The Guardian for this meeting was Adams Rubble. The comments are by Adams Rubble.

Riddle and I settled on gratitude as a topic. We were joined by a visitor who came to PaB for the first time. later Eliza also joined us, making 4. I forgot to take a photo.

Riddle Sideways: made it ㋡
Adams Rubble: Good morning Riddle :)
Riddle Sideways: Morning Adams
Adams Rubble: I have to calm down. I've been running around like a mad person this morning
Adams Rubble takes some deep breaths
Riddle Sideways: this is a good place
Riddle Sideways: a quiet breathing place
Adams Rubble: started the day food shopping at Trader Joes
Riddle Sideways: that place is always exciting
Adams Rubble: went to old people's hour
Riddle Sideways: ha ㋡ fun
Adams Rubble: had to stand in a line outside for about twenty minutes
Adams Rubble: lots of younger people inside
Riddle Sideways: hmmm
Adams Rubble: I am a terrible shopper
Riddle Sideways: Trader Joes is much better now that the numbers in there are limited
Adams Rubble: aisles very narrow
Riddle Sideways: yes, those narrow aisles
Adams Rubble: they are working very hard to keep things clean
Adams Rubble: 6 of the trader Joes in NJ had to close down because of the virus
Adams Rubble: there are only about 8 in the state [Editor's note: there are 14)
Riddle Sideways: oh dear
Riddle Sideways: and they were keeping things so clean
Adams Rubble: it only takes one person
Riddle Sideways: TJ was the first to organize and get a system going
Riddle Sideways: was it that NBA player going in and touching the microphones? ;)
Adams Rubble: Mike Pence
Adams Rubble: so let's have a topic
Riddle Sideways: did a quick TJ run in/out yesterday
Riddle Sideways: not a topic
Riddle Sideways: ok, you got any topic?
Adams Rubble: so far J has been the big topic today
Adams Rubble: TJ

Gratitude as a topic

Adams Rubble: On thing is how important gratitude is these days
Adams Rubble: we are locked down, many out of our routine
Adams Rubble: grocery shopping has become more dificult and risky
Adams Rubble: but otherwise many of us are very fortunate
Adams Rubble: we have shelter, food in our bellies, and firends online if none at home
Riddle Sideways: yes, so fortunate
Adams Rubble: the other day I watched LIVE performance of Carmen from the Paris Opera house
Adams Rubble: What an extraordinary thing that was
--BELL--
Riddle Sideways: oh, bet
Adams Rubble: kings and queens of past eras did not have such luxury
Adams Rubble: we are the richest people ever
Riddle Sideways: "The people have no bread". "Let them eat cake"
Adams Rubble: we have lots to be grateful for
Adams Rubble: we DO have bread
Riddle Sideways: grateful
Adams Rubble: and cake :)
Adams Rubble: There are so many sad people on Facebook
Adams Rubble: so bored
Riddle Sideways: mostly happy people on the NextDoor website, about the hillside flower ㋡
Adams Rubble: :)
Adams Rubble: thank you for sharing that yesterday
Riddle Sideways: some unhappy about whichever dog trail they like is maybe closed
Adams Rubble: the parks in our state are opening Saturday morning as long as people behave
Riddle Sideways: grateful for Zoom, Google hangout, Face
Riddle Sideways: Time
Adams Rubble: face cat :)
Riddle Sideways: and 12 other video apps
Riddle Sideways: and Yes! FAce Cat
Riddle Sideways: that has not changed
Adams Rubble: thre face cat should be grateful :)

