ooh update of P2 theme fixes the break…
ooh, update of P2 theme fixes the break from the Chrome update! π
ooh, update of P2 theme fixes the break from the Chrome update! π
When I contacted EnglishPEN about writing to Nadya Tolokonnikova in prison they gave me her (now former) address in Mordovia and cautioned that if I wanted the letters to get through the censors, I shouldn’t talk about anything political. How do you write a non-political letter to the most politically aware person in the Russian nation? About whom I know nothing, save for the political? I wound up sending her several letters of chit-chat and drivel. On Friday The Guardian revealed that at least 1 person was able to have far more substantive correspondence with her:
β’ Nadezhda Tolokonnikova’s correspondence with Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Ε½iΕΎek
Dear Vanessa, Thank you for drawing my attention to this article. There are so many points to consider here – Nadia’s courage is amazing – Zizek’s humility, touching. (Notably, he does not inquire directly about her politics but focuses his questions on her wellbeing – encouraging her to talk about her rituals and routines that serve as ways of coping with her imprisonment.) However, my first instinct is an urge to “mother” Nadia (a move, I suspect, she would strongly resist!!) for I worry that the over-arching political cause spares little compassion for the fate of the young woman upon whom it is draped…I worry about the archaic closing “comrade” (though this gets dropped as their correspondence continues) – it smacks of a heady belief in a system that also failed people abundantly… But this comment is not a discussion about political poles, it is rather about a comparison between ZIzek’s correspondence and your letters to Nadia. I think you underestimate the significance of your personal correspondence with Nadia. While, in terms of her profile as a political activist, ZIzek’s support is valuable, when Nadia is considered less as an emblem and more as a human-being, your chit-chit and banter offers her an anchor in the everyday outside of the walls of her confinement, a grounding context for all the political theorising. I think, appealing to her as a person rather than political symbol, this communication is equally as important.
I’m taking Practice Based Research from NovoED and also Site Dance from Coursera.
ADVANTAGE NOVOED: So much easier to find and communicate with interesting classmates.
ADVANTAGE COURSERA: So much easier to give quick & meaningful peer review feedback.
CURRENT SCORE: Deuce!
Yes! Yes! I am taking both of these courses as well! Both are fantastic for content. I’ve found Cousera to be a bit sprawling in the forums. There are many more threads posted than over at NovoEd and I’ve had trouble weeding through them to give feeback. This is partly the instructors design (they encouraged individual threads with the first assignment LandMark) partly the platform design and partly my fault for not always being the most tech savvy.
Yes Molly, I’m grateful for both, yet not entirely happy with either. It is interesting how “tech details” can so dramatically effect the experience you have in these different spaces. And for sure what we’re experiencing on both sites is an interaction between the platform and the instructor’s design.
On Peer Review for example, on NovoED it takes me forever to do them, it’s painful and I hate it, and in the end I don’t really feel that I said anything useful. On Coursera I wind up doing extra ones because it’s so fast, easy, and fun to do, but I also feel like I’ve actually given the artist some sort of useful feedback.
Hello band
I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for participating and rocking out last night. It was for me at least a small dream come true to be part of a band… and a talented HOT one at that! Well done everyone! People in the audience commented on your moves and really interesting responses. People were fascinated. I think it helped with the credits at the end, as it contextualised second life and that you are all autonomous avatars. Otherwise some may have thought it was just a video.
(More …)
Congratulations Owen! And thank you Aeon, Mireille, Moni ‘n Trilby! Great show!! π
It’s great to hear that your tech went so well, between the little details of unfamiliar stuff and just the stress of also being on stage, that’s pretty impressive!
Hey Owen and band mates!
I’ve done several of Vanessa’s performances in SL in the past and I have to say this was one of the most enjoyable. The idea that there was a live audience of folks listening to you play and watching us cavort around in our avatars was intriguing and I really look forward ro seeing the video and photographs from your side.
Anyway I am really pleased that it went well for you and the audience enjoyed the show.
To quote on of my heroes John Lennon: “I’d like to thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition” xD
Congratulations Vanessa Blaylock Company and Owen!! I’m looking forward to seeing the documentation of your performance π
Hello all! I had a great time as well, and also look forward to seeing the film and photos! π
Ono Okoy, Aeon and I really enjoyed this adventure and we thank you for using our little corner of the metaverse for the SL portion of your piece. We thank Vanessa too, of course, for bringing us into it – and Monerda and Trilby and everyone for their exuberance and other assorted specialness. What a treat! We can’t wait to see the video of the entire piece.
