Geminid Telling

cc image courtesy flickr.com/photos/jeffsmallwood/827502669

Lalo Telling chose to leave us by hitching a ride on the Geminid meteor shower. A fine choice.

Safe travels, kind sir.

.
Share Some Grace:

May We Borrow Your Automata?

image source

A world of automata – of creatures that worked like machines – would hardly be worth creating.   - CS Lewis

The only pair (as far as we know) of 19th century mirror-image gold, enameled and jeweled singing bird pistol automata sold for a little more than $5.8 million USD last year at Christie's International Important Watches Sale in Hong Kong.

In this episode of I Have To Tell You Something, Salome tries to convince me that she'd like to borrow the pair of pistols for Christmas (for a small rental fee). Her plea is initially believable, but turns out just to be a ruse intended to get me to talk about Perfect Polly. 

I am not amused.

Don't fall for it.

Episode notes:

• One of our two listeners asked: Why don't you podcast more often? My answer in a few words: "So, one more thing, and then you can (like) fix everything in edit." Feel my pain.
• This is the lovely "steam-punky mechanical thingy" that started the conversation about singing bird automatas.
• Variability is obviously a tough word for some to enunciate. Sort of like ... cinnamon.
• Perfect Polly (as seen on TV!) is a blight on the Earth. 
• Hugo is a delightful Scorsese interpretation of a beautifully illustrated novel by Brian Selznik. It's available in HD streaming video for Amazon Prime members. Automatons are optional.
• While we didn't discuss it, Salome may be on to something - borrowing gifts for Christmas may be the new black. I mean, red and green.

Share Some Grace:

It's The Most Wonderful Time

cc image courtesy flickr.com/photos/ffg/3112930973

Somewhere between Black Friday and Cyber Monday falls the latest episode of our I Have To Tell You Something podcast. 

This week we cover a wide girth of pseudo-holiday chatter - from tattoo implants and the strange duality of JR and Major Nelson, to the unnatural (and possibly illegal) reinvention of Mr. Green's Clue character, as well as Salome's grinch-like tendencies and my personal DIY holiday gift ideas. 

In fact, we covered so many random things the episode notes may actually be required for the fullest and most rewarding second screen experience.

Click this link for a special gift

Episode notes:

• Yes, she said Flowbee; it was is real. (Links do not represent an endorsement. In fact, they never do.)
• More importantly, this is moodINQ: a programmable tattoo implant. Please don't hack body mods for the holidays.
• Larry Hagman passed away on Friday; we are sorry to see him go.
• I had no idea that Salome had so much grinch in her. This should have been a clue.
• If you were wondering what ".. those things that I was telling you about the other day, remember? When you went on car trips when you were five and it was the face under the little magnetic filings that you dragged around with a magnet .." really were. They were called Wooly Willy. Those were the days, but now there's a Wooly Willy iOS app.
• Apparently Mister Green was changed from the original (not to) Reverend Green to protect the frailty of the collective US moral code. 
• Despite Salome's limited knowledge, Trav Rexen is completely into the "whole costume thing".  Here's proof.
• Holly trees are a perfect host for spider mites. I didn't need to know that.
• In case you are brave enough - here's a fun "Martha and Oprah make a holly wreath" video. Hint: Martha's skin is thick, but you should wear kevlar.
• Frozen butterflies. I have no words, or even links to share.
• This is the hanging wine bottle planter I am making for gifts. Wish me luck.
• In case you were wondering, this is what I'm giving Salome for Christmas. You should send one too, and I have a stamp if you need one.

Happy Holidays!

Share Some Grace:

The Garden in Second Life Launches

Dwarf Hamsters in The Garden FTW

As Salome and I warned you in our last podcast, The Garden in Second Life launched on Friday and the game is afoot! It must be real, we made the Editor's Pick in the SL Destination Guide. (woot!)

I'm psyched that The Garden has appealed to people who like to play a new game, as well as those who would rather just explore the sim and take photos of themselves, say, as a delicious dwarf hamster. Right now, we don't have a leader board for hamster photos, but according to Nate Silver there is a good chance that in the future we will. (Please don't tell Salome or Trav I said that.)

If you want to know more about The Garden and how it works, you can find details on our site The Garden Whispers, and there were some fantastic posts published this weekend:

• Inara Pey : The Garden: an immersive, absorbing and creative puzzle to delight the eye and engage the brain
• Honour MacMillan : The Garden Game in Second Life
• Ciaran Laval : Round and Round The Garden
• Ucello Poultry : The Garden Game
• Xia Firethorn : Fun, Games and Beautiful Garden
• Deoridhe Quandry : The Garden: A New Interactive Game in Second Life

Even if you haven't made the hamster transition, you can still play and if you are loathe to read instructions (like me), fear not. Salome and Lyndon Heart put together a quick video introduction.

The game can seem challenging at first, but here's a helpful clue: when you learn something that is NOT true about a Guardian put an X in the right place on your HUD with a single click. When you discover truths about the Guardians, note them with a dot *, which takes a double click in the square. Here's another hint for those that like to stand and cam: you have to be within chat range of the Artifacts, else you don't get the clue.

Once you get the hang of the X and dot thing, the game becomes rather addicting. Give it a shot for free using the DEMO HUD and see what I mean. If you buy a Patron HUD, you can play as many games as you'd like. Each time you solve a puzzle, a new one is created for you and enters you into the Achievements.

Below is what a completed Achievement tab looks like. It gives you a glimpse into the twisted minds of Trav Rexen and Salome Strangelove - note the conspicuous absence of hamster accolades. 

We hope we see you around The Garden. If you get stuck, you can always ask for some help. Esoteric and difficult questions can go to Sal and Trav, but feel free to ask me the rest.

So if you've got a few minutes to spare, go play The Garden.

If you are wondering about the story part, hang in there.  It's coming, like winter.

.

Share Some Grace: