Second Life ™

Rather than grabbing and filing a link, I’m getting a head start on my New Years Resolutions…..I’m actually using BEFORE I file to see if it warrants keeping it.  Got notice of a Christmas Ornament generator so decided to post it here.

Created with dumpr.net - fun with your photos

Well, not quite yet the night before Chirstmas, but close enough. I’m venturing around in-world, trying to get to my ever-growing list of landmarks I want to CIO (check it out). No luck shopping (that’s NOT a good sign!LOL) so I decided to venture over to Textures R Us to see what I could pick up. My New Years Resolution for SL is to learn how to build
posted by Laelia Laval on English Rose using a blogHUD : [blogHUD permalink]

Is ‘Increased Involvement in Second Life’ on your New Years Resolution list for 2008?  Below is an opportunity to get a head start on that resolution:

SLolar Central (EduIsland II, 32, 213, 21) is currently accepting applications for residency.
 
KJ Hax and I are committed to providing ***FREE*** temporary (2-month) housing to K-20 educators as they enter the world of SL and learn how to navigate, build, script, and learn all that SL has to offer.  In addition, we host events and workshops (and even one-on-one sessions) to help you acclimate to SL.  It truly is an offer to good to pass up!
 
Find out more, and pick to up an application (Look in the ‘Pages’ area) go to http://groups.google.com/group/slolar-central
 
If you have any further questions you can feel free to e-mail me at laelia.laval@gmail.com

I’m Docenting for ISTE right before the Thursday night Social. Tonight’s event will include a snowman (or would that be snow avatar?) building contest. Since I have YET to master even the most basic building skills (OK…so there’s yet ANOTHER New Years Resolution!) I figured I would ‘cheat’ and take a pic next to the friendly snowman next to the teleporter board. I ‘could’ claim that I built it while ‘meeting & greeting’…..
posted by Laelia Laval on ISTE Island using a blogHUD : [blogHUD permalink]

I know that for the most part I normally post about SL events in this blog.

Here’s an exception to the rule…’cause it’s a REALLY wonderful opportunity to show students how far their reach really is in this digital age.

Elaine Plybon (you know her as Celestia Cazelet) shared this information:

I work for a technology-rich school district (Irving Independent School District in Irving, Texas). Each year, we host a “Media Fair”, which is normally judged locally. This year, the district has decided to open judging to anyone who has an internet connection and an interest in technology in education! Would it be possible for you to send out a request for the bloggers to post the attached invitation to judge and/or a blurb on their blog directing people to the judging link? Our students would be so excited to get feedback from all over the country and even the world, so people are encouraged to forward the judging information on through their own blogs, etc. It is easy to judge, simply follow the link and judge as many or as few as desired. Entries have several categories and range from K through 12 levels.

To judge the projects, go to http://www.irvingisd.net/mediafaironline and click on the judging link. When judging, please include your name and email address. Your email address will not be published. It will be used for security only. Please expect an email from our administrative staff confirming that the address listed next to your name is a valid email address.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE (that’s Laelia begging! LOL) take a moment out of your schedule to visit the link.  You don’t have to judge EVERY entry (although there’s nothing and noone stopping you from doing so! LOL) so the time commitment is minimal, but the return is MAXIMAL (yes, I know that’s not a word, but it suited my purpose and right now I control the keyboard! LOL).

Blogging ‘live’ from ISTE Island where a social gathering for Docents is currently taking place. A large snowman (and yes, KJ Hax attempted to sit on it AGAIN) dominates the skating rink as Docents try their hand at skating (thanks to the free skates available). This is the FIRST time EVER that I’ve skated and not fallen! Wonderful prizes are being raffled off
posted by Laelia Laval on ISTE Island using a blogHUD : [blogHUD permalink]

wOOt!!!

The DEN in SL submitted a proposal to present at NECC 2008 and IT WAS ACCEPTED!!!

