What is New Media? I used to think that I knew, but I really didn’t have a clue. Sure, you can say that it’s a mix web design, graphic design and video production, but that would be unfair. New Media is much more than that. In my experience at Purchase, anyone I’ve talked to about New Media who isn’t in the program had no idea what it was.
In fact, I think its safe to say that no one outside of the program has ever known was New Media was. I always have to explain what exactly it is that I do here at Purchase.
So, What is New Media? For me, New Media is an art form that I can easily relate to because it is all I know. I’ve used computers my whole life and have become dependent on them. Almost all my work is done using a computer; my class work, my art work, my life is all contained on a magnetized disk whose language consists of only 1 and 0. My computer has become an extension of myself. What is it about computers that sucks me in? I think it might have to do with the direct control it affords me. How many other things in the world can you have so much access to and control over? Not many.
I like being a part of the New Media program because it allows me to work in so many different mediums. Some would say that New Media should be confined to things like sensors and radios and robots, but I don’t see a reason to limit it like that. Being able to switch back and forth between video production, graphic design, or web design gives me this breathing room. It helps me figure out what I am most comfortable with and how I want to approach future projects.
As I stare another two years at Purchase in the face, I look forward to delving even deeper into the mysterious question of just exactly what is New Media. Chances are that in two years, I’ll have a vastly different perspective, which is great. I am not the kind of guy who enjoys the tedium of a 9-5 job. A cubicle and a mini van are not my idea of an exciting life. With New Media, I’ll be able to catch that next great wave and be on the forefront of new technology. This is gonna be fun…
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Propellerheads Reason: MIDI to the Max
I have been interested in music production since last year when my father, a recording engineer himself, bought me a FireWire 1814 I/O box and a copy of Pro Tools for Christmas. I couldn’t wait to start producing my own music and spread it around using the Internet. Of course, that wouldn’t happen for another six months because that is how long it took me to finally get it working. By then I had completely given up on Pro Tools and adopted a more user friendly program, Ableton Live.
With Live, I was able to get my personal recording studio up and running. I never really created a whole song, just sort of dicked around now and again. It wasn’t until this fall when I got my hands on a MIDI keyboard and a copy of Propellerheads Reason that I was finally able to express myself. I found myself recording for hours on end, totally caught up in the program.
I guess now would be a great time to explain with Propellerheads Reason is: simply put, Reason is a digital representation of an audio rack. Users start out with simply a mixer on screen and they add instrument and effect plugins as they please. Each individual plug in has an array of knobs, sliders and options that the user can use to manipulate the sound. By synching with a MIDI keyboard, the user can actually use the keyboard to change the length of notes, the volume, the pitch, etc.
Reason comes with hundreds of different instrument types including an extensive collection of drum kits. This is what draws most people to Reason, I believe. Reason is exceptional at providing digital drum kits that sound life like. Coupled with the ability to loop segments and touch pads on my keyboard, a beat can be made in literally seconds. It is remarkably easy to start off with just a simple drum beat and end up with something that sounds very professional.
Now that I had finally mastered Reason, I began to experiment with the different features. One great thing about Reason is it’s sampling plug ins. Creating a sample and using it in beats is super easy and I used that to create my first full song. I created it for my Basic Visual Literacy class as a project following a field trip to WACK!, a feminist art exhibit at PS1. It was my way of commenting on one of the pieces, a photo of a sculpture of a woman’s lower legs and hips. The vagina was so big that it showed people walking through it. I found this interesting and decided to create a song in the same vain.
This is what I ended up with.
With Live, I was able to get my personal recording studio up and running. I never really created a whole song, just sort of dicked around now and again. It wasn’t until this fall when I got my hands on a MIDI keyboard and a copy of Propellerheads Reason that I was finally able to express myself. I found myself recording for hours on end, totally caught up in the program.
