In a previous post, I mentioned that this semester I’m team teaching a course on American history and film and like to see what learning environments SL has to offer, if any, on topics we’re studying. We are now segueing from the Civil Rights Movement (not represented in SL, as far as I can tell) to freedom movements it inspired, including Women’s Liberation – which is why I began looking for signs of feminism in SL.

At a laptop in the CompuGirls complex on Tech Savvy Isle

One place not to look is in SL Search using “feminism.” I got a long list of adult sims advertising such things as “forced feminization” and “femdom” (terms I’d never heard of), as well as “slaves,” “pigs,” and “cows.” I can’t say I was shocked; after all, in the list of January’s 50 most popular SL sims, the majority were sex havens (see Wagner James Au’s list in New World Notes). But I was saddened.

Nevertheless, the results of the 1960s-1970s feminist movement are all around us in SL, from the freedom to do and wear what we want to the freedom to play, without discrimination (I assume and hope), most any role as a woman, from combatant to technical wizard, from vampire to, yes, sex goddess. Even so, discrimination against women is alive and well in the USA – as the recent political brouhahas about Planned Parenthood and hormonal contraception reveal.

CompuGirls bulletin board near the lecture hall entrance

Fortunately, the search for “women’s studies” was more helpful, producing a place Christian women can meet for Bible study and a series of SL women’s groups, including  those for two programs I knew had sims somewhere: Ohio State’s Department of Women Studies, which I learned about last October during Cooperative Extension’s Virtual State Fair; and Arizona State’s CompuGirls, which popped up on a Google Alert. Today I report on what I learned about the latter and will later prepare a post on the former.

CompuGirls lecture hall

CompuGirls is an initiative of Arizona State University’s School of Social Transformation with funding from a National Science Foundation grant. “A social justice technology program for girls” is the description immediately given on its website, which goes on to explain that the program is “for adolescent (grades 8-12) girls from under-resourced school districts in the Greater Phoenix area.” It’s a summer and after-school program “where participants learn the latest technologies in digital media, games, and virtual worlds and become a voice for social justice and change in the world.”

CompuGirls Tech Savvy Isle skybox

In Second Life, CompuGirls is located on a skybox called Tech Savvy Isle (67, 87, 810). It’s still under construction but the promise of this platform and some of the girls’ accomplishments are readily apparent. I counted nine rooms in the complex: six are unfinished or bare; three appear to be in use.

Group photos of CompuGirls participants

The first room I entered greeted me with three slideshow panels, two of which were running through a series of group photos. One area contained a large table holding three laptops; another had lobby-like furniture in front of a wall of enlarged pages, perhaps of a pamphlet. The pages provided a lot of information that I didn’t see on the CompuGirls website; for example, I learned how the members of each cohort are chosen and the benefits of their program participation and association with ASU.

CompuGirls lobby and information wall

Another room was mostly empty except for a colorful bulletin board next to the entrance to a lecture hall that looked to be set up for class. And in yet another part of the complex was my favorite room, a student exhibit area called “Video Documentaries iLife Series.” On two walls were group and individual video projects on social justice topics of interest to the girls, with slideshows, commentaries, and links to the documentaries on YouTube.

Video Documentaries iLife Series projects

I was impressed with the quality and format of the two videos I watched (each about 5-minutes long). The global warming video had two narrators: one spoke in Spanish as English subtitles rolled, and the other spoke in English as Spanish subtitles rolled – back and forth, each with different content and images. The video about graffiti on the Gila River Indian Reservation fascinated me even more: the images were stunning and the balanced perspective on two types of graffiti, gang related (destructive) and artistic (creative), was thought-provoking.

Graffiti and Multiple Myeloma Cancer projects

I applaud the CompuGirls program and hope that it leads to other programs for girls that, as the subtitle of a CompuGirls research report says, aims at “Awakening Girls’ Passion for Social Justice and Technology.”

Caledon Oxbridge tribute to John Lennon: "Reality Leaves a Lot to the Imagination."

I began virtual life in the usual way: homeless. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my first “home” (loosely defined) was Caledon Oxbridge, under a tree or on a park bench. From there I moved to a cushion in Peace Park on Info Island to be near the library. Next I rented a large “starter” home designated for newbies in an area that came to seem unbearably bare and lifeless; and after a few weeks there, I settled on Etopia Island in a peaceful apartment with attractive surroundings and a fabulous ocean view.

Etopia Island apartments

For the first time, I bought a little furniture (just under the 50-prim limit), trashed the furniture freebies, and felt at home in SL. But after several months at Etopia, I grew to feel cramped. About that time, a private home I admired, the only house along the shoreline below, disappeared, and a big “For Sale” sign appeared in its place. The sign seemed an affront somehow, a violation of my view. So I leaped into premium membership.

