Butter London Kerfuffle!
Doing my nails in Butter London Kerfuffle – what else!?
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Izzy
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Izzy
Raspberry Kerfuffles OMG!
Raspberry Kerfuffles, OMG!
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Neeva
I dream of a cityscape where the buildings look just so but on a ginormous scale and the colors dazzle your eyes with their crunchy, saturated goodness.
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Izzy
Sugata Mitra – a school in the cloud
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Izzy
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Izzy
She was eating a raspberry kerfuffle — with a fork! — and she had on the biggest smile I’ve ever seen, the whole time she was eating the thing!
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Newton
Sublime!
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Paypabak Writer
My favorite flavor!
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Pearl Grey
We Got Blogged
I noticed this yesterday: http://temioyen.slmame.com/e1508055.html
In my virtual world, no one seems to have much of an understanding about what MU is. I share links and attempt to explain sometimes but there’s likely no adequate way to do so.
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Paypabak Writer
Some good guesses about the design of the campus. I wonder if language made it tricksy for her to discuss it with anyone she found. She seems to have visited early on, as far as the Katy Perry head goes. For myself, I visit and try to report what I see and talk to people, fellow learners, to get what they’re doing. It’s still coming together.
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Izzy
Aww, it’s a sweet write up.
Layout of the campus. It should be possible to use sky boxes with distance each other, but these could be set intentionally dense to develop through friendly competition? Comparing with other LEA projects providing a full SIM for each artists or UWA art project with three dimensional layout, this looks a bit crowded. May be enough for students?
How funny that she thinks it’s crowded compared to LEA or UWA, when, of course, my single biggest lament so far is that we’re nowhere close to the density of an RL city. I wish we could reach that kind of density / critical mass / eyes on the street / community… alas… I don’t think we can get dense enough! 😀
Penny Patton — who I was lucky enough to spend a couple hours with last weekend and who will probably come give an MU Visiting Artist talk sometime before the semester is over — continues to preach that almost all builds in SL are grossly over-scale creating less immersive experiences that eat up land and land-impact (prim counts) and cost more money for a worse experience!
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Paypabak Writer
I agree with Penny, but at the same time, why in a world where we fly and teleport, do we need walls? I saw a design of the American Library Association’s island back in 2008. It was pretty cool: based around a lake, like Epcot Center, but with various levels and platforms, taking advantage of what we can do in a virtual world rather than trying to recreate an actual world. And considering the Lab effed up on scaling to begin with, that’s a pretty good move.
The trouble with the kind of density you seem to be aiming for isn’t so much prim limitations as an actual population tends to crap things out. Sixty people on a moderately primmed out island tends to be the limit.
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Izzy
60 would be great! 30 would be fantastic! Most of the time MU has less than 6!
Yes, you’re right about walls. Actually though, Tiffany had a powerful insight on this in one of the comments on the original Kerfuffle post (not the tastier Raspberry Kerfuffle follow-up post)
We bring into the virtual realm what we know – we must, because its all we can do. Virtuality can take on new forms, however, virtuality almost always most closely resembles what we have in the real world, to a degree, because without those “hooks” into reality, we’d be completely lost.
http://mediciuniversity.co.uk/talk/there-has-been-a-kerfuffle-in-the-force/#comment-242
Or as Ray Kurzweil put it in The Age of Spiritual Machines, “We want to solve all of our ‘problems’… just not too quickly…”
Even simpler than your ALA Island, I love the hair shop Analog Dog. Instead of walls and boards, she built a beach and hung hair all over the water. You just wade around as you look for the ‘doo you want.
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Paypabak Writer
Another post on my campus wanderings:
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Yves
Zone of Immaterial Transcripts
Immaterial
You are invited to participate in a ritual for a Zone of Immaterial Transcripts this Sunday at 8am SLT.
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Tiffany Mosienko
There has been a kerfuffle in the force. Perhaps the first learning of the MU year was the following: people have different views on things. It was related to class participants of Cafe Sophistry that a chat transcript would be released on the web after the discussion had taken place. This did not sit well with at least one class participant. The Cafe Sophistry blog currently lists the chat transcripts as pending review of participants. I did some research and found some friendly help on the SL forums: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Everything-Else/Can-I-post-a-chat-transcript-from-SL-onto-the-web/qaq-p/2909416 Two questions come to mind 1) does MU have a clear policy on content of classes and specifically sharing content that may contain otherwise private privileged information shared between individuals “rolepaying” an education space in a virtual world? 2) As MU asserts affordances and vulnerabilities in a virtual world relating to said same “roleplaying” of an education space does MU have a clear policy on resolving disputes, in trust, between individuals, and potential legal issues arising therefrom?
