Multicoloured musings

Hunts toyed with: 2 (good); Papers on SL delivered in RL: 1 (excellent, Naturally); No. of people attending talk: 7 (4 more than one of the other speakers; so, good)

Seem to be writing blog posts here circa once a month. Have speculated before on sad fall-off in Adventuresofyoshikawa productivity. One factor is still 52 weeks of colour challenge which has reached week thirty-something, so might as well mention that have blogged clothes in mauve, electric blue (see 1st pic), celadon, lemon and patriarch since last post here.

Some of these are colours that didn't know existed before 52 Weeks challenge, so am engaging actively in lifelong learning. Other skills for 52 weeks challenge include shopping, buying more linden so can do more shopping, spending hours trying on different virtual clothes, playing with lighting so look more exquisite in photo shoots and fiddling with photoshop to add final touch to exquisiteness. However, most of these are skills had mastered already, esp. shopping.

Have also acquired numerous freebies from Hunts, including bed with cotton bunny draped nostalgically over rail (see 2nd pic), boat, and supercute house with shutters that make creaking sound when open and close (also in 2nd pic). Stash of not-free-but-cheap includes 2 starry night skydomes, zen massage platform with parrots and urban rooftop garden. Could now have whole islands themed with different types of building e.g. think have at least 3 different stables and 3 different spa/massage sets, so could already create either equine paradise or health/spa resort.

Meanwhile, am dazzling RL friends with news that am researching how to do research in SL. Actually for "dazzling" could substitute "inducing glazed eyes and sudden realisation that they have urgent appointment elsewhere".




Have got v. interested in research on documentary photography & its application to SL, and whole issue of documenting and presenting research about SL. This is what paper at RL conference was about, and am sure that after hearing topic of presentation, readers will be wondering why audience was not 20 deep and queuing down the corridor rather than being confined to 7 people, one of whom was chairing session.

However must be said were only about 40 people at conference and at that point were 4 parallel sessions, so did not feel too bad about it. Also had attended previous session where were just 2 of us plus chair, so felt relieved were as many as 7.
Presentation included numerous pics (e.g. "spot the difference" ones above) and 2 videos, one of which is on Youtube and is linked below. As predicted, acquiring fraps recording software has been ... come to think of it, yet another reason why am not blogging here.

Call in the Cats Protection League

Starving virtual cats: 1 (bad)

Had IM saying "The object 'KittyCats - Quilt' has sent you a message from Second Life:
Mewwwwww... I'm 30% hungry :( Please feed me and pay some attention to me"

TPed in expecting to see Quilt under a quilt, like when had forgotten to set catfood to "anyone can eat" and Silky (who is owned by Dimitrova) had retired to bed starved (see first pic). However when arrived, they were both sound asleep and didn't look particularly deprived. Anyhow, went and got some more food and Quilt deigned to show some interest (see 2nd pic).

Have been out of SL for nearly a week, having been at a RL conference. Have oodles of work to do, but inevitably once had gone inworld to feed cat was caught up in various essential activities like deciding what was going to wear for the next 52 weeks of colour (colour is mauve) and then somehow being sucked into a pursuit of strawberry-related objects, think it was because saw that there was a cool strawberry table set from Whats Next.

This led to creating strawberry nook in the Moonbeam Garden. This obviously required not just digging out anything strawberryish from inventory (e.g. strawberry picking set and strawberry flavoured shaved ice), but also purchasing new items, like strawberry shortcake from Feather, and a new china teaset.

In between saw that that was interesting new hair from D!va, but when got there turned out that they only do dull colours, and nothing remotely blue. Was huge number of people clustered round the lucky boards, so lingered a moment examining people's outfits, then crashed when tried to take a picture. You can see the lagginess in the one eventually took when logged back in, below.

In fact crashed several times, hope is not a trend. Perhaps is guilty subconscious trying to ease me out of SL frivolity.