Linden Homes, the Tahoe subdivision

Premium members, as you may know, have 512 sqm of space to use as they like, including to opt for a Linden Home, which is what I did. I chose a Tahoe model, received the location of my assigned home, and teleported there. Almost immediately I regretted leaving Etopia. Although the house was huge compared to my apartment and I now had 117 prims to work with, I had no yard and no view to speak of – bad luck in the Linden Home lottery, it seems. If I’d read Inara Pey’s excellent advice on Linden Homes in her November blog post, I suspect that my experience at Tahoe (and later at Shareta Osumai) would have been better. (Also see Pey’s recent post on possible changes to Linden Homes.)

Looking over my new waterfront property

I stayed in Tahoe three weeks before I happened upon an attractive piece of waterfront land on the Mainland. I found it by flying around an area I liked and visiting parcels for sale (as shown in yellow with dollar signs on the world map). So I upped my tier level and purchased three, adjacent, 512 sqm parcels (1536 sqm for L$5700). I then bought a funky beach house with plenty of space for me and began the process of landscaping – something I was looking forward to, something I couldn’t do in a Linden Home.

My new beach house on my new lots - for 3 weeks only, alas

Given that my time inworld is limited, I knew it’d take a while to fix the place up, but I was in no rush. And it’s a good thing, too, because one evening almost three weeks to the day that I’d purchased the land, I arrived to find a stranger putting an apartment building smack dab to my property line, practically in my living room. It was a rather uninteresting red-brick building at that, one that seemed wildly out of place in a beach setting. Besides, I have this thing about being crowded. So I asked the stranger if he wanted to expand his empire. Thank goodness, he did. Right then and there I sold him the land for the same price I’d paid, packed up, and, a bit dazed, got offline.

My house (briefly) at Linden Homes' Shareta Osumai subdivision

The next day I was back in another crowded area, in a Linden Home in Shareta Osumai, a Japanese themed subdivision. I knew I wouldn’t be there long and kept an eye on the Linden auctions. Within a week I won a 512 sqm parcel for the minimum price of L$250 (I was the only bidder). I was hoping to find a larger piece of land, but this spot is quite good considering others I looked at. It’s in a nice neighborhood (if I don’t wander too far or have my draw too high); and, at least for now, it’s not crowded, has a good view, and none of the land around it is for sale.

Pergola Retreat - the initial structure & a glimpse of the neighborhood

Meanwhile, I’m having fun fixing up my little place, which I call Pergola Retreat. I built an open-air home with a raw wood pergola from Scully’s Place (L$30) and a free platform I stumbled on at Moco Furniture Emporium (the pieces of which I was able to unlink and move around). I took advantage of a Premium Sandbox to put the structure together.

Pergola Retreat furnished

With the purchase of two trees, a little furniture and decorations, and soon with the purchase of other landscaping items and perhaps a cat, I estimate that I’ll have spent less than L$2500 for everything. Plus I’ve had the satisfaction of creating a home from scratch, beginning with a deep hole in the ground (I learned how to do basic terraforming). If it doesn’t work out, so what: I’ve had another intriguing virtual experience and, in the process, discovered a few of the many possibilities for making a home in Second Life.

Two trees, a fireplace, and moonlight

I would love to hear about the paths you’ve traveled to find your home in Second Life. Enjoy!

Contemplating dandelions - hmm, not sure this works :^)

Admiring a fin-tailed Cadillac on a street in DecoRetropia

I found two regions devoted to the Fifties: Serenity Point and DecoRetropia. Both sites lavish affection on various objects and icons of the time – with wonderfully crisp details. But in terms of overall atmosphere – and in terms of suitability for instructor-sponsored excursions – they’re quite different. You’ll see.

Serenity Point Harbor

Serenity Point, a 1950s Pacific Northwest town, has three landing sites. The first, Serenity Point Harbor (241, 184, 28), is featured in the SL Destination Guide, which categorizes the region as an urban/noir, role-playing community; indeed! I got “killed” there once for no apparent reason, at least that I could figure, and was zapped back home. Even so, it’s a great build, one I’d recommend to college students (it’s rated “moderate”).

Serenity Point Harbor street scene

The coordinates above land you at a docked ferry exit, where you’re greeted with a notecard: “Welcome to Serenity Point, SL’s only realistic full 1950’s Sim community.” The card also highlights a few of the sites and activities and lists rental information. As you’re leaving the ferry, you’ll see a vintage warning sign that lays out the sim rules and says, “This is a strict 1950’s roleplay area.” Thank goodness I was dressed for the occasion.

In the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant

Right outside the entry point, you can rez a scooter for getting around. Vintage cabs, cars, and trucks are parked on the streets, at the drive-in, and in a parking lot. There are shops,  entertainment spots, a church, and several lounges and restaurants. I had tea at a Chinese restaurant and found the excellent bowl replica above in the kitchen; and after returning from being “killed,” I prayed in the church – the pews include a prayer pose.

On the tarmac at the Kaynaquoah International Airport in Serenity Point Valley

If you choose to arrive at Serenity Point Valley (80, 149, 31), you’ll find yourself at the baggage claim area of the Kaynaquoah International Airport. I didn’t see any planes take off or land, but I did watch a video of a Japanese prop plane taxiing, lifting off, flying briefly around the sim, and landing – all with a tango soundtrack, fun!

