Thursday, January 31, 2008

IN THE PINK

IN THE PINK ----A first time event in SecondLife.

SL's production of the "Vagina Monologues", the first of its kind for V-Day, was to have raised funds for its campaign to end violence against women. 90,000 Linden had been donated to the cause and of course. All funds were returned when VDay explained why we could not perform the Vagina Monologues.

Despite the setback, SL Producers and cast members have rallied, unanimously deciding to present a new play to support V-Day... albeit in altered format. And this is a FIRST. A play written by the women of SecondLife about being a woman. This play created in SecondLife could possibly be a crossover and find itself performed in FirstLife eventually.

"In the Pink", penned in part by women of Second Life, is currently in production. It will feature
V-Day's tenth anniversary "Spotlight Monologue", a salute to the women of New Orleans.

Sponsors and Donations are now being accepted. Please contact VDayAccountant Telling (give your donation and a notecard with your name and how you'd like your name to be in our sponsor book. If you would like a Donation Kit (so to set up on your property) let us know.

" We're overwhelmed by the strong support already shown by the residents of Second Life, and our mission continues to be to raise funds for V-Day.org. V-Day has agreed that we may continue to use their logos in our production and fundraising efforts. They have also agreed that we may use "Welcome to the Wetlands" and letter from Eve Ensler in our production to promote V-day in New Orleans later this year."

"In the Pink" will celebrate the strength of women everywhere and call attention to the problem of violence against women," she said. "It will be our take on female sexuality and what it means to be a woman, in RL and SL."

Production of "In The Pink" is well underway, with performances slated for March 8, 2008. Information on venues and ticketing will be released soon.




Sunday, January 27, 2008

What is Art worth in SL?

This should not be the issue to this story but it is because I am about to say that thirty minutes of a show in Secondlife is worth the admission price of 1000L to 3,000L?

ZeroG SkyDancers is the event I am talking about. I have a few pictures up on my Flickr but that doesn't do justice to this performance. This is a work of immense beauty. Visual, Audio and although you may think it's digitally impossible smell and touch seem to enter into this enthralling performance.

SkyDancers float, dive and fly in ballet of, 'shape, color and location in space.' These SkyDancrs are synced to the sound. The visual stimulation is so pleasurable you will simply turn the lights off in your home and let yourself sink into this world DanCoyote has created. The music is by ZeroG and you must visit this site. http://www.cruxy.com/zeroonepaz

I'm not sure how many SkyDancers there were but I was able to find Buffy Beale, Anhinga Chaika, Angeliue Menoptra and Lina Lageos. Look at these women's profiles and you will find yourself drifting into the best of SecondLife as their groups, picks and abouts simply make you realize how gifted they are.

"Chance Operations," said DanCoyote when I tried to figure out how they moved so brilliantly across a set of dazzle and intensity. He explained like, "John Cage and Merce Cunningham." So this was choreographed but also allowed for lag by 'chance operations.' I am still unsure how this operates but I am sure it works since my eyes encompassed all the movements.

Movements telling a story in the form of "Peter and the Wolf" or "Fantasia" I would love to tell you the story of birth, growth, turbulence and death this SkyBallet unfolds but I think it would be better for you to see it yourself. I will tell you DanCoyote mentioned Leonard Bernstein's, "West Side Story" the 'conflict scene' where they sing "When you're a Jet, you're a Jet," as part of his choreography concept. "Peter and the Wolf" was part of the inspiration of the music telling the story as well. (each sound signifies a character so the Wolf has his own bar of music and you know the wolf is coming by sound as well as sight).

DanCoyote let me see the 'storybook' so I know how ZeroG's music coincides with the SkyDancers. Nothing in SecondLife compares to this. Oh, I am awed at the builds of Aley and Light. I am also aware of DanCoyote's visual studio in SL of his artwork. And of the many talented and gifted scripters and builders of SL. But nothing in SecondLife prepares you for this show. You should come early, read the notecard, set the preferences and wait to be swept off into a ThirdLife. There are shows all through February. Find DanCoyote Antonelli and I am sure you will find yourself back in a land in the future that you have always loved but never seen.

Oh, as to the amount of money. A couple of burgers. A couple of beers. A couple of coffees. Oh please, isn't beauty worth that much? And, for those of you really in a bind find a way. Go work a dance pole. Do some camping. And then go be enlightened and entertained.