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Newton
Well, to be fair, one person merely waxed philosophical about whether people would be as forthcoming if they knew their words would be posted to a blog later on. Then I started to worry about it and wanted to make sure the participants understood that. Is it enough to state at the end of a class that the transcript will be posted?
Good question about policy, Tiffany. Could this be something the coordinator gets sign-off on (“Would you prefer to have transcripts sent privately in class or etc?”)…
As of now, as for Café Sophistry, it’s all there to read.
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Izzy
There’s a lot that could be said about this question technically, but I think the focus here is more “personal” that “technical.”
Sincere apologies in advance if I’m reading this totally wrong, but Tiffany, your language, so academic, convoluted, and dense, that I have almost no idea of what you’re truly saying, I think is a very circuitous way of saying,
Newton, IDK you were going to post my conversation everywhere, forever, and I wish you’d take it down. Or at least would have said so in advance so I could self-censor or not attend.
If I read that way wrong, I’m very, very sorry. It’s my best guess. My writing is convoluted enough that I shouldn’t be critiquing anyone else, but Tiffany, yours was really convoluted. It’s ok to be annoyed, offended, or hurt. But I’d suggest, if possible, being clearer and more direct about that.
Since I’m someone who wants to document everything, my own bias would be to publishing transcripts. ATM the experience of MU is “hot” vs the “cool” of the web. But one year from today the only way anyone will ever know this place existed or that we thought about anything, is via this legacy of web documentation. So I’m for documenting as much as possible.
Still, if the class were “how to stack prims,” I think publishing a transcript would be a more simple case. In something like a Crit Class where emotions can be on the line, or an Identity exploration like Cafe Sophistry, much as I value documentation, I do see how it could be too invasive to the participants.
To some degree, where the chat was held matters. In 1-to-1 IM, or in a Group IM of 4-5 peeps, I think there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. If the chat is in the VB Friends group chat, then potentially any of 270 group members could be listening. And in open Local Chat, theoretically anyone could be listening and rebroadcasting.
Those might be reasonable norms. Still, I think the nature of the topic matters. I think if Tiffany isn’t comfortable with the transcript of her chat published:
- she might say so more clearly and directly
- Newton then should probably take that chat down
As for “Official MU Policy,” I hate to have to have the bureaucracy of that, but realistically it’s probably wise. I guess the course syllabus, and the start of meeting announcement, should specify where the conversation will be held, for example:
- Due to the potentially private nature of today’s discussion, I will create a Multi-person chat for the [5] of us participating. Any of us might save the chat log for personal review later, but none of us should publish it in any publicly accessible way. Although we are online, this should be considered a private conversation.
or
- Today’s class will be held in Local Chat. It could be potentially heard and accessed by anyone. One or more participants or nearby non-participants might hear this discussion and anyone might post a transcript of all or part to their blog. If you aren’t comfortable having your name associated with a comment or question, you can privately IM your comment or question to the facilitator and s/he can enter it into the discussion as an anonymous statement.
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veyot
I was the person who objected. Newton told us at the end of class that he was planning to post the transcript. (I should have spoken up right then of my concerns, but I didn’t.) But when I read the transcript, I realized that at the next class discussion, I would only listen, but not say a single word. So I told Newton that I thought that posting the transcript would prevent people from attending the classes.
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Elle
I agree with veyot. I was surprised at the end when Newton said the transcript would be posted. That is the first time that has occurred in SL for me. Yes, anyone could potentially post from any chat so it is something to be aware of. However I do think that a class should state in the initial announcement if transcripts will be posted and again at the beginning of the class.
Thinking about this after the class I realized I was considering not attending the next one and if I did go I probably won’t add much. That outcome seems counterproductive to having an open discussion of an interesting topic.
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Newton
Sorry everyone. The transcript of yesterday’s local chat has been removed. I notecarded the individual class participants with it yesterday.
In the future, if anyone decides to attend again, I’ll only send it by notecard to people who were actually at the class. If someone shows up late, they will not receive it and they will not be able to proceed with the class.