I Thought I Was So Over Julia Hathor

Sparkly moon gardens bought: 1 (enchanting)

Although have dozens of houses in inventory, some unrezzed, was prepared to be captivated by some new residence at the Home and Gardens Expo. What had not expected was to be right-click-select-buy-ing on an item by Julia Hathor.
Now, Julia Hathor was designer of first treehouse on Infolit iSchool, in fact at one point island was positive shrine to Hathor, since also had Fairy Bridge, Magic Apple Tree Bridge and Magic Apple Tree. 2 apple tree items are still in situ, near hobbit home (even though pose on Magic Apple Tree went wonky, so you get swallowed by the tree), but tree house and bridge have gone way of all prims, i.e. deleted in favour of newer items.
Old tree house had a waterfall grove at the bottom, spiral staircases (impossible to negotiate, one of the reasons it went), elegant viewing terraces, a splashy pool halfway up the tree, and a nice patio nook with cushions at the top, plus lanterns, nature sounds and some sort of bird of prey. Have numerous pics (e.g. here) of Ishbel and I floating in the pool, Marilena posing elegantly at the poolside, teaching meetings in the top treehouse room etc. Feel quite nostalgic just writing about it.
However don't think was just nostalgia that prompted the click-buy. Products definitely seem improved, but basically as soon as entered moon garden, all with moonbeam twinkles and lush grass and meditation pads and a waterfall and a cool tree-climbing animation - it is is all just SO PRETTY and so SL that I thought - blow realistic baked-in shadows and artfuly distressed concrete - this is Magic.

Was going to replace greenhouse with moon garden, but as noted yesterday, have decided greenhouse is too cute to delete, so it was summery coast house that went. Did a fraps of the house before deleting.
With 600 prims at disposal, rezzed moon garden and set about decorating. The thing about a Hathor garden is that it is pretty much loaded with stuff already, but think sometimes you just have to go over the top, so piled on some more plants, a bird bath, a bird feeder, birds, beer, knitting, more birds, buterflies, more plants, more butterflies and a cute rabbit. I put on my fairy crown and rode my fairy steed around, for added effect.

Yesterday got Pancha to come along and lounge with me by the waterfall. Think this makes the cuteness complete.

Bye-bye Screenr, hello fraps

No. of videos which failed to publish on Screenr: 5 (bad); No. of minutes it took to to buy fraps and download it: 10 (good); No. of minutes it took to work out how to record a video in fraps: 5 (v. good); No. of minutes it took to work out how to edit and save a video use Windows Movie Maker: about 60 (bad)
Relationship with Screenr somewhat under strain. Had been using it happily to record video in SL. Can only do 5 minutes, but in some ways that is opportunity rather than constraint, as they say.

However, had something of a SL-fest on Saturday (after 9 days away from SL) looking round Homes and Gardens expo, doing some dancing to virtual Albannach, and fitting in some photo shooting for the 52 weeks of colour. Attempted to capture some of this for posterity, and was successful with Albannach vid, but film of Homes expo persistently failed to publish, so had to rerecord it (see above, it ends with me purchasing the Julia Hathor enchanted moon grotto, but that's another story).
After this was downhill all the way, as tried to record one vid of the Spring Home that am about to delete on Infolit iSchool, and another of the greenhouse on Noyo (which was going to dismantle, but doing the tour reminded me how much I like it, so it stays). In end recorded tour of greenhouse 3 times, each time attempting to publish it endless (well, not literally) times, v. frustrating.
Thus purchase of fraps today. Downside is that it captures the whole screen, rather than allowing you to frame the part you want. Upside is that it records inworld sounds and is simply toggled on and off with the F9 key.

In heady rapture proceeded to record 3 tours had failed with before: the 2 mentioned above plus a broomstick tour round Infolit (since am just clearing out the cherry trees and installing summer), which had tried to record on Thursday. Also recorded art installation by Pixels Sideways and a brief cherry blossom idyll. Files run beautifully on my computer, but are huge, and as want to share some of these with world have to fiddle around with them in Windows Movie Maker. This is in fact why have never bought fraps until now, as see this is dreadful slippery slope towards yet more late nights playing with pixelated technology. Edited 2 videos and uploaded them to Youtube (where resolution seems pretty low grade, or could be way Movie Maker Saved the project, the saving options seem somewhat obscure to me, having been user-friendly-fied to point where not clear what is actually going on).
Anyway, above you should see the greenhouse tour.
My, I do sound twee.

4th Rez Day

Years in SL: 4 (good); No. of rez day greetings: one (better than nothing)
Have not tended to make much fuss about rez days, though had toyed with idea of having a party this year. Am not v. good party person since generally assume that will be disaster and no-one will turn up. However, more to point, am snowed under with work, plus have been handicapped on SL front because:

1) Have been away from office for 2 weeks and therefore dependent on laptop for SL fun;

2) Said laptop started making clunkety-clunk noises about 12 days ago, never a good sound for a laptop. Think bit might have got loose and interfered with fan. Laptop did not crash, but hope to get good bit more mileage from it, so am not risking using it til it's been (hopefully) fixed by Samsung Laptop Expert.