“The NECC 2008 Program Committee has completed its review of this year’s
proposal submissions, and we are pleased to announce that you have been
accepted to present at NECC. Please find the status of your submission(s)
below:

Creating a Personal Learning Network in Second Life
Session: Lecture
Accepted”

The DEN in SL LC is ABSOLUTELY ecstatic over this and we have already begun to collaborate and are putting together an extraordinary, OUT-OF-THIS-VIRTUAL-WORLD, dynamic, NOT TO BE MISSED session.  As soon as we know the particulars (time/date) we will post it to the blog so you can mark it on your calendars. 

Laelia here, blogging ‘LIVE’ from DEN in SL. Yup, this is a test post. Wanted to see how the picture turns out. It’s all part of the BlogHUD package which I purchased. This will enable me to attend events, live blog, and send pictures from the location. Something along the lines of an ‘on the spot reporter’ (or whatever they’re called in RL! LOL) I’m standing in front of the snowman (attempted sitting, but was told there was no surface on which I could do that) in the middle of the lovely skating rink put out next to DEN in SL. Free skates are available, as is hot chocolate, so put on a sweater, a scarf, a hat or earmuffs and come out for a spin around the rink.
posted by Laelia Laval on Eduisland II using a blogHUD : [blogHUD permalink]

Around a dozen people turned out for my Wednesday Workshop, ‘Your Inventory Is NOT Your Junk Closet’.  Since this was a ‘hands-on, get your hands dirty, working’ workshop I kept my presentation short, sweet, and to-the-point.  If you missed this workshop, I will be posting the transcript (after MUCH editing! LOL) to the files section of the DEN in SL Google Groups.  I will also leave up the notecard giver (can’t miss it — it’s a picture of me in one of my short purple hair styles near the online indicator wall) for a couple of days.  I will also post the ‘notecard’ as a ‘file’ to the DEN in SL Google Group.  And as far as I can tell, this workshop will probably be offered again some time in the spring — ideal workshop for that ‘Spring Cleaning’ time of year.  In the near future, there will also be an ‘advanced inventory’ workshop whereby you can learn how to create boxes and store seasonal (or other items) in the boxes to help reduce inventory clutter (uh, Rip, you might want to attend that one! LOL)

I began the session by asking the participants how many items are in their inventory.  Answered ranges from 3,000 to a whopping 15,000+ (anyone want to venture to guess WHOSE Inventory that might be?  No, it’s NOT mine!).  Next time you’re in-world check out the size of your Inventory.  Please note that anything over 3,000 increases lag, makes it more difficult to locate items, and generally can impact the experience in SL of others around you.

Quick clean-up:  1.  Clean out your ^Calling Cards^ folder.  Do you REALLY need these?  2.  Clean out your ^Notecards^ folder…these add up VERY quickly.

If you want to know what you’re wearing (clothing and attachments), simply type in WORN in the search box in your Inventory window.

Pick up this habit:  When you purchase a boxed item, once you copy the items to the Inventory, IMMEDIATELY go in and see if you absolutely MUST have that landmark, that ad, etc.  If not, GET RID OF IT NOW!

Remember, that ‘deleting’ an item only sends it to your ^Trash^, it will not reduce your Inventory.  You need to ‘take out the garbage’ to reduce your Inventory.  Click on ^File^ then ^Empty Trash^, but be VERY, VERY CAREFULL!!!  You CANNOT undo this action.

Mark your calendar for next Wednesday, when Rip will be hosting a workshop on Bookmarklets.  “Bookmarklets help save you time while you’re browsing in Real Life. If you have bookmarklets you can’t live or browse without, we want you to share those with us. If you don’t know what the heck a bookmarklet is, then come and find out about these handy dandy tools.  The DEN will reimburse you if you want to upload a screenshot to go along with your Share. This will be a voice chat enabled session.  People are not required to have a microphone or use voice but others may be speaking so computer speakers or headphones may be necessary.”