I do hope you come back on March 29 with some thoughts or that you’ll contact me privately with any other concerns about that particular class. Again, I very much apologize.
Let the policy discussion rage on!
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Neeva
What a great discussion. It always amazes me how much second-order learning takes place around the formal class. As a culture and a species we are currently debating and evolving norms around privacy on the Internet and in social media–and here we are in our little corner of the that Internet working through the same issues in a personal, hands-on way.
In a dynamic place like MU I think the most important policies are the policies you create for yourself and bring your interactions with others. In a teacher role, I’m reminded that people care about where their words and images end up. if I want to duplicate or publish to document and share the experience, making that clear up front is ideal. negotiating it during the learning isn’t bad either. In a student role, I think my policy will be to be generous and share my thoughts and works with other participants, to not to take myself too seriously, to keep it fun, and to be brave enough to make a lot of mistakes, both publicly and privately.
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Tiffany Mosienko
I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to comment. At Izzy’s request I’ll clarify my point. I was, in fact, being rhetorical, and I was not trying to influence policy one way or the other on my own behalf as may now be clear. My personal view is that everything I do in SL may be broadcast widely on the internets, and my behavior is “adjusted” accordingly to a degree. We are all at different levels of learning in many different fields, inlcuding virtual identity, the topic at Cafe Sophistry.
Virtual spaces give us affordances (that is, agency, or the ability to act in certain ways we might not in the real world). That’s what those who push virtual worlds and technologies harp on. It is a basic tenet of technological determinism. Technology affords us this opportunity . . (to make an alternative University) . . . therefore . . . .we do it. But reknowned MIT anthropolgist-psychologist-author-technologist Sherry Turkle has taught that for every affordance a technology provides, there is a (perhaps equal and opposite) vulnerability that is created.
If MU is going to be an education space, it must be aware of the role it is playing by hosting such a space and setting down rules or affordances with sensitivity to the inherant vulnerabilities. “There are no rules – that’s the only rule” is a dangerous game because virtuality and reality are inexorably intertwined – as was discussed at Cafe Sophistry. I have not done a complete census, but its pretty clear that there are various levels of technical, aesthetic and emotional maturity present at MU. And that is great for diversity and certainly welcome. I am sure we all have great things to learn from each other.
SL policy is based on “community standards”. This discussion already references rules and regulations of the SL Terms of Service (TOS). MU must define its own community standards as other sims do, in order to be a viable enterprise. This will become abundantly clear when someone opens an “educational” “rape” “clinic” next to the surrogacy center, and begins “teaching” there.
My two questions were: does MU have a community standards policy (and yes, the suggestion is that yes, it should), and 2) in the event of an issue with teaching, learning and or otherwise existing at MU does MU “have my back” if a dispute should arise to amicably resolve those issues to the best of its ability. This is the role of an University administration.
We’ve come a long way in answering those questions already. At the challenge of taking myself too seriously as Neeva pointed out, it is possible that MU “cover its ass” by pinning a disclaimer on its stuff saying, “everything you do and see at MU is a community project, subject to some community standards, namely X,Y and Z. Everything you do and say here may become a photo, video, chat transcript etc in someone else’s art project on someone else’s blog, and subject to the rights and limitations of the laws and community standards of your federal, state and local, etc. Play nice. If you have an issue, please see the Provost’s secretary.”
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veyot
I am going to start making that collage with some ocean waves and all of us floating. And maybe I will play a toddler for a day to change my opinons about toddlers! .
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Newton
Glad to hear it Veyot – and really looking forward to seeing it! Hugs.
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Izzy
I shiver at the thought of MU becoming a rule-bound bureaucracy. My RL university drives me crazy in its conservatism. In one of my recent scoldings because another college felt one of our student projects was disruptive, the director of the school of art actually encouraged me to have students do their projects off campus where they could enjoy greater freedom.
I couldn’t believe he actually said that. But he was completely serious. Students have less freedom for art “experiments & improvisations” off campus than on!? What the hell is the university for????
kk, having duly vented, I think this “Edge Case” makes clear that we do indeed need a “Privacy” or “Disclosure” or something like that, policy. Rather than simply post something, we should create a draft, post it, and have it open for a comment period. We could either have a short comment period so as to get the policy operational ASAP. Or we could say that the draft will be policy until the comment period closes, and then have the luxury of a longer comment period.