3) Seized by laptop deprivation, made impulse purchase of cute Samsung mini-laptop. Whilst have bonded with new purchase for blogging and suchlike as is lighter, smaller and has more battery life (plus was cool conference accessory), is basically carp as regards SL. Can get onto SL, but spends ages being grey, graphics never resolve properly even on lowest settings, and it sort of flickers periodically. Therefore is OK for emergency SL (collecting & sending IMs etc.) but not for much else.

Thus, no time for party organisation. Was even late for first time with 52 weeks of colour posting, so posted Periwinkle on Saturday and then today celebrated with Tangerine (this week's colour) and then pics of rez day outfit, also seen above. Floaty eh. Will wear it for LILAC conference report meeting tomorrow, though possibly minus the butterfly hair corsage.

Checked up on land: as usual several things had crashed into my parcel in Noyo e.g. this jet fighter and had to return them.

Also made sure cats were ok: turned up they needed updating (you can tell this because they have Update Me in red hovertext above them). Update included exciting new animation, Play. When click cat and then click Animation and then click Play and then click Yes when asked Is It Ok To Animate Your Avatar then you do a throwing-the-tiny-coloured-ball animation, and if all goes to plan, cat starts patting and chasing tiny coloured ball, very cute. Only problems were:

1. When had Played with Quilt and then clicked Quilt again to get Qulit to jump to be cuddled, Quilt obstinately refused and started chasing ball further and further away, well outside her cat range. In end got her to Jump Home.
2) When tried Play with Naomi later, she was stuck in a corner and kept ignoring the ball, so I got her to jump home. Then started to click Play again, but it crashed. So may be a few bugs in animation.
Also, is tendency for ball to get stuck under sofa or behind chairs, in which case cat sits and stares at it until you come and retrieve the ball for her. This seems somewhat like RL. Cutest thing is probably when cat picks up ball and drops it at your feet (first cat pic), though not sure have ever seen actual cat do this, is somewhat beneath them. 2nd cat pic shows Naomi running after ball. Note cat and ball shadows (other shadows are from the windows).

So that was the day in SL.

Will not list all dull jobs should have been doing instead of playing with virtual cats, creeping round lag-laden shopping precincts waiting for vendors to rez, and posing in new clothes on romantic sea shores. Would be just too, too tedious.

Hunts, Bananas

Hunts completed:one (good); No. of times same hunt completed: twice (bad; but v. quick the second time); No. of Kawaii objects collected: numerous (but some more kawaii than others)

The Albero Kawaii hunt just finished, Albero being a shopping district covering a couple of sims and kawaii being Japanese for Cute. Did it twice since first sent Dimitrova out to do the time consuming stuff untroubled by IMs, then Dimi compiled a handy set of landmarks which she dropped to me.
Am thinking of developing taxonomy of hunts, which could become a faceted classification scheme:
Facet 1: Process: do you have to do something with a HUD BEFORE you get anywhere near the objects, or do you wander about looking for the Hunt object directly? Is there a list of hints and landmarks on a well maintained Hunt website, or are you reliant on some selfless SL resident providing an online walkthru?
Facet 2: Material: are the objects clothing, interior design, plants; steampunk artefacts etc.?
Facet 3: Energy: is the hunt object v. easy to recognise and find, or is it tiny and hidden in obscure corners that you can only discover if you are prepared to spend hours camming under the flooboards and on the roof?
Facet 4: Space: Is the hunt in one shop? one sim? the whole grid? the inifinite metaverse?
Facet 5: Time: Firstly: How long is the hunt on for? Secondly: What's the fastest you can get round?
Facet 6: Matter: At the end of it, are you flitting from item to exquisite item going mwuah mwauh you godlike creators, or have you just got a pile of random junk from shops that couldn't get into any of the quality hunts?

