Chapter One

Well, I read chapter one of "Coming of Age".  Here are my thoughts:

1) It was difficult to read.  The guy who wrote it was obviously really smart and I had to go over many of his sentences multiple times.  He used a lot of big words and figuring out what his different definitions meant took me a long time.  I'm sure I've forgotten most of them already and would have to re-read them another 4 times to understand them again.  It was also difficult to read because even when I made the pages the maximum size the font was still really small.  However, I found a workaround: leaning in really close to my monitor and squinting.  I actually got used to it pretty quickly and then reading it wasn't too terrible.  If I looked away for a second though it became hard to read again.

2) The main thing I took away from this reading was that I don't know anything about anthropology and that it's a lot more complicated than I would have thought.  Har har, just kidding.  I know EVERYTHING about anthropology.  Anyhoo, from this reading I learned that there are a lot of issues and angles involved in Second Life.  It seems like an enormous topic.  It shouldn't be too difficult to find something to suggest a research topic for.

3) I actually learned a lot about how to do things in Second Life.  I didn't know about using Ctrl-F to find whatever you're looking for in the world and teleport to it.  I didn't know about using Ctrl-M to look at the map and find people and places to go to.  It was actually really helpful.  This speaks more to my ignorance than it does to the usefulness of the chapter, but I digress.

4)  I liked how he talked about how SL was analogous to actual life in that both places have real societies and relationships; the difference is that in SL people can create different personas and occupations for themselves and impact society and their relationships differently than they do in the actual world.  SL is affected by the same human society as actual life, but the society can be different because people choose to be different online than in actual life.  I think that was the gist of what he was saying.  I may be wrong.  Feel free to correct me!  I don't want to be wrong.

Getting stronger!!

Huzzah!  Went on Second Life today because I thought we were supposed to show up during office hours on Monday sometime between 12-2.  No one was at the purple Western platform.  I then went back and checked my email to see if we were actually supposed to meet then.  I couldn't find any such email that said we were required to.  I'm sure I saw one though...

Anyway, that doesn't matter (I think).  I started trying to edit my avatar's appearance.  I had been wildly unsuccessful at this previously.  The only thing I could do was change my overall appearance from a pink unicorn pegasus to a man.  I couldn't figure out how to edit any details though, like clothes.  This was important to me, because my guy was wearing an unflattering skirt.  Plus, I want to be in complete control, dag nab it.  So, today I started messing around with my appearance again and this time I figured out how to change some things.  I tried on some new outfits, changed their color and texture, took off individual pieces of clothing, it was great!  As I write this, it sounds sad that I'm so pumped about learning to dress myself, but it was very frustrating not to be able to do it before.  I figured out how to do it gradually.  It all came about when I clicked on the popcorn machine and it said "right-click to wear me."  I then started right-clicking on it and myself I think and eventually I found out how to change clothes.  Hopefully I can remember how the next time I want to change pants.  Fingers crossed.

Also, I finally found the items in my inventory!  I started collecting stuff, like the course outline, the sweatshirt box, and so on from my first time on the Western platform, but I couldn't find it in my inventory.  Today I did!  And, with the power of right-clicking, I was able to actually do something with my items!  Hurray!  This is making me way more happy than it should.  If I described this to anyone in the real world they would think I was a mental patient.  I put my popcorn in my hand, my sweatshirt box on my head, and viewed the first chapter of that book we have to read.  It was a day of monumental achievement.  Next up, I need to learn how to build things.  I tried once, but it said I couldn't build because I didn't own the land or something.  I thought I was in the practice building area by the purple platform, so I don't know why it didn't work.   I'll try again later. If it's anything like the clothes, somehow I'll figure it out!  Calloo callay, good work brain!

Initial Second Life Experiences

My initial experiences with Second Life have been mostly pleasant and straightforward, although there have been a few frustrating and confusing moments.  First off, when I registered for the class I was interested in taking part in an online world, as I have never really done this in an open-world setting.  I have played some games online, but none that offer the experience of moving around an enormous environment and interacting with it in many different ways.  The online environments that I have taken part in have always involved set goals and limited interactivity (i.e. attempting to kill some or all of the other inhabitants).  I was and am interested to see what it's like to be in a virtual environment that isn't a non-stop murderfest.  Will I find it boring?  Will there be interesting things to do?  What types of people play these games?  I have an inkling that it's not the same jerky adolescents you find in other types of online environments.

Installing and running SL was really easy.  Everything appears to be compatible with my computer.  Going through the tutorial on basic actions was also simple.  After that, I ran into a few problems.  When I tried to teleport to the class platform it didn't take me there.  I also didn't see anyone else to talk to.  I thought SL would be teeming with people, like being downtown in a busy city.  That doesn't seem to be the case.  I probably don't know where to go to meet people though.  The next time I started up SL I was teleported to the class platform no problem.  I don't know why it worked this time.  That kind of bugs me.  Also, my character moved really slowly and kept freezing up.  Maybe my connection was bad.  I'm hoping that's all it was.  I realized during my second time in SL that there was a lot of stuff I didn't know how to do, like put on the librarian shirt I got from the platform.  I'm pretty sure I got the shirt.  I said to take it.  When I looked in clothing though, I couldn't find it.  I'm sure by spending more time in SL I will learn how to do everything.  It's just frustrating learning it on my own.  I wish I knew someone who could physically be with me and show me the ropes.  That would make it so much easier.