I guess now would be a great time to explain with Propellerheads Reason is: simply put, Reason is a digital representation of an audio rack. Users start out with simply a mixer on screen and they add instrument and effect plugins as they please. Each individual plug in has an array of knobs, sliders and options that the user can use to manipulate the sound. By synching with a MIDI keyboard, the user can actually use the keyboard to change the length of notes, the volume, the pitch, etc.
Reason comes with hundreds of different instrument types including an extensive collection of drum kits. This is what draws most people to Reason, I believe. Reason is exceptional at providing digital drum kits that sound life like. Coupled with the ability to loop segments and touch pads on my keyboard, a beat can be made in literally seconds. It is remarkably easy to start off with just a simple drum beat and end up with something that sounds very professional.
Now that I had finally mastered Reason, I began to experiment with the different features. One great thing about Reason is it’s sampling plug ins. Creating a sample and using it in beats is super easy and I used that to create my first full song. I created it for my Basic Visual Literacy class as a project following a field trip to WACK!, a feminist art exhibit at PS1. It was my way of commenting on one of the pieces, a photo of a sculpture of a woman’s lower legs and hips. The vagina was so big that it showed people walking through it. I found this interesting and decided to create a song in the same vain.
This is what I ended up with.
Purchase Event Tres: The Junior Print and Photo Show
My roommate, Mike, is a printmaking major and he and I are always talking about art. More specifically, we like to talk about different ways of combining such an odd field as New Media and combining it with the more traditional printmaking. I enjoy gaining new perspectives on the practice of art, so I was thoroughly surprised when I attended the Junior Print Show and the Junior Photo Show.
Like I said, my roommate is a printmaker, so I did feel an obligation to attend his show. I didn’t look at like it was a chore or anything and I soon found out there was really no need to. Walking into the Triangle Gallery in the VA building, I was treated to quite a sight. The walls were literally covered with art, with every spare inch used as efficiently as possible. The gallery was abuzz with people, with a jazz trio playing in the corner.
I was drawn to a series of pieces that my roommate did. They were paper casts of modern household electronic objects such as a fan or a computer monitor. Using cotton pulp he was able to accurately recreate each object. I found the thought that what I was seeing was a computer monitor in some ways, but wasn’t in others. This reminded me a lot of the way people interact on the internet. Thanks to the anonymity of the internet, you never really know what you are going get.
Down the hall from the Print show was the Junior Photo show. There were many issues dealt with in the show but I was drawn to a series of nudes. In a few of the photos, there were two naked men out in a ditch in some field. One seemed to be working on a laptop while the other was posing with a small television. The idea of taking these everyday objects out of their environment and juxtaposing them with two naked men in ditch made me chuckle. Another series of photos dealt with blue collar Americans. All were portraits taken of patrons of a bar in Brooklyn. Each photo seemed to tell a story about its subject. I even took to making up stories of my own and giving these complete strangers their own history.
After being exposed to so much art for so long (2 hours), I left the VA feeling inspired to make my own art. I really wanted to delve into an issue and explore it. Maybe someday the art that I make will evoke a similar reaction out of someone else. After all, that is art: a game of give and take.
Like I said, my roommate is a printmaker, so I did feel an obligation to attend his show. I didn’t look at like it was a chore or anything and I soon found out there was really no need to. Walking into the Triangle Gallery in the VA building, I was treated to quite a sight. The walls were literally covered with art, with every spare inch used as efficiently as possible. The gallery was abuzz with people, with a jazz trio playing in the corner.
I was drawn to a series of pieces that my roommate did. They were paper casts of modern household electronic objects such as a fan or a computer monitor. Using cotton pulp he was able to accurately recreate each object. I found the thought that what I was seeing was a computer monitor in some ways, but wasn’t in others. This reminded me a lot of the way people interact on the internet. Thanks to the anonymity of the internet, you never really know what you are going get.
