2008.11.27 13:00 - Talking turkey

It was Thanksgiving in the US and Storm Nordwind, not yet an American resident, was waiting as guardian in the Play as Being pavilion. With him was an irascible turkey, pecking at leftovers and crumbs from the last meeting six hours previous, and it was so far leaving a charmed life. The comments for this meeting are Storm's.

Storm Nordwind: Hi Umbriel
Storm Nordwind: Hi Wol
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Wol Euler: hihi
Becka Finesmith: hihi
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Storm Nordwind: Hi Becka
Wol Euler laughs at Becka ice skating across stone
Becka Finesmith: Hello Storm :)
Becka Finesmith: lol - I love them - I haven't taken them off for days :)

The bird decided to confront this intruder on its personal space.

Becka Finesmith: oh no
Wol Euler: heheheh
Wol Euler: ack!
Wol Euler: who has the axe?
Becka Finesmith: One of my rotating bodys just got thrown out of the system :(
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Storm Nordwind: Our little friend is not pleased with your remark it seems Wol
Wol Euler: just a minor jokette ...
Becka Finesmith: lol
Storm Nordwind: Hi Sonic
Becka Finesmith: Hi Sonic
Sonic Moonites: hello
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Wol Euler: hello sonic
Sonic Moonites: how is everyone
Becka Finesmith: I'm great thanks :)
Wol Euler: happy, oddly enough. And you?
Umbriel Levenque: Well thanks
Storm Nordwind is happy, relaxed and smiling
Sonic Moonites: yeah pretty good thanks, liking the turkey!
Becka Finesmith: BEing is smiling :)
Wol Euler: indeed.
Faenik loves wells!
Becka Finesmith: oh yes. Happy Thanksgiving :)
Wol Euler looks around. The turkey is the only American here.

After a silence, broken only by the occasional "Gobble!" from the marauding turkey, I raised a topic.

Storm Nordwind: Pema has just written a long email to the guardian group entitled "why PaB and why in SL?" Has anyone had chance to read it yet?
Wol Euler: ah, no, not yet. shall we read and discuss?
Becka Finesmith: I haven't read it yet - will go look now
Storm Nordwind: It depends. Who, if anyone, has other things to discuss?
Sonic Moonites: me too
Storm Nordwind: Well perhaps we are agreed. :)
Wol Euler: :)
Becka Finesmith: Thank you Umbriel
Umbriel Levenque: Thanks ^_^
Sonic Moonites: im sorry where can i get this text?
Becka Finesmith: I shall give it to you in a Notecard?
Sonic Moonites: ok great ty
Sonic Moonites: thanks!
Becka Finesmith: yw
Faenik loves wells!

Minutes passed as we read Pema's email. However, it contained a link to a long web article.

Storm Nordwind has read the email, but is wondering whether to start on the long linked article...
Wol Euler: yeah, I was hesitating there too. My inclination is not to do so (yet)
Storm Nordwind: mine too
Becka Finesmith: I'm still digesting the email....
Umbriel Levenque: I've read both but the email offers enough points to start discussing imo...
Wol Euler is readig the mail again instead
Sonic Moonites: yeah im reading bits of it a few times
Storm Nordwind is impressed with Umbriel's reading speed
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^ read them before PaB heheheh
Becka Finesmith: lol
Faenik: why not?
Storm Nordwind chuckles
Wol Euler was too busy dancing. Ah well.

Sonic raised a point about how open we are in Real Life about our Play as Being practice.

Sonic Moonites: i have a question about the practice in relation to RL
Storm Nordwind: Please go ahead Sonic
Becka Finesmith: The turkey is testing my resolve :)
Sonic Moonites: as a rule, do you tell people in RL about this group, and the practice that you do?
Storm Nordwind: That's a great question
Wol Euler: yes, but my RL friends think me quite mad anyway :)
Sonic Moonites: ;)
Storm Nordwind: I think I tell more people in SL about it than in RL
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^ [I do both in RL and SL]
Becka Finesmith: I told my colleagues because I was in the office when my 15 minute timers was going off and they asked me what it was
Becka Finesmith: I caught them joining in afterwards
Wol Euler: ah!
Becka Finesmith: I think they thought I was tapping into something quite nice
Storm Nordwind: I think I have more friends here! The people at work may have become stale in acquaintance
Sonic Moonites: yes me too, i cant help the feeling i kind of have a "secret" in real life when i stop for the 9 sec
Becka Finesmith: what do you do when you stop Sonic?
Storm Nordwind: It is a secret Sonic... a secret weapon!
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Becka Finesmith: lol
Sonic Moonites: ;) i usually just focus on my breathing when i stop
Sonic Moonites: and then see what comes to mind

Becka and I both had questions for Sonic.