Anytime you want to share or do or just explore in SL, give us a shout. We’ll be happy to help in any way, whether you use Ce Soir Arts or another location for your work. As Aeon says as I type this, “We just wanna keep up with ya!” (You know how inelegant he can be sometimes.) π
Hugs all around!
Mireille
Thanks for the view into this event. I, too, and looking forward to the visuals!
Hey Owen! The very rockin Agnes Sharple wants to be in the band. I know we already have everybody, but she can play: Bagpipes, Ukulele, Didgeridoo, or Tambourine? Do you need any of those? Or if not, what if she does vocals. I can hang out in the wings and help Aeon with stage manager stuff. And I can smoke all of Moni’s cigs of course. And make power calls on my iPhone9.
Bagpipes! yessssss! Like AC/DC’s “It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock n roll”. And no I will not share my American Spirit cigs :p
(bitch)
Hi V, I have already made scrolling credits with our names on to come at the end. This would mean having to re-edit, again. Sorry to be a party pooper. I am hoping that this is only the first time, and that our band will tour, then we can invite others. I’d also really like you to be on vocals this time. π
No worries. I didnt really understand what the performance was about (It
s slow friday!) and was just joking about the bagpipes and the ukulele.
However, I wasn`t joking about the didgeridoo.
Seems like I can`t make it anyway, but hope it will be great fun.
You`ll have beard? Like La Barbe? Super cool! π
Hey Agnes, i hope that we get to do a band another time! We had an absolute ball, and your didgeridoo will be most welcome π
here’s a post on today’s rehearsal!
http://practicebased.re/search/pbr-classmates-collaborate/
Hello band!
Great rehearsal today. Exciting to see you all in one place!
So instructions for Friday:
(More …)
Thank you for this, Owen. I think this is the best way for each of us to count it out. Totally, brill! π
You are a trooper on the SL bit. You did just GREAT, even with glitches and learning curve. So good to have you in-world – and we hope you enjoy SL, whatever you do from this point forward. Let us know if you need anything at all.
I really had a great time with the rehearsal, and am rarin’ to go for Friday!
Thank you!
Great, so Aeon will be our timekeeper then, for
1. 30 secs
2. 30 secs
3. 2:37
Aeon has agreed to count the time.
Here’s the drill:
Owen will type: ENTER
At 30 seconds, Aeon will type: WALK
We will walk to the stage and take position at our instruments.
After 30 more seconds, Aeon will type: PLAY
We will play during the song. Aeon will count 2:37 and type: STOP
We will stop playing, leave our instruments to gather at the front of the stage to clap, etc.
Owen will let us know when everything has concluded.
One or both of us will be there early, and our assistant, Mimi, may be there, depending on her actual schedule. Since there was no audience requirement, we did not advertise this as an event. We should not be distracted by visitors, although people do drop in at Ce Soir at various times that we largely do not control. We will, however, set the sim to G temporarily to ensure that Owen can TP in.
VOICE will be OFF on the sim, as we are not using it. Please turn off streaming music in your viewers, as we will allow our usual stream to continue playing for visitors since we are not using the stream for this event.
Rest well tonight. See you tomorrow!
PS: I am wondering if Owen knows how to turn off his SL streaming music, so we’ll just remove the stream for the performance. No worries!
Hello all! There was an update to Google Chrome which is temporarily not letting you post here. If you use Firefox, Opera, or most other browsers you’ll be fine till the Chrome issue is resolved. Also, if instead of using the “Whatcha up to?” box, you use the +New>Post, then even Chrome will still post here. Sorry for the hassle! We’ll keep you updated.
Owen
I will contact all band members in-world with this information, but here is where to get the beards β all four green colours come together for $L90 at Discord Designs. The beards are called OLAF and can be found at this SLurl:Β http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Moonsong/171/212/24
They are not transfer, so if anyone needs to modify their beard and needs help, Iβll be happy to do my best!
Awesome Mireille! Thanks so much!
It’s been loads of fun chasing these things down. (Hmmm…now I have this vision of me chasing a beard. WEIRD!)
Thank you, Vanessa!
PS: They are on Marketplace as well: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/dDx-Olaf-Greens/1730149
hello everyone! Vanessa invited me to come over and say hey so here I am π Looking forward to Friday’s performance!