Down the hall from the Print show was the Junior Photo show. There were many issues dealt with in the show but I was drawn to a series of nudes. In a few of the photos, there were two naked men out in a ditch in some field. One seemed to be working on a laptop while the other was posing with a small television. The idea of taking these everyday objects out of their environment and juxtaposing them with two naked men in ditch made me chuckle. Another series of photos dealt with blue collar Americans. All were portraits taken of patrons of a bar in Brooklyn. Each photo seemed to tell a story about its subject. I even took to making up stories of my own and giving these complete strangers their own history.
After being exposed to so much art for so long (2 hours), I left the VA feeling inspired to make my own art. I really wanted to delve into an issue and explore it. Maybe someday the art that I make will evoke a similar reaction out of someone else. After all, that is art: a game of give and take.
Culture Shock: A Mix of MIDI Music, Hormones and Alcohol...
Students at Purchase look forward to spring for many reasons here. There’s the beautiful weather, the promise of summer around the corner, and… what is it called again? Culture Shock? Culture Shock. A two day excuse to party and listen to great live music, Culture Shock breathes life into Purchase College after the dreary winter months had finally released the campus from it’s icy grip. As a relatively new Purchasian - that’s what I like to call us Purchase people - I had no idea what Culture Shock was. My first encounter with it came shortly after my arrival. I was in the dining hall choking down some “quality” grub when I saw someone walk by with a Culture Shock shirt on. I remember whispering “What the hell is Culture Shock?” under my breath and being told by my dining mate that it was a music festival held every spring. That was the last I heard of it until February when people began to speculate as to who would be playing this year. Someone would say that Mos Def would be playing or Talib Kwali. Oh, nevermind, its actually going to be Lupe Fiasco.
Needless to say, the final list of bands caused much uproar amongst the Purchase community. The peasants were crying for the head of the Major Events Coordinator despite not even knowing who it was. Unable to do anything about it, we sat back and waited patiently for Friday, April 18. Finally, classes were done with for the week and it was gorgeous outside, absolutely gorgeous. Students flocked to the stage which was set up cozily in the field adjacent to the Admissions office. Purchase’s own reggae band, Under the Rasta Influence, kicked off the festival in a real laidback way and Culture Shock was under way.
Of all the bands that played at Culture Shock, I found the ones that I liked the most played a lot of MIDI music. MIDI is something that I have been dabbling in for a while and I guess I find it fascinating that instruments can be perfectly recreated using only lines of code. However, operating MIDI live is a feat in itself. How one could be able to make sense of all the knobs and sliders while in the middle of a performance is beyond me. One band that used a lot of MIDI was Gang Gang Dance. The band made heavy use of arpeggiators, vocoders, and MIDI instruments to create this ethereal sound that seemed to have no beginning or end. Another great band, Deerhoof, used a theramin, which is basically an antenna that senses when a hand is near it. Using only your hand, you can manipulate the note depending on how near or far your hand is to the antenna. The sounds that it produces are very alien and, frankly, spooky.
Many of the rappers who were at Culture Shock used beats that were composed using MIDI. Students were greeted by performances from DJ El, El Producto, Cassidy, and the most notable of all, Jadakiss. Using a MIDI interface and software, Jada or Cassidy would be able to make a really sick beat in no time. It’s that easy.
I found it fascinating how computers are all around us, all the time; everywhere we go, we are dependent on technology. Many of the rappers who performed at Culture Shock were using only their laptops, no other instruments. Software for live performance is getting better and better and offers the user more control than ever before. It makes me wonder what direction music might have gone in had computers not been invented. The music industry, just as practically every industry, is dependent on computers to record, produce and mix these songs. No computers, no Culture Shock, at least not in the same capacity. It is sad to say this, but my entertainment is almost completely dependent on computers. But I digress…
So Sunday morning came and Culture Shock was over. People emerged from their apartments in the wee hours of the early evening to soak in the last of the sun’s energizing rays before it slipped beyond the horizon. Beer cans were picked up and, I say this optimistically, recycled. People would gather and speak of Culture Shock until next weekend when they would forget about it until next spring. Then everyone would reminisce about how sweet it was to see Jadakiss freestyling or how much Cursive sucked. Me? I’ll be remembering how much I liked to see them set up the stage and check all the mikes. I’ll remember what I first thought when I saw them setting up the theramin: “This is gonna be good…” Yes, I’ll remember Culture Shock for what it was: just another weekend at Purchase College.