The kawaii would have be classified as follows:
Facet 1: Process: HUD. You attach the HUD, and then you are given a visual clue to tell you where the first hunt object is. When you find the next object, you click it. This fills up a square on your HUD and gives you the next visual clue. Eventually, after you have crashed a zillion times camming and flying round and round the 2 sims, you have a completely filled-in HUD which says "you did it" in English and Japanese. You don't get much help in solving the HUD-oriented problems (would say it rates a "4" on a scale from "no brainer (1)" to "impossible (6)"), but you do get a full landmarked list of shops. And all the landmarks worked!
Facet 2: Materials: Mostly homes and gardens.
Facet 3: Energy: The visual-clue thing was quite tricky, because you have to try and work out where the picture was taken, and if all you can see is grey lag, this means you have zero chance of success. In fact in end rather enjoyed puzzling out clues from roof colour and types of building in background etc., despite zillion crashes. One you have a complete HUD it is easy-peasy, since you then just use the list of links to shops and collect the prize from the entrance of each shop.Facet 4: Space: Over 2 sims.
Facet 5: Time: Two weeks: rather frustrating if those are two really busy weeks.
Facet 6: Matter: Mwuah mwuah.

All I need now is a notation scheme and I could represent any hunt by a string of numbers separated by eccentric punctuation.

The information scientists amongst you will know that I have been ALMOST using the categories devised by the guru Ranganathan for the Colon faceted classification scheme. Alas, whilst I was devising the list I had thought I WAS using them, but I see now that "Process" should be "Personality" and "Material" shouldn't be in it at all. And to think I used to teach that stuff. Still, I can't be bothered to change it, so this is officially my revision of Ranganathan's work, for application to SL hunts.
Realise have left out cost element (most hunts are free, but increasingly there are 1 Linden or 10 Linden hunts), perhaps that is an aspect of energy, since you have to expend energy to earn the money to buy Linden.

After all this only remains to show you some of the booty.
Firstly you see me doing my "52 weeks of colour" shot for tomorrow (banana colour, if you hadn't guessed). Actually only the tv and panda are from the hunt, but the picture is in the kawaii spirit. That banana phone belongs to Nigl and has been on top of the library for years, it's a sort of landmark.
Secondly, Dimi with all the hunt items, everything you see is hunt, apart from her hair and a small grey wall in the background. Thirdly, a particularly kawaii collection of panda doll, boho couch, smiley cloud decal and smiley rocket. The sack with the rainclouds was actually the box the Cleo stuff came in, cute or what. In the last hunt that had some Cleo it was about a week before I realised that what I was displaying was the box rather than the actual gift.
Finally a rather arty shot of me and the Giant Dandelion pose. I already have dandelion fields (dandelion flowers and dandelion clocks) and dandelion seed particle emitters so I can set up a nice dandelion-rich scene for the summer.

Final thought. When I have in my inventory a panda cushion, a panda toaster, a panda hug-doll and a panda hot-chocolate flask, why has it taken this long for me to use the blog tag "panda"?

Moderated success

No. of sessions agreed to moderate: 4 (good); No. of sessions actually moderated: 3 (bad)

Wrote this post a week ago and then forgot to post. Is about Virtual Worlds conference which is History now, but am loathe to waste some writing. Also reading through realise it sounds as though conference was bit disasterous whereas (will hasten to add) was mostly fine and even good. Really it was.
Anyway.

Somewhat belatedly, am continuing tale of moderating at the Virtual Worlds conference. Was, as they say, one of Pride Before Fall. Had felt rather pleased with moderation at Friday's events, and rashly agreed to do 4 more sessions next day. However, failed on 3 counts, namely:
1) Did not manage to find out SL name of first speaker on day before;
2) Did not check that knew how to get to first venue;
3) Did not allow enough time on day to establish 1) and 2).
Thus found self at point when was supposed to be starting session lacking both speaker and venue. Did have tiny bit of excuse in that would have been v. helpful to have been given SL name of speaker rather than first life one (since various googlings turned up a blank), and also would have helped if landmark for venue had actually landed one IN said venue rather than considerable distance away.

However, was generally mortifying. Encountered one equally baffled punter at the teleport point, and said would contact him if found speaker/venue. Then TPed to anywhere in area that had green dots (since dots mean People). When eventually found my session, was already 10 past the hour (and person had offered to help was already in audience, so doubly embarrassing).

Apologised profusely to speaker afterwards (1st pic) and did manage to help 2 people in audience with sound and general info. Anyway, after this things could only look up, and connected with other 3 speakers in good time. Last of my sessions, on Open Wonderland, really moderated itself, since was team of people who were fielding questions in text chat.

In between had attended keynote of colleague Jackie, which thought was v. good. Afterwards went to last few sessions, including Zana talking about Conne River project (2nd pic) and Graham talking about Opensim (3rd pic). Also v. good. Pleased to see Kattan in audience. After that she visited cat and took picture 2 posts ago.

