2008.10.19 13:00 - Supporting deeper and larger thinking

The guardian for this meeting was Storm Nordwind. The comments are Storm's.

Just three of us were present for this short but inspiring meeting.

Storm Nordwind: Hello doug
Geo Netizen: Quiet day
doug Sosa: hi both.
Storm Nordwind: It was very busy 6 hours ago here
Geo Netizen: Namaste Doug
doug Sosa: hi both!
doug Sosa: oops, double typed.
Storm Nordwind: That's OK. I'll just read it in capitals ;)
Geo Netizen: So many are traveling now I expect.
Storm Nordwind: That is my guess
doug Sosa: Princeton is over? I am sure it felt too fast.
Storm Nordwind: I'm sure it did, yes.
Geo Netizen: The last meting here included those at Princeton … it was very interesting.
doug Sosa: the 8 oclock?
Storm Nordwind: Yes I believe there was a joint sojourn into SL
Storm Nordwind: 8 is your local I assume doug
Geo Netizen: Yes, I recommend the log.
doug Sosa: yes. some didn't have laptops. I would have loved to have seen them sitting in a circle in the same order in both RL and SL
Storm Nordwind is a little behind with posting logs
Geo Netizen: I think you’ll enjoy the banter.
Geo Netizen: And discussions
Storm Nordwind nods
Geo Netizen: Doug … if memory serves (and it doesn’t always) weren’t you there?
Storm Nordwind: Well I had a VC into the Kira board meeting on Friday, so that was the nearest I got
Geo Netizen: At the SL joint meeting.
doug Sosa: i was in SL but not at Princeton.
Geo Netizen: Right ...
Geo Netizen: Didn’t mean to assume you didn’t know …
doug Sosa: Oh it is alwys ok to assume I don't know.
Geo Netizen: :):) me too
Storm Nordwind: I had been building for several hours, and was tired, so I gave it a miss :)

doug seemed very relaxed and related a curious vision.

doug Sosa: You know, I like it here..
Geo Netizen: What do you have under construction?
Storm Nordwind pauses to let doug finish first
doug Sosa: Curious, Storm where you are sitting, from where i am looking, the stream behind you to the right is coming right out of your mouth, because it pulses, it looks like breath.
Storm Nordwind: WOW!
Storm Nordwind: Virtual pranayama!
Geo Netizen: Lag seem to be greater today for some reason.
doug Sosa: When I say i like it ehre, i like the place, the way the conversations go. I don't read the blog, and I am nervous about recording.. I guess i like the simplicity and minimalism.
Geo Netizen: The beginnings of av raz always seem a little …..
Storm Nordwind: The av rez time depends on the quality of the link between the server and the av's client, not just yours Geo
doug Sosa: as i was saying, "calm" :)
Geo Netizen: I was referring to the visual effect that they seem to come up naked … Just a little … a… different.
Storm Nordwind nods

I talked briefly about the Kira Science Park.

Storm Nordwind: So I was constructing a habitable version of the Kira Science Park modules which is only there, at the moment, as a proof of concept and is a facade only.
Geo Netizen: O that wonderful … what a great idea …
Storm Nordwind: I built the facade a couple of days ago, but now I thought I would do a module for people to actually work in
doug Sosa: I look forward to when i can inhabit a tiny corner somewhere in a Storm building..
Geo Netizen: Are you thinking of making it interactive?
Storm Nordwind remembers that he promised doug a nice plot...
Geo Netizen: That’s as opposed to static … to clarify
doug Sosa: when you can, no hurry, but I am sure curious :)
Storm Nordwind: The Science Park will depend on the nature of the projects. I am merely facilitating the home for them all. I am not defining the projects, so it will depend on the individual project teams
Geo Netizen: Ahhh .. I see.
Storm Nordwind: But my guess is that interactivity will be a big part

This talk about the Science Park seemed to inspire doug into relating a fascinating real life practice he was developing.