Needless to say, the final list of bands caused much uproar amongst the Purchase community. The peasants were crying for the head of the Major Events Coordinator despite not even knowing who it was. Unable to do anything about it, we sat back and waited patiently for Friday, April 18. Finally, classes were done with for the week and it was gorgeous outside, absolutely gorgeous. Students flocked to the stage which was set up cozily in the field adjacent to the Admissions office. Purchase’s own reggae band, Under the Rasta Influence, kicked off the festival in a real laidback way and Culture Shock was under way.
Of all the bands that played at Culture Shock, I found the ones that I liked the most played a lot of MIDI music. MIDI is something that I have been dabbling in for a while and I guess I find it fascinating that instruments can be perfectly recreated using only lines of code. However, operating MIDI live is a feat in itself. How one could be able to make sense of all the knobs and sliders while in the middle of a performance is beyond me. One band that used a lot of MIDI was Gang Gang Dance. The band made heavy use of arpeggiators, vocoders, and MIDI instruments to create this ethereal sound that seemed to have no beginning or end. Another great band, Deerhoof, used a theramin, which is basically an antenna that senses when a hand is near it. Using only your hand, you can manipulate the note depending on how near or far your hand is to the antenna. The sounds that it produces are very alien and, frankly, spooky.
Many of the rappers who were at Culture Shock used beats that were composed using MIDI. Students were greeted by performances from DJ El, El Producto, Cassidy, and the most notable of all, Jadakiss. Using a MIDI interface and software, Jada or Cassidy would be able to make a really sick beat in no time. It’s that easy.
I found it fascinating how computers are all around us, all the time; everywhere we go, we are dependent on technology. Many of the rappers who performed at Culture Shock were using only their laptops, no other instruments. Software for live performance is getting better and better and offers the user more control than ever before. It makes me wonder what direction music might have gone in had computers not been invented. The music industry, just as practically every industry, is dependent on computers to record, produce and mix these songs. No computers, no Culture Shock, at least not in the same capacity. It is sad to say this, but my entertainment is almost completely dependent on computers. But I digress…
So Sunday morning came and Culture Shock was over. People emerged from their apartments in the wee hours of the early evening to soak in the last of the sun’s energizing rays before it slipped beyond the horizon. Beer cans were picked up and, I say this optimistically, recycled. People would gather and speak of Culture Shock until next weekend when they would forget about it until next spring. Then everyone would reminisce about how sweet it was to see Jadakiss freestyling or how much Cursive sucked. Me? I’ll be remembering how much I liked to see them set up the stage and check all the mikes. I’ll remember what I first thought when I saw them setting up the theramin: “This is gonna be good…” Yes, I’ll remember Culture Shock for what it was: just another weekend at Purchase College.
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Video Game Messiah
April 29, 2008 is a day that will forever be remembered as the day that video gaming changed forever: the day that Grand Theft Auto IV was released to the public. Much fervor had been built up during the almost excruciating wait for the game of decade, but it was all worth it when you first booted up the game and were treated to the opening sequence. I had been scrimping and saving my meager college student wages and made sure I had a copy reserved for myself. I was not going to miss out.
