2008.11.22 07:00 - A Comedy of Errors with Reflections on Reality

This morning session was a bit chaotic at first. Pia was the guardian, but couldn't stay, and then there was a glitch with the autologger, but finally we could put the pieces together, and here is the log, which Geo sent me. I, Pema, provided the comments and title.

Becka Finesmith: Hello Geo
Geo Netizen: Good morning Becka
Becka Finesmith: How are you to?
Becka Finesmith: today
Geo Netizen: I'm fine .... how about you?
Becka Finesmith: Yes - I'm good. I've been doing all the things I like doing :)
Geo Netizen nods Always nice
Geo Netizen: It's 21 degrees here (-5 C) but at least its not snowing again!
Becka Finesmith: lol - It's like that here too - We have snow forecast tommorow :(
Geo Netizen Checking the NOAA site
Becka Finesmith: A really good excuse to stay home :)
Becka Finesmith: Hello Fly
Fly Clarity: hi
Geo Netizen: Good morning Fly
Geo Netizen: O good -- no snow in the forecast through Wednesday :)
Fly Clarity: good evening
Becka Finesmith: Happy birthday Fly
Fly Clarity: it's evening here where i'm from
Geo Netizen nods Just using SLT
Fly Clarity: happy birthday?
Becka Finesmith: You'r profile says you were born today :)
Fly Clarity: oh :))
Fly Clarity: in second life, kinda`
Becka Finesmith: yeah. :)
Becka Finesmith: I'm assuming it's not your first AV
Fly Clarity: what's av?
Becka Finesmith: lol - OK Maybe it is then - Avatar
Fly Clarity: oh

:)

Geo Netizen: Good morning Doug
Fly Clarity: yes it is :D
Becka Finesmith: Hi Doug
doug Sosa: morning :)
Becka Finesmith: Cool - Is today your first day inworld then?
Fly Clarity: yep
Fly Clarity: so
Becka Finesmith: Cool - Welcome :)
Fly Clarity: thank you
Fly Clarity: :D
Geo Netizen: So Doug â want to do the intro?
Becka Finesmith: Took the words out of my mouth Geo
Geo Netizen: I can try but not sure I have it all down yet
Fly Clarity: what do the numbers upon our heads resemble?
Geo Netizen: Buffer space usage
Geo Netizen: ini short
doug Sosa: well, the intro, best to give the website and i do not have it
Becka Finesmith: Our conversation is being recorded - Is that ok?
Fly Clarity: for me?
Geo Netizen: http://playasbeing.wik.is/
Fly Clarity: ok for me?
Becka Finesmith: yes Fly
Fly Clarity: it's ok , but recorded by who?
doug Sosa: but the basic idea is to report here on experiences out there using a kind of meditation practice. The practice is to stop every fiteen minutes (this can be varied) and take a 9 second brea from asumptions and see what you experience. is.
Becka Finesmith: Do you see a button at the bottom of the screen on the left that says "Local Chat"?
Geo Netizen: I put the URL up where you can see the logs of previous discussions
doug Sosa: "see" can be misleading because it really is all experience not just what can be seen.
Geo Netizen: Ah I -see- the beginnings of a discussion :)
Becka Finesmith: :)
doug Sosa: Out of this practice a general new awareness and appreciation of the mu;tiple leves of appearance begins to emerge.
Fly Clarity: yes becka, i saw somwhere written something about recording conversation
Fly Clarity: but i didnÔt quite stop to read it
doug Sosa: and we find, i think, that being together is itelf a major part of what happens here.
Becka Finesmith: It doesn't happen everywhere. But if you clik on that button, you will then be able to click on the link Geo gave you
doug Sosa: a kind of disciplined undiscipline.
Fly Clarity: ok
Geo Netizen laughs

I had to smile reading this interwoven mixture of introduction to Second Life and introduction to Play as Being. While Becka and Geo introduced Fly to SL, Doug continued unperturbed to spread the message of PaB :-)

Becka Finesmith: i'll repeat the link so you can see it without scrolling
Becka Finesmith: http://playasbeing.wik.is/
Geo Netizen: http://playasbeing.wik.is/
Fly Clarity: i clicked it
doug Sosa: generous in a way that sems to bring a feeling of well being and friendliness into the group.
Becka Finesmith: OK - it will ask you if you want to load an external page - Say yes
Fly Clarity: wow , has it's own browser
Becka Finesmith: a browser will open and you can look at the website for this group
doug Sosa: And there are a number of people, many more than at any one session, of which ther are at least four each day.
doug Sosa: so you never know what the conversation will be about.

