2011.10.16 19:00 - All Our Faces Are Belong to Us

The Guardian for this meeting was Calvino Rabeni. The comments are by Calvino Rabeni.

oO0Oo Resident: Hi Zaldaan :)
Zaldaan Sirnah: Hi :)
oO0Oo Resident: strings of moment?
oO0Oo Resident: "ke, when you can't stop laughing and can't breathe?"
oO0Oo Resident giggles
oO0Oo Resident: Hi Cal !
Zaldaan Sirnah: G'day... I was in another window doing work.
Calvino Rabeni: Good evening, Sam and Zal :)
oO0Oo Resident: Hi Aph !
Calvino Rabeni: Good evening
Aphrodite Macbain: hello Sam. Hi Calvino, Zaldaan
Calvino Rabeni: How did the retreat review session go? Sorry I missed that
Aphrodite Macbain: How does the world look in blue colours
Aphrodite Macbain: You will have to ask Sam
Aphrodite Macbain: he was in the audience
--BELL--

oO0Oo Resident: Ya the session was fun, convivial, informative, bonding, creative, elucidating, revealing, inspiring, well attended, heartening!
Aphrodite Macbain: Nice adjectives
Calvino Rabeni: heh
Calvino Rabeni: yes
Aphrodite Macbain: I had fun pulling it together and presenting it with my fellow retreaters
Calvino Rabeni: Did you all do some prep beforehand?
Aphrodite Macbain: Yes.. we met at my place and figured out who would say what
Calvino Rabeni: That sounds enjoyable
Aphrodite Macbain: and storm got a host of images from us from which he chose some to show
oO0Oo Resident: like a.... jello bowl mixed with many flavors cubed.. colourful, yet also translucent and giggly, and connected
Zaldaan Sirnah: afk family
Calvino Rabeni: hmm quivery and shiny
Aphrodite Macbain: nice Sam
Aphrodite Macbain: we got less wiggly and more relaxed as we got to know each other better
Aphrodite Macbain: and felt confident presenting it
Calvino Rabeni: that's so funny ... jello reminds me of the spirit of high modernism, light and colorful
Calvino Rabeni nods
Aphrodite Macbain: we mentioned meeting you in Seattle at
Aphrodite Macbain: yes like a mondrian or a delaunay
oO0Oo Resident: Would have loved to hear more about the dinner in Seattle :)
Aphrodite Macbain: It was fun. It was great to see Cal - you must have found us somewhat overwhelming!
Calvino Rabeni: Not overwhelming, but you did seem to have gotten into your group groove
Calvino Rabeni: A nice view of the water; on a cloudless day, at sunset
Aphrodite Macbain: yes it was a beautiful evening too
Aphrodite Macbain: Nice cause you rode your bike
Calvino Rabeni: Yes, it was a long exciting ride during rush hour to get downtown
Calvino Rabeni: And going back in the dark .. I experienced the core of the city in a different way than usual
Aphrodite Macbain: Yes, we had been through quite a few emotional moments when w developed a lot of trust with each other, sharing things that were deep within usp
Aphrodite Macbain: I can imagine. Is it a difficult city to drive in?
Calvino Rabeni: I got a photo of sunset reflected off a building off a building of mirrored panes

Aphrodite Macbain: nice.
Calvino Rabeni: Hard to drive? Hmm, well it's a city you need to memorize the routes in
Calvino Rabeni: or you can get really bogged down
Aphrodite Macbain: we got some amazing sunset pictures in a more rural environment - setting over Mt Rainier
Aphrodite Macbain: All those freeways
Calvino Rabeni: It's got some points of getting snarled, and also some freer flowing backways
Calvino Rabeni: I think of them like acupuncture meridians, but for a city
Aphrodite Macbain: We followed Maxine and her husband so it wasn't too bad - they know their way around
Calvino Rabeni: I suppose it takes years to learn the ways to get through it effectively
Calvino Rabeni: or, maybe, scenically
Aphrodite Macbain: yes- and then they build something new...
Calvino Rabeni: I often take routes that are enjoyable rather than fast
Calvino Rabeni: It's broken up by lots of hills and waterways
Aphrodite Macbain: I found it interesting that most of us looked like our avis!
Calvino Rabeni: A ship canal between north and south, crossed by four bridges
Aphrodite Macbain: Totally unexpected.
Calvino Rabeni: Looked like avis eh?
Calvino Rabeni: I suppose so yes :)
Aphrodite Macbain: yes, I needed a map to fully understand what was happening
Aphrodite Macbain: Luci for sure, and to a great extent Storm a, and maxine and Riddle
Calvino Rabeni: I suppose, its sort of easier to navigate now that Google Maps is smart about route finding ... although actually I sort of liked the "not knowing" days too
Aphrodite Macbain: yes- figuring it out on your own.
Aphrodite Macbain: except when you're in a rush
Calvino Rabeni: Or having a bit of mystery during the journey
Calvino Rabeni: Yes
Calvino Rabeni: but perhaps the maps enable "being in a rush" to happen more often
Aphrodite Macbain: of relying on them too much maybe?
--BELL--