Chantelle joins us and I attempt to Explain PaB in starts and stops

Chadwick Chantilly: 's current display-name is "Chantelle Chantilly".
Adams Rubble: Hello Chadwick :)
Riddle Sideways: hearing about others that don't have it as good
Chadwick Chantilly: Hello :) _/|\_
Riddle Sideways: Hello
Adams Rubble: we are Play as Being. We gather to explore reality
Adams Rubble: have you been here before?
Chadwick Chantilly: no, first time
Adams Rubble: we used to have a note card but it is way out of date
Adams Rubble: we have been meeting since April 2008
Chadwick Chantilly: ah, wow
Adams Rubble: this morning we are talking about being grateful
Chadwick Chantilly: I understand
Adams Rubble: oh, we record our meetings and place them on our wiki
Chadwick Chantilly: I used to go to Zen retreat nearby, but I was lagging a lot
Adams Rubble: I used to do to meditation there too
Adams Rubble: do have any objection to being recorded?
Adams Rubble: we could block out your name
Chadwick Chantilly: it's ok
Adams Rubble: thank you
Chadwick Chantilly: you are welcome
Adams Rubble: let me see what kind of notecard I can come up with :)

I search for a notecard

Riddle Sideways: darn inventory, can't find the newer notecard either
Adams Rubble: here it is
Adams Rubble: as you see we used to meet 4 times a day but now our meetings are way fewer
Adams Rubble: Riddle and I meet at 7 am Tuesdays and Thursdays
Adams Rubble: there is a big session at 1 pm Wednesdays to which many people come
Riddle Sideways: hmmm, that is the only 7am sessions left
Riddle Sideways: *those are
Chadwick Chantilly: I understand, thank you
Adams Rubble: then there is a 7 pm meeting I believe on Wednesday and a 1 am I think Saturday. let me look
--BELL--
Riddle Sideways: yes, Steviana was here last night
Riddle Sideways: Grateful for that
Adams Rubble: hmm, the wiki hours are no longer posted
Riddle Sideways: something happened to that calendar
Riddle Sideways: anyway but to being grateful for what we have and not what we had and lost
Adams Rubble: there is a calender at the foot of the stairs you came up but that is out of date too. Just the hours I said
Riddle Sideways: or is temporarily missing in this Stay at home time
Adams Rubble: thank you Riddle

Back to theme

Adams Rubble: we are discussing how desperate many people are feeling about being locked up at home
Adams Rubble: but most of us have so much to be grateful for
Riddle Sideways: being on SL for over 12 years has us friends from all over that we can chat with
Adams Rubble: maybe we have taken that as far as we can
Adams Rubble: Riddle!!!
Adams Rubble: I am grateful for SL
Chadwick Chantilly: Surely SL helps
Riddle Sideways: many others are new to Zoom birthday parties
Riddle Sideways: Sl has been helping connect us for years
Adams Rubble: some people exploring using SL for gatherings
Adams Rubble: someone trying to move a graduation here
Riddle Sideways: wow
Adams Rubble: they asked for advice on facebook
Riddle Sideways: Burning Man will be using SL

