2008.10.31 13:00 - Intention, Newbie, & the Jerk Ball

Solobill was the guardian and the comments are indeed his.

Halloween!  I stopped by early to do a bit of decorating...And I was wearing my kilt.  Wol and Paddy (his first hour in SL) joined me.

Wol Euler: wow, scottish solo.
Solobill Laville: :))
Wol Euler: hallo paddy
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Ahoy
Wol Euler: gruesome!
Solobill Laville: Yes, you like, Wol?
Wol Euler grins
Wol Euler: me like!
Solobill Laville: Very Halloween... byoo haa haa haa....
Wol Euler's hair stands on end.
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Dah. Be right back
Solobill Laville: ok

Storm joined us.

Wol Euler: hello storm
Solobill Laville: Hey, Storm
PaddyMetru Wirefly: May take longer then that
Storm Nordwind: Hi!
Solobill Laville: Of course Storm is here the day I wear my kilt for Halloween...
Solobill Laville sighs

Storm was also standing with the floor standing through his mid-riff.

Wol Euler: ooh, the hole in the floor is back.
Storm Nordwind: And the reason for wearing a kilt for Halloween is?
Solobill Laville: hehe
Solobill Laville: See, I knew that was coming
Wol Euler braces herself.
Solobill Laville: Well, as it is here in the States, kilts are worn on very, very, very, few occasions
Solobill Laville: Hence, it is somewhat more of a costume, than actual regular clothing
Storm Nordwind pretends not to take offence
Solobill Laville: And, it being Halloween, I decided to wear my kilt, not unusual here
Solobill Laville: In actuality, my great-great grandparents were from Glasgow
Storm Nordwind is English and thinks Solo can wear whatever he likes in a PG area
Solobill Laville: left in 1821 aboard the Earl of Buckinghamshire
Wol Euler: ooh
Wol Euler: old established, then.
Storm Nordwind: Only recently then
Solobill Laville: yup
Wol Euler: heheheh
Solobill Laville: Everything here is only recently
Storm Nordwind: I have fixed walls in my cottage home older than that :)
Wol Euler: heheheh
Solobill Laville: hehe

Adams arrives.

Adams Dubrovna: hello everyone :)
Solobill Laville: Hi, Adams!
Wol Euler: hello adams
Adams Dubrovna: Great group gathered here today :)
Solobill Laville: I decorated a bit for the day :)
Storm Nordwind: Me too

I had placed crocodile skeletons and Halloween flags around the interior of the pavilion, there were maybe a dozen pumpkins underneath the table in front of us.

Solobill Laville: Ah, your pumpkins??
Adams Dubrovna: That's a great outfit Bill :)
Storm Nordwind: Yes
Solobill Laville: Thanks, Adams
Adams Dubrovna: I love your model Storm :)

Adams was referring to a scale model of the new PaB pavilion that was on the table in front of us.

Wol Euler: yes, excellent.
Storm Nordwind: It shrinks well
Solobill Laville bets those pumpkins are older than his walls in his cottage
Solobill Laville: :)
Wol Euler: heheheheh

Then Fael joins us.

Adams Dubrovna: Hello fael :)
Wol Euler: hello fael
Solobill Laville: Hey, Fael!
Fael Illyar: Hi Everyone :)
Fael Illyar: Oh, skeletons :)

Doug was next.

Adams Dubrovna: Hello Doug :)
Adams Dubrovna just noticing all the decorations
Solobill Laville: Wow, Storm those pumpkins are awesome!
doug Sosa: you are so fast!
Wol Euler: hello doug
Fael Illyar: Hi doug :)
Solobill Laville: Hi, Doug!
Fael Illyar: pumpkins and all :)
Storm Nordwind: Thank you Solo. The pumpkins take about 3 minutes to make
Fael Illyar: oh, dubrovna is looking different from the last I saw him :)
Solobill Laville: Well, 3 minutes for you, perhaps... :)
Storm Nordwind: You're very modest Solo. I could teach you if you wanted
Fael Illyar: ah, prims, that's easy enough :)
Solobill Laville: I'll take you up that, Storm
Solobill Laville: Paddy, are you back yet?
doug Sosa: Paddy?
Wol Euler: doesn't look like it.
Solobill Laville: He's behind you Doug, new today
Solobill Laville: I wanted to give him the "chat log" speech :)

Storm starts to build a pumpkin from scratch in front of us on the table.

Solobill Laville: Ah, I see, Storm
Solobill Laville: Copy and rotate!
doug Sosa: amazing.
Wol Euler: O.O
Wol Euler: tell me that there is a copy-and-mirror too, and I shall swoon.
Solobill Laville: Someone catch Wol!
Solobill Laville: I do think she may swoon!
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Wol Euler smiles.

