Updates from April, 2015 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Vanessa 08:11 on 24/04/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    Jane’s Walk – 1 Week! 

    It’s just a week till Jane’s Walk!

    screen cap of Jane's Walk website showing walks at Medici University

    I’ve added 4 walks:

    Friday 1 May 11am – MU Campus Overview
    Friday 1 May 6pm – MU World Building Walk
    Saturday 2 May 11am – MU Creative Writing Walk
    Sunday 3 May 11am – MU Photographic Arts Walk

    Would YOU like to add a walk?
    Would YOU like to be the leader for one of these walks?
    Would YOU like to be an Organizer, Community Voice, or Volunteer for one of these walks?

    MU / SL Jane’s Walks:
    http://janeswalk.org/cyberspace/second-life

    About Walking:
    http://vanessablaylock.com/blog/topic/walking

     

  • Edie 18:58 on 03/04/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    Self-Service Screen Tests 

    Self-Serv-Screen-Tests

    Thanks Veyot & Oona! You made this so much easier!

    Everyone’s invited to come by Maria-14 and do a Self-Service Screen Test!

    I’ll collect them all HERE!

     

  • Izzy 11:14 on 25/03/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    Anthea Sharp arrival point 

    Thank you Neeva for bringing Anthea Sharp 2MU!

    In anticipation of her Sunday Noon SLT talk
    (Noon – San Francisco / 8pm – London / 3am Monday – Hong Kong)

    I’ve set the arrival point for the Dianora Quadrant of MU to Collaborateopolis! (Maria-5)

    Poster for Anthea Sharp speaking at Medici University on Sunday29 March 2015

     

    • Neeva 14:16 on 25/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      Thank you for the great poster and logistical goodness Provost Izzy!

  • Neeva 06:10 on 24/03/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    Author Anthea Sharp’s Sunday Class 

    Can someone help me get author Anthea Sharp’s Class on the Calendar?

    Who:  Fantasy author Anthea Sharp

    What: Talking with MU students and interested persons about writing craft, publishing, and her Feyland books.

    Where:  Colaboraopolis at Medici University

    When:  This coming Sunday, March 29, at 12:00-1:00 PM SLT

    Why you might be interested:  She hit the USA today best seller book publishing her writing digitally through Amazon, Apple and others.   Her fantasy books have a strong virtual-reality theme.  She’s a fantastic writer and very engaging.  She is really open to questions by writers of every level.  She knows your favorite author.  Free stuff: the first book in her series.  Also…Snacks!

    RL universities have best-selling authors come to campus. . .

    Anthea Sharp

    This Sunday at 12 SLT

    …why can’t we?

     

    • Myra 09:56 on 24/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      I think I got it added, correctly. Izzy, when you have a chance would you mind checking my work, please?

      • Izzy 12:28 on 24/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

        Awesome Neeva! Thank you Myra!

        BTW, just added Neeva to Calendar! (you should get email w login info). And added Neeva to “Slack” (no, not “Slacker”, “Slack”! 😛 you should get email invitation.

        We can clear Collaborateopolis after Wed’s Crit and let you set up for Sunday. Shout if you need anything.

        Do you want to send out a group notice for someone to make a poster? Do we have a photo of the avatar on a plain background? Or of just a book cover? (so event info can be added for poster)

      • Paypabak Writer 20:46 on 24/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

        I mentioned it on your post about the calendar but Anthea’s first Feyland book is available on Kindle for free. I am trying to read through it so I can appreciate her talk!

    • Paypabak Writer 13:34 on 24/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      This is wonderful! I am also hoping to bing in bestselling SF writer Michael Stackpole and possibly Robert Vardeman, who have SL avatars and meet in SL on a regular basis. This news should help convince them it’s worth their while.

    • Neeva 19:06 on 31/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      That would be great if you could bring in another author Paypabak. Let me know tips I can be of help.

      • Neeva 19:07 on 31/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

        Let me know *if I can be of help, I mean.

  • Izzy 17:13 on 23/03/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    Guy Fawkes Day @MU 

    photo of fireworks over parliament with the superimposed caption "Have a Blast! Guy Fawkes Day!"

