Things to Do - Photography in Second Life

By Lissena (Wisdomseeker), Virtual Ability member

For May 2020, Second Life residents are invited to participate in a series of photography challenges, sponsored by Whole Brain Health at Inspiration Island.

Curated by Associate Director Thuja Hynes (Tooyaa), each week offers a new opportunity to share our vision, creativity, and technical prowess with inworld photography.

• Week 1 (May 4 - 10):  Visit our Photo Studio and Gallery for Fantasy Foto challenge!
• Week 2 (May 11 - 17):  Takes shutterbugs out into the SL realm to seek and snap full-frame landscapes with the theme Springtime Alive! 
• Week 3 (May 18 - 24):  Returning to Inspiration Island, celebrate those whom you admire with the SL Heroes theme
• Week 4 May 25 - 31):  In the final week we expand our field again to Second Life overall with the theme Tout le Monde, photographing the remarkable social gatherings we enjoy. 

Photo submissions will be exhibited at four galleries on Inspiration Island, in the Whole Brain Health Flickr group, and in compilations. Contact Thuja Hynes inworld with questions. Start here and grab details:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Inspiration%20Island/74/27/23

We're eager to see your art!

Things To Do - Attend the introduction to Virtual Ability's Mental Health Un-Conference!

Thursday, May 7 at 7 am SLT
Gentle Heron will present Introduction to the Mental Health Un-Conference
SLURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/239/128/23
Description:
This is an introduction to Virtual Ability’s 2020 Mental Health Un-Conference that will be held throughout the month of May. A guided tour of the mental health displays and exhibits on Healthinfo Island will include information on how these interactive poster sets are made to be accessible.

Host Bio:
Gentle Heron likes to share evidence-based health and wellness information. Her RL avatar is president of Virtual Ability, Inc.

Thursday, May 7 at 9 am SLT
Jadin Emerald will present Identity, Mental Illness, and Disability: How Second Life Has Helped
SLURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ethnographia/175/78/32
Description:
This exhibit is a sort of "build biography" — a story of the discovery of a new self as a result of being in a virtual world, after having become disabled due to mental illness. The build is set up like an immersive gallery exhibit that you can walk through and interact with. It includes signs with pictures and captions, as well as objects and demonstrations that show some of the things that the story is talking about. Jadin will give a brief introduction, and then be available for questions while participants tour the exhibit at their own pace for the remainder of the session.

The exhibit is designed to be accessible primarily with notecards that participants can get by clicking any of the signs, and also with semi-transparent ramps overlying all stairs, clear labeling of objects, a pleasant soundscape, and other accessibility features.

Host Bio:
Jadin Emerald is otherwise known in SL by a host of other avatar names, including Jadyn Firehawk, who is now retired from public life to pursue her favorite hobbies and practice self-care. Today, Jadin is primarily a creator in SL with a focus on wellness and owner of Jadin Emerald Design Studio. She also operates the Coronavirus Survival Store, a store that is all freebies and is designed to help people through the pandemic crisis. She has developed a layperson's expertise on bipolar disorder and PTSD from having lived with their effects for most of her life. She is a former faculty member at the University of Texas at Austin, where she taught environmental science. She holds a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Rutgers University.


Sunday, May 10 at 7 am SLT
Gentle Heron will once again present Introduction to the Mental Health Un-Conference
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/239/128/23

Things To Do - Get enough sleep

Sleep seems to be a simple activity, but it really isn’t. Getting adequate sleep is known to improve your quality of life_. Most adults need about 8 hours of sleep each night. Both too much more and too much less than this average amount of nightly sleep are harmful to your health.

Many factors can lead to poor quality or inadequate amounts of sleep, and that can lead to health problems. However, you don’t need to resign yourself to poor sleep. Good sleep habits, also known as sleep hygiene, are steps you can take to improve your rest. Here are some helpful tips for establishing good sleep hygiene.

• Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day of the week, whether you are going to work or not. Having a consistent sleep schedule will get your body clock regulated.
• Use light levels to aid your body clock to establish a consistent circadian rhythm. Try to be in sunlight in the morning, user brighter lights for daytime tasks, and avoid bright light in the evening before bedtime.
• Avoid naps, especially within 8 hours of your bedtime. If you routinely nap because you get tired during the day, try power naps earlier in the day. But you may have to forego napping entirely.
• Optimize your bedroom to sleep. It should be a little cool, ideally between 60-67 degrees F (15-19 degrees C) and free from noise and light that may inhibit sleep. You may need eyeshades, earplugs, dark curtains, or a white noise generator. Be sure your mattress and pillows are in good shape, clean, and allergen-free.
• Create a bedtime ritual to help you relax. You can use meditation, prayer, progressive relaxation, or other activities to wind down. Reading is a good way to relax, but not online. The blue light from the screens of our electronic devices, including televisions and phones, actually makes it more difficult to fall asleep.
• Use the bed only for sleeping and sex. If you can’t sleep after a reasonable attempt to relax, get out of bed, go into another room, and do something relaxing until you feel ready to try going to sleep.
• Don’t rely on over-the-counter sleep medications. Frequent use of chemical sleep aids can result in a variety of health issues.
• Some lifestyle choices can affect your sleep. Regular exercise will help you sleep. Some people find exercising in the evening to be too energizing; if so, schedule your activity for morning or lunchtime. Alcohol and nicotine can both disrupt sleep. Avoid eating heavy or spicy meals at least 3 hours before bedtime, to prevent indigestion that can keep you awake.

A useful resource for information about sleep is the National Sleep Foundation.

If these self-management strategies aren’t enough to help you get the sleep you need, consider asking for a medical evaluation. To find a sleep clinician in your area, consult the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. These medical professionals can diagnose the cause of your sleep problems, often by doing a sleep study, and then can explain the best ways for you to get a better night’s sleep.

Things To Do - Celebrate World Laughter Day!

Come celebrate World Laughter Day, celebrated on the first Sunday in May each year.  Why?  Laughter is fun!  Do we need another reason?

Red Skelton, the famous comedian, said:  “Live by this credo: have a little laugh at life and look around you for happiness instead of sadness. Laughter has always brought me out of unhappy situations.”

Laughter also helps us in other ways.  It:

• Relaxes the whole body
• Boosts the immune system
• Triggers the release of endorphins
• Protects the heart
• Burns calories
• Lightens anger’s heavy load
• May even help you to live longer

You can celebrate with other people!  According to the World Laughter Day website, “Come tune up and tune in with the power of laughter and positive energies with like-minded spirits this coming Sunday 3rd May 2020, from 11am until 12 noon, Pacific Time.”

Los Angeles	New York	London	South Africa
11am-12noon	2pm-3pm	7pm-8pm	8pm-9pm

Open to the first 100 people to post their feed, this will be live-streamed on Facebook for everyone to see.

One of the critical ideas of laughter in psychology is the “facial feedback hypothesis,” which states that skeletal muscle feedback from facial expressions plays a causal role in regulating emotional experience and behavior.  This means that simply smiling and laughing can improve your outlook, at least temporarily.

Give it a shot.  Laughter is often the best medicine.

Learn more at Wikipedia or World Laughter Day.