I can write a draft myself if necessary. But perhaps Tiffany, you, or another person here, would like to try penning a draft. Whatever person or committee drafts it, we can post it here on MU/Talk and then solicit community comments. We can incorporate those comments in a revision and then have it be our policy.
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Izzy
ATM we’re thinking mostly about text transcripts. Will this policy want to cover photography also? I’ve always felt that avatars in public spaces were photographable. Perhaps we will want to regulate that? As far as I know, Garry Winogrand never got a model release from anyone.
Should our policy be any different, or give any consideration to the fact that we are avatars? So in Tiffany’s case, she’s made some degree of SL-RL linkage. In my case, I haven’t made any linkage to a living typist. So publishing a transcript or photo with Izzy’s words or likeness doesn’t implicate anything about any RL person anywhere. Does that make a difference? Or do avatars want privacy, not only with respect to their typist, but privacy or absence-of-publicness for the avatar’s thoughts and likeness?
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Elle
Linden Lab has an official Snapshot and Machinima policy:
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Snapshot_and_machinima_policy
So we are bound by that at the least restrictive. I’m guessing MU is the landowner for now, so could define permissions in the covenant if they are needed (like giving machinima permission on the land)
Personally I won’t want to make it more restrictive.
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Newton
Removing but mentioning the fact that it was local chat – I think what I would do in the future is to just make sure I get an answer from all participants, to the idea of sharing the post on the blog. The concept was that nobody really reads the blog, so it’s hardly all that public, but of course it’s publicly accessible.
The purpose of the class was an art class, but the sensitivity of the subject warranted more scrutiny in the matter for sure. Not all classes have that dynamic, and I think the organizer, as part of planning the course, should ponder privacy as the situation warrants and make agreements with the participants as discussed above. Common sense pending formal accreditation.
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Newton
“The blog” meaning my blog, not this blog!
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Yves
I would like to propose a possible solution to this dilemma.
I propose, a Transcript of Immaterial Sensibility.
Since our encounter was at 8am SLT Sunday last, I propose that we meet exactly 1 week later, at 8am SLT Sunday next. We will meet at the offices of MU/Creativity magazine at Maria-12, overlooking the waters of the Eleonora Slough.
On arrival, participants will perform the following actions:
1 – Shake hands and agree that any discrepancies were due to honest misunderstandings and not any sort of deception or malice.
2 – Each participant should bring 1 gold ingot and give it to me to perform the ritual. I will bring a hard copy printout of the transcript of our discussion.
3 – I will burn the transcript.
4 – I will take the transcript ashes and the gold ingots and throw them off the edge of the MU/C studio, down the Eleonora Gorge, and into the waters of the Eleonora Slough below. (I may keep some of the ingots as an artist’s fee for performing this action)
5 – We will declare the waters of the Eleonora Slough to be a Zone of Immaterial Transcripts.
6 – We will depart.-
Elle
LOL! Then there is that approach. 😉
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Tiffany Mosienko
@ Izzy: I guess I sort of talked myself into a corner there! OK I’ll try to have something on the weekend
@ Newton: common sense is so elusive and very different for individuals of different cultures
@ Elle: yes, we are all bound by LL policies, but not everyone reads the rules, or has any expectations that others have
@ Yves: I do believe the mistakes were honest. I didn’t get the feeling of malice, just a differing set of agendas for the individuals in the group
@ all: it is not my intention to have a complex bureaucracy or technocracy, it can be very simple, and no matter what the rules are, people will either follow them or break them. This is more of a discussion about self-governance, and why that might be important. We bring into the virtual realm what we know – we must, because its all we can do. Virtuality can take on new forms, however, virtuality almost always most closely resembles what we have in the real world, to a degree, because without those “hooks” into reality, we’d be completely lost.-
Izzy
Wow Tiffany, your final @all statement is fantastic! Not simply about this issue, but about virtuality! haha, I complained your initial post was written a bit densely, but here in a single paragraph you’ve explained so many different things, and even a path to the future! 😀
In The Age of Spiritual Machines, Ray Kurzweil writes that “we want to solve our problems, but we don’t want to solve them all, too quickly!”