Wol doesn't quite swoon, leading Fael to say...

Fael Illyar: perhaps copy and mirror is missing :)

I noticed Doug's new skin with scary scratches...

Solobill Laville: Wow, doug, those scratches are scary!
Storm Nordwind gave you Pumpkin for Solo.
doug Sosa: i can't get rid of them.
Solobill Laville: ty, Storm!
Wol Euler applauds
doug Sosa: Ade helped me get past the white skin, gave me a new skin, i modified it, and here i sit looking like i
mistreat cats.
Solobill Laville: hehe, true
Adams Dubrovna: or they mistreat you
Fael Illyar smiles.
Wol Euler is sympathetic.
doug Sosa: tears.
Solobill Laville: Doug, do you mind sitting next to Storm so I can get a picture?
Fael Illyar: where did you hide the old skin?
Wol Euler: I've tried tuning textures using those avatar templates, it's not easy.
doug Sosa: ade maybe? sure, i'll move.
Solobill Laville: thanks
Solobill Laville: I'm trying to win the PaB photo essay contest...
Adams Dubrovna: :)

I thought perhaps there was a pertinent PaB topic for discussion today. 

Solobill Laville: So, any topics of interest today?
Wol Euler promises to be quiet and sober and formal and not at all silly
Storm Nordwind snickers
Solobill Laville: The last time I was here, we discussed "intention", in terms of PaB

Storm picked up on Wol's not being silly comment and rezzed a large white compressible hammer with a heart on it;
I decided to name it...

Solobill Laville: Love hammer
Wol Euler: poink!
Solobill Laville: lol
doug Sosa: Love hammer?
Storm Nordwind gave you HeartPikopikoHammer.
Wol Euler notices Storm's ghostly aura.
Solobill Laville: Storm has one in his hand Doug
doug Sosa: i thought it was spiritual emmenations.
doug Sosa: oh, that pink thing?
Storm Nordwind makes wooooooooooohhhh noises
Wol Euler shivers
doug Sosa: can it be aimed?
Solobill Laville: Better watch yourself now, Wol, I have one!
Solobill Laville: Hmmm....let's see....lol
Wol Euler cringes.
Solobill Laville: I wouldn't
Adams Dubrovna thinking of a different seat
Storm Nordwind looks over at doug and takes aim
Storm Nordwind's compassionate heart wins out
doug Sosa: love hammers? an SL way of flirting?

I suddenly levitated.

Solobill Laville: OK, now I will float
Adams Dubrovna: haha Doug
Solobill Laville thinks it is a good thing he wore his scottish underwear under the kilt today
Solobill Laville: Uh, compassion hammers
Wol Euler: be decent, sir. there are ladies present.
Solobill Laville blushes
Solobill Laville: OK, I did my guardian best, who wants to discuss anything?
doug Sosa: is PaB taking us into the forbiden land of the obvious - the animal energy among us?

Though Doug's point was interesting by itself, Adams took us down another track.

Adams Dubrovna: What did you mean by"intention"?
Solobill Laville: Hoooo! boy (Doug)
Solobill Laville: Intention as in
Solobill Laville: engaging with an effort, an intent
Solobill Laville: to explore ways to encounter being
Solobill Laville: Practice with effort towards experience
Solobill Laville: And what each individual feels / relates personally will drive that, of course
Adams Dubrovna: Hmmm. I haven't thought about intention for a long time
Solobill Laville: It could also be goal-oriented, without over attachment to any outcome as well, Adams
Adams Dubrovna: Yes, I was thinking more in terms of the ground shifting under my feet
Adams Dubrovna: Hard to have intention after that but I realize something is driving me
Adams Dubrovna: Maybe it is Being itself now

Doug took us in a new direction.

doug Sosa: intention - the tension is within. dynamics of restitution. Like a stretched rubberband.
Adams Dubrovna: Hmm. Could you say more Doug?
Solobill Laville: Can you expand on the idea of dynamics of restitution?
doug Sosa: the idea is that the forces that are making for change are internal, hence, my intent is in me, pulling towards goals that I set or are set by my body.
doug Sosa: Coeffecient of restitution. How high does a dropped ball rebound? Putty, sero. Tennis ball about .6
Adams Dubrovna has lost the bounce :)
Solobill Laville: So, it would be a very natural occrence then, being driven internally, yes?
Solobill Laville: Hmmm...Adams
doug Sosa: yes, if some process, external or internal, has created "tension"..
Adams Dubrovna: It feels more like I am being pushed across the ground
Storm Nordwind: Intention - according to my teacher - is "a mental factor that functions to move its primary mind to the object". If thats sounds complicated, then he also says, "The principal function of intention is to create karma".
Adams Dubrovna: But I can relate to the tension
Solobill Laville: What creates the friction (the ground / a wall?), and what pushes, Adams?
Adams Dubrovna: I am wondering if it Being pushing now
doug Sosa: bows gently as i must leave.
Adams Dubrovna: Not sure there is a wall there
Solobill Laville: Storm, is that in congruence with Right Effort, it would seem at first glance to not be
Wol Euler: bye doug, enjoy the weeekend
Solobill Laville: bye doug
Adams Dubrovna: bye Doug

