2011.01.05 07:00 - PaB as a Novel in Progress

The Guardian for this meeting was Bruce Mowbray - substituting for Gaya. The comments are by Bruce Mowbray.

This is one of my favorite types of PaB Session -- a small group, light, simple, honest.  It feels like a comfortable, friendly, neighborhood pub where folks feel free to come and go, dropping in for a few moments of quiet reflection and sharing . . . then moving back into the sometimes not-so-friendly but "real" world - refreshed.  I'm imagining, now, that some great literature may have been inspired by such settings.

Bruce Mowbray: Hello, Eldir. Welcome to the Play as Being fountain.
Bruce Mowbray: Good morning, Riddle!
Riddle Sideways: Good Morning
Bruce Mowbray: Your aura's looking great today!
Riddle Sideways: TY

--BELL--

Riddle Sideways: Hi Eldir
eldir Resident: Hello Bruce and Riddle
Bruce Mowbray: Eldir, I've give given you a Play as Being notecard that explains some of what happens here. Have you been here before, Eldir?
eldir Resident: Thank you, but I have been have a couple times before
eldir Resident: and read a lot of the wiki web site
Bruce Mowbray: Great! Then you know about the web wiki - where our chat logs are published?
Bruce Mowbray: OK. Great. Well, please be seated, if you wish.
eldir Resident: Yes
eldir Resident: quite a lot to read
eldir Resident: I think I am getting to know many of the characters
Bruce Mowbray: Yeah -- sry 'bout that . . . Don't really need to read it now. . .
Bruce Mowbray: We're an interesting group of explorers, I feel.
eldir Resident: Riddle, how did you make you avatar like that
Riddle Sideways: did not mean to
Riddle Sideways: but it is
eldir Resident: I need to learn so much
Riddle Sideways: was not sure if anybody was going to be here today
Bruce Mowbray: Don't we all, Eldir!
Bruce Mowbray: If we can help you with any SL-related questions, don't hesitate to ask, please.
eldir Resident: you both have been here quite some time
Bruce Mowbray: If we don't already know -- we'll find out for you!
eldir Resident: thanks
Bruce Mowbray wonders if Eldir knows how to make italics - like this.
eldir Resident: italics?
eldir Resident: no I don't
eldir Resident: ok, your colon and (real name) are missing
Bruce Mowbray: Well, if you type the forward slash followed immediately by 'me' -- like this: /me
eldir Resident: /me
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, it has the effect of expressing a thought -- or a feeling.
eldir Resident like this 
Bruce Mowbray: simply type /me and the BEGINNING of the line.
Bruce Mowbray: Try it now, if you like.
eldir Resident is learning so much here
eldir Resident: :)
Bruce Mowbray: yAYYYYY!
eldir Resident: Hello Archmage
Bruce Mowbray: Good morning, Arch!
Archmage Atlantis: Hello, Eldir, Riddle, Bruce :)
Bruce Mowbray: Were you awake for the 4 a.m. session today?
Archmage Atlantis: No, I could have been tho, I was awake
Bruce Mowbray: Wow! -- I don't know how you do that!
eldir Resident: 4am session?
Archmage Atlantis: I just wasn't companiable this am
Bruce Mowbray: Actually -- it is 1 a.m. SLT (Second Life Time).
eldir Resident: :)
Archmage Atlantis: Eastern time
Bruce Mowbray: but on the East Coast of the USA, it's 4 a.m.
eldir Resident: oh, I see
Bruce Mowbray: I'm never companionable at 4 a.m.
eldir Resident: :) we either
Bruce Mowbray: Eldir is fairly new to SL - and also to PaB, although she's been here a few times before.
Archmage Atlantis: I'd say about 50/50 for me
Archmage Atlantis: Nice to have you here Eldir :)
eldir Resident: do you work nights?
eldir Resident: so that you are up then?
eldir Resident: thanks, Archmage.
Bruce Mowbray: Would any of you care for coffee?
Archmage Atlantis: No, I am disabled and homebound for the most part, so I tend to have an erratic sleep pattern :)
Archmage Atlantis: No ty, Bruce
eldir Resident: thank you, I need more coffee
Riddle Sideways: back, had to deal
Bruce Mowbray: How about you, Arch?  wb, Riddle.
Riddle Sideways: thought was over this cold
Archmage Atlantis: Coffee and drinking animations just don't quite work for me in virtual life