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Tiffany Mosienko
Medici University Community Standards (Draft Proposal)
Medici University in Second Life and on the web are bound by certain rules of behavior. All learners should familiarize themselves with the Second Life Community Standards policy: https://secondlife.com/corporate/cs.php which includes sections on intolerance, harrassment, assault, disclosure, maturity and (disturbing the) peace. Medici University in Second Life is a Moderate rated sim, and so no Adult activity is allowed. Since the purpose of Medici University is to create a learning community, behaviors and expressions ought to be of an educational nature. No vending as allowed by LEA rules (reference needed). Learners are encouraged to report any issue that contradicts these guidelines to the Provost. The Provost shall be the final arbiter of all disputes.
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Neeva is discussing. 
Newton are discussing. 
Izzy
Happy Convocation Day Everyone!! 😀
AlexandreLois1
AlexandreLois1 and 
Elle are discussing. -
Elle
Cool Alexandre. How are you synthesizing that?
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AlexandreLois1
I have long remembered how I did it, but did not remember. I work with different interesting synths and there are good luck. This thing is successful.
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Paypabak Writer
New lecture on Tools of the Trade:
Read there, discuss here!
Newton
Café Sophistry Begins
Greetings,
The first Café Sophistry section, Gender and Virtuality, begins on Sunday, March 1 at 8:00 AM SLT. For those interested in the course on Sunday, it is also the day of the Convocation. This means attending a one hour class followed by the 10am convocation an hour later.
An alternate possible time on Sunday March 1 is from 2pm SLT to 3pm SLT. If you want to take this course on Sunday but would prefer 2pm SLT, please chime in.
There is some additional information about this first section, and how to prepare for it, here.
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Vanessa
The earlier, 8am, slot works better for me, and I’ll definitely plan to be there. I’m greatly anticipating this exciting workshop!!!
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Newton
Thank you for confirming, Vanessa. 8am it is!
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AlexandreLois1
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Neeva
Thanks for posting that. I liked seeing it.
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Elle
I like that one! There are some amazing fractals out there.
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veyot
Seeing that fractal, I was compelled to try some free fractal software. I watched fractals until I was dizzy and enjoyed changing the colors, clicking randomly on the choices that were offered. I bet fractal artists have their favorite settings. Thanks for posting that, AlexandreLois. Most of the ones I made looked like ferns or amoebas.
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AlexandreLois1
And what program you tried?
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veyot
I googled fractals and randomly picked this one. http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/fractal-software/xaos-instructions/
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Zsophia
Hey all! I am going to be doing a cookbook for our MU and I need your help!
MU already has such a community feel that I want to put it in the cookbook. I am looking for more than just recipes. I also want your tricks, how to’s. what are your tips what did your mum or other person teach you? What does every kitchen need? What is that story?
Think it over get it ready and I will be putting out the all call!
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Izzy
So awesome Zsophia! Yay!
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Neeva
I’ll find something for you Zsophia. I did a little cookbook awhile ago. there should be something tasty and unusual from there
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veyot
I just started following Suncat on Tumblr and she has some recipes there! http://myeasilyamusedkitchen.tumblr.com/
Paypabak Writer
Serendipidy Haven noticed a disturbance in the Force, wrote about it, and I caught it and wrote about it since I was part of that disturbance!
We can’t blog in a vacuum. We read other writers for sustenance and against whom we measure ourselves whether consciously or subconsciously. What do you think?
Pearl Grey are discussing. -
Pearl Grey
So this is what I think:
This is totally my approach too. (I’m not on Tumblr and can’t like or comment over there.)
I read other blogs, and my time is indeed valuable to me, so I consider doing so worthy of my attention. I do measure myself against other bloggers, mostly on a spectrum or map of opinion, and to where my beliefs are in relation to theirs at the moment. I can easily identify what I agree with, disagree with, what I don’t have a clue about and what makes me think or rethink something.
I barely register how I compare to how many followers, reblogs or likes other bloggers have. I make it a priority to respond to comments that I understand and which are relevant to what I’ve blogged about. And to be clear, I’m writing about the blog I’ve written since June 2012.
I’m thrilled when I get a comment that indicates a kind person has actually read what I’ve written, not a “Great job!!! Check out my stuff!!!”
No matter how much of a genius a blogger is, if they walk and talk like a narcissist, I’m not interested for long. We’re all busy but if there’s no connection, community or reciprocity ever, then I’m out.
I wouldn’t dream of changing who I am and how I blog based on the feedback, or lack thereof, that I get. We don’t have to all agree on things or be in cliques.
But really, writers who attempt blogging in a vacuum tend to quit, don’t they?
