Second Life: Imaging Virtual Place (part 1) Richard Smyth, Ph.D. Invent-L Conference 2007: Imaging Place University of Florida 24 February 2007

Outline of Presentation I. Mystory/History: How I Came Here/Returned Here II. Deconstruction vs. “Reconstruction”: Metaphorical Concepts of Space and Topological Alternatives III. Summary of Research Interests

I. Mystory/History:

How I Came Here/Returned Here

II. Deconstruction vs. “Reconstruction”: Metaphorical Concepts of Space and Topological Alternatives

III. Summary of Research Interests

Mystory/Choragraphy: Multidimensional Expression wabi-sabi : wide image :: outline : argument wabi-sabi has six parts: three each for tenor and vehicle of a metaphor the “need to fill in each slot locates some dimensions of thought and feeling that you might have overlooked…” (Ulmer 2003, 277)

wabi-sabi : wide image :: outline : argument

wabi-sabi has six parts: three each for tenor and vehicle of a metaphor

the “need to fill in each slot locates some dimensions of thought and feeling that you might have overlooked…” (Ulmer 2003, 277)

Time Line (1-D)  lpha  etic Literacy 1100 B.C.E. Printing Press 1447 C.E. Peter Ramus 1515-1572 1820 1901 1927 1984

Time Square (2-D)

Time Cube (3-D) Aesthetic Temporal Mnemonic

Part I Mystory/History: How I Came to Be Here/Return Here

Mystory/History:

How I Came to Be Here/Return Here

10.5.06 (Temporal Axis) Craig Freeman/JC Fremont introduces Smyth to Second Life Abaris Brautigan is born Abaris Brautigan as default avatar pictured camping at Mooaleo

Craig Freeman/JC Fremont introduces Smyth to Second Life

Abaris Brautigan is born

10.12.06 (Aesthetic Axis) Smyth/Brautigan quoted in slatenight.com Nomad Scholar finds home in SL Abaris Brautigan (before he edited self) pictured here horning in on interview ( Witte/Dena )

Smyth/Brautigan quoted in slatenight.com

Nomad Scholar finds home in SL

08.01.94 (Mnemonic Axis) Under director Greg Ulmer, Smyth finishes dissertation “ Renaissance Mnemonics, Poststructuralism , and the Rhetoric of Hypertext Composition ” He graduates from University of Florida (aka “The Florida School of Applied Grammatology”) with Ph.D. in English

Under director Greg Ulmer, Smyth finishes dissertation “ Renaissance Mnemonics, Poststructuralism , and the Rhetoric of Hypertext Composition ”

He graduates from University of Florida (aka “The Florida School of Applied Grammatology”) with Ph.D. in English

8.27.94 (Mnemonic Axis) Craig Saper confers his Bachelors Degree upon Smyth in Florida School graduation ceremony that has yet to become a tradition.

10.19.06 (Temporal Axis) Abaris creates Second Life group for electrate collaboration: the TGC Access group info by double-clicking group name in profile.

Abaris creates Second Life group for electrate collaboration: the TGC

TGC Group Insignia/Significance Squares represent juxtaposed pixels Pixels = next generation of juxtologic: multidimensional “ Pixels are the movable type of the future.” (Stafford 288) colon = points ANALOGIC equal sign = lines LOGIC ? = squares JUXTOLOGIC

Squares represent juxtaposed pixels

Pixels = next generation of juxtologic: multidimensional

“ Pixels are the movable type of the future.” (Stafford 288)

How to Display Group Title Right-click on avatar, select Groups, then select group in list for display and click ACTIVATE button

10.22.06 (Aesthetic Axis) Abaris Brautigan edits his self-image at SL replica of Stonehenge Right-click on avatar and choose “Appearance” to change self-image.

Abaris Brautigan edits his self-image at SL replica of Stonehenge

Spring 1997 (Mnemonic Axis) Students read children’s allegory The Phantom Tollbooth as model for project Assignment: students collaborate to build an allegorical, educational environment in a M.O.O. for a 5 th grade class to experience Students had to work out overall content and how each group would fit in and interconnect to the whole.

Students read children’s allegory The Phantom Tollbooth as model for project

Assignment: students collaborate to build an allegorical, educational environment in a M.O.O. for a 5 th grade class to experience

Students had to work out overall content and how each group would fit in and interconnect to the whole.

10.29.06 (Temporal Axis) Abaris Brautigan works on electracy display at Parvenu Towers (6 th floor) Residual literacy in the new medium: a book and a computer terminal with websites.

Abaris Brautigan works on electracy display at Parvenu Towers (6 th floor)

11.1.06 (Aesthetic Axis) Stephanie Hermes/Tripp creates the FRE t-shirt Abaris Brautigan never takes it off

Stephanie Hermes/Tripp creates the FRE t-shirt

Abaris Brautigan never takes it off

11.6.06 (Aesthetic Axis) Smyth submits late abstract to the Craigs Freeman/Saper Informs Saper that his BA degree held hostage As a result of this act of blackmail, Smyth’s abstract is accepted.

Smyth submits late abstract to the Craigs Freeman/Saper

Informs Saper that his BA degree held hostage

As a result of this act of blackmail, Smyth’s abstract is accepted.

TMI (Mnemonic Axis) 5.19.84—married as sophomore 6.12.84—admitted to Smyth County Hospital for mental breakdown during trip to NC 5/1994—Ulmer publishes review of Genetis: A Rhizography in PMC 6/1994—returns to NC to finish dissertation after wife leaves with children

5.19.84—married as sophomore

6.12.84—admitted to Smyth County Hospital for mental breakdown during trip to NC

5/1994—Ulmer publishes review of Genetis: A Rhizography in PMC

6/1994—returns to NC to finish dissertation after wife leaves with children

Mapping These Points You Get… Representation of a Klein Bottle, a 3-D version of a Moebius strip, immersed in 3-D space.

Contact Richard Smyth, Ph.D. [email_address] http://www.anabiosispress.org/rsmyth

Richard Smyth, Ph.D.

[email_address]

http://www.anabiosispress.org/rsmyth