I am one of those people (an increasing breed) whose work largely consists of maintaining processes that are based on messages, meetings and other collaboration via communication (or waiting/dysfunctionalities of that communication). In many days there is a train-trip to Helsinki (2 x 2 hours), or a flight travel to some foreign destination (anything up to a dozen hours in bus, taxi, airport and aeroplane – and then the same back again). It is an eternal frustration to get the work done with the whatever limited online time I have available. Tampere – Helsinki train trip for example should be optimum working time, particularly when you are equipped with a 3G/GPRS network card, like my laptop. But no: the connection is breaking down, the email programme is all the time jammed, and it is very hard to participate in any of those oh-so-urgent processes. (Why they are urgent, what is happening to all of our time these days…) I try to keep travels to old-fashioned reading of paper documents, but many issues are those oh-so-urgent ones, and if a full day is spent off-line, that will only mean that you need to take care of all those messages in the evening, on your “own time”. Even air travel carriers are now talking about allowing mobile communications; when shall a simple train travel stop meaning becoming an amputee, unable to hear, see or participate? (Make your refs: cyborg subjectivity, posthumanism, prosthetic and/or amputated condition, posthumanism…)
Category: personal diary
mostly personal, notes on the road
experience amplifier?
Out whole day today, shooting mostly landscape photos in crisp winter sun. Luckily the battery did not run out, temperature was again c. -20C. This image of frost flowers was slightly edited afterwards in Photoshop, and fine-tuning the light levels did make the shape stand out more clearly. On a more philosophical tone, I have been following the discussions of some people on how the desire to photograph, or otherwise document your life and experiences potentially alters the situation and thereby your entire life. On the other hand, you might start seeing everything you do just as a raw material for your productions, but on the other hand it is also possible that you pay more attention to the tiny details of life – your activity might be the amplifier to life experience.
game education, jane mcgonical
Today I was speaking of games literacy and game cultures for an audience of educators in “Media Education Fair” they organised in Tampere Finlayson area. Good discussions, it is just so frustrating to know how slowly we can see games entering the phase of more diverse content, and increased applicability in normal classroom situations, for example.
As an advance notice, please mark into your calendar Jane McGonigal’s talk, taking place in Helsinki (and Tampere via teleconference) next Tuesday. (See: News and Events at the University of Tampere, UTa.)
-20C
Brr. Cold wind from Siberia this week, -20C — -30C. In my childhood this was the usual weather, but things have changed. Is it only the greenhouse our life is located within, or are we changing?
oxy^3silence
After an unpleasant series of respiratory infections (propably asthma-related), I decided to do so something about it. Two days of vacuuming, washing and reorganising was a good start, but I also decided to upgrade my air cleaner. The old one (a Philips) is now washing off the particles in the computer corner, while an Electrolux Z8020 takes care of the bedroom. An interesting example of how the “life sustaining systems” in our homes start to remind you of space stations. This baby can sense both the amount of microparticles and the current sound level, and adjust its speed and power relative to either.
Winter's flowers
After the obligatory Christmas flu, and the New Year celebrations, I had a little walk with my camera today. There are precious little sunlight hours in Finland at this time of year, and you need to look carefully to find anything among all that snow. But, on the other hand, the darkness, the white blanket covering everything: they have certain calming and eternal quality. Flickr has few of those pictures, my server (http://unet.fi/pics/2006-01-01/) some more.
puzzle ball game
Ravensburger has created this transgressive concept: puzzle ball of the globe. If puzzle is no game (Crawford), then at least you can use it, ball game, puzzle and some education, all wrapped in one.
a gift (Switched On Santa)
Here is a little gift to all of you geeks wondering what to do with this Xmas thing, anyways: FaLaLaLaLa – Switched On Santa by Sy Mann (the entire vinyl album & artwork in c. 45Mb zip download).
happy holidays
Moderately Technological, (Al)Mostly Human, and Appropriately Fantastic Christmas for Everyone!
fantasy season in WoW?
Now, during the Christmas period, there is of course an excellent opportunity to open that thick fantasy novel, and spend relaxing evenings, long into the night, immersed in an adventure. Or, then you can also spend also those precious moments by grinding in WoW. 
This night was actually rather fun, thanks to Aludra and Siedga who helped my poor old Dur Ût-Thure to get along in the hard road of saintly paladinhood. And the full moon is always perfect in the virtual world. I wonder how those weather effects will change the situation in the extension release? In any case, it will be a hard choice: an entertaining book, or entertaining adventure with your friends are both good ways to spend your holidays, even if very different ones.
frans goes blog 
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