Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Kiwi Visits VSTE


There was a time that I spent all my in world time with Kiwi. He was my mentor, the first one I found that was a teacher at heart, patient, and willing to help me endlessly. He taught me how to dress, edit freebie clothes and shoes, and move and explore SL. He took me to salons and explained about trying demos and bought me hair. He helped me think through the social norms in SL. I can remember now getting furious with his constant correction about what I was wearing or how I was wearing it.  That was almost two years ago. You get attached to someone who spends this much time with you and is so helpful. He was one of my first real SL friends. I have yet to meet him in person and perhaps I never will.
After a time the real person behind Kiwi got busy with his athletic hobby in real life and I became very involved with VSTE's presence in SL, and we just drifted apart.
Lately, maybe because of his new job, or my having more time away from VSTE, we have had more time for little visits. He used me and some of my friends in some Team iN Training machinima  recently. That was fun.
So here we are on a Tuesday evening sharing family and work news. Friends are the best reason to be in Second Life. Jaz, is this you?

Monday, January 25, 2010

Elisa Carbone Visits VSTE Island


We started off our second book talk with the author's visit. Mandie arranged for Elisa to call her on the phone and be in SL via voice from phone to headset. It was pretty good! Elisa talked about how and why she wrote the book, "Blood on the River," about Samuel, a real boy at Jamestown. She discussed her research methods. She talked to Jamestown docents, read primary sources, visited the archeological dig, and camped in the Jamestown area in the late spring. She knew the sounds, smells, and feelings Samuel and the others might have had living in SE Virginia in 1607 without the amenities we have today.
Elisa does not use a computer for communication and has only just started using it to compose her current book. She looks away while typing because the screen bothers her. She has always written, edited, and rewritten her books by hand.
VSTE members asked many thoughtful questions and Mandie read them to Elisa via phone. Mandie will send her our text chat along with photos we took via US mail. What a strange mix of 20th and 21st century, but it worked!

Mo Hax's video of the VSTE Fashion Show

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Cyrus' Expedition Central Clubhouse


Cyrus Hush has a new club. He is combining his love of maps and exploring, and interest in sharing with other educators on his land at Timbucks. From here you can go anywhere...anywhere that Cyrus or his friends think is worth your time. Cyrus is the ultimate source of SL map trivia and tips for exploration. He also has some freebies offered in the clubhouse.

There are links to education hotspots, art sims, science displays, gaming within the game, and steampunk areas. Additional themes are planned. Cyrus invites anyone who is interested to join the group and drop suggestions for interesting sims to include on him. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Timbucks/76/207/22