Indeed: sometimes about how to use the main tools of SL :)

Becka Finesmith: Maybe "Local chat" buttons ;)
Fly Clarity: so
Fly Clarity: our conversation will be put there?
Fly Clarity: at that link?
Geo Netizen nods
Geo Netizen: Being recorded even as we speak
Becka Finesmith: unless you say you want your name removed.
Becka Finesmith: then it will be
Fly Clarity: no, i don't mind
Geo Netizen nods
Fly Clarity: k
Becka Finesmith: great. I'm quite new here Fly and I've found a really nice bunch of people
Becka Finesmith: the practice is surprisingly helpful
Becka Finesmith: and coming here makes you take a break from what you are doing
Fly Clarity: new, meaning how long?
Becka Finesmith: I've been coming here a few weeks but I've been in secondlife for about 2 years (not in the avatar though)
Geo Netizen: SL highlights the lack of substance in appearances
Fly Clarity: wow
Becka Finesmith: That's an interesting observation Geo.
Fly Clarity: i've been here (meaning in second life) for... 10-15 minutes
Becka Finesmith: I wonder why the visual element of seeing other people here help so much?
doug Sosa: geo, what do you mean by "substance"?
Becka Finesmith: lol @ Fly - You are going to love it :)
Geo Netizen: How did you come across us so quickly?
Becka Finesmith: Pema said we are close to the welcome island I think
Fly Clarity: hope so....my girlfriend told me about it....and i said i'd try it
doug Sosa: by typing we can be having several conversations at the same time. not too confusing, but a bit.

:)

Becka Finesmith: lol
Geo Netizen: ahhh
Fly Clarity: so
Geo Netizen: Multi-threads ..... it's challenging
Becka Finesmith: Hello Pia
Becka Finesmith: (Conversation 3 coming up)
Geo Netizen: Hello Pia
Fly Clarity: so, what other things can we do in second life?
Becka Finesmith: what are you interested in?
Pia Iger: Hi, everyone, I am the guardian of this session. but I can't stay. Can someone help to put up the log?
Geo Netizen: I think Doug's got it
Becka Finesmith nods
doug Sosa: nope, sorry. i am tech challenged this morning..
Becka Finesmith: I'd be happy to but my first guardian session is Monday so I don't know how :(
Geo Netizen: I haven't learned how yet but if someone want to provide instructions
Fly Clarity: oops
Becka Finesmith: lol
Geo Netizen: Hmmmm .. maybe we can wing it
Geo Netizen: O .... doug vaporized
Becka Finesmith: eeep
Pia Iger: there is instruction on wiki website.
Becka Finesmith: So, Geo - what did you mean about you comment?
Geo Netizen: Ok Pia .... Becka and I can figure it out ....
Geo Netizen: I think ...
Becka Finesmith: Oh Pia - can you give me the link?
Pia Iger: http://playasbeing.wik.is/Information/Guardian_Tutorial/Meeting_Log_Posting_Tutorial
Pia Iger: if any question, you can IM me.
Becka Finesmith: kk - Thanks Pia
Pia Iger: thank you very much.
Geo Netizen: have a great day Pia

The moment Pia disappeared, the autologger announced that it would stop working. In fact, it had a brief grace period, and as chance would have it, I came in on the heels of Pia, and the autologger never got interrupted.