Rockstar, the creator of the Grand Theft Auto series, had created a lot of buzz over this game by refusing to release details and keeping the public generally in the dark as to the goings on of this revamped Liberty City. What can I say about the game? First off, I will say that Grand Theft Auto IV is the best game that I have ever played in my life, hands down; nothing even holds a candle to it, not even its predecessors Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City and San Andreas. Taking a step back and looking at why that could be is hard to see at first. Many features were cut from this game including the ability to fly planes, swim underwater, and change appearance. The map was smaller then the previous game, San Andreas, so it almost seemed that Rockstar was taking a step back with this new title. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. What Rockstar loses in features, they more than make up for in the sheer vastness and detail of Liberty City. You start out the game in Broker, their version of Brooklyn, and make your way through Dukes, Bohan, Algonquin, and Alderney (Queens, Bronx, Manhattan and New Jersey, respectively). Each area has a distinct feel and atmosphere; in Broker you will find a heavy Eastern European population near Hove Beach, their version of Little Odessa. Each city block is unique, which is what makes this game so incredible. It is as if they recreated New York City to a tee in video game form. It was amazing to see my friend, a native New Yorker, traveling through the city and recognizing almost every street.
This game has already caused much controversy despite only being out for a week. Many politicians were quick to speak out about the game without even seeing it. I’ll be honest, they were right to speak out. This game is inordinately violent. By putting Grand Theft Auto IV on a next generation console, Rockstar has allowed themselves to push everything to limit, including violence. When you shoot people, they don’t just fall down, they stagger, stumble, fall to the ground and attempt to get up again. It is amazing how you can almost feel the weight of each person, car and destructible object. Casual encounters with police helicopters will find you shooting the men out of the side and watching them fall to the earth. What’s this? A rocket launcher? The explosions are so realistic they will practically blow your mind.
In conclusion, it seems Rockstar has finally developed the perfect equation for a video game. All you need to do is take spectacular visuals, compelling plotlines, stellar voice acting, and insanely fun gameplay, mix it altogether and you’ve got a game that will earn you hundreds of millions of dollars. Despite the fact that I wouldn’t let my child within 25 ft. of it, I am continually amazed at the level of depth this game offers. All I know is that I can expect people to still be talking about this game a year from now. Kudos, Rockstar, keep up the great work!
Rockstar, the creator of the Grand Theft Auto series, had created a lot of buzz over this game by refusing to release details and keeping the public generally in the dark as to the goings on of this revamped Liberty City. What can I say about the game? First off, I will say that Grand Theft Auto IV is the best game that I have ever played in my life, hands down; nothing even holds a candle to it, not even its predecessors Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City and San Andreas. Taking a step back and looking at why that could be is hard to see at first. Many features were cut from this game including the ability to fly planes, swim underwater, and change appearance. The map was smaller then the previous game, San Andreas, so it almost seemed that Rockstar was taking a step back with this new title. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. What Rockstar loses in features, they more than make up for in the sheer vastness and detail of Liberty City. You start out the game in Broker, their version of Brooklyn, and make your way through Dukes, Bohan, Algonquin, and Alderney (Queens, Bronx, Manhattan and New Jersey, respectively). Each area has a distinct feel and atmosphere; in Broker you will find a heavy Eastern European population near Hove Beach, their version of Little Odessa. Each city block is unique, which is what makes this game so incredible. It is as if they recreated New York City to a tee in video game form. It was amazing to see my friend, a native New Yorker, traveling through the city and recognizing almost every street.
This game has already caused much controversy despite only being out for a week. Many politicians were quick to speak out about the game without even seeing it. I’ll be honest, they were right to speak out. This game is inordinately violent. By putting Grand Theft Auto IV on a next generation console, Rockstar has allowed themselves to push everything to limit, including violence. When you shoot people, they don’t just fall down, they stagger, stumble, fall to the ground and attempt to get up again. It is amazing how you can almost feel the weight of each person, car and destructible object. Casual encounters with police helicopters will find you shooting the men out of the side and watching them fall to the earth. What’s this? A rocket launcher? The explosions are so realistic they will practically blow your mind.
