I find an old half finished post about Twitter vs SL, and finish it

Blog posts completed after mere 5 year delay: 1 (good)
Had decided to post here for first time in mumble-mumble months, when noticed had 66 draft posts. As had thought, most of them consisted of few enigmatic words or a couple of random pics., but this seemed almost complete, so have decided to post it. Unfortunately forgot to note down when actually drafted it*: think was 2015, though that seems a bit late for 1st Tweet chat. Anyway here it is:

------------roll back time to 2015-------------
For first time participated in Twitter-only discussion this week. Could not help but compare with SL equivalent so decided to be Reflective Practitioner and blog about it. Was then question of which of my x zillion blogs I should burden with these pearls of wisdom. Thought people would be least likely to read it if I put it here, and hey haven’t blogged here recently**, so here we go.

Discussion was about info literacy, so is pretty easy to compare with some Infolit iSchool discussions. Must start by saying that am not that keen on Twitter. Have blogged about that HERE. Blog I blogged THAT on is more Serious Blog (though with risibly low page hits, but whatever) so omitted to mention key drawback which is that on Twitter no one can see whether you have a kitten on your head. Or your shoulder. Or new spiffy cowboy boots with pink ribbons. In fact you could be a dragon or a dancing cabbage and people still wouldn’t know. Whereas in SL it is all out there for people to see and make merry banter about.

Tried to reign in refs to SL in above blog post, because we all know that people think that people who like SL are, like, weird**, but was thinking how on SL do have fun. In fact in week before wrote Twitter-is-no-fun post had amusing post-meeting banter in SL with Kali and Pancha which started with fact that Pancha was wearing steampunk librarian outfit (lower half replaced by gears). Led to reminicences about when Kali rezzed with no top on and I took pics and then had to promise not to post them to Flickr. Lord how we chortled. You had to be there.

Anyway: Similarities between a discussion on infolit on Twitter and in SL:
1. Can be at your desk/ in bed/ in the pub i.e. anywhere where you have a device and an internet connection:
2. During discussion can nip out to make coffee, take a phone call, have a comfort break etc. etc.
3. You get an automatic transcript
4. Discussion overlaps and is disjointed
5. Technical problems
6. People use [inserted May 2020 use what??? language? a computer? I suppose people will have been using SOMETHING, let's leave it at that]
7. You find out some interesting stuff and talk to new people
Differences
1. On Twitter you get to talk to people who use Twitter, on SL to people who use SL.
2. Beginning and end of session are not so clear on Twitter, though of course could have been Twitter session I was in.
3.
------------roll forward to 2020---------

At this point typing had ceased. Presume was through lack of time, but perhaps was so overwhelmed with differences that had to go and lie down.

Anyway, can add some more differences, so, to continue
3. In SL shared digital space is more distinctive, and more likely to be brought into conversation
4. Also in SL can move location
5. Can use Twitter on all sorts of devices, and even when your device and signal are rubbish. Not so with SL
6. In SL can be present and not saying anything, but people still know you are there.
7. In SL people more likely to apologise for arriving late, or for dropping in late and then disappearing. In Twitter get more people divebombing in and out (or perhaps they've been there all the time not saying anything, one can't tell, see (6)
8. On SL saying goodbye and thanking people takes 3 times as long as on Twitter. This is an estimate. If anyone wants to give me money to test this hypothesis, yes please.
9. More likely to get an idea of what was said on Twitter afterwards, as will be able to search on hashtag even if no-one has archived chat. In SL depends on someone sharing chatlog
10. Are more likely to get pics of the SL discussion posted than Twitter discussion, in that - why would you even take a pic of a Twitter discussion?
11. In SL more likely to comment on people's appearance and people more likely to change appearance during session.
12. SL is more fun. It just is.

Hmm, not sure that is unbiased assessment, but this is a reflection, not some nonsensical attempt at objective evaluation. Have illustrated this with pics of some of my devices in SL plus me in a kimono with a small donkey companion, because, why not

*As soon as had looked at it Blogger helpfully updated date to today's. 
** No change there, then

It Began With A Japanese Lantern

Research discussions held: 1 (good); Metaphorical objects discovered: 1 (multilayered yet ambiguous, obviously)

Today used Sakura House as discussion venue for first time in long while. Is still original 2007 build, and causes nostalgia and happy memories of days gone past e.g. time when student holding Jack Daniels bottle stumbled into infolit discussion and fell unconscious at our feet. Felt Pioneer Teacher credibility status went up several notches as real student doing something recreational in SL is always a desirable outcome for SL teachers.