Adams Dubrovna: brb
Storm Nordwind: I don't think so Solo. It's one of the five mental factors that is always present
Solobill Laville nods to Adams
Solobill Laville wants to be wary of slipping into too much Buddha stuff...
Storm Nordwind: Indeed
Fael Illyar: are we talking about conscious intention or unconscious?
Solobill Laville: I was meaning conscious
Solobill Laville: Good clarification, Fael
Storm Nordwind nods
Solobill Laville: To bring it back to the first point
Solobill Laville: PaB is based on a practical level
Solobill Laville: *if you so choose*
Solobill Laville struggles with how to say this correctly
Solobill Laville: How about this ....
Adams Dubrovna: back, catching up
Solobill Laville: Those who have seemed to reaped the most, have been the most intentional (in terms of PaB)
Solobill Laville: Thus, intent, would be an important factor
Adams Dubrovna: But the intent changes with the practice
Solobill Laville: Maybe even necessary (as some belief systems reinforce)
Fael Illyar: yes, but what kind of intent is it?
Fael Illyar: I come here because I enjoy being here.
Solobill Laville: That brings up a very good point Fael

To me, we are all involved in a personal social economy here in SL, with competitive choices on where and how to spend time - our currency.  So then, I think we are actually talking about personal value in terms of PaB.  My interest is also in terms of looking at ways to maximize that value on a group level.

Storm Nordwind: Is it possible to judge who has reaped most, or whether they have a higher level of intention Solo?
Solobill Laville: Of course not, not in any real way
Fael Illyar: it's not something I decide to do. No need, I end up coming often even without deciding.

Well, in hindsight, I wish I could expand on my answer to Storm here...next time.  :)

Wol Euler: wb paddy
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Thanks
PaddyMetru Wirefly: I got a haircut! :)
Wol Euler chuckles.
Fael Illyar smiles.
Solobill Laville: Sorry, I am being crawled over by the kids right nmow
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Wol Euler grins
Storm Nordwind remembers those days from loooooong ago
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Anyone care to tell how to sit cross legged? It looks like my legs are going through the floor
Storm Nordwind: Click on your cushion
PaddyMetru Wirefly: There we go!
Adams Dubrovna: The idea of intention may be important in determining how PaB proceeds in the future
Adams Dubrovna: In the sense of the intention of the group
Adams Dubrovna: It is a not unimportant question
PaddyMetru Wirefly: What does this group do?
Solobill Laville: I'll give you a notecard Paddy
PaddyMetru Wirefly accepted your inventory offer.
Adams Dubrovna thinks it is a long time since he showed up looking for Buddhism

I was thinking Adams meant he was perhaps looking again, based on the previous comments, but I now see he meant in a historical sense.

Solobill Laville: Is he?
Adams Dubrovna: now?
Fael Illyar can't remember Dubrovna showing up looking for Buddhism ;)
Wol Euler smiles. That seems a long time ago.
Adams Dubrovna: No, I've found something different but Buddhism and other eastern religions are beginning to temper my understanding of being
Adams Dubrovna: Well Fael, a different manifestation :)
Solobill Laville nods
Adams Dubrovna: The other manifestation still is lurking around
Fael Illyar: well, yes ... my other manifestation is dancing elsewhere :)
Wol Euler chuckles.
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Oh jeez... It appears I have stumbled upon a group of higher thinkers than myself who have gotten themselves a bone alligator. Or was it a crocodile? I can't really tell.
Wol Euler: naaah.
Solobill Laville: crocodile, Paddy
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Darn my external monologue of which is supposed to be internal
Storm Nordwind: We like to emphasise the "play" bit of Play as Being sometimes Paddy!
Wol Euler: (btw, we publish these meetings on our website. May we have your permission to include your name and comments?)
Fael Illyar: (nice timing, Wol ;)
PaddyMetru Wirefly: (Of course, but I'm afraid I have the lack of attention span enough to attend another of these, terribly sorry)
Fael Illyar: but higher thinkers is not quite right...
Storm Nordwind: "Hire" thinkers maybe?
PaddyMetru Wirefly: No, not that...
PaddyMetru Wirefly: People with deeper thought?
PaddyMetru Wirefly: And better hair

Ha!  A very funny comment from Paddy as a new SL person...and quite true; hair is a tough one.