Had look round exhibition, well in fact was mostly amusing excursion round exhibition since discovered flying thing on Virtual Pioneers stand, and spent most of my time zooming round it in this, rather than contemplating pedagogic virtues of exhibits. Here is a celebratory animoto about VWBPE that I did.

Kitten growing

Progress of kittens: steady (good)

Some of you may be waiting for another update about VWBPE. However more are likely to be wondering: how are Quilt and Silky?

So, here you see them. Quilt is shown sleeping, which is what kittens need to do to grow healthy and strong. Are those hind paws cute, or what.

Silky has not grown any more, since that was already her at her prim peak. However she looks rather fetching in this pose.

Cat diversion

Kittens grown to cats: 1 (good); New kittens bought: 1 (bad)

Have more to say about VWBPE conference, but today has seen a new addition to the menagerie on Infolit, so will have a short cat diversion. After the conference was over, Kattan visited Dimitrova's kitten, which is kitten no longer, but full grown cat. And v. cute it is too, it sleeps, it plays with butterflies and (as Dimitrova found out today) it will pad across floor and leap into owner's arms and cling limpet-like until DROPPED.

In Fact 1st embedded video will show this in some detail. [curses curses they aren't embedding. Will try and work out why tomorrow. In meantime this is the link http://www.screenr.com/V4o]
1) Cat ignores Dimitrova
2) Cat shows fatal attraction to Dimitrova and jumps to be cuddled
3) Dimitrova forgets she is supposed to DROP cat and instead DETACHES it. Panic!
4) In haste to restore cat to thr ground, Dimitrova inadvertantly drags and drops cat half way up window
5) Dimitrova clicks cat to jump home, which it does, only suspended 5 feet in air
6) Dimitrova takes and rezes cat again. All is well.
[and this is the link to this video http://www.screenr.com/V4o]

After these excitements, only sane response was to buy another cat. Thus 2nd video shows kitten turning from a cardboard box into a kitten.
She is called quilt, because she is patchwork coloured.
Like a quilt.
Oh well.

Moderating

Sessions moderated: 4 (good); Percentage of speakers appearing on time to give talks: 100 (v. good); No. of pics taken during moderating: 5 (bad)
Calmed self before conference through use of tai chi (see first pic) and it had desired result since rather enjoyed moderating duties in end. Only down side was that since taking pics seemed to trigger crash computer out of SL, did not dare take any until last of 4 sessions, when had minor supporting role.
This was session about "veteran dialogues": ex soldiers in USA using SL to talk about their experiences. Jenaia was really chairing session and I was sort of backup link person. Therefore risked taking pics at that point, and duly crashed. This showed had been sensible not to try previously, but was pity since in particular session from Globalkids Bixby had been very photogenic (involved Globalkids dressed in bee costume raising teen grid avatar from coffin). Earlier in day had encouraged own students into SL and know that majority attended at least one session, after some fiddling around with headphones and audio settings. Saw various other people, including Dousa who was involved in recording some of the conference, and had some nice chitchat with Loreena.
Am wondering whether crashing thing could be avoided by some sort of computer upgrade. However, would have to be inexpensive computer upgrade, what with funding cuts to Higher Ed etc.

Attended some of a session about recording stuff, and learnt about new screenr-type app, which immediately used to record part of the session on recording stuff. Am not sure can remember what it was called exactly - screencastomatic? - something like that. Feature was that you had the opp to upload, download, whatever, and then clicked "done" and it was gone. Main disadvantage over screenr (apart from it not staying online) was that it seemed to have a rather small area for the recording screen.

After this went to session on focus groups. Quickly emerged that I WAS the session on focus groups, since only other person was presenter. He had filled in time by putting words expressing pain in having noone turn up to your session on innovative interactive board. Had interesting conversation: at least I thought it was interesting. Only thought afterwards that perhaps should have asked for a copy of innovative board as prize for being only person there.
Finished day, heady with earlier moderating success, by volunteering to moderate more sessions tomorrow. May regret this.

