Show me the way to go home

Pringles consumed in SL: Countless (bad); Startled awakenings slumped over bar: 1 (bad); Units of alcohol consumed: 0 (good, but makes other items worse somehow)

After computer had crashed out of disco for umpteempth time take it as Sign, and head off. However, before retiring, also decide to revisit IH's home to create Landmark which had omitted to do in rush of excitement. Go home & change into fetching outfit seen on right. Once at IH's, have a look round countryside as have decided will put foot on rung of property ladder quite soon. See various bits of land, do some land searching and then want to tootle home again.

However, seems all travel in SL is out of question. Try teleporting to various shops and own office multiple times. Only get increasingly irritating tinging noise as left flapping arms and feeling idiot.

Somehow feel not right to leave avatar hanging over strange landscape. Therefore gird self for major long distance flight. Even with Large Map difficult to see where one is and in end give this up too as seem to be flying in circles and keep bumping against invisible walls of forbidden land plots.

Finally discover CAN teleport to San Jose State University campus, which seems safe sort of place. Stumble towards deserted bar, waste idle minutes pretending to be barman (i.e. click on BARMAN pose ball and watch hand make wiping movements and disappear into bar top, see pic.) then log out.

When log in next morning find am still alone in bar. Cannot resist Wearing box of Pringles that had picked up free in late night sortie to Blogger's Cafe. In RL have not been able to face Pringles since ate a lot of them one Christmas immediately before going down with violent gastric flu. Two things were unconnected, but unfortunately since then smell of Pringles is wedded to nasty feeling one has immediately before dashing to bathroom.

Try to Sit on bar stool but find have disappeared completely from view. When press Stand Up find am standing on top of grass umbrellas over bar. Very odd. Try Sitting on umbrellas and discover that instead am trapped UNDER umbrella, still stuffing Pringles in mouth, or at least thrusting them in general direction of face. Can just see self in last photo. Since am (as previously established) 6 foot 5 inches tall, umbrellas must be size of barn, or perhaps like Tardis bigger inside than out. Recover self and as Transportation now a viable option, go home to office.

Of course now realise that IH would probably not have minded me sleeping over in her house, thus avoiding sordid bar and Pringles incidents.

Ceremony

Opening ceremonies attended: 1. Friendships offered: 1 (to person from RL: good). Reminders of ghastly situations in youth when seemed social outcast of party: 1. (bad)

Attended opening ceremony of San Jose State University SLIS campus. Spartan Writer said, cutting ribbon (see pic 1) "We are San Jose SLIS--moving to the edge and experimenting". Then off to the drinks tent.

All v. nice people but everyone else evidently best chums, so one of those events where end up sidling furtively round room and then talking to cat (see pic 2). After was run over by flying carpet (conversation in passing "We are building options and opportunity--not mandatory programs") decided to call it day.

I visit 2 universities

Universities visited: 2 (or 3 if count one I am in); Hours spent in SL: 2 and a half (v. bad); Items marked in RL: 1 (v.v. bad); Dances performed in SL: 1 (v. odd)

5 hours downtime in SL but finally teleported in and it seems that did not have to wait til 2am for San Jose State University opening. Lurked at edge of crowd. As bad as networking at conferences in RL, except do not usually have sign
B5 Fan
Sheila Yoshikawa
floating over head. Joined B5 fan and UK Educators groups, plus obviously belong to Information Literacy group, but SL only wants to display B5 fan. So am branded as sci-fi nerd. Perhaps is alphabetical order (in which case should have called my group *!*Information Literacy to get it to top of display) perhaps creators of SL are Babylon 5 fans too.

Everyone is v. quiet with occasional Chats from someone called "Sloodle admin" and eventually grasp that everyone else is watching some sort of transmission on big screen which I can't see as have no Quicktime. Find Quicktime on web and try to install. Success. See transmission but pretty dull as you can see from first pic. Apparently lucky to get onto Island as dull Sloodle vid v. popular and some avatars in "Stack heap collision", perhaps like M25.

Is then call for SJSU library grad students to become guides in SL. They get credits for this. Sounds rather dossy to me and not matching the rigours of the UK credit system (ahem). Someone says there are 1800 students in the faculty. Did not think that many library students in the world. Anyway all interesting stuff, but not quite as radical as expected, or perhaps just disappointed ego because people don't go, wow you're from the UK, it must be v. late where you are.

Try dance animation and eventually find out how to stop. Hear that there are fireworks and free drinks at 2am, so perhaps worth going back.

Teleport to Hertfordhire Uni. Had heard about campus via discussion list in RL. Campus deserted, bit spooky frankly, but take pic (see right) and leave message on pin board saying "Hi from Sheila Yoshikawa". SL is increasing my communication skills no end.