Serenity Point Civic Center

Near the airport are industries, a U.S. Navy group, and a carnival with a ferris wheel. I was much impressed with the Civic Center’s Frank Lloyd Wright motifs. The Center houses an art gallery of 1950s paintings, including those of Edward Hopper, one of my favorite artists; but I had to cam around to see the art because I couldn’t figure out how to get upstairs (there’s no flying in the Harbor or Valley areas, except for airplanes).

Gas station and Eagle Rock Lodge at Serenity Sound

The third landing is on Serenity Sound (128, 128, 30), in front of a wood-framed house at the beginning of Eagle Rock Park. Here in this lovely, forested area with a winding road that climbs to a rocky top, there is serenity – and you can fly without a propeller. Near the top is an old-timey gas station and a lodge with booths and Native American decor.

Rental on Serenity Sound

I even imagined renting one of the charming homes there – two-stories, with a porch swing, working blinds, off to itself on the water, and reasonably priced – until I realized that I have no desire to remain in a 1950s mode. As they say, a nice place to visit, but….  And why is it still autumn in the whole region? Maybe it’s an autumn kind of place.

Ellie's Burlesque Club at DecoRetropia

Next I visited DecoRetropia, a “Retro 50s town” (184, 198, 24; rated “moderate”), where it’s still winter and, best I can tell, perpetually night. In fact, I just checked and landed in a snow bank surrounded by holiday lights, neon signs, and a dark starry sky. On one side of the landing is Ellie’s Burlesque club, in front is the Blitz Roller Rink, behind is a diner, and on the other side are shops, one of which has Robbie the Robot for a greeter.

DecoRetropia hot rod and diner

The builds are beautifully detailed, and for this alone it’s worth a visit. But I don’t consider it a learning space, except for those interested in SL burlesque (I’m not). I counted four clubs: Ellie’s Burlesque, E & S Burlesque Factory, Beautiful Freaks Burlesque Circus (in a circus tent), and the South Side Church (yes, burlesque inside a church).

DecoRetropia drive-in theater

What I most enjoyed at DecoRetropia was sitting in a Cadillac convertible at the drive-in theater watching a few minutes of The Killer Shrews (1959). Quite appropriate for the times; after all, the Cold War between the USA and USSR is getting hotter, nuclear arsenals on both sides are growing, H-bomb tests are polluting the atmosphere, and sci-fi horror films abound with mutated critters.

Snackbar in Serenity Point Valley (next to the Civic Center)

I saw a lot of 1950s Coke machines – you’re never far from one in Serenity Point – but, fortunately, didn’t see a nuclear explosion or run into giant shrews. Hmm, all in good time in Second Life :^). Enjoy!

Coffee shop on the College of Education Island

Several months ago, I briefly visited UHSL but couldn’t stay long. It seemed interesting then but not interesting enough to include on my must-revisit-soon list. What I found to be true about UHSL is probably true about many Second Life islands: a casual fly-around does not do it justice. This time I carved out a nice chunk of time to experience the place. I’m glad I did. There’s an impressive amount of good work going on at UHSL.

Wist Hall (left) and Everly Hall (right) on the College of Education Island

Fountain near Everly Hall

Since my first UHSL visit, I’ve become more efficient in the ways I explore educational sims – ways that make my visits more engaging and, well, more educational. First I look for a map or sign that includes teleporting options. UHSL has such maps here and there, one near the landmark linked in the first paragraph above.

Kapi`olani Community College on the main island

Then usually, after wandering around a bit, I stumble on a guided-tour vehicle. Tours orient me to a region. I found three UHSL tours, all reasonably short and worth taking: a flying feather tour of the main island; a flying palm frond tour of Aquaculture Island; and a ground-level, tram-like tour of the Aqua Farm on the latter island.

Palm frond tour of Aquaculture Island

After a tour, I love hiking about and reading most of the signs and notecards that I come across, and typically I’ll try out activities that are new to me. Notecards offer insight on the sim designers’ intentions; taking part in activities, whether designed to instruct or designed to delight (ideally both), more clearly reveals what designers had in mind.

Honolulu Community College Technology Center

A good example of how notecards and posters can inform and delight is at the Ho`okele Education Center on the UHSL College of Education Island. There Polynesian voyaging history, voyaging vessel construction, and celestial navigation are presented in a large, tube-shaped pavilion. Visitors may accept the gift of a plumeria blossom lei (I accepted) and paddle a vessel that has a history slideshow on its sail – plus learn a great deal more.

Polynesian Voyaging exhibit at the Ho`okele Education Center

Leaving the Ho`okele Education Center

Another example of an engaging activity is inside the Music & Internet Technologies building (main island), designed for a music appreciation course. There are six or so presentation rooms, each with a different decor. The notecard asks students to “choose a chair that suits you best” and explains that “each chair was built in a particular historical period (Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century).”