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Izzy
Thanks Paypabak! Thanks Pearl!
We do need to read widely enough to not be lost in our own echo chamber – or maybe being lost is fine???
But either way, I’ve read plenty of stuff on The Guardian or Huffington Post or insert-name-of-favorite-corporate-site-here, had a response, and then spent 20 minutes formulating my articulate response.
I refuse to do that any longer. Nobody cares about your insightful comment on TheGuardian.com. I think ideally focusing on a community of peeps is the most fruitful. It might be The Community of MU Bloggers, and it might be some other community that’s meaningful to you. But whatever it is, I think consistently interacting with that group represents the best chance of creating something powerful, exciting, and rewarding.
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Paypabak Writer
Another stroll through the campus post:
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Izzy
Yet more awesome work from MU Blogger-in-residence Paypabak!!!
Izzy
Sal Khan
I wanted to share this inspiring talk by Sal Khan. It’s a great talk in general and he shares so many of our values at MU. Note especially when he talks about empowering the learner to choose their own goals. That’s the core of our philosophy.
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Tiffany Mosienko
That was great. Thanks for posting.
TrilbyM
I want a MU bumpersticker in real life! We could get bumper stickers, coffee cups, etc., from places like http://www.cafepress.com Wouldn’t it be cool to see another Medici car? Let’s encourage Izzy to upload some artwork! Who’s with me?
Zsophia, 
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Izzy
kk, what would you like on your sticker? The crest (yellow shield with red & blue balls) and “Medici University” logotype? Anything else? Or just that stretched long like a bumper sticker?
Or there are those places that do t-shirts to order also, right? Do we have Design / Graphic Types at MU? Perhaps a challenge to design graphic t’s?
We could actually (perhaps) upload all the entries and peeps could order what they like… THOUGHTS???
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Newton
DON’T
HOLD
BACK;)))
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Izzy
JUST
PUSH
THINGS
FORWARD
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TrilbyM
The crest would be nice, and a bumper sticker format. MU spelled out to put across the back window would be good too. Contest could be great!
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Zsophia
I love the idea!
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Neeva
Great idea. I was thinking of making a Medici U coffee mug for myself on zazzle.
TrilbyM
Medici products in real life
I want a MU bumpersticker in real life! We could get bumper stickers, coffee cups, etc., from places like http://www.cafepress.com Wouldn’t it be cool to see another Medici car? Let’s encourage Izzy to upload some artwork! Who’s with me?
Paypabak Writer
Jumping the gun on starting classes? Sorry, I’m just going on ahead and putting this out there:
Read if you care to and then return here to discuss if you don’t want the attention on the blog. Or do it there. It’s a free country.
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Pearl Grey
Thanks for the first lecture and also for the blogging discussion we had a few days ago. It’s good to learn about the approach other bloggers have.
Like I told you then, a few of us change our minds about our approach more often than others.
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Veyot
Those are great tips, Paypabak. I often neglect to get the notecard when I arrive at a place, so I am missing a good source of “words” to help in writing. I also want to mention that your blog looks so cool that I didn’t realize it was Tumblr—and for a beginning blogger, Tumblr is easy to use
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Paypabak Writer
Veyot: Tumblr is very easy to get started and yet rich in features, allowing me to add pages that are more or less static. I don’t care to spend a lot of time tweaking the platform, although I do try to update my static pages (blogroll, bio, even my Moonletters Index). I want to write not tweak.
Pearl, I know what you mean in terms of changing approaches to expressing myself. First Life throws curves at us that do affect our virtual selves and we do well not to resist them.In that way the platform we choose does need to match up with the use to which we put it. But this is getting ahead of the game! Next “lecture” will address the tools of the trade!
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Izzy
Great Lecture Paypabak! I especially liked your advice Get it all, and log off! (exclamation point, mine) I too feel so torn between wanting to be present in IMs, but also needing to prepare content and post it.
Some people use the SL “Busy” message, which seems like a decent idea, but I do want to be available and don’t want a sense that I’m too busy. Perhaps you’re right that writing time could go faster logged off. Even if you have to spend a minute or two of logging in to grab some detail, it might be worth it.
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Izzy
In your post you stated,
my first “lecture” on blogging. (It may be the only one. We shall see.)
