2008.11.28 01:00 - 360 degrees of choices

Wol Euler was guardian and commenter for this session.

Becka Finesmith: hi Wol
Wol Euler: morning becka
Wol Euler chuckles at Becka's t-shirt.

Becka is wearing an astronomy-twittering t-shirt, whose punchline I can't remember. Sigh. Trust me that it was pretty and funny.

Wol Euler: were you following @MarsPhoenix?
Becka Finesmith: Yes. I was following Mars Phoenix
Wol Euler: I was surprised at how very sad I was when it/she stopped.
Becka Finesmith: SORRY - vERY BAD LAG :(
Wol Euler smiles and nods. It happens...
Becka Finesmith: yes. But we have Nasakepler now :)
Wol Euler: ah!
Becka Finesmith: and a couple of others
Becka Finesmith: won't be the same though
Wol Euler: mmhmm
Becka Finesmith: you were following too?
Wol Euler: oh yes
Becka Finesmith: :)
Wol Euler: (well, the typist was. Wol doesn't have a twitter account)
Wol Euler <- is a pedant.
Becka Finesmith: lol
Becka Finesmith: Indeed
Becka Finesmith: Because Typist would have to update Wols account and that would be to much :(
Wol Euler: ah.
Wol Euler sighs.
Wol Euler: yes, I am neglecting certain things.
Becka Finesmith: TEll me to mind my own business but what does the typist do for a lving?
Wol Euler: heheheheh
Wol Euler: the typist is a split creature: architect and database programmer/translator
Becka Finesmith: Aha. An interesting mix
Wol Euler: officially I am on "database" time now, but SL is important too.
Becka Finesmith: Architect as in Buildings or systems? 
Wol Euler: hello tarmel
Becka Finesmith: Hi Tarmel
Wol Euler: buildings, ATM working on a swimming pool and sauna complex
Wol Euler: brand new project, won in a competition.
Becka Finesmith: Oooh - Nice
Tarmel Udimo: hello folks
Wol Euler smiles, yes it's a nice job. Our second pool complex, or third if you count the pools in a hotel we built

Tarmel joins us and the conversation turns to specialists and soldiery. 

Wol Euler: it's odd how one just drifts into being a specialist...
Becka Finesmith smiles
Becka Finesmith: yes - Show aptitude for something and the job is yours :)
Wol Euler: heheheheheh
Becka Finesmith: (Job of specialist that is)
Becka Finesmith: It always seems a misnomer when they call and astronaut a specialist
Wol Euler: or a soldier ...
Becka Finesmith: because they never say at what
Becka Finesmith: yes. Soldiers have to be good at everything too
Wol Euler: one would hope so.
Tarmel Udimo: i can't imagine playing that role
Becka Finesmith: Of Soldier?
Tarmel Udimo: yes
Becka Finesmith: me neither
Tarmel Udimo: and yet some people are born for it or into it
Wol Euler nods. We are the first (or second) generation that didn't have to play the role.

Authority, and the fate of IBM. 

Becka Finesmith: For a start, I'm not to good with authroity
Tarmel Udimo: ahhh a rebel
Becka Finesmith: authority
Becka Finesmith smiles
Becka Finesmith: Always swimming against the tide it seems
Wol Euler: or did you mean "exercising authority"?
Wol Euler: ah, ok
Tarmel Udimo: smiles
Becka Finesmith: No - not good at accepting authority
Wol Euler nods. That would be difficult as a soldier, yes :)
Wol Euler: but also in many desk jobs ...
Becka Finesmith: Yes. It can make you a little unpopular with the grown ups
Becka Finesmith: :)
Tarmel Udimo: and yet these days we have all become desk job jockeys because of computers
Wol Euler: true.
Wol Euler: it's hard to believe that this MacBook on which I am watching these pixels type, is the same kind of machine as the "computer" that filled two rooms on which I learned 30 years ago
Tarmel Udimo: so Wol is in germany where are you becka?
Tarmel Udimo: has it been 30 years
Becka Finesmith: I'm in the UK
Wol Euler laughs and sighs. It has indeed.
Tarmel Udimo: oh yes perhaps you told me that
Becka Finesmith: they have developed in such a short time. I have to say that Mac don't have the heritage PC's do :p
Becka Finesmith: I don't remember Apple developing a mainframe :)
Wol Euler: true; but the PCs don't have much in common with mainframes either.
Becka Finesmith: Mind you, IBM don't manufacture PC's anymore
Becka Finesmith nods
Wol Euler: do they manufacture anything these days? Haven't heard the name in ages
Becka Finesmith: they own Lotus
Becka Finesmith: erm.....
Becka Finesmith: Lexmark
Wol Euler: heheheh
Becka Finesmith: I think you can still buy thinkpads

Sunshine at midnight? Time is relative.