Music presentation room in the Music & Internet Technologies Building

UHSL is made up of four islands, all of which, in some way or the other, include replicas of actual UH buildings or objects. Along with campus buildings, classrooms, and research labs, the main island has a Shinto bath house, the grounds of which currently hold exhibits by students in the Library and Information Sciences Program. A small museum next to one of two UHSL aquaculture hubs has slideshows and posters of previous events and classes, of special builds on a skydeck, and of class excursions to other SL sites.

Shinto Bath House on the main island (taken on first visit months ago)

Across the river from the main island is Honolulu Community College Island. It includes the Native Hawaiian Center and the Transportation and Trades complex, with training areas for auto and boat repairs, aviation, and emergency response. The liberal arts are represented in the University College and Communications & Services building.

Native Hawaiian Center on Honolulu CC Island

Aviation training area on Honolulu CC Island

The College of Education Island also has campus building replicas (including a dorm), as well as a coffee shop on the water and outdoor classrooms. The highlights for me were the Polynesian Voyaging simulation and the replica of Diamond Head, which has an amphitheater in its crater.  On 6 May 2011, the amphitheater was the site of the UH Manoa College of Education’s first virtual graduation ceremony (the news story in this link includes a screen shot of the amphitheater).

Diamond Head Crater on the College of Education Island

Holomua Learning Area on the College of Education Island

Aquaculture Island is among the most unique SL university sites that I’ve visited. Along with an educational tour of aqua farming, it has an off-shore fish farm that you can observe by rezzing a small yellow submarine. Near the fish farm, you can surf Jaws, a model of the monster wave on Maui Island; I chose to body surf – quite the ride! Not far from Jaws is an ahupua’a (an old Hawaiian term for a subdivision of land) that demonstrates an indigenous (and ingenious) irrigation system.

Touring the fish farm in a yellow submarine

Aquaponics farm on the main island, very similar to one on Aquaculture Island

Also on Aquaculture Island is the Institute for Astronomy Amphitheater, which features public talks on astronomy research and monthly programs simulcast from Haleakala Volcano Observatory. And the Institute has a skydome with a replica of a large telescope where live observing sessions, as well as talks and classes, take place. Back on the ground on a rise you can stargaze, viewing images of nebulae, galaxies, and the like.

Institute of Astronomy Amphitheater on Aquaculture Island

The University of Hawaii Second Life Campus is active and growing; in fact, a part of Honolulu Community College Island is now under construction. I look forward to seeing what UHSL does next. And I encourage you to take a look for yourself. Enjoy!

Stargazing near the Institute of Astronomy Amphitheater

USF Lost Island II (Shoshin)

Now that we’ve returned to the snowy north, I miss our leisurely walks on the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico. I’ve compensated by visiting the University of South Florida (USF) in Second Life – after all, the actual campus is somewhat near Anna Maria Island – and have enjoyed exploring four of its holdings: Wildcat Creek, Lost Island, Lost Island II (Shoshin), and USF MTSS.

A virtual office on Lost Island II

I first landed at Wildcat Creek on Harambee (172, 67, 22), which the SL landmark describes as “an edu-cultural exhibit of Florida history, ecology, and architecture.” This charming site was designed by Kitsune Kyomoon for the USF ECampus and the Center for 21st Century Teaching Excellence, and Kyomoon has dotted it with informative notecards.

Cracker House at Wildcat Creek

Orange trees at Wildcat Creek

I immediately recognized the Cracker House – “the typical home,” Kyomoon tells us, “for the anglo pioneers of Florida,” a house modeled on her great-grandmother’s home where her great aunt still lives, a house that is nearly 200 years old. It’s also similar to the house where my grandfather’s cattle boss lived, a house taken down with everything else when the phosphate corporation mined the land in the early 1970s. Alas, my grandfather didn’t own the mineral rights to the land on which his Black Angus and Brahman cattle grazed and where his orange groves flourished.

Tubing on Wildcat Creek -- watch out! Gators!

"Clean, clear water flowing from the aquifer at a constant temperature are the essential ingredients that support the variety of life found in and around a spring" (Kyomoon notecard).

Although the Florida of my youth is greatly changed, many wild rivers, along with opportunities for tubing down the spring-fed streams that flow into them, remain. While tubing on Wildcat Creek, I saw an abundance of Florida wildlife: great blue herons, turtles, deer, an owl, a panther, a bear, and a nest of alligators. I especially loved seeing the cypress knees and taking a dip in the spring.

Seminole chickee at Wildcat Creek

Near a reproduction of St. Augustine’s Castillo de San Marcos, which Spain built to defend its claims in the New World (not shown here), is a reproduction of a chickee. Kyomoon tells us that “the chickee style of architecture – palmetto thatch over a cypress log frame – was born during the early 1800s when Seminole Indians, pursued by U.S. troops, needed fast, disposable shelter while on the run.”