Awesome-ish

No of sessions am moderating at VWBPE: 4 (good) No of speakers with whom have not made contact: 1 (bad); No. times crashed out of SL in last 18 hours: more than 18, I think (v.v.bad)
Have not had serious crashing problems for a couple of years, but am currently attending the VWBPE conference and with huge crowds in first session was just like old days of no sound, greyness, bits of sim suddenly vanishing (see first pic) and sudden crashes. Sims created for conf are steampunk and awesome (see 2nd pic) but wonder if also a bit lagtastic. Particular worry as am moderating sessions shortly and do not want to crash in mid-moderate.
But enough negativity! Loads of speakers and lots of them v. interesting - and all free! And you can attend the conf in slippers.
As I am doing.
Or is that too much information.
http://vwbpe11.vwbpe.org/

Kitty

Breedable kitten acquired: 1 (good)
Up til now have resisted fashion for breedable SL animals. Idea is that you have at least one of each sex of animal, you set them to breed, then after X days a prim package arrives that turns into a baby animal. Fortunately do not have to watch Mating Animation, apparently it all happens by osmosis.
Way that inventors of breedable animals make money is buy selling food (you buy prim food, put it near prim animal, and if food runs out animal stops moving and dies).
First big craze was chickens, then bunnies and horses, and anyway latest one is cats. As readers will know already, have fondness for cats, so have been tempted esp. as if you just have one cat and set breeding OFF, then only costs 170 Linden for 2 months worth of food.
As didn't want Mitsy and Goggles to be jealous, Dimitrova bought the kitten. It arrives in a cardboard box, which you rez and have to wait 5 mins or so whilst it gives twee messages about kitten opening eyes etc. etc. Then suddenly cardboard box TURNS INTO the kitten (bit spooky, that). Perhaps idea is that kitten had to eat box to get first nourishment.
Anyway, you rez the kitten, shove some food near it, and then can watch it grow for 1st week, until it becomes an Adult Cat. At birth Silky the Kitten was about 4 inches, but after a day it has grown to 6. You see her here in close up, and then with Dimi, for scale. She blinks, and does breathing animations, and also gambles around and you can hug her, but when took these pics she kept saying she needed more sleep, so all you get here is Sleeping Kitty.
Silky may be future source of quiet joy. Alternatively she may simply be drain on finances. If you want to see her she is in the CILR on Infolit iSchool.

The luck of the lost pig

Hours spent waiting for "S" to come up on a lucky board in February: 2 (bad); Hours spent on this blog in February: zero (bad, very bad)

Spent 2 hours a couple of weeks ago waiting for letter "S" to come up on this Lucky Board in the Aju shop. During that time "D" came up four times. Know this since actually got Dimitrova to hang round (so wouldn't be troubled by friends expecting me to do something more constructive than lurk round a lucky board waiting to snag a cute item of virtual furniture). Eventually "S" did come up and was able to clutch item to Inventory and later position it in yet another new house (see here). However of course when teleported into Aju yesterday, "S" came up straightaway. Why does that happen? Must be a Law of The Lucky Board.

On another note, when clearing up after the Inf6011 class last week I found this escaped pig outside the Educational Informatics village. It had been there for a year, floating in space, the result of some mismanaged piece of Editing or perhaps just of someone who had decided to Abandon Pig in mid flight. Anyway, it was swiftly Returned to its owner's Lost and Found.

Of course, could make up some elaborate story about pig making bid for freedom and an eternal flight over Infolit iSchools mossy hills.

But, after all, it is just prims. And, to be frank, not very ornamental prims either.

Hmmm, I feel a bit mean, now.

Trying to keep up

Cute stuff viewed: lots (good); Cute stuff bought: some (good); Animotos created: 1 (good); Guilt factor in time wasted faffing round SL viewing and buying: high (bad)

So, no actual work done in SL since last blog, but reasonable amount of activity. Rediscovered cute furniture shop and bought sculpty giant leaf with ladybird and pose on it, also (elsewhere) 50 Linden Friday pink poolside chair (see pic) and 2 items featured in new Oh My Stars sim (see latest 52 colours post). And some trees and a coat and a pair of trousers and doubtless other things that I can't even remember now.
Think spent largest amount of time converting 2 screenr videos of dancing at the Arvel end-of-year party into an animoto and then posting it to Arvel ning. To date has had 4 views, but noone has rated it, which find disappointing. This desire for tangible approval from people that don't know is also rather worrying. Could have been worse i.e. people could have rated it a one-star vid, but on whole people only tend to rate things if they like them. Oh well. Anyway, here is the vid.

Whatever happened to the last 4 hours?