β’ Performance: Friday 6:30 – 8:30pm GMT / 10:30am – 12:30pm SLT
β’ Rehearsal: Wed 3pm GMT / 7am SLT
BAND:
Keyboards – Mireille Jenvieve-Woodford
Macbook – Trilby Minotaur
Bass – Monerda Skute
Vocals – Vanessa Blaylock
RL Vocals – Owen Parry
LOCATION: Ce Soir Arts
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ce%20Soir/81/157/1003
Hello band! The rehearsal on Wednesday should not take long. I will arrive at the space at 3pm GMT… it may take me 10 mins to set up internet. We should be finished by 4pm GMT.
Vanessa, will some of you have white t-shirts with ONO OKOY written in black? and Some black t-shirts with ONO OKOY in white? That would be visually interesting.
See you all Wednsesday. I have not met Monerda yet, but i’m looking forward to meeting everyone!
Owen
Quick – but important – question:
For SL, will we be on Voice or streaming? If stream, I’ll need the stream data/URL to enter into the land. Just send along, as needed.
Thank you! π
Here is a snap of me in the GREEN Olaf beards – not modified for style, but at least the colours show for your selection (if one works). I rather like the Amphibian – although I am VERY afraid of fffrrroooggggssss! (EEK!) Romaine is nice too. teehee
Oh, the text is so small on that snap. Sorry!
UPPER LEFT: NORI Green
LOWER LEFT: OLIVE Green
UPPER RIGHT: ROMAINE Green
LOWER RIGHT: AMPHIBIAN Green
The beards look great Mireille! Maybe each of you should have a different colour green? So happy the beards have worked out!
That’s wonderful, Owen. I will contact all band members in-world with this information, but here is where to get the beards – all four colours come together for $L90 at Discord Designs. The beards are called OLAF and can be found at this SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Moonsong/171/212/24
Everyone can then choose which green to wear? COOL!
They are not transfer, so if anyone needs to modify their beard and needs help, I’ll be happy to do my best!
Hi, everyone!
Here is a snap of me in one of the prim beards that is modifiable. Sadly, none of the ones I’ve found are transfer…but this one is only $L90 and is very easy to modify. This is “step one” in the modification possible, so have a look and let me know what you think. I look kinda cute with a beard…n’est-ce pas ? giggles
Oh, cool, Trilby!
Yay! π
The Stanford/NovoEd course Practice Based Research in the Arts entered week five and launched a new function —Studio West described in the syllabus as βour bespoke online artist studio space.βΒ Iβve spent the weekend moving into my online studio space and I am trying to understand this new platform/format/function/site. What exactly is Studio West?Β (More …)
Yes Molly! I think you raise many insightful and important questions about the studio we’ve all been wondering about and waiting for, for the past month. I agree with all your points. The only real answer I can give is that Studio West seems very beta.
I can’t imagine this is the final version since the functionality is so limited. If it is still in development, it may not have the better functionalities you describe before the end of the course. But if it does achieve that, it could still be a nice tool going forward.
Limited as SW is, it’s still nice to see images of our classmates work. That such a crippled Studio West can still be better than NovoED is perhaps an observation that MOOC platforms too are very beta. I imagine platforms like NovoED were launched on tech topics like the famous Stanford Robotics course, and they haven’t really built out to embrace visual culture yet.
For me, meeting new colleagues is even more valuable than lecture content, so I’m eager to see platforms like NovoED, Coursera and iversity have better visual offerings, indexes of students, links to student’s own websites, the option for turned in projects to “reveal creator’s identity” and the option to “reveal peer reviewer’s identity.” The option for privacy here is fine, but I’m not doing all this work to be invisible, I want to meet the classmates whose work I find compelling.
Studio West has gone to Reverse Chron order! Now let’s really move in and take this site for a spin. I agree that the compelling part of this course, Studio West and this site is the ability to connect with colleagues and engage in critical dialogue.
huh… I’m confused… it seems like Reverse-Chron when I’m not logged in, but then when I log in it seems to go back to Chron only…
I bought one of the masks you selected and also set up a microphone. See what you think.
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Tintable-Surgical-Mask/2606541
Hey Van, thanks for putting so much work into this. It feels paramount that the avatar beards match the beard I will wear and audience in the venue… also the ONO OKOY t-shirts. is it impossible to create a grass beard? Apologies if i sound completely ignorant of these things… i’m new to all this. π If it’s not possible, i am going to have to re-think a few aesthetic things. The grass beards are a way of uniting me and the audience with the avatars. Let me know what you think!
I’m not really in a position to build what you want. Maybe you can hunt through SL Marketplace with different search terms and find something that makes you happier?
I think I have an idea about the beard! One of my musician friends wears a beard kind of like that and perhaps we could – if it’s modifiable – create something that is a combination of the mask and beard. I will look into it and see what might be possible. Hope this helps!