Becka Finesmith: didn't like that!
Geo Netizen: Ahhhhh ...... imploding
Becka Finesmith: lol
Becka Finesmith: So I guess it doesn't see either of us as guardians :(
Geo Netizen: Hey Fly ..... not sure you're finding all this too interesting ....
Geo Netizen: You're welcome to stick around and we flounder though
Becka Finesmith: /stop
Becka Finesmith: Yay - Pema :) We are having trouble
Pema Pera: Hi Becka!
Geo Netizen: Hey Pema
Becka Finesmith: Hi - Lucky you came :)
Pema Pera: hi, what's the problem?
Becka Finesmith: Well, Doug crashed and Pia had to leave then everything went haywire
Geo Netizen: After Pia left we got :
Geo Netizen: PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. Becka Finesmith: /stop PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. PaB Listener Master: The last Guardian has left the pavilion. Becka Finesmith: Yay - Pema :) We are having trouble PaB Listener: rezzing with param -14596308 PaB Listener: starting with "bb71d73e-0bce-4035-b01c-9f01767c1066â 1227366298-sensor".
Pema Pera: ah, something wrong with the automatic listener?
Becka Finesmith: yes - but it seems ok now
Becka Finesmith: but you are the only Guardian present
Geo Netizen: That's cause Pema's here :)
Pema Pera: oh, not to worry about it
Pema Pera: Geo is a guardian, no?
Pema Pera: or did you not appear in the official list yet?
Geo Netizen: Yes but .....
Pema Pera: we may be slow in updating the list . . . .
Geo Netizen: I've tried to volunteer via email for slots and I get reject too
Pema Pera: and Becka, you're a guardian too of course
Geo Netizen: Could develop a complex here
Pema Pera: reject???
Becka Finesmith: Yes - but I don't think I'm on the list yet. It said all guardians have left so I assume
Becka Finesmith: I'm not

I began to see that there were two independent problems brought up. As I soon would figure out: 1) Becka and Geo, though listed elsewhere as guardians, were not yet added to the working list of the autologger; and 2) Geo's prefered email address had changed, and that change had not yet been conveyed to the guardian gmail group. While trying to deal with both problems at the same time, we must have made quite a confuding impression on poor Fly, all in the first hour of SL experience . . . .

Becka Finesmith: Oh - Pema - THis is Fly. It's her Birthday :)
Pema Pera: Geo, we would LOVE for you to take a slot
Pema Pera: Hi, Fly!
Pema Pera: Happy birthday!
Geo Netizen: As in :
Geo Netizen: e're writing to let you know that the group that you tried to contact (playasbeing) either doesn't exist, or you don't have permission to post to it.
Fly Clarity: it says i'm a she?
Becka Finesmith: oops
Becka Finesmith: I should look closer - sorry Fly
Pema Pera: welcome, Fly!
Pema Pera: so you just got in today, for the first time, in Second Life?
Fly Clarity: yep
Pema Pera: (as for the other questions, not to worry about the listenere, that is still in testing phase)
Becka Finesmith: kk
Pema Pera: have you heard what we are doing here, Fly?
Geo Netizen Hmmm .... can't find a gender marking ..... Hmmm
Fly Clarity: welll...some things i heard
Becka Finesmith: Geo gave Fly the website address and we explained a little
Pema Pera: we get together a few times a day to talk about the nature of reality
Pema Pera: ah, yes, so feel free to join us!
Pema Pera: and you know that we like to record our conversations on our blog, that's okay with you, right?
Fly Clarity: yes
Pema Pera: Thanks!
Geo Netizen: We covered that Part Pema ,,,,,
Pema Pera: So Geo and Becka, let me check your membership in SL and gmail groups

We then quickly got talking about more serious issues.

