Passing along the BAOC award, I thank MU for this honor. I would like to give the award to Oona Nostra (msbluerasp) in recognition of her diligent pleasance at MU. And also her especially beautiful bio-prose mixed-media Flickr entries – a diary of the romantic existential, living on in perpetuity. It is always a pleasure to run into Oona on campus or to participate in a class with her. Thank you Oona!
New post summarizing the walks and what we learned. With links. And using the super-cool new platform Fold!
https://readfold.com/create/vanessa/janes-cyberspace-walk-2015-2sDrcHYP
Thank you Vanessa, and thanks for sharing more details on how Jane’s walk inspired another aesthetic phase at MU!
There’s an article that presents a more positive view of Second Life in Atlas Obscura. Written by Eric Grundhauser, it’s titled Forgotten Wonders of the Digital World: Second Life.
He had an excellent tour guide in Ziki Questi.
I discovered the piece this morning in this blog post by Inara Pey.
I think that was a key factor: Ziki Questi as guide. A lot of so-called reports have been based on haphazard visits and pre-conceived notions, so this was a very refreshing and very detailed look at the wonderment of SL. It really is a great read, so thanks for adding to the bandwidth!
I’m going to buy one of those bottles and stick you in it.
Ha! Promise?
Yes. And I’m serious.
Oh I know you are.
I’ll let you out but only when it amuses me.
You don’t have to trap me.
I know. But I wanna be sure you don’t get away.
You have to want to get away to actually get away.
I’ll give you air occasionally. Every 6 hours.
Promise?
Yes I promise.
Deal.
So a few folks have written to me interested in attending today’s meetup, but the 1pm time isn’t good for them. That, and that I’ve not been able to actually run SL on my PC for nearly 2 full days, makes me think we must postpone til further notice.
No matter. See you around the blogosphere.
I am interested but can’t get inworld during my daytime hours (US Central time zone). I am interested in participating! Hope your PC starts cooperating!
I remember when
you took out those matches.
Pulled the red tip over the matchbox
and started that fire.
It happened so fast.
Your eyes glued to mine.
Watching me watch you,
as you threw the flame to the ground.
Stunned, I watched it burn bright
lighting up the night,
I was mesmerized.
Then
I pulled you away.
I moved my lips up to yours,
looked right into your eyes,
whispering
…behave…
as I kissed you.
Do you want me to?
Yes… and no.
I don’t want to.
I know you don’t. But I warned you about fires.
Mmmhmm I know.
Then I reached out, took the matches from your hand, and pulled you down the path, as the fire continued to hiss and crackle behind us.
I love this poem, Oona. It’s so good I was wondering if it was a lyric. I even tried googling it.
Same here, it is a beautiful poem, Oona.
Thank you Elle, I appreciate it so much. 🙂
Thank you so much Myra. I’m gonna actually try to do some writing this go around. hehe
Here is a follow-up to our Sunday stroll through historic Provence in the Coeur region. Thanks for the inspiration, Vaneessa and Jane!
http://irez.me/2015/05/06/janes-walk-a-stroll-through-historic-provence/
I love that, the ‘The soup on the tables was still hot. Plates of petits-fours were virtually waiting to be eaten. We gorged. Could this really be called a walk?’ so fun, rMarie! Great read, ty. 🙂
such decadent words
I know we’re admonished to be nice, but I’d like to submit some critical feedback. Off with your heads.
The pictures have been changed for May’s story invitation. I apologize for any inconvenience.
I’m sorry all its my fault, I felt self conscious about being in them.
whyyyy??? You’re only a box head!
Hi there. So Feels has sent in a clever little photo essay for MU/Stories. Check it out! http://mediciuniversity.co.uk/creativity/long-distance-relationship-a-photo-essay-by-feelsempty/
I’ve just posted to my main blog about this weekends off-campus Walk to Forgotten City.
I’m working on documentation of the Jane’s walks I led now.
Unfortunately I was unable to join the walks led by rmarie or Pearl & Feels. Will you all be doing blog posts on your walks? I’d really appreciate it if you’d do a little something. A few words and images would be fantastic!
Pearl & Feels:
Forbidden City
rmarie
Hi, I am going to take a walk in Provence Coeur at 6pm SLT. Please join me as we stride around this nice 18th century French place. Revolutionary gear ok! Here’s to Jane.
There are photos of flickr and I have the chatlogs
I’ve posted pics and will include more on a blog post soon. I was on the Forgotten City walk.
