Here, Kitty, Kitty

74444444444444444444 <-- You see that? My real life cat typed that (really!) just as I started to write this.

So ... the other day I'm going through blogs I read all the time—Dwell On It (Tateru Nino), Daniel Voyager's Blog, Living in a Modem World (required reading from Inara Pey), and Juicybomb. And there on Juicybomb is this post about Gogo and her kittycat ... and she's selling him! So, out of curiosity, off I went to Sleepy Bay, where the kitty was for sale via Khea Karas. I had often seen references to Meeroos (and had ventured across one or two), Amaretto Breedables, Sion Chickens and the like, but had never bothered to check any of them out. Not my thing, really.

So I arrive at Sleepy Bay, and there are like a bazillion cats there, and this particular cat for sale set on a pedestal. Price tag (I'll say it): L$5,000, and with a hovering text that said, "I'm Famous! - JuicyBomb Cat." Not that there weren't a few others for, say, L$1,000 nearby. And I'm thinking to myself, "Well, what do you do with a cat?" But, flush with cash, I pulled the trigger ... "[2011/09/25 14:38] You are now the owner of object KittyCats - I'm Famous! - JuicyBomb Cat" ... and my partner Lexi, who was standing there, thought I was out of my mind. (Although she often thinks that anyway.)

I thought to myself, "Great, I can see the headlines now: 'Ziki Questi purchases Gogo's kittycat and it starves to death.'" So in half a panic I dashed off, bought food, milk, a scratching post, a bed, and started reading all about these kitties. Plus I got it that you have to give some emotional care, so I'm holding him, playing ball, making sure he's ok. Kinda cute, this guy, and can tell why they're so addicting, because they are. I chatted with Gogo (she's waiting for a girl kitty) and sent her a pic to let her know he's in good hands (I hope!). So just like that I own a virtual pet, and I'm delighted: he's fun and I'm happy.

Exhibition at the Isle of Dee

How did I manage to not even mention my exhibition at the Town Hall at the Isle of Dee? Well, thanks to the generosity of Merthyn Vintner and Rhea Vintner, I was offered the ground floor for the month of September—so you don't have long to catch it! It's not a huge show, but there are some large pieces in the gallery that capture some of Calas Galadhon, Abbey Island, The Abyss, Zigana at Sea Salts and tram in the region Camomile. Sometimes when I visit I teleport right to the gallery, but other times I have to wind my way through the sim to get there, which isn't the least of problems because it's such a beautiful place. If you're hunting for the Town Hall, the coordinates are 53, 151, 22. The Isle of Dee is a Medieval roleplay sim, but you don't need an observer tag—just be polite and explore!

Thank you, AM

A week ago AM Radio logged in, and I went over to IDIA Laboratories to say hello. I hadn't seen him inworld in a while. "I am surprised the sim is still here," he said, in reference to the announcement back in April that the sim would close in six months's time. I had always taken that to mean October, and had slowly been taking photos and footage for machinima, some of which you can see on my flickr stream.

Today the IDIA Laboratories sim closed, and with it some of the most striking places in Second Life. They weren't just places, but were works of art that invited us to reconsider our sense of self, that engaged our perceptions of space, solitude and community ... our sense of relationships to one another. Maybe AM didn't think of his work as art, but as Mel Bochner beautifully put it, "Art is a way of thinking about things."

They were also wildly beautiful places. It's funny, but I've always thought of AM's work more in relation to postmodern dance than visual art, reminded of how Merce Cunningham was our master of depth on the stage. Perhaps in time we will see AM's full sim creations again, or something like them. But until then, I would like simply to say: Thanks, AM Radio. And thanks also to John Fillwalk and the team at IDIA Laboratories at Ball State University for having had the vision to support AM's work.

Then it was time for him to go. I was taking these photos, and he left. It was 5:30 SLT on September 12th. I don't think he got another look.

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[2011/09/12 17:00] AM Radio: i dont know how to use viewer two
[2011/09/12 17:01] AM Radio stares at viewer two wondering where the hell the menus are
[2011/09/12 17:01] Ziki Questi: well, it's best to download firestorm
[2011/09/12 17:01] AM Radio: available for mac?
[2011/09/12 17:02] Ziki Questi: oh yes
[2011/09/12 17:02] Ziki Questi: i have macs and run it
[2011/09/12 17:02] AM Radio: nice

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