Aphrodite Macbain: wb Zaldaan
Calvino Rabeni: I'd like it if Google Maps had a button for "most scenic route" in addition to car, walking, and "no freeway"
Aphrodite Macbain: hehe
oO0Oo Resident: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: perhaps you'll be able to program it that way in the future
Calvino Rabeni: I suppose so .. things we can rely on that are convenient, change our ways of doing things
Aphrodite Macbain: trouble is someone's idea of a most scenic route may not be another's
Calvino Rabeni: Yes it might be possible, ... based on social information of what people li9ke
Calvino Rabeni: because they do have different likes
Aphrodite Macbain: that would be an interesting study. Google would make a bundle
Calvino Rabeni: I like waterside, boats, bridges over ravines (for example)
Aphrodite Macbain: put in youir ID card where all the info on you is recorded and updated...
Aphrodite Macbain: beginning to sound scary
Calvino Rabeni: someone else might like coffee shops and a florist
Aphrodite Macbain: that would be me
Calvino Rabeni: I hope that will change
Calvino Rabeni: Google now has a feature called "Data Liberation" in which you can get all your personal information
Calvino Rabeni: Although I don't know if it actually can "take it back" from the system.
Aphrodite Macbain: who else can?
Calvino Rabeni: Or transfer it somewhere, but it's a start
Aphrodite Macbain: makes me nervous
Aphrodite Macbain: too much ID theft happening
Calvino Rabeni: I don't know .. I think it was partly in response to people feeling that Facebook owned them
Aphrodite Macbain: yes- I haven't tried Google + yet
Calvino Rabeni: There was a campaign called - "All your Face are belong to US!"
Aphrodite Macbain: who started the campaign?
Calvino Rabeni: I have tried Google+ ... I find it more appealing (or less apalling) than Facebook
Aphrodite Macbain: Sam, aren't you concerned about having centralized information like that?
oO0Oo Resident: Yes
Aphrodite Macbain: aappealing is nicer. I keep getting updates from facebook which is irritating
Aphrodite Macbain listens to Sam
oO0Oo Resident: hehe
Calvino Rabeni: As I recall, it was a blogosphere thing ... something like this: http://bub.blicio.us/facebook-all-your-face-are-belong-to-us/
oO0Oo Resident: Sam (0) is listening
Aphrodite Macbain: over
oO0Oo Resident: Para :)
Paradise Tennant: smiles and waves all round ..hiya zaldaan, O Cal .. Aph :) listening :)
Zaldaan Sirnah: hi
Calvino Rabeni: Hello Paradise, how goes it?
Aphrodite Macbain: Interesting - thanks. Hi Paradise
Aphrodite Macbain notices Zaldaan has dropped his horns
Aphrodite Macbain: How was your Sunday Para?
Paradise Tennant: smiles quiet .. :) cleaning chores laundry :)
Aphrodite Macbain: “People want full ownership and control of their information so they can turn off access to it at any time. At the same time, people also want to be able to bring the information others have shared with them—like email addresses, phone numbers, photos and so on—to other services and grant those services access to those people’s information. These two positions are at odds with each other. There is no system today that enables me to share my email address with you and then simultaneously lets me control who you share it with and also lets you control what services you share it with.”
Aphrodite Macbain: Zuckerberg
oO0Oo Resident: mhmm
--BELL--

Calvino Rabeni: What I hope is, information starts to get stored in a public data "grid" that each person or entity can control, or withdraw their information from. Not proprietary systems that tempt you and own you
Archmage Atlantis:

