: let me wait till things are operational
Pema Pera: yes, I’d love to see it, Hotaru
Pema Pera: okay that is fine too
Pema Pera: no rush!
Hotaru Myoo: let me spiff it up
Hotaru Myoo: it is a project that has been on hold
Pema Pera: fine!
Hotaru Myoo: k
Since I had no specific plans yet for the Hall, I thought I might as well solicit ideas, and we talked about various possibilities, until it was time to part, after Thorberg caught a quick glimpse of the work that Storm had done:
Pema Pera: Hotaru
Pema Pera: you have seen the waterfalls
Pema Pera: Thorberg, have you seen them?
Pema Pera: behind you
Thorberg Nordwind: no, haven’t seen the waterfalls
Pema Pera: open the door
Thorberg Nordwind: great waterfall
Pema Pera: yeah, Storm made that
Pema Pera: over the last week
Pema Pera: the new center of our forest-to-be
Thorberg Nordwind: i’ll have to explore the area some more
Thorberg Nordwind: say, folks, i’m going to have to leave; RL is calling
Pema Pera: fine!
Thorberg Nordwind: see you later; Pema, we’ll be in touch via email
Pema Pera: okay!
Thorberg Nordwind: good bye
Pema Pera: see you!