--BELL--

Archmage Atlantis: I have my coffee in rl, though :)........that is probably grist for this month's project
Bruce Mowbray: Thank you all for respecting the 90-sec silence.
eldir Resident: sorry, my coffee was talking during the silence
Bruce Mowbray: Mmmm. . . you mean the "Art of Being Self" project?
Riddle Sideways: grist?
Archmage Atlantis: "grist for the mill" is the full expression, I believe.......tho I may have the spelling wrong
eldir Resident: I read about the project, but did not understand much of it
Bruce Mowbray: First, I wanted to say that I'm sorry Riddle is still under the weather. . .
Bruce Mowbray: It's a tough bug that's going around.
Riddle Sideways: TY
Riddle Sideways: but gettin betttr
Riddle Sideways: am living on cough drops
Bruce Mowbray: and the Art of Being project -- is experimenting with different avatar versions to see how you feel with those as "representing" yourself --
Bruce Mowbray: or how others respond to you as you take on different forms, etc.
Bruce Mowbray: For example, if you use an avi of a different sex, race, or age. . . or species. . .
Bruce Mowbray: Does that change how you feel about your avi - and about SL in general ? -
Riddle Sideways: well, so far nobody relates to this av any differently
Bruce Mowbray: or does that change how others view you and interact with you?
Bruce Mowbray: I was curious about your av today, Riddle -- and find it to be both beautiful and fascinating.
Archmage Atlantis: I think, as long as you are Riddle Sideways, I think of you the same way
Bruce Mowbray: But I must confess, I did not offer you coffee earlier because I couldn't see how you would be able to drink it.
Riddle Sideways: too much of the 'me' in this/all my avs
Archmage Atlantis: When I come as an alt with a different name, then there is some adjustment
Riddle Sideways: have been trying to eliminate that
Bruce Mowbray: We had a BIG talk about that at yesterday's 7 p.m. session -- about how much we IMMERSE (project?) our typist into the avi's form and role.
Riddle Sideways: oooo, need to read/try that
Archmage Atlantis: Of course, for me, my avs represent different personalities/aspects of myself
eldir Resident: I am afraid I can't even change my clothes to anything acceptable yet
eldir Resident: I found many avatar boxes already made for me
eldir Resident: but, can not be seen wearing those nothings
Archmage Atlantis: *chuckles*.........that will come quicker than one might think, Eldir.....if you continue to experiment with sl
Bruce Mowbray: Well, we have some members of PaB who would be DELIGHTED to take you shopping, Eldir!
eldir Resident: I like being young and thin again, but not ready to strut around in my nothingness
Archmage Atlantis: True, Bruce, quite true
Bruce Mowbray: I'm thinking of Bleu Oleander and Wol, in particular -- but also Aphrodite and others.
Bruce Mowbray: They know some GREAT places to get ladies' clothing and apparel.
eldir Resident: They always look so nice
Bruce Mowbray: I even slightly "change" my feelings when I only change shirts. . .
Archmage Atlantis: It's a aspect of who they are.......me, I only have a few looks......that's plenty
Bruce Mowbray: I'm wearing this one to celebrate Ohio State's victory in the Sugar Bowl last night.
Bruce Mowbray: But I rarely wear a shirt like this one.
eldir Resident: and you have a cat on your shoulder
Bruce Mowbray: Oh -- btw -- if anyone wants a t-shirt made - with any lettering or art - just let me know. I make 'em for FREE!  ANY design, lettering, or color.
eldir Resident: that should change how you look at the world
Bruce Mowbray: Hey Arch, tell Eldir about Koya while I wake up Blub, OK?