I dreamed a dream in time gone by,
When hope was high and life, worth living.
I dreamed that love would never die,
I dreamed that God would be forgiving.
Then I was young and unafraid,
And dreams were made and used and wasted.
There was no ransom to be paid,
No song unsung, no wine, untasted.

oO0Oo Resident: ArchKoyaHikari :)
Calvino Rabeni: Hello Archmage
Paradise Tennant: smiles hiya arch :)
Archmage Atlantis: Hello pabbers
Archmage Atlantis: We dream a dream
oO0Oo Resident: :)
Aphrodite Macbain: Thank you Arch for that!
Calvino Rabeni: That's a great line, "no wine, untasted"
Archmage Atlantis: There is cleansing power
Archmage Atlantis: Just stoppig bei to say hello
Archmage Atlantis: Blessings and Namaste
Aphrodite Macbain: namaste
Aphrodite Macbain: Arch
Paradise Tennant: smiles namaste arch :)
oO0Oo Resident: namaste Arch :)
oO0Oo Resident: man from Atlantis
Calvino Rabeni: The "Occupy" movement seems to be growing, what do you think?
Calvino Rabeni: Do they have it in your area?
oO0Oo Resident: yes
Aphrodite Macbain: Yes huge in Vancouver, but completely peaceful
Aphrodite Macbain: Thousands marched
Aphrodite Macbain: I am watching with great interest but I sincerelty doubt that anything will change
Calvino Rabeni: I was reading, lots of people would like to take their money out of big corporate financial systems like Bank of America and put it in local credit unions .. they have service just as good often, and for cheaper, as they are not-for-profit
Calvino Rabeni: better "corporate citizens"
Aphrodite Macbain: That means actually doing something
Calvino Rabeni: One of the problems is the bill-pay systems, which took a lot of work to set up, and people got dependent and sort of locked in
Aphrodite Macbain: Many people dont have money in investments
Calvino Rabeni: Well it's not necessarily a huge thing to put your checkign and savings cash in a local business
Calvino Rabeni: and use their credit / debit cards
Aphrodite Macbain: yes, big corporaate or bureaurocratic systems take a long tiome to change
Calvino Rabeni: I agree, changing investments is a lot more work
Calvino Rabeni: but for the everyday financial services it is doable
Aphrodite Macbain: I have so much lionked together -mastercard, savings, checing , LOC
oO0Oo Resident: brb
Aphrodite Macbain: that it would be time consuming and fiddly to re-do. But I totally agree with doing it
Aphrodite Macbain: entropy
Calvino Rabeni: Yeah, I checked this out today, probably under the influence of having read the paper about the Occupy movement ... I could actually save money as well as distance from the "greed" system
Aphrodite Macbain: by going with a credit union?
Calvino Rabeni: Yes
Aphrodite Macbain: have u done the math?
Calvino Rabeni: There should be some self-help groups on Meetup or something to help people "get around to it"
Aphrodite Macbain: Hmm
Calvino Rabeni: Math, no, I checked the rates and fees though for the services
Aphrodite Macbain: much lower?
Calvino Rabeni: maybe there could be a place where people pledge about small life improving acts - "I'll do it if you do it"
Calvino Rabeni: Well, all the services I need are free
Aphrodite Macbain: yes- the power of the group
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Calvino Rabeni: and the limits are lower for the added value services
oO0Oo Resident: back
Calvino Rabeni: wb
Aphrodite Macbain: I'll put some serious thought into this. Thanks Cal
Calvino Rabeni: YW
Calvino Rabeni: I think part of entropy is just an emotional feeling of "this is how it is" ?
Aphrodite Macbain: Now it's time to eat dinner.
Aphrodite Macbain: See you tomorrow Cal and maybe 0(sam)0
Calvino Rabeni: Enjoy !
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye
Aphrodite Macbain: Bye! everyone
oO0Oo Resident: Night Aph
Paradise Tennant: nite nite aph sweet dreams
--BELL--

Calvino Rabeni: The word "magic" has come up sometimes in the past in this time slot ..
Paradise Tennant: magic is just science we don't understand yet :)
oO0Oo Resident: not only the word ;)
Calvino Rabeni: I found a blog post I like that says something about this... and also reminds me of the idea behind Play as Being:

