Friday, Jan. 30 VSTE Island Day 21

We made a lot of progress in three weeks. Here are some of the changes after the meeting with Flying where he asked some questions, made some suggestions, and reorganized us. I created a visual distinction for the sandbox, a place where every visitor has rights to build. Mandie did the estate work to give the rights. We still need to create a sign that explains the rules of sandbox play. I placed kiosks in the Community Center that display some websites Flying wanted always available. When you click them your browser opens to those websites as well. In order to define some areas of the Community Center and not have it look like a train station I created four large planters, a dance floor, and a reception area. This seems to be more in line with Flying's vision. It's growing on me. The planters are the first multipiece of building I've done other than framing photos. They aren't exciting, but there is a brick wall with a wood frame filled with dirt on top. Mandie and Alfredo are working on large signs that show where you are and display the VSTE industry partners and supporters. Elijah added three Jamestown houses and many artifacts, but I just accidentally deleted that photo! Grrrr.

VSTE Island Managers' Meeting

Flying, Barrie, Janene, Mandie, Alfredo, Jazmemo, and Thunder met for two hours in world last night to go over a list of observations and requests by Flying. Before the meeting I was feeling extreme emotional fatigue from lack of clear communication. After the meeting I felt 100% better because I have some direction. I know what is appreciated and preferred. I'm encouraged that we will make a commitment to meet every two weeks between now and the conference in February.

Flying Story Tries Out a Treehouse

Last night we just did a little tweeking to the Island. I checked some issues with the furniture in the headquarters. My friend Cyrus came with me to see if we could do something about the cuddle poseballs in the sofa. They can be hidden but come right back. I need to find comfortable but business like furniture for HQ. Identity's stuff is just too "doctor's waiting room." Flying was there and when he comes we all seem to stand around waiting for words of wisdom, or some reaction to what we have done. No news it not good news because we assume the worst when he says nothing. "We" is used loosely here. I think I speak for at least two of us. :P Having the impression that what Flying needs most on the island right now is a place for himself to get away from the rest of us, we told him about a treehouse we found that we thought was fun. The house itself is about 45 meters in the air and sits inside a huge tree. The walls are almost entirely made up of windows and there are two floors with a porch. From the center of VSTE Island Flying can overlook the entire sim. The leaves change color, shades of green, the windows can have blinds, and the doors can be locked open or closed. There is even an access list so we can be kept out if desired! :-)

VSTE January 26

The weekly VSTE meeting was special last night. We met for the last time at the old VSTE building on Eduisland. There were more folks there than ever before. It was especially nice to have Flying Story and some of the key players in real world VSTE there. We attended the Educational Faire hosted by the Lindens together. At the virtual Texas State Technology College Fairwell booth we all got segways! We ran around to the various booths together on our segways and had a blast. Eventually we met back at the VSTE building for a champagne toast. We are thankful to Milosun for starting VSTE in Second Life; to Flying, his board, and the VSTE conference committee for their support of a new island, and to the team from Virginia Beach, who became passionate about enhancing VSTE's presence in Second Life.

An Old Friend

Sunday was JAM's birthday. JAM is Norma from Ohio, an Internet friend I've known since the KimVA on Dalnet. Long story, but I chatted there for many years before AOL or anything like it. All JAM wanted for her birthday was to have a reunion on Dalnet of the old "KimVA" channel. Yes, it was named for me, another long story. There were probably 25 or so regulars there that became rather close friends. One was a high school French Canadian who called himself Neon Centaur. I only keep up with about three people from those days, but I decided to go out of curiousity. What a trip! I didn't stay long because I'm so busy in SL, but I did get to see some of the old crowd. Just for the heck of it I asked if any of them had ventured into SL. To my surprise they didn't know what it was. That is no one but Neon Centaur! Neon is Yuki in Second Life, a mall owner making 10,000 Lindens a month! He lives in Japan and his mall has over 90 shop owners with a Japanese theme. Most of the products are Japanese. Yuki has been in SL much longer than I have. If I'd stuck it out with Dalnet I could have learned about SL years ago! Small world!

Educational Faire

The Lindens are celebrating educational sims in Second Life. Groups have set up booths around a four sim area especially created for this event. There is a pavilion with a series of presentations given by various groups. Here I am with friends listening to teachers and builders from vTSTC, virtual Texas State Technical College, talk about tools they use in Second Life to teach their classes. They teach digital photography with a number of tools that simulate the parts of a camera and how they work in a way that could not be done in the real world. vTSTC is also the home of Cafe 101, Lyrah Lane's project for educators in Second Life. I have always enjoyed visiting Cafe 101 and have held many meetings there in preparation for work on VSTE's island. vTSTC's booth at Educational Faire included free segways! They are awesome! I teleported several friends to the sim so they would not miss getting their own.

Circle Dance Found

Today I finally found a native American circle dance for VSTE Island. It's not great but it will do for now. It's one more interactive thing for our visitors to enjoy. Someone said that the island is a little too Jamestown and not enough VSTE. My reaction to that is there has to be a reason for people to come to see VSTE island. Once there they can join the group. Once we get a nice size group of people the draw will be the meetings and classes we offer.