Archmage Atlantis: Yes, Koya M. always rides with me, observing for all other living things on earth *g*
eldir Resident: my cats sit on my desk observing everything
Archmage Atlantis: Actually I have a notecard about Koya somewhere.......I'll have to dig
eldir Resident: unless asleep like now
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, until LCD monitors came along, our cats would sit on top of the monitor and sleep

--BELL--

eldir Resident: that is nice.
Archmage Atlantis: I need to look at the timeline and requirements for this month's project
Bruce Mowbray: If you move your camera close to Arch, you will be able to hear Koya purring.
Archmage Atlantis: It's near the end of the month when its
eldir Resident: I should make notecards to pass out too
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, me too, Arch. . . although I don't think an exact date had been set yet.
eldir Resident: oh, she purrs!
Archmage Atlantis: Notecards are tricky.......not in and of themselves.....but because griefers attach malicious scripts to them
eldir Resident: was not sure I remembered how to move camera
Archmage Atlantis: I was wondering where Blub was
eldir Resident: and screeches like my cats
Archmage Atlantis: :)
eldir Resident: and Blub is here now.
eldir Resident: was not here earlier
Bruce Mowbray: Here's another little trick you might like to use, Eldir:
Bruce Mowbray: if you hold down you CTRL key (or Command Key in Apple) and type the BACKslash key, it will point your camera toward the last person who spoke in the chat box.
Bruce Mowbray: CTRL\
eldir Resident: thank you. that is very useful
Bruce Mowbray: If you tried that, you are now looking at me.
Bruce Mowbray: (just as I am looking at you!)
Bruce Mowbray: cool, huh?
Archmage Atlantis: Just a thought, when you first came to PaB, Eldir, did anyone give you the notecard describing what PaB is about?
eldir Resident: yes, somebody (I forget who) did
Archmage Atlantis: Good
Bruce Mowbray: I gave you one this morning. . . also.
eldir Resident: but, I had already gotten one from the sign board at the entrance
Archmage Atlantis: Smart move
Bruce Mowbray: Cool -- a good thing to do. There are many different activities through this Kira Institute and Play as Being is just one of them.
Archmage Atlantis: I was here a few months before I even knew there was a notecard for PaB
Bruce Mowbray: We also have different groups within PaB that might interest you -- like Dream Circle, and Ways of Knowing, the Time Study group, etc.
eldir Resident: I was clicking on everything and everywhere when I first started
Bruce Mowbray: If you'd like info on any of those, I can get that for you.
eldir Resident: and notecards started coming to me
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Archmage Atlantis: I think that is pretty common, the period of random exploration
eldir Resident: the art museum was the first place that was giving lots of notecards
Bruce Mowbray: yes. and sometimes you'll want to clean out your inventory folder, perhaps -- to get rid of stuff you no longer want or need.
Bruce Mowbray: (like old notecards)
Archmage Atlantis: I found that when I met ppl I liked, and looked at the groups they belonged to, I often liked the same groups, or locations
eldir Resident: it is getting cluttered
Bruce Mowbray puts on bubble aura because he was getting aura-envy looking at Riddle. . . .
eldir Resident: :)
Riddle Sideways: sorry, folks need to go back to bed
Riddle Sideways: also need to disconnect phone
Archmage Atlantis: Nitey nite, Riddle :)
Bruce Mowbray: OK, Riddle -- I sure hope you're feeling better SOON!
Riddle Sideways: bye
Bruce Mowbray: Get good rest, my friend.
Bruce Mowbray: Oh beautiful, Eldir!
eldir Resident: thank you
Bruce Mowbray: and very nice bubble aura there!