I’ve just linked to my main blog post about the Forgotten City Walk in the above post here.
There are 3 of my photos of the FC Walk and one of Marie’s walk in the MU Flickr group. (It’s the indoor one called ‘walking, tea and crumpets.) And like Pay said, she has pics there as well.
While we did quite a bit of walking during Marie’s, my photos turned out to be more wildly bouncing around ones. I will see if I have any more and post them.
V, I got a couple of snaps and we did a lot. I’ll write somethin’ up!
Everybody if you haven’t yet, go check out Pearlgrey’s poem on MU/Stories
http://mediciuniversity.co.uk/creativity/margaret-and-me-a-poem-by-pearl/
It’s been brought to my attention by multiple MU learners, that I am a poor communicator. I apologize to the campus community, and individually to those I’ve harmed. For however much longer I might stay on as provost, I will redouble my efforts at better, and more, communication.
The people I’ve upset have in general wanted more IM communication. I appreciate that most peeps in SL prefer IM as the primary form of communication. I will try to honor this, however I further believe that as much as can be public, should be public. This is why I prefer talking in VB Friends chat over local chat, and why I like posting here on MU/Talk – they are public forums accessible by the entire community.
In an effort at better communication, this will be the first of many “Transparency Reports.” Today’s topic is Money.
A number of people have asked me if, or accused me of, making money off the backs of MU Learners. I’ve answered that question privately in the past, but should have made a full public declaration sooner.
Question:
Is some RL University or other institution paying me or funding me in some way to operate MU?
Answer:
No.
I do not receive a grant, stipend, reimbursement, or any funding of any kind from any institution or individual, RL or VR, for operating MU. The only entity putting money into MU is my personal bank account.
Question:
Am I making money off the work MU Learners contribute in places like MU/Creativity or in any other way?
Answer:
No.
I have not in the past, am not now, and will not in the future, collect any kind of money for any work by myself or anyone else at MU. The work seen on the 4 MU websites: MU/Home, MU/Talk, MU/Creativity & KPO! is owned by the individual authors. I do not take any part of anyone’s copyright in any way. My own work is licensed Creative Commons Attribution. You are free to use, reuse, remix, and even sell my work. You do not need my permission and you do not need to, and should not, compensate me in any financial way. Everyone else retains the copyright to their own work and may sell, license, share, give away, or not, as they choose.
Question:
What is my total income and outgo from MU?
Answer:
Income:
0. I do not receive any income, funding, ad revenue, or any other sort of compensation, RL or VR, for anything related to MU.
Outgo:
1. I paid Myra about L$3,000 L$8,000 for the KPO! audio stream.
2. I pay models for the life drawing class L$250/hour.
3. I have purchased some art from a few MU Learners. Typically I have paid L$500 for a single, no copy, 2D, artwork. A couple of MU Learners have given me pieces at no cost.
4. When I dance at KPO! I tip DJ’s and hosts. Typically L$100 or L$200 per person.
I will try to do as many Transparency Reports as possible. I’ll try to make clear not just things like this financial report, but also what’s going on on campus, what decisions are made, how they are made, and how you can have input.
If you have questions about anything, whether personally about me, about MU, about policies, procedures, activities, choices, past or present, don’t wait for me to get around to talking about it. Leave a comment below and I will address your question in my next Transparency Report. I will try to do as many Transparency Reports per week as I possibly can.
Thank you for your support on those occasions when I have had it. I apologize for those occasions when I have lost your confidence.
You’ve paid more than 3,000L for the audio stream, Izzy. The cost was 2000L per month. You paid for 4 months. I paid for a few weeks, but you picked up all of the rest, so your costs were more around 8000L for the audio stream.
You are welcome to any of my art at no cost (As if someone would pay for it.).
Myra
One simple truth about SL, people don’t make money here. Yes, there are a few merchants who are exceptions, but the vast majority of people in SL who create or build are doing it for the love of it. Imagine that.
Izzy, I know we’ve had our issues, but thank you for MU. It’s a wonderful place. You have my love for bringing it into reality.
Thank you Myra. I’ve updated the text.
Just to clarify, if it’s confusing. That money didn’t go to me. It goes to LuschAudio streams. Izzy just gave me the money to take care of the task when we were setting up KPO.
