Maybe I should get back into SL

I find the move into SL interesting as the hype seems not to be dying as quickly as I thought. Perhaps the hype has not met critical mass yet. Y'know, that place where hype becomes norm and then ignored as humdrum?

What is the art that is made by an avatar? I wonder if avatars can apply for the grant or only 'real' people? Does this mean that artists' avatars are art as well? If art is done in SL what is the exact context of the art? How much is 'art' and how much is it 'someone doing art'? How can we as artistic voyeurs (just wanted to use the word - hmmm delicious) connect with this kind of art? Where are the rules that determine the gaze? And being that this art is not necessarily one persons work, (teams can be up to three people) and the it is sponsored by three government agencies (this is an initiative of the Literature Board, Music Board and Inter-Arts Office of the Australia Council.), how can this be defined in a way that any of us know or understand? Who is going to see it? Is this the intended audience or the only audience? Why can I now answer any of these questions, but only ask them? Does two question marks ever make a question more questioning really??

Everyone loves Second Life

Second Life Artist Residency
Application closing date: 27 July 2007
The Australia Council for the Arts is offering up to $20,000 for a collaborative artist residency in the virtual world of Second Life.

The aim of the residency is to offer Australian artists and writers the opportunity to creatively and critically explore new interactive, virtual platforms.

The residency allows for a collaborative team of up to three people (including a writer, musician/sound artist and digital visual media practitioner) to develop inter-disciplinary artwork in Second Life.

Applications will be accepted from teams who fulfil all the residency requirements, including having the necessary artform experience. Artists or writers who have professional experience in more than one of the required artform areas can include this as part of their submission.

Program purpose
The Second Life artist residency is an initiative of the Literature Board, Music Board and Inter-Arts Office of the Australia Council.

The residency is ‘in-world’ and requires artists and writers to explore the possibilities of inter-disciplinary literary, music/sound art and digital visual media practices.

The successful team will develop new artistic in-world practices and comment on the social and cultural layers that have evolved in Second Life.

Key requirements of the project are a clear strategy for harnessing both in-world and ‘real life’ audiences and developing public exhibition opportunities for the artwork in Australia.

The main objectives of the program are to:
* Provide opportunities for artists and writers to develop art that challenges and explores the aesthetic, social, political and cultural realities of Second Life

* Encourage collaborations between artists and writers working across literature, music/sound art and digital visual media to develop high quality, experimental arts practices in Second Life

Applications will be selected that best demonstrate:
* artistic and literary merit of the proposed activity
* calibre of the collaborating artists/writers and their capacity to successfully deliver projects of this nature across literature, music/sound art and digital visual media

* evidence that the proposal is well planned

Meh...

To all of you who care about my academic career and achievements, I spoke to my lecturer about the terrible mark of 18/25 and he gave me two more marks. Last week was the week of the whining and dining methinks.

I saw Richard E. Grant on More than Enough Rope last night. I only got to see the last 15 minutes or so and feel sad that I missed out on the entire show. I love Richard and I love the honesty that Andrew Denton reveals in these goings over old interviews. I should watch tv more often. However, what compelled me to make a comment was that Richard revealed himself to be a diarist. This admission made me miss writing in a diary and how wonderful it is to read back on entries, regardless of how painful they are. I guess that this blog is a diary and in the future, if it is still accessible, it will form part of all the diary style projects or books I have written or contributed to. I wonder about the public nature of this diary sometimes, although I do not contribute much of myself to it, but then Richard E. Grant made the comment last night about publishing old diary entries to make money. I guess in this scenario writings are selected and Richard has control over what is public and what remains private. He would probably also edit or at least know he could edit if he wanted to.

I have gone back and edited entries in this blog. This is the crux of digital technologies and why archiving them is an incredibly important issue. This blog is completely editable at all times. Once I have edited there is no record to say that I have made changes. No one knows what these changes are and anyone who gets access to this account can make changes. I can completely revise my life if I choose to. The same thing is not possible of paper diaries. Sure, things can be changed - pages can be ripped out, entries scribbled over, even whole books destroyed, but there is evidence of this occurring (maybe not in the complete annihilation one though). A diary with a page missing tells a story as much as the entry would itself. In this electronic diary, this is not possible unless I say that I have omitted an entry and posted a marker to tell everyone I have done so. What a wanker!

Licenced to hoon...

I wonder if Western Australia's newly tightened anti-hoon laws were designed with a 34 year old woman with a 150cc scooter on her L plates?

I am dodging homework and developing a mysterious illness that will stop me from going to work tomorrow.