--BELL--

Archmage Atlantis: I need to leave also, I have an appt to make.......nice meeting you Eldir........take care Bruce...bye for now
Yakuzza Lethecus: hello everyone
Bruce Mowbray: Bye, Arch -- May you be well and happy today.
eldir Resident: yes, it was nice meeting you too
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Yaku!
eldir Resident: have a nice appointment
eldir Resident: Hello Yaku
Bruce Mowbray: Eldir -- this is Yaku - from Germany - Have you two met before?
Yakuzza Lethecus: no we haven't met actually, at least not that I can remember
eldir Resident: I thought we met a week ago
Bruce Mowbray: Well, Eldir has been at PaB session a few times before, so I thought I'd ask.
eldir Resident: but, I have met so many here
Bruce Mowbray: Eldir is interested in all things PaB.
eldir Resident: I have read a lot of the wiki web site
eldir Resident: and seem like I know you all
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Yakuzza Lethecus: :)
Bleu Levasseur: hello everyone
Yakuzza Lethecus: hey bleu
eldir Resident: reading all the chat logs is like a huge novel
Bruce Mowbray: I have made of list of the "regulars" who come to the fountain, and I have 36 names there -- and some of them have two or three names because of their alts.
Bleu Levasseur: i can stay only a few minutes
Bleu Levasseur: and don't want to interrupt you
eldir Resident: and then I can enter into that novel's world here
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Bleu!
eldir Resident: hello Bleu
Bruce Mowbray: Eldir is wondering where she could find some new clothes -- any suggestions?
Bleu Levasseur: oh
Bleu Levasseur: any particular style, eldir?
eldir Resident: well, it is not the finding of clothes that is the problem
Bleu Levasseur: money?
eldir Resident: it is wearing and looking good in them
eldir Resident: and so far I have no money :(
Bleu Levasseur: there is free stuff around
Yakuzza Lethecus: money is not too important
Yakuzza Lethecus: yes, there are a lot of freebie malls
eldir Resident: I have gotten lots of the freebies
eldir Resident: and not sure I would let my avatar be seen it some of those outfits
Bleu Levasseur: i forget about what i am wearing in sl
Bruce Mowbray: Remember, I can also make t-shirts to your own preference of design. . .
Bleu Levasseur: wear the same thing for days and days
eldir Resident: you look so very nice
Bruce Mowbray: I often change clothes several times during a single session.
Bruce Mowbray: (as my moods shift)
Bleu Levasseur: haha, so does my husband
Yakuzza Lethecus: eldir: i just tossed you a LM to a Japanese one with really nice freebies
eldir Resident: thank you, I got it
eldir Resident: will visit later
Bleu Levasseur: many stores have one or two freebies in amongst the things fro sale
eldir Resident: I could try being Japanese :)
Yakuzza Lethecus: bleu and eldir: how would you both describe what you think of Play as Being so far ?
Yakuzza Lethecus: a fresh concept would be interesting
Bleu Levasseur: always a welcome here
Yakuzza Lethecus: i mean impressions from a fresh mind
Bleu Levasseur: and tg for people who talk about things other than zombies or sex
eldir Resident: there is a real welcoming sense here
Bleu Levasseur: not that those topics should be excluded but you know what i mean ...
Bruce Mowbray: That's a great question, Yaku.
Bleu Levasseur: most convos in sl can be pretty limited
eldir Resident: yes, that is about all I found in SL
Bruce Mowbray: and I cannot think of any topic that would be excluded from our chats -- not a one!
Bleu Levasseur: keep on here, eldir
Bleu Levasseur: it takes time to meet people and let friendships develop
Bruce Mowbray: sure.
eldir Resident: I found art exhibits interesting
Bleu Levasseur: me too
eldir Resident: and other-worldly architecture
eldir Resident: but, these chats are so refreshing
Bleu Levasseur: sl can be an amazing medium for art
Bruce Mowbray: sometimes we have theme sessions -- that are centered around one topic.
Bleu Levasseur: hello lucinder
Bruce Mowbray: Those are usually announced in advance.
Bruce Mowbray: Good morning, Luci!
Yakuzza Lethecus: hello lucinder
eldir Resident: I have read them
eldir Resident: like mini-lectures
Lucinda Lavender: Hi Yaku, Bleu, Bruce, eldir...
eldir Resident: hello Lucinda

