Why Games?

From a talk by Dave Rejeski: The value of serious games is what they can provide:

*Topsight
This is the ability to see the whole system and how it all works. It leads to foresight: long-term thinking requires systems-thinking understanding. Leadership is synonymous with topsight.
*Collective Wisdom
Hard, messy problems require hundreds of perspectives. Serious games allow you to mobilize collective genius, and take advantage of the principle that many eyes make shallow bugs.
*Soft Failure
Serious games allow people to experiment and take risks safely.
*Practice Being Surprised
Serious games are an exercise machine for the frontal cortex. They let you learn to cope with novel situations and difficult problems.

*Transfer
"Transfer" is the kind of learning that will cause people to actually change their behavior. It's difficult to do and very important for serious games used in a training context, etc.

bookmark to seriousgame links

Tea and Snow

My dear friend Selima is visiting from Morocco...so good to see her and spend heart2heart time.
She has an exhibit of her paintings up at the United Nations International School and so Roseline and I drove in with a precocious 11yr old for the opening reception. Beautiful works of vibrant/passionate colors inscribed with phrases of remembrance inspired by the Sufi spiritual path.
During the ride back I had a surprisingly comfortable and wonder-full conversation with the 11yr old on black holes and halving time and galaxies, problem solving and imagination. She is tirelessly inquisitive and self-assured and I believe this is only the beginning of our talks. Can't wait to give her certain books and a link to the mandlebrot set.

Yesterday brought Selima to my friend Jane's studio...knowing it would be a friend and sensibility match.
The three of us sat with tea in Jane's cozy little house talking of art and travel and love and past lives and all sorts of things as snowflakes swirled outside the glass doors. Then Selima and I had more bonding time over lunch and the somewhat long drive home. Smooth-flowing talk of dreams and visions and serendipitous events. I listen and smile, glad that it's possible that she'll be moving back to NY at least for part of the year. Missed her.

Back in my world, B and I are still trying to figure out our next place to live. Becoming a bit stressful as our two top choices were suddenly snatched by much higher rent offers...putting us out of the running for them. Such is the situation around this time of year. Part of the tribulations of being locals in a resort town.
Now the best feeling one out of the ones still available is still very expensive and doesn't have a big studio space. I'd basically be using the dining room as my main studio and part of the one car garage for resin pours. *sigh* I really like the house..and there's a tranquil backyard....but I wonder if this is a dumb move if I want to really start producing larger works.*sigh*

Artwise:
*Addressed and mailed invites to my upcoming show at the Islip Museum....
*The details have been worked out for the Houston show, works shipped and received:

EXCAVATING REALITIES: DARLENE CHARNECO AND CHRIS NATROP
MAAS Projects
2609 Dunlavy
Houston, Texas
April 7-May 7, 2005
opening reception - Thursday, April 7, 7 to 9 pm.

*2x2 prayer piece hammered. Awaiting priming and painting of individual nails.
*2x2 density weave still in progress
*and now I've been working on my 'Cyburbia' statement for possible inclusion in a show at the Katonah Museum.Fingers crossed.FOcus. Focus.
yikes! it's almost 4AM.? that's for having coffee quite late,girlie.
Best be gettin myself to bed. Night all.:)