"Magic returns, I think, in a new way to the post-conventional self. There is an openness to discovering that association-based, similarity-based, and thematically-linked items may indeed be cut from the same cloth in a manner not recognized by any sort of scientific reasoning heretofore explored. There is a desire to investigate the esoteric connections in new ways, substantiated by empirical evidence instead of mere tradition … and a willingness to follow the signs wherever they may lead, no matter how unexpected."  (from blog Awake, Alive and Aware)

Calvino Rabeni: It seems to be about play, being, and also investigation
Calvino Rabeni: I mean, inquiry
oO0Oo Resident: oh yes! Nicely articulated
Paradise Tennant: into the unknown
Paradise Tennant: in fact even what we know .. often we do not know that well :)
Calvino Rabeni: Or maybe, the known, but it is off the usual maps
Calvino Rabeni: People find out they know things that the standard map does not have marked on it
Paradise Tennant: what do you define as magic cal ?
Calvino Rabeni: I like the "same cloth" metaphor in that quote
Calvino Rabeni: Oh, about magic? I suppose I think that refers to things that work without people understanding why or being able to see how
Calvino Rabeni: So I think that matches your definition
Paradise Tennant: smiles hmm magic is whatever takes your breath away :) I suspect .. a myriad of the wonderous
Calvino Rabeni: Cold water ?
Paradise Tennant: lol yep
oO0Oo Resident: lol
Calvino Rabeni: Or a Cornucopia!
Paradise Tennant: sometimes as a kid I would find it completely amazing to have a body :) would look at my toes and just be blown away remember that feeling
oO0Oo Resident: magic... seeing with new eyes... open to all possibilities
Calvino Rabeni: I remember being interested in flows and turbulence, the chaotic and changing patterns inside flows .. how patterns would be the same but never quite
Calvino Rabeni: It's interesting, the poet Hopkins saw god in that type of thing, rather than in images of static perfection like the Circle
Calvino Rabeni: http://www.potw.org/archive/potw162.html
Paradise Tennant: really we presume sameness but there is never a moment that is exactly the same as the last :)
Calvino Rabeni: mm yes
Calvino Rabeni: although our nervous system is evolved to see changes more than sameness ... a slight flicker in the corner of the eye .. maybe we presume sameness because we don't perceive the changes in the background
Calvino Rabeni: many times I sat on a hillside, thinking I was seeing a fixed scene, only gradually perceiving that everything was moving, changing
--BELL--

Paradise Tennant: was reading recently how everything that is matter becomes so through spin so to speak ... even though things look solid they are in vortex of motion :) smiles like that a lot :)
Calvino Rabeni: Oh yes everything is nothing,  but spin
Calvino Rabeni needs to attend to things .. would you excuse me please?
Paradise Tennant: ok nite nite cal :)
Calvino Rabeni: Good night!
oO0Oo Resident: Night Cal
oO0Oo Resident: ty
Paradise Tennant: smiles at o .. do you have song to go with that :)
oO0Oo Resident: hmmmm
oO0Oo Resident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5HXT0bn7QY
Paradise Tennant: well that is a perfect choice :)
oO0Oo Resident: :)
Paradise Tennant: just a great song writer :)
Paradise Tennant: always felt she really had her eyes , ears and heart open :)
oO0Oo Resident: agreed
oO0Oo Resident: still does
Paradise Tennant: yes
oO0Oo Resident: she's a treasure
Paradise Tennant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2NEU6Xf7lM
Paradise Tennant: smlles this would fit the bill too :)
oO0Oo Resident: clicks
Paradise Tennant: kind of interdimensional harmony
Paradise Tennant: smiles
oO0Oo Resident: those sweet faces
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Paradise Tennant: yes they are taken by the music ..
oO0Oo Resident: :)
oO0Oo Resident: ty
oO0Oo Resident: magical
Paradise Tennant: smiles an old favourite :)
Paradise Tennant: like the harmony .. that is kind of magical when voices can combine like that
--BELL--

Paradise Tennant: smiles 11.30 pm .. I am still on european time so quite likely will wake up a 5 am :) going to say thank you and good nite :)
oO0Oo Resident: :) ntsy Para rest well.
Paradise Tennant: thanks O Zaldaan :) nite nite :)
oO0Oo Resident: Bon Nui
oO0Oo Resident: Kodama awaken www.dailymotion.com/video/x24d7y_kodama-awaken_shortfilms
oO0Oo Resident waves to Zaldaan :)