--BELL--

Bruce Mowbray: You might especially enjoy our Time Sessions - held every Friday morning at 6 slt - right here.
Lucinda Lavender: I must go to work now...just came for those quiet seconds:)
eldir Resident: I read the book chapters on time
Bleu Levasseur: ask Lucinda where she gets her clothes ..she wears lovely things
Bleu Levasseur: oh
eldir Resident: bye Lucinda
Bleu Levasseur: bye Lucinda
Bruce Mowbray: Have a happy day, Luci.
Bleu Levasseur: enjoy your day :)
Lucinda Lavender: thank you...
eldir Resident: I think I should do that more often
eldir Resident: just come here for a quiet moment
Bleu Levasseur: its a good place to calm your inner self
Bleu Levasseur: contemplative
eldir Resident: there is a surreal juxtaposition between reading the wiki and then as an avatar join into this novel world
eldir Resident: I become part of it and not part of it
Bleu Levasseur: sl is people, eldir
Bleu Levasseur: we are all 'part of it'
Bleu Levasseur: no people, no sl
eldir Resident: making up a new reality
Bleu Levasseur: in what way?
eldir Resident: each contributing and evolving it
Bleu Levasseur: i find sl merely reflects rl
Bleu Levasseur: more concentrated in some areas, of course
Bruce Mowbray: I find that it enhances and expands RL -- and affords almost infinite access that I would have in no other way.
Bleu Levasseur: no one else feel that?
Bleu Levasseur: ah, sorry bruce
Bleu Levasseur: lag
Yakuzza Lethecus: hey Brian
Brian Roop: hello all
Bleu Levasseur: i love being able to talk to people around the world
eldir Resident: yes, the lag does funny things to the chat/threads
Bleu Levasseur: hello Brian
eldir Resident: hello Brian
Brian Roop: hi everyone
Bruce Mowbray: Good morning, Brian!
Bleu Levasseur: almost a good evening for me
eldir Resident: in novels the author straightens out the dialog to read straight through
eldir Resident: here people interrupt and go on
Bleu Levasseur: sl is disjointed
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Eldir -- you just said that you enjoy art galleries. . . So, you might wish to visit Brian's -- He has some excellent photographs on exhibit there that he took himself. . .
Bleu Levasseur: and some days you can meet no one at all
Bleu Levasseur: then, some days you can have an amazing time
Bleu Levasseur: cannot pre ordain that
Brian Roop: like life itself
eldir Resident: Brian, may I have a landmark to your gallery?
Bleu Levasseur: exactly
Brian Roop: sure
Bleu Levasseur: what do you photograph, Brian?
Brian Roop: mostly what catches my eye in a given moment
Bleu Levasseur: please cd i have a LM too
Brian Roop: some portraits in rl family but that doesn't go online
Bleu Levasseur: ty :)
eldir Resident: Yaku, I do not think I answered your question well enough
Bruce Mowbray: I've just given LM's to Brian's galleries to Yaku and Bleu.
eldir Resident: my beginner mind is blank
eldir Resident: :)
Yakuzza Lethecus: thx, well i still consider my mind as a beginner's mind actually :)
Brian Roop: if we're thinking about mind, we're beginners
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Bleu Levasseur: we use only a fraction of our intelligence
Bleu Levasseur: haha
Yakuzza Lethecus: well, how to moderate our minds, how and on what shall we focus
eldir Resident: I take this old black women's body and put into a young avatar in my computer and chat with people on the other side of the earth  about anything and things that matter
Bruce Mowbray: and we have only a fraction of perception of Mind itself.
eldir Resident: how should I not like this group?
Bruce Mowbray: That is wonderful, Eldir!
Bleu Levasseur:' things that matter ...'