Topic of discussion today was research approaches. Pancha talked about constructivist grounded theory, Ridvan about case study with ethnographic texture, and I talked about autoethnographic study of SL that have still not done even after several years of printing out articles about autoethnography and filing them away in boxes/on hard drive. Suppose actually reading articles might speed process, but in this case managed to produce paragraph for notecard by copying out a few sentences** found in a textbook on Google Books. Will probably now have to buy book and put it on shelf, as author appears to be guru in field. Can Reading Book be far behind (answer: yes)

For uninitiated, autoethnography is ethnography about self. Actually realise must have blogged about this before (do search of own blog). Yes, July 2010 http://adventuresofyoshikawa.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/wasted-evening-or-pleasant-evening.html. Think have progressed since then as am sure are more articles in the Autoethnography article box now.

After meeting meandered outside Sakura house and reminisced about time when had just got island and put down a japanese lantern as the first object. Have recreated scene in pic, right.
Pancha observed
"the lantern is a good metaphorical object"
which actually hadn't thought of before and is Useful Insight for a budding autoethnographer. Was this lurking in back of mind when selected it as First Prims? Think that it was just that liked japanesey things and lantern was copiable. However, perhaps was more too it than that and didn't even realise!

In fact for purposes of autoethnography should reproduce chunk of text JUST NOW, fictionalise it and then reflect on it

1. Chatlog
[2014/04/23 13:21] Sheila Yoshikawa: that japanese lantern was the first thing i placed on the island after we got it on 2007
[2014/04/23 13:22] Sheila Yoshikawa: so i am sentimentally attached to it
[2014/04/23 13:22] Sheila Yoshikawa: (the one on the little island)
[2014/04/23 13:22] Pancha Enzyme: ooh i see now
[2014/04/23 13:23] Sheila Yoshikawa: i felt soooooooooooooo excited when i got the island and had 15000 prims
[2014/04/23 13:23] Sheila Yoshikawa: and a whole island to terraform
[2014/04/23 13:23] Sheila Yoshikawa: getting into the autoethnographic swing
[2014/04/23 13:23] Sheila Yoshikawa: actually
[2014/04/23 13:23] Pancha Enzyme: :-D
[2014/04/23 13:23] Pancha Enzyme: excellent!
[2014/04/23 13:23] Sheila Yoshikawa: not to be modest
[2014/04/23 13:23] Ridvan-Researcher (ridvan.atolia): u going to start from here then :)
[2014/04/23 13:23] Sheila Yoshikawa: ****
[2014/04/23 13:24] Pancha Enzyme: the lantern is a good metaphorical object
[2014/04/23 13:24] Sheila Yoshikawa: lol
[2014/04/23 13:24] Sheila Yoshikawa: indeed
[2014/04/23 13:24] Sheila Yoshikawa: shining light on my whole SL experience
[2014/04/23 13:24] Pancha Enzyme: :-D
[2014/04/23 13:24] Sheila Yoshikawa: It Started With A Japanese Lantern
[2014/04/23 13:24] Pancha Enzyme: yes!
[2014/04/23 13:24] Sheila Yoshikawa: 9 prims
[2014/04/23 13:25] Sheila Yoshikawa: but at least that means you can see it from a distance
[2014/04/23 13:25] Sheila Yoshikawa: i have a problem with a lot of these very prim-light objects
[2014/04/23 13:25] Ridvan-Researcher (ridvan.atolia): I am looking forward to be 1st reader of your paper Sheila :)
[2014/04/23 13:25] Pancha Enzyme: I still have vivid memories of meeting you and Ishbel for the first time in here and eating japanese barbeque

**** [line censored as was indeed being immodest and comparing ability to write fiction favourably with someone v. famous in autoethnography world, who knows if said person might google own name and "autoethnography", too dreadful to contemplate]

2. Fictionalised version
After the meeting I felt impelled to walk to the door and look our over the glimmering, shimmering sea to where the lone, stone lantern threw its light. I murmured, emotion catching my throat, "that was the first object I placed on this island". Ridvan and Pancha joined me. Together we contemplated the view. I recalled the wild exhilaration of seeing a new, virgin land blossoming beneath me, ready to be terraformed to my will. I smiled "Such and exciting experience". Ridvan jested lightly "So, your autoethnoethnographic journey starts here!" I nodded "yes, my systematic sociological introspection, as Ellis says". This time, this place, were good places to recreate my journey, to delve within and without. Pancha exclaimed "the lantern is a good metaphorical object". I smiled at her insight, observing "Indeed, for it shines light on the whole of my SL experience." As dusk fell, we recalled more happy times on Infolit iSchool. I felt invigorated, inspired.

3. Reflective account
Well can reflect that SL scenery evokes emotional response as would RL scenery and that also am nostalgic person with attachment to pixelated objects. Also that if am with another Immersed person with Shared Experiences can launch into reminiscence session as dull for 3rd party as is RL equivalent.