I don’t make any money, either. : )
Its odd to me that ppl are inquiring about money stuff. But I understand that maybe the whole behind the scenes is confusing to understand. I appreciate what you’ve put into MU both financially and emotionally. I don’t make things but if I did, you’d be welcome to them for free.
The notion that people are making money from MU has to be fomented by people who had little exposure to VB Friends before coming to MU.
If you look at the etymology of MU going back years, during which so many similar Challenges were proposed or undertaken by Vaneessa, Izzy, and others on behalf of VB friends (yes, there is PROOF in many blog pages!) – they would have already made their “money.”
Izzy, my feeling is that you should also itemize these things:
Time spent developing the VB Friends group and templating some of the original challenges
Cost of producing the grant written to get the MU sims
The cost of setting up all of these tools.
Down with capitalism.
The money thing has never crossed my mind but I’m more comfortable with transparency so thank you for this.
You or anyone could have anything I make; all you’d have to do is ask.
Oh thanks for being so transparent, a more interesting question though, is how we could (ethically of course) make money from our involvement in MU? For the record I don’t think being compensated for labor is a bad thing, I think not realizing that what you are doing online is labor is.
Yes Feels, this is a massive and fascinating question. If it’s not a huge topic already, it will certainly be in the next few years.
By now we all realize that we are not Facebook’s Customers, but their Unpaid Employees. I think for most people who enjoy using FB this is a reasonable exchange: value production for FB in exchange for photo sharing with relatives, etc.
If you’re familiar with TurnItIn software that compares student essays to a large database of essays to check for plagiarism, students in Canada sued TurnItIn for profiting from their unpaid labor by making their work part of the company’s uncompensated, and for sale, database.
As you might know, Protein Folding is among the most complex tasks we know of. Apparently there is a “game” out there that lets kids have fun solving puzzles while they’re actually finding solutions to very complex protein folding problems.
Since protein folding can be considered a public good, we might like the above game. Then again, Iran has photos of everyone who participated in demonstrations, but not their names. Kids half a world away could play a face matching game, or uninformed workers at Mechanical Turk could earn one cent, for matching drivers licenses to street cam photos which might ultimately lead to arrest and execution.
Or, as you suggest, perhaps not the public good of protein folding nor the sinister qualities of a repressive regime, but simply the Facebook like “harvesting” of work. Certainly in my own personal case, using SL has generated a significant amount of repeat sales for the nVidia company.
As far as I know, the only “Meta-earner” from MU activities is Linden Lab. Oh, I should have included uploading about 300 textures or L$3,000.
Oooh cool more information. How long have you been working for nVidia?
You’ve stated the reason I don’t use FB. I see it as an old problem brought to light with new platforms. There is an essay written in 1969 by Ardono that addresses the concept of ‘Free Time’ and how it is really the false negative of labor: http://pink-scare.blogspot.com/2009/12/adorno-on-free-time.html
Basically, I question the notion that FB or SL is something you do on your ‘free time’ – as if it were any less authentic than real work. How we start compartmentalize our attention (and identities) according to these fallacies is interesting to me, because instead of having multiple processes (internal and external) working in tangent you reproduce the conditions of society (competition in the marketplace) by assigning a value system in which one thing is considered work and another a waste of time. You always do something at the expense of something else…To an artist, everything is work, everything activity is on an equal playing field.
I don’t get your protein folding analogy could you elaborate?
Also – I apologize if you felt accused by my line of questioning in the essay published in MU Creativity. The thing is, when you start thinking of the ‘big picture’, someone ALWAYS profits from our activity online, and when I ask readers to speculate on that it’s not as simple as asking which individual in MU is exploiting us. My default state of questioning is not how people are being consciously manipulated, but rather, how they unconsciously start serving a pre-existing order when they take their online engagements for granted. I am suggesting that there is a lack of transparency over what constitutes work/ play distinctions when we blog, create and generate material online, and from that we unconsciously start producing labor unaccounted for.
If you read that paragraph as being accusatory of MU being some kind of accusation of MU being some crazy Money-laundering scheme that is NOT what I intended, at all. I agree that direct communication is the key, I’d have brought this up directly if someone asked me about what I meant in my essay rather than assuming things from a distance, which is more of a point of contention for me than anything else really. I’m glad that you posted this nonetheless.
The thing about the University’s Discourse essay I posted before is that it is self-reflective, about the shifting parameters of my consciousness WHILE I blog, trying to account of things that I may not be conscious of when trying to engage in a kind of discourse. Would this have been an issue to you had you brought this up with me during the editorial process?