No. of SL pictures uploaded to Flickr since last post on this blog: 160 (good); No. of posts on Yoshikawa fashion blog since last post on this blog: 8 (exquisite yet quirky); No. of Screenrs & Animotos recorded since last post on this blog: 6 (good); No. of posts on this blog since last post on this blog: zero (obviously) (bad)

Appears to be over 6 weeks since last blogged here, so brief reflection seems in order. Of course have had Xmas in between which is always bit of a blogging lull. Still 6 weeks is a long time, during which (as can be seen above) have been busy bee in other social media, and have also done fair share of talks, meetings etc. etc. in SL.
Possible factors for blogging failure include:

1. 52 weeks of colour challenge. Majority of population will need reminding that each week Luna Jubilee announces a new colour, and to keep to Challenge have to post an outfit in that colour before end of week. Have completed 10 weeks! Have even managed outfits in green and sienna! In fact seems a pity that only 42 more weeks to go! Also starting to get sucked into that vortex of time which is Commenting on Other People's Posts, since Luna rather amazingly is commenting on the zillions of blogs which are following challenge, and this has even drawn in a few comments from others on my pics, so of course I have to at the least do some Silent Faves on Flickr.

2. Am starting to feel need to do interior design posting too. Started when put pics into the SL House and Garden photo comp on Flickr in August. Were supposed to be only 3 prizes, but was given special 4th prize which was cruelty really, since now can only strive to recreate said glory. Took ages photographing & photoshopping entries for "colours of fall" (=autumn) Flickr comp, but with disappointing result that a) noone faved my pics and b) winner of comp has never been announced, even though comp ended last year. Anyway, sad thing is that have started to Crave Faves, and (since know that to she that giveth shall be given) have started doing some Faves myself and even odd comment. Must be admitted that most of people who fave me are designers whose work is featured in my pics. therefore is scarcely disinterested. But, hey, a fave is a fave.


3. Am now dabbling in video, using Screenr screen capture and often blending video clips and pics to create a slideshow on Animoto. Have been encouraged in this endeavour by getting the Golden Crown at the ARVEL meeting before Xmas for 5 minute vid about Infolit iSchool. Has to be said that were only 2 entrants, but still, this shows this is all adding up to pattern of amazing success in the media field.

4. Have been doing loads of stuff, but lots of it is same old same old: arrange SL interviews, return abandoned vehicles to people that have crashed into my land, go to VWER meetings, arrange discussions, take endless pictures of self and photoshop them, observe griefing and wait for someone else to mop up the problem, create winter wonderland, delete winter wonderland, get overexcited by new shop selling cute plants/ hair/ animated kittens.
Still find this riveting to do, but perhaps no longer to ponder upon.

5. Having started to write sort of short stories, so perhaps all creative juices are leaking into these.

6. Is possible that have lost sense of humour. Assuming that ever had one.

Anyway, will finish with brief account of SL activities today, namely:

1. Bought new cardigan

2. Considered buying new blouse in Zaara's. Looked at them. Decided not to.

3. Attended large chunk of Metanomics meeting (on: experiences of Queensland flooding)

4. Whilst there, saw that Chimera had some rather nice hair

5. Looked at the Object profile and tp-ed to the new-to-me shop

6. Tried on hair. Bought hair

7. Discovered that browser has been creating separate files for each day's chatlog rather than bunging them in the same one. Relief in some ways since had thought was simply not logging chat at all. But - Why oh why?

8. Attended VWER meeting. Took pictures. Said some things.

9. Took pics of self in new outfit, in new Greenhouse house (created yesterday)

10. Photoshopped pictures

11. Uploaded to Flickr, responded to some Flickr Faves & did fashion blog post

12. Reflected that all this answers my question "where did the evening go to?"

. . . .

More of the same

Screenr captures taken: 1 (good); Screenr captures failing: 1 (bad); Registrations with Mendeley: 1 (good, I think)
Today had 2 meetings, namely the first Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Meeting, in which committed self to various things that will doubtless regret later, and meeting with Pancha to discuss article about SL journal club. Invited her over to the new skating rink and were able to skate, drink and talk about qualitative research all at the same time. During this discovered:
1) That hot chocolate dispenser only dispenses hot chocolate to me, somewhat pointless. Rectified anomoly by putting in Gluwein keg and tray of functioning hot choclate from What Next.
2) That is service called Mendeley that does academic stuff. At any rate have registered for it, and it appears it will aid our research work mightily, if I can work out what it's for.
3) That sometimes Screenr doesn't work. Recorded 5 mins of Pancha and me going round and round rink, and when last looked it was processing the vid merrily, but certainly doesn't work now and also can't download anything. Will give it til tomorrow in case Screenr Fairy was merely sleeping.
As substitute have created v. short Animoto video with some still pics that took of me and Pancha. Here it is. (NB 1st pic, above, shows me talking to a reindeer with a coal tit on its nose, in Noyo. The picture of the VWBPE meeting was just really too dull to post.)