Tarmel Udimo: is this meant to be 1:13 am in the morning/midnight? - why is it this light?
Becka Finesmith: lol - Good point
Wol Euler: ah, the day cycle is shorter in SL.
Wol Euler: there is a sunrise/sunset every 8 hours
Tarmel Udimo: true ot false? smiles
Tarmel Udimo: ahhh that explains it
Tarmel Udimo: so it will take many revolutions for me to be here at 1am and for it to be dark
Wol Euler: well, you can set the sun to "midnight" in the environment editor ...
Becka Finesmith: My Chimes almost coincide with the bell here now
Becka Finesmith: It has caught up :)
Becka Finesmith: I wonder if the saying "You have a long way to go before you catch up with me" has any truth :)
Becka Finesmith: SHould be "You have a long time to go ....."
Wol Euler smiles. Care to elaborate on that?
Wol Euler: ah, I see. yes, it's not about distance as such. right.
Tarmel Udimo: that was funny I think
Becka Finesmith: Well, Time is relative. Technically, given enough time, people at two different ages could eventually catch up with one oanother
Wol Euler: ... or given a fast rocket.
Tarmel Udimo: you've seen that movie with the matrix guy
Becka Finesmith nods
Tarmel Udimo: ahhh the matrix, i was thnking about that movie today
Wol Euler: mm?

The conversation finally arrives at overtly PaBbish matters. 

Tarmel Udimo: I take a bit of latitude with my 9 sec moments
Becka Finesmith: I've been using a chimed reminder. I wanted to be able to do it without but I don't think that's going to work
Becka Finesmith: because if I am engrossed in something, time contracts
Wol Euler: oh yse
Becka Finesmith: I will end up only doing the practice every hour
Becka Finesmith: If I am bored, I will want to do it every 5 minutes
Becka Finesmith: (Not that I get bored often)
Wol Euler chuckles
Wol Euler: um, would that be bad?
Tarmel Udimo: today it was a life saver
Tarmel Udimo: it kept reminding me to breathe
Becka Finesmith: @wol I guess not
Wol Euler nods to Tarmel.
Becka Finesmith: Tarmel? Do you forget otherwise?
Tarmel Udimo: you mean trying to remember and timing it in some way?
Tarmel Udimo: opps sorry i realise i made a pun i was actually being semi-serious
Becka Finesmith: lol
Wol Euler: hehehe
Tarmel Udimo: I was feeling flat today and the 9 secs kept allowing me to see things in a more positive light
Becka Finesmith: That's excellent
Tarmel Udimo: yes life safer
Wol Euler: very good.
Becka Finesmith: Now I'm doing the practice regularly, I'm still really trying to find my feet with it
Becka Finesmith: I'm not sure where my focus should be so It's on my breathing
Wol Euler thinks that is as good a place as any :)
Tarmel Udimo: which if you wanted to get deeper you could say by changing my head/heart space I gained more energy or access to energy
Becka Finesmith: I would like it to be more of an awareness but I already stop and take in my surroundings
Tarmel Udimo: meant that literally i was giving myself more "life'
Wol Euler: mmhmm
Becka Finesmith nods

Umbriel and Faenik join us. 

Becka Finesmith: morning umbriel
Wol Euler: I use it as a kind of stock-taking: where am I? is it a good place?
Wol Euler: hello umbriel
Tarmel Udimo: yes?
Wol Euler: as a kind of reality-check on my feelings :)
Tarmel Udimo: hello umbriel
Umbriel Levenque: Peace and Love
Wol Euler: metta :)
Tarmel Udimo: and how were your feelings today?
Wol Euler: so far, fine :)
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^ apologies I'm late...
Faenik: ah :)
Wol Euler: no worries, we saved you a cookie
Tarmel Udimo: ahhh of course you've just started :)
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Wol Euler: mmhmm, been up for just under an hour. On my second cup of coffee
Becka Finesmith: You were feeling quite down the other day. Have things improved?
Wol Euler: ah, yes. it was a delightful day!
Wol Euler: just goes to show that one can never really predict other people or situations
Wol Euler: or even oneself. In the end it was an operating system error, as I expected, but I didn't rage and stamp my feet at all :)
Wol Euler: stayed cool and happy, and enjoyed a pleasant day out of the office
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Umbriel Levenque: How did you keep cool and happy?
Wol Euler: partly it was situational: sitting in sunshine, nice company, comfortable chair, tasty coffee :)
Faenik: why not?
Wol Euler: so I was predisposed to be happy.
Wol Euler: but it was also a choice I made. I arrived at teh decision point: rage or accept?
Wol Euler: and decided to accept.
Tarmel Udimo: yes choice is a key word
Becka Finesmith: good for you :) Now I want to be able to do that when I got beyond the point where I can rationalise it :)
Wol Euler: heheheheh
Wol Euler: true, and I can't always do it either.