Solobill Laville: Well, maybe it is what we choose to think about :)
Fael Illyar: all we do here is that we seek an understanding of our own minds... well, at least that's what I'm here for.
Fael Illyar: exploring our minds, so to speak.
Wol Euler grins. The hair is easily arranved, once you figure out the need to do so.
Wol Euler: talk to me afterwards, if you like.
PaddyMetru Wirefly: I can see a bit of my scalp through my hair
PaddyMetru Wirefly: It makes me think I'm a victim of radiation or something
Solobill Laville: I know this sounds scary, Paddy, but you can make your head smaller :)
Wol Euler: we can sort that out.
PaddyMetru Wirefly: It isn't that my head needs to be smaller, It's that I can't get my hair any bigger
Solobill Laville: you'd be surprised...
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Darn you default settings!
Adams Dubrovna: me thinks it is interesting that we can make our heads smaller but can't do anything about not sleeping
Wol Euler laughs.
Solobill Laville: hehe, I have a sleeping anim for you Adams ;)
Wol Euler: heheheh
Adams Dubrovna: :)
Adams Dubrovna: Another way RL is laggging behind

Newbie and the jerk ball...

PaddyMetru Wirefly: Something tells me that I know how to make actions in the chat thing, but I'm too afraid that I'm wrong to try.
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Yep, I feel like a noob...
Wol Euler: type "/me does something" -- without the quotes
Solobill Laville: Most folks are very nice to new folks, Paddy, make mistakes freely
PaddyMetru Wirefly blinks
Wol Euler: right!
Solobill Laville applauds
Wol Euler: we were all new once.
Storm Nordwind smiles
Fael Illyar: we're all new at first, nothing wrong there :)
Storm Nordwind: We don't often eat new people
Solobill Laville thought Storm was Scottish
PaddyMetru Wirefly bows, hitting his head on the table. Miming is fun at times
Wol Euler: heheheh
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Are there supposed to be odd light blue swirlies around Storm or is that some sort of forcefield?
Wol Euler: it's his personality.
Solobill Laville: Storm has *powers*
Solobill Laville: :)
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Oddly reminds me of X-Men, but that was a lady
Adams Dubrovna: It's good idea to be nice to Storm :)
Solobill Laville: ;)
PaddyMetru Wirefly: I try to be nice to most people
Adams Dubrovna: Good thing to do Paddy :)
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Something tells me we can't turn off the rain.
Solobill Laville: Why just most, though, Paddy?(though I think I know what you mean)
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Why not most? Cause being a jerk to those who are jerks to me is just what I do.
Wol Euler: being nice to the nice is too easy, though.
PaddyMetru Wirefly: I know.
Wol Euler: no credit gained there :)
Storm Nordwind watches the "jerk ball" bounce between people all day long
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Now, how do you look up?
Solobill Laville: Wrestling in the mud with a pig gets both of you dirty, but the pig enjoys it ;)
Wol Euler: yep
Adams Dubrovna: :)
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Pigs are always in the mud so it isn't any different for them except they get to wrestle.
Solobill Laville: And every once in a while someone joins them
Wol Euler: most often in election years
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Found how to look up!
PaddyMetru Wirefly makes Final Fantasy fanfare noise
Fael Illyar: have you found mouselook yet?
Adams Dubrovna: They only wear lipstick in lection years Wol
PaddyMetru Wirefly: I think that's what I did.
Wol Euler: hehehehe
PaddyMetru Wirefly sighs "Politics"
Solobill Laville: Well, friends, it is Halloween and I have two youngsters getting jumpy...
Fael Illyar: mouselook is the 'M'-key
Storm Nordwind: Good time to draw to a close then
Fael Illyar: See you later Solo :)
Wol Euler: bye solo, enjoy the evening.
Solobill Laville: :) Thanks, Wol
PaddyMetru Wirefly: Bye bye
Solobill Laville: BYe, Fael, Storm
Adams Dubrovna: bye Solo
Storm Nordwind: Bye Solo
Wol Euler: paddy, stay back, we'll fix your hair.
Wol Euler: bye adams, storm
Solobill Laville: Nice to meet you Paddy, good luck!
Adams Dubrovna: Bye Storm
Wol Euler: enjoy the weekend
PaddyMetru Wirefly: You too