    Yesterday my step-brother, enfant terrible, and MU Director of Facilities, Ryan Medici let out an early notice about the upcoming Guy Fawkes Day at MU.

    For anyone who may have been upset by the notice, I apologize. Let me remind you that this IS Medici University! No one ever has to do anything here!

    The Details

    Guy Fawkes Day is, of course, the fifth of November. Since there is no 5 November in Spring Semester, we’ve decided to do a “half-Guy Fawkes Day” and rotate it by 6 months to 5 May.

    • 1 May – Friday – Mayday Celebrations at MU
    • 1, 2, 3 May – Jane’s Walk 2015 – we’re so excited that for this 9th annual Jane’s Walk, MU will become the 1st ever Virtual City to participate in the global event!
    • 4 May – The Monday after Jane’s Walk weekend is Jane Jacobs’ actual birthday
    • 5 May – Tuesday is Guy Fawkes Day @MU

    It’s Always about Choice

    If you’ve familiar with the foundational ideas of MU, espoused around our websites, then you know that no one, not Ryan, or The Chaplain, or I, or anyone else is here to force anyone to do anything. If you want to pick a spot and never move, that’s great. If you want to make a lot of work in that spot, that’s great. If you want to rez a gallery and never come back, well, that’s not great, but it isn’t a violation of any rule since we don’t have any rules, other than be nice to each other, try to get along, be tolerant and inclusive, be supportive, look at each others work, blog about it, share links, and so on.

    Wow! That was a lot of rules for no rules! Basically we have no rules. Except for the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That’s it. It’s really that simple. Oh. And while not “required,” we do encourage working your ass off and doing amazing things!

    At times we might suggest things like Studio Roulette, and before you dismiss it out of hand, I’d urge you to really consider the possibilities, but it will always be your choice. Opt in. Opt out. Your judgement. The only thing that isn’t a choice is that come 1 July, we’ll all be gone and LEA23 will become someone else’s art project and it will look very different.

    Guy Fawkes Day

    Our 5 May Guy Fawkes Day celebration is indeed an optional Studio Roulette. When we get a little closer to that time, you’ll be able to very easily opt-in or opt-out of Studio-Roulette as you like. Even though MU is all about creativity, change, innovation, new ideas, new connections, new pathways, risk, trying different things, and so on, we all have a tendency to get comfortable and set in our ways. Even though we know we’re getting tossed out on 30 June, we still like to set up fortresses and protect them like they’ll never change. That certainly includes me. Ryan. All of us. Guy Fawkes Day / Studio Roulette is an optional invitation to nudge ourselves out of our comfort zones. An optional invitation to interact with different MU Learners. To see the campus from a different vantage point. To be closer to the center, or more out at the frontiers.

    Men are animals of the earth. They come from Papa, the earth mother, and make their homes on the land. They walk the ground, like Pig and Rat. Walking animals do not know the spirit of motion, as you do. Their world stands still for them, and their footsteps fall always against the steadiness of rock and soil. Winds blow and they crawl inside houses. The red floodwaters rise and they climb to dry caves and sleep poorly in the stale, cold air. What do they learn in these houses and caves? Stillness. Calm. They hope things will never change. Men hate change. But that is not the way things are. Light and darkness. The currents. Death. That is the order. When these men speak, their voices are little because nothing pours into them. They do not want other powers. But the man whose chest swells like the tides, who leaps the sea cliff to hear the roar of the fall, and dives straight into the ocean like a spear — this man is not like the rest. His mana is not only of the earth, but of the sky and water. He swims the lagoons and outer reef to watch the fish. He stands tall on the mountaintops. When he speaks, he will be listened to.

    — Maui, The Demigod, Steven Goldsberry

    photo of people in striped shirts and pirate hats walking with torches in the night

     

    • Paypabak Writer 18:15 on 23/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      I have all kinds of fireworks and I love setting them off! Go go Guy Fawkes!!

      • Izzy 18:17 on 23/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

        Awesomesauce! You certainly don’t have to wait till May for an MU fireworks show! You can call one anytime! Or maybe team up with an Emma Roof Rave.

