Spoiled by Second Life?

I'm very aware of the fact that patience is not a quality I possess. This was a problem in my first few minutes in Heritage Key. I had specific places I wanted to go, like the Nile River and became frustrated when I couldn't get there right away. While trying to find my way, I checked out the different layers of King Tut's sarcophagus. I enjoyed seeing the differences between each layer and the audio was very informative. However, in attempts to sit in front of one layer in order to take a picture, I ended up in some virtual space that had nothing to do with King Tut (pictured below). I'm not sure where I was or why I couldn't fly out of the area, but I do know that I had to teleport home and begin my journey once again. My ride on the hot air balloon may seem like it would be relaxing, but I would have much rather simply teleported to the location I was headed.

Despite my initial frustration, I finally found a place I could choose where I teleported. I'm glad I found this before I gave up on finding the Nile River. Once at the Nile I flew around looking at the different animals. Hippos, ostriches, and alligators all sat around in the area added to the river setting by making it seem more real. The plant life also captured nature in a way that I have not yet experienced in a virtual world. After exploring the area I went in a building and was able to change my clothing into Egyptian looking clothes which put me more into character and made my trip that much more enjoyable. Once I get more familiar with Heritage Key I'm hoping it will become easier to maneuver and I will be able to enjoy the cites and information more than in my initial experience.

Storytelling Experience

I've come to realize that I need to expect the unexpected while logged into Second Life. When I heard the title "Story Hour: West of Ireland's Shandon Loring" I expected to see something much different than what took place. The word "Ireland" automatically made me think that there would be a man dressed in Celtic attire, maybe cracking a beer while he told his story in a dim lit bar. Boy was I far off! When the space ship arrived and an alien creature walked out I laughed out loud at how different this event was than what I had pictured in my head. Shandon's voice was the only thing that was exactly what I had expected. I was worried that since he was storytelling via Second Life there would be a disconnection from the audience, but his humor and the interactive chat during the performance made for a unique experience. Definitely not one that I would have had in the real world!

This also was the first time I had been around a fairly large group of avatars. I had another preconceived notion that some of the avatars would be rude and uninviting. I had this terrible scenario in my head that I wouldn't be able to figure out how to turn on the sound in Second Life and no one would help me, therefore causing me to miss the event. Again, I was completely wrong. The exact opposite occurred actually. As soon as I arrived I was greeted and felt very welcomed. I was also given a very organized instruction sheet on how to turn my sound on in the appropriate manner. That wasn't all though; once the storyteller arrived he was sure to ask numerous times if we were able to hear him. I suppose this makes sense because he would want anyone attending to be able to hear his performance, but it put me at ease and made me realize if I had needed help it would not have been hard to find. The more I experience Second Life, the more I can learn form my experiences and allow my ideas about it to change and develop.

*Special thanks to Ignatius Onomatopoeia for the photograph

Second Life Field Trip

I've always been a fan of hearing stories. Whether they are made up, folklore, or true, they are very entertaining. There are so many different ways to tell a story. People can share their stories and experiences in any way they choose, which makes story telling expressive and much like an art form. My love for stories made me want to attend the story telling of "The Lifeboat Mutiny" by Shandon Loring. This particular story sounds especially interesting because in the description it describes a "lifeboat that runs amok". This indicates to me that there will be humor in the story. Who doesn't love a funny story? I hope not only to be entertained, but also to learn from this event how stories can be told in a Second Life atmosphere. Is it possible to still engage with the audience when the storyteller is only virtually present? I think its possible but it seems it could be more of a challenge. The audience would not feel rude getting up and walking away from their computers when they might have stayed because they felt obligated at a real life story telling event.

In addition to learning about and experiencing the actual event, I'm interested in observing others that also are attending. I love to "people watch" and haven't been able to do that yet on Second Life. Having more people go to this event would enhance the experience so I'm hoping there will be others there. I'm excited to see if once the storytelling is over if discussion occurs between the avatars on whether they enjoyed the performance or not.

Scavenger Hunt Part II

Have you ever met anyone that doesn't like to travel and go new places? Some may not enjoy the trip to the place they are headed due to traffic or airplane fears, but once on location it would be hard to have a bad time when in a place of interest. In Second Life travel time isn't even an issue because of teleporting. One of the places I traveled was the Garden Center below, which is just a store of various flowers and plants, but it wasn't such a terrible place to travel once I found these beautiful waterfalls. Some people spend their lives traveling and experiencing new places in the real world as well as in Second Life.





Despite the love for travel, I don't know if I would be able to do it all the time. After a long trip I love the feeling of coming home. Sleeping in my own bed, bathing in my own shower, and spending time with my friends and family. Knowing this, it causes me to ask, is there a place avatars call home? It seems to me if you spend all your time going from place to place, especially if you were online for an extended period of time, it would be discomforting to not have a "home-base". The closest place I can call home on Second Life is Iggy's Office or the University of Richmond area. What is it though that makes these places seem like home to me?