Thursday, January 24, 2008

What is it to be called Woman

Why the title? Well first as many of you know I have been working with a group to put on the production of the Virgina Monologues in accordance with VDay in SecondLife. After working on this project we found out VDay had never been asked for permission to perform nor could they have granted such because the global copywrite laws apply within our Metaverse and therefore we could not obtain the permissions needed. (More on this later).

So, we are now doing a play where the women of secondlife will explain what this means to them. This does not mean every actors story will be told but it does mean we as a society will be speaking in an original production about sexuality. It also implies the possibility that a secondlife woman who is not in firstlife will have her story told as well.

We are in full cooperation with VDay now. Since we are doing an original production we cannot calls ourselves VDay Event (since the term has specific meaning) However, we can call ourselves, In The Pink associated with VDay.

We need volunteers to help in adminstration. Also someone who would be willing to run the line reader during the show. This is a first in Secondlife in someways and an extension of the amazing talent our world embodies.

So, if you have a short (one page) story on "What it is to be a Woman" please send it ASAP to Calliope Delgado. If you would be willing to help with adminstration, public relations, linereader or any other area we would welcome you to drop a notecard on Calliope Delgado, ToryLynn Writer, Lauren Weyland.

Thank you.


Sunday, January 20, 2008

24 Hours

How overwhelmed can you be? I am sure you have all encountered a 24 hour period in SL at the end of you simply collapse.

For some of you it's probably spending numerous hours in photoshop creating textures, clothing and who knows what else for SL. For others it writing a script watching it fail, rewriting and reworking it. And of course during the 24 hours you also have a life in SL including IM's, TP's, promises made and appointments forgotten,

So, this is about my 24 hours. From Friday evening to Saturday evening.

It started quite nicely. Logged in and went looking around at a sim I wanted to see. Then crisis began. The Vday show I was working on (with many other volunteers) was coming to a crashing halt due to a technicality of our showing it in SL was considered 'broadcasting'. The rug was being pulled out from us. Over the next two hours the producers met and called for all volunteer meeting at 6pm SL time. But word leaked out and during those two hours of producer conversations I was getting and answering constant IM's (as were the others I am sure) [times listed below are not actual]

6pm - We meet and explain what the circumstance is. We are shut down and will be delisted a week from friday. Now for the next two hours input from our wonderful volunteers. Concepts, indignity, anger, laughter, tears all flowed into one sea of nearly exasperation. But, we were not about to allow this river to flow to a place called defeat.

8pm - Meeting had adjourned but the IM's from around SL had just begun to flow in. Our VDay group had managed to seep into nearly every crevice of SL before it had become a river. For the next hour we continued talking. And making sure no one tried to direct us to defeat. (i.e. some people were already positing our demise. I would ask them to please delete....no obits yet). By around 9pm we are dispersing with a plan. Although there are many plans laid out we have chosen one which we hope will wind the river to the theater of success.

10pm - I am alone with Rekka on the stage that has been under construction. I am looking at the beautiful theater Rekka built. The set Erlic has been building. Thinking of the 17 women Calliope is directing. And all the sponsors and volunteers involved to date. Rekka is wonderful. She is tough.....no way she gives up on anything. After she hits me a few times in the head (and in between numerous IM's) I hear what she says and begin our fight back. This fight starts with an email to those who control the rights of the play part of the Vagina Monologues. Also to the producers.

Midnight - At the Oasis I go to bed

3am - Saturday - now I am devising plans. Also I am working on my script and routine. I have two shows today one at noon and the other confirmed at 6:30pm SL time (which of course during this period of craziness, even after confirmation, is really 3:30pm SL time.

Noon - I give my quick show at The Forum and then I am invited to see something Easy Babcock is working on (Sine Waves). I go and spend an hour of just fun. Then back to Vday and my 6:30 pm show.

2pm - I exit SL to eat, shower, relax and figure I don't need to be back until around 5pm SL time

3:10pm - I log back on because there is a message regarding the show from SLNN. They had heard the production was CLOSED. I need to get in-word quick and stop that from being published. I get in-world. I get IM's "when are you coming. Your show starts in 20 minutes". I have to IM SLNN that I will get back after the show but we are not closing the show yet.