The normalization of work/ play distinction, of course, being part of the ‘univeralization’ of the subjective split I mentioned in the essay.
You’ve never lost my confidence, Izzy. Nor would it have ever occurred to me to think you are making money off MU. I think you have given very generously of your time (and apparently your money). Thank you so much for all you do. I’m grateful for the opportunity of MU.
Izzy, if you figure out how to make money off MU you are a money making genius and I will sign up for your next get rich quick seminar.
One thing I enjoy about MU (among many) is that it is not the equivalent of a giant vending machine like so many other sims. Making money here isn’t really anyone’s goal. Very refreshing.
Finally, you are not a bad communicator. That is an over generalization. You can communicate quite clearly. Leadership of a unique organization like this is a highly complex skill. No one gets it right all the time. No one pleases everyone all the time. It is just not possible.
Thank you for setting in motion and nurturing a great overall experience. Thanks for your complete successes and your partial successes, and most of all, for your generosity it nurturing this crazy, delightful place.
Z is for Zombie Apocalypse
In the end, the zombies came for me…
haha, love it! a fitting end. 😉
Hehe. Thank you, Elle.
Enough people are responding to the invitation-to-write story pictures that I have new ones for the first half of May. This time there are 8 pictures and they are lettered instead of numbered. You can arrange them in any order you wish (and leave some out too). It’s very flexible. Everything submitted so far has been great!
You can send me a note card inworld or in a message on Slack. Ask if you have any questions. And have fun!
Do you want written stories to go there as well?
Yes, it’s mostly for written stories. We’ve had a few poems as well. You can write a paragraph or one line for one, some of, or all the pictures. You can do this in any order you like.
For example, someone might wish to write a story for pictures B, C, G and F. When you send me what you’ve written, include the letters so I know how to organize the
individual post with pictures that I will assemble for each written submission.
Also let me know what name to attribute it to. We’ve had at least one “anonymous” I think. Any learner is welcome; you don’t have to label yourself a writer or be in the writing program.
It’s been fun and there’s a nice little collection of stories so far; I think about 14 of them.
Here’s an example of a wonderfully dramatic story that Astrid wrote. She used all the numbered pictures in order; some had one sentence and some had paragraphs. https://virtuallyeveryoneiscreative.wordpress.com/2015/04/21/story-board-april-15-30-story-by-astrid-rimbaud/
For anyone who wants to read all of the stories so far, there’s a “Story Pics Project” category in the right sidebar.
And the older ones aren’t really closed if anyone is inspired to write for them. This is really flexible.
I apologize but this particular invitation is cancelled. I had permission to photograph the people involved but apparently I had “an entire narrative.” My idea was to give people several choices. I’ll see if I can replace some of the photos soon.
The Story of Three – New Blog Post
That was a fun read!
A lot to report! Fireworks on May Day, Spring Wreathes, and Jane’s Walk:
(More …)
nhg\uvzjhg jhgahg muajdgas
I posted to Bad Ryan’s Trashy Clothing. If you want to contribute let him know and he will set you up with a password.
my post: http://trashy.clothing/the-aluminum-foil-hat/
Home Page: http://trashy.clothing/
New blog post:
http://mediciprincess.com/medici-university-5-simple-rules/
Other People’s Memories and The Number 2
Loving your stories Annah, keep up the great work! 🙂
Y is for Yoga
Beautiful Myra!
Great photo Myra!
Thank you so much, Art and Pearl. I love that photo. 😀
It is hard to choose a new Big Avatar On Campus award winner from the many creative, involved individuals at MU, but one stood out to me and I select Newton. He has created an excellent series of classes with his Cafe Sophistry, which has already covered Gender and Virtuality and Time. Class sections start with an interesting philosophical discussion and end with the creation and display of art! In addition to facilitating the class, Newton has provided some delightful artistic entries and handled controversy in a graceful and thoughtful manner. I’m looking forward to the next section. Congratulations Newton!
the award is so big now haha – Newton deserves it!
Congrats Newton
Thanks for the opportunities and all the best to everyone at M.U. for a great Spring!
Happy to be recognised by you Elle. We ARE all having fun!
Well deserved choice by the lovely Elle and yayyy good job Newton!
🙂
You’ve earned it, Newton!