I have hormone issues. Can you die from hormone issues?

You always end up dancing by yourself...

Its time folks...

Today I am doing some research for an assignment on developing a strategic plan for using electronic resources in a public library. I have to write a document that addresses the need for a strategic plan and what it will mean for the community etc. I guess this takes for granted that a strategic plan is the best way to publically acknowledge a plan for a not for profit organisation.

On the right is a necklace I received in the mail today from my mother. It is my birthday present. It is true that your mother knows you best. It is funny how we come to decide what is a good present for someone and how it is often what we ourselves would like most.

Anyway, I have been lamenting the weight I have gained over the last couple of months, so this gift has given me extra incentive to regain my neck! I know that this pic gives no indication of perspective of this beautiful piece of jewelery, but it definitely deserves a neck - believe me. This necklace was made in Bunbury by a local and has antique buttons. I love it! Thanks mum!

ABC's Second Life presence vandalised

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1930123.htm

Its that time of year again...

Nope, its not about my birthday - mostly because I am studiously avoiding it this year. However, it is assignment time and time for more of my whingeing about how I did not get a high enough mark. This time it is serious - I only got 72%! Incidentally, as a complete sidebar while I suck in a breath ready in order to expel all kinds of feverish rantings, I got my hair cut at Tony & Guy last night and they are just so great and I now, finally, have great hair.Anyway, I have posted the cover sheet that the marker used to assess my assignment. I have an extensive email that I am yet to send addressing the BADLY that is circled, as well as the comment on the bottom. I start my email with...

" My first question is regards the comment made about my non delivery of the specified eight articles: "I can see no list of 8 articles..." My response to this is that it clearly states in 1.1 (Function of the Report) that the eight articles are in APPENDIX D."

It is SO one of those emails. *sighing* because I do not understand why. I looked at the exemplar reports on the website for about 1 second each. I have given up on these based on my experiences of last year which I wrote about extensively on this blog. I have no energy now to expel the rant. I have been up since 4.30am writing the email and am now playing on the net. Might go for a ride on my scooter while the boyfriend is snoring up a storm.

OH GOD I AM ABOUT TO TURN #$....

I had so many things to laugh about...

Hair styles of authors,
|me thinking I am having a smart day,
Boys and their ways,
|In laws visiting soon,


I am getting a hair cut this Friday eve at Toni & Guy. I blame the swedes for escalating my hair obsession. DAMN YOUS.

I had a moment at work today where one of the bosses said to me, "did they tell you you have not only sort the POS credit card slips into card order, but in denominational order from largest to smallest." It reminded me of how I think it was Matthew told Ari that he had to push the buttons on the door so many times in order for the code to work properly...and Ari believed.

Was there any other good stories? I don't remember...

Pay Centrelink for customised demographic information?

I am doing some research into Centrelink for a Knowledge Management assignment and I came across this tidbit of information on the Port Phillip Website.

Pensions and Benefits Recipients - Centrelink 'Data Shop'

Centrelink provides aged and disability payments, family payments, New Start for unemployed people, Youth Allowance for students and rent assistance payments. Customised data by age, sex, postcode and type of payment is available through Centrelink by emailing specific requests to their 'Data shop'. A fee is charged for this information.
Email. data.shop@centrelink.gov.au

Ahem. Is there not some kind of privacy protection on this information? How specific to what region or population is the information provided from Centrelink? Is there not some kind of ruckus every Census about privacy of information to do with income and small populations? How can Centrelink be providing this kind of information? Are they discerning as to who they tell, or is it fee paid, and no one cares? I might email and ask.

http://www.myspace.com/redcordialblues

So...

I am working heaps at the moment. When I embrace retail Hell, I really like to get involved. One of my workmates has his book short listed for the WA Premier's Award. Good on him. Makes me feel like I am hopelessly lost.

My b/f bought me a scooter. It arrived today and I rode it down the street and got up to 60kms an hour. Now have to learn that it is not a push bike with a motor and cannot put my foot down to slow down or turn corners. I will probably break something.

I made mushroom soup today and it is sum of the damn finest soup I have ever made. The secret to thickening mushroom soup is not cornflour and water, nor is it white bread soaked in the broth, but it is barley and rice, a much healthier and better alternative, high in protein.

I am reading Centrelink's 2005-2006 Annual Report. What a lucky girl I am. Knowledge Management is a strange thing. Centrelink are supposed to be real good at it. Why isnt there an essay or article out there that I can plagiarise? I hate assignments.

I have an exam on my b/f's birthday and he is not happy.