Seems like I might be in the right place. Hopefully it's the right time.:)

Six years ago I had a dream so powerfully inspiring that it changed my life, setting me on a mission to understand and help manifest the concepts within it. Keep in mind that Six years ago I did not use computers,the internet,or email at all, but the dream showed me web portals and virtual 'avatars', so it was Quite bizarre for me.

In this dream I was glancing amusedly through a horoscope section of a magazine when suddenly I found myself reading what seemed to be very direct,specific and personal instructions. I was to "reread my science books" and to figure out why _____ and _____ + ____ do what they do. (At that point the instructions were no longer just text but became mysterious moving diagrams showing spherical particles that somehow became superimposed and holographic as the text 'narrated'.) I was to find out what would happen if everyone did something specific at the same time. (again mysterious diagram)

It then went on to show what would be possible with this understanding......strangely it was ideas of a brick and mortar commercial space (both a social space and marketplace) to be launched in tandem with a huge immersive '3D web portal', graphically as beautiful and detailed as any of the best computer games I had ever glimpsed! Both these concepts were seen in elaborate detail and they were rich with novelty that I can elaborate on, but the important theme they shared was an emphasis on a 'new collaborative movement for a better world and inspiring the masses to participate'. Called Pier 10 , they were set up in such a way that 10% of profits (including entry fees) were distributed to a network of charities and due to the volume of traffic this was a continually inspiring amount in itself. Secondly, they were both interspersed with interactive and informative activities and displays that were designed to inspire individuals about their positive roles and the feasibility of the goal of the movement.

When I woke, I was dumbfounded by the vividness of all I had just seen and I tried to write down as much as I could. Over the next years I read anything I could get my hands on that seemed to relate to these ideas. And as I filtered through them, certain topics amplified:

ENTANGLEMENT seems to be what the diagrams were describing. (what Einstein termed 'Spooky action at a distance')

EMPATHY (Pierre mentions a "Reaching down into the very source code of humanity and changing a few critical lines" and I want to yell YES YES!I think there has to be a vision...so compelling...that it thwarts the natural tendency to selfishness...rewiring the pleasure-centers of the brain to connect to benevolent action strongly...a new vision of the self...as part of a benevolent organism....)

THE TIPPING POINT ( scale-free networks, hubs, etc as described in books like Linked, Emergence, Sync)

THE GLOBAL BRAIN and greater problem solving capabilities

SYMBIOSIS in evolution (I am especially fond of Lynn Margulis' works in this area)

VIRTUAL WORLDS as microcosms which affect the macrocosm

MEMORY PALACES and shared memories as empathy tools

GIVING (10%). a voluntary vow to connect oneself to charitable causes as a tool for continuous empathy action

Serendipity sped things along as it tends to do.... I am a visual artist, and have been exploring the ideas in my mixed media materials as I've gone along, creating works which in their abstract way articulate more than I feel able to in words. (Feel free to visit my works online at http://www.darlenecharneco.com ) Yet I have always felt that when the time was right, I would need to work amongst a team of people devoted to bringing this particular dreamvision to reality for the benefit of humanity and not just for corporate profit. I don't feel this dream was for 'me', it was just a glimpse at something that would evolve...but a strong feeling I had was that it was necessary to make sure it evolved as a 'benevolent and symbiotic organism'. For this I am willing and ready to work.

I had peeked at the virtual worlds in the making over the years...could see the direction..yet never felt they were coming that close to the dreamvision until I explored SecondLife.com and it blew my mind with its potential. This it. It is a wonderful platform to experiment within and I would like to continue with the help of others.

Since landing here at omidyar.net in January of 05 (as a result of another nudge of serendipity)... the connections roll on and on! Currently helping the Pier10 vision collaboratively evolve and be realized... lots going on as more and more nonprofits enter the virtual worlds...it's so exciting to see bits and pieces fall into place.

Come join discussions and projects on Better World Island, the 10%Club and Pier10.

Also interested in and moving about within various aspects of the evolution of recycling, artisan empowerment, sustainable development and spirituality among a hundred thousand other things. Love being here.

(Thanks for this space and opportunity to grow with you all....with the close of omidyar.net, please look for me/us over at Razoo.com, Ned.com and Better World Island on Ning and in SecondLife!) Hope to keep in touch! To be continued....:)