Situations and choices, and our title. 

Tarmel Udimo: and of course one is making 360 degrees of choices all the time
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Wol Euler: but it is a choice and knowing that makes the handling of the situation easier.
Becka Finesmith: Sometimes it doesn't feel that way though does it
Becka Finesmith: I WANT to reamin calm sometimes, but other things take over
Becka Finesmith: and I feel sad, or angry
Wol Euler: oh no, life often seems to be offering you 0.72 degrees of choice.
Becka Finesmith: precisley
Tarmel Udimo: well that's way the whole notion of cause and effect is so fascinating
Becka Finesmith: yes.
Umbriel Levenque: um... what's is wrong with feeling sad or angry?
Becka Finesmith: yes
Becka Finesmith: It happens too often
Wol Euler: ah.
Becka Finesmith: often for no reason
Becka Finesmith: I really have nothing to be either about
Becka Finesmith: understanding why I am is the goal
Becka Finesmith: I sound like a bundle of negative emotions but I'm really not
Tarmel Udimo: i 0,72 defrees of choice - how about 100%
Tarmel Udimo: *degrees
Wol Euler smiles
Becka Finesmith: That feeling would be nice
Wol Euler: no more than anyone else, becka.
Becka Finesmith smiles at wol
Tarmel Udimo: you're just becoming more and more aware of the mood shifts and therefore you're getting closer to seeing more clearly
Wol Euler nods.
Becka Finesmith: That's a really nice way to see things - THank you
Faenik: indeed
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: hwere is faenik?
Becka Finesmith: On Umbriels shoulder
Tarmel Udimo: ahh
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: I must get closer and look

Becka departs. The subject drifts to travel and the changing weather.

Becka Finesmith: :) Alas - I allow 30 minutes and that is long since past. I must leave :(
Umbriel Levenque: Enjoy your day Becka
Wol Euler: aww, becka, take care. enjoy the day.
Becka Finesmith: I won't be around much now until Monday so have a lovely weekend.
Wol Euler: you too.
Becka Finesmith: Take care everyone
Umbriel Levenque: Thank you, you too ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: bye have fun
Becka Finesmith: namaste
Wol Euler: bye
Wol Euler: so, Umbriel, how are you today?
Umbriel Levenque: Still half asleep heheheh thanks. You?
Wol Euler: quite well.
Wol Euler: looking forward to a slow day, alone in the office. I can work in peace and quiet
Umbriel Levenque: Yes, sounds good
Umbriel Levenque: Especially after a busy day out like yesterday no?
Wol Euler: mmhmm, though that too was fine in the end. I love riding trains on sunny days, so the twice two-nd-a-bit hour journey was an extra treat
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: trains?
Tarmel Udimo: where were coming from and where were you going
Wol Euler: a mode of transport much loved and widely used in Europe :)
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: I do love trains
Wol Euler: fast and cheap-ish and comfortable
Wol Euler: going from home (Stuttgart) to Freiburg on the Swiss border, riding down the Rhine valley
Umbriel Levenque: [Not cheap... in UK]
Wol Euler: (but the flat and broad southern valley, not the rocky northern part where the castles and the Lorelei peak are)
Tarmel Udimo: either way it was I am sure a wonderful trip - very green and lush?
Umbriel Levenque: Sounds lovely
Wol Euler: mmhmm
Wol Euler: even now in mid-November. only a few patches of snow in shady spots
Tarmel Udimo: yes i forgot - snow
Wol Euler: there has only been one _real_ winter since I moved to Germany 14 years ago
Tarmel Udimo: that's been that way in CA too
Tarmel Udimo: well still powerful and cold, but I've noticed that it gets some nice sunny days in between unlike when i lived there
Wol Euler smiles.
Wol Euler: global climatic change is a reality, anyone wiht one eye and a memory knows that.
Tarmel Udimo: uhmmm
Wol Euler feels a rant coming on and quickly bites her tongue.
Faenik: could be
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: one of your favourite topics?
Wol Euler: indeed.
Wol Euler: though favourite in the way that a really messy crash on the highway draws one's attention.
Tarmel Udimo: smiles
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Wol Euler bites down really hard.