3:30pm My comedy show goes on. Razzled, Frazzled and with a raspy sore throat I deliver for one hour my comedy. Nearly everyone at the show is a man. Most of my material poke fun at men. I am sure I will be a failure. I go on. When the show ends I am amazed. They all enjoyed it. Whew!

4pm - Back to SLNN and she contacts someone with Time Warner/HBO in world. WE are talking, I am explaining. OMG, this man wants to help. He gives me his email address and says he'll work on this monday and requests and email explaining everything and how we are doing the show etc.

5pm - Logged off, calling producers...none answer the phone. I go to make a quick dinner for myself. I feel elated since I am seeing a levy being built and feel we won't flow towards defeat. It will not be the 'eve of our destruction'.

6pm - ToryLynn calls we talk. She is going to get the letter written and we other 3 will read and approve. Meanwhile, Calliope has written a response to give in-world to the question about our disbanding. Everyone is helping now. Volunteers in our google group are coming up with ideas. Notecards in world are given with ideas. Ada calls I tell her the news etc.

7pm - Back in world, I've read Torylynn's letter, we are all adding little changes to it...finalizing it. Again the man from Time Warner/HBO asks another question (but he has logged off). They will need our real names and numbers. I contact the other producers. We agree. There is conversation about fighting the issue of this being a broadcast or just making nice to get the show on. We decide to 'let's make nice' and get the show on if possible. The issue of broadcast in the MetaVerse is for another day.

7:30pm - I am at a Pajama party......pillows, feathers....everyone laughing. Exhaustion takes over my body and I log off and go to sleep. Certain tomorrow will be just as fast and furious

Friday, January 18, 2008

Digital Destruction

It is disconcerting to have gone to a wonderful sim or even a tremendous build and go back one day and it is gone. There are plenty of bad builds, which although I don't mind when they disappear, still afford me a wonderful laugh and the worst of them are the funniest.

So, this blog is about, "What can we do to preserve wonderful works of art?" Not just builds but great scripts too. Shouldn't there be an annual event by us, the citizens, to award a trophy for 'best build', 'best script' etc.?

Shouldn't there be one sim given by the high lord Philip Linden, where those sims and builds could have digital moments of life (with owners permission..given at award ceremony)? We have 365 days in a year. I don't think there are 365 great builds yet. So each one could be rezzed for a day or more. (when over 365 we could go to 1/2 day)

Like the first Museum of OUR WORLD.

A notecard given out as to when this build first came into SecondLife and when it was poofed. (Sims and builds that have not been closed would not need to be rezzed here. But a notecard could be given out with landmark and Award and date of Award and perhaps saying Still Active. And those closed saying so.

I don't think this would be impossible nor expensive. It would entail ONE ISLAND with one Class 5 Server.

We have all enjoyed so much by some of the most wonderful builders such as Aley Arai (Privateer's) and Light Waves (Hallucinogens) which are both active. And those that are gone. We have gifted scripters such as Sine Waves various scripters.

Oh, I could go on. But what I am really getting at is we exist. Therefore we have a past, present and future and why should our past disappear so easily.

Love all of you for the kindness you extend to me. To those who enjoy my show. And to those who don't for still finding the time to at least come once and politely let me know it isn't their kind of comedy. I do get what could be called HATE IM's, blog comments and even emails. They are rare but I do feel a chip out of my heart even though I do delete and ignore them. But it is all of you who have made my life so much more wonderful in SL. See you In-World. May the farce be with you.

Lauren

Monday, January 14, 2008

Part Two ---Aley and Privateer

MY BLOG IS LISTED ON THIS LINK.

http://npirl.blogspot.com/

THIS IS PART TWO OF A TWO PART SERIES

I would so appreciate knowing how you feel about this

PART ONE OF PRIVATEER

MY BLOG IS LISTED ON THIS LINK.

http://npirl.blogspot.com/

THIS IS PART ONE OF A TWO PART SERIES

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The Missing Blog

What happened to the missing blog? Why haven't I written? Because I have just completed a major two part blog that will be published first on NPIRL. So, I apologize but this was a major piece, I am also sick with a cold, working on VDay, did two shows this weekend and just ran out of thought power.