Eliza Arrives

Adams Rubble: Good morning Eliza :)
Riddle Sideways: Howdee Eliza
Eliza Madrigal: Morning fine folks :)
Chadwick Chantilly: Good morning Eliza :)
Adams Rubble: we have been talking about what we might be grateful for suring the pandemic
Adams Rubble: during
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Chantelle, good to meet you
Riddle Sideways: oh! missed the Wednesday 1pm meeting
Eliza Madrigal: Fitting topic :)
Eliza Madrigal: I'm grateful for the time spent with my (older) kids
Eliza Madrigal: although by now we're a little prickly
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Adams Rubble: we haven't told Chanetlle about the 1% tax: the 9 second mediatations every 15 minutes that nobody does anymore :)
Eliza Madrigal grins
Adams Rubble: Our founder started Play as being with that exercise
Chadwick Chantilly: It sounds good :)
Adams Rubble: it is a way of getting us to see what we are doing
Adams Rubble: to help see who we are
Eliza Madrigal: Grateful for a bit more time in SL and PaB too. I do notice Wednesdays many are happy, relieved even, to do the pauses
Adams Rubble: there is a good bit of inromation on our wiki : https://wiki.playasbeing.org/
Riddle Sideways: poke yer head up and look around every 15 minutes
Eliza Madrigal smiles
Adams Rubble: and go "What was I thinking!!?!"
Riddle Sideways: often "How did I get here?"
Eliza Madrigal: "This is not my beautiful house... this is not my beautiful wife..."
Eliza Madrigal: lol
Riddle Sideways: yep. was starting to sing Talkin Heads too
Eliza Madrigal: Oh wow, Chantelle, you've been in SL for a very long time
Chadwick Chantilly: Yes, quite a while :)
Riddle Sideways: hey, not nice to talk about a person's age ㋡
Eliza Madrigal: haha
Eliza Madrigal: Well, I find it interesting
--BELL--
Adams Rubble: as long as they don't talk about my RL age I'm OK
Eliza Madrigal: I always wish I'd come into SL about a year or so earlier
Eliza Madrigal: Although it was still pretty amazing in 2009
Riddle Sideways: oh, Eliza is Only 11 years old
Eliza Madrigal: ^^
Chadwick Chantilly: and someone began in 2002-2003
Adams Rubble: yes
Chadwick Chantilly: it's fascinating to read of those early times
Eliza Madrigal: before there was any SL culture at all I guess
Riddle Sideways: a 90-sec pause seems so long :))
Chadwick Chantilly: :)
Eliza Madrigal: that one did!
Riddle Sideways: remembering not wanting to join SL because it was about money
Riddle Sideways: many of the other worlds were free
Riddle Sideways: then most of those died or became not free
Adams Rubble: Well spent no money for a long time
Eliza Madrigal: That's interesting. Yes, I was thinking that... didn't spend almost anything at first
Adams Rubble: now that I am a land baron it is costing
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Riddle Sideways: yes, did not become premium until PaB wanted land
Eliza Madrigal: same
Adams Rubble: me too
Adams Rubble: ohhh no, I bought my plot when Pema stoppd supporting us
Eliza Madrigal: I was just standing on my plot here, popping bubbles, wondering what to do with the space, if anything
Eliza Madrigal: I'd almost forgotten there were free plots way back then
Eliza Madrigal: and how vast an area PaB felt to cover
Eliza Madrigal: in my mind, too :)
Riddle Sideways: in these times, there is the stopping on your plot Eliza to rinse in the rainbird sprinkler
Adams Rubble: Chantelle, our founder was very generous and also got a grant so we could have a little plot. There were a few little villages
Eliza Madrigal smiles
Chadwick Chantilly: I understand, some people do good things for other :)
Adams Rubble: That would be helpful now duing the pandemic
Adams Rubble: lots of freindly neighbors
Riddle Sideways: payed for land, before we even know that it needed to be paid for
Eliza Madrigal nods
Eliza Madrigal: I was wondering whether SL is still full of whimsy
Adams Rubble: lots of role playing these days
Riddle Sideways: all the religions on the next sims over
Eliza Madrigal: within community worlds/ themes mostly?
Riddle Sideways: last week saw 20 people over on the next sim
Eliza Madrigal: roles as in a game?
Eliza Madrigal: Oh
Riddle Sideways: 18 of them were 2-6 days old
Adams Rubble: hmmm
Riddle Sideways: think they were teachers
Adams Rubble: I hope they went to see the Bodhisattva exhibit :)
Riddle Sideways: learning about SL
Eliza Madrigal: interesting
Eliza Madrigal is eating gummy bears before 11 am. This pandemic is not great for health, lol
Chadwick Chantilly: lol
Riddle Sideways: giggles
Adams Rubble: very bad for health in lots of ways
Eliza Madrigal: "left to my own devices"
Adams Rubble: :)
Eliza Madrigal: What are you interested in Chantelle, what brought you to PaB?
Riddle Sideways: it has been reported that this house is completely empty of chocolate items
Eliza Madrigal: oh no Riddle!
--BELL--
Adams Rubble: oh no
Adams Rubble: I stocked up this morning
Adams Rubble: had to go out for a gallon of milk
Riddle Sideways: it is on the shopping list, twice

The Zen Retreat and PaB keeping popping up appropriately in a session on being grateful

