Sue Braiden (CCAL30) (2046)

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I'm Back ... with a little gift in hand ;^)

Posted to: Sue Braiden (CCAL30) (2046) by Sue Braiden (CCAL30) (2046), Sat, 22 Oct 2005 12:10:23 PDT
Edited: Sat, 22 Oct 2005 15:13:14 PDT
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Welcome to Better World Island!

Well, it's been a long couple of months, but the prodigal daughter returns (again) ...

After being locked out by CBC for 2 months, we finally returned to work. Did my first show this week. It seemed oddly appropriate that the last thing I did before "the end" was the piece on omidyar.net

Two months gives you a lot of time to think about where you're at with things in general. For me, it was kind of a wonderful reset button, pounding the pavement with a picket sign, connecting with my work colleagues in a new way, and for most of us, dreaming out loud.

So what do you do when you and your husband are both about to be minus an income? Well, you go out and spend an obscene amount of money to buy a virtual island and play Mr. Roarke ;^) Might have seemed like an odd thing to do at the time, but I've been heading in this direction for awhile now, and it just seemed like the right time to reinvent.

So, carrying the context of omidyar.net in my heart, with a digital toolbox at my side, I've been working away quietly on a little gift to return with: "Better World Island". It's an idea that Tom Munnecke invited us to embrace months ago:

http://www.omidyar.net/group/secondlife/news/2/

-- using the Second Life content creation platform to create a shared space where we could interact in a very different way together. I loved this idea! It made sense to me because I've been playing with fully immersible net technologies since they first hit the deck, and know what a powerful catalyst then can be to strengthening personal relationships and connecting in a deeper way to collaborate on projects. They're a great place to work and play and learn and do. The Second Life technology, partnered with omidyar.net "better world building" people and activites, seemed like a match made in heaven.

So, I invite you to join me tonight at 7:00 p.m. PST for a launch party!

Better World (85, 63)

secondlife://Better%20World/85/63

While the island isn't finished, it's far enough along to invite you in to make it your own, and to imagine how we might enrich our work together by using these new shared spaces.

Things that are there now as appetizers:

The Peace Tiles center, complete with virtual tiles that people will be able to claim and decorate, with the final murals being auctioned off to fund real-world projects

a drive-in theatre, featuring the full-length feature film "Hotel Rwanda" (also playing in the Peace Tiles center upstairs) for virtual viewing parties

the Welcome Center (the big yellow house on the hill) where you can drop in and check the bulletin board for events listings, drop a note in the "Great Big Idea Box", or just hang out with other scouts

the South Shore Pavilion where Food Chain group projects will be highlighted (e.g., click on a coffee cup, you get info on Luke Martin's Orijiro project, Coffee Kids, fair trade coffee, etc.)

the Serendipity Retreat Center set up with two meeting rooms, easels for your presentation slides, workshop and meeting registration gear, and even a working pool table on the roof for a little playtime between classes

Kijiweni, which while not set up with content, does have a drum circle waiting for you to play in ;^) (Ms. Evonne ... where are you?)

an Arts and Artists Studio where you'll be able to join me for classes, learning how to build things in SL, automate them with scripts, and start your own virtual social enterprise

a marketplace where you'll be able to sell your wares for real U.S. dollars

a Center for the Performing Arts, where you'll be able to collaborate on benefit CDs

an amphitheater for live, inworld performances

a Center for Water Studies (the red Salt Box house) where you'll be invited to innovate around world water issues

lots of decks and docks, where you can sit in deck chairs and visit, swim in Peace Lake, play on a jetski in the ocean, and grab a virtual fishing pole and have at it just for fun

and of course, Quixote's -- a hideaway for Tom's windmill tilters, complete with Don Quixote's windmill next door (blackmail pictures of Pierre O. and Timothy M. to follow <grin>)

There are lots and lots of things to click on. Some (like the event journals you'll find laying around on tables and decks in different places) contain challenge questions and link back here to invite people to join in on the discourse around them. Click on everything and anything. There are lots of fun things to do when you're there.

Tom Munnecke ... you are the Ambassador of Kwan when it comes to scouting. Consider this island a tribute to your dreaming out loud, and an invitation to the rest of us to have a bit of fun kicking it up a notch ;^)

If you aren't a member of Second Life yet, you can now join completely free of charge.

You will find that it does require a fairly healthy computer system and graphics card (which is why I'm starting a microfinance fund through the island to help people upgrade to take advantage of this project wherever possible).

If you are already a member, the link above will open up your Second Life client and take you to the island. It's an entire SIM all by itself, so it may take awhile for things to rez into view. Come out and explore when you're able, and by all means join us for the launch party at 7pm tonight.

(Thank you, Carla and Anne Marie, for keeping the secret when you "found me out" ;^)

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By Lars Hasselblad Torres (3540), Sat, 22 Oct 2005 12:24:22 PDT
Comment feedback score: 0

holy cow, sue -- you sure return with a big, fat, wet and wonderful bang! can't wait to see what all this looks like (give me a reason to use my SL account, which has been dormant though i keep getting these offers for my property: a little glass house in a big garden :)

can't make it tonight but wil definitely fly over some time!

lovely to have you "back!"

omidyar.net

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Sue Braiden (CCAL30) (2046)

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I'm Back ... with a little gift in hand ;^)

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