In conclusion, it seems Rockstar has finally developed the perfect equation for a video game. All you need to do is take spectacular visuals, compelling plotlines, stellar voice acting, and insanely fun gameplay, mix it altogether and you’ve got a game that will earn you hundreds of millions of dollars. Despite the fact that I wouldn’t let my child within 25 ft. of it, I am continually amazed at the level of depth this game offers. All I know is that I can expect people to still be talking about this game a year from now. Kudos, Rockstar, keep up the great work!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Reading Response Dialogue
The following is a response to Andrew Formale's post regarding the
issue of race on the web:
Andrew,
I felt that I wasn't that familiar with this particular subject in the class and I wanted to delve deeper into the idea of race and gender on the web. I find it fascinating how people use the internet as this haven, almost, where they can escape to anytime they want and, with the help of video games such as Second Life, do practically anything they want. I've got a 17 year old brother who, when World of Warcraft initially came out, became quickly addicted to the game. For two and a half years, he would do nothing outside of school, but play World of Warcraft. Why? Because it offered him an escape, just as it offered these Dixienet sites one too.
The idea of "cyber whiteness" is something that piqued my curiosity because I can't honestly say I've never been guilty of it. I find it almost disturbing that I would consider caucasian the default race. You are right, Andrew, when you say we don't know the race of who we are talking to. However, when I talk to someone online that I have never met, I do form an image of the person in my mind. If I don't know this person's race, more often than not I do default to white. It is, in the words of Metallica, sad, but true.
Your mention of the "hyperpersonal effect" reminded me of my brother, a recovering World of Warcraft addict. For two and a half years, his social life consisted of nothing, but playing World of Warcraft. Everyday after school he would spend as much time as he could going on raids and fighting his way through dungeons. It is just an example of how people can get wrapped up in the internet and the enticing escape it offers. Thank you for helping me obtain a better understanding of race on the web, an issue that I don't think most people ever really were aware of.
issue of race on the web:
Andrew,
I felt that I wasn't that familiar with this particular subject in the class and I wanted to delve deeper into the idea of race and gender on the web. I find it fascinating how people use the internet as this haven, almost, where they can escape to anytime they want and, with the help of video games such as Second Life, do practically anything they want. I've got a 17 year old brother who, when World of Warcraft initially came out, became quickly addicted to the game. For two and a half years, he would do nothing outside of school, but play World of Warcraft. Why? Because it offered him an escape, just as it offered these Dixienet sites one too.
The idea of "cyber whiteness" is something that piqued my curiosity because I can't honestly say I've never been guilty of it. I find it almost disturbing that I would consider caucasian the default race. You are right, Andrew, when you say we don't know the race of who we are talking to. However, when I talk to someone online that I have never met, I do form an image of the person in my mind. If I don't know this person's race, more often than not I do default to white. It is, in the words of Metallica, sad, but true.
Your mention of the "hyperpersonal effect" reminded me of my brother, a recovering World of Warcraft addict. For two and a half years, his social life consisted of nothing, but playing World of Warcraft. Everyday after school he would spend as much time as he could going on raids and fighting his way through dungeons. It is just an example of how people can get wrapped up in the internet and the enticing escape it offers. Thank you for helping me obtain a better understanding of race on the web, an issue that I don't think most people ever really were aware of.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Just Another Day in SL...
Once again we had stripped ourselves of our educational garb for an afternoon in a more laidback atmosphere, Second Life. It had been a while since I’d ventured into this wild frontier and I was greeted with a software update that seemed to render my graphics card useless. Users were depicted via an endless stream of different images as opposed to the usual static skins. The lag was tremendous and morale was at an all time low.