Storm Nordwind: Do you record what comes to mind Sonic?
Becka Finesmith: yes. Do you close your eyes or notice things around you?
Sonic Moonites: i havent managed to record physically what comes to mind yet no, i need a little notebook!
Storm Nordwind nods
Sonic Moonites: sorry Becka, i keep my eyes open
Becka Finesmith nods
Storm Nordwind: I think that's the best thing - to answer people's curiousity. I certain don't go round evangelising!
Becka Finesmith: It's quite hard sometimes think because people ask you to explain when you can't. For example, at lunch today. I stopped when my timer rang, people gave me a funny look, but I didn't want to explain at that point
Faenik: なるほど^^

Craziness and audacity...

Storm Nordwind: Pema talks at the end of his email about 'our crazy way'...
Sonic Moonites: ;)
Storm Nordwind: the way we short circuit things
Storm Nordwind: and go straight to the goal
Storm Nordwind: with the awareness
Storm Nordwind: But it's not that crazy in my view. It's what my teacher calls 'bringing the result into the path'.
Becka Finesmith: But I think I'm still trying to find that awareness. AS we have no goal, it's a static path.
Sonic Moonites: i think there is "no" goal, although ironically you know when you progress
Storm Nordwind: I know Sonic, so hard to describe!
Sonic Moonites: it seems just a flaw of language, rather than a flaw of meaning
Storm Nordwind: In fact I suspect that what we are doing is more audacious than crazy!
Storm Nordwind nods at Sonic
Wol Euler: crazy like a fox, maybe.
Becka Finesmith: how would a traditional teacher see our way?
Wol Euler: hello pema
Storm Nordwind: Well I can only speak for my own path... but if you want a wider view ask Stim

At that moment, the email's author arrived in person...

Sonic Moonites: hey pema
Storm Nordwind: Hi Pema!
Becka Finesmith: Hi Pema - Happy Thanksgiving
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Wol Euler: hello steve
stevenaia Michinaga: hello
Sonic Moonites: hi stevenaia
Storm Nordwind: Hi!
Becka Finesmith: hello
stevenaia Michinaga: nice to see you again Becka
Faenik: indeed?
Becka Finesmith: NIce to see you too :)
stevenaia Michinaga: great work Storm
Storm Nordwind watched as Pema passed right through us and disappeared in a crash

...and left in person...

Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Wol Euler: probably connecting on his cellphone again :)
Storm Nordwind smiles thank you to Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: hello sonic and Umbriel

...and returned.

Wol Euler: wb pema
Storm Nordwind: Welcome pema - again!
Umbriel Levenque: wb Pema ^_^
stevenaia Michinaga: oh, the fountain finally rezzes for me....smile
Pema Pera: hi there -- finally!
Becka Finesmith: And you are sitting in it getting all wet ;)
Storm Nordwind: The GOC wanted a fountain today ;)
stevenaia Michinaga: seem's my pants are waterproof
Umbriel Levenque: heheheh
Becka Finesmith: phew

So the momentum of our serious chat had fragmented! We talked turkey. Or rather we didn't. We talked tea.

Sonic Moonites: ok, sorry time for me to go now! have a nice session guys
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Wol Euler: bye sonic, take care
Storm Nordwind: Great to see you Sonic
Pema Pera: bye Sonic!
Storm Nordwind waves
Sonic Moonites: you too!
Becka Finesmith: Bye Sonic
Pema Pera: Steve, as the only American, did you bring the turkey?
Becka Finesmith: I'm going to have to leave too :( I will digest Pema's email this evening :)
Wol Euler covers the turkey's ears.
Storm Nordwind recalls the turkey brought himself
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Wol Euler: ah, bye Becka. goodnight
Storm Nordwind: bye Becka
stevenaia Michinaga: you don;t want the turkey I had
Pema Pera: perhaps you need a good drink to help you digest, Becka!
Becka Finesmith: namaste
Becka Finesmith: lol - a cup of tea :)
Becka Finesmith: We like our tea :)
Pema Pera: sounds like a good drink! Darjeeling?
Faenik: could be
Storm Nordwind: We certainly do
Wol Euler raises her cup in salute
Becka Finesmith: Chamomile
Becka Finesmith: with Honey
Storm Nordwind raises his in Sliante!
Becka Finesmith: very relaxing.
Umbriel Levenque: Lovely ^_^
Becka Finesmith: Soryr to have to leave :( See you all soon.
Pema Pera: c u Becka!
Wol Euler: bye, becka
Storm Nordwind: bfn
stevenaia Michinaga: there's a lovely Tea store in Chelsea Market, Pema
stevenaia Michinaga: bye Becka
Becka Finesmith: Byeee.
Pema Pera: what is it called, Steve?
stevenaia Michinaga: I was jsut there ;east weekend, I will check and send you the link, many varieties of many tea
Pema Pera: Turkey circumambulating Umbriel . . . ..
stevenaia Michinaga: *last
Storm Nordwind: We have had half a session with the pool. Who would like the second half without?
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^ anti-clockwise is the correct way Turkey
Wol Euler is fine either way
Storm Nordwind: Let us escape the turkey!
Pema Pera: in RL turkeys try to escape us . . . .
Storm Nordwind: This one got wind of what happened to his brothers
Storm Nordwind: He's kind of irascible now
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Wol Euler chuckles. Poor Umbriel.
Pema Pera: Well, Wol . . .
Pema Pera: really likes you!
Pema Pera: no, Umbriel
Pema Pera: sorry
Umbriel Levenque: Seems hungry
Pema Pera: (turkey obscured my view)