I have not been in these places for any longer than any other place, so that cannot be why they seem like home. There is no place for me to sleep, or a space of my own either so that can't be the answer. It might be because I've been there when first starting Second Life and I know these areas are safe places. Knowing that I might run into other classmates here also helps bring the friendship aspect of home to Second Life. However, it is hard for me to believe that it is possible to have a home in Second Life and in that sense it is not Second Life, but rather "Second Traveling Life". When a gamer wants to go home, they just log their avatar offline. Despite the great traveling that can be done on Second Life it seems to be lacking in sense that there is no real way to go home when online.

All Fun and Games?

Clearly, for the use of English 103, Second Life provides educational experiences. Business people also use it for meetings of groups that could not otherwise assemble. However, Second life has many other users out there other than just college English class students or business leaders. However, what goes on outside the college course or business company? What provokes people to sign up for an account?

I find it hard to believe that an adolescent's mother or father looking for ways to encourage education outside of the classroom would turn to Second Life. Many adults would see it as just a game. Even after being educated about it, would they allow their kid to be exposed to the potential dangers? Would they want their kids interacting with strangers in order to gain the educational aspects of Second Life?

If it were determined parents don't support kids' use of the program, then who are all of the other users and what are they doing there? It might lead you to believe most people are there for just the gaming aspect, enjoying the ability to be someone in the virtual world that they could never be in the real world. If this is true, would one consider it a game? Not many people consider life experiences a "game". What makes virtual life experiences any different? Just because Second Life has a different means of communicating and expressing identity, does it make the interaction between people not real?

This could lead to the claim that a virtual world is what you make of it. How you interact with the environment determines what kind of experiences you will obtain. The mindset when entering the game determines how real the experiences you have will feel and how they will affect you. If you go in looking for an escape from the real world your experience would be much different than if you were attempting gain education to enhance your real life.

Writing With Sources

When reading a paper have you ever heard any mysterious voices? It may surprise you that you don't have to believe in ghosts to hear or use these voices in writing. "Mysterious voices" are Hjortshoj's terminology for quotes that have no introduction to whom the quote belongs. These quotes are used to support the claims of the author. After reading about "mysterious voices" I realize I wrote all of my English papers in high school without properly giving credit to the author's quote I used. I had no idea that this was the wrong way to do things. I always thought that interrupting my work with an introduction to a quote made the writing seem disconnected. I always wanted the piece to flow well, but now I've seen in examples of introducing authors, the pieces flow very well with introductions included. It even makes the text sound more intellectual and organized.

At Richmond I know I'm going to have to change my ways and get rid of these "mysterious voices". I see now the importance of introducing who says each quote so that the words of the quote and my own personal voice stay separate. Without introducing the author of a quote it becomes difficult to distinguishing which ideas belong to the different authors. Also, not having "mysterious voices" insures that the reader realizes the fact or quote you are giving them originates from some reliable source. Knowing this information benefits the reader since most people don't take the time while reading to look at the works cited page and acknowledge where the information comes from.

I have only had to write one paper so far with quotes this semester at Richmond. I did end up introducing the quotes because they were from different characters in Plato's Symposium. If I had used another outside source I most likely would have used my bad habit of "whispering voices". I'm glad that I know about these voices now so I can avoid them when I'm writing future papers that include outside sources because I really am afraid of ghosts.

Scavenger Hunt: Part 1

Initially I made a stop at Epiphany Island on my Scavenger Hunt. My first impression was that the island was very serene and quiet. It seemed like a good place to go if your avatar was having a rough week and wanted to relax. I was surprised at how realistic the church looked. The stain glass windows inside appeared colorful and bright as the light shown through them. I noticed the signs that said there was actually worship there at certain times. This is something that would be interesting to attend to see the differences between a Second Life church service and one in real life. It’s definitely a place I need to revisit. As you can see in the picture I was at the church in an off-hour and was able to stand on the pulpit. I thought this was neat because it made the church feel like it was mine because I was the only one there.

The next place I visited was the Sistine Chapel. My first impression was that it was hard to find. There weren’t even that many buildings on the island and even after taking the virtual tour I was still lost. Eventually I found it! It was definitely worth looking for. I flew up into the air to view the ceiling. The attention to detail of the different figures amazed me. You can see some of these pictures in the background of my photograph. One activity that I did was to look at the Rafael Tapestries. There are lots of them and they only stay up for thirty seconds so it was fun to click the button that shows them and run to one to view it. Running would never be allowed in the real Sistine Chapel! I learned about the beauty of art on my visit. It seems unbelievable that one man, Michelangelo, could paint such a detailed ceiling. Even a recreation of this masterpiece moves the viewer and evokes a great sense of appreciation.

Another place I traveled on my Scavenger Hunt was Virtual Harlem Books. My first impression of the place was that it was very dark and almost mystical looking. The streets were empty and just the city lights lit the way. I had a hard time deciding how I felt about the area because I didn’t have any idea of what it was supposed to look like in real life and I wanted to make sure I observed enough before I jumped to any conclusions about the area. I had heard of Harlem before but knew nothing about it. After wandering around awhile I finally figured out that there was a map type object you wear and can move to different areas of the city. Once I picked this up I realized I could spend all day exploring Harlem. I even went to a library that had an art exhibit. I learned a lot about Harlem from my trip because I had known close to nothing before. It was clear how much music was a part of the culture so I went into a building and played the piano so I could have that experience. Seeing the combination of music and art made me realize how unique Harlem's culture is and provoked me to want to learn more about the city's history.