Ho hum not sure that is really deep reflection, but actually need to stop blogging and get home as tomorrow outside SL have got v.v. large amount of things to do and then off to RL Sweden where will be attending friend's PhD viva, which over there is public performance.

So, one more step on the autoethnographic highway!

**WITH DUE CITATION AND QUOTE MARKS, just to make that clear

Exhibit

Exhibitions created and fine tuned: 1 (good); Flags acquired: 3 types (good); Quirky Swedish rabbits acquired: 1 (good); Swedish cushions acquired: 1 (mistake)

Have had fairly active week in SL. Most constructive part is probably making the exhibit for IFLA conference discussion. Had originally spent happy hour whilst still in Gothenburg, sifting through houses in inventory to find suitable venue, and settled on older Japanesey building, like one that used to house CILASS in dim and distant. Had got all posters from satellite conference set up, but fact was that it looked a bit messy.

Then had idea of taking pics of RL Gothenburg venue (the Palace) and using these to texture the walls and floor. Is not exactly work of art but think it has nice feel and is at least distinctive & could set it to copy if so desired as is all own work. Completed this box with all the posters, some RL pics, and a board with all the delegates’ names and the briefing for the exercise that produced the posters. Also could not resist a bit of set dressing with a table rather like the ones in the RL venue, a cup, a pencil holder and a pic of a RL poster on a table top.

To house powerpoints, chose same building as the Wilf Saunders Library, a simple wood floor and glass walled box. Discovered in process that creator of this (who also created the Victorian Steampunk sky platform and the thing I used originally as the Departmental office building), is no longer selling homes. Sad. Think they were ahead of their time, at the time (i.e. 2007) but suppose things have moved on.

After putting in selected ppts, and doing some notecards with abstracts and some links to other stuff, created walkway between two buildings with paving and boat, to evoke Gothenburg harbour At least that’s the idea.

Seemed to go down well with people on Thursday, though is scarcely rocket science. Since then have added noticeboard for people to add their own thoughts about Contextual Factors for Information Literacy (that is, if they can work out how on earth noticeboard works, and then manage to type in their thoughts in a mere 30 seconds, no mean feat). Also, by chance, acquired set of Swedish flags: one you wear and wave, one small one to put on table top (so put it on table top) and one full sized flag on pole which waves just like in the Torley Tutorial.

Additionally have small rabbit in Swedish colours, holding carrot and Swedish flag (not sure if carrot is symbolic of anything). These all were acquired because yesterday was setting up a tableau with a diagram of the Information Literate University to create some graphics for a ppt that am giving in RL in Uppsala in a couple of weeks time. Uppsala is also in Sweden, and, finding that lacked Swedish flag, visited the Swedish Institute sim, where hit jackpot. Appears to have been some kind of high-profile wedding celebration, and were boxes lying around containing said set of flags, and rabbit. Only expense was that almost by mistake bought fairly dull heart-shaped cushion in Swedish colour scheme, for 59 Linden. Oh well.


Anyway, after event on Thursday, but before whiteboard and flags, did a quick Screenr screencast for those unfortunates who cannot see the exhibit in SL. Only real regret is that had just changed outfit: Sugarcube had produced a dress for the first time in ages, which was a “50 Linden Friday” item (or is it “60Linden Friday” now?) Whatever, the dress is a shortish fluffy red thing with amusingly patterned leggings. Married this with stiletto boots from G. Field, a black shrug, black tights to bridge gap between pants and stockings (so am covered up, that isn’t the issue) and then some free hair that acquired in Curious Kitties. This was a few days ago when decided that time had finally come to invest in a couple of Curious Kitties hair HUDS, without which you cannot control colour of their most recent hair.
Free CK hair had big black hat, and actually think that hat balances skirt quite well, but, still, it is all a bit red and black and patterned, and might have been better advised to go conservative route for something which after all am publishing on Youtube. Witchy black hats was possibly not image aiming for. Of course, could junk the video and do another – but – frankly – is it worth the effort?
No.
Is possible people might like the hat.

Sculpties, Emails, Neighbours

Sculpty classes missed: 1 (bad); Discussion lists and SL groups spammed with notice about 4th June meeting: 10 (good: unless you got all 10 of them, I suppose); SLED post score: 28 (good, ish); Lucky chair dresses snagged by alt: 1 (yay!)
On Monday attended first Educators Coop chat for a while. Unfortunately had not been able to go to a making-sculpties class organised by Rx, which was shame as sounded v. good. Pic shows Rx and a cube he used with screenshots of how to do things. Also shows unflattering view of Bluewave typing, sorry about that, Bluewave.