We got in a few words about the email and the article.

stevenaia Michinaga: quite the article, pema " Imagine You’re Enlightened" much to process, Will have to re-read it/listen to it again
Wol Euler: and we do look alike today.
Umbriel Levenque: [The turkey seems hungry]
Wol Euler: yes, we were just beginning to discuss your mail, Pema
Pema Pera: I thought a Thanksgiving weekend would be good timing, Steve :-)
Wol Euler: hello vraja
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
vraja Rexen: hi
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Pema Pera: Hi vraja!
vraja Rexen: :-))
Storm Nordwind: Hi!
Wol Euler: Vraja, I will give you an introduction to the group in IM, so we don't disturb the others.
vraja Rexen: please do so
Pema Pera: Vraja has been here before, I believe
Wol Euler: oh, have you?
vraja Rexen: i have been here b4...
Wol Euler: ah, ok, then that solves itself!
vraja Rexen: but i dont know how to replay....
vraja Rexen: what you said b4
Wol Euler: ok, we'll cover that and then rejoin the group :)
Pema Pera: Thanks, Wol!
vraja Rexen: k :-0
vraja Rexen: :-)
Faenik: why not?
Pema Pera: yeah, I hope I didn't provide too much homework :-) but Ken McLeod's article really was a strikingly good match to what we are doing, it seemed
vraja Rexen: nope....
Faenik: why not?
Storm Nordwind: I agree, although we'll need some time on it!
vraja Rexen: yes i found the communicate one
vraja Rexen: yes yes
Pema Pera accepted your inventory offer.
vraja Rexen: ok...
Storm Nordwind is trying to read back to find out where we were!

That was a pointless exercise. I too crashed...

Pema Pera: [but now Storm is gone . . . ]

...and returned.

Wol Euler: wb storm
Umbriel Levenque: wb Storm ^_^
Wol Euler: and hello ********
Pema Pera: Hi *******!
stevenaia Michinaga: wb storm
Pema Pera: come join us if you like, *******
Storm Nordwind: Thank you. Complete system crash and shutdown
******* *********: hello
Pema Pera: wb Storm
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
stevenaia Michinaga: don;t mind the turkey
******* *********:: love and piece
******* *********:: I like the turkey
Pema Pera: Have you been hear before, *******?

Our visitor quickly disappeared and only a mysteriously fat turkey was left there.

Wol Euler: I guess that means "no"
Storm Nordwind: The turkey ate our visitor
Umbriel Levenque: heheheh
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, that's no ordinary turkey
Storm Nordwind: I wonder whether turkeys experience (or can experience) Being
Umbriel Levenque: Enjoy your day or good night
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Wol Euler: bye umbriel, sleep well
Pema Pera: bye Umbriel
Storm Nordwind: bye Umbriel
vraja Rexen: bye
Pema Pera: but will they know they
Pema Pera: re experiencing Being :-)
Storm Nordwind: hmmm...
Wol Euler shies away from the concept of self-awareness in the food chain.
stevenaia Michinaga: but will we ever know?
Storm Nordwind wonders whether his awareness has been turkey-like at times in the past
Pema Pera wonders about awareness in his self-chain
Storm Nordwind laughs and smiles in RL

It was 14:00 SLT. Time for Happy Hour in the Kira Cafe. We adjourned and transferred.

Pema Pera: well, I'd like to hop over to the Kira Cafe, to see how happy the hour is there . . . .
Storm Nordwind: Good idea
Wol Euler: ah, it's time.
Pema Pera: see you all, sooner or later :)
stevenaia Michinaga: aww happy hour, it will be my first
Wol Euler: Vraja, will you join us? the beer is free and there's no hangover.
Pema Pera: you know how to get there, Steve?
Wol Euler: also virtual wine ... :)
Storm Nordwind: And there's a walk and a nice balloon ride to get there
stevenaia Michinaga: if not I;ll Im you
vraja Rexen: im sorry but i dont know how...
Pema Pera: ah yes, the beautiful balloon!
Storm Nordwind: Then please follow us!
Wol Euler: ok, go with Storm in the balloon ride, it is fun.
Wol Euler: I'll see you there.
Pema Pera: I'll tp you Vraja
Wol Euler: follow storm