You might post more “lectures”. And someone else might also post 1 or more. So Blogging Class might consist of several posts on multiple websites. Each post or lecture might be valuable by itself, but it also might be nice, for Blogging Class or any other class: VR Photo 1 etc, to have a Class Home page where students can see everything available, with links to go Read-Watch-Do, and discussion space.
How might these Class Home Pages look? A page here on MU/Talk with a collection of resources? Or should we collect elements here and put out an official page on the MU website for the course? The MU site is kind of like our University Catalog, so materials might go there. Or the speed & spontaneity of here. Or…
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rmarie
Thanks Paypabak, this is great and I also will be watching for more “lectures.” The underlying message I got from your first post was to be organized and to be disciplined! Thank you for sharing your blogging methodology and recipe for blogging success!
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Paypabak Writer
I am a mere blogger-in-residence and will leave the Big Brain concepts to my betters. I like posting to my blog–my count is my blife (sic), after all. It calls attention to MU to my myriad follows and allows for discussions either there or here. All this feedback has been wonderful. I am working on the next lecture, to be sure.
Xue
Honeypot
Just a geek moment here – when you have Open Registration as we do here on MU/Talk, after a couple of days, the spambots find you and you’re flooded with bad registrations and spam posts. We’ve installed a “honeypot” that’s designed to block those registrations and it does block most of them. But some get through. So we manually delete those. If you register and find yourself unregistered the next day, just message Izzy or myself and we’ll fix that. Sorry for geek speak! And TY for your participation!
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Newton
Thank you for the heads-up!
Newton
Café Sophistry Curriculum
The goal of the Café Sophistry curriculum is to encourage the sharing of individual or collaborative artwork inspired-by our contemplation of facets of virtual existence.
Section Organizers: Newton and RMarie Beedit
March Section 1 Topic: Gender and Virtuality
Part 1 Meeting: Sunday, March 1 at 8am SLT, Nostradamus 9
April Section 2 Topic: Time – What is It?
Part 1 Meeting: Sunday, April 12 at 8am SLT, Nostradamus 9
May Section 3 Topic: The Popcorn Tear – Finding Virtual Forgiveness
Part 1 Meeting: Sunday, May 3 at 8am SLT, Nostradamus 9
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Izzy
This is powerful stuff Newton! You’re really taking MU’s game to the next level! Thank you so much for organizing these. And of course, Kiosk Posters, Group Messages, Full Court Press!
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Newton
Thank you Izzy. We shall see. I think this is less complex than it may sound, and I certaily hope that it’s fun.
Tiffany Mosienko
Greetings to the Medici University community. I am an artist-in-residence at Camilla 15 in Media Archaeology, a member of Yoko Ono College. I’ve created an homage to Yoko Ono using rubber stamps in my studio in honor of her birthday, Feb 18. My biological agent will be participating in Fluxfest Chicago 2015, honoring Fluxus artists with performance, mail art and intermedia in Chicago, USA this week. You can read all about it at my studio or on the web at http://andrewoleksiuk.blogspot.com. I am looking forward to meeting and friend~ing you inworld. I’ve been creating and researching for quite some time, so feel free to use me as a resource whether you see me in my studio or elsewhere.
Diptheria, -
Izzy
Thank you Ti! I just can’t say how much both Yoko Ono and Fluxus mean to us here at MU. There are few things more inspiring in this life than the long tradition of their work.
I can’t encourage everyone too much to follow the link you’ve provided. What a wealth of information about this week’s activities!
Be sure to share this info with KATYPERRYOPOLIS.club GM Amber Grantham! I’m not yet sure of this week’s schedule @KPO! but we should definitely have Fluxfest Week Night! This week’s planned Bonfire of the Vanities night can certainly burn just as bright in another week.
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Newton
Thank you Ti. Your installation promises to be a feast!
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Ti Mosienko
I love the enthusiasm generated here at Medici University. For researchers of Fluxus, the wonderful FluxusPerformanceWorkbook is available at http://www.thing.net/~grist/ld/fluxusworkbook.pdf and it is very suitable for reinterpretation in virtual spaces. Perhaps I will pull out my Dick Higgins poetry generator and Ray Johnson Fluxbox from “Magic Mushrooms” and share it with you in my studio. While Yoko Ono is among the most famous of the art historical Fluxus group, I am also fond of the work of Alison Knowles, Ray Johnson and Nam June Paik. The work of the original Fluxus artists (as named above, and many, many others) has inspired new generations of contemporary Fluxus practitioners, such as Reed Altemus, Allen Bukoff, Mark Bloch, Allan Revich, Bibiana Padilla Maltos, Catherine Mehrl Bennett, Picasso Gaglione, Adamandia Kapsalis, Jennifer Weigel, Darlene Domel and Keith Buchholz, just to name a few. Some of these folks will be performing in Chicago this week. Due to the rigorous terrestrial schedule, my inworld work this week will be limited. I will, however, make a point to share the flavor of Fluxfest with you all at Medici University.