After a lengthy discussion on the issue of race on the web, we all split into groups for field trips. By this time, my graphics card had regained its senses and people, landscapes and buildings were beginning to look as intended. Our first destination was simply titled Flag, Royier. The best way to describe this place would be to dub it Flag, Royier: The Home of All Things War. Everywhere you looked were vehicles and items related to war. There were helicopters, airplanes, boats, motorcycles, and cars. I was even asked if I wanted to buy a gun. The most interesting part of this whole place was an area designated for battle. As I walked through it, I didn’t see anyone battling, unfortunately, but it wasn’t hard to imagine it. Flag, Royier seemed to be, in the end, just Rambo’s wet dream.
After our trip to Flag, Royier, we headed for Bad Boys Urban City. I can’t say that there were too many defining characteristics of this site. It was composed of concrete and asphalt and seemed to be a gay night club. There was a very gritty, urban feel to the whole place. I have to admit that this was my first visit to any sort of place that was designated “gay” and I felt, surprisingly, nonplussed. The only sort of trouble I got myself into occurred when I clicked on a pose ball and found myself stuck in an unflattering position. There I was, laying flat on my back spread eagle in a video game and the only thought that came to my mind was “College is great.”
After getting over the embarrassment of the spectacle I caused, we all departed for the SoulPhoniks Mega Outlet, your only source for premium hip hop apparel. I have to admit that, although I understand going to this site for insight on race on the web, I really didn’t get much out of it. The walls were lined with pictures of different hip hop oriented outfits you could by. I came upon one advertisement for “The Bootyliciouz Club – SL’s Biggest Hip Hop and RnB Club” and I, as they say on the web, LOL’ed. After a short stay in SoulPhoniks, we left for Purchase Island.
As the day wound up, we paused for reflection on all of the sights we had traversed to. There had been many themes dealt with, the chief among them being race and sexuality on the web. I have to say that it was just a typical day in Second Life, but one must remember that such a day in Second Life is anything, but typical in real life. After spending a good deal of time in Second Life, I am continually amazed at the spaces, avatars, buildings, and items that I come across.
After a lengthy discussion on the issue of race on the web, we all split into groups for field trips. By this time, my graphics card had regained its senses and people, landscapes and buildings were beginning to look as intended. Our first destination was simply titled Flag, Royier. The best way to describe this place would be to dub it Flag, Royier: The Home of All Things War. Everywhere you looked were vehicles and items related to war. There were helicopters, airplanes, boats, motorcycles, and cars. I was even asked if I wanted to buy a gun. The most interesting part of this whole place was an area designated for battle. As I walked through it, I didn’t see anyone battling, unfortunately, but it wasn’t hard to imagine it. Flag, Royier seemed to be, in the end, just Rambo’s wet dream.
After our trip to Flag, Royier, we headed for Bad Boys Urban City. I can’t say that there were too many defining characteristics of this site. It was composed of concrete and asphalt and seemed to be a gay night club. There was a very gritty, urban feel to the whole place. I have to admit that this was my first visit to any sort of place that was designated “gay” and I felt, surprisingly, nonplussed. The only sort of trouble I got myself into occurred when I clicked on a pose ball and found myself stuck in an unflattering position. There I was, laying flat on my back spread eagle in a video game and the only thought that came to my mind was “College is great.”
After getting over the embarrassment of the spectacle I caused, we all departed for the SoulPhoniks Mega Outlet, your only source for premium hip hop apparel. I have to admit that, although I understand going to this site for insight on race on the web, I really didn’t get much out of it. The walls were lined with pictures of different hip hop oriented outfits you could by. I came upon one advertisement for “The Bootyliciouz Club – SL’s Biggest Hip Hop and RnB Club” and I, as they say on the web, LOL’ed. After a short stay in SoulPhoniks, we left for Purchase Island.
As the day wound up, we paused for reflection on all of the sights we had traversed to. There had been many themes dealt with, the chief among them being race and sexuality on the web. I have to say that it was just a typical day in Second Life, but one must remember that such a day in Second Life is anything, but typical in real life. After spending a good deal of time in Second Life, I am continually amazed at the spaces, avatars, buildings, and items that I come across.
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