Fly Clarity: but.... i didn't really talk about the gender of reality today
Geo Netizen: just lost control of the recorder :)
Pema Pera: hahaha, Fly, gender is fluid in SL!
Pema Pera: np about the recorder
Pema Pera: I will keep the chat log from here on
Fly Clarity: nature of reality, sorry
Geo Netizen: Yes ...... very ...... appearance as I said ...
Fly Clarity: don't know why i said gender
Geo Netizen: can lack substance
Geo Netizen: But its so true .... gender can be fluid
Becka Finesmith: Can you expand on that Geo? I don't completely undersatnd
Geo Netizen: Hey I could be an 18 year old girl :)
Pema Pera: everthing in SL is a play of light -- and yet there are real stories, with real emotions, and real implications for RL
Becka Finesmith: So why does appearence (And especially Gender) matter so much in RL if it doesn't matter in SL?
Pema Pera: Yes, Geo?
Becka Finesmith: what changes?
Geo Netizen: Excellent question Becka
Geo Netizen: It does matter to some extent in SL though ....
Geo Netizen: appearance is used to influence people
Becka Finesmith: Well, it is a talking point sometimes, but people don't seem to mind
Fly Clarity: and it tellls something about your preferences in RL
Geo Netizen: to effect what pema was talking about as being of importance
Geo Netizen: Perhap Fly but ...
Geo Netizen: I think there's more to it than that
Becka Finesmith: It's interesting that a lot of people don't even identify with being Human
Becka Finesmith: So take relationships......
Fly Clarity: i didn't get the conversation from the beggining
Fly Clarity: and i'm kind of lost....
Geo Netizen: Aspect of Anima and animus for example
Geo Netizen nods These chats can be very dynamic and ...
Becka Finesmith: yes. Don't worry Fly - We are just talking about the nature of appearence in SL I htink
Becka Finesmith: think
Geo Netizen: I know what you mean ...
Geo Netizen: but in time ... that's what I found so challenging about them :)
Pema Pera: yes, Fly, take your time, chatting like this takes a while to get used to
Pema Pera: and always feel free to ask questions!
Geo Netizen nods
Fly Clarity: ok

I vividly remember the trouble I had, during my first few SL encounters, especially in group discussions! I was impressed with how well Fly was doing, given that he was born just before we met him.

Geo Netizen: Appearance ... their lack of substance but their effective use
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: appearance as what you have, not what you are
Pema Pera: identification is laziness
Pema Pera: "he is a thief" (forever branded) rather than "he stole something)
Pema Pera: oops, lost Becka momentarily
Fly Clarity: got to go
Geo Netizen: Hmmm first Doug now Becka vaporizes
Fly Clarity: see you
Pema Pera: thanks for stopping by, Fly!
Fly Clarity: no problem ;)
Pema Pera: SL is unstable, it seems
Geo Netizen: Hope to see you again Fly
Pema Pera: So Geo, I checked your SL group and gmail group
Fly Clarity: hope too see you too

With Becka crashed and Fly gone, Geo and I tried to unravel the second problem, why he couldn't post emails to the guardian group. It turned out that he was subscribed with one email address, but then had tried to send emails from an email account with a different email address. Because of that, he had received error messages.

Pema Pera: you are member of both, for PaB
Pema Pera: so you should have no problem sending emails to the group!
Pema Pera: What did you try that went wrong?
Geo Netizen: Ok ... I try again .... I'm using a email redirector so that may be an issue too .... I'll let you know.
Pema Pera: what email did you try to send a message to, I mean what address?
Geo Netizen: playasbeing@googlegroups.com
Pema Pera: That should work
Pema Pera: if it bounces, can you please send me the bouncing message to my email address piet@ias.edu?
Pema Pera: As we have seen this last week, you and I can indeed reach each other
Pema Pera: that way I can try to figure out what went wrong.
Pema Pera: And yes, I am DELIGHTED to have you take a slot, of course
Geo Netizen: I may not be recognized
Pema Pera: lemme check
Pema Pera: ah!
Pema Pera: that explains everything
Geo Netizen: I've be able to change the underlying address several times
Geo Netizen: without having to change my public address
Pema Pera: Okay, I've added it!
Pema Pera: From now on you should be okay.
Pema Pera: It takes me only ten seconds to change
Pema Pera: so don't feel shy in requesting many changes :-)
Geo Netizen: Ok ...
Pema Pera: did you receive email messages from PaB so far?
Geo Netizen: Now, of course, I taking off on Monday and will be offline till
Geo Netizen: Dec 4 so ....
Pema Pera: hehehe, no problem, we're in here for the long haul!
Geo Netizen: won't be able to do too much
Pema Pera: wb Becka
Geo Netizen: Hi Becka
Becka Finesmith: Thnk you :) Enforced 9 seconds

And then we were there with the three of us again.