Received notice about Educators Coop Retreat at end of month which sounds v.v. cool, so looking forward to that. Remember RL friend going on retreat where chocolate was forbidden and she had to sneak out to munch furtively on a kit-kat bar. Obvious advantage of virtual retreat is that can be indulging in all sorts of pleasures of flesh (within reason) whilst simultaneously taking part in retreat.

Have sent out oodles of emails and notices re the meeting tomorrow at noon SL time, in which (I hope) people will turn up with good ideas for developing the H1N1 (or, as I choose to call it in populist fashion, swine flu) information literacy build. At what point does this become spam? Hope someone will tell me if it does.

A SLEDer has analysed all the SLED posts for the last couple of years and posted a list of how many posts each person has sent. Rolig Loon came top, Graham also topped the 100 post mark, proving what a helpful person he is. I came in (as my RL alt) at 28 posts. Fear that most of those were announcements of meetings, as rarely contribute otherwise. On other hand, organising discussions is a contribution. They certainly aren't doing my career much good, anyway, so I hope someone is deriving benefit. (Hmm, must have had a glummer day than I thought)

On to more cheerful and even less impactful matters: have been zipping round moving the island from spring to summer, ripping out flowering cherries, bluebells and tulips, and putting in birch & aspen trees, garlic mustard and poppies, plus a couple of lavender bushes outside the Centre. As a finishing touch the sushi bar has been replaced by a retro barbecue (2nd pic): you can get wearable hamburgers, kebabs and - something else - is it sausages? I really mustn't go back in to SL just to find out.

Back on my own land, yet more new neighbours, these ones (last pic) with a rather more morbid tone than usual. Note the twin skeletons holding hands across their graves. However, was much cheered to get unsolicited IM from complete stranger just to say she'd wandered onto my land and liked it a lot.

P.S. Dimitrova finally got her free Pizzacato Poppies dress after a mere extra hour of waiting. It was almost worth it. But not quite.

ILU, Chairs

Have now put online the chatlog from the discussion on the Information Literate University held in Sakura House on Infolit iSchool on 26th Feb: it is at http://sleeds.org/chatlog/?c=236. Also put up stuff from notecard (plus diagram that had mounted on a poster, see 2nd pic) at http://dis.shef.ac.uk/sheila/ILU-SL.pdf

As can be seen in 1st photo, was nice number of people, not so few as to feel embarrassing or so many as to render chat chaotic. However, as always when went through chatlog noticed conversation that had passed me by at the time, most mortifying. In particular someone who asked 2/3rds of way through what exactly an ILU was, and the rest of us just chuntered on and the person who had asked didn't say anything else during the discussion. Argh. Feel guilty about lack of improvement in discussion-leading skills.

You will note from chatlog that 2 people commented favourably on chairs in Sakura House. Comfort of chairs mentioned by one person but not sure how to interpret this.

Should have followed up to discover whether was lack of poses in chairs that found favour.

Incidently, chair in question is the Nice Brown Chair by Sudane Erato (see 3rd pic), costing 100 Linden and comprising 4 prims. Suppose could make similar for free, but this chair does job nicely and since can modify and copy has seemed well worth the 100 Linden. Can be obtained at Cosy Cove (218, 162, 2)

The horror

No. of minutes unable to log into SL: 30 (v.v.bad); No. of people who nevertheless show up for discussion: 4 (good)

Last week (before dashing to RL conference) had scheduled discussion in SL about the possible uses of the Infolit iSchool island, with me leading it. As usual prepared notecards, arranged seating and so forth, then logged out and rebooted computer to avoid crashing later on.

V. big mistake. Turns out that LL have problem with logging in so spend 30 minutes staring repeatedly at screen (see pic) which warns that Second Life may appear Frozen YES IT WAS FROZEN I COULDN'T GET IN. As hour of discussion approaches feel increasing panic but when has passed time by 10 mins find that strange calm descends, though still have urge to beat forehead against PC screen. Only consolation is that others have same problem, since obviously would be v. bad for hoards of people clamouring for discussion to be assembled in Regent Plaza wondering where I am.

When eventually get in, find no-one there, which could mean anything, really. People gradually arrive and in end there are 5 of us plus anotther person who flits in and out as happens in SL as flitting is so much easier.

Have discussion which is logged at http://sleeds.org/chatlog/?c=176 Seems that idea of conference is popular, only question being - what on? Lorelle also promises to propose solution to the Notecard Overload which am starting to suffer from in the Centre. She later drops notecard with ideas on SL ebooks, which is useful and will have to ponder.

Person naked but for boots and hat walks in whilst meeting draws to close. As we are all v. polite librarians, Brits etc. do not draw attention to this and indeed, when do gently indicate that clothes might be the done thing, said person is mortified having thought that clothes were Worn. Is moral there always to check that clothing is on body before leaving house.