        But yes, come may, you can be the official MU Pyrotechnician!

    • Neeva 19:09 on 23/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      Come July 1 this sim will be flooded by Neeva’s tears. Then it will dry and we will start planning the Medici University reunion party and inking MU merchandising deals. How about MU the movie? Imagine one just like this university, but filled with movie stars, only everyone is naked….and then…Sharknado!!! I’m switching to the MU creative writing program and starting my script now!

      P.S. I have a lovely, centrally located studio for studio roulette. Well maintained, lightly used. Looking to trade for studio with indoor swimming pool and 60 prim garage + cash in an amount to be negotiated at closing.

    • Fanny 19:28 on 23/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      Guido Faukes still seems to be very popular. SL search found 43 Avatars with “Guy Fawkes” in their name.
      I am looking forward to the fireworks!

      Neeva, I guess there will be enough tears from us to flood the whole sim. Maybe we should warn the neighbors? And I agree to naked!

      P.S. None!

  • Neeva 22:16 on 21/03/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    Big Avatar On Campus Week 2: Fanny Vermont 

    Fanny explaining the mysteries of SL photography lighting

    Fanny explaining the mysteries of SL photography lighting

    All right, my seven days of fame are over. It’s time for Neeva to pass the torch…er…prim to the next honored Big Avatar on Campus.

    It’s very hard to pick just one person, but the BAOC trophy for week 2 goes to Fanny Vermont. Here’s why: She taught a fabulous photography class. She posed in the nude for two hours for life drawing class. She posts (and responds to posts) on the MU flickr group. I’ve seen her influence in the work of other photographers on campus (creating custom poses for photograph shoots). And…she is regularly working on campus actively creating a body of work and helping to create a vibrant community. She’s making art and generously sharing what she knows with others.

    There are a lot of big avatars on Campus, but among them Fanny stands tall. Congrats Fanny, you deserve it!

    Now, next Friday it will be Fanny’s turn to pick the Big Avatar On Campus for week 3.  She can add something to the trophy and pass it along to the next BAOC.

    [Here is the Link to Izzy’s original post about the award: http://mediciuniversity.co.uk/talk/big-avatar-on-campus-the-awesome-zsophia/#more-403 ]

     

    • Izzy 22:24 on 21/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      Congratulations Fanny! Well deserved! How about a photo of that trophy?? 😀

  • Vanessa 04:38 on 17/03/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    Certificate in Virtual Public Art 

    Medici University is now offering a Certificate Track in Virtual Public Art!

    http://virtualpublicart.com/certificate

     

    • Newton 07:48 on 18/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      What a wonderful opportunity for focus and accomplishment at MU! Thank you!

      • Vanessa 11:00 on 18/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

        Thanks Newton! When I realized that Dance Anywhere, Jane’s Walk, and Manifesto for Virtual Maintenance Art were all having a “planetary alignment” during the coming 3 months of MU, it was too irresistible an opportunity not to put together a programme.

        Needless to say, I was also significantly influenced by your own Cafe Sophistry project!

        • rmarie 16:10 on 18/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

          It was crossing my mind whilst reading your curriculum that doing a CS section could maybe qualify as one of your “tracks.”

          • rmarie 16:11 on 18/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

            (posted on behalf of my dear brother)

          • Vanessa 20:29 on 18/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

            Interesting… tell me more…

            • Newton 03:27 on 19/03/2015 Permalink

              Well, since the CVPA is all about working toward a compendium of virtual experiences created, perhaps outcomes of the work people do in a CS section could also be applied toward the certificate. So far I know two people will be sharing work at the final Gender and Virtuality gathering on March 29 so they will have “completed” that. It would be neat to give a sense that they are one step closer to a larger MU-related goal. See what you think, or if that even makes sense!

  • Izzy 10:20 on 14/03/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    MU Schedule is Everywhere! 