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Diptheria
This is so fantastic! More Fluxus! This is dear to my heart, I am sending two pieces of mail art out today (belated Valentine editions). I am also writing several event scores for SL performance. What a time to be alive!
Izzy
Veyot’s moving day video http vimeo com 119676330
Veyot’s moving day video!
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Izzy
hmm… interesting Veyot – when you paste your URL as a comment, it’s only a URL… but when you paste it in a new post, bam, it’s a video!
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AlexandreLois1
It’s funny that I got to this video …. It turned out quite well.
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Pearl Grey
I absolutely love this! It shows the spirit I see and feel at MU. Very well done Veyot!
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rmarie
Veyot this is so much fun to watch – thank you!!
Izzy
Medici University eliminates all students! Oh, and we canned the faculty too! http://mediciprincess.com/learners/
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paypabak writer
Brilliant.
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Veyot
It’s fun to watch the learners move in. I made a short MUsic Video called Moving into MU, with the song “Let Me be Your Parachute” by Mirva.
Pearl Grey
Photographic Arts Students ~
Second Life Photography: A Designing Worlds Exploration part one, is available for viewing on the web. Part two will be shown live on Monday 2/16/15 at 2 p.m. SLT on Treet. TV and will be available for viewing on the web a few days later.
Izzy
GO Paypabak, Pearl & Serra for being the first students on the MU Honor Roll!!
Izzy
Creative Writing Department
M E D I C I U N I V E R S I T Y
Office of The Provost
Dear Annah, Astrid, Diptheria, Glad, Laney, Oona, Ravensong, Wendz & Paypabak,
I’m pleased to inform you that the 9 of you comprise the largest department at MU!
(More …)
Ananda Crystal, and -
Paypabak Writer
While I definitely agree with the advice “Read,” I think “Write” is even more important. I will follow your instructions. I have a post on my approach to blogging in SL in polish mode, but I will also pay attention to MU Talk. Now that I seem to have conquered Word Press’s Fortress of Password protocols, I will spend time here as well as inworld.
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Ananda Crystal
here is my wattpad page if anyone would like to read a few little short, short stories. http://www.wattpad.com/user/tlynnbrown66
I’d be up to getting together for writing sprints if anyone is interested!
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Pearl Grey
I would like to be included please. My interdisciplinary Arts study is partially Creative Writing.
I’m not quite ready to share my writing just yet. (My SL WordPress blog isn’t where I put my stash.) My strategy is to just write first, then study and edit, repetitively.
I’d be more than happy to read the work of others.
Izzy
20 Artist’s Studios left!
Aurelia – 1
Camilla – 0
Maria – 4
Nostradamus – 7
Tullia – 7
Vashti – 1
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Paypabak Writer
Amazing! A very impressive list of people have signed on, too. Congratulations on this brilliant idea, Izzy!
And Camilla filled up first? I wonder what it was about Camilla? I know I wanted to be somewhat away from the water. Maybe it’s because it is a midline cutting through the island? Anyone else have an idea?
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Izzy
Now 19 studios left, and Aurelia is also sold out!
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rmarie
Regarding Camilla, I think you’re right Paypa – that’s where the first studios were, and it goes through the center. The lighthouse is a magic vortex!
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Vanessa
OMG, the Lighthouse is NOT in lame-o Camilla! It’s in majestic Maria! Maria:7, thank you! 😀
Ordinary avatars sleep in the dry caves of the highlands. They feel safe. They breathe stale air. They do not want higher powers.
But the avatar who leaps the Eleonora gorge like a spear to plunge into the waters below, she is not like other avatars. All other neighborhoods live in sterile blocks of safety and predictability. Only Maria dares to straddle the chasm of the Eleonora Gorge. Its residents are avatars of insight and power.
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Vanessa
Maria de’ Medici (1540–1557)
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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
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