Chadwick Chantilly: Well, actually I'm grateful that I landed here. I was going to relax and to meditate a little in Zen Retreat, but it was lagging, nothing rezzing, all gray, my avatar too, a little mess. Then I relogged and I gave a look around. Then I saw you all here :)
Eliza Madrigal: Oh, nice!
Eliza Madrigal really loves Zen Retreat
Riddle Sideways: our gain, thanks
Adams Rubble: It was nice you could come Chantelle
Adams Rubble: please come again :)
Riddle Sideways: use to see Eliza over at the Zen Retreat
Adams Rubble: PaB started there in the teahouse
Eliza Madrigal: Established a fairly steady meditation practice there
Adams Rubble: I went looking for Buddhism and found PaB
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Chadwick Chantilly: :)
Adams Rubble: this is our fourth meeting spot
Chadwick Chantilly: I think there were regular meditation in Zen Retreat up to 2013 or so
Riddle Sideways: came to SL for PaB and found all those other temples by the teahouse
Eliza Madrigal nods
Eliza Madrigal: A few attempts at reviving it
Eliza Madrigal: having wandered over there in a while.... hope it is still temple heavy
Riddle Sideways: yes. most are still there
Riddle Sideways: and the terraces are there too
Eliza Madrigal: On PaB's anniversary I was in the tea house for a Zen meeting with Solobill, and Pema was IMing "It's a party!"
Riddle Sideways: ㋡
Eliza Madrigal: vivid moment... remember the feeling
Adams Rubble: the teahouse was so nice for small groups
Eliza Madrigal: definitely felt like a world apart
Adams Rubble: yes
Riddle Sideways: took a year to learn to control cam in that little teahouse
Eliza Madrigal: :))
Adams Rubble: :)
Eliza Madrigal: Not sure I did... but usually focused at the widow
Eliza Madrigal: window*
Adams Rubble: :)
Riddle Sideways: hahaha, yes, would look in from the window too
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Adams Rubble: I guess all the shopping i did before coming to PaB paid off in th eteahouse
Riddle Sideways: y'all learned SL so fast. am still trying to learn this place
Adams Rubble: PaB training
Eliza Madrigal: The first Sacred Art museum was really interesting too... but not easy to cam around at times
Eliza Madrigal: Was in a thin tall structure, right? So had to go from floor to floor if I'm remembering right
Riddle Sideways: two story
Adams Rubble: there was a ground level and too duoplicates in the sky on diffetent levels
Adams Rubble: two
Adams Rubble: three elevls
Eliza Madrigal: Ah
Adams Rubble: levels
Riddle Sideways: oh right. the skybox
Eliza Madrigal: it was a challenge when learning the ropes, but my imagination was stretched for what was possible
Adams Rubble: all of us were :)
Riddle Sideways: the strange idea that to change an exhibit, just bring the skybox down to the second floor level
Adams Rubble feeling grateful for pema (our founder)
Eliza Madrigal: always
Riddle Sideways: and grateful for Storm teaching us or just doing the building for us
--BELL--
Eliza Madrigal: I have to get going Thanks much for this time
Adams Rubble: yes me too
Riddle Sideways: Thanks for Being
Riddle Sideways: here
Eliza Madrigal: A pleasure to meet you Chantelle
Adams Rubble: Chantelle, we usually meet from 7-8 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Chadwick Chantilly: Thank you everyone, namaste :)
Adams Rubble: often go overtime :)
Eliza Madrigal: Namaste'
Riddle Sideways: great to have you drop by, Chantelle
Chadwick Chantilly: A pleasure to meet you all
Adams Rubble: Yes, thank you for stopping by Chanrelle
Riddle Sideways: come back anytime
Adams Rubble: Chatelle
Adams Rubble: Chantelle
Adams Rubble: :)
Chadwick Chantilly: thank you :)
Adams Rubble: wow
Riddle Sideways: good morning it was
Adams Rubble: have a very good day Riddle :)
Adams Rubble: yes
Riddle Sideways: by All
Adams Rubble: bye