Summer in Katy, Texas: South Lake

Identity Theory (Work In Progress)

Way back when I first began in Second Life, I speculated on what I wanted to call “identity theory,” which had to do with how we identify ourselves in life and how being able to become an online avatar expanded how we identify ourselves. My budding thoughts on “online identity” were soon “thread-hijacked” by “identity theft” and the like BUT

I retained a hint of my idea through my subsequent speculation on “nom en ligne” (online-name). This was an allusion to pen-name, war-name, and art-name: words borrowed into the English language from the French and Japanese languages.

More recently when I began re-exploring Second Life, after hearing a rumor that it was “dead,” I re-engaged in what I still want to call “identity theory.” I feel that identity theory continues to apply very much to us in the real world, as a model for freedom, and that Second Life continues to help by offering insights as an illustrative model.

As human beings our identities are composite systems that have elements ranging from the tangible to the intangible. In particular these elements include physical, biological, psychological, sociological, theological, and spiritual. All these levels of existence are reflected in our composite identities.

As a working shorthand we will call these identity elements Body, Mind, Spirit. Body comprises physical and biological elements. Mind comprises psychological and sociological elements. Spirit comprises theological and spiritual elements. Body is clearly tangible, Spirit is clearly intangible, and Mind is clearly both.

Astro Characters

Somebody said we as individuals are not one but a committee of several personas which comprise our identify and determine or influence our net attitudes and perspectives and behaviors in life. Here are five sample committee members based on western astrology.

A Very Secret Service (Netflix) – a very brief review

A Very Secret Service is a new “Netflix Originals” release. About one in twenty Netflix Originals appeal to me and A Very Secret Service is one of them. I am on Season 1 (of 1) Episode 7 (of 12) and will soon be done. I hope another season will be in the works.

The series is French produced – studio, language (English Subtitles available), actors – and takes place in the 1960’s – De Gaulle, Algiers. It’s a tongue in cheek parody as a young man is recruited into “the service of la France!” with wacky secret agent mentors including agent provocateurs, a femme fatale, and bureaucratic old guard management. It’s reminiscent to me of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (secret agent parody) plus Are You Being Served (goofy character ensemble) plus early 007 Bond (assassinations, a bit of dark, Miss Moneypenny). To this it adds spoofs à la française – cigarettes, colonialism, cabarets, and théâtre de l’absurde.

Wikipedia Article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Very_Secret_Service
Image Credit: http://www.welkeserie.nl/netflix/item/506-a-very-secret-service.html

Rank Corporate Ranking Systems

A year (or so) after I started my corporate career (at the tender age of 25), I discovered that my company’s ranking system (to give a grade to determine subsequent raises and/or promotions) was rank (having a foul or offensive smell). Why was it rank? Because I had entered it without understanding it. Having put my foot in it, I chose to outlast it as long as I could (I thought that would be a mere 5 but it turned out to be yikes! 25 years yay me! ; ) ).

That said, rank corporate ranking systems are as inevitable (and rank) as death and taxes, so, be aware and persevere.

Simplified Chinese Things to Say in World of Warships Game*

From Google Translate:

提防
Beware, be on guard, take precautions

前进
Advance, go forward, march, go ahead, head, go along

打
Fight, beat, make, break, strike, shoot

上帝!
Oh my God!, My goodness!

准备
Be Ready

再见！
Goodbye!

压
Press, push, crush, depress, hold down, strain

保卫
Defend, guard, protect, safeguard, ward, guard against

请死
Please Die

我支持你
I support you

我很失望
I am disappointed

我们的情况是坏的
Our situation is bad

没关系
It’s ok

雷达
Radar

请求
Request, ask, apply for

愤怒
Angry, indignant, raging

我会保护你
I will protect you

让他们来找我们
Let them come to us

进展顺利
Progressing well

捕获它
Capture it

欢乐
Joy

幸运命中
Lucky hit

我死
I die

这太疯狂了
This is crazy

You made a terrible decision
你做了一个可怕的决定

From Wikipedia:

213: Person who is very stupid.
666: "Doing something really well"
1314: "For ever", "One life, one world"
4242: "Yes" or "Affirmative" or "It is"
520: "I love you"
555: "(crying)"
7451 or 7456: "I’m angry"
748: "Go and die!", "Get lost!", "Go to hell!"
87: "Bitchy", “Idiocy/Idiot”
88: "Bye bye"
94: "So", "but", "just like", “etc.”
995: "Help", "Save me!"
2333: “Laughter"
484: "If" (yes or no)
99: "The wish for couple being together for long time"

*Dedicated to GeneralDort/ChairmanDort on WoWS RU/SEA/EU/NA/China Servers R1 Ranked Season 2017

Online Collaboration Tips for the Tech-Savvy @ Dublin Institute of Technology in Second Life

Always a pleasure to guest lecture for “Is One Life Enough” at Dublin Institute of Technology’s campus in Second Life. Course module information is at https://virtualenvironmentsmodule.com/

1. Guest Lecturer, Sitearm Madonna
2. Dean of Arts and Tourism, John O’Connor, addressing students
3. Facilitator, Locks Aichi, chatting with Sitearm and John