Mireille, that would be really really great! Thank you!!!
I’m still browsing SL marketplace but cannot find anything that resembled my grass beard design… i’ll keep searching just in case. π
My friend has not been online, but I looked about and found a couple that might work – with some modification. I modified one and can post a photo in a bit – after I try a couple of other places to look and see if my friend logs in soon. The beard I have now is no-transfer, but is only $L90 and is easy to modify. π
Hi, Owen, Vaneeesa, et al!
We are looking forward to having this event at Ce Soir Arts…and I love the idea of playing in the band – with beard, even!
Let me know if you need anything in between, but I will see you at rehearsal on Wednesday. We wish to advert the event in a way that fits for your work and represents it well. Vaneeesa has been most kind in sharing information, so we feel we have a strong foundation, but anything you would like to add Owen, please post or send along to mireillejenvieve@gmail.com. I will post here or run past Vaneeesa anything we plan to send out for approval.
Thank you!
Mireille
PEER REVIEW
I’m not positive on these details, but it seems like on NovoED you know who you are reviewing, and on Coursera you do not. One can imagine the privacy value of having Project Designer and Project Reviewer both be anonymous — HOWEVER — since I see meeting new colleagues as the single biggest benefit from MOOCs, it’d be nice if both the Designer & Reviewer had a “Make my identity known” or “Make my identity public” checkbox. (I wouldn’t even mind if the default was that the box was checked)
It’s so frustrating to see someone’s great project and have no idea who they are. These MOOCs are all too big to permit “hanging out with the faculty” but when the structure actively prevents “hanging out with classmate / colleagues” that sucks.
While waiting for that checkbox — peeps who post work could also blog the work, or even an extended version with more pix, etc, and then add their URL to their turnin post. Thus providing both identity and content for anyone who’s interested.
Perhaps reviewers could also add a link to their site.
Gosh, V. This reply does not directly address the points you raise above but it’s in the same ball park: I’ve been wondering if the interactions would be richer if we were compelled to really work together on a project rather than working in groups where, frequently, the only uniting feature is the text box that binds the individual entries… What if, rather than bringing an individual “creative project” to the table we were encouraged to build a creative project with our exciting, creative peers?
Good point, Van. The more we are able to build potential collaborative relationships through these MOOC experiences, the more valuable they will be.
Some individuals will prefer, no doubt, anonymity during critique. But many others, such as yourself, will desire the opposite. IT should be a personal choice, determined by each individual, and no the institution offering the MOOC.
Hey Owen, greetings from Mireille & Vanessa @Ce Soir Arts. The band will be:
Keyboard – Mireille
Bass – Monerda
Vocals – Vanessa
Macbook – TBA, maybe Agnes or Trilby
Fleshvatar – YOU!
FIRST PERSON!
Ever since our PBR Wk 1 project to describe our work in 1st & 3rd person I’ve been thinking about it and reading artist bios. Xta started a great thread in the PBR forum and I agree, 3rd person conveys so much weight, power, and authority.
But I’ve come to believe that 1st person, active voice, is the way to speak. When I read, Her work explores… yes, it sounds pro & legit, but it never engages me the way I am passionate about… does!
Hey Owen, VBCO (Vanessa Blaylock Company) has been thinking a lot about Pussy Riot this year. And as of today the Russian penal system has made Nadya Tolokonnikova totally disappear from the face of the earth for nearly 3 weeks. What about you in a grass beard and us in balaclavas? We have a variety of colors, btw.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/08/is-pussy-riot-s-nadia-tolokonnikova-in-a-siberian-gulag.html
Hi Vanessa, yes I’ve been following the news about Nadya’s disappearance and understand why you would like to wear the pussy riot balaclavas. I am just concerned that wearing the balaclavas has a very very strong consequence on our performance, and I am more interested in the anonymous reference of the grass beard for this performance… as i imagine that our band is calling forth a future movement/community (as yet not recognised) rather than borrowing from one that already exists. These are just conceptual decisions, however i would be happy to chat about another way we could incorporate/support pussy riot. Perhaps I could mention something during the performance? Good to chat about this…
Owen
cool will figure it out, is it possible for the avatars to wear the grass beards?
why don’t you keyword sift through here and see if you see a “Grass Beard” or “Gas Mask” or some other thing you like that we can wear. Don’t worry about any prices you see, everything is cheap and I’m happy to pay for them.