Outdoor classroom near Lost Island - with leaves for seats

Not far from Wildcat Creek is Lost Island (162, 208, 22), designed by USF’s eTeaching & Technology Group (eTG) for “promoting and enhancing online learning via virtual worlds.” eTG says that its three island (Harambee, Lost Island, and Shoshin) “are highly trafficked due to the advanced and efficient landscaping and open (Florida-esque) learning environments and interactive and informative exhibits. Several USF and non-USF faculty also frequent our spaces along with their students to study the exhibits, conduct online classes, and experience virtual worlds.”

Almost Thoreauvian "home" on Lost Island

Relaxing in the Steampunk submarine moored on Lost Island

Indeed, along with beach structures and several whimsical classrooms, Lost Island contains lots of fanciful objects that appear to be student projects. Nearby is Lost Island II (Shoshin, 219, 174, 34), a grouping of small islands that the SL landmark calls USF Beach for faculty development and virtual office hours. I began this blog entry with snapshots from that region.

USF MTSS hot-air balloon dips into the Underwater Auditorium

On an island far far away from the Lost Islands is USF MTSS (111, 65, 22), a “professional development environment sponsored by the Technology & Learning Connections Team of the University of South Florida,” so says the SL landmark. (MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports.) The coordinates I provide above will land you near a hot-air balloon; hop aboard for an informative and enjoyable tour of the island.

Tiki Auditorium Training Center at USF MTSS Island

The text narrative during the hot-air balloon tour draws attention to ten or more areas of interest, including an ancient sacrificial temple at the bottom of a high waterfall, the tiki sandbox where boxes of freebies have washed ashore, a meditation site, and the Sanctum Tower that holds meeting rooms and more freebies.

Interior of the Port Town Library at USF MTSS

I also toured much of the island on foot. It seems that libraries call to me; so it was no surprise that I found myself spending quite a while in the Port Town Library. The image above is on the first floor; the second floor combines a meeting room with an art gallery.  Next to the library is a two-story classroom building. And on the rise behind it is Autumn Woods, where MTSS staff houses are located.

Port Town Library (L) and classroom building (R)

MTSS Staff house in Autumn Woods

For those of you interested in health education, there’s a USF Health region in Second Life. And there’s much more to see and experience than I’ve mentioned on the USF islands that I did visit. Enjoy!

USF MTSS Coral Music Venue

French-style shopping village, including Mon Tissu, at Lula/111/90/34

About shopping I have a couple of confessions: First, in real life I don’t like to shop. Fortunately my husband does, and I can enjoy shopping with him for family Christmas gifts; but a 2-hour stretch is about all I can take before I get addled. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s a flashback to the childhood terror I felt when my mother, who could shop for hours on end, threatened to “whip” me if I didn’t quit playing in the clothes racks (she never did). Maybe it’s sensory overload – so much stuff everywhere, so many sounds and people moving around. Maybe it’s my cluster of negative attitudes about consumerism.

A longshot of Izzie's at Izzies/114/125/31

In any case, I vividly remember the first time I walked into a Wal-Mart; I needed eyedrops. The shelves containing eyedrops were tall and wide; a vast variety of colorful labels announced relief for every known and invented eye ailment. The aisle was too narrow. I was cartless, but others who weren’t seemed intent on jostling me. I couldn’t focus. I stared at the shelves in an awestruck panic and walked out without making a purchase.

A view from Izzie's at Izzies/114/125/31

Second, I confess that I do enjoy shopping in SL – a tad too much, I suspect. I recognize that it’s a rather narcissistic pursuit and an odd one at that. Lotus, after all, is a digital entity who disappears with a click. What does it really matter how well she is dressed or coiffed or what kind of house, furniture, and garden she has? A basic avatar with freebie clothes and a cushion for a home at Peace Park ought to do just fine for digital explorations, especially for an avatar who mostly keeps to herself.

Scene at Rue d'Antibes/209/15/28 near Jane & Winter Outdoor Market

I haven’t sought a social life in SL, mainly because my initial goal was (and remains) to discover virtual educational opportunities and the learning potential of virtual worlds now and as they evolve. But I do care how Lotus looks, how she presents herself to other virtual citizens. She represents me. In a way, she’s a mirror; and when she looks good, I feel good.

Another scene at Rue d'Antibes

Sure, it’s narcissism of a kind, and it smacks of triviality. Shopping won’t save the world or make it better. To help to do that will require Lotus to become more socially engaged with avatars who also represent and mirror people who are trying to make a difference in educational and humanitarian enterprises.

Another view of the French-style shopping area at Lula/111/90/34

Nevertheless, appearance matters; it’s a presentation of self. How an avatar looks can influence how others interact (or choose not to interact) with her. For example, recently I fled when a tall male av in a black cape with glowing red eyes approached; and I kept my distance from a group of female shoppers who appeared to be wearing nothing but skimpy black underwear. Great people every one, perhaps; but I didn’t care to find out. Quite simply, they’re not my style. Live and let live. Meanwhile, Lotus and I will continue to explore and develop her style – or simply decide she doesn’t need one :^).