So, I hope you forgive me and I will inform you as soon as my blog publishes either Monday or Tuesday. If there is any delay I will write by Wednesday

Sunday, January 6, 2008

The Soul of SecondLife

Well, you laugh, what the hell does she mean by, "the Soul of SecondLife"? Of course I'm talking about you. Yes you, the one reading this. You are the one who sends me a landmark saying I must go visit the sim Privateer. You are the reason I remain in SecondLife. You are the life I crave for when I'm not in-world and you are my love.

You are open, often filled with laughter even when some of you are extremely ill or in immense pain. You are the 'force' so to speak, although it sounds a bit hokey. But without you my brain would shrivel back down to a small percent being used.

Before there was voice there was your mind and the in the background the chitter chatter of type. (And whoever said, "hey, let's put in that chitter chatter sound it will be fun? Someone who owns an old Regal typewriter from 1943? I can see her pounding on her typewriter before there was a SecondLife thinking 'Eureka')

But back to you. You are each of those souls I've spent time with here and we are the family I've talked about in both "Civilization" and "Society" blogs. Sometimes you've been ridiculous and other times you've made me cry. Often you have done something wonderful. Like, who created these 'snow emitters'? I know you but I haven't met you yet.

And those who create things we buy and when I need help with that item you are the one who created it and you quickly help and we become friends. We talk about our inner selves. Who we are and how we feel. Deeper then the family of ours in firstlife. It is you I cannot explain to those in firstlife. Why? Because how could they understand a world filled with you without the need, the greed, the judgment of body or the amount of ownership.

So, to you, I wish you to know you have made a difference in the universe. No matter whether everyone see the ripples you've created they are there forever. Because the way I walk in firstlife is different now. The way I see people is more enlightened.

This is just a simple thank you blog. But I know each of you who read this have the YOU that have done the same. So take a moment......think of him or her, a group, the lives behind the keyboards, the minds behind the voices. Because, I am thinking of you.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

SecondLife Society

So what has happened to my life as I have assimilated into our digital civilization? There are so many aspects of change I am no longer the person I was before SecondLife.

An obvious change has been the decline in watching television. Television has become a boring 'push' world where SL is a two way highway of thought. Many friends have said the same thing about television so these next insights may or may not be shared by many of you.

I sometimes feel I need to almost hide my desire to be here from my friends in firstlife. As if for some reason they would think I was antisocial when in fact I am more social then ever. How do I explain to them all of you? A borderless, classless, without temporal limitations, highly intelligent society I am now a part of? Would they understand it or just think I've gone to cartoon land? And further why should I explain it at all? At times I try, and see their eyes cloud over as if I was Coleridge writing "Kubla Kahn" on some psychedelic acid trip they had long left in their youth.

I feel a bit like Jules Verne trying to explain to his acquaintances the idea of his book, "Journey to the Center of the Earth." And then imagine taking them on the trip Lauren has each day in our world? Forget the whole issue of gender, age and non-conformist behavior. Just try to explain the world that "NPIRL (Not Possible in Real Life). Web address it npirl.blogspot.com

The wonders of the mind of Alyes, Light Waves, DanCoyote and all the other artists in SL. Or that I attend concerts regularly with Heath or Moxy. Famous musicians in SL. And, ha try to explain my constant shopping for digital clothes that I am spending my money on. Oh yes, try all this and perhaps a wagon will come with some nice people in white suits.

So, our society is ours and I am beginning to believe I could not spend my life with another person in firstlife if they weren't a part of my secondlife. Think, can you imagine, those of you immersed like me, explaining to your partner that you'll be right with them in like........never.....because you won't leave SL.

I've often thought I should go to a shrink in firstlife and just talk about my secondlife. Nothing else. No other thoughts. Not even how I got to her office. Instead discussing my last tp or how nice it is to fly.

We live together in our world and we have a society that is open. I haven't noticed someone staring shamefully at another in SL because they couldn't afford an outfit at Last Call. Nor have I heard someone shout out, "TAXI".

Imagine explaining to your friends and how you may be talking with them one day and in mid sentence log off and they see you on for several days before you meet again and there is no friction. Now, I know there is plenty of drama in SecondLife. I am not ignoring that. Nor do I think it's any less dramatic then firstlife. And we can just as easily be misunderstood here as anywhere.

But why on earth would you be any place else?