TVWSP

Me, Myself, and I

 Both Jenaia and I have had several arguments with folks who were insisting that Uncle D was/had to be a real person.

It's an argument I often have with myself, though not about Uncle D. I know that Jenaia made him up. My question is, am I the physical person, the Reluctant Quester, Marty Snowpaw, or one or two of the other anonymous avatars I have created?

Will the real Marty Keltz please stand up....?

It leaves me in awe of just how powerful storytelling is... how awesome Second Life is. To read my thoughts on this, see the post entitled, "Is it Real or is it Memorex?"

Histories remembered or imagined. Some that come to mind include, Historical Fiction, Roman a Clef, The New York Times, and my grade 9 American history book entitled, America Makes The World Safe for Democracy.

We find truth in emotional resonance, in empathy, by feeling, not by thinking.

Write stories.  Write your story. Project and personalize. Real or imagined, take the Story Quest and meet Uncle D, and more than likely you will meet yourself. Neat huh?!

Sign up to take the Quest here: www.tvwsp.com

See the film the Quest is based on here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-7ZzR6o9hk

A Medical Miracle!

There she is, Ms. Frizzle.  She was born just about the time I had my first heart attack. This is the actual frame that the animation team sent me in the hospital. I was 50 years old so it was a shock, especially to me since I believed I was indestructible.

You may wonder how illiteracy is connected to heart disease. Even then I noticed that many of the obsessive over achievers I knew had had similar public school experiences and failures. We struggled with the same boogey-men, the same self-doubts and fears of being exposed.  It was Mrs. Himber  (http://tinyurl.com/yg5bntj), after all, who knew the real Marty Keltz  - dumb and dumber.  

The Magic School Bus was the first animated series to appear on PBS - yes before Barney (no comment). Who would have believed the kids loved it and it was about science?  Girls loved it, and even started to think maybe they could be scientists like Ms. Frizzle.  It was a revolution - entertaining, engaging, and educational.  Second Life offers the same opportunity, with more possibilities for engagement and immersion, but now personalization, and wow even co-creation.

Which brings me back to the Reluctant Quester and The Life and Times of Uncle D.  It is another animation first, inadequately described as machinima.  Watch the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-7ZzR6o9hk and bring tissues.  It's magical movie making, all produced and shot in Second Life.   Ok, I am biased, but I think this is also a revolution, and will prevent heart attacks - no seriously. What happens when kids love to learn?  Some decide they want to be scientists.  What else could we do with this model?  Story Quests made me into a writer.  Take the Quest and see what it does for you… (sign up at www.tvwsp.com).

Listen to the Reluctant Quester tell his story:

Marty-MedicalMiracle