doug Sosa: I am developing a real meeting space at Stanford where all meetings leave behind artifacts of their discussions.
Storm Nordwind: Interesting.
doug Sosa: Jogs memory and supports deeper and larger thinking.
Storm Nordwind: For other people not involved? Or for the next meeting with the same participants?
doug Sosa: both. a new group is stimulated by the artifacts of the previous.. sanctions broader references.
Storm Nordwind: I like that!
Geo Netizen: How will the artifacts be captured?
doug Sosa: Seems so simple, it really intrigues people.
Geo Netizen: With SL, and the typing … there are the logs.
Storm Nordwind: Do the artifacts arise spontaneously? Or is there a part of the meeting set aside to create them?
doug Sosa: We have on the wall a fifteen foot timeline of how we got here (10,000 bc to present), then a map of current issues, and then a set of future scenarios. The group works on a reduced set of the time line filling in details of their own issues (such as energy futures). That then also stays in the room.
Storm Nordwind nods
doug Sosa: The time line is very hard hitting and controversial: nation state, finance, war, ..
Storm Nordwind: And what is the student background and age group?
doug Sosa: mostly facultu and community people. trying to blend humanities and technical faculties. a few grad students. it will expand.
Geo Netizen: Most interesting!
Storm Nordwind: Indeed
doug Sosa: I wish there was a way to have the group experience what we have here, virtual presence and typed conversations. I find the combination wonderful.
doug Sosa: We will reproduce the room in second life in November.
Storm Nordwind: And there is your answer
Geo Netizen: Like the previous Sl meeting … I wish I’d been there in person to experience that.

However, doug had hit upon a problem.

doug Sosa: well, it will be lots of experimenting. Right now
doug Sosa: we have the problem of paying too much attention
doug Sosa: to the room and forgetting about the people.
Storm Nordwind nods
Geo Netizen: How’s that …
Geo Netizen: Not sure what you mean.
doug Sosa: The goal is really the conversation. the room is a support.
Geo Netizen: True
doug Sosa: We have developed a five factor model.
doug Sosa: goes something like
doug Sosa: key issues, people, the room, the drama and graphics.
Geo Netizen: drama ... interesting
doug Sosa: For the people we realize that in typical strategic conversations, the people become anonymous. We want
doug Sosa: them to play a major role, as themselves, articulating their motives and recognizing that they are in a drama of self presentation.

So I suggested a possible solution.

Storm Nordwind: Here is an idea doug...
doug Sosa: yes?
Storm Nordwind: How about an exercise where each person is paired with another and spends 5 minutes in conversation with them...
Storm Nordwind: and then...
Storm Nordwind: They spend 10 minutes articulating how they think their partner would react to a scenario posed to the whole of the group.
doug Sosa: Interesting . i need to mull that. I know so far the groups (overlapping people in this early stage) have been reluctant to miss out on anything anyone says. We have been workingwiht less than ten. But your idea resonates.
Storm Nordwind: I think it might help get the focus back onto the things you want. I would set the scenario after the initial conversations, although before might be fun too.
Storm Nordwind: It adds an element of play too!
doug Sosa: so far the group develops scenarios. but we are not really there yet.
Storm Nordwind nods
Geo Netizen: Again, a very interesting and stimulating discussion … I need to go though …
Pax et bonum
Storm Nordwind: Good to see you Geo
Storm Nordwind: Namaste
doug Sosa: bye and be well. thanks for the encouragement.

Geo left us, but before doug also left, he had a parting shot!

doug Sosa: I am working with a colleague in archeology who says one wonderful line "Archeology should be as concerned about the artifacts of the future as the artifacts of the past."
Storm Nordwind: That line is exquisite doug!
doug Sosa: And storm, i too muct go, and thank you also for the encouragement and responsiveness.
Storm Nordwind: Thank YOU for the inspiring account :)
doug Sosa: so bye.
Storm Nordwind: bye for now