Seven
New blog post for the May Numbers Challenge!
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Ryan
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Edie
Interdisciplinary Studies 16, 17, 18, 19 – Explorations with Avatars
Announcing 4 new, and concurrent courses:
Interdisciplinary Studies 16 – Fiction Writing for Avatars
Interdisciplinary Studies 17 – Photography with Avatars
Interdisciplinary Studies 18 – Avatar Design
Interdisciplinary Studies 19 – World Building for AvatarsThese 4 courses will meet concurrently and work together to tell Avatar Stories. We will use the 2 avatars I have created, “Paris Avatar” and “Sydney Avatar”. I’ve chosen unisex names for them so that their identity can be malleable to the stories each learner chooses to tell.
Full details here:
• edies.farm/explorationsImage: Love is Blind by Gonzale
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FeelsEmpty
Next week's crit will be in the MU Gallery of Art!
A slight followup to the last post: Crit will go on same time (Wednesday), but not the same place. We shall leave Collaborateopolis for the new gallery space! This will be a good opportunity to catch up with the works of people whose schedules have been clashing with crit day – now we will have a chance to talk about our work collectively, instead of individually – We now have the opportunity to see how our works function together, as a whole.
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Oona
Keep up the continuing great work of crit class Feels. You keep getting better. 🙂
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Myra
The MU Gallery of Art is open and we want to show your art!
We’ve opened an art gallery on the ground floor of the new dance club. Please send me a work of your art – your writing, your photos, your towers, your devilish good looks. Anything. I’ll find a way of exhibiting it.
Myra,
Curator, The MU Gallery of Art-
Autopilotpatty Poppy
Hi Myra. I’m a 9 1/2 year old SLer, a rl and sl photographer. In 2008 I did an exhibit called Moon over Caledon and would like to exhibit the two pieces from that exhibit. One is called Men’s Discussion Group and the other is called Women Being Women. I’d love to show them in your gallery. Thanks so much for all your work!
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Myra
HI, Poppy. Sure, contact me in-world. MU students have priority, but I should have room. And I think we have a spare studio spot if you want to join MU. : )
Thank you for your interest.
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Oona
So excited for this opportunity to showcase the amazing art that MU Students are creating. Stop by often, as Myra changes out art, and donate often, I’m talking to every one of you and your amazing art, photography, mixed media, sculpture talent.
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Oona
Feels Empty is Having An Art Show!
“FAMILY is a series of moving images revolving around technologically-mediated human relations. In a square format alluding to social media profile pictures on social network and genealogy websites, a family unit is structured via the relationship between subjects and objects emerging throughout the series. In one half of the pictures (5 set of 5 subjects, 2 male, 3 female) the family members have stable identities and are meaningfully unified by material processes. In the other half their identities become destabilized and vague, bound together by a virtual space.”
Please try and head out to support one of our own!  🙂  Runs from May 10 til June. 🙂
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Neeva
It’s a really interesting show. I’m glad I took the time to go. Feels is prolific and talented And one of our own.
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Elle
Agree! If you haven’t visited yet, please do! 🙂
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Oona
Its a great exhibit, if you haven’t been, please check it out. So excited for you Feels!
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Paypabak Writer
New post about Forbidden City and Neeva’s chair tower.
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Oona
I can relate Paypabak. Time gets away from me so much in here. I need a pause button. 🙂
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Newton
BAOC Award
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!
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Oona
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. 🙂
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Elle
Great choice, Newton. Congratulations Oona!
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rmarie
Congratulations, Oona and thank you for your kindness.
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Myra
Gratz, Oona. I love your work. So deserving of this and so much more.
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Oona is discussing. 
Myra, and 
Autopilotpatty Poppy are discussing. 
Elle, and 
Neeva are discussing. 
rmarie, and 2 others are discussing. 
Vanessa
Jane’s Walk Summary Post
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
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rmarie
Thank you Vanessa, and thanks for sharing more details on how Jane’s walk inspired another aesthetic phase at MU!
Pearl Grey
Some Positive Press for Second Life
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.Â
He had an excellent tour guide in Ziki Questi.
I discovered the piece this morning in this blog post by Inara Pey.