Outside Y&R Designs at Footloose/150/113/486

I have several other interpretations on why vampire and slattern costumes repel me. And I have at least one more reason, a more personal one, on why I like to shop in Second Life. But this is enough about me for now.

Perhaps you’d like to share your perspective on virtual world shopping. For example, do you enjoy it? If so, why? If not, why not? I’d love to hear from you.

Northern Lights at Old Europe (5/207/23)

Worried that video screen capture might be quite a stretch for my limited computing skills, I didn’t want to spend a dime on this experiment. I tried four different screencasting software programs (couldn’t download two of them properly) before I found one that works for me: Screencast-O-Matic. The free version worked great – easy to use, clear images! I was so enthused that I immediately invested in the Pro version, which includes editing tools and other benefits for a mere $12 a year.

Winter scene at Old Europe (5/207/23)

To date I’ve made two screencasts. ‘Tis the season, so both have Christmas themes and both are pre-programmed tours (the easy way to go, I figured) at new destinations for me. The first one shows me (Lotus Greene) taking the sleigh-train tour on Christmas Island, which is basically a commercial site. Just about everything is for sale, but it’s charming and the objects are delightfully designed and presented by Carrie Grant. It’s a fun place to spend a little time riding, walking, ice-skating, shopping, and/or picking up freebies.

Christmas Island mushroom house

I call my first video “Christmas Island Train Ride” (I tend to use descriptive titles rather than witty ones, an old academic habit :^). The train ride takes about 10 minutes. Even using the pause feature (available on the freebie, as is audio), I had 8 minutes of video. To see if I could, I edited it down to one minute. As you’ll see, I’m clearly not ready for prime time (for example, the cuts are jerky); but I want you to see that even a novice screencaster can produce a little piece suitable for classroom use, well, almost suitable.

Christmas Island train tour

The only serious obstacle occurred when I ran an upload test on my blog page. No can do. WordPress.com wants $60 a year for video uploads. Right now I don’t see myself using videos all that often on my blog, and I’m not ready to go as public as YouTube. But WordPress.com does allow PowerPoints, hmm. I put my little movie on a PowerPoint, previewed it on WordPress, and, voila! it worked (but no sound – I’ll have to work on that). I’m hoping it comes through for you. Try this: Christmas Island train video (like other links, you may have to open in a new tab or window, then click or double-click; you can also click Slideshow on the PowerPoint toolbar to find the full-screen button).

Calas Galadhon bridge decorated for Christmas

My second video, “Calas Galadhon Hot-Air Balloon Tour,” is just what it says. Calas Galadhon Park comprises 11 sims and is fabulously beautiful, one of the most stunning builds I’ve seen – and there’s so much I’ve yet to explore. It’s much photographed and written about, as a browser search will show. For starters I encourage you to check out Inara Pey’s 16 December 2011 blog, whether you’ve been to Calas or not. You may also like Eddi Haskell’s slideshow (2010) on YouTube, which uses spring images from the main island accompanied by Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring; and I’m certain you will enjoy the gorgeously professional YouTube video by Shenlei Flasheart and Georgianna Blackburn (2010), with its focus on winter horseback riding.

Scene from the Calas Galadhon hot-air balloon

According to the notecard I received when I first landed at Calas Galadhon, the hot-air balloon tour is not a tour (at least not a guided tour) “but a chance to cuddle, sit back and see the sims by air. It takes about 40 minutes. Probably the best overview of the Park in a short amount of time. The Best Balloon Ride in SL….” No cuddling for me in SL, thanks; but, yes, of the  balloon rides I’ve taken in SL, it is the best. There are no popups telling you what you are about to see; instead, it’s a nicely paced, relaxing look around, with plenty of time to zoom out and around to capture images.

Clock tower pavilion at Calas Galadhon

During the 40-minute ride, I took 25 minutes of video. My first edit cut it to 8:30 minutes – too long to share. I painfully cut more and more and got it down to 2:36 minutes. I’m especially fond of the Salt Marsh with its eagles, pelicans, and playful dolphins (on which I linger). The video begins and ends in winter white (4 Calas sims are snow-dressed), with a final “Happy Holidays!” around the decorated Yule tree at Elf Village. Try this: Calas Galadhon balloon tour.  Enjoy!

Winter townscape at Calas Galadhon

"Advanced Second Life for Educators" class, December 2011

I’m convinced that 3D immersive experiences can bring a concreteness to abstract subjects like philosophy and lead to deeper learning. However, most students at my two-year college have no experience with virtual worlds like Second Life (SL), and many do not have ready access to computers powerful enough to get into SL nor the time it takes to learn how to navigate comfortably within it. Offering an optional course for students with SL capabilities and with interests in applying political theory to issues in environmental politics seems like a good bet for my first time out bringing students inworld.