Yay congrats Newton! 🙂
Feels Empty has strongly encouraged me to do a cyberspace walk. (Frankly, I walk all over the mainland and also walk around my real life city.) I don’t want to create yet another account on the Jane’s Walk site so I’m posting this here. I think Feels is going to maybe post this info there.
Anyway, I am choosing a place away from MU, Forgotten City. We can meet at 4:00 p.m. SLT at the Collaborate place, which I think is Maria 5.
From the land description:
“A once great city where the prosperous residents were served by the miraculous mechanical automatons. The people have long since disappeared, but the automatons remained and still take care of the crumbling stone walls, abandoned halls and rusty fences.”
Some of you have likely heard of this place or been there. It’s worth a visit!
That is Saturday, May 2nd.
Thank you for doing this Pearl. <3 I of course work, but hopefully there will be pics! 🙂
Yes, both Pay and I have pics on Flickr now.
Veyot took the time to pull together a lovely wreath incorporating flowers she sent us all to decorate. What a lovely project and idea to showcase unity here at MU! Thank you Veyot! <3
I love it. Mine flower is in the lower right. I will have a post with more information tomorrow. Thanks Veyot!
Thanks Veyot! What a lovely project.
New and First Blog Post. Yay! Decided to give Ryan’s number challenge a go. Also been working on a writing course and jotting story ideas done. Leave it to me to get my butt in gear when there isn’t much time left for class. Better late than never, right?http://discoveringbalancethroughwriting.blogspot.com/
This is great Ananda, I really enjoyed your poem. 🙂 Hope you post all your numbers for us to see.
Calliope Lexington & Trilby Minotaur on Jane’s Cyberspace Walk #1. Video screen capture of the live stream on Twitch.tv
http://janeswalk.org/cyberspace/second-life/second-life-blog/janes-cyberspace-walk-1
Glad this went so well Vanessa. 🙂
Greetings, The next section of Café Sophistry, “The Popcorn Tear or Finding Virtual Forgiveness,” has been changed from Sunday 5/3 to Sunday 5/10 in honor of “my sleep” and to take part in a virtual Jane’s Walk – which hopefully lots are doing!
Hello again. I’ve just discovered there is an international writing challenge for may called, ‘A Story Everyday in May’. If any of you are interested 🙂 I thought perhaps Microfiction in May would be a lovely tweak, that being short fiction of 1,000 words or less – makes it easier. If anyone is interested, doesn’t have to be a campus challenge, or even shared w/ us. But a good exercise for personal/creative growth.’ 🙂
Thank for the idea Astrid. 🙂
get your butt in gear 😛
Aero Bigboots
AlexandreLois1
Ananda Crystal
Andrea Foenander
astrid
Aunt Renie
Aurelia Scheppers
Christa Forster
Ciara Finnegan
Bird on a Cyber Twig
Diptheria
Donnie Archer
Edie
Elle
Emma
Elizabeth Taylor Swift
Fanny
FeelsEmpty
Glad Kidd
Izzy
Jade Ravenheart
Kate Nova
Ken Doll
Mary Anning
Meg O'Ryan
Michael Masucci
Mireille
Molly Ross
Monerda Skute
Myra
Neeva
Newton
Michel Nostradamus
Oona
Oscar
Owen
Patrick J. Sweetman
Paypabak Writer
Pearl Grey
Rebecca Narum
rmarie
Ryan
Scarlett Luv
Sello Tape
Serra Qendra
Teresa of Avila
The Knight
Tiffany Mosienko
TrilbyM
Tullia Aragona
Vanessa
veyot
wendz tempest
Xue
Yellow Fever
Ysidora Pico
Yves
Zsophia
Myra, 
rmarie, and 2 others are discussing. 
Oona, 
Elle, and 
Newton, 
FeelMyPets, and 
astrid and 
Neeva, 
Ananda Crystal are discussing. 
Art are discussing. 
Oona 01:37 on 09/05/2015 Permalink |
Thank you Newton! That is the most amazing eloquent description ever! <3 <3 I can’t wait to pass on the honor to someone else. Thank you, truly I’m honored. 🙂
Elle 05:20 on 09/05/2015 Permalink |
Great choice, Newton. Congratulations Oona!
rmarie 08:54 on 09/05/2015 Permalink |
Congratulations, Oona and thank you for your kindness.
Myra 07:29 on 10/05/2015 Permalink |
Gratz, Oona. I love your work. So deserving of this and so much more.