    Medici University class, event, and activity schedule on a campus kiosk

    Calendar

    Thanks to the many realms wisdom of our own Chaplain Beedit, MU has a state-of-the-art scheduling system! You can see it on the Schedule Page of course, but it’s also found in lots of handy other spots, like here on MU/Talk, on MU/Creativity, and on the post sidebars at MU/Home. The schedule is also on 4 interactive kiosks on the Medici University campus.
    (More …)

     

    • rmarie 15:49 on 14/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      Thank you so much for your organization, attention to detail, and monumental amount of care and thought regarding MU Izzy. I’m so glad we’re all here! Just to add something, the one thing I cannot do is add things to the Timely Calendar in the sidebar. WordPress users need special permission in order to do that. Until we have figured that out, I will continue to watch the schedule page and move things to this level, and help to promote things any way I can. Loves.

      • Izzy 16:45 on 14/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

        Actually, you do have the ability to add Calendar Items. What might be confusing you, or potentially others, is that our one big, messy website is technically 4 separate installations. This “technical” point doesn’t much matter, except that it is 4 different places to be logged in, if you want to post on all of them.

        While the calendar items appear in all the places I described above, you can only post them from one place: “MU/Home”, aka
        http://MediciUniversity.co.uk

        There is no way to post from here at MU/Talk, or the other sections.

        When you are logged-in at MU/Home, it’s easy to post a calendar event, you simply go NEW > EVENT, fill out the info, and click publish. The info will populate everywhere. Be sure to include a featured image.

        The following “roles” all are able to create new calendar items, Administrator, Editor, Author, and Event Contributor.

        From that same MU/Home menu shown above, you (as an “administrator”) can select NEW > USER and then set their role as Event Contributor if they’re only going to post events, or set their role as Author if they’d also like to write syllabi.

        • rmarie 17:08 on 14/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

          Ahh, it was the MU Home thing AND not using your correct email address. See, I’m a much better Chaplain than Administrator! Thank you again.

    • Neeva 20:40 on 14/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      I used one of the kiosks at the arrival point to check a class time. It worked great. I’m going to check every time I arrive to just remind myself where and when things are going on.

      • Izzy 22:28 on 14/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

        Awesomesauce!

        Our other idea was to tattoo the schedule onto avatar bodies! 😀

    • Neeva 06:55 on 16/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

      Wow the kiosk schedules are turning out to be anazingly useful. Thank you!

      • Izzy 08:13 on 16/03/2015 Permalink | Reply

        awesome + sauce (spicy marinara!) = awesomesauce!

  • Izzy 16:34 on 05/02/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    Campus Evolution! 

    panoramic view of the MU Campus at LEA23

    MU Campus, 5 Feb ’15

    I just added the 73rd photo to our MU Flickr Group and I took a moment to scroll through all the other 72 images that we’ve posted. When I got back to #1 I was shocked – a little bit by how different the campus looked, but even more by the date! OMG how much things have changed in just 11 days!

    Thank you all for being a part of this experiment / odyssey / investigation / celebration / drunk walk / poem of co-creation.

    panoramic view of the MU Campus at LEA23

    MU Campus, 25 Jan ’15

     

  • Izzy 04:00 on 05/02/2015 Permalink | Reply
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    News Update! 

    poster of a busy dance club with superimposed text "Felicia Day Night"

    Felicia Day Night @KATYPERRYOPOLIS!

    KATYPERRYOPOLIS!

    Our danceteria’s grand opening is Saturday, 10pm SLT – Midnight w/ DJ Myra!

    Class of ’15

    http://katyperryopolis.club/class-of-15/

    We have a brand new Class of ’15 page that shows you what all your friends are up to and what Colleges & Programs everyone is in. If you want to invite more peeps to join us, there’s still space! Available studios here:

    Artist’s Studios for Students / Faculty / Staff!

    Profiles

    We’re started posting your Student (& faculty & staff) profiles on the Student Union (KATYPERRYOPOLIS!) website. You can see a bunch if you scroll down:
    http://KATYPERRYOPOLIS.club

    If you do, or do not have one, either way, it’d be great if you’d send me:

    1. Your Bio (or mission statement, or anything like that)
    2. Your Photo
    3. Any links, like Blog, Website, etc
    4. Any Social Media Links, like Twitter, Facebook, etc

    And we’ll get you updated!

     

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