I didn’t find any “grass beards” on SL Marketplace, but they do have 724 “Gas Mask”s see if anything looks promising:
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/products/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search%5Bcategory_id%5D=&search%5Bmaturity_level%5D=GMA&search%5Bkeywords%5D=gas+mask
Hi Vanessa
Ok I have made a list of possibilities… links here. The idea is that we all wear the grass beards… because the whole band including me and the audience in my venue will be given grass beards to wear.
If you can’t make a grass beard, maybe something strange or green could cover the mouth?
Here’s some options, although they are not ideal:
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/dDx-Olaf-Greens/1730149
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Tintable-Surgical-Mask/2606541
Change colour green?
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Falln-Rena-Silks-Green/2428532
bit too masky
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/subVersion-MEDIC-in-WHITE-LATEX/2483508
this is just exciting
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/sculpted-mask-boxed/1000035
no features, but maybe paint grass beard on it?
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LS-Hoof-Pro-series-roof-thachted-7-HQ-textures-full-perm/3230129
change to green?
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Metamorph-Mega-Cliff-Island-Grass-25×25/340757
grass cliff
let me know what you think and if i can help
Owen
This is the song we’re performing on Friday 15 Nov at 7pm GMT / 11am SLT.
Owen – will this video also be the source of the audio? You will be playing the video in the gallery, just with no picture?
And will we, in Second Life, have picture or sound of you in the gallery?
Vanessa, i’m sending you a sound file to your email. I think I will play the song and you guys will follow? We need to do a test with a camera for you to also see me in second life. Excited!
Friday, If we have our band from 6-8p GMT
(10a – Noon SLT)
that should be plenty of time for everything, YES?
Could it be 6.30-8.30 pm GMT? Incase things run a bit slow. There will be other performances by other artists on the night so i will confirm exact time this week, but no later than 8.30 for sure. is that OK for you? if 8pm is the latest you can stay til i will make sure we go first.
6:30 – 8:30pm GMT
(10:30am – 12:30pm SLT)
Check!
Thursday is difficult… but Wednesday is great!
OK I will try to get a space and projector for wednesday. what time?
Same as you said is ok, after 3p GMT?
Ok great. I will try to organise a space and projector to rehearse at 3pm GMT Wednesday 13 November. I have already installed second life on my laptop, will i need anything else apart from a projector and camera?
Hey Owen, Mireille made the changes you asked for. She put up concrete and took out the seating. Thanks Mireille!! xo
Thanks Vanessa and thanks Mireille!! This is perfect! x π
Great Owen, what’s next on our to-do list?
β’ 4 avatars performing (do you want only 4? Or is more ok? A few people standing and watching? Or dancing? Or Go-Go dancers? In cages?
β’ Microphone / stand, Keyboard, Guitar, Laptop, Speakers.
β’ OKO OKOY t-shirts.
Anything else?
Whhhehhhey! Great!
only 4 avatars who are playing in the band is best this time. So, you on microphone (virtual) me on microphone (in my venue), then 1 avatar on keyboards, 1 avatar on guitar/bass, and 1 avatar on laptop. Speakers also.
OKO OKOY t-shirts are great… also do you remember the grass beards to cover mouths? (i don’t know how to attach an image here, so i will put image in next post π
kk, this should work! Mireille Jenvieve-Woodford offered the theater at Ce Soir Arts. So we can shop for a concrete texture you like and then replace the red you see here with it! π
ok cool. can we remove the furniture?
Greetings! Yes, we can remove the seating. I have also replaced the textures of the stage and backdrop to a basic concrete – just as a start in exploring options you might like. I will be online again for a short time in a moment and can take the seating down below. I can take a photo and try to post it here. π
We can recolor/remove the curtains as well. I took a photo in-world and have sent it to Lara (Vaneeesa) of the present status. And even if you end up not using our theatre, I am enjoying this! WHEEEEE! Best to you both!
Even with part of my avi looking altogether blank, I think this rocks! We are happy to host at Ce Soir Arts in Second Life. We are very into theatre, poetry and other literature, as well as all range of art and music. This is going to be fun!
i like the concrete more… you?
There’s a concrete, slab wall at the Odyssey Performance Sim.
as a close up it works well. without the sky or outside to the right. is this possible? And could we replace the poster to the left with an ONO OKOY poster?
Hey Owen, here’s another space. It may again be more busy than you want, but I thought I’d toss it up and see if you have any interest.
I think bare stark empty space is best to reflect the location it will be projected into. white walls, alienating “industrial” feel π
Vanessa 09:48 on 19/11/2013 Permalink |
6 days – pretty good. Still, it emphasizes the complexity & fragility of this ecosystem. And the idea that persistent development (& interoperability) are as important as Open Source for a truly useful software project.