The plan I submitted listed 10 topics that fall under the umbrella of environmental politics, with suggested SL destinations for field trips (e.g., Deep Down Virtual Mine, Etopia Eco Village, NOAA Island, and OneClimate). For a detailed example of what students could do in SL that is not possible in real life, I focused on two field trips to the Four Bridges Project for a unit on environmental justice and activism.

Four Bridges Lighthouse Point (56, 28, 0) and Speak Easy (105, 26, 27)

The Four Bridges Project (4B) is “a virtual sustainable global community model founded on the four principles of respect for nature, universal human rights, economic and social justice, and a culture of peace.” In a March 2011 interview, 4B founder Millay Freshchi told Nazz Lane that the “4B complex in Second Life now comprises four sims and is the home to fifteen groups,” including Amnesty International-E, Veterans for Peace, Peace Train, and Coalition of Women for Peace. It also hosts events and shares resources, including its space and time, with other nonprofit groups that hold values similar to 4B’s.

Veterans for Peace office at Four Bridges

BORDC - Bill of Rights Defense Committee at Four Bridges (70, 116, 0)

Later in the Lane interview Freshchi says, “My original goal in Second Life was/is to create an international school where people can come together and teach and learn from each other skills that they can use in their own communities … water collection and distribution …  solar panel making and maintenance, college prep courses, kitchen gardening, forgiveness, conflict resolution, mediation, yoga … the list goes on and on.” She expresses hope that more educators will become involved in 4B. In fact, on the 4B website she offers to work with educators to set up and customize guided tours for students, an offer I plan to accept if my institution approves my course proposal.

"Keep your coins/ I want change" mural inside Four Bridges Resource Center (82, 162, 0)

Four Bridges also encourages educational involvement through its Student Volunteer Program (SVP): “We provide a space for learning through creative exhibits in which students will work with organizations…. to design, create, and implement their ideas, working with the group and mentors.” The organizations, the website says, “are registered nonprofits committed to the Four Bridges principles.” SVP has five departments: Art; Media – Curation and Exhibition; Group Participation, Leadership; Entertainment; and Universal Design.

Humanitarian Aid statue at Four Bridges

My first visit to 4B took place shortly after I joined SL and began looking for environmentally themed sims. I clicked on the 4B teleport given in a destination guide and landed in a dystopia. 4B scared me. Buildings and infrastructure were in ruins; posters and graffiti expressed rage; anarchic disorder seemed to reign. Doom and gloom under a bright blue sky! I didn’t stick around long.

Underwater Playground at Four Bridges (208, 105, 22)

Two recent multiday SL events drew me back to take a longer and this time an admiring look at 4B: Imagine Peacefest and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. Although the activities I was able to attend were not held at 4B, on the event schedules I saw its name among the hosts. On my second and third visits, as well as a visit to its website, I discovered that 4B has a great deal to offer educators and their students.

Imagine Nest by AuraKyo Insoo on Serenity Ridge at Four Bridges (240, 236, 28)

Garden for Change at Four Bridges (128, 128, 0)

Geographically, 4B is divided into two parts, separated by a mountain range. On one side is the dystopian landscape, the idyllic on the other. The idyllic includes Serenity Ridge (where you can meditate and do tai chi), the amazing Garden for Change (including a compost pile), and artist installations and performance areas. I meditated. I stretched. I walked in the gardens identifying flowers and vegetables. I sat in a swing and watched a loon with two chicks on her back paddle around a pond. I loved it.

Speak Easy at Four Bridges (105, 26, 27)

But the dystopian side seems to be where most of the social justice activism takes place. I haven’t yet experienced all 4B has to offer (e.g., I want to spend some time at its Afghanistan Cultural Museum); and it appears that new exhibits and activities are being planned right now. But I have visited the State of Mind and War and Peace Exhibits and looked around the Zinn Centre (where I found the most information), the Speak Easy (where events such as Poetically Speaking are held every Sunday), and the Radio FreeLife station (on a tall metal tower) – among a few other spots shown in my snapshots. I also enjoyed swinging outside the Resource Center and taking the hot-air balloon tour. In short, I’m totally intrigued by the 4B sims and have joined the 4B group, as well as Amnesty International-E, which Millay Freshchi leads.

Interior of Radio FreeLife station at Four Bridges (66, 188, 0); I was pleased to see the Wisconsin protest poster

Hot-air balloon tour with view of a dilapidated Ferris Wheel

Visually, the contrast between 4B’s two major parts is stark and exciting. 4B seems to be showing us two possible futures – indeed, two nows in some of our major cities – as well as two states of mind and being. I’m hoping to bring a group of students to 4B to experience and reflect on this contrast and hoping to collaborate with Millay Freshchi on making their experiences informative, enjoyable, thought-provoking, and global thinking.

Scattered Notes Project in the Zinn Centre; I'll encourage my students to leave notes

One of the things that greatly impresses me about Millay Freshchi and her Four Bridges colleagues is their eagerness to include others in their mission to further the “four principles of respect for nature, universal human rights, economic and social justice, and a culture of peace.” The mission section of the 4B website ends with these words:

 There is no separation between what we do in virtual worlds and what happens through our efforts in the physical world. We bring awareness, community, and hope to all the worlds. Our organization is constantly seeking new ideas, new projects, and new organizations to add to the mix. The Four Bridges Project is a shining example of how we can use the virtual world to connect internationally and confront the most pressing issues.