Winter

Penguins installed on ice rink: 2 (good); Hot chocolate cabins installed on ice rink: 1 (piping hot); Snowmen installed on icerink: 3 (a nuclear family); Skating poseballs installed on icerink: 7 (v. good); No. of skating poseballs for which you do not have to turn off your AO : zero (bad); Enjoyment gained from skating round and round a virtual ice rink: considerable (sad, or what)

Motivation for blogging only seems to occur when not concerned with Professional Life. So not surprising that suddenly felt urge to blog about new Winter Wonderland have created in bay area of Infolit iSchool. In fact good part of Infolit is now Winter Wonderland, since changed seasons approx. a week ago when felt need to cheer self up after hard work. Autumn colour is gone to be replaced by snow emitters, trees with frost on, snowball givers, ice portals etc. etc. To begin with just changed terrain in mountains but today basically covered whole island with snow. This mirrors RL which has been covered in snow for some days.
Created Screenr/Animoto vid showing self cavorting on and around ice. Used one of the Animoto Seasonal Themes, which has upside that scenery in it looks a bit like the SL scenery I am filming, but that is also a sort of a downside too. Anyway, here it is.

Colours

Colours: 52 (challenging)
As usual when doing oodles in SL have had no time to blog same. However can be noted that do appear to have enough time for fashion blog posts here, here and here. These are part of the 52 Weeks of Colour bloggers challenge, started by Luna Jubilee. Each week she announces a new colour and then bloggers fall over themselves to dress up in it, blog and post the pics to Flickr. Or some people signal coolness by declaring how dreadful one would look if one DID dress entirely in said colour, and blog something which is meant to amusingly hint at the colour, in an artful way. However, as can be seen on right, own approach is simply to drape self in variations in colour, in hopes that at least one of the colours is the right one.
Main challenge seems to me in finding 52 different real colours, but even by 3rd week emerges that unreal colours will also feature i.e. this week was goldenrod week. Now, goldenrod is a real plant and is sort of mustardly colour, fading to grungy kind of brown (at least stuff you get in bargain bouquets at Tesco's is). However, colour as set by Luna is sort of pleasant pale honey. Anyway, main benefit is that may discourage spending on new clothes in SL, since have set self a sub-challenge, which is to try and only use existing inventory. Not very difficult, actually, so far grey, blue and goldenrod have been a case of Spoilt For Choice. As you can see, even managed to find golden nail polish.
This is all rather in the line of fiddling whilst Rome burns, as good SL sims are renounced, LL introduces bizarre and unsettling things like display names (so, "sheila.yoshikawa" is now just my username??? but it's my NAME!), and various aspects of the UK public sector teeter on brinks.
But one has to get ones priorities right. And colour-matched nails surely must come pretty high up on anyone's priority list.

R&R

Relaxing horseback rides taken: 1 (v. good)
Have felt somewhat stressed out not to mention suffering from what appears to be yet another RL cold, so today decided to insert a little rest and relaxation by exercising a newish purchase, namely Golden Streak the palomino horse.
Had tried out an AKK horse demo before, and been v. impressed, but they are not cheap. However, when Pancha showed me the build she had created for the Vet School at her uni, was reminded about them.
First Dimitrova tried out a demo, and then I took plunge, fulfilling girlhood fantasy of owning a palomino (fantasy actually involved 2 palominos, one of which won Derby, and one the Grand National. At least had realised even as youngster that needed different type of horse for 2 events, but hadn't appreciated that racehorses have to be thoroughbreds and you don't get palomino thoroughbreds)
Anyway, after that quick bit of horse lore, cut to me investing the Lindens in a fine palomino animal with integral bridle and saddle.
Its ears twitch!
It snorts!
It goes clippety clop!
It trots!
It gallops!
It jumps!
It flies!
You can dimount and lead it!
You can get it to pose (rear, paw earth, bow etc.)!
Really do find it strangely soothing to trot through forest or gallop along beach. Is this odd? Anyhow, seem to be reasonable number of other odd folks around, if it is. Here are some arty pictures of same. In first one Golden Streak looks disdainfully at a cow on Drowsy whilst turning his back on a momento mori, and in the 2nd we visit a gypsy encampment on Zigana.

When I should have been marking