--BELL--

Bleu Levasseur: we all have different perceptions on that
Brian Roop: can a sound mind exist in a crippled body?
eldir Resident: of course
Bleu Levasseur: and why should it not?
Yakuzza Lethecus: Yes, some things might be unhealthy and still so unimportant to think about but we might not be able to disconnect.
Brian Roop: the western classical world seems to think not
eldir Resident: Stephen Hawking did a lot to dispel that notion
Brian Roop: or maybe he's crazy?
Brian Roop: maybe he's got the world bamboozled?
eldir Resident: :) maybe
Brian Roop: heh heh
Bleu Levasseur: sorry, phone call
Yakuzza Lethecus: bye eldir
eldir Resident: oh dear. look at the time
eldir Resident: I need to get ready for RL
Brian Roop: goes by when we're having fun
Bruce Mowbray: Thanks for being here, Eldir. Please return when you can.
Bleu Levasseur: you are still drinking that coffee!
eldir Resident: I shall
eldir Resident: bye
Brian Roop: nice to meet you eldir
Bleu Levasseur: nice to meet you, eldir :)
Bleu Levasseur: bye bye
Bleu Levasseur: sl can be a real leveler, i think
Bleu Levasseur: you can simply take people as they are
Bruce Mowbray: I love it when "new folks" arrive here and offer fresh perceptions!
Bleu Levasseur: with no prejudices about accent, clothing, money etc
Bleu Levasseur: those prejudices do exist in sl of course..
Brian Roop: in sl people seem quicker to criticize appearances
Yakuzza Lethecus: education as well :)
Bleu Levasseur: but you can really just take people for how they are
Brian Roop: exercise their prejudices
Yakuzza Lethecus: title´s
Bleu Levasseur: some criticize appearance
Brian Roop: act out their fears
Bleu Levasseur: just hold to what you believe in, Brian
Brian Roop: sit in judgment
Brian Roop: oh yes
Brian Roop: that's what i like about this group
Bruce Mowbray: I think it's different for different avis -- Some folks seem quite shy in SL -- and others seem liberated by it (almost to a point of license to do and say anything).
Bleu Levasseur: true, bruce
Bleu Levasseur: many on the autistic spectrum play sl
Bleu Levasseur: they find it hard to socialize rl
Bruce Mowbray: and even hermits are here (or so I've heard).
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Bleu Levasseur: but can socialize here more comfortably
Bleu Levasseur: so, one for sl!
Bruce Mowbray: If I might respond to something Brian just said. . .
Brian Roop: ???
Bruce Mowbray: "dropping" what we have in order to discover and explore what we ARE. . . is central to the themes and purposes of everything PaB does.
Bruce Mowbray: That's why we have the 90-second breaks.
Bruce Mowbray: so one of the things we "drop" - I hope - is our prejudices.
Bleu Levasseur: i don't feel the need to drop anything...
Bleu Levasseur: I'm the same all the time, I think
Bruce Mowbray: prejudices about appearance, for example - or about sex, disability, age, etc.
Bruce Mowbray: Well, actually I don't really "drop" them -- but I do try to "hold" them in a more gentle way -- rather than allowing my prejudices to hold me.
Bruce Mowbray: so, maybe that's a good start (for me, anyway)
Brian Roop: well said
Bleu Levasseur: nicely put, bruce

--BELL--

Bruce Mowbray: Folks, this has been good. Thank you, Yaku, Brian, and Bleu. I'm going to retreat to my plot now --
Bruce Mowbray: and wish each of you a happy day.
Bleu Levasseur: kk bruce
Yakuzza Lethecus: bye bruce
Bleu Levasseur: enjoy your day :)
Bleu Levasseur: well, evening
Bruce Mowbray: Bye for now.
Bleu Levasseur: bbfn
Brian Roop: later, bruce
Brian Roop: thanks for your service
Bleu Levasseur: i will have to go soon too
Bleu Levasseur: oh, Brian went quickly
Yakuzza Lethecus: oh thought he just meant bruce
Bleu Levasseur: yes..
Bleu Levasseur: its time Aphrodite logged on!
Yakuzza Lethecus: take care bleu
Bleu Levasseur: i was hoping to say hello to her before i log