Pema Pera: did you get earlier PaB email, so far, Geo, the last few weeks?
Pema Pera: :)
Geo Netizen: Always love the initial rez :)
Geo Netizen: But then, I'm not affected by appearances :)
Geo Netizen: Yes I get the emails ...
Geo Netizen: the only problem was with responding
Pema Pera: okay, now you may get two of each . . . should I delete the acm one?
Pema Pera: ah, that must have been so frustrating, Geo -- whenever that happens again, please do tell me right away!!!
Geo Netizen: Probably .... that one should be good for awhile
Pema Pera: I can leave both on, if you prefer, for good measure -- your choice
Geo Netizen: No ... I get enough email .... don't need to start duping :)
Pema Pera: hehehe
Pema Pera: and AH
Pema Pera: I sent you some emails recently to which you didn't respond
Pema Pera: to acm
Pema Pera: so that explains something too . . . everything is falling into place now
Pema Pera: welcome to the modern world of communication!
Geo Netizen laughs
Geo Netizen: Its the security part .....
Pema Pera: So today Becka got into the SL PaB group, Geo got a new PaB gmail membership, and I've just sent an email to Wol to include both of you into the PaB listener list as guardians . . . pheoow
Geo Netizen: Don't relay what's not on you list
Becka Finesmith: We (I like being able to say "We") are getting a lot more first time visitors lately.
Geo Netizen: Yes
Geo Netizen: The last one was by word-of-mouth
Geo Netizen: Fly's friend recommended he stop by

Becka then brought up a good point.

Becka Finesmith: It does seem to stifle the flow though and they get confused in the main chat. Is it worth Someone in each session IM'ing them with all the details and answering the quesitons?
Pema Pera: yes, did you see my email to the PaB gmail list, in response to a similar remark by Fael?
Pema Pera: Yes, Becka
Pema Pera: we may need to change tactics there
Becka Finesmith nods
Geo Netizen: Today we had the recorder go HAL on us .... added to the confusion
Becka Finesmith: I didn't see Faels message but it seems to happen a lot. Which is great getting new people
Becka Finesmith: lol@Geo
Pema Pera: So, Geo, you have probably missed various emails then; when you go back to the google page, you can read up on them
Pema Pera: OH!
Pema Pera: That reminds me
Pema Pera: note:
Geo Netizen: I have been getting most, if not all ...
Pema Pera: If you delete your old email address, you can NO LONGER read the old emails when logged into the email group with the old email
Geo Netizen: I think that all my responses when into a black hole
Pema Pera: only when logged into through a new account defined by the new email
Pema Pera: if you see what I mean
Pema Pera: (ah, life is complicated)
Becka Finesmith: :)
Geo Netizen: Ahhhh .... got IM about another meeting .... gotta run
Pema Pera: yes, Geo, just checked: NO single response from you to the PaB gmail group . . . .
Pema Pera: you may want to forward them now that you finally have contact!
Geo Netizen: Yes ... I expected that ....
Geo Netizen: Bye Becka .... Pema
Pema Pera: you must have tried to send emal from the new address
Pema Pera: bye Geo!

The meeting started to wind up.

Pema Pera: Becka, do you have another minute?
Pema Pera: Storm is watching Miki Gymnast build an impossible surface for the exhibition area near the Kira Cafe
Pema Pera: might be fun to watch her build it
Pema Pera: I'll go over now
Pema Pera: would you like to join us?
Pema Pera: Hi Becka, how much did you catch from what I wrote?
Becka Finesmith: I saw all the messages but couldn't respond. You asked if I have a minute and I have :)
Pema Pera: okay, hang on :)
Pema Pera: I'll tp you
Pema Pera: as soon as I'm over

And off we went, to see the spectacular Henneberg surface being built!