Tarmel kindly saves me from a meltdown by changing the subject to appearance (with a lower-case "a").

Tarmel Udimo: so a new outfit?
Wol Euler: thank you! change of topic!!
Wol Euler: yes, a digital neko outfit :)
Wol Euler: 1562 prims of gorgeousness!
Tarmel Udimo: thought you might need it
Wol Euler: not something I wear to the ETD sale :)
Tarmel Udimo: ETD?
Wol Euler: but it makes me feel cheerful to wear this.
Wol Euler: ah! one of the best hair stores in SL. Elika Tiramisu Designs, I'll give you a LM
Tarmel Udimo: okay
Wol Euler: good and not too expensive, wide range, great colours. and some freebies too
Tarmel Udimo: I have a strange feeling I'm always going to just end up looking like this
Tarmel Udimo: :-)
Wol Euler: but their sales are lag-festivals! you get 60+ avs in a sim and even the strongest server buckles at the knees
Umbriel Levenque: heheheh, your AV rendering cost is indeed higher than usual Wol
Wol Euler: people go naked and primless trying to be able to move at all
Wol Euler: oh, this is nothing. I have an outfit that hits 10333.
Umbriel Levenque: I haven't seen that one...
Wol Euler: I'll wear that some day.
Umbriel Levenque: ok ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: a fashion horse?
Wol Euler: something like that, yes.
Wol Euler: It amuses and pleases me to experiment with my appearance
Faenik loves wells!
Wol Euler: though my basic shape hasn't changed in months. I arrived at this body and face quite early on
Wol Euler: tarmel, if you like, I coud arrange a little shopping trip. look at the options ...
Wol Euler: maybe pick up Corvi too, she has a good eye.
Wol Euler: gaya if she's around.
Tarmel Udimo: okay except i think i'll be window shopping
Wol Euler smiles. Wait and see...
Umbriel Levenque: Sounds... like a lovely girlie get-together ^_^
Wol Euler: though there is nothing wrong with sticking to an appearance. Many do.
Wol Euler: it depends on what SL means to you, how you experience it.
Tarmel Udimo: all that's missing is the champagne
Wol Euler: !
Tarmel Udimo: give me time I'm sure I'll get there
Wol Euler nods.

The joys of Second Life.

Tarmel Udimo: what sl HAS given me is talking to like minded people and thats wonderful!
Tarmel Udimo: in way more important than looks
Wol Euler: oh yes. SL is a social concentrator.
Wol Euler: think how many cities and how many thousands of kilometers separate us in RL, how would we meet?
Wol Euler: and more to the point: how many years?
Wol Euler: would we speak if we met on the streets of TO as strangers?
Wol Euler: but here we do.
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: one of the questions I always ask my self
Tarmel Udimo: yes but it sure ain't face book
Wol Euler snorts coffee
Umbriel Levenque: ^_^
Tarmel Udimo: when was the last time you were in TO?
Umbriel Levenque: um... what's TO?
Wol Euler: May of last yer, for my father's 80th birthday. (Toronto, Ontario, where we both lived)
Tarmel Udimo: sorry - Toronto
Umbriel Levenque: ah...
Tarmel Udimo: I was there in August, for my birthday
Wol Euler: ah, just missed you then :)
Tarmel Udimo: :)
Tarmel Udimo: what about you umbriel where are you?
Umbriel Levenque: London here
Tarmel Udimo: like becka
Umbriel Levenque: Pounds yes ^_^
Wol Euler chuckles.
Tarmel Udimo: smiles
Umbriel Levenque: Not sure if I asked before... where are you based at in RL Tarmel?
Wol Euler: (shall we stop the recorder?)
Tarmel Udimo: just looked at your profile the quiet and far away?
Umbriel Levenque: Sure Wol
Wol Euler: the hour is up...
Tarmel Udimo: I'm in Australia, Sydney
Tarmel Udimo: ahh so it is
Umbriel Levenque: AM Radio's group Tarmel, he creates amazing places
Tarmel Udimo: not very PAB session
Wol Euler: oooh, you MUST see the Far Away! lovely!!
Umbriel Levenque: ah... Oz
Wol Euler bangs her gavel.