Yes!

Bridge near the Garden for Change at Four Bridges

Palm trees at Lights City Games

I don’t know if these reasons have any bearing on why I haven’t found a uniquely Libyan presence in SL (Palestine, for example, does have SL sites, as my last post shows); in any case, my SL and web searches for regions devoted to Libya failed. Nevertheless, quite a few pan-Arab SL regions list Libya as one country among others (e.g., Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia) whose people would find their sites attractive – to socialize, listen to music, dance, and/or shop; board games are always present. I briefly explored seven of these sites, lingered a good while at another, and found yet another that doesn’t list Libya but does have a connection to the novel that I’m about to discuss. All of the snapshots in this post are drawn from those I took during my nine visits.

Pavilion at 3Sha8

My interest in a Libyan presence in SL comes from a splendid novel that a colleague and I recently used in our international studies learning community: In the Country of Men (shortlisted in 2006 for the prestigious Man Booker Prize), written by Hisham Matar, who grew up in Tripoli and Cairo before moving to London. Although the novel ends in Cairo, it’s mostly set in 1979 Tripoli. At this time Qaddafi’s regime has been in power for 10 years and has helped Libyans prosper, but political dissidents are not, to put it mildly, tolerated.

Mansion at Sef Al3z, my favorite Arabian island – a beautiful place with lots to see, lots to do

In the Country of Men is a fictional memoir: “In a time of blood and tears, in a Libya full of bruise-checkered and urine-stained men, urgent with want and longing for relief, I was the ridiculous child craving concern,” Suleiman, the narrator, tells us (166*). He is recalling his ninth summer, a time when his father and fellow dissidents suffered or were executed for conspiring against the military dictatorship. Because the narrator tells the story through the eyes of a remembered boy, we learn little about the dissidents’ activities and plans. [*Page numbers refer to the first paperback edition.]

Game table, fountain, and shops at Kingdom of Jordan

Parcheesi is especially popular; this table is at Lights City Games

Political activism is always in the novel’s background. But Matar’s focus is on the boy’s emotional turmoil, triggered by the secrecy surrounding his father Faraj’s absence from home and his mother Najwa’s attempts to overcome loneliness and fear in a bottle. Najwa calls the dissidents “foolish dreamers” and the student protests as “only clouds” that “gather then flit away.” Moosa, a family friend, responds, “It’s our obligation to call injustice by its name” (53). But Qaddafi’s “Antennae” are ever alert to oppositional activity. As Suleiman watches, they grab a neighbor, a university professor who writes and helps to distribute anti-regime leaflets; and shortly thereafter they aim their feelers at Faraj – in the process befriending Suleiman in order to gain more information.

Egyptian Stars tiki bar

Betrayal is a major theme but so is courage. The two come together in the overarching theme of almost every memoir (fictional or otherwise): the power of storytelling. Memoirists, it seems to me, have a need to relive and chronicle the past. Perhaps they write for self-therapy, self-justification, self-understanding, and/or self-forgiveness. Perhaps they write to provide a different, more intimate, less mediated view of an era. All of these seem to be Suleiman’s reasons, along with trying to reconcile, later in life, his feelings for his parents and his country.

Fantasy tree at Sef Al3z – I toned down the color on this snapshot (game table on the right)

The power of storytelling appears most radiantly in the novel’s recurring allusions to Scheherazade, the heroine of One Thousand and One Nights, also known as the Arabian Nights. When Faraj is home Najwa is sober; but when he’s away she drinks her “medicine” and tells young Suleiman stories about the events that led to her “black day,” the day she was forced into marriage at 14, and she tells him in raw detail about that day itself. She also talks about Scheherazade, whom she considers a coward: Scheherazade, even after she’d finished her tales, chose to continue living with a brutish king rather than accept death; she chose to live so that her sons would not be motherless (15-17).

Dancer at Habibi - The Middle Eastern Oasis (Najwa called her son habibi, “my beloved”)

To the young Suleiman, Scheherazade was enormously brave: “It’s one thing not to fear death, another to sing under the sword” (67). He sees his mother as embodying Scheherazade’s bravery: Najwa chooses to live and protect her child and husband – even though doing so involves kowtowing to those who would kill Faraj. As for Faraj, Suleiman will never know if his father had “come to prefer death over slavery,” if he had decided to refuse “to live under the sword” (236). In Faraj’s case, what counts as betrayal and what counts as courage remain unanswered. Readers’ opinions will surely differ. Yet sometimes betrayal and courage are two sides of the same coin – when the betrayed people and ideals are sacrificed so that other people and ideals may live. One of Faraj’s books plays a key role in the plot: Democracy Now.

Morning glory swing at at Sef Al3z