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Paypabak Writer
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!
Oona
6 Hours (May Numbers Challenge)
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.
astrid
Writer Meetup On Hold
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.
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Paypabak Writer
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!
Oona
Four A.M. Pyromaniac (May Numbers Challenge)
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.
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Myra
I love this poem, Oona. It’s so good I was wondering if it was a lyric. I even tried googling it.
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Elle
Same here, it is a beautiful poem, Oona.
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Oona
Thank you Elle, I appreciate it so much. 🙂
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Oona
Thank you so much Myra. I’m gonna actually try to do some writing this go around. hehe
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rmarie
Jane's Walk – A Stroll through Historic Provence
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/
Newton, 
FeelMyPets, and -
Oona
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. 🙂
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FeelMyPets
such decadent words
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Newton
I know we’re admonished to be nice, but I’d like to submit some critical feedback. Off with your heads.
Pearl Grey
Updated Story Boards for May
The pictures have been changed for May’s story invitation. I apologize for any inconvenience.
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FeelMyPets
I’m sorry all its my fault, I felt self conscious about being in them.
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astrid
whyyyy??? You’re only a box head!
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astrid
Photo Essay
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/
Pearl Grey
Blog Post about Jane’s Walk to Forgotten City
I’ve just posted to my main blog about this weekends off-campus Walk to Forgotten City.
Vanessa
Documenting Jane’s Walk
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.
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FeelMyPets
There are photos of flickr and I have the chatlogs
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Paypabak Writer
I’ve posted pics and will include more on a blog post soon. I was on the Forgotten City walk.
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Pearl Grey
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.
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rmarie beedit
V, I got a couple of snaps and we did a lot. I’ll write somethin’ up!
astrid
Pearl’s Poem
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/
Izzy
Transparency Report #1 – Money
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.
Your Questions?
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.
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Myra
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
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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.
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Izzy
Thank you Myra. I’ve updated the text.
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Myra
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. : )
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Oona
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.
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Newton
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.
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Pearl Grey
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.
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FeelMyPets
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.
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Izzy
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.
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FeelMyPets
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?
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FeelMyPets
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.
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FeelMyPets
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?
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FeelMyPets
The normalization of work/ play distinction, of course, being part of the ‘univeralization’ of the subjective split I mentioned in the essay.
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Elle
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.
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Neeva
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.
Ryan
Three!
Myra
Z is for Zombie Apocalypse
In the end, the zombies came for me…
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Elle
haha, love it! a fitting end. 😉
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Myra
Hehe. Thank you, Elle.
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Pearl Grey
New Story Boards for the First Half of May
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!
Ananda Crystal are discussing. -
Ananda Crystal
Do you want written stories to go there as well?
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Pearl Grey
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.
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Pearl Grey
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.
Ananda Crystal
The Story of Three – New Blog Post
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Pearl Grey
That was a fun read!
Paypabak Writer
A lot to report! Fireworks on May Day, Spring Wreathes, and Jane’s Walk:
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kiauyd
nhg\uvzjhg jhgahg muajdgas
Pearl Grey
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/
Oona
Izzy
Medici University 5 Simple Rules
New blog post:
http://mediciprincess.com/medici-university-5-simple-rules/
Ananda Crystal
Other People’s Memories and The Number 2
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Oona
Loving your stories Annah, keep up the great work! 🙂
Myra
Y is for Yoga
Art are discussing. -
Art
Beautiful Myra!
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Pearl Grey
Great photo Myra!
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Myra
Thank you so much, Art and Pearl. I love that photo. 😀
Elle
BAOC Award
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!
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FeelMyPets
the award is so big now haha – Newton deserves it!
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Pearl Grey
Congrats Newton
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Newton
Thanks for the opportunities and all the best to everyone at M.U. for a great Spring!
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Newton
Happy to be recognised by you Elle. We ARE all having fun!
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Art
Well deserved choice by the lovely Elle and yayyy good job Newton!
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Elle
🙂
You’ve earned it, Newton!
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Oona
Yay congrats Newton! 🙂
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
Oona 04:00 on 14/05/2015 Permalink |
Why a burning bush? Humans always need bigger and more amazing tricks. Sigh. 🙂